Veto is worthless because it passed with a veto proof majority. Veto only means something if it passed under two thirds. The key vote was the vote for cloture a few months back that failed.
Frist should have had the amendments on the other bill instead of the whole defense bill. It was Carl Levin that suggested to Rino Warner to have it put on the defense bill.
Now our only hope is to block it in conference but the dem from the house side in conference is for the bill and the senate side is for the bill.
Since Bush can't veto the bill, does anyone know how long Bush can let it sit on his desk and not sign it to just delay it.
My guess is they will try to water down the bill. Warner origianlly had an amendment that let the defense secretary decide if he wanted the rules in place.
Graham also has another horrible amendment that will define enemy combatants.
Who would ever want to be president in this country you already have no power on responding to a disaster in this country because of state rights, and now congress is going to take away your power on the military on overseas matters.
The executive branch in this country is not equal. The senate gang of 14 controls which judges go on the courts. Is there anything the president has control over.
Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.
Bush has a couple of options. He can attempt to veto, in which case it will be promptly sent back and re-passed with a veto-proof majority. He can also not sign it and it will be delayed 11-12 days. Or if Congress is really slow, and he has some allies delay it within 11 days of the end of the session, it could be delayed significantly. But in any case, it will eventually become law.
====
Scary, isn't it?
John McCain, Joe Biden and Hillary! Clinton. Good grief.
I would like to see him veto it after it has set on his desk for the longest time period possible. That would give us time to remind our senators what is in their best interests. One of mine stood up, and one (Kay BH) fell down on the job.
Radio discussion on Imus, I think,(McCain's always on Imus), this am, or it might have been NPR...about this, with McCain on promoting it and Stevens of Alaska proudly stating he'd vote against it if his was the only NAY. The upshot seemed to be that the amendment would be dropped from the armed forces bill and never make it through. Thank God.