Mix-up puts House farm bill veto override in doubt

AP via SFGate ^ | 5/21/8 | MARY CLARE JALONICK and JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS, Associated Press Writers

[SmithL]

The House overwhelmingly rejected George W. Bush's veto Wednesday of a $290 billion farm bill, but what should have been a stinging defeat for the president became an embarrassing episode for Democrats.

Only hours before the House's 316-108 vote, Bush had vetoed the five-year measure, saying it was too expensive and gave too much money to wealthy farmers when farm incomes are high. The Senate then was expected to follow suit quickly.

Action stalled, however, after the discovery that Congress had omitted a 34-page section of the bill when lawmakers sent the massive measure to the White House. That means Bush vetoed a different bill from the one Congress passed, leaving leaders scrambling to figure out whether it could become law.

[Condor51]

You asked for them ;-)

[rightinthemiddle]

How they voted:

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll346.xml

[Robert A Cook PE]

IF (big IF!) Bush had signed the bill, then there would MAJOR constitutional question about which version would be (Literally!) the “law” of the land.

BUT ... since he vetoed the PROPOSED bill, then neither version could have become the law, so the premise that the democrats can pretend that “their” farm bill (ethanol subsidy bill) can somehow become law is rather stupid.

Then again, notice that the tone of this article is still that Bush is wrong for opposing the fair-minded and accidentally forgetful democrats in the House.

[Cyber Liberty]

I watched this on TV this morning, and it's a strange thing. The Democrats claim this is a common SNAFU! So common that it last occurred in 1892. (I swear I did not make that up!) Well, OK, the evil Republicans did a similar thing in an accounting bill data table number or something in 2002, on a moot document.

Meanwhile, we are all to accept as fact that the 1,770 page document delivered for vote this morning is an exact copy of the previous House bill.

I hope the fools on the Hill would wisely spend the next couple of weeks they have going over the new "Parchment" text, while Bush sits on the new Bill.

That's hoping a lot.