Biden warns states to spend wisely

Posted: Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:26 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: States, Economy, Joe Biden

From NBC's Athena Jones
Vice President Biden -- whom President Obama put in charge of overseeing the implementation of the stimulus package -- told the 49 out of 50 states represented at a White House conference this morning that they must spend stimulus money wisely, or risk losing help from the federal government in the future.

His tough talk seemed meant to show that, as Obama said at his recent address to Congress, "nobody messes with Joe."

"This is a crisis," Biden told the states. "It requires the exercise of discipline accountability and transparency like nothing we've ever done... I'm not kidding about that."

He continued, "The work you're doing is gonna be critical to the economic well being of the country. If we don't get this right, folks, this is the end or our ability to convince the Congress that anything should go to the states."

More from the vice president: "If six months from now, if the verdict on this effort is we've wasted money, we've built things that are unnecessary, we've done things that were legal but made no sense, then folks, don't look for help from the federal government for a long while."

Biden also said that Obama would be announcing regulations for spending recovery money on Friday. "You're gonna see regulations announced Friday by the president with me ... about things you'd ordinarily spend money on ... but won't be able to

"Here's a little hint," he added," no swimming pools in this money."

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Comments

From VP Biden's remarks, it seems Gov Sanford can't use the money to pay down his state debt. I hope not because there are plenty of states with job creating projects that would be happy to take Sanford's share of stimulus money.

Jody, Iowa (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:36 AM)

good, some oversight

God Bless American Hinesville Ga (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:36 AM)

States should spend wisely because the Feds are on a drunken mother of all spending sprees.

More Fluff From Obama (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:37 AM)

Biden: "Here's a little hint," he added," no swimming pools in this money."

OMG! Is this guy for real? Talk about openning your self up for attack. You just know someone is digging through the earmarks in the huge bill Obama signed yesterday to find that a Democrat funded a swimming pool somewhere.

Time for Joe to go back to that Undisclosed Location.

Jenny W., St. Paul MN (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:40 AM)

And we all know that you don't mess with Joe! Yeah...

http://www.political-buzz.com

Matt (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:40 AM)

The Federal government lecturing the States on fiscal responsibility? That's like a totally drunk guy lecturing an AA group not to drink.

Scared Straight (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:42 AM)

"nobody messes with Joe."

Funny stuff. I just don't find a man with hair plugs being that tough. In fact, between that, and Joe's constant tendency to put his foot in his mouth, Joe is kind of a joke.

HT Wells, Boston (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:45 AM)

I like this guy...

He's Han Solo compared to Darth Cheney!!!
He's got that "don't get cocky kid" attitude.

GP NW Indiana (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:49 AM)

Remember when Obama brought ex-Clinton guru Robert Reich on board his economic team a while back? Riech of course got the punt for his brutally honest statements when he talked to Congress about the bailout money "not going to white construction companies, but going to minority construction firms". Haven't heard from Reich since.

That was behind closed doors information Robert, not for public consumption. Can't be too transparent else it causes trouble.

Ann Frederick, VIrginia Beach VA (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:51 AM)

Biden's probably a good choice for this mission. The POTUS has sent a skilled politician to deal with politicians.

JC from IA (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:52 AM)

Wow, the only time Cheney participated in "oversight" was the perpetual overseeing of myriad communications of U.S. citizens.

Bobby (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:53 AM)

"It requires the exercise of discipline accountability and transparency like nothing we've ever done... I'm not kidding about that."...said Biden
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
did you hear that over zealous conservatives, obstructionist republicans, and flimsy, non- transparent democratics?

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:56 AM)

It'll be interesting to see if they allow Sandford to pay down the state's debt with this money instead of helping the people of South Carolina. This guy is your typical, out to lunch, Republican hypocrit. They could care less about the people of their own states. The Republican Senators that loaded this bill with earmarks and then voted no did so knowing they would STILL get the money from the earmarks because the bill would pass, even with their no votes. I think that's called hypocracy.....and it's wrong. (Thanks David Shuster!)

Diane from Illinois (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:58 AM)

Pat Boston, MA: You write so well! Clarity of thought without beating people over the head. Great to see your posts.

