GOP Govs love federal $, except when they want to score political points

Some pretty rich comments from GOP governors Haley Barbour and Bobby Jindal in the Times. Both Jindal and Barbour are turning down portions of the federal stimulus money allocated for their states (Louisiana and Missippi).

Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana said he opposed spending federal money because it would require permanent changes in state law. "It would be like spending a dollar to make a dime," Governor Jindal said on Meet the Press. "I just have a fundamental disagreement with this package."

Mr. Jindal, a rising star in the party since being elected governor in 2007, said he would take advantage of one stimulus provision to increase unemployment benefits by $25 a week, financed entirely with federal money. But he said he would not accept money to expand eligibility for unemployment because it would increase employer taxes.
Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, like Mr. Jindal, said that he would reject the money for expanding unemployment insurance.

There is some we will not take in Mississippi, Governor Barbour told CNN's State of the Union on Sunday. “We want more jobs. You don't get more jobs by putting an extra tax on creating jobs.

In an interview on Saturday, Mr. Barbour criticized the stimulus law, saying "it's filled with social policy and costs too much. You could create just as many jobs for about half as much money."

Jindal and Barbour, however, seem to have no such qualms about the receipt of regular federal government money. Louisiana in 2005 received $19 billion more in federal spending than it paid in taxes- $1.78 in spending for every $1 in taxes. Mississsippi in 2005 received $14 billion more in federal money than it paid in taxes ($2.02 in federal spending for every $1 in taxes), 2nd highest in the nation.

Of course, if you're Bobby Jindal and you're trying to prove to the Rushified GOP base that you're a hardcore conservative, it's a great idea to prove your bona fides at the expense of the newly unemployed in your state who could probably really use $100 million in unemployment insurance about now...