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Social conservatives, know that I will be first in line to sign up for the northern army this time around and I know the TRUTH about why I'd be there not so AM simpleton fantasy. Do it. Because another thing I know is that you're not as big as you think you are.

You're right Penn Voter – it is fairly simple. The federal government has the right to refuse to give those states any money at all. Go ahead, states, do whatever you want! Just don't hold your hand out for federal $$ if you refuse to follow the strings that will be attached to it.

Fairly simple....The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

The Federal Government receives its authority from the Constitution that was ratified by the States, all other authority is reserved by the States.

A lot of this money should be used to build large buildings, hire older responsible people to run these factories and start hiring the people.

Manufacture the items and products that we need and use here.

Our people need the jobs.
Do not get the young, just out of college that have no idea how to run anything; use the older, 50's people who know what work ethics are and know how to make money.

It is amazing to me how blind the American public has become to what is happening right now in his country...and I blame the liberal news media for not informing them. You people have no idea what is happening...is about to happen...and how long it is going to take for us to fix it. The President of our country has just insulted the British government (and they're ANGRY and you have no idea), we insulted the Russians, we ticked off North Korea who is threatening war... The stock market is in a free fall....and all the Dems can do is say it's Bush's fault (which it's not) and attack a conservative radio host who happens to run the #1 political talk show in the country. WAKE UP PEOPLE. Thank heavens we have people at the state level who will protect us from this mess. But if the American people don't get out of this fantasy their in the Dems are going to put us in the worst situation we've ever been in and if the news media keeps not reporting about truth...our children and their children are going to be paying the price for decades.

I know that Barack Obama loves to think and act like Lincoln. This usaully serves him and the Republic well. But if these states ever want to leave the Union again.....maybe we should let them go this time.

These ole boys down here in the South would still be flying the Confederate flag if they could (and some do). The Republican Party in the South was nothing but carpetbaggers until Julian Bond's Delegation from Georgia was seated at the Democratic Convention instead of the segregated Democratic state leaders. Them old boys came home Republicans. Nixon understood the potential and took them in, the rest is history. They don't understand that their great-granddaddies lost the war. We are right back to where it started, a popular President from Illinois and South Carolina talking states rights. Save your Confederate money boys, the South gonna rise again!

Everyone has the right to disagree...but consider with states rights you have real live persons living in that states and they have real, dire, needs to be met. Failure to take help puts those person at risk....f you cause your fellow man to go hungry..do you want that on your conscience?
As a nation someway somehow, there has to come a point of consensus to what is good for the nation. We owe it to our forefathers to fight to keep this nation on it's feet!

Tell Pelosi to stop Bloomberg and the MTA from increasing fares...

Give NYC some of that pork!!!

You want the money, take the strings. You want to be independent turn the money over to another state. You think you can ignore federal laws, prepare yourself for the consequences.

Come on, Obama and the democrats don't care about that crummy old constitution...he won't even prove his eligibility. So transparent that he is like a cement wall (and just as smart)

Glad to see some states have the sense to do what the congress didn't do. Some of the strings attached to "stimulus" money will burden states for years to come. I think a lot of these concerns could all be summed up as unfunded mandates. The "Spendulous" gives a state $ for 2009, but permanently alters state laws to continue funding or altering program eligibilty which is in place long after the one shot of money is gone. Thanks for standing up for your states!

This is so typically republican! Honest to Pete, these people actually think that we don't remember who they are... and what they did to this country! We voted overwhelmingly for OBAMA... NOT YOU!

The sovereignty of states is absolutely critical, and any infringement nullifies the Constitution, via the 10th ammendment. Should the Federal Gov't continue to exercise powers that are not specifically enumerated to it by the Constitution, then the Constitution would be nullified. States wouldn't have to secede, because there wouldn't be an entity to secede from. There WILL BE NO UNITED STATES if the federal government makes the Constitution moot. States like New Hampshire, Arizona, Oklahoma, etc are on top of this, and shouldn't shy away from being more vocal about their opposition to tyranny.

Perfect example would be mandatory civil service of all 18 plus year old citizens in an Obama youth, or some other nonsense. Try to regulate farms, and nationalize private businesses, for no other reason than that come April 15th the feds are going to realize that they don't even have enough tax revenue to pay off the interest on the national debt. These things are happening, and pretty soon with the flick of Obama's wrist, and a scratch of a pen, FEMA will be in complete charge of the United States with the Constitution will be indefinitely suspended.