Joe Biden is on-track. In about 2-3 months we will start seeing those emblems saying this project was paid for by Stimulus Money. If you smile, you are supporting America. If you grimace...you are a "Hoover" i.e. clueless about how to win this economic war.

Question for First Read: I have observed that you do read our posts...But do you pass on our comments to anyone or use our feedback to improve the quality of your work? Just askin.

Ron Indiana (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:58 AM)

MARSHAL BIDEN --- WHAT A JOKE!

WHO WILL BE WATCHING JOE BIDEN? (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:58 AM)

After Obama signs the biggest Porky Pig bill ever, then Biden "warns" about wasting money. Get a life.

Another example of total imcompetence on the part of this Howdy Doody farce of an adminisrtaion.

Monkberry Moon (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:58 AM)

I'm sorry, but I am losing confidence daily in both the Obama administration and Congress. I feel like this is the same old "business as usual" in the White House. I think it's funny that you question why Republicans seem more concerned about 2010 and 2012 than working with Democrats, but why not call out Democrats not willing to work with Republicans. As I see it, it's not a problem with any particular party; it's a problem with Washington D.C. and politics in general. Further, why is it ok for President Obama to be cautious about what battles he picks with Congress and/or appearing to be favorable toward Congress in the name of politics, as you mentioned in the previous post? Answer: it's not. President Obama has not done anything significantly different than what Bush was doing in the end with the stimulus packages and the bank bailouts (besides appointing czars to head all kinds of crap...what is that all about anyway?). Further, I am also very concerned about all the government programs that Obama seems to want to implement, when America is staring at the biggest deficit it has ever seen. As I see it, the economy should be the number one priority for ALL legislators and the entire executive branch. They should be setting an example, instead of having four-day work weeks as you mention in the previous post (man, that would be nice) and throwing cocktail parties at the White House every Wednesday night. I mean, these cocktail parties are being financed by the taxpayers, and I'm sorry, if I am not invited to these parties, I don't want to pay for them, either.

Why not give the average American a bailout instead of throwing trillions of dollars at our financial institutions...if I didn't have to pay income taxes from my paycheck every two weeks, I'd have around $1300 extra in my pocket every month, and since I love to shop, you can be sure that I'd be injecting a lot of that money back into the economy.

And, let's just keep it real, guys. His double-talk over the earmarks ("last year's business") is more than a little pathetic and weak.

Jill F., Tulsa, OK (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:59 AM)

Can anybody guess why Gov. Sanford was named one of Time magaine's WORST Governors ?

He's a self-serving politician

His state has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country
Instead of helping the unemployed in his state......

.. Sanford is interested in self-promotion and his putative 2012 Presidential bid

Yeah !
America needs another Republican who puts 'Self Promotion First' and parrots 'Country First'

MSierra, SF (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:59 AM)

Feds to the states ~ Here's a few billion dollars. Now, spend it wisely or we won't give you a few billion more.

Am I sensing some post hoc accountability disconnect here?

If you don't get it, substitute $1,000 for the billions, you for the feds, and your child for the states. What happened the last time you tried this?

Anna Molly (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:00 AM)

For some reason, many still don't get. President Obama and Vice-President Biden are committed to changing the way Biz is done in DC and in the way that the Fed Govt interacts with the states.

The Obama admin is pragmatic and will pick fights carefully, but they are serious about changing both the tone and the style of OUR Governments

Guidelines for stim money, for earmarking are going to be real and obviously enforced.

The Bankers, the Wall Street crowd, and now the State Govts. have been put on notice.

You Go Joe!

Ed, FW, TX (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:01 AM)

Hmm, reminds me of the best days of central planning from the Kremlin. But instead of "the guy with the bushy eyebrows" in Breshnev we have Biden.

By definition, isn't a federal grant just a lump of money to the states to spend how they wish? One of the ideas to reform our school system from the current Cato Handbook to Congress is to provide states block grants for 3 years to allow states the time to figure out how to pay for education on their own.

Local control is always better than central planning.

Wow, the hits just keep on coming from these guys.

Rob, from Iowa (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:01 AM)

"This is a crisis," Biden told the states. "It requires the exercise of discipline accountability and transparency like nothing we've ever done... I'm not kidding about that."
--I gathered that F-R is eager to seek out examples of hypocrisy by the earmark thread the other day. This bluster from Biden is on a whole new level of hypocrisy, but nobody will call anybody on that. I like you guys but it's ridiculous, a joke and wrong.

