Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell in Wasilla, Alaska on Friday. Palin is one of a handful of governors who have said they may join Idaho Gov. Butch Otter in turning down federal stimulus funds.
(Al Grillo/AP)Photos (1 of 1)
Some states may shun stimulus funds
At least six governors have said they may refuse money, but will they face a backlash?
By Patrik Jonsson | Staff writer/ February 22, 2009 edition
The Monitor's David Cook talks with reporter Patrik Jonsson about the possibility of states refusing the federal stimulus money.
Reporter Patrik Jonsson
Atlanta
On orders from his boss, Idaho chief legal counsel David Hensley spent three days poring through the fine print of the gargantuan stimulus legislation, returning bleary-eyed to Boise with what looked like a college freshman’s dog-eared copy of Tolstoy’s “War and Peace.”
His boss, the cowboy hat-wearing Gov. Butch Otter, is one of at least half a dozen Republican state executives who have said they may reject some, even all, of the money their states would get under a stimulus package expected to enlarge the government’s slice of gross domestic product and slow, if not reverse, the economic downturn.
Critics such as Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina say the Republican resistance is a political, even racist, ploy to withhold critical help from the nation’s poorest and most hard-hit communities. But with Americans – even Republicans – split on support for the bill, there could also be fiscal wisdom in cautiously approaching a spending package that could weaken states’ rights, put state taxpayers on the hook to fill future funding gaps, and stymie local innovation to turn the economy around.
“We’re concerned that we’re just going to be doling out million dollar hugs,” says Jon Hanian, Governor Otter’s press secretary. “It really comes down to the proper role of government, and that is a soul-searching question we’re engaged in here in Idaho right now.”
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry have joined Otter’s revolt.
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels has also raised concerns about future state obligations especially for education, welfare, and healthcare spending, which make up the bulk of the $787 billion package.
“Some school systems will see a gusher of money the like of which no one has seen before,” said Governor Daniels at a press conference last week. “When federal funds stop coming, there will not be any way to replace all of that.”
The rift in the GOP became evident on “Meet the Press” Sunday as Governor Jindal faced off with Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida, who welcomed the package faster than he could say “Sunshine State.” “We are at a time of need and to do nothing is not acceptable,” said Governor Crist. “I’ve looked into the eyes of people [in unemployment lines] and I understand the challenge.”
But Jindal, who called the stimulus debate “a great opportunity” to offer conservative-based solutions, countered, “We should be unafraid to stand up on principles and point out alternative solutions.”
The topic is also likely to overshadow the Republican Governors Association conference that begins Monday in Washington. Facing a massive budget crisis, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the nation’s 22 GOP governors who has said he is quite happy to take the money.
In a study released late last week, the Rockefeller Institute found that states are wise to take the money, but should plan judiciously. By the time the money runs out in 2011-12, conservative estimates show states could face budget gaps equaling 6 percent of general revenues, or about $100 billion nationwide. Spending cuts or tax hikes would be inevitable, the report concluded.
“This stimulus gives states some time, but it doesn’t make the problem go away,” says Donald Boyd, who wrote the report. “There is a risk of losing discipline, [but] in the end, I’d be very surprised to see a state reject the money. It’s fine to take a stand, but retreat may look pretty good.”
Rebel Republicans say that the focus of the stimulus package on expanding the government payroll may hobble the ability of states to target local and regional problems that have contributed to the downturn.
Mississippi’s Governor Barbour objects to a provision that extends unemployment benefits to people who have turned down full-time employment. Similarly, South Carolina’s Governor Sanford thinks extending unemployment benefits to part-time workers will bankrupt the state’s unemployment trust.
In Idaho, Governor Otter would rather have seen money go toward the federal government paying more so-called “payment in lieu of taxes” to local communities for the huge chunks of federally owned lands in the West.
“This shows that states like Idaho that have creative ideas … are being stymied by an uncreative, old-ideas bill,” says Scott Ward, president of the Republican State Leadership Committee in Washington.
The rebel governors may be playing to simmering taxpayer discontent over the size and obligations of the package, evident in anti-tax protests across the country, including one that greeted President Obama recently in Denver. Politically, the GOP has found some success in painting the package as an overblown spending bill. Support for the package has waned in recent days, polls show.
“These are people jockeying for the next round of president, vice president and cabinet for Republican administrations…. [T]hey’ve understood the symbolic importance of saying no to what appears to be expanding federal government and deficits and social programs that their constituents, frankly, wouldn’t necessarily care for,” says Pearson Cross, a political science professor at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette. At the same time, Professor Cross says, “It’s a bit disingenuous to say, ‘Well, we may not take it,’ when in fact we need it desperately.”
Expecting just such a revolt from Southern governors who may resist expanding welfare for minorities, South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn fought for an amendment that would give state legislatures, not governors, the final say on receipts.
“The only strings attached to this money is if you have a community that for the last 30 years has had persistent poverty rates … then you must direct 10 percent of this money to those communities,” says Rep. Clyburn. “If you don’t want this pot of money because that string is attached, what am I to conclude from that?”
The underlying cause for the resistance has to do with state sovereignty, says Byron Schlomach at the conservative Goldwater Institute in Phoenix. Will a short-term federal government intervention weaken states’ rights by making them more financially beholden to Washington?
That’s an issue that is particularly relevant as the revolt is largely coming from states such as Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alaska, whose residents currently receive some of the highest shares of federal subsidies in the country. These states, argues Mr. Schlomach, know the price that comes with federal largess. “We’re giving up our sovereignty and putting the federal government even more in the driver’s seat,” he says.
( More stories )
Comments
2. Dave | 02.22.09
The economy is built from the bottom up… not the top down. No amount of money will work if there are not sustained jobs with decent pay. The majority of Americans are going to wait and not spend. If you have no job or a job that pays half what you were making then you probably have a home you can’t aford and your certainly not looking to buy a new car. These idiots in office need to hear from the country and start trying to understand. Thwy claim that NO ONE saw this coming. They lie. People have been warning about this situation for about 3 to 5 years now and the best we can hope for is a BAD RECESSION…. it appears that we are headed for a DEPRESSION instead. and still they argue and jocky for political advantage….
3. Keith Carpenter | 02.22.09
Republican’s can’t see the forest for the trees. They didn’t seem to mind spending Billions when Bush wanted to bail out his Banking Buddies. They didn’t seem to mind approving Billions of dollars to fund an unnecessary war. Now when their own fellow Americans need help, they have a problem with it. What a bunch of hypocrites! I guess if it doesn’t put money directly in their pockets then it MUST BE a bad idea.
4. Richard H | 02.22.09
I am from Wyoming, and our governor is a Dem, but even has said he will not accept all the money comming from the feds.
5. cmc | 02.22.09
Every State has the right to receive the support from Washington or not. However, my comment to those Governor’s of the Southern States with concern to welfare handouts for their citizen’s is “Stop complaining about hand-outs and start giving a hand-up to your communities in need”. I am curious, how can you be proud of your Governorship if you are part of the problem and not the solution? Stop fighting Washington and start re-building your State!
6. dona | 02.22.09
Thank you Palin and any other smart people willing not to eat this stimuli package with out reading it first and understanding what we loss by taken it.
I wish more people would not sell their souls for a short fix, that would run out of money the next pres. term.. and that pres. of 2012 will be blamed…
The borrowing and over appraisal of stocks & house market started with the end of the Clinton term. and busted in the Bush term…The country is being run like the enron company… Remember how it ended up?
7. Marco | 02.22.09
These Red-state folks are just out of ideas and have no sense of irony. These Republicans never saw a misguided war or military spending bill they did not like when Bush II was president, and they never saw a tax cut they did not like. They slashed taxes and services and yet spent more than they took in at the Federal and State level. They never kept the tax rate high enough to pay the bill. And now the states and the federal government are in a mess of trouble thanks to Bush II and these silly people.
The Republicans maxed out our federal and state budgets (this is “spending”) and only later wonder where they are getting the money to pay for it since they never expected to raise enough taxes to pay for the spending spree.
I hope these Governors are run from office.