YOU CANNOT SUSPEND THE CONSTITUTION. This is despotic, tyrannical madness. States have very little time left on this issue. Long live the people. Look at Rahm Emmanual and Hillary Clinton's own words: "We cannot let this crisis go to waste" They have too big of a tyrranical agenda and way too many individual freedoms that need to be taken away from the people, which they may never get a chance to do if they don't adequately capitalize on this "crisis".

God bless Americans (individual Americans, not some collectivist notion of America)! The government's only job should be to protect people's individual liberties. God help us, and we should all pray that this crisis does go to waste, as to upset government plans to usurp individual liberties.

Yeah... good luck with that!!

Maybe they'll secede from the United States of America, form their own nation and start another civil war!!

They're from the south... so they don't even need to create a new flag, they can just use the old Confederate flag!!

Glory, glory hallelujah!! It's time for the South to rise again!!

Wait a minute... things didn't turn out so well for them last time!!

Like I said... good luck with that!!!

If these Republican jerk-offs are NOT careful, the Senate in their state will strip them of their powers when it comes to the Stimulus money like they did to the Governor in Alabama.

We in California are willing to take the money from all those red states who do not. We in California will work with the government to do research in the new biofuels and also the stem cell research.. We in California will take all that money if you do not want it.
We in California will try to make USA viable again.

The federal goverment is out of control.Voting on legislation without looking @ it in a hurry. States are just wanting to do what is good for it's poeple.HASTE MAKES WASTE!!!!

It is very interesting to me that the same old strawman appears every time the republicans want to obstruct constuctive programs. The would rather punish their constituents rather than face reality. When are we the voting public going to wake up and think?

Way to go governors. Federal law alows them to do this, thanks in part to the civil war. This is NOT a conderderacy, it's a republic.

@ John, Brooklyn, NY March 6th, 2009 7:48 pm ET

These governors need to get over this. Nullification of federal laws by states was squashed thanks to the Civil War. This is NOT a confederacy, it is a republic....

It may become one.

In a Republic (which this country was founded as, not a democracy which our founding fathers loathed), the states under the 10th amendment have the right to all powers not expressly given to the federal government. The states gave birth to the federal government, not the federal government to the states. The founders wanted to create this clause since the federal government was suppose to have the least amount of impact on our daily lives. And if the federal government grew past its means, as it has proven through history, the states could claim it’s sovereignty to ensure the protection of the people.

The Constitution (law determining the fundamental political principles of a government) was written to restrain the federal government from the rights of the people. To ensure that the natural born rights of the people are not infringed, and as you can see this is already happening on so many fronts, the states are telling the federal government no.

Also if just 34 states decide to dissolve the federal government they may do so, and reinstitute a new one in its place.

Gosh, Hannity and Rush are ruling the kingdom, calling for uprisings...aren't these states acting in a traitorous manner?
And their beef is what? That the government plans to help them in this time of need. If they don't want the money, don't take it. Why the drama? Oh, right, Obama is a socialist and a demon...meanwhile, Bush's true perversion of the Constitution was OK with them.

These guys are a joke. They not only want the money.....they NEED the money. But they've made such a stink about the plan that they need to come up with someway to accept the money without looking like idiots. Well actually, they look even more like idiots with this nonsense. South Carolina governor claims he doesn't want the extended unemployment funds. What he's hoping to do is take money meant for other things and divert it to unemployment. Then declare he was able to do it without the feds, etc. They have nothing else to do but focus on this crap, rather than trying to prepare ways to put people back to work. PATHETIC!!

There are a lot or red & blue governors who will be more than happy to take any funds by those that don't want it. Give it to those that want the money and let the others see their voters in 2010.

isn't it ironic..........the Republican party was founded by northern "liberals" to counter the so-called "states rights" claim of the south, only to windup 150 yrs later to be the champion of the southern's claim of states rights...........Lincoln would be doing cartwheels in his grave..........

Just keep stirring the pot guys. America first.

Sounds like a civil war to me. Treason anyone?

They have got to be kidding right.
Dont they know that Confederacy lost the Civil War! I think all of those GOP Governors should be forced to resign from their offices with an idiotic idea like this.

President Obama is correct. Education should be at the top of our agenda for recovery. I suggest that it start with state legislators. It seems their education is lacking in constitutional history, general principles of law and similar topics related to our history and our government.

as usual the GOP is overrreaching.

