Standing Ovations are Easy. Funding Programs that Help Vets and Mililtary Families is Hard.

You know what would move me?   What would impress me?   If any of those DemCans took even thirty seconds tonight to remind people that while they're on stage applauding a Marine for his service, the country is standing by as funding that would actually make a difference in the lives of veterans and their families is compromised away. 

There were enough party-over-country dead-ender Republicans voting in the House tonight to sustain Dear Leader's veto of Labor-H.  We - and all the people who would have benefited directly from the programs funded in the bill, including veterans and military families - lost by two votes.  Before the vote came down, Senate Majority Leader was happy to relieve any pressure Republican Reps may have been feeling by letting everyone know that the Dems were happy to come back after Thanksgiving with another compromise for Dear Leader to consider - this one cutting $11B from a bundled package of spending bills.  No word yet on which bills will get bundled or which programs will get cut.  But this GOP Congressman got the big picture:

"We're going to bundle these bills up and send a bill splitting the difference," Reid told reporters. If Bush vetoes that bill, Democrats might just put the government on autopilot at current spending levels for weeks, months.

"If the proposal is to split the difference," said Rep. Jim Walsh, a New York moderate serving as GOP bill manager for the health, education and job training bill, "I would advise the president to take yes for an answer."

UPDATE: I'm going to be late for a meeting but I want to make something clear. When you read this:

If Bush vetoes that bill, Democrats might just put the government on autopilot at current spending levels for weeks, months.

That's called a Continuing Resolution and it's exactly what BushCo wants to have happen because funding can't be increased from the last time it was approved. Since last year Congress couldn't pass a budget, we've been running on a CR, which means that for the most part, we've been running on funding levels from 2006. BushCo would love nothing more than to see that happen again because it's a good way for him to get the cuts he wants AND have the Dems look like they can't get anything done. Of course, the GOP had the same problem last year, but I don't expect that to show up in any of the media accounts that tell us how the government is on autopilot.