Some GOP Governors Balk At Stimulus Money

Despite Big Budget Shortfalls, Handful Of State Execs May Reject Federal Cash On Moral, Or Political Grounds

(CBS/AP)  A handful of Republican governors are considering turning down some money from the federal stimulus package, a move opponents say puts conservative ideology ahead of the needs of constituents struggling with record foreclosures and soaring unemployment.

Though none has outright rejected the money available for education, health care and infrastructure, the governors of Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alaska, South Carolina and Idaho have all questioned whether the $787 billion bill signed into law this week will even help the economy.

"My concern is there's going to be commitments attached to it that are a mile long," said Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who considered rejecting some of the money but decided Wednesday to accept it. "We need the freedom to pick and choose. And we need the freedom to say 'No thanks."'

U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., the No. 3 House Democrat, said the governors - some of whom are said to be eyeing White House bids in 2012 - are putting their own interests first.

"No community or constituent should be denied recovery assistance due to their governor's political ideology or political aspirations," Clyburn said Wednesday.

In fact, governors who reject some of the stimulus aid may find themselves overridden by their own legislatures because of language Clyburn included in the bill that allows lawmakers to accept the federal money even if their governors object.

He inserted the provision based on the early and vocal opposition to the stimulus plan by South Carolina's Republican governor, Mark Sanford. But it also means governors like Sanford and Louisiana's Bobby Jindal - a GOP up-and-comer often mentioned as a potential 2012 presidential candidate - can burnish their conservative credentials, knowing all the while that their legislatures can accept the money anyway.

On CBS' The Early Show Sanford said Thursday the sheer size of the stimulus package will end up hindering any economic recovery.

"I think the problem that was created with too much debt will never be solved by adding yet more debt," he said. "I think there are a number of wrinkles that have caused a number of us to say 'Wait a minute, let's take a long look at whether or not this really makes sense for our state.'"

Still, Sanford said he would accept the funds.

"Being against it doesn't preclude taking the money."

CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker reported that the stimulus funds may be looking incredibly attractive to the 46 states facing serious budget shortfalls. California, where Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is struggling to get a budget passed amid strong opposition from fellow Republican lawmakers to tax hikes, is by far the worst case. Schwarzenegger and almost all state lawmakers have quickly agreed that the money from Washington is needed.

Whitaker reported that all 28 Democratic governors and four Republican governors, including Charlie Crist of Florida, welcomed the stimulus money. "This is not about partisan politics," Crist said. "This is about rising above that." (See Whitaker's Evening News report.)

But, Jindal said he, like Perry and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, is concerned about strings attached to the money even though his state faces a $1.6 billion budget shortfall next year.

Barbour spokesman Dan Turner, for example, cited concerns that accepting unemployment money from the stimulus package would force states to pay benefits to people who wouldn't meet state requirements to receive them.

In Idaho, Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter said he wasn't interested in stimulus money that would expand programs and boost the state's costs in future years when the federal dollars disappear - a worry also cited by Jindal and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

A spokesman said Sanford, the new head of the Republican Governors Association, is looking at the stimulus bill to figure out how much of it he can control.

"We're going through a 1,200-page bill to determine what our options are," Spokesman Joel Sawyer said. "From there, we'll make decisions."

But state Democratic Party chairwoman Carol Fowler says Sanford's hesitation is driven by his political ambition rather than the best interests of a state that had the nation's third-highest unemployment rate in December.

"He's so ideological," Fowler said. "He would rather South Carolina do without jobs than take that money, and I think he's looking for a way not to take it."

As Whitaker reported, not all Republican governors are reticent about using the federal cash.

Crist (seen at left with Mr. Obama in Ft. Myers, Fla.) lobbied for the stimulus plan and Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue has embraced it as he looks to close a $2.6 billion deficit in the state's budget this year. Alabama Gov. Bob Riley has already figured the money into his state's budget.

Pearson Cross, a political scientist at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, said fiscally conservative governors may be able to give themselves political cover by turning down small portions of the stimulus money, like health care dollars requiring a state match, that they might not fully use anyway.

But in the end, he said, they will likely take most of the available money because their states need it so badly.

"Ideology usually takes second place for governors," he said. "And that's going to mean that most governors are going to go ahead and take the money even though they have misgivings about it."

[scboyharts77]

South Carolina your governor has spoken. He don't think that he should take a stimulus package for the citizens of the state because there may be comittments attached to this money.

I can understand this. Because in the last 8 years he and his colleagues have had the benefit of supplmenting their incomes with tax cuts that George Bush put into play that help to exhaust the surplus left by President Clinton.

President Obama has made the promise of "accountability". You see, if the governor take this money, he is going to be held accountable for it.

Gone are the days when the wealthy in the county continues to rape the system and keep this nations' less fortunate from prospering.

The WORLD is watching!!!!

[apaypalvictim]

"must say that as a Conservative Christian it is quite encouraging to see that there are Governors in our country who are putting principles and values before greed and government corruption.

It''s highly encouraging to know that these governors are taking a stand against Obama''s proposed
U.nited S.ocialist S.tates of A.merica


God bless these governors for taking the moral high ground!"

