(CNN) - In a budget proposal released Friday afternoon, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal indicated he is only rejecting $98 million of the federal stimulus funds due his state.
That figure is far less than the $700 million South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford has indicated he may reject if the federal government does not allow Sanford to use that money to pay down his state's debt.
Jindal, an early GOP critic of the stimulus bill, is specifically rejecting funds aimed at expanding unemployment benefits on the belief his state would have to pick up the tab on the provision in two years.
In the budget proposal released Friday, Jindal emphasized the money he is accepting is temporary and a means to ultimately cutting spending.
"It is very important to understand…that federal stimulus funds are temporary funds. As such, they cannot be thought of as a permanent part of our state’s budget," he said Friday, adding, "Federal stimulus funds give us time to reform how the state runs so we can cut spending, ensure we are spending efficiently, and live within our means."
Jindal's announcement also comes a day after Texas Gov. Rick Perry said he would reject the $555 million in federal funds direct to his state to expand unemployment benefits.
From CNN Politics
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Americans can du ana thang! What a stooger. He made Palin look smart.
Congratulations on rejecting like .0000005% of the socialist money giveaway Bobby. That'll show those unemployed workers.
They don't like the unemployed??? Or do they figure that being unemployed is somehow the fault of the laid-off workers??? How totally bizarre!
So nice of these fine republican gentlemen to let their unemployed workers suffer.
So, if you live in one of these Red states and you lost your job because of the Bush economy and your unemployment benefits can not be paid how are you supposed to feed your family or even have gas money to look for another job?
What are these men thinking? Can they really be that cruel to want to make Obama look bad at the expense of the citizens?
If this was not coming from the Republicans it would truly be unbelievable.
Hmm...good luck with your future employment, Govenah's!
I'm so glad I don't live in SC, TX or LA.
Don't even get started talking about this hell hole of a state. It makes South Carolina look like Hawaii. Why are the most backward states in the union rejecting the very aid they have needed since reconstruction. I know your backward, I know you have more toes then teeth, but why don't you try to get up off the cracker barrel and see what the rest of the world has been doing since 1965. Take the money and build your state up from the dirt.
You don't want Alabama to get ahead of you do you?
These governors in these states want their cake and eat it too. When GWB was running things for 8 years, not hardly any complaints came
from these leaders. Now the opposition party is in charge and there's
nothing but this is wrong, that's wrong. They're right, that's why we have PRESIDENT OBAMA, he's already righting the wrong from the
last 8 years, none of these GOP governors turned down stimulus funding the last two presidential terms until now. Interesting.
Hopefully these politcs before the people will catch up to them at the polls.
SHAME!
Hypocrite, reject all the money or shut-up.
If these clowns weren't idiots an used the stimulus monies WISELY instead of padding their buddies pockets some of these states could not have an unemployment problem in 2 years.
Elephants just have never been hungry before. I think when you lost your job, you run up to the Board and call in Executive CEO privilege and ask for 100 million bonuses. If you are a regular citizen, you run up and ask for $10.00 a month paycheck and you're denied! Good job!! Such fairness...
Mr Jindal (SINCE BOBBY IS NOT REALLY YOUR FIRST NAME), you are so out of touch with the people of your state. This is about the PEOPLE NOT POLITICS. YOU AND YOUR FELLOW OTHER REPUB SENATOR WHO ARE TURNING DOWN MONEY FOR THE PEOPLE OF THEIR STATE ARE WRONG. The people who elected YOU deserve more than that. Katrina was a complete disaster in more than the desvastation, a total screw up in response. For those so called republican conservatives who bash President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for wasting money traveling while the economy is in the tank need to remember, WHERE WAS BUSH,CHENEY,CANDOLESA RICE WHEN KATRINA HIT, ON VACATION.
Take the money guys – Obama will have everyone employed by 2011 or so when the money runs dry and you will have surplus of state unemployment funds to boot. Its a perfect world isn't it?
Besides – who is saying you have to continue anything once the money is gone? When the federal money is gone – return to the present levels......kinda like us American working guys do – spend only what we have........well guess government won't ever be like that.
all three should become unemployed and live and pay bills on
the unemployment check.not easy.Maybe Texas will be out of
Perryville era shortly..Not much good can be said about Perrry in Texas.. The unemployed in all three states should called their
Govenor.s office and let them know how they feel and that they need help.
All three are playinfg politics as usual for Perry anyway
This is the guy who said Americans Can Do Anything! The GOP will be in the wilderness for a while. Palin, Jindal and Steele oh my!
Those that turn away the help their state so desparately needs wil be heading out this next election. Their constituants will give them the Boot! Republicans have lost their way and don't know how to get back on message. We are ONE NATION and as soon as the Republicans can get on board the sooner we can correct the Huge mess they have left for the rest of us.
