The view from Crawford

"The same president who is asking us to spend another $200 billion on the misguided war in Iraq and is insisting on providing $60 billion in tax cuts next year to folks who make over a million bucks a year is now refusing to provide a $6 billion increase to crucial domestic investments in education, health care, medical research and worker protections that will make the country stronger."

That's Senator David Obey, quoted in the New York Times.   Not a word wrong that I can see.  Democratic senators are pissed at the president for vetoing this much-needed domestic spending bill.  But not the Democrats' infamous House Speaker.  Maybe Nancy Pelosi has some hidden agenda?

The veto guaranteed a new round of wrangling with Democrats over war costs and domestic spending priorities, although the immediate response from the Democratic speaker of the House, Representative Nancy Pelosi, seemed almost conciliatory. She held open the possibility of reaching compromise and finding “common ground” with the president.

"Common ground" always seems to be somewhere inside the fence line at Prairie Chapel Ranch, Crawford, Texas, where the taxes are very low (thanks to agricultural land use waivers), the net income is (thanks to cuts) very, very comfortable, and "crucial domestic investments" are taken to mean invitations to useful people for lavish weekends with a powerful politician set on having a secure post-presidency.