Gotta love how that WSJ piece fails to mention Governor Palin, when she was the very first GOP governor to call attention to the issue of unfunded mandates:
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/archive.php?id=1622&type=1 |
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These Governors deserve the military equuivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor for refusing this money.
Government always attaches strings to everything, and I am proud of the five who are refusing to be a part of a massive plan to take over states via the Feds. I just wish my own Governor would do the same, but alas, he is a democrat :( |
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I wrote a post about mandates here:
http://www.letfreedomringblog.com/?p=3871
I go into the subject fairly extensively in the post. In its simplest terms, a mandate is Washington, DC telling Tim Pawlenty, Sarah Palin, Haley Barbour & Bobby Jindal they know how to run Minnesota, Alaska, Mississippi & Louisiana better than they can run their states. In other words, it's an insult to these very competent governors. |
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For those of you fortunate enough to live outside of Massachusetts, the story as reported here is that the GOP is just playing politics as usual by not accepting the money but Praise Obama, there is a way to get around those GOP rascals!
As you may know our Governor is Deval Patrick who campaigned with the slogan "Together we can!" and is running our state (Commonwealth) into the ground without any help from the Federal government. Think what is possible as government gets bigger. I'm also ashamed to admit that Bailout Barney Frank is my congressman and he was re-elected with 63% of the vote. In addition to the Kerry/Kennedy combo, I feel like a "Man Without a Country"- I have no representation. That's why I've adopted Congresswoman Bachmann as my surrogate representative. |
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Rahm Emanuel in an interview with WSJ stated;
"You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before."
And that is exactly what this administration has undertaken. Tonight we will hear of the plan to raise taxes...but nothing on the subject of fiscal responsibility.
Thankfully we have a group of Governors who understand, and have the will to draw their line in the stand and protect their constituents from the effects of wasteful spending.
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Remember this.....most politicians make decisions based on whether or not it will help them get reelected. This includes both Democrats and Republicans or whatever. Unfortunately, I don't have much faith in any of them. Too much blather and posturing in addition to all the partisanship. |
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A state could simply place the money in investments and base programs on the earnings rather than the principal balance. Of course, the feds would never ever let a mere state decide what is in its own best interest. After all, the whole point is to build up programs that the people will then demand be continued regardless of price. Independently natured states must be cowed into submission.
I still think the most insightful description of this country after the election was the Southpark episode. Obama! Obama! The zombies are taking over. |
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I know a woman in her fifties who, laid off from her computer job last November, has thus far been unable to find another job (for now going on four months). This is the first time in her life this very well-qualified woman has been unable to find work, and she is in a panic and desperate. A few weeks ago she tried to kill herself but fortunately was found in time and made to throw up the pills. The extension of unemployment compensation for her and millions of others like her will/would be a godsend. "Will" for those fortunate enough to live in states where their governor doesn't put political ideology ahead of the well-being of the people. "Would" for those who don't. Governors aren't appointed---they're elected, and when the next campaign season rolls around, the opposition will have nuclear ammunition to use against the governors who refused benefits. The Republican mantra "People are poor because they are lazy---they deserve to be poor"---will not wash in hard times as well as it did in flush times. |
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The Stimulus Bill passed by the Demoncrats and signed by Obama makes things perfectly clear..The States must make permanent changes to their Unemployment Insurance so that in 2 to 3 years, when the federal money dries up. the states will have to raise taxes to continue to pay for the mandated changes. Also, the Stimulus bill passed by the demoncrats and signed by Obama clearly says that the legislatures of each state can over ride the governors to receive any monies from the government. Where is the US Constitution and the separate powers between the federal government and the states? |
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"states where their governor [puts] political ideology ahead of the well-being of the people."
It's not even political ideology. Poor people in southern states are one of the few remaining dependably right-wing constituencies, and yet these governors are willing to do great harm to a large number of them. Why? Note that every one of the governors is being touted as a presidential candidate. (With the possible exception of "Butch Otter of Idaho" if there really is such a person.) They are willing not just to put ideology above the well-being of their voters, but to put their own presidential ambitions above the good of their party. That's a very republican attitude: "self, party, country" in that order. |
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BM: Note that every one of the governors is being touted as a presidential candidate. (With the possible exception of "Butch Otter of Idaho" if there really is such a person.)"
First off, your comment about Gov Otter shows the pompous arse that you are. Second, could it be that most of these governors are being touted as potential presidential candidates BECAUSE they have the courage to make tough choices and look beyond the long term well being of their constituency?
Again, you think you are smart enough to be able to decipher the motivation of those governors who, I'm sure analyzed this very carefully and are willing to risk their political careers to do what they think is best. |
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The objections by these fiscally responsible governors are both principled AND practical. It seems the real issue is how governors who accept the money will explain their agreeing to unfunded mandates. Recall the whining about "No Child Left Behind"? |
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I hope the legislatures will back the Governors. This spending bill is about more than two years of redistribution of wealth. It is about shifting the power balance once and for all to the crats. It took Hugo Chavez 6 years to do what the crats want to do in two months. At this rate christians and conservatives will be silenced or jailed. We will have no means to defend ourselves and if we do we will be jailed. We are seeing a bloodless coup before our eyes. I hope it doesn't take a bloody one or revolution to save America. Will I be called a freedom fighter on CNN? |
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Reading all the Limbaugh/Hannity talking points listed previously, I can see why Michelle Bachmann was elected....
OK-don't take any stimulus money-stand by your "convictions" and let your tax revenues go to states that want to help their constiuents. Where were all of you the last 8years when Bush-Cheney spent us into the biggest deficit in our history? When Phil Gramm led the fight to deregulate the banking industry and now we are reaping what he has sown. Where was your outrage?? Your fiscal conservative voices??
Thank God the majority of Americans voted in the most intelligent,caring,eloquent and inspiring President. Call yourself conservative and Christians...but the proof is in the pudding. WWJJ?
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