Alright in that case, forbid red states from getting any federal $$$$, blue states pay far more in taxes and get back less then they put in.

If they feel this way then they should man up and not take any of the stimulus money. If they feel this is so wrong, don't take it and then tell your constituents how hard you are working for them. That they want to pick and choose what they want to accept shows to me that they are simply playing politics.

When these Governors come up for re-election, the voters will remember this. Voters who are unemployed, homeless, and broke.

Are these people saying this totally insane? The next thing we know, they'll be calling for secession. This foolishness has got to stop, for the sake of our country's unity. Anyone who honestly thinks this kind of talk is just righteous indignation is a fool. This is a fight to regain power after losing the White House and most of both houses of Congress, pure and simple. If the Rebuplicans were still in power, they would spend just as much, but it would be spent on the military complex, instead of social programs. I would rather pay taxes to build better schools, have better healthcare, infrastructure, and a cleaner environment than fighting a war based on lies. And, I do pay taxes, gladly. It is my patriotic duty.

This is reminiscent of my childhood days when President Roosevelt brough out his New Deal policies. The supreme court stepped in and ruled that his programs were unconstitutional and brought everything to a screeching halt. The NYA, the NRA and a few others fell by the wayside. State sovereingty must always be held out of reach of an over-zealous federal government.

This is nothing more than a political ploy. The federal government defines how federal money should be used all the time; it's been doing this for many, many years. There is nothing unconstitutional about the federal government saying that federal dollars should be used for, say, unemployment benefits. If the government did not define use, the states would be more inclined to abuse the funds and throw them at wasteful projects.

Furthermore, it's not mandatory that a state accept any of the funds. Governors can reject the funds. If they do, then the state legislature can decide whether or not to take the funds. So, the state has to AGREE to take the funds, before it's given any money.

This would only be an issue of state sovereignty if the federal government forced the state to take the money. But, NO STATE IS FORCED TO TAKE THE MONEY. If these Republicans have such an issue with the stimulus package, just reject the funds, and stop crying irrationally about the big, bad federal government making them do something they don't want to do, because it's not.

There were plenty of laws I would deem " unconstitutional". Does that mean I can set up sovereignty at my home. Let's see in the principality of kellyworld, I hereby decree that I will not follow these laws I deem unconstitutional. 1. I will not pay payroll taxes. 2. I will not concede to wiretapping by the govt. 3. Gays are allowed to get married in my back yard. 4. Rush Limbaugh is hereby outlawed in my home. 5. No religious organization is allowed to solicit me in my home as I have a separation of church and state. (Stay away Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses.)

The list can go on forever but let's get real.

Well I say, If they don't want the money, then don't send the money. I'm sure other states will be glad to take it off the governments hands. Let the citizens of those red states deal with their leaders who turned down the money come next election. If they see fit to hang on next election to those elected officals who turned down the money then they deserve the outcome.

Thank god at least 20 states are looking out for their people.

How's this for a plan, before to try these tactics, try WORKING with our President!

When I first became a registered voter, 25 years ago, it was as a Republican. Years later I changed my affiliation to that of a Democrat, then I became an Independent. Now I am a registered Democrat only because I wanted to support and vote in the primaries for now President Obama. I am NOT a party person, I am an American FIRST! Do what is right for our country! Oregon has a closed primary but I will be changing my registration to be that of Unaffiliated. Don’t get me wrong, I will still vote for President Obama at this point but we really do need a VIABLE 3rd party. Give our President a chance to prove himself. Oh, and here’s an idea........ Don’t even start campaigning until 1 year before the election, this last one was wayyyyyy too long!

Peace

I say to those living in those states, vote them out. You know a friend when in need and these people don't care because of their political idiology!

These are some of the most ignorant, elected official I've ever come across. These republican are more ideological and bandwagon hustlers. The are unable to be critical independent thinkers. They are downright stupid.

Honestly the States will have to agree to reform, take the money or go bust. States right, yeah, I guess when Bush was sending the States National Guard oversea's it was OK. Only Cali Governor and Sebelius of Kansas decided to fight bush on the issue. The GOP and the bigots are so full of it. They are fighting a loosing battle. REFORM NOW or go BOOM! VOTE CHANGE, SAY NO TO THE GOP IN 2010!

So, these states are going to secede from the US? After they take the money, or before? These are tough times. Breaking apart is not the answer. But if that's what these states want to do, happy trails, my friend...

