Congress voted to override a veto from President Bush for the first time ever yesterday… but of course Adam Putnam wasn’t one of those voting in the overwhelming majority.

As any astute observer knows, in order to override a veto, it takes 2/3rds of the Congress and that means a large bipartisan majority.  In the case of the bill yesterday, the vote was more than just a large bipartisan majority… it was an overwhelming one ( the bill is an obscure but popular one related to water projects such as coastal redevelopment, drainage areas, levee construction, rivers & lakes, etc).

From the Washington Post article:

Yesterday’s 361 to 54 override tally was 90 votes more than the two-thirds needed, and was made up of the votes of 223 Democrats and 138 Republicans. Just 54 Republicans stuck with Bush.

361 to 54 !  That means the bill had the support of almost every single Democrat AND 2/3rds of the Republicans.

So was Putnam casting a loosing protest vote on behalf of the people of Florida? Sadly, no.
From the WP Article above:

“This is far too important for this nation and my state of Florida,” said Rep. John L. Mica, who led the Republican effort to override Bush’s veto.

That’s right, this bill is more important to the people of Florida than perhaps to any other state besides Louisiana!  Florida, afterall, has some of the most complicated water reclamation, levee, hurricane,  everglades, and similar type problems in the nation… it’s almost as if we’re below sea level and surrounded by major bodies of water.  And so the Republicans who lead the charge to make sure this Bipartisan bill passed:  they were Republicans from Florida & other Southeastern Gulf States!  This bill makes me feel like I’m on an old gameshow where the crowd shouts “how partisan is he???!” and the announcer holds up the bill and says “this partisan!” while Adam marks a big red “X” through it.

Thankfully, at least this time (unlike with the Childrens’ Health Care bill) Putnam wasn’t able to stop the veto override from going through.  But just because he failed at screwing up Florida’s federal water funding, doesn’t mean Putnam shouldn’t be held accountable for trying to F it up.

The final vote total is here.

This is just amazing.  Putnam knows that in DC unquestioning loyalty is how you get ahead.  And because of that he is going to continue choosing his BFF George Bush over anyone and everyone… and that inclues you, me, Polk County, and Florida.  

UPDATE:  Here’s some more info on the bill, from that same WP Article:

 The bill would authorize billions of dollars in coastal restoration, river navigation and dredging projects, levee construction and other Army Corps of Engineers public-works efforts. Seven years in the making, the measure took on particular political resonance in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, as Gulf Coast lawmakers secured nearly $2 billion in restoration and levee construction projects for the region. The bill would also continue projects such as the restoration of the Everglades and the dredging of the upper Mississippi River, while expanding oversight of the Army Corps.

Thursday, November 8th, 2007 @ 5:11 pm Congressional Votes, Partisan Politics
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