The US House of Representatives on Thursday voted to fund the Iraq war by the sum of 96 billion dollars this time by piecemeal pay-as-you-fight political fashion with 43 billion dollars being available initially.  The bill passed 221 to 205.  In this version of the Iraq Funding, or “let’s make an Iraq deal",  Bush must prove the next 53 billion dollars is necessary in July. 

Democrat, Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House said, “This legislation ends the blank check for the president’s war without end” which has been a Pelosi refrain since the Democrats won the November 2006 elections.

However, there is no certainty that the US Senate will follow suit by either filing an identical bill or if they do, by passing the legislation.

Regardless, despite pressure by more Republicans, Bush said earlier he would veto the piecemeal legislation. 

Bush said, "We reject that idea. It won't work," the president said.

Bush is not the only one saying the legislation will not work.

Boehner, R-Ohio said "Yet here we are, playing political games while our troops are fighting for our freedom and our safety in Iraq."

The made-for-TV game show starring Congress is now in the fifth month.  Initially, the action was in resolution form that never passed the Senate.  Then, both the House passed legislation that called for milestones and troop pullouts.  President Bush recently vetoed that legislation on the anniversary date of “Mission Accomplished”

Although Bush’s poll numbers hover in the high twenties, he still has the veto pen and he has enough Republicans to offset any override of any veto.

Which means the Democrats really should fully fund this war and extend the bill to September, set reasonable milestones and then at that time decide if it wants to fund the next full installment.  September is the timeframe that Gen. David Petreus said he would know if the mission is working, or not.  By that time, if the Bush plan is not working (and hopefully it achieves all of the President’s goals), the Republicans will begin to jump ship and he might not be able to sustain his vetoes.

By then, the previews to the Presidential primaries will be on full blast.  In fact, already, there is some distancing from President Bush by one of the more conservative candidates.

Mitt Romney who has been climbing in the polls has recently reportedly said, “I don't think we were adequately prepared for what occurred. I don't think we did enough planning. I don't think we considered the various downsides and risks," according to a transcript of Sunday's "60 Minutes" released Thursday.

Romney also said Bush's "surge" strategy deserves time to work.  The more time, the better, but politics has a short fuse, made shorter by Presidential politics 2007.