It sounds like Bush wants to continue his policy of "emergency" funding just like he has used to fund his war in Iraq. Where will the money come from? $700 Billion is a lot of money, even by Washington standards, and cuts will have to be made or taxes raised to cover the cost.

Bush and company probably felt that the collapse would come after they left office and that they could safely blame the next president for their screw-up but it came just a bit too early. Oops! Well if they can't blame the next President at least they can put off the cuts and/or tax increases to them.

Sorry George. You did this after 9/11 and were not going to fall for it again or as you so eloquently stated: "There's an old saying in Tennessee - I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee - that says, fool me once, shame on - shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again."

I hate to be the one have to instruct you on how the government works... I assumed this was a forum for adults.

Ok here goes: This thing called the Congress sets the budget for the federal government. The Congress is an elected body, separate from the president.

Ok class, did we learn anything today?

FirstInLastOut:

Ok class, did we learn anything today?

Yes teacher, I've learned that congress does whatever the president says, whether they're republican or democrat.

Yes we did. We learned that unless you control the White House and both houses of Congress, a vindictive and short sighted President will veto any efforts to create a rational budget.

FirstInLastOut:

I hate to be the one have to instruct you on how the government works... I assumed this was a forum for adults.

Ok here goes: This thing called the Congress sets the budget for the federal government. The Congress is an elected body, separate from the president.

Ok class, did we learn anything today?

And the president approves or dissaproves of the budget. It's called veto power. Bush didn't veto any of the pork-laden budgets that the Republican congress sent him but as soon as the democrats took over Bush suddenly decided it was time to reign in spending.

What's more it is the executive branch that enforces the laws on the books and the Bush white house hax been very lax at enforcing any regulations that effect corporations or wall street.

Did you learn anything today?

Re: "Ok here goes: This thing called the Congress sets the budget for the federal government. The Congress is an elected body, separate from the president. Ok class, did we learn anything today?"

Conservative snide remarks, while typical of their operating style, do not clarify this discussion. By practice, the President of the US submits a budget to Congress, which is then reviewed, modified and approved/disapproved.

In the past, Presidents from Lyndon Johnson to George H. W. Bush have included the estimated costs of wars in those budgets (Vietnam, WW II, Korea, The Gulf War I). However George W. Bush, in a departure, never submitted a budget for his war in Iraq. He just demanded funds, with little accounting, as he wanted them. As long as Republicans controlled Congress, nothing was done (in fact Republicans rubber stamped more than 90% of everything that George W.Bush sent over, John McCain included).

After the Democrats took over, they insisted on a budget, for a change. As a result, George W. Bush submitted a budget this year that includes estimated funding for the war in Iraq, right up until January 20, 2009 (thereby giving the finger one last time to the American People as he wings his way back to Texas).

Of course, as a Conservative, you are not permitted to speak of these things, but those are the facts and George W. Bush, the man Conservatives consider the second greatest Republican in history (behind Ronald reagan and ahead of Lincoln) is the one trying to railroad this blank check through.