Nicholas: Minnesota (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:01 AM)

Or in other words, 'spend wisely because here in Washington, we can't spend fast enough and we need some credibility somewhere.'

Spend baby spend (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:02 AM)

Citi Group, WELFARE BANKING !!

Citi Group is running its' business on taxpayer HANDOUTS !!

The 'EXPERTS' on the economy ??

From Huff Post:

'...Citigroup Enters Union Fray With Anti-EFCA Call

Embattled financial giant Citigroup Inc., which has received at least $50 billion in federal bailout funds, hosted a private conference call on Wednesday to build opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act.

The call, which came just one day after the labor-backed legislation was introduced in Congress, represents a growing effort on Citi's behalf to air concerns about the bill, which would make it easier for employees to organize. On Tuesday, the bank downgraded Wal-Mart's rating over fears that the Employee Free Choice Act could pass.

Wednesday's conference call was led by Glenn Spencer, a senior executive at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and an ardent EFCA opponent. It was promoted as "An Update on the Employee Free Choice Act," but much of the content was focused on demonizing the legislation. EFCA will "inhibit flexibility," "hamper companies from competing effectively," and prove "cumbersome" for business, declared Spencer. "From the Chamber's perspective, and I would say probably from the whole business communities perspective, there are really no amendments you could make to this bill that would make it acceptable."

The lines of attack from the Chamber official were familiar. But Citigroup's participation, led by retail analyst Deborah Weinswig, raised some eyebrows. The bank has received ample taxpayer-funded aid through the TARP program, leading some to question whether rallying support for an anti-union effort was the best use of its time or that money.

"Everyone should recognize that when we are talking about Citigroup here, the emperor has no clothes," said Dan Pedrotty, director of the Office of Investment at the AFL-CIO. "You have a company surviving on taxpayer largess weighing in against workers who want to improve their lives."...'

Time for some NATIONALIZATION !!

MSierra, SF (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:02 AM)

I wonder which state was missing. The article says 49 states were there. Could it be Alaska? With all the Bristol Palin flap and everything Sinister Sister Sarah may be too occupied and may not want to send her usual gofer, Todd. Then again it might be another state too.

eagle1776 (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:03 AM)

Let's HEAR IT for FAMILY VALUES !!!

Republican style !!

From Huff Post:

'... Gary Skoien, Former Cook County GOP Chair, Beaten By Wife After Being Found With Prostitutes:

The former chairman of the Cook County Republican Party denies he was with two prostitutes when his wife allegedly attacked him over the weekend.

Palatine Township GOP committeeman Gary Skoien (SKOY'-ehn) said Wednesday that two female friends were at his Inverness home around 1 a.m. Sunday when his wife assaulted him.

A report filed by a Barrington-Inverness police officer says Eni Skoien found her husband in the children's playroom with two prostitutes. But Skoien disputes the report and says he's working to correct it.

The report says Eni Skoien allegedly swung a toy guitar at her husband and punched him. Police say she's charged with misdemeanor domestic battery and a 21-day restraining order was issued.

Gary Skoien isn't charged with a crime....'

Does HE believe in 'Family Values' ??

Maybe he should be Newt Gingrich's running mate in 2012

Republicans Restoring American Civilization !!!

MSierra, SF (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:07 AM)

Feisty Redhead,
It doesn't bother you that people are collecting unemployment and not looking for work? If they're collecting it, they should be trying to find something, anything.
Resonable Brunette
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Newsflash! 'Resonable' (what ever that is??) The point is MOST people on unemployment ARE looking for work! But here's the problem... there are no jobs out there and the ones that are available 1000's of people are applying for... MOST people WANT to work and take care of themselves and or their families!

How do you feel when you see the clips of 1000's of people lined up around a building standing for hours at these job fairs across the country??

Oh wait... never mind... you have to have a heart & soul in order to feel something and it's quite obvious you have neither!

Climb back under the rock you crawled out from there Resonable??

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:07 AM)

"yesterday to find that a Democrat funded a swimming pool somewhere."

