Obama administration should stop these people from Arizona play silly games and request a complete refund of the stimulus cash, I am sure there are more deserving projects where it could be used.

Give all the money to Flagstaff. It's the only part of the state worth anything.

Hey, Mike -- we in Tucson are great! Gabby is our Congresscritter, and she's good on everything.

FYI, things suck here -- teachers getting laid off, services cut, etc., etc. Thanks, Kyl, you giant douche.

Look, this is a liberal version of the 'Al Gore uses a lot of energy' complaint. It's perfectly consistent (consistently wrong, in my opinion, but still consistent) to argue that the stimulus is bad for the country, but if it's going to happen then Arizona should get its fair share of the cash.

"Any chance we can get some 'straight talk' on this?"

Does a bear in the woods wear handmade red shoes ?

This is a brilliant tongue-in-cheek way of calling out the Retardicans for their eternal mindless posturing. It gets a chuckle from the public, gives a public spanking to the miscreant(s) and tells them straight up that spewing drivel ain't a free ride no more.

More of this, please. Seriously, more of this. Please!!

It's not a threat and it's not an offer, either. It's a gimmick. It's cute, it's political theater, and it's mildly amusing the same way it's cute when my 3-year-old throws a pillow at his older brothers.

Any chance we can get some "straight talk" on this?

Our country largely consists of rather stupid people, for the most part lead by other stupid people.

Chocolate Thunder -- it may be a gimmick, or theater, but it is also serious business. I support making these jokers take a clear stand. This seems like a perfectly clear way to say "put up or shut up." Words can have consequences; and for the last eight years these people could posture without penalty. Nice to see their feet held to the fire for a change.

Interesting. Isn't LaHood one of the Republicans in the cabinet?

Apparently we need to treat them like third-graders.

LaHood should send a simple note that says, "Would you like to forfeit the stimulus money coming to Arizona? Check a box: Yes or No"

Simple, the two Senators and the Governor of the state concur that stimulus spending should be discontinued. So, honor their wishes, and let the chips fall where they may. When their unemployment rate surges to 20% and beyond while the rest of the nation's peaks at 10% and begins a slow decline, perhaps Arizonans will finally send McShame, Vyl, and, Screwer packing and get some honest representation.

"It's perfectly consistent (consistently wrong, in my opinion, but still consistent) to argue that the stimulus is bad for the country, but if it's going to happen then Arizona should get its fair share of the cash."

You don't really understand what "consistent" means, do you ?

The feds only reinforced what is in the language in the stimulus. Kyl and McCain BOTH know that if a state rejects the funds, those funds are re-directed to another state. I call BS on Kyle, McCain, and Brewer.

The stimulus as a whole could be bad for the country, while the money allocated to Arizona (holding the rest of the stimulus constant) was still a benefit to the state. Arizona rejecting stimulus money on its own isn't going to make any difference to the deficit (again, consider Al Gore's energy usage). I don't agree with this view, but it's neither illogical nor hypocritical.

Arizona rejecting stimulus money on its own isn't going to make any difference to the deficit (again, consider Al Gore's energy usage).

If Al Gore cuts back on his energy usage, the excess of it doesn't go to his neighbor. That's what happens with the stimulus money -- if a state rejects it, it gets redistributed to the other states. By keeping money that they claim is ineffective and not doing any good in their state, Kyl and McCain are preventing states who would be able to do some good with that money from accessing it. I think the parable you're looking for here is "The Dog in the Manger."

Kyl and McCain are trying to play yet another version of that tired old Republican song: declare your independence from the government while standing on top of a pile of taxpayer money. Would you give your teenager $20 if they first spent half an hour telling you that they didn't need your money because they could totally live on their own?

Did LaHood pay his taxes?

Arizona politics are as ignorant as any state in the country and John Kyl is a perfect example. AZ is my home state and I always believed that failed medical experiments run for the state legislature.

"This seems like a perfectly clear way to say 'put up or shut up.' "

***

And the Republicans again demonstrate their total inability to do either.

"The stimulus as a whole could be bad for the country, while the money allocated to Arizona (holding the rest of the stimulus constant) was still a benefit to the state."

How on earth could the stimulus as a whole be bad for the country while it was also beneficial to Arizona ? Is there something special about Arizona that I don't know about ?

Might be fun to run little teevee ad campaign that juxtaposed Killer Kyl's money-quote (as it were) with a deadpan voice listing the specific dollar amounts, purposes, and numbers of jobs involved with each stimulus bill expenditure in his state, both the ones already in process, and the ones yet to be started or fully implemented.
Might be even more fun to run such a campaign in every single state where a Publican has been grandstanding with their "principled" opposition to "wasteful pork."
With any luck at all, over time, the number of citizens willing to self-identify as Publicans would drop to within the measurement-error range of 0.

AZ is my home state. I don't like Brewer but I am not sure she can say a whole lot than what she said. She actually is not as much of a wingnut as the state legislature. She's actually trying to stop cuts in services unlike the legislature which has proposed massive cuts in services and I kid you not, a flat tax.

Actually I wonder if they're not going after McSame. He's up for election next year. They may be seeing cracks in polling for McSame in the state. It could also be that Obama is being petty and just giving McSame some payback for all the how uncivil he's been.

Any chance we can get some "straight talk" on this?

Since everyone you mentioned in this article is a idiot Republican I would say, not a chance in hell of that happening. They should just yank the money just watch them squeal.

funny thing is lahood is a republican.

To be sure, for a cabinet secretary to ask a cheeky question like this to a senator and a governor was a little bold,

Perhaps, but also cunning and on point. A very smart move.

How on earth could the stimulus as a whole be bad for the country while it was also beneficial to Arizona ? Is there something special about Arizona that I don't know about ?

One could argue that the stimulus is a negative for the country. But, assuming that it's going to happen, to then argue that the best thing for Arizona to do is to take its share of the money. So I don't think it's inherently unreasonable to argue against the stimulus while still accepting the money.

If Al Gore cuts back on his energy usage, the excess of it doesn't go to his neighbor. That's what happens with the stimulus money -- if a state rejects it, it gets redistributed to the other states.

I think you could argue whether that's true. But it misses the point - it's perfectly consistent to play by the current rules while still trying to change those rules.

I disagree with the attacks on the stimulus. But I find this counterargument unconvincing.

Geez Josh, why not just say it? Wingers think the stimulus is bad because it runs up debt, but why not take the money because everyone else is getting some too.

That position is understandable, but not principled or consistent at all. Principled and consistent would be to refuse the money.

What it really is is childish and greedy.

Today's republicans are so immature. Kyl is no exception. His dumb emotional manly man performance for pathetic ego versus the economic health of his state. Kyl should be treated like the child he is.

"One could argue that the stimulus is a negative for the country. But, assuming that it's going to happen, to then argue that the best thing for Arizona to do is to take its share of the money. So I don't think it's inherently unreasonable to argue against the stimulus while still accepting the money."

Sure, it's reasonable. But it's not consistent.

"But it misses the point - it's perfectly consistent to play by the current rules while still trying to change those rules."

But they aren't just in the area of *trying*. They *could* refuse the money right now, and then they would be consistent in their words and actions. Hell, all of the Republican governors could get together and refuse the money as a group. But, they won't do that, and you know why ? Because deep down they know damn well that it's going to help their states immensely just when they need the help the most. So, they put on this bullshit puppet show, all the while knowing damn well that they will take the money and run.

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