8. SharonB | 02.22.09
Notice how they “may not” accept the package? They want to see how their citizens react first! If there is a backlash, they’ll say “I didn’t say I wouldn’t!” LMAO!
And for all the rules on this page, I post my FIRST comment ever, and get a warning that I should “slow down” because I’m posting too fast!! Sheesh!
10. Chanchito | 02.22.09
Let them refuse the money — the voters will have a say when these irresponsible officials are up for reelection.
11. pepperhanrahan | 02.22.09
If you voted no then to take the money is two-faced. I know this is tough because I live in an area of GOP representatives and they vote lockstep and not what the people want. This hurts the people but not our vote. Vote anyone out that does not support the will of the people.
12. David Brands | 02.22.09
Let these spiteful, out-of-touch governors do what they will without regard for many of their constituents. It will either mean more for the rest of the states or simply a cheaper stimulus outlay. I see about six political careers careening off course. Good riddance.
13. sbv | 02.22.09
the four pillars of the “we pander to your prejudices and fear” gop are:
disingenuousness
hypocrisy
greed
arrogance
where were these republican governors when “no child left behind” was an unfunded mandate?
how many of these republican governors are from debtor states, meaning they receive more from the federal government - read taxpayers - than they send to washington? how is this anything but wealth redistribution from donor state taxpayers to debtor states; all the while they can say they believe in low taxes and fiscal responsibility.
14. MontyMoose | 02.22.09
Its so interesting that those folks with money are worrying about giving some of it to those in need.
If you cant take of your poor and needy ( and shame on you that you havent already), why stop the government from doing what your state should have addressed long ago!!
15. Voice of Reason | 02.22.09
I’m proud of the banks that didn’t take the money, or gave it back. I’ll be proud of the states that do the same. As noted in this article; we are all going to pay for it big time in the long run. Let’s fix the problem, get people off welfare, educate ourselves, live within our means! and let the people that haven’t been doing so suffer for a little while. Maybe they will learn to be more conservative with their money, and not be so lazy and once again the hard working citizens can say they are proud to be from the U.S.A.
The stimulus doesn’t fix the problem, it just gives money to it and then in a few years it will be back, bigger than ever.
16. captainkona | 02.22.09
“Some states may shun stimulus funds ”
….is inaccurate.
The title should read “Republican Governors refuse stimulus money because they want to obstruct Obama’s efforts to improve the country’s economy”.
Once again, valueless Republicans put politics before their people. That’s why America ejected them from our gov’t in the first place. Keep up the good work, Repigs. I see a long Democratic majority at the end of your efforts.
17. Linda | 02.22.09
Why weren’t these Republican shysters soul searching during the Bush fiasco years? Such hypocrits.
18. edward thompson | 02.22.09
if the governors turn down the money they are as stupid as they could be if they do i honestly hope their state goes under and their taxes rise so high the people of that state revolt big time then the replubicans will never win in that state again. Im a replubican myself and im for this i know its too much but it has to help cant stand there and bicker and bicker something has to be done. You can not just lower taxes that does not work as you can see from the last rebate.
19. richard hammer bush | 02.22.09
what a joke? stimulus isnt even real money, just more credit given out to try and keep capitalism alive!!! all this wrangling to pass the bill was in their own interests, not the peoples, what a joke
20. Lowell L Morse | 02.22.09
Let’s face it. If the government wanted to “help” the general population, they would have repealled the federal income tax. Period done.
This is an orchestrated collaspe of our economy.
Don’t dare think that it was just ’sub-prime” mortgages. Adjustable rate mortgages started during the early 80’s. (Regan Administration). People borrowed against their homes for many years. Putting billions of dollars into the real estate and mortgage industry through origination fees and others. (i.e. title companies, real estate lawyers ect.)
The state and county governments benefited as well. The higher housing prices went, the higher the taxes.
We are a “consumer” based economy. In other words, we spend and we don’t produce.
Thanks to NAFTA, GAT and other “free trade” agreements, we found our manufacturing base disappear.
Don’t dare blame it on the EPA or the labor unions. It was “cheap” labor and countries (china) that could see the big picture. Now your seeing the big picture. Ross Perot warned against it. The gaint sucking sound is now a reality.
Missed opportunity? No. Ron Paul has warned against “it”.
Now you are on the chopping block mr. white collar/stock trader/exectutive secretary. Come on you are smarter than this. You are educated. You thought it was just some uneducated blue collar union assembly car worker
spewing foul play. Well, what do you think now?
Watch the movie “Dick and Jane”. Do your research. The uneducated blue collar worker could use your help. Trust me your next.
May God Keep you
Lowell L Morse
22. johnjohn | 02.22.09
They all talk a tough game. But, they are still just civil servants beholden to the will of their bosses, all the citizens, not just the Republicans. Oh, wait, do not use facts, their minds were already made up (for them).
23. george washington | 02.22.09
These are the things that signal a states weakness and ultimate defeat to socialisim. Never ever make a deal with the devil!
24. Joe the Student | 02.22.09
Monitor, I guess you had to give both sides of this story, but you nevertheless don’t tie the facts tightly enough. That is to say, if you’re serious about the facts in this case, it is clear that you will expose the ideological grandstanding of these conservative governors. The right wing is in retreat nationally; its few bastions of strength are obviously going to retract further into a more extreme position; those states with conservatives in power which already have peculiarly dependent relationships with the federal government are of course going to pounce on the opportunity to appear to ’stand strong.’ There is nothing of substance here about philosophies of governance, and it is within the bounds of balanced reporting to make that clear; I’m glad you included the Clyburn quote to let that critique emerge. But to let those ridiculous quotes from Jindal and others stand with the assumption that substance lies behind them is to bow down too much to the appearance of ‘balance’ without enough focus on the facts. Jindal has no alternative (unless you count increasing unemployment benefits by a laughable $25 a week - something that should be made clear in the followup to such a quote), and he cares about black people about as much as Bush (his policy background, as well as Palin’s and the others, is completely relevant to understanding their imagined ‘roles for government.’ The irrelevance of Otter’s ‘alternative’ to circumstances for most of the people implicated by these six governors’ grandstanding should be pointed out.) Let the record stand when such highly inflated rhetoric is used to obfuscate the issues.
25. georgia boy | 02.22.09
Maybe Sarah Palin could use it to pay her extra taxes that she ignored. Maybe the rest of these Governors should ask to be deleted from this list entirely. If I were Obama, It would be all or none. Forget these Governors that forget their states for their political party. We might have another Civil War?
26. geek | 02.22.09
I hope those Governors that don’t think they need money refuse it.
I am sure the voters in those states will be thrilled to have their elected officials turn down money. They should go the next step. They should ask to have the military bases in their back yards relocated as well.
27. william jesse | 02.22.09
on a personal level theses govenors need a wake up call this money is tohelp their schhols that their teachers are losing jobs on its to help with bad roads, and its 4 the people in their states with stimulus checks to singles and couples and its also for the unemployed in their states the govenors are blind here.
28. BrdieR | 02.22.09
Obviously the Grand Obstructionist Party would like to see Obama’s policies fail…Then we can go back to the enormously successful polices that created this crisis.
29. Robert Castle | 02.22.09
The Republicons are far more interested in their own welfare than that of the people who elected them. That is what differentiates Republicons from Republicans. Who are the Republicons? They are those who brought are nation and the Christian Church to the edge of oblivion - neocons, radical evangelists, and the leaders of the industrial-military complex. We, the People, are the least of their concerns.
30. Judith in Oregon | 02.22.09
Maybe some of these governors can expand their distaste for federal spending. The majority of the “rebel Republicans” are from states that receive far more in federal tax revenue than they contribute. In 2005 Alaska received $1.84 in federal taxes for every dollar it paid; in Louisiana, it was $1.78; Mississippi received $2.02, and South Carolina came in with a disciplined $1.35.
I don’t blame the people of these states; and I’m not sure I blame the leaders for receiving taxes. But this political grandstanding is hypocritical and despicable.
31. lisa | 02.22.09
Good. Let their states fail so they can be duly voted out of office in the next election. It happenned in the 1930’s and it will happen again. It might serve them well to be better students of history.
