The House approved the bill with 318 votes, 28 more than needed for an override, while the Senate also gave it easy approval, with a veto proof majority of 81-15.

A majority of Republicans voted for the farm bill in both the House and Senate, undercutting the effort of the Bush Administration to stop it. Critics contend the bill is bloated with earmarks and doesn't reform farm support payments.

"Here we are moving a farm bill that has earmarks in it that just don't pass the straight-face test," said House GOP Leader John Boehner.

"I don't think taxpayers should have to bankroll this boondoggle."

Among the extras that Boehner identified, the sale of national forest land to a Vermont ski resort, $170 million for the salmon industry and $250 million for fish in Montana.

But arguments against stuff like that doesn't stand a chance when about two-thirds of the money in this bill would go for food stamps and emergency food aid.

President Bush has made clear he wanted more reforms on farm support payments, especially sterner limits on who is eligible for federal aid.

The bill eliminates some farm payments to individuals who have more than $750,000 in annual farm income and $1.5 million for couples.

Even couples who make up to $2.5 million in non-farm income could be eligible for crop payments.

But ignore the details and this is really emblematic of where the Republican party is right now. President Bush talked a big game about vetoes of spending bills but never followed through on his rhetoric until the GOP was out of power in Congress.

The GOP did a great job for many years of making the argument that all the extra spending in Congress could basically be laid at the door of Democrats.

The voters ignored the fact that Republican lawmakers were just as good at playing the pork barrel game.

Then, they took charge of the House and Senate, and suddenly The Congressional Trough looked really good.

So, now as Republicans try to "re-brand" themselves as defenders of the Congressional Purse Strings, many of them are going to be more than happy to vote for this Farm Bill, which isn't exactly barebones.

President Bush is a lame duck.

And probably so are a number of Republicans in the Congress.

The difference between them and Mr. Bush is, he knows it already.