Bush, GOP find ways to spend

To the editor:

The article concerning U.S. Sen. Jim Talent's efforts to provide President Bush with line-item veto power on spending bills is very interesting. What I can't figure out is why President Bush needs line-item veto power for spending bills, considering he hasn't vetoed one spending bill since he's been in office. Talent and his Republican friends in Congress haven't written a spending bill he hasn't liked. So I don't understand why President Bush needs this "possible budget tool." Congress hasn't had any trouble getting the president to spend money.

TOM HUNTER, Cape Girardeau