GOP governors press Congress to pass stimulus bill

[underpants]

Source: AP

NEW YORK (AP) — Most Republican governors have broken with their GOP colleagues in Congress and are pushing for passage of President Barack Obama's economic aid plan that would send billions to states for education, public works and health care.

Their state treasuries drained by the financial crisis, governors would welcome the money from Capitol Hill, where GOP lawmakers are more skeptical of Obama's spending priorities.

The 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, scheduled meetings in Washington this weekend with Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and other senators to press for her state's share of the package.

But states are coping with severe budget shortfalls and mounting costs for Medicaid, the health insurance program for the poor. So governors, including most Republicans, are counting on the spending to help keep their states afloat.

This past week the bipartisan National Governors Association called on Congress to quickly pass the plan.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i7-R1kzxgbD531An5glFlllGZVvAD9627F280

[THUNDER HANDS]

1. you beat me by 30 seconds posting this

so I'll lock my own thread.

:D

[underpants]

5. Why....

:bounce:

[Raven]

2. Fabulous! A rift. Between the guys on the front lines and the guys

who run nothing, know nothing and just spout ideologies. I love it.

[stubtoe]

3. Second that.

Maybe this will shake some sense into congressional repubs.

Hey, I know, I'm an optimist :)

[Pirate Smile]

4. I was expecting this. The states need this stimulus plan and it will help them a lot.

[underpants]

6. Politics vs. Governing

the DC Republicans are far away from the latter

[Jefferson23]

7. K&R, Ha ha, this is just about perfect a response one could hope for.

Lets see, the BIPARTISAN National Governors Association called on Congress to QUICKLY PASS the plan. Oh well to the Congressional Republicans, looks like there are more than enough Republicans who are saying STFU and lets try and help our citizens now.

[underpants]

9. (scratches head) I seem to remember something about "Executive experience"

someone must have mentioned it once or twice

:sarcasm:

[BumRushDaShow]

10. And Obama had already MET with all the Governors

here in Philly back in December and had discussions with them about what types of spending they would need.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/us/politics/03obama.html?ref=politics

Looks like the out-of-touch repuke congress shills just backed themselves into an ideological corner again thanks to their leader Rash Limpalls! :rofl:

[GinaMaria]

31. almost like he knew what their Congressional pugs move would be

and had the governors already aligned with the plan. Man did they get played or what?

[Andy823]

8. I hope that

The governors get a lot of media attention, it will really show just how bad and idea the house repugs had when they took the advice of "Rushbo" and all voted against the bill! I have a feeling this kind of pressure is going to make the senate repbugs think twice before going against the will of the people.

[nc4bo]

11. Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack. What's that sound I hear?

Let the fracturing continue.

:patriot:

[Hope And Change]

12. K & R!

[sutz12]

13. Lest they become Democratic governors.

:)

[Arkana]

14. Ahahahahaha.

Even Governor Dumbass of Methsville USA wants her piece of the pie.

[Jambalaya]

20. Pitbull Pink

Is that a bit of lipstick I see on the pig trough?

[Blue_In_AK]

27. All she originally wanted was $500,000

for infrastructure around her pet pipeline and something about a rocket launchpad in Southeast Alaska. She got a lot of blowback from our legislature as well as our congressional delegation who realize that with declining oil revenues and major infrastructure issues, especially in our rural areas, Alaska needs "stimulating" as much as anyplace else.

I kind of like it that she's being robbed of her opportunity to run on a slogan of " I said thanks but no thanks" to that nasty old stimulus money.

[GinaMaria]

30. I picture her to be the first one with her hand out

ready to grab anything she can. She needs some oversight. Don't want her pocketing the money or anything. IIRC she kept the money for the bridge to no where after she said no thanks.

[biscotti]

15. McConnell better not think twice about supporting it.

The Governor of Kentucky was on CNN yesterday saying he spoke directly with President Obama yesterday morning about getting resources to his state quickly due to their devastating Ice storm. Ole turtlehead might find the new power grid would benefit his constituents.

