Don't want someone's help when you find yourself in a jam? High standards making you picky about whose help you'll accept? You have every right to slap down the hand that offers assistance, for any reason you choose. But when you're acting on behalf of others who are in need, being quick to turn down help smacks of arrogance.
GOP challengers circa 2008/AP photo
That's my take on the decision of three southern governors who are taking a pass on their states' share of $7 billion in federal unemployment funds allocated in President Obama's stimulus plan. Louisiana's Bobby Jindal, Mississippi's Haley Barbour and South Carolina's Mark Sanford say that accepting the money would require unwanted changes in their state laws. Jindal, for example, says businesses would have to pick up the cost of increased unemployment benefits when the federal money runs out.
That might not be enough to stave off criticism in a state whose unemployment stats ranks in the top tier. In fact, all three have good reason to accept whatever unemployment aid they can get for constituents who are hurting. The latest from the bureau of labor stats shows:
- Lousiana ranks 16th, with an unemployment rate of 5.9%
- Mississippi is 12th, at 8%
- South Carolina is 3rd, with 9.5%
So why would any of these governors turn down help for their neediest residents? Maybe it's because all three have been named as potential challengers to Obama in 2012. Jindal is being rewarded with the official GOP response slot after the President's speech tonight. He, along with Barbour and Sanford, should be giving a different kind of gift from voters: they should be bounced out of office when they're up for re-election. Or, maybe jilted voters can act sooner. Like Illinois, these states can use an impeachment process to dump governors who put politics and personal gain ahead of the best interest of their residents.
Comments
As Paul Krugman says in response to Jindal's speech:
"The intellectual incoherence is stunning. Basically, the political philosophy of the GOP right now seems to consist of snickering at stuff that they think sounds funny. The party of ideas has become the party of Beavis and Butthead."
The problem is we tried all your ideas, Republicans, and they all failed. Please shut up while we try to clean up the mess the GOP created. This is end result of Reaganomics, greed is not good.
Nice Marj - way to hit them with the facts. The unemployment figures speak for themselves. As Chris Matthews said, this guy is angling for the fringe right - he thinks based on history the GOP will want a right-winger in 4 or 8 years, not a McCain-type candidate.
This is the puzzling thing, isn't it? We tried those ideas, they failed (miserably) and they're still pounding away. I love the Krugman quote. We've also heard the definition of an idiot: someone who keeps doing the same thing, expecting different results. THIS time tax cuts will work magic?? I don't think so.
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