33. Siberian | 02.22.09
“Free money” has a corrupting influence. Degradation of values is the principal outcome. Free markets, and the opportunity to succeed, strengthen our society. Bailouts are corrosive, distorting and wrong. I pray Americans possess the will to resist these temptations.
34. Glenn | 02.22.09
Take it or leave it. You can deny it, but if you take it, you will spend it on what you have denied spending, that which is so broken because of your neglect. Yes, we are borrowing from the future but to pay for your past… how else do you propose that we fix the mess you have caused. No time to lose.
35. Rich | 02.22.09
I don’t see how redirecting funds to the states to ward of budget gaps puts the Feds in the driver’s seat. Look if you want the money take it and use it otherwise don’t. If you can survive as a state without it, so be it. Acting like the Feds will come in and take over is a straw man of argument and based in any sort of reality.
36. dutch weismann | 02.22.09
I’m a reformed Republican - now a DEM for life. Why? These types - Otter, Barbour, Jindal and Palin; they’re not kidding anybody - just bloated gasbags parading around for the press with their sycophantic lackey’s yapping around their feet - AGAIN. Gimme a break - it’s a waste of time, money and oxygen since we all KNOW they’re jockeying for position in a(nother) losing GOP challenge. When are they going to wise up and LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO PUT THEM IN OFFICE and drop the ego shennanigans? LOSERS and LIARS.
37. Rebekah Osborn | 02.22.09
I say, let them reject the money. Maybe that will leave more for everyone else.
38. Scott Denson | 02.22.09
Let the “conservative” republicans continue to cry and whine now that they no longer have control. After 8 years of more spending of government funds than in the past 20 years, these “republicans” are pathetic and are just trying to cause even more job layoffs while they keep theirs.
Amazing how only in 4 weeks they continue to cry foul after screwing up the country for 8 years.
Guess selling that airplane wasnt enough.
39. Danielle O’Hallisey | 02.22.09
Where were these guys when Bush was frittering away the surplus, making the richest 1% of Americans richer by, coincidentally enough, about 750 billion dollars, failing to regulate the banks who got us into this, failing to help New Orleans (there are still about five billion dollars in unspent funds there, while thousands remain homeless), and spending (conincidentally enough) about $750b in Iraq, fighting his delusions?
They are not conservatives, they do not care about their constituents, and they will face a real political backlash.
40. theresa rodriguez | 02.22.09
Well, to refuse the money and assistance our new president has worked hard to get for us, sounds to me like obstinate GOP tactics. What is next? Will these racially motivated governors decide to secede from the Union?
41. Clyde | 02.22.09
Way to go, Governor Perry! It’s not racist to be fiscally responsible. It is deplorable to play the race card that way. Shame on Rep. Clyburne
42. cybern | 02.22.09
I say let the states who wish to refuse the stim money do as they wish. The money can be redistributed to the states who accept it. And in the future, those states who refused the money cannot then come back and ask for the money at some later date when they realize it was a mistake. Further, any future government assistance such as infrastructure funds should be diverted from these states to states who were willing to accept the stim money. These states realized the severity of the financial problem and were willing to listen to the many experts with whom Pres Obama consulted on the issue. Whenever the term ’states rights’ is bandied about, you know there is some ulterior motive involved. In this case, it is a way to avoid helping the poor or disenfrachised in those states. It’s a familiar ploy and all the more despicable when applied in these times when even families who, in the past, were able to take care of their own needs but are now needing aid with their house payments and the like.
43. john d.hughes | 02.22.09
I do hope all the Rep. Gov. States turn it down and their share is divided up for all states that approve it or any part that is turned down. many thanks.
44. Bill Combs | 02.22.09
This is madness. You couldn’t make this stuff up. While Congress and Obama are busy thinking up ways to give away money to people who don’t need it or deserve it, we are losing jobs at a rate of a 600k a month. How long are they going to ignore this catastrophe? I’m not a real smart guy, but I suspect it will only be months between these people losing their jobs, and their homes going into forclosure. Meanwhile, Obama and company are making Bush look like a model of fiscal restraint! I didn’t think that was possible. Welcome to Argentina!
45. Roger vanFrank | 02.22.09
“It really comes down to the proper role of government, and that is a soul-searching question we’re engaged in here in Idaho right now.”
How marvelous! And where have these geniuses been for the last eight years? Wars? Tortures? Treasury raids? Science bashing? International fear mongering? false fleg operations, lies to the point that every government statement is suspect? These are proper roles of governments but jobs, schools, aid for the hungry and helpless are the roles of whom? Instead of putting their shoulders to the wheel to help correct the Republican created worldwide economic meltdown they want the effort to correct this to fail and the public to continue to suffer to the maximum for their proven inability to govern wisely.
How pathetic can these poor benighted souls become?
46. Chris B. | 02.22.09
“Mississippi’s Governor Barbour objects to a provision that extends unemployment benefits to people who have turned down full-time employment.”
In other words, if you are unemployed, and you are offered a job that pays too little to meet any of your long term family needs, then you will be punished for turning down that job. Many unemployed people will be offered jobs only to find that they were not adequate enough to support their family, it happens more than you think. You may need $3000 a month to support your family, so you apply for a job and then they tell you that they can only pay you $2000 a month. If you take the job it can prove quite difficult to continue looking for work while starting a new job. Barbour’s objection can make life difficult on those of us who are trying to make ends meet and find a job that we can live with.
“South Carolina’s Governor Sanford thinks extending unemployment benefits to part-time workers will bankrupt the state’s unemployment trust.”
So if I was scraping by supporting my family with my part-time job, I should not be able to support them if I lose that job? Many people survive on part time work, the least we can do with these people is help them when things get rough. But in Sanford’s mind it is better to allow the little guy to go bankrupt and hungry than to create a government program to help them out.
Seriously, I understand people are hesitant to spend money on this stimulus, but we need to think more about how decisions like turning down stimulus funds will hurt the little guy.
47. Jim | 02.22.09
I live in South Carolina, also a Independant voter. Gov. Sanford would probably be for simulas package if a Republican Or A Conservative had come up with the Idea. “I support President Obama”, he seems like very good person. He keeps his word and trys hard to work for the American people.I think he wants all the Gov. leaders to work together.And not just be Liberal and Conservative working against each other.And I think that why Gov. Sanford a true conservative is against the simulas package.SC Congressman Jim Clyburn is wise person and good stateman.He trys to work for the good of the people.
48. T. Lassiter Jones | 02.22.09
the reporter needs to do some research. There is no such thing as “states’ rights.” The phrase appears nowhere in the Constitution. States do have certain powers, including, I suppose, the right to go bankrupt rather than accept federal money, but only individuals (”the people”) can have rights.
Let all those bankrupt red states secede, I say. Those governors will quickly find that their citizens aren’t going to be any more willing to pay taxes to state governments than they are to the feds, although they will continue to demand all the services those tax dollars provide.
49. Jake Meyers | 02.22.09
Hopefully the Legislatures in the six states can’t override those governors and still accept the money.
It’s especially sad in states Louisiana and Mississipi where the residents sorely need help and money needs to be put into bettering the infrastructure that their governors have chosen to play politics.
50. Eugene Rubinstein | 02.22.09
PALIN — BUTCH next Presidetial election! Then will everything be exellent with economy (and with everything else as well).
51. Jim Ruen | 02.22.09
These “principled” Republicans had no problem giving up states sovereignty or endorsing pork barrel politics under 8 years of Republican Administration. It wasn’t just the war that swelled our deficit. Let’s see a list of how many maintained lobbyists to get earmarks during those years.
Palin is a great example. She could justify using a lobbyist to get funds for the bridge to nowhere, then claimed to disdain the idea when McCain and others ridiculed, all the while using the money to build a 4-lane highway to the spot where the bridge was supposed to be built.
These guys know they can make political hay and then let their legislatures “force” them to take the money. If only the bull manure coming out of their mouths had some value as fertilizer! Schwarzenegger is right. Give the money to the states ready to use it and see whose economy recovers the fastest.
