Since the time of Ronald Reagan it has been a habit of US presidents to request a budget line item veto to curtail spending put there for the benefit of special interests. This week George W. Bush revived the tradition that had been struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court during Bill Clinton's second term. But even if Mr Bush's proposal were to get round the courts, and through Congress, it would do almost nothing to address America's looming fiscal nightmare. In the five years that he had use of the measure Mr Clinton deleted only $2bn (£1.15bn) worth of spending. This year's budget deficit is forecast to exceed $400bn.

On purely political grounds, it makes sense for Mr Bush to be seen to attack pork barrel spending. The forthcoming trial of Jack Abramoff, the K Street lobbyist with close ties to the Republicans, will intensify public mistrust of Mr Bush's party in the build-up to the mid-term Congressional elections in November. Aware of its near rock-bottom credibility with the American public, the Republican-dominated Congress is holding hearings on ways to restrict the influence of lobbyists on the Hill.