Let's not forget all of the Republican earmarks in this bill - there are plenty considering the Repubs are such a minority in government right now. Why do you automatically think there would be a democrat building a swimming pool?
I say if any Republicans do not want this money for what it is intended for, then don't give it to them. Spread it out amongst the other states who will use it as it should be. Let those Republican Gov. (Jindal, Sanford) hang themselves and loose even more Republican seats in the future.
Enough of this "Look at me - Look what I can do!" attitude from those who are looking to run for higher offices in the future. We should get together and solve this problem for the good of all the people.

Teach (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:10 AM)

eagle1776 (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:10 AM)

Can they buy hair plugs with the money??

Question Mark (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:10 AM)

Which state didn't attend? And does that mean they don't get any money?

I like what VP Biden had to say, but at the end of the day, the Federal Government really doesn't have teeth - other than to threaten no future money.

I am looking forward to seeing what the regulations are and how they will be enforced.

I give President Obama high marks for doing what he said he was going to do. Despite all the negative hype about earmarks, I think he is delivering. I never heard him say he was going to eliminate earmarks, only that we need to work on reforming the process. And he certainly didn't seem to indicate earmark reform was at the top of his agenda!

Chris - IL (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:10 AM)

Here is the real mess,it seems that big Money ceos are what is behind the decline in the markets.It seem that they where so use top the Bush way of no oversite,de-regulating,and there complete failure to stop wall street from there lavish life styles.We have seen the banking industry turning down bail money because there are to many clauses in it to keep them in check.They would rather keep pay themself for there failures.We are not talking about mom and pop operations we are talking heavy hitters.who want there Boy George back or something that resembles his policy's.Sorry boys the new sheriff is keeping you crooks in his sites.feel the cross hairs,do you see the red lazer on your 5000 dollar suit.Maybe if you crooks where not so greedy people would maybe give you the benefit of the dought,but you could not help yourselfs.And now the profit margin makes daddy un=happy.Time for some tough love don't ya think.

jesse St.Paul Minnesota (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:12 AM)

Do ya REALLY mean it Joe? I mean, Obama didn't really mean it when he said no lobbyists. He didn't mean it when he said no earmarks. He has an administration full of crooks......etc. Will you be "waiving" everything you threaten?????

Seriously (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:12 AM)

Remember what happened to the banks when they didn't spend wisely....the government started telling them how to spend.

You take money from the central politburo....they get to tell what you can and can't do.

The stimulus money is their way of gaining control over anyone who takes it!!

Sean (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:19 AM)

From "First Thoughts:"
[All three men posed this question: If we’re at war, then why aren’t people acting like it? Why isn’t the Obama administration, instead of scoring easy hits on Rush Limbaugh, doing everything it can to develop a clear and transparent plan to fix the banking crisis? Why does the Republican Party seem more interested in 2010 and 2012 than rolling up its sleeves to work with Democrats? Why are folks on Wall Street engaged in short-selling -- i.e., betting against the economy? And why is the press covering all of this like a political campaign or expecting that, on Day 52, Obama should have already been able to turn the economy around.]
--And yet we, the American people, are so easily taken into this game. We were taken into this game after 9/11, we were taken into this game before Iraq and we still are now. Maybe we are a nation of idiots, and don't think I'm not talking about you--Mark Murray excluded.

[*** Walk the line: It was fairly easy to toss around some form of the word "hypocrisy" yesterday -- from the lawmakers who opposed the omnibus but still asked for earmarks, to even the president who seemed to want to have it both ways on getting tougher on earmarks but still signing the bill.]
--It seems F-R is knowledgeable about the ease at with hypocrisy, as a word, can be tossed about. I should probably add that to my list of words that is over used and the meaning deadened.

[*** The controversial case of Michael Steele: Some on the right might believe he gaffed when he called abortion an "individual choice."]
--I only read what he said, but it read like he was just confused. It's not a very good defense of him, but he could just be not ept at getting his message across. People make mistakes, believe me, I know. And what's up with his presence? As a white boy, I can act more gansta than him. It's pathetic and it wouldn't even help to win over young votes.

[Treasury Secretary Geithner: "Here’s Geithner’s problem: He’s an Inside Man. Inside Man has the brain of Einstein and the presence of a flea. Inside Man can’t catch a break in our telegenic age.]
--Wasn't he picked for Treasury Secretary BECAUSE of his presence. Wasn't he supposed to be the guy to sell Obama's economic plan?

