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| Republican leaders critical of Obamacare hated the stimulus too | Republican leaders critical of Obamacare hated the stimulus too |
| (9 months later) | |
| The supreme court's decision to give Obamacare the nod triggered a predictably furious reaction from Republican governors. For some it also set off a feeling of deja vu, like an American madeline at a far from Proustian Tea Party. | The supreme court's decision to give Obamacare the nod triggered a predictably furious reaction from Republican governors. For some it also set off a feeling of deja vu, like an American madeline at a far from Proustian Tea Party. |
| Many of those who reacted most angrily were similarly frothing when Obama passed the $800bn economic stimulus plan back in 2009. A lot of them went on to take the money (even as they never stopped complaining). Will we see a repeat performance for Obamacare? | Many of those who reacted most angrily were similarly frothing when Obama passed the $800bn economic stimulus plan back in 2009. A lot of them went on to take the money (even as they never stopped complaining). Will we see a repeat performance for Obamacare? |
| Bobby Jindal | Bobby Jindal |
| Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal was the first governor to reject Obama's stimulus programme. | Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal was the first governor to reject Obama's stimulus programme. |
| "I strongly suggest that other states also look closely at this provision in the bill so they can also avoid ultimately passing on a significant tax to businesses that will be left paying for this expansion of benefits when the federal money dries up," he said. | "I strongly suggest that other states also look closely at this provision in the bill so they can also avoid ultimately passing on a significant tax to businesses that will be left paying for this expansion of benefits when the federal money dries up," he said. |
| The state went on to accept $3.3bn in stimulus money. As he later explained to CNN's Wolf Blitzer, he didn't take all the money offered, a $100m for unemployment insurance was rejected for example. Louisiana later had to increase unemployment taxes and cut benefits. | The state went on to accept $3.3bn in stimulus money. As he later explained to CNN's Wolf Blitzer, he didn't take all the money offered, a $100m for unemployment insurance was rejected for example. Louisiana later had to increase unemployment taxes and cut benefits. |
| Jindal attacked Obama's stimulus plan saying it "could have done more to stimulate the economy if they had been aggressive, if it had truly been temporary and targeted, as the president said, if it had been more aggressive on the tax cut side, if it had been more aggressive in speeding up infrastructure spending". | Jindal attacked Obama's stimulus plan saying it "could have done more to stimulate the economy if they had been aggressive, if it had truly been temporary and targeted, as the president said, if it had been more aggressive on the tax cut side, if it had been more aggressive in speeding up infrastructure spending". |
| Jindal was one of the first to attack the supreme court ruling. He called it a "blow to our freedoms" and said he would not implement the law. | Jindal was one of the first to attack the supreme court ruling. He called it a "blow to our freedoms" and said he would not implement the law. |
| "It really raises the question of what's next, what's allowable," Jindal said on a Republican National Committee conference call. "Taxes on people who refuse to eat tofu or refuse to drive a Chevy Volt … this whole ruling I think is ridiculous. It's a huge expansion of federal power." | "It really raises the question of what's next, what's allowable," Jindal said on a Republican National Committee conference call. "Taxes on people who refuse to eat tofu or refuse to drive a Chevy Volt … this whole ruling I think is ridiculous. It's a huge expansion of federal power." |
| Sarah Palin | Sarah Palin |
| Sarah Palin was one of the first to warn about the (non-existent) "death panels" that would (not) be created under Obamacare. When the supreme court gave the law its backing last week she was on the attack again, tweeting: "Obama lied to the American people. Again. He said it wasn't a tax. Obama lies; freedom dies." | Sarah Palin was one of the first to warn about the (non-existent) "death panels" that would (not) be created under Obamacare. When the supreme court gave the law its backing last week she was on the attack again, tweeting: "Obama lied to the American people. Again. He said it wasn't a tax. Obama lies; freedom dies." |
| Obama lied to the American people. Again. He said it wasn't a tax. Obama lies; freedom dies. | Obama lied to the American people. Again. He said it wasn't a tax. Obama lies; freedom dies. |
| — Sarah Palin (@SarahPalinUSA) June 28, 2012 | — Sarah Palin (@SarahPalinUSA) June 28, 2012 |
| Back in March 2009 when she was merely Alaska's governor Palin felt similarly strongly about Obama's stimulus package. Palin said that she would accept only about $514m of the $930m earmarked for the state. "We are not requesting funds intended to just grow government. We are not requesting more money for normal day-to-day operations of government as part of this economic stimulus package. In essence we say no to operating funds for more positions in government," Palin said. | Back in March 2009 when she was merely Alaska's governor Palin felt similarly strongly about Obama's stimulus package. Palin said that she would accept only about $514m of the $930m earmarked for the state. "We are not requesting funds intended to just grow government. We are not requesting more money for normal day-to-day operations of government as part of this economic stimulus package. In essence we say no to operating funds for more positions in government," Palin said. |
| By April she had changed her mind and decided not to block plans to take the cash. "She has been consistent all along with her concerns regarding increasing the national debt and growing government," Palin's spokeswoman, Sharon Leighow, said. | By April she had changed her mind and decided not to block plans to take the cash. "She has been consistent all along with her concerns regarding increasing the national debt and growing government," Palin's spokeswoman, Sharon Leighow, said. |
| Alaska has kept up Palin's battle. The state is one of 26 that sued to block implementation of the law. Governor Sean Parnell has now said he will reluctantly implement the reform. | Alaska has kept up Palin's battle. The state is one of 26 that sued to block implementation of the law. Governor Sean Parnell has now said he will reluctantly implement the reform. |
| "When it comes to individual freedoms, and the individual mandate, we may have lost the battle but we are not going to stop fighting," he said. | "When it comes to individual freedoms, and the individual mandate, we may have lost the battle but we are not going to stop fighting," he said. |
| Texas | Texas |
| Texas governor Rick Perry launched his presidential campaign with an attack on Obama's stimulus plan: "Washington's insatiable desire to spend our children's inheritance on failed 'stimulus' plans and other misguided economic theories have given us record debt and left us with far too many unemployed," said Perry. | Texas governor Rick Perry launched his presidential campaign with an attack on Obama's stimulus plan: "Washington's insatiable desire to spend our children's inheritance on failed 'stimulus' plans and other misguided economic theories have given us record debt and left us with far too many unemployed," said Perry. |
| But while his lips said one thing, his actions said another. According to the Texas Tribune through the second quarter of last year, Texas hadused $17.4bn in federal stimulus money – even using federal stimulus dollars to balance its last two budgets. | But while his lips said one thing, his actions said another. According to the Texas Tribune through the second quarter of last year, Texas hadused $17.4bn in federal stimulus money – even using federal stimulus dollars to balance its last two budgets. |
| Perry called the supreme court's decision a "stomach punch to the American economy." | Perry called the supreme court's decision a "stomach punch to the American economy." |
| "Freedom was frontally attacked by passage of this monstrosity," the former Republican presidential hopeful said in a statement. "The court utterly failed in its duty to uphold the Constitutional limits placed on Washington." | "Freedom was frontally attacked by passage of this monstrosity," the former Republican presidential hopeful said in a statement. "The court utterly failed in its duty to uphold the Constitutional limits placed on Washington." |
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