Wednesday 1 April 2009

Sarah Palin playing dangerous games


White House budget director Peter Orszag says a state legislature can’t apply for funds from a key pot of education money from President Barack Obama’s $787 billion economic stimulus plan if its governor fails to do so.

With governors facing a Friday deadline to seek their states’ shares of $48.6 billion in the recovery package’s State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, Orszag’s opinion puts more pressure on a handful of Republican governors who oppose the stimulus plan Obama signed into law on February 17.

April 3: Deadline for the Governor of the State to certify that: (1) the State will request and use funds provided by this Act; and (2) the funds will be used to create jobs and promote economic growth.

Sarah Palin is playing political games with the stimulus package and Alaskans will miss out on the opportunities the plan offers in several areas.

The Governor's behaviour is irresponsible, callous and self-serving.

Alaskans will remember that.

Sarah Palin is no longer the golden child of the GOP and doesn't realize that her faithful base in the lower 48 is very narrow.

She will end up with nothing. No office in 2010, no 2012 run for the presidency.

But she's quite willing to let Alaskans pay the price for her shortsighted ambitions.

Links: article about Peter Orszag, stimulus deadlines

7 comments:

Emily said...

Palin's wasting her political capital as if she thinks it will buy her more expensive clothing. She could hardly do worse if she were actually trying to trash her own political career.

Nice picture, by the way-- is she biting her lip to stop herself from wisecracking?

Anonymous said...

Ah...finally.
Alaska, are we listening? What, EXACTLY, is OUR legislative status? Has the State Legislature examined the implications here? Do they have a plan?

Graham voted against the federal economic stimulus bill, but he has since said he thinks South Carolina should accept the money, because state taxpayers will have to help pay it back and the money is likely to be spent in another state if it is not spent here.

Peter Orszag wrote in a letter to Graham that, in the opinion of federal attorneys, only the governor can apply for the funds.

“I don’t think this is a partisan decision at all,” Foster said about the administration’s interpretation. “The law is clear. Where this money is concerned, it’s the governor’s decision.

“The solution to this is very simple: Gov. Sanford needs to certify that money by midnight Friday because South Carolina taxpayers are going to have to repay it,” Foster said.

“However, for a state to access its allocation of the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, the governor must submit an application to the secretary of education, and there currently is no provision in the recovery act for the state Legislature to make such an application in lieu of the governor for the state’s allocation of the State Stabilization Fund,” he continued.

“It would be an unfortunate (and we believe unintended) policy outcome if the children of South Carolina were to be deprived of their share of federal stimulus dollars, which South Carolina citizens already have paid for, because the governor chooses not to apply for the available funds, especially in circumstances where the state Legislature would be willing to make application on behalf of the state if it were allowed by statute to do so,” Orszag wrote.

http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/news/27060-obama-rsquo-s-budget-director-says-only-governor-can-seek-stimulus-funds

basheert said...

Well now - if the Lady Nailpin doesn't take the money, lots of state will grab their share.
INCLUDING John McInsane's state, Arizona.
NOTE: Jon (idiot/moron) Kyl and John McInsane have made NO effort to disenfranchise Arizona - we get everything we have coming.

There is a tiny catch...OUR legislature is spending stimulus dollars on Speed Cameras. Wow, lots jobs there.

Anonymous said...

Is she a bit crosseyed?

basheert said...

No, it's just there is so much empty space in her braincase that her eyes roll around freely.

KaJo said...

Actually, yes she is. If she didn't wear glasses that are corrective for the condition -- strabismus -- her cross-eyed condition would be more obvious than it is.

Seriously.

FEDUP!!! said...

So, Alaskans: If she does not apply for the money (which seems very likely), ARE YOU READY FOR A RECALL??? Grounds: dereliction of duty, not having Alaskans interest on her mind, being totally incompetent...