Veto Watch

President Bush, who did not veto a single bill in five and a half years, has now vetoed two bills (Stem Cell Research and Troop Readiness, Veteran's Health, and Iraq Accountability) and is threatening at least 18 more vetoes of legislation.

A common thread runs through many of these vetoes and threatened vetoes - he supports his corporate friends while ignoring the needs of everyday Americans. Bush has threatened to veto the College Cost Reduction Act that provides the largest increase in college aid since the GI Bill in 1944. A presidential veto also threatens the bipartisan Senate proposal to boost the State Children's Health Insurance Program, a popular program that provides health coverage to poor children, saying it would come at the expense of private insurance. Yeah, like poor kids' families can afford private insurance!

For a list of threatened vetoes - http://www.speaker.gov/legislation?id=0058

Life After Bush

Yes Virginia, there will be life after the disaster of the Bush presidency. As Democrats look to electing the next president it will be instructive to that choice to consider where we need to go to make America right again. I'll suggest a couple ideas and look forward to your comments on how the next president can restore America.

We need to get back to FDR's wisdom about "the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself." The Bush/Cheney/Rove recipe for grabbing and holding political power has been to promote irrational fear of everything from terrorists, to the UN, to science, to gays, to the axis of evil. Then next president must reject the politics of division and fear and embrace the politics of hope and optimism.

We must restore the rule of law. We've been appalled by illegal wiretaps, Scooter Libby (covering his boss' ass?), Jack Abramoff, detainees at Guantanamo, Cheney's secret meetings, Bush's view that he is above any law that he thinks limits his ability to combat terrorism, signing statements, Rove, the list goes on and on......... When a president places himself above the Constitution and the law we are on a slippery slope to an authortarian regime. Our next Democratic president must assure the American people that everyone in the administration, including him/herself, knows the limits of power.

OK, I've opened this up for your ideas about steps the next president must take to bring back America. Which candidates are appealing to the higher angels of Americans? Which candidates are luring us with the tired old politics of fear and division (Giuliani comes to mind)? What do you think?