[Platapus]

We gave that a good try with the Line Item Veto Act of 1996.

President Clinton used it 11 times to kill 82 expenditures.

In the case of Clinton v. City of New York in 1998, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 that the Line Item Veto was unconstitutional.

Which means that in order to give the President the Line Item Veto power over Congress an the Constitution would have to be amended.

Let's see how that happens. Article V of the Constitution covers ammendments.

Article V

"The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states...."

So the only two bodies that can propose an amendment are Congress and the States.

Well Congress sure aint gonna propose an amendment that limits Congressional power. So that leaves the States.

If you like the idea of Congressional control through a Presidential Line Item Veto, then start talking to your individual state legislators.

33 states need to propose it
38 states need to ratify it

This might be a good question to start asking your various state representatives when it comes to election time.