Schumer to GOP Govs: No A La Carte

Schumer to GOP governors: Stimulus isn't a la carte menu

WASHINGTON, DC--Senator Charles Schumer released the following letter Tuesday urging the Obama administration to notify governors that they must certify acceptance of stimulus funding in full or not at all, rather than selectively approving and rejecting the law's various components.

February 24, 2009

Dear Director Orszag:

In recent days, a small minority of governors, mostly Republicans, have publicly weighed the possibility of foregoing certain emergency provisions provided under the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed last week by President Obama. I believe this prospect not only would undercut the stimulative effect of the recovery package, but also is inconsistent with a key provision included in the law passed by Congress. To protect the integrity of the recovery program, I urge the administration to issue implementation guidance clarifying that while any Governor may exercise his or her discretion to accept or reject the federal funds provided in the stimulus, no Governor should have the authority to arbitrarily adopt a select subset of the overall package.

As you know, Section 1607(a) of the economic recovery legislation provides that the Governor of each state must certify a request for stimulus funds before any money can flow. No language in this provision, however, permits the governor to selectively adopt some components of the bill while rejecting others. To allow such picking and choosing would, in effect, empower the governors with a line-item veto authority that President Obama himself did not possess at the time he signed the legislation. It would also undermine the overall success of the bill, as the components most singled out for criticism by these governors are among the most productive measures in terms of stimulating the economy.

For instance, at least two governors have proposed rejecting a program to expand unemployment insurance for laid-off workers. Economists consistently rank unemployment insurance among the most efficient and cost-effective fiscal stimulus measures; by one frequently cited estimate, it provides an economic return of as high as $1.73 for every dollar invested. Thus, by denying this provision for their residents, these governors are not just depriving some of the neediest Americans of relief in a dire economy; they are undermining the overall stimulative impact of the package.

No one would dispute that these governors should be given the choice as to whether to accept the funds or not. But it should not be multiple choice. The composition of the package was rightly dictated by economic considerations; we should not let the implementation of the package be dictated by political considerations.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator

MOTHERFUCKERS!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

and governors can pick an chose what parts they follow. We have people who couldn't even pass a basic civics class running these states.

And what kink of heartless fucks would not want to extend unemployment? Yeah, I guess these lazy asses should just get a job by moving to China and India, where they have all been outsourced.

There sure are some dumb Bubbas out there.

Bobby Jindal wants to starve off the people of LA so he can get his people from India to get all the jobs and money...imagine that.

exactly what the rules should be for collecting unemployment, then the entire program should be Federalized. As it stands now, each state is responsible for assessing and collecting UC taxes from employers, and for establishing the eligibility requirements. Clearly, some states want to be more "business friendly" than others, reflecting the moods of their particular electorate.

If we're going to have one set of rules enforced on all of the states, then maybe the whole UC system should be run by the Feds by expanding the current tax system. But don't be surprised when someone in NY or CA cannot live on UC checks that are more than adequate for Arkansas or Mississippi.

The Feds are fully within their rights and power to dictate terms on unemployment money they send to the states, just like they do with highway funds, welfare funds, etc. etc. etc.

the states will be required to keep them, even after the stimulus money has run out.

We've seen this before: the Feds tax gasoline for everybody in the US, then demand conditions on handing the money back to the states, such as raising the drinking age, or mandating tickets for nonuse of seat belts. Regardless of whether or not those are good ideas, the mechanism of taking something from somebody, then putting conditions on getting it back looks vaguely like kidnapping and ransom.

Why not just Federalize the entire UC system, and be done with it? If it's not a political football at the statehouse level, then legislatures and governors would not have it to kick around.

so there you go.

This is why 21 is the drinking age nationwide. The states have every right to lower it, but if they do federal highway funds go away.

Say we get a Repuke administration again some day, and they threaten to withhold Federal funds unless the states change gun laws to their liking.

Do the states really have the power to make their own laws, or not? What exactly does the Tenth Amendment mean in the 21st Century?

and I hope he put pressure on White House to implement it too...good job Chuck, you it takes a very good leader to move folks.

and ask what they think of all this? Uh, no I do NOT. They're a bunch of well-educated RW fundi nuts, so I'm pretty sure I know they hate anything democrats do. They're so crazy they thought W* did a fantastic job on Katrina.

I FUCKING HATE, HATE, HATE the Republican congress and their powerful appendages of power in DC and throughout the country.

THere are good, well meaning Republicans all over this land. Quite a few voted for Obama.

BUt their leadership is the most hateful, bullying group I have ever seen and I want them swept from the scene.

I will NEVER EVER forget the way they bullied their Democratic counterparts from 2001 to 2006 especially around 2002 to 2004. They started this war back in 1994 and they will die as vitims of their own overreach.

MOTHERFUCKING SONSOFBITCHES