The term "line item veto" is a concept in politics, often used to describe the power of a government leader to reject specific provisions of a bill without vetoing the entire bill. The spelling of this term is pronounced as /laɪn ˈaɪtəm ˈvitoʊ/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The pronunciation of "line" is represented by /laɪn/, "item" by /ˈaɪtəm/, and "veto" by /ˈvitoʊ/. The hyphen between "line" and "item" is necessary to indicate the separate but connected nature of the two words.
Line item veto refers to a power vested in an executive (usually a government official) to selectively remove or cancel specific provisions or spending items from a legislative bill or budget, while allowing the rest of the legislation to remain intact. With a line item veto authority, the executive can essentially “strike out” certain items or provisions without rejecting the entire document.
Typically, this power is utilized by the executive as a means to eliminate or modify spending items or provisions in a budget that they consider unnecessary, excessive, or in conflict with their policy priorities. The purpose of implementing a line item veto is often to control government spending, promote fiscal discipline, or eliminate any perceived wasteful or inefficient expenditures.
The line item veto can be seen as an effective tool for an executive to shape legislation to their liking without outright rejecting it. Nonetheless, it is a controversial power as critics argue that it can undermine the checks and balances system within a government. Detractors argue that the line item veto grants excessive power to the executive, providing an opportunity for favoritism, undue influence, or abuse of power. Moreover, they contend that it allows an executive to override the legislative intent by selectively removing provisions that were agreed upon during the lawmaking process.