Originally Posted by mardigras

I think the reason line the item veto hasn't been approved is because thinking members of the legislature know it would be used to appease those who want certain bills by attatching them to bills certain to pass then the president could veto the unrelated. Example: The minority party wants to raise the minimum wage. To end debate the party in charge agrees to it in order to get the minority party to agree to a budget bill they weren't happy with. The bill goes to the president, he vetos the minimum wage part and approves the budget only the party in charge wants. The party in charge gets to say, "Well, we tried", knowing all along what was going down.

Line item veto would be abused in any administration, let alone a single party one.