Since it appears the Repugnicans in Congress don't want to play with the adults when it comes to stimulus bills and other attempts to right the wrongs of the hellish Bush administration, it has been my feeling right along that the states they represent no longer be allowed to drink at the federal trough.If they want to go it alone and if they believe federal money is tainted and if they are so ideologically opposed to "big" government, then they should not get any of the money, and their share should go to those states whose representatives in Congress voted for the bill.
Jindal, the extremist, right-wingnut governor of Louisiana, has the right idea. Even though, according to Think Progress, Louisiana "faces a possible $2 billion budget shortfall next year, and the state is being hit hard by unemployment," the guv of Louisiana said "he may turn down the roughly $3.8 billion for the state in the economy recovery package, which is expected to create 50,000 new jobs."
That's wonderful. More for the rest of us. Even our Florida Governor Crist, no Democrat he, has supported the stimulus package and can't wait to get his hands on that money to begin helping the people of Florida.
But then there are other politicos who actually voted against the bill in Congress who are also drooling from the mouth at the possibilities made possible for their states by the economic recovery package. (Sen. Lindsey Graham, for one.)
They should get no money!
Jindal, who is said to be smart as a whip, may stupidly refuse the money, but then if it's all about "truth" and God and ideology, that's the non-hypocritical thing to do.
Jindal represents the Newt Gingrich and Tom DeLay type of Repugs: they believe it is much better to hold to your principles - even if your principles have no practical application in these times - than to give in and obtain ways and means to assist your constituents get out of their economic nightmares.
Of course, a few more Repugs like Jindal (who is said to be thinking about a run at the presidency) would likely mean a quicker demise of the Republican Party.
1 comment:
Some of the Governors that talk of refusing the money will allow their state legislators to accept the money. They will get their cake and eat it.
Obama should continue to explain to their constituents what their delaying tactics can do to them. He should tell it like it is. Not all of us will get any relief but if his program helps, we will all benefit. Tax cuts haven’t solved our problems and will not help most of us as we watch our savings disappear.
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