If they are going to reject any of it...let them reject ALL of it....send it to a state that is grateful for the help for it's people. Then let the govenors that rejected the stimulus get booted out by the every day citizens that these govenors ignored for their own political goals.
Bobby, Mark, Rick –three musketeers
John, Mitchell,Cantor-birds of the feathers
-Six losers to add to the list of many more. Rethugs
What's wrong with these southern governors, their people are hurting and it seems they could care less, SHAME ON THEM.
Sad situation. But this is where attitude and leadership tests each leader of their respective state. While people like Rahm is enjoying his White House Job, you scrap for money to pay your mortgages. I would take it or or put a certain amount on hold and use as necessary just in case unemployment may be for a while longer than predicted.
Good for you Mr. Jindal!!! I have much respect for you.
They want their residents to believe down the line (once Obama supposedly "owns" the economy) that it is Obama's fault.
Not theirs.
Are you kidding me, Mr. Piyush Jindal: If you are against the stimulus money than you should not take even 1 cent!!! Nothing! That is called 'hypocrisy'. You cannot say that you are against the President's 'socialist' agenda then take the money. You, Republicans, have nothing to stand on. America sees it all!!!
I do not understand why this governor and the Republicans think it is necessary for the Government to tell Women what to do with their bodies but not get into solving other humanity’s problems. It’s like someone telling God what to do and what not to do. Those of us that are fighting these thoughts do so because the Govt operates as God. Whatever the Government says is the verdict. Isn’t that what George Bush did when he was in office. So, for the Republicans to be asking the Govt to ban abortion and debar them from helping the ones that are already born is mind bugling.
How dumb!! Just stop the provisions in 2 years idiot! republicans are fools and their people are suffering because of it. Even Arnold said this. Good Luck South. You have idiots in office, and have no one to blame except for yourselves and your brainwashed friends who call themselves conservative
@Steph March 13th, 2009 5:37 pm ET
I'm so glad I don't live in SC, TX or LA.
We are too!
Reject it all!!!! All states should follow suit.
Amazing...what is he thinking? The one state that it is physically obvious needs a push and a shove of some money to stabalize it's state....sad for the people that reside there....Gov. Jindal...I just can't understand your reasoning on this....you hurt the very people your represent!
Wow, the nerve of these governors who happen to govern states with some of America's poorest citizens to reject stimulus money. If people can not get unemployment benefits while they look for work, how will they do some of the things they need to for their families? Anyone who has received unemployment benefits knows the money is only a fraction of what one would make if still employed, but something is better than nothing. The GOP governors are the poster children for their party and once again they proved what 66 million Americans knew in November, they are completely out of touch with real Americans. It is hypocritical to start talking about spending now when everything has gone to hell in a hand basket. We as Americans have not known the cost of the Iraq War it was never disclosed in a budget by our former President. There was no issue with spending billons of dollars on Iraq, and now spending millions on Americans is being questioned or rejected all together. I agree with some of the other bloggers take all the money or none at all!
Oh well good job BOOBY(Pyiush) whatever his name is let the unemployed suffer 2010 can't come soon enough.
The Republican governors who are refusing the money, especially when needed to improve school buildings should be voted out next time around, or better yet impeached. They are testosterone or viagra driven. They are certainly not thinking of their constituents - especially not school children. Jerks. Idiots. Fools. Egomaniacs. Overpaid Rush worshipers. And the ugliest description in Amearican language –NEOCONS. My votes in NC rid the state of lots of Repugs. I am heading back to Texas soon, and will do my part to rid Texas of the pretty boy with all the hair and little else.
If you live in their state. Don't elect them when they go up for election. This is sick and disgusting. They don't need any money because we pay their salary. And for all of you who say don't take the money, you have to be a Republican that have you foot up someone buttttttt.
He is letting his person politics get in the way of helping those in need. So saddening.
Political posturing, nothing more. Jindal, you are supposed to be a servant of the people and acting on their behalf and in their best interests. I can see you are only acting in your own political interest here. Shame on you.
He understands that there are strings attached to this money and understands the repercussions of taking the money this year to pad the budget only to be in a bigger hole next year when there is no more Federal money (plus the fact that state revenues will be down because the economy will still be in the tank DUE to all this spending).
Take the entire amount or reject it all.... Rethuglicans are idiots. They are so against the working person.
I think if each unemployed person would call their governors office and ask them for a donation to help pay their rent/mortgage, put food on the table, pay for their next doctors visit, help with finding a job. Maybe the governor will be hiring or know where they can find work, or will pray for them so they won't go hungry and be out on the street. If the thousands of people in these 3 states alone did that, maybe their governor would actually think......sorry memory lapse, they are republicans and they don't care for the people. They want to be rightous and stand up to the president and look tough. Instead they are looking foolish, childish and not very smart. I hope all republicans are out of a job very very soon.
