Schweitzer setting records with his veto pen ... and branding iron

Schweitzer's veto efforts drew statewide and national attention last week. Before a cheering crowd in front of the Capitol on Wednesday, Schweitzer brandished different-sized red-hot branding irons that said "VETO" and applied them to pieces of paper affixed to wooden planks symbolizing different bills he intended to veto. The paper would catch fire as he seared the word "VETO" into each plank.

Afterward, he went inside and formally vetoed the bills he had symbolically rejected, along with others.

Click to expand...

I like the guy's style, but here is the part of the story that really interests me:

Besides outright and amendatory vetoes, Montana governors can make line-item vetoes to take money out of appropriations bills. A governor also may let a bill become law without a signature. Only outright and amendatory vetoes are included in this story.

Click to expand...

What's an amendatory veto? This is a veto where the governor sends a bill back to congress, saying that, if specific changes are made to it, he will then sign the bill. The bill is again voted on by congress, with or without the recommended changes, then sent back to the governor. The governor can then either pass the bill or outright veto it.

I love this process they have in Montana, and would like to see it implemented at the Federal level. No need to pass a law allowing it, since there would be nothing unconstitutional about the president doing this on his own. Obama should do this, and thus create a tradition that would help to streamline the process by which bills are passed. It wouldn't be much streamlining, but given Congress' propensity for incompetence, every little bit helps.

So vote in the poll, and tell me what you think. Feel free to vote by clicking a mouse, or use a branding iron, if you can somehow figure out how to do it. :mrgreen:

Article is here.