Nicholas: Minnesota (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:19 AM)

HI MY NAME IS SHAILA FULLER FROM PATTERSON HIGH SCHOOL I WANTED TO KNOW WHY YOU ONLY WARNED 49 OUT OF THE 50 STATES

SHAILA FULLER,BALTIMORE.MARYLAND (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:20 AM)

"the Feds are on a drunken mother of all spending sprees."

What a tired, internally inconsistent argument.

There are times when the fed needs to go on spending sprees. Those times are called "recessions". Then once the recession goes away, we're supposed to return to tight budgets in order to pay off the debt incurred in reviving the economy. Rinse, repeat.

Instead our previous president cut taxes during his first recession which created massive debt, and then went on a drunken spending spree after the economy recovered. The result? The national debt DOUBLED. Then the next recession begins and he passes the buck to the current president with no financial cushion whatsoever.

Now the current administration is doing what the last one should have done in the first place - following the macroeconomic playbook - and supporters of said failed administration are suddenly howling with indignation about all the spending.

Can there be any wonder why the GOP is in the wilderness with low approval ratings? People are tired of hearing excuse after lame excuse when we've all plainly seen before our eyes what you people were doing all these years. Republicans rely on short memories, and this time it's not working.

Tim B (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:25 AM)

I didn't know we had a VP. Where's Joe been the past 50 days?
Maybe he was trying to pull some votes in Congress to kill the itemized tax deductions for the wealthy.

Oh, wait, I forgot. He's the guy who only contributed <$3k to charity with all the money he has.

Obama, One and Done/Atlanta (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:31 AM)

Newsflash! 'Resonable' (what ever that is??) The point is MOST people on unemployment ARE looking for work! But here's the problem... there are no jobs out there and the ones that are available 1000's of people are applying for... MOST people WANT to work and take care of themselves and or their families!

How do you feel when you see the clips of 1000's of people lined up around a building standing for hours at these job fairs across the country??

Oh wait... never mind... you have to have a heart & soul in order to feel something and it's quite obvious you have neither!

Climb back under the rock you crawled out from there Resonable??
--------------------------------------------------
I'm going to jump in here and defend someone who had the misfortune of spelling reasonable incorrectly. But it's interesting that feisty redhead can judge from one post that someone has no heart or soul.

Don't think your post was talking about the dearth of jobs out there. Your post was your anger at Erin Burnett expressing dismay over people not looking for work until their unemployment runs out.

I realize people are looking for meaningful work, but you can pick up the classifieds on any given day, or go to any of the online job sites, and there are plenty of jobs. Are many of them menial? Yes. Are they valid jobs? Yes. If people are determined to work, there's work out there.

Three letter word - J O B S (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:43 AM)

Seems the purpose of stimulus still doesn't register with some. When the demand side of the economy is down because no one is buying anything, people lose jobs; as more people lose jobs, the demand decreases further. The world is in economic decline, the only entity that can increase demand is the Government by spending money regardless of existing debt otherwise this deep recession will become a depression.

Local governments do have control over stimulus money by choosing what shovel-ready projects to start. I've seen lists of projects in my local paper naming what roads, etc. will be repaired or built with the money--there were no swimming pools listed.

Unless the rules have changed, a few years ago I read that day-to-day meals, etc. are paid for by the President. State dinners are funded by the tax payer, and probably other special events but routine things such as cocktail parties, friends and family gatherings are paid out of personal expenses.

Jody, Iowa (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:50 AM)

Am glad to see there will be strigent oversights as do not trust my state, county, city to do what is best. They all have their pet projects and will try to spend the money on them.
Also, states are more heavily controlled by lobbyists than our federal government.
We all need to watch closely and made ourselves heard on how these funds are spent.

katiec (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:52 AM)

Let me tell you why this whole thing is a sick joke...the lcoal gooberment is offering early buyouts to 100 employees nearing retirement and if they dont take it the city is going to huff and puff and maybe not be able to give raises next year....how about firing enough of the civil ingrates to balance the budget instead like the real world has to do?

Rick, NC (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:54 AM)

Can they buy hair plugs with the money??
Question Mark (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:10 AM)
-----------------------------------------------------

What does this have to do with fiscal accountability, or anything to do with this topic dick...er mark.

