NO TOYS FOR THE GOP

"Given that the Republican defense budget includes $7 billion in spending that the Pentagon itself says it doesn't need, the President has got to be pretty comfortable vetoing this budget," notes Thompson. President Clinton today did just that, vetoing a $265 billion defense authorization that he said included too much spending on costly and unnecessary programs. Chief among the disputed items: A GOP amendment that calls for the U.S. to build and deploy a Star Wars-style missile defense system by 2003. Also problematic is a proposal to build a fleet of B-2 bombers that the Pentagon has said it does not need. Passed on slim majorities in both the House and Senate, the bill likely does not have enough votes to override the President's veto.