52. L Wq1 | 02.22.09
What is a big deal? The money rejected from those Republican governors should be divided and distributed to the remaining states. Nobody’s begging them to take the money. I think this is just a sound bite from those governors because they’re thinking about their own’future ambition, not ordinary people in their states. At the end, they’re going to take the money and run.
53. Don Morrison | 02.22.09
So, Byron Scholomach of the Goldwater Institute says the underlying cause for the resistance to the money being targeted at the poor is state sovereignty? Wasn’t the rallying cry of those opposing the dismantling of segregation, and those objecting to universal sufferage? Hasn’t that been the standard rationalization for most of the attempts to continue racist policies in the past?
56. S. Huber | 02.22.09
Another example why our system fails and never will work.
It is always me or you.. Dem or Rep.. poor or wealthy.
A adversarial, two party system does not work and never will.
A coalition of groups and ideas is a true democracy
We are doomed!
57. Jennifer Mills | 02.22.09
Republicans need to understand that they are not in control anymore because America saw the problems we were having. They need to do what is best for their state no matter what color the President is. America long ago said “we are the great arsenal of democracy” but we’d rather spend billions and trillions in Iraq than to help Americans at home. If John McCain had won, Republicans would have gone along with anything like the bail out of banks who misused the money. Where is your arguments on that one? You signed that bill willingly. But of course, a white man suggested that bill. I am middle class and I am tired of the rich getting kickbacks and the middle class supporting the country.
58. Aalamaram | 02.22.09
The money from the stimulus program should go to states without any strings attached. That goes to the heart of federalism. The state knows what is best for the people. The elected representatives know what is best for the state, not the people sitting in Washington. It should go to states as Block grants.
The right of state government is slowly eroding and a strong central government spells trouble. Our constitution is the best in the world and let us not mess with it.
59. mahogma662000@yahoo.com | 02.22.09
Sarah Palin,current Governor of the state that has historically taken more federal subsidies than any other state in the union,refuses federal aid? Remember what you ask for,Sarah. I’m sure the people of Alaska will remember when it comes time for the next state elections. Oh yeah,I almost forgot. Your going to run for President as the candidate of some rouge party that used to be the Republicans. After that,you’ll only be remembered as that woman who claimed she could see Russia from 650 miles away.
60. Califcasey | 02.22.09
If McCain had won and Democrats were sniping at him within a month of taking office, refusing his overtures of bipartisanship and running around with buttons that said “10 out of 10 terrorists vote Republican,” what would the GOP and their conservative blogosphere friends by saying? I shudder to think. Now, to turn down the stimulus funds out of apparent pique (Jindal saying this was a great chance to try out some conservative ideas…didn’t we just do that for 8 years?) seems petulant and blind. I much preferred Mr. Crist’s remarks to Jindal’s today. Crist and Ahnold struck the right tone. Congressional Republicans and governors like Jindal and Palin (hey, get those back taxes paid Sarah?) are unbelievable. And the “terrorist” buttons were being worn by California Republicans at their convention this weekend. Republicans like these just don’t “get it.” Go crawl under a rock with Rush.
61. Chris Hardt | 02.22.09
We are already watching the impact of Washington bail out companies rather than increase unemployment numbers. When we sent GM billions of dollars, now they need more and cannot exist without it. When we gave Citigroup money, they cannot survive without more. Our California Governor put several amendments on the last ballot attempting to cut costs. Every one of them was cut down due to a public outcry of reducing these public services others need so much.
Public funds create more need and an insatiable apetite for more. Try asking a government office to send back any unspent portion of its budget. Try even asking their union to give up an overtime day in the name of recession.
Obama is dolling out taxpayer dollars in the name of a fiscal emergency and creating a dependency on our central government. I can hear the press two years from now lambasting the politician who wants to stop the government program which was created. We still have TVA, CCC, and a host of other New Deal programs which redistribute taxpayer’s money.
What we need is to free up the entrepreneurial talent that creates successful companies and employs hard working people. Wealth transfers to more than just the person who has the job. Obama wants to kill the reward of a potetially higher income and increase the risk of failure through higher taxes.
This one is going to take a while to fix.
Chris Hardt
Certified Financial Planner
62. Tom Williams | 02.22.09
The right never ceases to amaze me. The follies of a decade of Republican policies and a willingness to only work for the big business portion of the economy should be ending. In a matter of weeks Obama has started a series of initiatives that make more sense than I have seen from government in a long time. The plan is not perfect and there will be elements that do not achieve all of their intended goals. The man has just gotten in office and is fighting against catastrophic mismanagement. Those who continue to run on politics as usual will deserve the response they receive.
63. MontyMoose | 02.22.09
Attention!!!.
YOU HAVE JOBS , YOU GET PAID!!!
Its easy for you to say you wont take monies…
You can pay your mortgage ( your house is probably paid off)
You dont have car payments, and you dont have to order from the right side
of the menu!!
Right now the patient is hemorrhaging.
He needs HELP.
Since you are not in the majority you cannot offer
other immediate solutions to the problem that will immediately
be used as you lost the election and are now the minority!
How many jobs will YOU give to your state in the next year?
How many children will you feed whose parents are out of work.
Ideology is a wonderful thing…. but it wont feed the children.
64. warmwaterfish | 02.22.09
I’m working part time because I CAN’T find a full time job. If I lose this part time job in South Carolina, I want the option to be able to 1)pay my rent 2)pay my most necessary bills like water, gas and electric and well, at part time unemployment wage I’ll be lucky to do any of the above. South Carolina is in this nation’s bottom rung for schools and education, heathcare, jobs, industry, South Carolina ranks close to the bottom in EVERYTHING, especially in intelligent senators. The bible thumbing ignorants of this state keep him in office, but just like North Carolina transplants are increasing in this state and it will change from rednecks to decent, intelligent blue blooded Americans.
65. jwilliams | 02.22.09
The government is already in the “drivers seat”. Can you say, $700 billion?”
66. Mike Duffy | 02.22.09
I would hate to be the governor of a state that turned down these funds. So much for doing what’s right versus what’s politically expedient.
67. John Donothing | 02.22.09
Idaho has cut Medicaid by 35%: cuts in daycare, special needs education, and senior citizen’s living expenses are happening; education cuts already 6%, with another 4% to come, at a time when more people want to attend community colleges to improve their chances of becoming gainfully employed, and Otter refuses help? Time to start a recall drive, and we will see if there are enough folks up here who would like to Butch standing in the unemployment line.
68. Ben R. Rodriguez MS | 02.22.09
Every Sunday, after Church with my wife we take a pleasan ride in our city, Colorado Springs, CO. We observed the business environment, people entering restaurants or small business that have been, in past years doing well, we know many of the business owners, we tack with them an exchange news and concerns. Today we saw the INTEL Huge facility along Garden of The Gods Road. This facility that represents at least 1/2 billion dls, is 100% iddled, no business, no manufacture being done. For over 1-1/2 year the up-dated lant has been reducing work. Now no one work in this “Temple to Waste”. In other smaller places such as Western Forge Plant, similar problem, news indicate that this week several hundred employees are giving the pink sleep. This entity has been in Colorado Springs, manufacturing 1st Class Tols with Lifetime guarantee for Sears. Now due to the “speculators agreements”, we have Made in India - China, et all tooling that if we are lucky, these last one week and break, goes to the acrap metal bin.
This is not Free Trade Norms, are only Speculatyors norms, since the Farisee received commission for each bad quality tool that break and discard.
We passsed via the Citadel Mall, we have estimated that over 40% of the Stores are closed or in Closing Mode, even Folley no longer exist.
The other phase we have, according to NADA, there are several millions of used cars in fair tyo good condition stocked pilled in these lots, and the new cars nearby, what a depressing sight!!! Whay the Government in the efforts to improved the world business, globaly, we start a program to rework these huge amount of used cars, once reconditioned, we set-up using us, as Retired Seniors, we go to Africa, India, Afghanistan, and now Cuba, to placed these “good used cars to resolve the transportation scarcety in place overseas”. Even Churches can participare, soon we have a Mission going to Uganda to served human needs. Transportation its a human need. I as Geologist - in many of these Nations I have lived this reality. Government has abilities to reach Government to Government agreements, and the recovery payments returning from Overseas, can very well generate a revolving fund, that may and will resolved this grave problems in the mentioned Nations.
