Bush to use first-ever veto-- against science.

In more than five years in office, Fearless Leader hasn't exercised the veto power once. That's undoubtedly in part due to the willingness of Congressional Republicans to give priority to White House pet projects and kill legislation the admin doesn't like. As for the spending bills and earmarks, well, G-Dub is one of those Grover Norquist acolytes who talks of starving the government beast. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean streamlining the bureaucracy for efficiency and savings, but spending so much money that the government becomes ineffectual.

Bush, or at least his staff, is aware of what laws are passed-- witness his addenda to some 750 laws in which he excuses himself from obeying them-- but has never seen fit to outright trash a bill rather than signing it into law. Until now. And what's prompted the threat of this unprecedented action? Why, it's a sop to fundamentalists that will squash one of the most promising areas of high-tech medical research. Yaaayyyy!

President Bush will likely cast the first veto of his presidency if the Senate, as expected, passes legislation to expand federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research, White House aide Karl Rove said Monday in Denver.

"The president is emphatic about this," said Rove - Bush's top political adviser and architect of his 2000 and 2004 campaigns - in a meeting with The Denver Post editorial board.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted 238-194 last year to pass the legislation, co-sponsored by Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., and Rep. Mike Castle, R-Del. If the Senate approves the bill, it will go to the president's desk.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., who backs the bill, has said he will try to bring it up for a Senate vote soon.

Along with new energy sources, the administration seems determined to leave America at the back of the pack when it comes to new technologies. Maybe requiring prayer in public schools isn't such a bad idea-- the next generation is sure going to need it.