These people never did any of this under ex President Bush, their true colors are showing with a big stain in the middle.

At the expense of American jobs? You Repugnants.

If they do not want the money, don't give it to them. Just publicize who made the decision.

What is up with the destructive people in the Republican party, they have lost all brain cells. It is killing them that Obama is President, they will say and do anything to make him look bad so that their party can regain some power back. With them it is the party that matters.

This is the most two-faced group of people that ever gather together. You guys are making Reagan real proud.

Don't want to go by the rules, then don't take the money. How much more simple can you get?

I vote liberal 90% of the time. And while I'm suspicious that this is just a political bluff to get attention, I do agree that the federal government has been overreaching for over a decade and needs to back down. Too bad the republicans have been hypocritical, basically ignoring when Bush trampled over our freedoms... I guess it goes to show both national political parties have failed and should be split apart!

Funny, they gave George Bush a Blank Check! But, now they have this 'Let them eat cake' about their constituents. Sad. Sad.

But, their leader be da man....no wait the leader is Rush Limbot. Uh-oh...I better watch myself. I'm sorry Rush!!!!!

** I am so fortunate to be from Pennsylvania with the great Senator Arlen Specter who put Pennsylvanians ahead of his career! Go Senator Specter!!!!

Yes, the reluctant Republicans will do their best to avoid changing the old status quo of corruption, inequity, iniquity, and abuse. They are a dying breed, thank God. Change is inevitable: the only constant in the universe.
The good ole boys are on the way out.

Check your history, folks. MANY parts of the New Deal were killed by the Supreme Court due to their trampling of states rights. Stimulus has its limits, and the states have a right to challenge the federal government. This is a republic, NOT an autocracy (regardless of Pelosi's POV).

I know my other post will not go through. So just let me state this
the two post here as most American's HAVE NO CLUE HOW THE
Constitution and The Bill of Rights Work or for that matter how government function. I bet they think Biden was right in his debate
about Cheney. lol

The red state governors should leave it all on the table. After all, they have already garnered Katrina money for reconstruction(see Jindal of Louisana and Barbour from Mississippi). What more do they need.

how about they don't accept the funding and then do don't have to do anything? You can't have it both ways.

Well...if the feds have overstepped their constitutional powers, then the states don't need to take the money. Let these governor's explain why they are too stupid to take the money!

Give me a break...what a bunch of dummies! If the Repugs want to follow this strategy, then they'll won't be able to control either the Executive or the Legislative branches for at least 10-15 years.

first you don't vote for it but now you want " on your terms...hey that;'s a start i guess

Please read the 10th amendment of the Constitution of The United States.
For the Federal Government to attached strings on Federal Funds mandating how the funds are to be used and if not no further funds will be provided is unconstitutional.
Each state has their own state laws and for the Federal Government
to try and make the states change there state laws (these are voted by
the citizens of each state) is very much against the US Constitution.
We as a country were never suppose to be governed by a central
Federal government.

The states do not have the right to interpret the US constitution, which is reserved to the US Supreme Court, and federal statutes override state statutes when there is a conflict.

This is a indeed a federal republic and once a state is in, it must conform to federal law and does not have the option to ignore those laws (or to leave, as of 1865!). The Tenth Amendment argument does not really work, because basically that amendment was rendered useless and invalid by the Fouteenth Amendment which effectively extended federal law to all the states.

The Federal governments job is to protect us, fix some roads, and some minor social programs.

The Federal government needs to get out of our lives.

You think these people are being rowled up for elections in 2010? Naive. Its civil war that's coming.

With the unemployment rate at a 25 year high, these idiot governors are willing to stand on their (non-existent) morals while their citizens suffer. I say take names and get them out of office as soon as possible,

John:
You're right. Too bad the morons can't figure that out. With some of them, ok most, if they had a brain, they'd be dangerous! Hopefully it ALWAYS STAYS AS A REPUBLIC TOO!!!

So don't take any money, then. It's all or nothing, IDIOTS! That's more for the states who want to go back to work...

Fine. Put their money on hold, and publicize to their constituents the authors of this craziness, and everyone who voted for it. Better yet, give the other states their money.

FOR ALL THOSE STATES " DON'T TAKE THE MONEY" !!!! THEY SEEM TO FORGET THIS IS BEING PAID FOR BY ALL AMERICANS NOT JUST FROM THEIR STATE. WE ALL HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW HOW THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE TERMS THEN DON'T SIGN THE CONTRACT.

