It’s almost time for the end of the year spending bill to pass, and once more it is littered with policy riders.  Analysts expect most of them will be removed in the end.  But not the rider to continue the ban on allowing D.C. to fund abortions for low income women, of course.

Via the New York Times:

Many of the riders are more serious, including several attempts to roll back environmental regulations on interstate air pollution, toxic power-plant emissions, and water pollution from mining. The District of Columbia could not offer a needle-exchange program or spend its own funds on abortions for poor women. (The abortion ban, also included in last year’s spending bill, does not apply to any state.) And, in time for Christmas, Republicans are trying to limit visits by Cuban-Americans to families on Cuba, a policy President Obama relaxed.

Many of these riders will be dropped in negotiations with the Senate, but some, very possibly including the crackdown on Cuban travel and abortion in the capital, will remain.

The GOP adamantly opposes the right of the federal government to override local decisions.  Except when it comes to abortion, and then it’s a ok.