Nagin On Jindal: Presidential Ambitions Clouding His Stimulus Judgment (updated)

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Nagin On Jindal: Presidential Ambitions Clouding His Stimulus Judgment (updated)

Edited on Fri Feb-20-09 07:43 PM by ProSense

Sam Stein

Nagin On Jindal: Presidential Ambitions Clouding His Stimulus Judgment

February 20, 2009 12:38 PM

The distribution of the stimulus package is creating a complicated set of political circumstances for Republican Governors who opposed the measure: stick to their fiscal-conservative stance or grab a much-needed piece of the pie?

The equation is even more complex for Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. The up-and-coming Republican could -- like all governors -- use the money to shore up state budget needs. But he also has his eyes on higher political office, an ambition which seems to be compelling him to decline the stimulus aid on ideological grounds.

On Friday, the state's highest profile mayor, New Orleans Democrat Ray Nagin, called out Jindal for putting political ambitions above gubernatorial priorities.

"I'm going to answer this question in the spirit of cooperation," Nagin told reporters after attending a White House meeting with more than 75 other mayors, "because most of the money is going through the states. But I think that the governor of the state of Louisiana, I think he's been tapped as the up-and-coming Republican to petition a run for president the next time it goes around. So he has a certain vernacular, and a certain way he needs to talk right now."

Nagin went on to note that even without Jindal's approval, state officials will likely go around him to secure federal aid. "(Representative James) Clyburn did something very smart. He said if the government does not want this money, the legislators can vote to accept the money. And I told the governor personally, any dollars he does not want, we will take them."

That, it seems, would be Jindal's dream scenario: remaining in opposition to the stimulus package, but not suffering the consequences. Two years from now, Jindal would be poorly suited to run for president if the state he heads remains mired in the economic doldrums. If legislators get the stimulus money and Louisiana's economy begins to perk up, Jindal could very well get an indirect political benefit.

Jindal Rejects $90 Million In Recovery Funding That Would Have Benefited 25,000 Louisiana Residents

Updated to clarify that he only plans to reject the money for unemployment benefits:

Jindal rejects unemployment money in stimulus

Friday, February 20, 2009

Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Gov. Bobby Jindal says he doesn't want Louisiana to tap into $98 million in stimulus money for expanding unemployment benefits for people who wouldn't normally be eligible to receive them.

Governor Bobby Jindal at a February 2009 press conference.

The federal stimulus package would cover the benefits for a period of time, but the Jindal administration says it requires a permanent change in state law that would force businesses to pay higher taxes once the federal dollars run out.

Jindal said Friday that he doesn't support that change, which is tied to $32.8 million in stimulus cash. Without that change, the state also can't access a separate $65.6 million pool of unemployment money in the stimulus bill.

It was Jindal's first announcement about stimulus money he doesn't want the state to use.

Clown.