[Jambalaya]

21. Cold Kentucky Rain(and Ice)

Mmh,check out the thread here at DU about whats going on in Kentucky re: Icestorm

NO CHAINSAWS FOR NATIONAL GUARD ..NO FEMA....NO POWER

[Jambalaya]

22. COLD AND POWERLESS-LINKS

Ice storms have left many Kentucky residents in the dark and using propane ... and the 25 Kentucky National Guard troops who responded have no chainsaws or ...
www.topix.com/wire/state/ky - Similar pages


Storm-Struck KY Calls Up Entire Army Nat'l Guard Jan 31, 2009 ... Steve Beshear has called up all of his Army National Guard troop and ... the 25 National Guardsmen who have responded have no chain saws to ...
www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jan/31/311504/nearly-1m-still-without-power-ice-storms-wake/ - 49 minutes ago - Similar pages



Situation dire after ice storm Jan 31, 2009 ... At least 42 people have died, including 11 in Kentucky, ... Smith said the 25 National Guard troops who have responded have no chain saws to ...
www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/01/31/0131icestorm.html - 15 hours ago - Similar pages

[Still Sensible]

16. It's real simple

these GOP governors are on the front line and directly facing the disaster that their party's ideologies have caused. They have real issues to solve and real deficits to contend with and real people looking to them for real services.

The clown republicans on Capitol hill, however, aren't facing the real world results of their misguided policies. Their focus is on preserving their supply side, laissez faire, anti-populist dogma. They are trying like hell to position themselves politically--and they know they are in danger of another four-plus decades in the minority.

The GOP governors, however, don't have time to worry about RW ideology right now. They just need the help.

[ej510]

17. We do not have time for this bullshit repukes are fucking with peoples lives.

[starroute]

18. The Republican Governors Association is less enthusiastic

From the same article:

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee, said he wasn't sure whether he would accept the approximately $3 billion his state would be in line for. "Yes, we need some help and we appreciate the help," Barbour said in an interview. "But I don't know about the details and the strings attached to tell you if I'll take all of it or not."

The most outspoken critic has been South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, who has warned for months of a steep spike in inflation and a severely weakened dollar if Obama's plan passed. His state is on track to receive $2.1 billion of the stimulus money; Sanford has not yet said whether he would accept it. ... Associates say Sanford, who recently was elected chairman of the Republican Governors Association, has been disappointed in how few of his GOP colleagues have joined him in speaking out against the size and scope of Obama's plan.

Barbour is currently the vice-chairman of the RGA, so this suggests that the RGA as a whole may be attempting to get Republican governors to line up against the bill. The RGA does have various forms of influence it can use over its members -- notably fundraising -- so it's going to be interesting to see how this shakes out.

I'm also really curious about whether Barbour and Sanford will actually go through with refusing to accept any stimulus money -- and what the upshot will be if they do.

[Still Sensible]

19. Just three assclowns that are

fixated on defending the unquestionably failed ideologies of their party. I hope their constituencies are paying attention and understand what is going on.

When I was younger I disagreed with much of my republican friends' positions on the issues. I could respect them, however, back then when their party was based on fiscal responsibility, libertarianism, and free enterprise. Unfortunately for all of us, that agenda was hijacked by the Reagan/Bush coalition of deregulation, neoconservatism and religious fundamentalism.

Barbour is doing the same thing he did after Katrina. He's deluding himself--and trying to delude the people in his state--into the GOP illusion that it is wrong for the Federal government to step in when problems become too overwhelming for the state or local governments to handle. Once again, it's ideology over reality.

And speaking of assclowns, a message to McConnell, Boehner, Barbour, now Steele and friends, don't even try to claim any fiscal concern--with record deficits and two wars driving spending to unprecedented levels under the 8-year disaster that was Bush and after congressional control by the GOP for most of the last 15 years--you have forfeited any right to lecture anybody.

[underpants]

24. Well there could be more to those two that meets the eye

Barbour had so much money poor into his state (gee wonder why?) that he can be in a position to say that but know full well that he is going to take the money. At least he will do what Palin has done, as I have read today, which is SAY that he doesn't want it and have legislators tell him he has to.

Sanford is in the same political position in terms of claiming not to want it and then taking it PLUS he is keeping his bona fides in place for a run at the nomination in 2012.


Just saying.

Colbert had a bit about this the other night. He made a joke about states that are acting like they don't want the money. Sure just let your neighboring states take it and see what position that leaves you and your constituents.

[Union Yes]

23. MY FUNDAMENTAL DISAGREEMENT.."NO NEW TAX" GOP

While I'm glad to see any support coming from any part of the GOP. There is a major flaw behind Rethug support for the stim package.

