3/9: Congress Stands Up

After 5 years of Congress placating the President's demands for more power and funding during the war on terror, it seems that even Republican lawmakers might draw a line in the sand (at least at the Port of New Jersey.)

Congress seems poised to block Dubai Ports World from purchasing the company in charge of overseeing several sea ports along the East Coast. Despite the President's adamant threat to veto any such legislation, the House Appropriations Committee voted 62-2 to block the deal. More importantly, they tied the legislation to a bill for defense spending in Iraq and reconstruction efforts in New Orleans.

This is no symbolic stance of nativism by the House. If the Senate were to take a similar tactic, the Republican controlled Congress would be sending a clear shot across the White House bow that this deal goes to far.

As the votes in Congress line up against the ports deal, it seems possible that the President will veto his first piece of legislation AND have this veto overridden by both foes and friends on Capitol Hill.

In the two presidencies before him, only one presidential veto was overridden by Congress and that was an act intended to reduce cable TV bills.

Forcing this president to veto a bill related to homeland security would have been unthinkable, even last year. But this showdown is a perfect example of the difficulties that war time presidents have when they can't run for re-election.





CitizenU. would like to send very happy 35th Birthday wishes to TV's Webster. It seems like only yesterday that you were that endearing kid from the 80s!