One motre Idea, for those that opossed the reactivation of the United States, poor of Spirit, such as Palin, that replaced her cloting with Republican Contributions, and steel has over one million lest over, may see how wrong she is, how little she knows about governance in Alaska and USA.
Our forecast in July was: If the Dow Jones Industrial Average follows the lead of the major financial stocks, it will fall to about 7200.
And as we’ve told Safe Money readers from the outset of this crisis, every time the government attempts to inject bailout money, it spurs a temporary rally. That gives you a golden opportunity to sell any stocks you still have, with the exception of the special situations we recommend.
These government-inspired rallies are also your best opportunity to position yourself for big gains as the crisis continues to spread — with contrarian investments like credit to small businesses and home owners.
WHAT HAPPEN DURING THE G. W. Bush Administration, including verification of Constitutional Violations, and other acts he, and his team forced over the U S Citizens, can not be reversed. These evil doings are in our past, are history. The U. S. Citizens, to have their actions with force of Law, requires the U. S. to have Parliamentary Government, with the option, that States Elections can be called upon presentation of 1,000,000 signatures related to unconstitutional acts, declaration of war under false pretenses, interfering with freedom, of the press and news, acts of treason. ( Such as allowing Saudi Citizens after, Sept 11 2001, to avoid investigation about the attack to the USA and provide them with aircraft exit to Saudi Arabia). There are many actions that can be included. With these options, all political Presidents, elected by the Congress will have the means and ways to correct acts of felonies, including torturing human beings. With a large segment of the population, that do not vote, nor have knowledge of government acts, that via the secrecy act, never4 reach the public domain, deep corrections are needed into the electoral and governance of Government, and political acts in violation of the Constitution.
We have electronic means, to vote in matter of hours, and present the Citizens Rights to Good, Honest and Fair Government.
President Barack Obama indicated Change Wll Come, yes must come soon and fast. One motre Idea, for those that opossed the reactivation of the United States, poor of Spirit, such as Palin, that replaced her cloting with Republican Contributions, and steel has over one million lest over, may see how wrong she is, how little she knows about governance in Alaska and USA.
Our forecast in July was: If the Dow Jones Industrial Average follows the lead of the major financial stocks, it will fall to about 7200.
And as we’ve told Safe Money readers from the outset of this crisis, every time the government attempts to inject bailout money, it spurs a temporary rally. That gives you a golden opportunity to sell any stocks you still have, with the exception of the special situations that exist in the USA for over two years. From Housing, Employemnt, Health Cost and avalability including to sick veterans, and every family of Mddle Class, even in our Church.
BennyCS
BenRRR@Gmail.com
69. Observer1 | 02.22.09
Alaska is a fine example of the hypocrisy at work here. Alaskans are a fiercely independent, often anti-government crowd, they proudly say. At the same time, they get government checks every year (from the state’s energy windfall fund), and benefit from government program payments more than the rest of this. This hypocritcal stance is easy for them — they are getting their cake (ideological posturing)and having it too (continuing to benefit from the programs).
For the rest of us: We have no need to swallow that hypocritical posturing. And I won’t be forgettng who its ring leaders are.
70. Cactass Dupree | 02.22.09
It’s not that difficult. Don’t spend more than you make. Like every family in the U.S.A. When you go through tuff times you’ve got to real in on the extra’s. Some have to get second or third jobs. Yep, you might not make the BIG BUCKS but everyone in the household has to pitch in. I have a young man working for me that has his dad, mom, Great uncle, wife, 2 children, and himself. He complains that He’s the only one doing Most of the earning and it is never enough. I feel for the guy. People need to humble themselves and all pitch in. Got to stop smoking, drinking, and all those little extras that have a way of causing the home to crumble under the weight. The Goverment needs to start and take the lead. Do away with frivilous (sp) and take a pay cut. We don’t elect them to get rich in Washington. They are suppose to be our servants. It seems like the parisites are sucking the life out of our GREAT Nation. Everybody should have the “insurance” the polititions afford themselves on our dime or they shouldn’t get it either. I want America back. The Declaration say “We pledge our Lives, Property, and Sacred Honor. Not all but from where I stand most don’t have any Honor muchless Sacred.
71. michael w smith | 02.22.09
we all are responsible for this crisis. too much easy credit and over spending.i have to get myself out of debt, so should the states.we have to be more responsible for pur own problems.
72. john hastings | 02.22.09
If your states do not need it find but if they do and you are refusing you should be impeached.and im a republican.
73. Stan James | 02.22.09
Some repubs would do anything to prove that Obama is wrong, including let their states or the nation wallow in depression and poverty.
So that they can say Obama failed, recapture congress in 2010 etc, and reinstitute the Bush policies. More and more wealth for the super-rich, and to H… with the middle class. Their lack of fear over a middle class revolt is that they think they can use the right wing churches to get people to accept their fate - the poverty of the new poor, ex middle class, with reigious talk. This will allow these ‘bad’ repubs to continue with their rape of America for the benefit of the super-rich. who worship a God of Greed
74. Paul Campbell | 02.22.09
WE Americans are a bunch of strange people because we want to alawys save the world but have very hard time to justify saving ourselves.Let us for just one time take our money the trillions and billions of dollars in our couffers and help THE GREAT and BEAUTIFUl United States of America. I mean the little guy who struggles with average things like car notes and rent and car insurance and cable bills and other regular details of life. Let us have the money to pay our bills fix our credit and shop for our families. We average tax paying Americans really need a break. How about a 5,000.00 tax stimulus for ever able bodied tax paying American making less than 100,000.00 per year?
75. Paul Stewart | 02.22.09
“The underlying cause for the resistance has to do with state sovereignty, says Byron Schlomach at the conservative Goldwater Institute in Phoenix. Will a short-term federal government intervention weaken states’ rights by making them more financially beholden to Washington?”
Obviously not, they don’t have to give the money back. This is a joke in the face of an crisis unprecedented in nearly 100 years. Get the money out to the people, take time to fix your state economies and fight the election when it is here. And fight it on your own back not the back of your constituents.
Get real everyone. This is not a game. People’s livelihoods, and indeed lives are at stake - you self serving Governors and the Republican Party don’t care right? Never did. It’s just the poor and the helpless that get helped and made less poor. Shame on that eh?
76. Will S | 02.22.09
The federal government has been in the driver’s seat since 1865. Deal with it. Take the money and advance, or refuse it and spend the next thirty years complaining about your wealthier neighbors.
77. dom youngross | 02.22.09
This is a great, great story, I hope the CSM keeps revisiting it as it could mark the beginning of a real turnaround from ‘Washington business as usual.’ The governors and their staffs of the states mentioned in the article probably will spend more time pouring over the actual details of the stimulus package than all those who voted on it in Congress. That in itself is a good thing.
The best ramification of this story is that with it, we are less of a hop, skip, or jump from the realization that the bulk of our income/payroll tax money should be spent and invested locally and statewide, rather than federally as it is now (just look at your weekly paycheck or W-2). That’s like being upside down on a mortage, owing more than your house is worth. The fewers hands tax money passes through on the way to fulfill President Obama’s admonition to ’spend it wisely’ the fewer fingers it may stick to for political pandering purposes. — and ultimately less of it would be needed .
78. Ricardo Gonzalez | 02.22.09
Republican States shouldn’t have been offered money anyways. More for the rest of the states.
79. Levi | 02.22.09
Hello,
I think these governors who want to reject President Obama’s stim package should think about it. Time is critical, and the way I see it, at least the President is trying his best to do something about it. Let it go and TRY it… nothing’s worse than doing nothing.
Levi
80. Shawn | 02.22.09
If they don’t spend it will it get spent by other States? What happens to it? If it will still get spent, then it is irresponsible for well managed (financially) States to refuse it; as the money might get spent by less responsible States.
81. Bill Kellett | 02.22.09
Timing of the Republican Governors protests is suspect. Under the W Bush administration the national rose from five to ten TRILLION dollars. Where was all this deficit concern then?
