GOP Guvs Break With Party on Obama Stimulus

Desperate for cash, they embrace measure DC counterparts spurn
By Gabriel Winant,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 17, 2009 9:03 AM CST
GOP Guvs Break With Party on Obama Stimulus
President Barack Obama meets with Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas, Monday, Feb. 2, 2009, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington.   (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

Barack Obama’s relationship with DC Republicans is on the rocks, but he couldn’t be getting along better with GOP governors, reports the New York Times. Why? Follow the money. Struggling to balance their budgets, the governors don’t care which party help comes from. “The essence of a recovery package is essential to get our nation’s economy moving,” says Vermont’s Jim Douglas.

GOP governors including Douglas, California’s Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Connecticut’s Jodi Rell flouted their congressional counterparts to back the stimulus, which allocates $135 billion to the states, nearly halving their collective budget gap. The National Governors Association sent a bipartisan letter in support, and Florida’s Charlie Crist even campaigned with Obama. Meanwhile, Joe Scarborough, TV host and former Florida congressman, called the bill “a steaming pile of garbage.”
(More Barack Obama stories.)

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