Craig, read my post on the choices, there were two and most didn't go for one of them.
Dave, veto the bill that was squirted out of the stinking sausage machine as a whole or nothing sends the whole process back to the gate, more bickering, more obstructionism and worst of all, exponentially loss of confidence by the people that nothing will be done while they go down the tubes. How long can this fester in the banking and financial sector, the jobs sector, etc. How much more loss of confidence can those sectors suffer, for how much longer?
I frankly don't think this is going to work for some of the same reasons you cite, regarding misdirected pork barrelling where every $ counts towards economic stimulus. I get the phrase by O, "what do you think a stimulus is?". But, I am just as worried that too many hands are in the pie, and it isn't enough where it should be more, and way too much misdirected where it needs little or none. But, even if the O wants to do as he said, and not get compromised as he is, he isn't a dictator and is stuck in the system that we have, compromise.
But, I ask again, what is the realistic alternative? If you think sending it back to the gate, is the answer, then I disagree. In my opinion, there are zealots in the legislative system following the "I hope he fails" mantra in even more deveous ways than the big Limbo. They are the equivalent to komikaze or hari-kari right wing idealogues that actually think their theory can survive the big crash that is on its way and will survive to take over. If We keep delaying and all we will insure is that the millionaire will starve 6 weeks later than the thousandaire, and that a few days after the poor.
That is my view, full of crap or not.