82. Tim | 02.22.09
Fine. More for the rest of us. Let the working people of these damned states realize who supports them and let them vote Democratic next time.
83. Harry Kuhein | 02.22.09
Once States get hooked on “Bail Out” money there will be no way for States to continue bussiness as usual and there will be a cry for more,more,more,until it’s all gone.
84. Lance | 02.22.09
It all comes down to the priorities of incumbent governers. Is it the people or is holding absolut power more impoprtant. In a time of depression, the prdominant aim of leadership is to stimulate the people who will eventually stimulate the economy. All political agendas should retreat and do what is best for the people. A decision to reject stimulus funds is solely political especially in a time of gargantuan deprssion.
85. Dave Thomas | 02.22.09
If anyone wants to learn the disastrous history of the utter failure of this type of massive federal intervention then they should read “New Deal or Raw Deal,” and pay attention to the chapter on Massachusetts. The sad story is that Massachusetts tried to deal with the problems of the Great Depression in the early 1930’s through common sense and state programs. The New Deal destroyed this local effort, which was extremely effective, because it raised taxes on Massachusetts to pay for inefficient and ineffective New Deal programs in other states. This type of ruinous Federal intervention made the Great Depression last longer. Unemployment in 1938 was still as high as it was in 1932 after six years of massive, wasteful, ineffective government spending. Thank goodness some elected officials have the conviction to reject President Obama’s blind reliance on failed policy.
86. Ona | 02.22.09
These same people readily support going into debt to support WAR, but hey if it is to spend $ on our OWN country…forget it. Their rear-end is where their head should be.
88. popeyeusa | 02.22.09
Mighty noble of Sara to reject any stimulus money since she must have enough of her own from the government to take care of her needs, but to heck with any one else who might need help. She is so brave to take a stance like that. Maybe to brave for her own good.
89. Susan Clark | 02.22.09
Czar Barack Obama has done his home work. I see our future as a people waiting for our vouchers every month to get our simplist needs for survival. Vouchers for bread, milk, etc. dolled out to families. Long lines for these items and our individual states bought and paid for by our new government.
90. Rose | 02.22.09
Why would anyone admit to belonging to or believing in the GOP — the party of hate? The GOP hates children, old people (except fat, White, rich, or trailer trash), sick people, the environment, the Constitution & its Bill of Rights (except assault weapons for chicken-hunters are good!), medical care, and apparently anything that costs money. Appealing to ignorance and fear, the GOP pretends to have a belief system while behind it’s fake facade the Multinational Corporations it serves quietly count their profits while screwing the workers, society, the government AND the environment. BRILLIANT! The GOP does this by telling the stupidest lies to the most gullible people, and dirty tricks. The GOP got away with it under Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Bush & Bush — but enough is enough. Fake war, squandered surpluses, total incompetence except at lying — the one thing at which they excel… From Gingrich, to O’Reilly, to Limbaugh, Jim & Tammy Faye Baker, to Rove, and the list is too long to waste time contemplating. The liars got thrown OUT in November and have shown their true chickenpoop colors ever since. The GOP is a know-nothing, do-nothing party of gangsters serving the likes of Cheney. Good riddance, America is for patriots not GOP traitors.
91. SHANE | 02.22.09
I love these republicans…they couldn’t spend enough when a republican was in the white house, yet all of a sudden they are concerned about spending too much. so, they’re going to deprive the citizens of their states of money, which those citizens will have to pay back via their federal income taxes…if republicans want to force their citizens to pay for benefits that the rest of us get to enjoy, I say more power to ‘em!
92. Joe the Reader | 02.22.09
These Republican governors do us all a favor by reminding us of how right we were to elect Obama instead of these fools.
93. frank | 02.22.09
God Bless Sarah. Please don’t accept your fellow Alaskans will understand this wise decesion making on their behalf. Because we in Florida support non acceptance of funds by Sarah could we get Alaskas share? Keep going Sarah you were more fun than your TV double. PALIN/ McCain(VP)in 2012. As the presidential candidate you can give the concession speach (same one McCain didn’t let you give in 2008).
94. Margaret Proctor | 02.22.09
Instead of giving the money to State politians, the money should be returned to the States’ “Taxpayers” in the form of a tax Refund. For sure the money will be better spent and will do more to stimulate the economy than in the hands of politians, local or federal. This money from the Federal government is “Borrowed Money” and it will be the “Taxpayers” that will have to pay for this Debt. I don’t think the governors, all in good faith, would refuse to accept moneies going to its’ taxpayers in the form of a tax refund.
95. juan colon | 02.22.09
I suggest that the president in charge, visit every state that refuses to participate and inform the people. Making it transparent to those constituents who either don’t know or those who desire to stick their heads in the ground.
The states leaders have to be challenged and made to answer for their positions. Moving on to assist those in need is a priority and necessary path for our country - Americans need to be part of this process or else the leaderless group that got us into this mess will escape in the shadows.
Bless their souls - jcolon
96. virginian | 02.22.09
I think these Governors have the right idea. Some people forget we once fought a war over states rights. If we take this money we’ll be moving further down the road to socialism. For you under-educated, that is a bad thing. Read some history.
97. Don Moore | 02.22.09
I wish the GOP would extend their opposition to include the socialistic redistribution of wealth we’ve heard so much about. Basically allow any of the 95% of tax payers that will see a reduction the option to have their savings passed along to the 5% of those making over $250,000 that will see their taxes go up. All in the name of opposing socialism.
100. Reginald | 02.22.09
I think the republicans Governors and the GOP are purposely trying to destroy Pres. Obama’s efforts to fix what the GOP has destroyed (America’s economy and reputation). The GOP are hypocrites and the most anti- American group in this country. The worse part of it all is that they truly do not care about the american people;they only care about themselves and regaining power. If the corporate media stop being a shield for the GOP the American people would see them for the anti-American group that they are. “GOD BLESS US ALL”.
102. Erik | 02.22.09
The federal government has a huge deficit, unlike state governments which typically uphold their own constitutional limits not to have them. Therefore, what good does it do to let the federal government come in and spend money it doesn’t have and then pull the plug on this funding a few years later? Or even worse, if it keeps trying to stimulate states’ economies with money it doesn’t have. The “boom” and “bust” is precisely the symptom of this type of activity.
The fact that the poorer states are refusing this may actually be reflecting the sentiments of poor people who distrust the federal government. If you think helping poor people is simply a matter of the federal reserve creating money out of thin air and giving it them, you are wrong. But that sure sounds nice in a sort of “Robin Hood” type of way.
103. john galczynski | 02.22.09
The 9/11 destruction of the World Trade Center spurred the 9/11 Commission headed by one of the Architects of the US invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, Philip D. Zelikow. Ostensibly, this government commission looked into why the attack, relatedly: what happened but omitted Building 7’s sudden explosive implosion some 30 minutes after a BBC announcer said Bldg. 7 fell not being hit by a plane. Bldg. 7 was where the Bear-Stearns investigation was housed. Lost also was Donald Rumsfield’s investigative office reported on the 10th of September 2001 which was looking for a missing 2.1 trillion dollars by the defense, it apparently was hit by a missile or plane on the pentagon on 9/11. Some trillion dollars was spent following that 9/11 Commission on the war and more.
The global economic crash affecting US, China, Russia, Europe and much of the world has not seen a US Commission to investigate its causes. Yet, the scale of the economic impact is so much greater. Late 2008, the Federal Reserve Bank (The Fed) increased the bank reserve required of member banks from some 8 billion dollars to 848 billion dollars by the beginning of 2009.
This increase was after the Bush stimilus package of some 800 billion dollars was approved. Many banks have been stimulated into buying their rivals and looking at the reports from several member Federal Reserve Banks, I’m sure you can see major improvements in the US economy. Right?
On the National Press Club, Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said Fed policy was designed to protect major systemic types of institutions, the kind the Fed acquires a financial interest in. This while business opportunities are stymied, professional and labor people are slowly being financially drained of the dollar’s buying power. Perhaps F.A. Hayek’s “The Road to Serfdom” was really a tract on how to reinstitute midevil oligarchy.