I can really only give 1 example off the top of my head.

Gov Tim Pawlenty-R Minnesota, has held a "NO NEW TAX" stance for the entire time he has "governed" Minny.

Make no mistake, Pawlenty has bullshitted his entire constituency with this NNT pledge by creating a whole new bunch of user fees and taxes. Cig taxes, liscense fee increases ect. He has not raised income taxes but has struggled with balancing every budget since he was elected in '02. This year Minny will grapple with a $5Billion state deficit.

Every budget has been the same.

Pawlenty slashes the social safety net that was the envy of America. Minnesota set the standard of living in 'Murika after decades of some of the most progessive policies in our nation.

He has kicked tens of thousands of children off healthcare. Kicked thousands of seniors out of retirement homes.

Pawlenty has gutted Minny's proud progressive heritage in the name of greed and wealthy protectionism.

Paw now wants stimulis money from the Stim package to fill in gaping holes in Minny's state budget instead of raising taxes on the wealthy.

Stim package money should not be given to states that have refused to raise taxes to fill in deficit holes.

The I-35 bridge fell under TIMP's watch. He chose to protect the wealthy instead of the people.

Stim package money will only continue to ENABLE these fucking economical FASCISTS to continue these horrid policies like destroying progressive safety nets and clinging to "NO NEW TAX" pledges.

That is my fundamental disagreement with the RAPEUGLICAN Govs.

NO STIM MONEY FOR STATES THAT PRACTICE WEALTHY PROTECTIONISM. NOT A FUCKING DIME!

[Hansel]

32. Yeah, that'll work. Like we haven't already suffered enough.

Bullshitting his entire constituency? He hasn't BS'd this Minnesotan nor anyone I know. We know exactly who he is and have our eyes wide open about his so called "No New Tax" policy. I'm paying almost twice as much in property taxes and probably double in fees since he has enacted his "No New Tax" policy. I just paid over $125 in sales taxes today under his "No New Tax" policy so that his buddies can have their f*cking stadium, but MN kids are thrown off medical assistant because we can't afford it.

He's a dick and he needs to go. But I don't know why Minnesotans, the majority of whom did not vote for this jerk, would have to pay further consequences by not getting a share of the Federal taxes we fork out right along with everyone else. Under this logic no one in America should get diddly squat because we elected George Bush twice. The fact that Bush really wasn't elected doesn't change anything in this analogy because I sincerely have my doubts about whether Pawlenty won the last razor thin race either.

Pawlenty pulled ahead in the late hours and we can see with the Coleman-Franken race that when you do hand counts in Minnesota that the Republican doesn't really win. Keep in mind we had our own Ken Blackwell as Secretary of State at that time in the form of SoS Mary Kiffmeyer. There's a tool if I've ever seen one.

We elected Obama by wide margins to help fix this mess and many of us worked very hard and paid out a lot of dough to get him and Al Franken elected. Keep in mind that we have a active Independent Party and vote under a plurality. Pawlenty was elected with 47% of the vote so he does not have the support of a majority of Minnesotans. If we ever get instant runoff in place a Republican will be very lucky to ever hold another state-wide seat in this state.

[4lbs]

25. Unlike Senators and Reps, Governors must actually "govern" their states and make difficult budgetary

choices.

Well, except for a certain Gov from Alaska....

[ThoughtCriminal]

26. If Sanford and Barbour want to reject the stimulus

for their states, then I'm sure it can be put to good use elsewhere. And then they can explain the sacrifice to their constituents - they will be the ones with the tar and feathers.

[Blue_In_AK]

28. A realization, again, that Sarah came to, as well, too, also. n/t

[Hansel]

33. Yeah right. Just like when Barbour rejected all the hurricane Katrina $

that Bush threw at him to make the Republican governor look better than that Democrat Blanco.

He'll stuff just as much of it in his corporate buddies' pockets now as he did then unless Obama has some strict oversight in place as to how the money is spent. Come to think of it, if he does reject the money this will likely be the reason. Afraid of getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

[Number23]

29. Uh oh! Mr. Limbaugh is gonna be mad!

Although it is important to note that the Gov's want this money purely for budgetary reasons and because they know that the majority of their constituents would want their collective @sses if the bill doesn't pass, I still like the symbolism of them speaking out. :)

Kicked and Rec'd