Get a clue john from Brooklyn... state sovereignty didn't go anywhere with the civil war. It's right there in the 10th amendment and hasn't changed.

It's about time someone remembered the idea behind federalism.

The ALL WHITE PEOPLE STATE REFUSING THE MONEY BECASUE THEY ARE RICH AND STILL THINK THE ECONOMY IS STRONG. It will have to be up to their const. to vote them nuts out of office. Republicans only look out for their own..

I guess rush is the face of the repubs. and its sad what rush said about Ted Kennedy and not one GOP tell rush enought is enought.

@john, Brooklyn, NY
@mary, florida

READ THE US CONSTITUTION! Your comments shows your ignorance of the law

Good for these states! Both states and Americans are going to have to standup and say ENOUGH. NO MORE LYING, CORRUPT POLITICIANS. They either stay true to what they say in their campaigns or they are thrown out!

What grandstanding.

Did Republican governors use "state sovereignty" as an excuse to refuse federal projects during that prior crisis called WW2?

Who died and left the Republican in charged. They lose and need to quit whiinning.

What nonsense.

Republicans keep kowtowing to dittoheads.

Meanwhile they are hurting the Country, and losing whatever little support they still have among the next generation of voters and the educated.

I'd rather all of us who live in states between the coasts just secede and form a new nation that has Heartland values and will charge all you coasters boocoos of bacon for "flyover" states. We could call our new country Heartland, where there are states' rights and no values to clarify. That's really change I can believe in.

They're smart. After the intial stimulus money is spent on the state, the state is required to continue funding whatever program it was that the Federal gov't made them start. This funding is from the state taxpayers. Uh, no thanks for the "gift"

Right, and Reid says he will force them to accept power lines across their states whether they like it or not!

Wake up America!

"Republican lawmakers from more than 20 states across the country are willing to take federal funding, but only on their terms."

That's funny, that's like saying..."Ohh we don't need help, we are pretty cool...but if we need it, we'll let you know." LOL!!

Talk about losing weight when you only exercise for only 5 minutes...

Funny, these people were strangely silent when Bush was the one overstepping the constitution.

Lots of fine hypocrisy these days as both parties are now outraged at what they themselves were doing not too long ago.

This is so typical of conservative Republicans-- if they don't like something, they want to ignore it and pretend it has no authority. Last time i checked, I thought they had to go through the court system to get a ruling about what was constitutional or not......this is all politics at it's worse, whether you like the stimulis package or not.

Does anyone else see the irony in Rush Limbaugh's inability to live his conservative values when it comes to gluttony?

This sounds like the "American Confederate States" rebellion re-surfacing. I think they first appeared in 1861. Remember that "Civil War" tragedy" How about the "War Between The States?" These 20 Republicans are not happy with the way the country is being run. They want to start a rebellion against the Federal Government. They feel that they represent the beliefs of the citizens of this country, and other representatives don't. They further stated that, "we...need to work to keep the government small, limited, and efficient."

In other words, they want to secede from the Union again. They can't tolerate the amount of the Stimulus Package, but big spending that went to Iraq and other countries was fine. Never a whimper was heard when the dictatorship of Bush was in power. Now every day it's the same old repeated sound bites, or something new they find to criticize. They use the "Limbaugh Handbook" to get their talking points, then go full steam ahead with their "No" campaign.

I'd like to see them not accept the money, and try existing on their own. The citizens of their states would start a revolution against them that would not be pretty.

I'm for that !!!!!!! Let me know which states are going too do this please. My family and I would join in this project. Let Obama rule 20 states then the rest of America can tell him too take a flying leap

This is so dumb. We already had a war over this. Do people in these states know that or do Republicans just hate America as a whole? What's with the GOP these days?

@John, you are so right. If they don't want the money w/the conditions attached, then don't take it. The southern states still think it's a confederacy.

With any luck, the aptly-named Red states may eventually try to seperate as did the always brilliant South 148-years-ago. I wonder if that happens - Please, Jesus...please! - whether anyone will try to make them stay this time.

No one has a gun to their heads except themselves.What else is new.

"Sovreignty - or however you spell it - I'm only a teacher - just saying - I want to spit up in my mouth!

These governors need to get over this. Nullification of federal laws by states was squashed thanks to the Civil War. This is NOT a confederacy, it is a republic.