Let’s open up competition to money and provide an alternative system to the Federal Reserve Banking System - later regretted by Woodrow Wilson having paid for his campaign and apologized for exacerbating the First Great Depression.
104. Dune Staton | 02.22.09
We can get money from those dump governors who refuse money to other states they need it. Thanks for their mess up, now a lot of people had lay off and hungry… Theu should shut their mouth and refuse all money. If they still take some, shameful to take and to blame at the same time.
105. Mike Erb | 02.22.09
The Wasilla Wench needs to worry about paying her taxes. I bet all these Repubeliecan’t governors that are grandstanding by SAYING they are going to refuse the money, are going to have their respective state legislators vote for the stimulus money through a provision that was added by a Repubeliecan’t
Representative. What a bunch of hypocrites.
106. Roy Lee Califlower | 02.22.09
I’m glad to be living in rural East Texas. WE went thru the same mess twice in short order when the oil field collasped in the mid 80’s then with the failed savings & loans. Our state, county & city governments figured out ways to operate more efficiently, banks became more cautious lending money and our citizens became better stewards of their finances. So where I live taxes are low because the city & county have a surplus each year. Our unemployment rate is 5% because industry became more diversified plus the increase in drilling for oil & gas. We have locally owned refineries, dairy& poultry& cattle & farming (friuts & veggies) plus lots of water! We’ll be able to take care of ourselves while watching the rest of you crybabies grasp Obama’s tit!
107. Paul | 02.22.09
The Republicans have stopped trying to do anything to truly help the country avoid a full economic collapse, and instead have committed to playing politics by digging up the confederacy argument; one that I thought was put to rest by the civil war. They’re just going to kick the backseat of the leadership until 2016, and they’ll be whining “are we there yet” the entire way.
The moderate Republicans and Democrats are the real heroes, because they know when is the right time to stand by your ideologies and when is the right time to act.
108. mattdog | 02.23.09
“Let’s fix the problem, get people off welfare, educate ourselves, live within our means! and let the people that haven’t been doing so suffer for a little while. Maybe they will learn to be more conservative with their money, and not be so lazy and once again the hard working citizens can say they are proud to be from the U.S.A.”
WHat about the people who were conservative with their money, and do a good job, but lose their Jobs, because there is no demand? They should suffer too?
109. Martin L. | 02.23.09
By all means, those GOP governors who opposed the stimulus package SHOULD turn down the money. Let their constituants feel the true effects of their principles. Although no one should forget that it was Republican policies that have led us into this economic collapse. Bush and the Republicans spent eight years attempting to disguise the effect of their polcies on Americans–such as borrowing every dime to finance the disasterous war in Iraq.
110. independent | 02.23.09
I will take a wait and see attitude. I’ll bet that the states will end up taking the money anyways and the leaders in those states are just political posturing for 2012
111. R.. J Boatright | 02.23.09
When Idaho lost Governor Cecil Andrus Idaho lost it’s integrity. A few good men come along but it is rare.
112. Mitch van Biljon | 02.23.09
There are a number of salient points to be made…
1: The republicans care little for the Constitution as is the case for the democrats. They both act in a manner that destroys this nation.
2: All Americans should read the Constitution as it appears that few have. It is not the role of the govt to engage in economic policy as they have. War is a federal responsibility, whether you agreed with the Iraqi war or not. Lest your memory deserts you the decision to go to war was fully endorsed by the democratic party. I think 2 voted against the war. Further clinton’s intelligence community provided the same intelligence on Iraq.
3: The financial mess was caused by the democrats frank, dodd and the clinton administration. Bush and mccain warned about the effect of GSE’s specifically freddie amc and fannie mae. If you want proof I will gladly provide it.
4: Only a fool would accept money and sell their soul. Such a man rejects his freedom for a pittance. I would rather struggle and maintain my independence than be a whore to the fed’s. Your choice freedom or servitude.
5: Thomas Paine wisely stated that no generation is liable for the sins of the previous generation. Our generation is screwing up and our children are not bound by our contract into servitude.
6: I wish that these fools who push for taking federal funds understand the enormity of the financial debacle. $65 trillion in debt (current debt and unfunded liabilty of social security and medicaid) means that each American taxpayer must pay over $700 000 to eliminate govt debt. This is IMPOSSIBLE. We are more than bankrupt.
7: As an economist I can assure you that you do not get out of debt by getting into deeper debt. Only a fool or evil men can espouse such nonesense. The latter is fitting for the traitors in washington dc.
Solutions…
1: States reclaim all state land from the feds
2: Feds - sell every single asset and remove all organizations that serve no Constitutional requirement.
3: Eliminate all federal jobs that are not Constitutional i.e. the IRS, the education department, the FDA, the departments of commerce, agriculture etc. etc. etc.
4: Govenors declare an executive order that prohibits the deduction of federal taxes from all employees in the state.
5: Remove all pension benefits for the thieves in washington and sell all the assets of those politicians who created this mess i.e. 98% of all officials in the last 20 years.
6: All these revenues are to go to settling the debt.
7: Ban all lobbysists and jail all executives that obtain federal funds through lobbying activity.
8: Eliminate the McCain Feingold act re campaign finance as it is simply stupid.
9: Remove every washington politician by the scruff of the neck and pass a law banning more than 2 terms in office for all politicians.
10: Since the communication industry uses public airwaves they must be forced during elections to cover free of charge campaign debates and philosophies. The alternative is spendng billions on campaigns funded by lobbyists.
113. FJ | 02.23.09
Where do you think this money is coming from? They are just printing it. This stimulus package will be the death of America as we know it. Hyperinflation is coming!
114. calliope | 02.23.09
the money isn’t FREE……NPR interviewed the SC state governor about it this morning, there are strings attached to some of the money that would require them to do things that the state isn’t currently doing now - because they don’t have the money to do it. So forcing a state to provide benefits to part time employees, so that they can get money for unemployment benefits just doesn’t seem right. yea maybe SC should be providing some benefits to their part time employees, but they shouldn’t be forced to do it just to get money for something else.
115. craytor | 02.23.09
Where were the republican leaders(and their follower) when billions was being handed out to the banks and auto industry? Where were they during the waste of the Bush administration. They really are not interested in what’s best for the people. What they are is a bunch of hypocrites more interested in defeating President Obama than they are in doing what is best for the people. Yes, some banks refused the money. The banks that refused the money are local banks that are actually in good shape.
116. Paul G. Overend | 02.23.09
This Dem spending spree is just an effort to get such a huge slice of the electorate dependant upon the government for handouts that they are locked in as supported for decades to come. They did it before too. Just looks at LBJ’s Great Society junket and how it was solely aimed at tying up the black vote. Nothing to do with what was good for the country.
117. Marvin L. Zinn | 02.23.09
There are two reasons that most Americans are blind or ignorant to. Whatever money government gives to anyone, the less will be its value, and/or whatever they give they will take away more.
The only acceptable option is to make the government much smaller and do much less. This will fix problems for almost everyone, instead of making them worse as they continue to do.
But business has the cause of problems as the government - selfishness, both ways.
marvin
118. steve wintermute | 02.23.09
how come none of these GOP state rights governors rejected Bush’s no child left behind that has left them with having to foot the bill for it? Small of me to suggest that it was because Bush was a GOP President.
119. Jim Mooney | 02.23.09
Aren’t “conservative solutions” under eight years of Bush what Caused this economic disaster? If something doesn’t work and you keep doing it, is supposed to be the definition of insanity.
120. Robert | 02.23.09
Perhaps some states are correct in rejecting all or part of the ARRP (American Recovery Reinvestment Plan funds). Not all states are bankrupt. Some states may have longer term plans than what the ARRP offers. For example, education is a very long-term project. The results of such plans may not be realized for ten to twenty years. I think all states should look at their long-term projects before accepting ARRP funds.
REC
121. Jim Mooney | 02.23.09
As for the guy in Texas who is crowing about his local economy, it’s easy to diversify when you have a lot of God-given natural resources, like oil and land for cattle. Not all areas are like that. Frankly, given the total ruin visited on us by politicians like Bush, Phil Gramm Tom Delay and other Texans, who gave our nation to the banks and China, I think the real way to save the Union is to Give Texas Back to Mexico.
