The liberal Charleston Gazette has come out against Congress giving the power of the line-item veto to President George Bush. According to the Gazette, the ability of the President to “veto any line in any budget or spending bill passed by Congress” is “too much control” for a “power-hungry White House.”

Even though I believe the Gazette to be wrong, they are to be commended for taking an unequivocal stand against this executive power. It is time they follow through on their beliefs and urge the West Virginia Legislature to remove Governor Joe Manchin’s line-item veto power as well.

The Gazette is, I presume, our largest state paper. Instead of trying to change something in a capitol hundreds of miles away, they should focus their attention on the same scenario occurring just a couple blocks down the street.

One of the most power-hungry administrations of all time, Manchin has taken much of legislature’s responsibility. Two of his more infamous power grabs was when he assumed control of the Parkways Authority and then raised rates to an insane level and when he essentially wrote the legislature’s food sales tax reduction bill by drafting an overtly narrow call.

Yet when Governor Manchin exercised his veto power this year, nary a peep was heard from the Gazette. Among other things Manchin line-item vetoed an 872-word preamble that asserted the Legislature’s power to direct where state funds are spent. The Gazette blithely reported, “Manchin also said the language might be read to suggest that a governor cannot veto line items in a budget. That ‘cannot stand,’ Manchin wrote.” (03/25/2006)

Based on the facts, one could call the Gazette hypocritical.

The Gazette praised Senator Byrd for fighting the line-item veto as vigorously when President Clinton was in office as he is now when a Republican holds the position. They should learn from the Senator.

It is easy to criticize someone who never reads your paper, but the partisan rag known as the Charleston Gazette will never take a stand against Governor Joe Manchin. They must love him more than they love the truth.