Other folks are wrapped up in Clarke, Yawngate, Gay Marriage, and whatever... for me, when it comes to questioning Bush's ideology, the place where the rubber meets the road is far more pedestrian issues like this -

House Backs Highway-Spending Bill

WASHINGTON, April 2 — The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a highway-spending bill today, defying a threat from President Bush to veto the measure.

The 357-to-65 vote, reflecting broad support from members of both parties, sends the measure to a conference between the House and the Senate.

The House authors of the bill have put its cost at $275 billion over the next six years. The White House has said the real cost will be closer to $284 billion.

Regardless of the real figure, President Bush has threatened to veto the measure as too costly at a time that he and Congressional Republicans are supposed to be serious about holding down the federal deficit.

It should be veddy intalesting to see how this one plays out - will Bush truly veto pork laden legislation from a Republican controlled Congress?   If he successsfully vetoes his own party, we will have taken a significant step towards restoring Legislative vs. Executive checks & balances - something that's been woefully lacking the past few years.  Come November, this veto could go a LONG way towards reassuring the core, fiscal conservative base that's been questioning Bush's creds so loudly.  I should confess that I am NOT terribly hopeful.

UPDATE - more from CNN - they agree w/ the commentors that this presents Bush an oppty to get both the Veto and the Pork. Sigh.  I'm trying so hard not to be a cynic.   McCain, of course, still comes across as a very Good Man.

..."How far and disgraceful a path we have tread in this pork-barrel laden piece of over-spending at a time when we have all-time deficits," declared Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona.

The White House agrees and is threatening a veto -- which both houses of Congress have enough votes to override. In the end, that means President Bush will be able to take a stand against pork-barrel spending, but House and Senate members will still get the pork they so desire.