"Moral High Ground"??? LOL...You've Just got to be kidding!!! The question is: Are you kidding us, or are you kidding yourself????

p.s. A "thumpar"?

[apaypalvictim]

So some Governors want to pick and choose which stimulus monies they're going to accept? I think we can save the Governors a lot of headaches, if we simply make it where any State who's Senator's voted No on the stimulus package; receives $0.00 stimulus money! The Republican's obviously have a better plan in mind, let them show us how it's done, maybe the states can borrow a few Hundred Billion from the Republican crony's at Halliburton KBR ???

[irmcvet971]

I can not wait to see the Greedy OLD/Oddball Party RepubliCON governors not take any money for their states. Yea, right...these moron''s could not run a lemonade stand!

Posted by tryhonesty at 01:51 PM : Feb 20, 2009

ROFLMAO I don't think anyone in that Party can even FIND a stand to run!!

[irmcvet971]

Dow on day Obama elected= 9,625. Dow now = 7367. Down 23%. Honest homeowners now subsidizing fools who bought houses they could not afford. Tax cheats nominated for cabinet positions. Thanks for the CHANGE Mr. President.

Posted by dmcar2000 at 10:57 AM : Feb 20, 2009

I do believe the President and EVERY Economist, left and right, told us this was coming. We have a very Intelligent and Gifted Leader now, one that does not embarrass us. He's working very hard and will get us on track again, that is for certain. Will he do it in ONE month... no but it will get done.

[irmcvet971]

These FASCIST had better watch it! In Louisiana the citizens Represented by the fascist Poster Child this year, Rep. Cao, have started a recall of him. I've NEVER seen people or a PARTY so out of touch as the Republican Party is right now! You DO NOT lead this nation into the WORST Economic Meltdown in modern history then pretend you had NOTHING to do with it!

[berchesgaden]

I'm from Louisiana and I can tell you
that Bobby Jindal is the worst Governor that
we have ever had! If he would have spent as
much time being Governor as he has running
for President he might have gotten some things
done! He is just another RIGHT WING BLOWHARD
trying to make a name for himself!

[eroosevelt08]

It boggles my mind that Republican governors would even consider letting their state's citizens suffer because of their arrogance.

[tryhonesty]

Obama has been in office for a month. I suggest reading history and economic books about the Great Depression, the 1930's for those who post here and never "cracked" a book. It takes time and money to pull this country out of the RepubliCON mess we find ourselves in. Just like it did in the 1930's...

[tryhonesty]

I can not wait to see the Greedy OLD/Oddball Party RepubliCON governors not take any money for their states. Yea, right...these moron's could not run a lemonade stand!

[hatesthecolt]

Hardy har har. That's me laughing at the hypocrisy of blaming Clinton for the economic woes before Bush and Obama now as if the 8 intervening years didn't happen and Clinton didn't provide Bush with a surplus.

You guys are a laugh a minute!

[missingamerica]

Texas and Alaska I can understand; everybody in the nation already subsidizes them, since the royalties they charge the oil companies are subsequently passed to the rest of us to pay at the pump or when use a gas furnace, stove, or water heater. "Welfare by proxy", as it were.

But Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina and Idaho?

Hey, come to think of it: Haven't those states ALWAYS accepted way more Federal dollars than they pay in Federal income taxes?

What, they suddenly decide that being "on Welfare" is bad for their image?

[engineer1503]

Then they shouldn't take the money. But I'll bet in the end every one of them takes the money.

[m-e-t-w-o]

Give them 24hrs after that n money

[abbe91]

"After all the dems whining about Bush and FEMA and Katrina, we now see just how much it really meant to loser democrats.
Posted by Buck_Ofama at 08:57 AM : Feb 20, 2009"

"I'm not saying there won't be a need in the future, but right now the focus is not on more money, it's on using what we have," said Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., who has criticized Democrats and Republicans alike over Katrina funding.

[raflin0010]

The GOP obviously has not even a clue about how to trasnform itself to become a party of relevancy. As evidenced by these few GOP governors, they want to cling to their no-longer-relevant ideologies while the rest of the country (and the world) is moving on. When I look at the recent actions of the Republican Congressmen, and now these Republican governors, I am often reminded of the "ostrich" approach to dealing with a problem: "Let's just bury our heads in the sand....maybe it will go away."

I predict even more Republican losses on 2012 when voters attempt to recollect just what it is that the GOP'ers did to help them and come up with the answer of "nothing."

[abbe91]

"But there''''s not a dime specifically dedicated to fixing leftover damage from Hurricane Katrina
Posted by Buck_Ofama at 08:57 AM : Feb 20, 2009"

specifically

[quickthought]

"Despite Big Budget Shortfalls, Handful Of State Execs May Reject Federal Cash On Moral, Or Political Grounds"

Boy that's really gonna hurt.....more for all the other states!! YIPEE!!! (I wonder why democratic governeors didn't refuse to send their states soldiers to Iraq....hmmm)

[irmcvet971]

It is sad to see what this ONCE proud Party has fallen too!

[gce65]

Good! Let them turn down stimulus money at the expense of their constituents. Who came up with htis bonehead plan, Newt Gingrich or Rush Limpbaugh? We'll see how long these GOP political careers last.