Bush gets it right (!?)

Okay, it's not likely he did it for the right reasons, but he did it. He vetoed the farm bill.

Also, I suspect he probably wouldn't have vetoed it if it hadn't passed by veto-proof majorities in both houses. He certainly didn't do any arm twisting to get Republicans to uphold his veto. Nevertheless, he vetoed it. Hooray Bush. Boo, Pelosi. Boo, Reid.

Every five years, Congress becomes truly bipartisan as the Congressional Creatures of Agribusiness join together to enhance the bottom lines and kiss the well-lined bottoms of the largest corporate farmers. While many of the CCA are from the farm states, plenty are not -- but those others figure they need farm state support for their own diversions of taxpayer funds to Those Whose Backs Require Frequent Scratching. Honestly, I don't know if Reid and Pelosi are personally involved in any of those tit-for-tats, but both are strutting around as if they've done something truly wonderful by getting a bill they suggest could have been much worse.

Yes, yes, we know the bill includes some extra funding for food stamps, and a couple of sops to the environmentalists -- but it's still primarily a massive giveaway to those who need it least from a government already swimming in debt. It also violates every alleged "free trade" agreement the US is party to, but even the most vocal free-traders don't seem to care.

The farm lobby, as always, gets its way.