122. AmazedandDazed | 02.23.09
The whole economic problem is due to greed and selfishness. The sub-prime loans were put in to effect so that “disenfranchised” people could participate in the “American dream”; as Bill Clinton said when he pushed the sub-prime loan policy via Barney Frank and the Finance Committee.
Politicians may have forced the sub-prime loan concept because of a naive misunderstanding of basic economics, but I doubt it. My guess is they saw an opportunity to buy the votes of a class of people who are willing to grab at anything that makes their lives easier. A large percentage of which are too lazy to work for something. These people are the ones that are always finding a way around everything, they are the ones that are always looking for a better, faster way to get what others work their entire lives for.
The banks may have done it thinking that they were helping the little guy, but I doubt it. The banks couldn’t loose. They lend money to a class of people they couldn’t reach before and those new customers put money in the coffer. The loan officers got bonuses and promotions for increasing their quota of mortgage loans made. The bank knew that they could sell the bad loan to Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac (since Barney Frank’s Finance Committee said that Fannie and Freddy had to buy the loans). Everybody passed the cost and who ended up paying the bill? The average hard working middle class American, not the underemployed, lazy, shyster that thought they they got over on everybody. And lets not forget that wonderful “entrepenuer”, the house flipper. This was a real smart California get rich quick scheme that backfired. I will wager that if someone were to do an honest evaluation of the housing collapse we would find that the vast majority of the high dollar mortgage failures were actually house flippers that were buying multiple homes at a time promising to pay the mortgage back in 90 or 180 days. Then when the market adjusted and the banks started demanding their money these crooks couldn’t pay. These were the California equivalent of the New York slum lords. I hope they all went bust. But they probably were smart enough to become an LLC and they just let that company go bankrupt and they continued running their real estate business. Oh, and when the LLC went bust we, average tax payer, paid the owed monies via our tax dollars.
The underemployed may have taken the loan because they had visions of establishing a permanent household, but I doubt it. My bet is that an awful lot of these people thought that they were going to get in to the house flipping game too. You can’t tell me that most of these people were stupid enough to believe that you can afford a $200,000 house on $10 an hour. If they did then I think we can see why they are underachievers.
And while you get all up in arms because I offended you let me point out that I have two children that are prime examples of both, stupid and lazy. Neither graduated high school because they were smarter than everybody else and didn’t need to attend that stupid boring school. Both were so smart that they knew they would find good paying jobs immediately, at 18 years old. Both are homeless and penniless and living off of our taxes. And no I will not help them. They had all of the information and opportunity to make their lives work but they refused all of that because they were greedy, arrogant, and selfish; like most of the people making comments here. And by the spelling in some of these posts I could swear that my kids wrote them. Nobody can see the problem with taking the money from the government. Hey think about it stupid, where does the government get its money?…from me and people like me, and we are sick of supporting you bums. The reality is you only see a free hand out without seeing the reality of who has to pay for it. The bill ends in 2011, who will pay for it when that time comes? So far we are talking about 1.5 trillion dollars and that is without interest. Your greed will kill us all. I only hope that those of you who are buying in to this crap are the ones that suffer. But unfortunately I know that people like me will be the ones who suffer. We will probably loose everything we have worked for all of our lives so that you bums can have the things that you think you “deserve”.
123. BreakRoomLive | 02.23.09
A Conservative listener calls a Progressive TV show to discuss the Stimulus Bill, hilarity ensues:
124. Barb | 02.23.09
I would like a reporter to keep track of “How Many Jobs Were Created Today” and compare them with these states who don’t accept the package. It’s a golden opportunity to compare whether the bailout is going to stabilize in the long run. Jobs for the American Workers now or if the carpet will be pulled out from under those same workers when the money runs out.
I’d also like to see what Congress itself is doing to tighten their own belts. eg. I hear Nancy Pelosi has access to a taxpayer funded plane. Is that true? Are there others? In giving money to all these states, who will control the distribution of it? There is a lot of room for crime to happen here. Who will pay it all back? What are the whammys attached? All I saw was a stack of paper bundles. I doubt if it was all read and thought through carefully. It’s like all the people who donated all that money to the election campaigns just might be getting their paybacks. I don’t blame these Governors for acting on the side of extreme caution. I want to know and I haven’t heard how much of the bailout is going to go to research and production of energy efficient products. Can they be produced? Can we afford to buy them? All good things take time, they shouldn’t be hurried into. There is nothing wrong in being careful, after all, we are footing the bill and so are our future families. I love my grandchildren. I want them to learn responsibility and to work hard for their futures. But I don’t want them to pay for things they don’t believe in. We have a great respect for life and we don’t believe in the abortion of healthy children. Some one wants them, they don’t have to be terminated before they are born. I grew up in a bi-partisan family and have heard arguments of many issues. Some have merit, but some don’t. Lets work together and think things through.
125. gus heim | 02.23.09
There is no such thing as free money. One solution is to cancel the NAFTA and the jobs will come home. The import taxes will then be constitutionally allowed AGAIN. Make taxpayers not taxpayer paid public works projects. Another solution is for the States to succeed from the Union because the federal government created ALL of our problems and no-one is accountable. OBAMA is sidestepping the real problem: America manufactures nothing because of 18 years of NAFTA. NAFTA was created by Washington. The corporations love it because the cheap labor and less government restrictions are in other countries. Don’t take the “free money” because you will be giving up your independance. Obama is a big disappointment. Gus heim tele352-449-1009 Umatilla florida
126. rbird | 02.23.09
Gosh! Isn’t it wonderful being down and out and knowing that your state government thinks it is virtuous to keep the status quo. No Sir, none of those high priced improvements for us; and, if you like it that way, you’re welcome to it!
127. Jean | 02.23.09
I say hurray for those goveners. They are showing courage the rest of them don’t have. The Democrats are putting us and our children in debt for the rest of our lives
128. LibbyTheLibral | 02.23.09
The liberals posting comments on this site need to think hard about their actions. Why are you calling the GOP out on this? I think a better approach would be to support the governors in thier efforts with comments like “God Bless the GOP for their courage” and “I wish more repulicans would be as brave”. Why discourage republican activity that will eventually lead to their downfall. Please pass this along to all people who what to see an end to the hatred in this country. Together we can help the GOP hang themselves.
129. Katwoman D | 02.23.09
Indiana had a budget surplus last year, and has a balanced budget this year. I hope that Mitch Daniels does turn down the money.
130. aaron | 02.24.09
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn’t always fair, and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place.
Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate and teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.
It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Panadol, sun lotion or a sticky plaster to a student; but, could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realise that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I’m A Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realised he was gone.
America’s problem in a nutshell.
131. MontyMoose | 02.24.09
DIVIDED WE FALL AND FAIL!!
We are first and foremost Americans…
Perhaps its too late?
132. Barbara | 04.01.09
I deeply admire those governors who actually read the stimulus strings and are protecting their states from future tax hikes. What are these programs and how will the state continue to pay for the mandatory continuation of the programs when stimulus funds run out in two years? Why are they directed to spend it quickly? This appears to be another way the federal government can call the shots and erode states rights. It’s sad that some choose to make political accusations when accepting stimulus funds may do more harm than good.
133. Justin | 04.01.09
While it’s true Bush spent our money like a liberal, Obama is proposing we spend more money than all presidents in history put together. It will reach $12 Trillion national deficit in 10 years. We don’t have money to throw around so worthless paper will be printed and included in the budget is global warming taxes for everyone. This will hit the middle class the hardest as fuel in every form will skyrocket. So Obama is proposing worthless money and breaking the backs of the middle class. I guess it’s the government just here to help.
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1. Molly | 02.22.09
I think those GOPers who feel so strongly about federal funds SHOULD turn down the money. They were ok with it when it was middle class and poor people paying for the Big Corporate Billionaires tax breaks, but they have a problem with federal dollars when they come from a Democratic administration, who is going to actually require the Billionaires to pay closer to their fair share. So, please, leave the money for those of us who care more about the little guy, and let your GOP Corporate Billionaires stand on their very dubious “principles.”