The Administration doesn't want to issue another stimulus, so they ask local govt. not to go out and buy granite floors and 500.00 hammers at their office. They are pleading with local govt. to help get this country back to providing for its citizens...

And all people can do is cry that we are becoming the "kremlin"? We are in this mess because we left a pack of cookies on the floor with the 2 year old. No regulation helped everyone hang themselves with the rope we gave them...

Is Govt. spending responsibly good?? Then stop your B#@ching and start calling your representative...let them know that we're watching!!

GP NW Indiana (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:58 AM)

I realize people are looking for meaningful work, but you can pick up the classifieds on any given day, or go to any of the online job sites, and there are plenty of jobs. Are many of them menial? Yes. Are they valid jobs? Yes. If people are determined to work, there's work out there.
Three letter word - J O B S (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:43 AM)

-----------------------------------------------------

I think the backlash came from the generalization that people on unemployment benefits aren't looking for jobs or taking what's available...

Are there some out there exploit the system? Yes...

They are the same people who did it prior to this economic mess...I'm thinking that many people are taking what they can find, picking up and moving...

There's also those who are over-qualified...most employers will not hire someone with a bachelors/masters degree to sweep floors because they know that soon enough the person they hire will be out the door to a job that can use their skills.

Alot of us are tired at people exploiting the system...but the real exploitation is those who distract us with those choosing to be supported on a system for a very substandard living, while they rob us blind up on capitol hill...we worry about the "free money" that welfare recipients get (crumbs compared to what you can make with an education) yet we vote for the a-holes that keep them there.

That's the reason for backlash.

GP NW Indiana (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 12:07 PM)

Obama campaigned on a promise and pledges that he would stop the pork spending. He SAID he would not sign pork-laiden bills into law. Now, what is the first thing that the assclown did?
Obama signs the largest pork bill in the history of this particular world into law with zero changes.
Democrats simply want to live in a Soviet-style state of communism under the thumbs of people like: Obama, Reid, Pelosi, Frank and Rangle. They are about to get their wish for at least two more years.
People, get a faint clue . . . There is NO MONEY. Just deficit spending as far as the "eye" can see. They are killing off free enterprise so that they have no competition for power.
My God, Democrats are stuck on stupid!

Larry Clifton (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 12:19 PM)

Part of the crisis is about the job market.Or the lack of jobs,goes right back to CEO's that are pissed because the new sheriff wants big biz to play by the rules,and they are not taking it well,so they are in the pouting stage of this mess.Maybe all those so called jobs that no one in this country wanted to do are now being done by folks that are here illegally,And now Mexico has blamed the US for all the gangs and the drug problems they have.Time to shut this country down,no more hand outs to country's that don't appreciate the help we have given them.

jesse St.Paul Minnesota (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 12:19 PM)

My, my, my. The trust of government and eager willingness to despotism is down right admirable on this site.

Rob, from Iowa (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 12:19 PM)

I suggest each state that wants stimulus money should submit a list of projects to VP Biden for review and approval before they get one red cent of the money. He could then "recommend" changes in the list and make sure it gets posted on the Internet for all to see. Those states declining would also be listed with a statement from the Governor of each of those declining states as to why they are declining the money. This way their citizens can see what their Governor is saying on their behalf regarding the stimulus. We need much more open government especially when our money is involved.
eagle1776
***************************************************
Finally a good idea!! I would be willing to help Joe on this if he would hire me - I have experience, I don't owe back taxes, I have no life therefore nothing creepy in my background, family type, old but not that old, not all that great looking - I am perfect for this job! Where do I apply? Seriously.

SAM, USA (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 12:24 PM)

Or else what? If this empty threat is as meaningless as "NO MORE EARMARKS", states have no worries. They can pay their cronies and continue business as usual. All politicians are crooks. One term limit is our only hope.

Former Obama supporter (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 12:24 PM)

Oh, puleeze!!!!! Big Daddy Biden threatening the children is they don't spend the money appropriately, they'll do what? take away their allowance? Goodness, gracious. Mark my words, it will be lost like the 12 billion we never found in Iraq.

Donna (Sent Thursday, March 12, 2009 12:25 PM)

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