Vote them Republicans out of the office I dont care if he reject 1 million dollars still vote them out.;;.;;;It sad that the american people votes these rich republicans in the office then they got the nerve to reject money will help there state.....
Vote Republicans out the office 2010 especially Jindal
Gotta keep 'em uneducmacated and wanton.
Good to know that he will let his constituents suffer so that Rush Limbaugh will still like him.
Posturing idiot, but than again he is a member of the radical religious right and he does represent Louisiana, between them, Mississippi, and South Carolina they have a lock on 48,49 and 50 in almost every category, literacy, health, high school graduation rates, infrastructure, racial equality, best states to live in.. you name it they have a firm grasp on their position and therefore have nothing to lose do they!
idiots
ANOTHER RED STATE TURNING BLUE IN 2012....
98 MIL COULD HELP SOME WHEN YOU ARE UNEMPLOYED....
Honestly, if this was wasn't so obviously plitically motivated, this would be hilarious. It's even funnier that despite the political posturing by the governors of TX, LA, and SC, that their state legislatures are just going to overrule them and take all of the stimulus money anyway.
so where does the money go that is rejected? I'm sure New Orleans is all the way back by now and they don't need any more help there, right?
Can someone please tell this man not to be a @$$ his state is at the bottom of the food chain where was the GOP in 2005 when his state was under "WATER" they were no where in sight and here he is talking about not taking money that is been offer to him. The people of these states where the governors are turning down this money they better wake up and smell coffee and the BULL SHI+ that that have in office.
What a lot of people are forgetting is that Louisiana got 3.8 BILLION in the stimulus package and he's reject a very small percentage of that.
So it sounds good on TV – look at us (so-called) fiscal conservatives – rejecting money the big bad federal goverment is handing out. We'll ignore the fact I am accepting 3.7 billion.....
Hey guys, send it Up North. We could sure use it now after years of paying plenty of federal taxes to help support your sorry selves. Oh, wait . . . that was socialism. Never mind.
"It is very important to understand…that federal stimulus funds are temporary funds. As such, they cannot be thought of as a permanent part of our state’s budget," he said Friday, adding, "Federal stimulus funds give us time to reform how the state runs so we can cut spending, ensure we are spending efficiently, and live within our means."
That sounds like he is supporting the rest of the stimulus plan. For all the noise he made that statement is just mind boggling. One reason I support the plan is for the line Jindal said.
I'm sure all the unemployed people in Louisiana just love him for that. Or maybe it's just his way of solving the employment problems in his state by driving all the unemployed people out.
As usual, it's all about politics and not about the needs of the people. I guess when it hits HOME, the politicians will really understand what it feels like to suffer great needs. The people of Lousiana (especially New Orleans) are in NEED! I have many relatives there.
It's really sad.
another member of the party of NO. people you have to vote things are not going to fix them selves vote vote.
C'mon Bobby... drink that kool-aid.
Seriously, great move! Conservatives applaud your willingness to do what is right in the face of a a federal system out of control.
My family lives in Louisiana and that state is suffering terribly. They are not happy with this governor.
There's plenty of work in LA. The New orlean's Police Dept is begging for people. I don't blame Bobby for turning down the money. The last thing they need is a bunch of lazy hoodlems hanging out drinking, causing trouble and drawing unemployment just because they don't want to work. He's doing the best thing for his state. If they don't want to work, let them go to Detroit or somewhere.
I guess he thinks that his constituents who are in dire need at this time will have starved to death by the time he's up for re-election – so he won't have to worry about their votes. What a jerk.
He's your rising star in the Republican Party!
He spent all of that time talking about how the money is temporary. That is a good reason why he should take it. The benefits would expire when the money ran out.
Fearful for my country
No need for the racist remarks. People don't have jobs because bush wrecked the economy. Jindahl is just forcing the same problem u don't like to exist. Ever heard of fight or flight. Most young people these days have more fight in them and if forced to they will survive. So maybe instead of insults you can get your unemployed buddies to look after their kids finally so we don't have any columbine incidents popping up because people are teasing these kids to the brink because jindahl says their parents have to suck it up.
I can see another person in line for a unemployment check in TX, SC & LA in a couple of years: each one of these governors. Your people are hurting, losing their jobs & homes and you let your party affliation decide their future? What have either of you offered to reduce the situation and help the people you were hired to serve? All I can see is they are trying to keep the people poor in their states. Bush, Cheney, McCain, Palin, Jindal, Perry all should be tried for treason against the country & failing to be truthful to the office they were supposed to uphold.