So there’s been some electorally-focused grandstanding by GOP governors over the stimulus package. Unsurprisingly, most of them are not turning down billions of dollars being thrown at their administrations. That is probably an impeachable offense right there, if ever I saw one. It doesn’t do a governor much good to win credibility for the Republican 2012 primary if he manages to get himself booted out of office for massive fiscal malfeasance. However, one brave soul is actually turning down part of the money.
That would be Bobby Jindal. He’s turning down $98 million for unemployment benefits for the state of Louisiana. Not because of an ethical objection to unemployment benefits, or because “that’s not stimulative”; he in fact concedes both points. He is rather using the plausible-sounding rationale that it will force permanent changes in Louisiana unemployment law. As the article notes, this is apparently inaccurate. But regardless.
It seems to be a smart move, since this money only constitutes about 2% of the money coming to the state. And while that is seemingly miniscule, it has made waves purely because he’s been the only one with the chutzpah (or courage, to use a more politically loaded term) to turn down sweet, sweet federal dollars. And even better, he’s done so in the service of a cause conservatives love, shrinking the welfare state. In terms of an optimal cost-benefit tradeoff for rejecting money, I think Jindal made the right move.
This analysis of course presupposes one cares nothing about the unemployed workers of Louisiana.