[AbsoluteJustice]

"It's not Bush. It's the Congress. Because the Constitution says so."

It is he who signs it....He can veto it can't he?

But he will not....

Plus it is a Republican driven House and Senate. Why don't they have some discretionary spending or at least exercise it?

If they pass it in both Houses then the Republicans are at fault. If it is signed as the budget then Bush is at fault. Noone else, Democrats cannot be faulted for this one, it is squarley on the shoulders of the Republicrats!

[George W. Bush]

It is he who signs it....He can veto it can't he?

Well, yes. The intent is that he can ignore it and it passes by default. Signing it indicates his approval. Staging a Rose Garden signing with Congress indicates strong approval. Vetoing indicates opposition and requires the 2/3^rd majority to override.

This is the Founders' design. Essentially, the president is a check on the Congress. It's a little odd historically for him to be leading the charge for higher spending with both houses held by his own party.

But he will not....

No. Because to do so, he'd have to align with Daschle and Kennedy and Pelosi and the Dims in order to resist the conservatives' attempt to limit the discretionary spending.

It wouldn't look too good to veto his own party's budget bills while forming an alliance with the most liberal and hated elements of the enemy party, would it? Rove isn't stupid and will never let that happen.

We should expect that, given the conservative snarling over this budget, that Rove and congressional leaders will stage some puny pillow fight over this budget for the benefit of gullible GOP camp followers. So we might see some real 'rasslin' for the benefit of GOP sheeple. But conservatives need to watch the bottom line and insist on real cuts.

Rove is quite good at political theater and we shouldn't be taken in by smoke and mirrors. Watch that federal checkbook.