ATLANTA (AP) _ The Rev. Jesse Jackson accused GOP governors who are considering turning down some money from the federal stimulus package of ”political posturing” and said such a move would hurt everyone, especially the South.
Though none have flatly rejected the money available for education, health care and infrastructure, the governors of Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alaska, South Carolina and Idaho have all questioned whether the $787 billion bill signed into law this week will help the economy.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry said earlier this week he would accept the money available under the package and South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford said being against the plan doesn’t preclude taking the money.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said he doesn’t want his state to tap into $98 million in stimulus money for expanding unemployment benefits for thousands of people who wouldn’t normally be eligible to receive them. He said accepting the money would require a permanent change in state law that would force businesses to pay higher unemployment taxes once the federal dollars run out in a few years.
U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., was especially critical of southern Republican governors who might reject stimulus funds, calling such a move ”slap in the face of African-Americans.” Clyburn, the highest-ranking black congressman, said Texas, Louisiana and South Carolina ”are in the proverbial black belt” and for the governors of those states to decline dollars would hurt black residents.
Those governors have rejected Clyburn’s comments as absurd and divisive.
Jackson, head of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, said the poor _ who are disproportionately located in the South _ cannot afford to be left out of the stimulus plan.
”It would be hurtful to the region,” Jackson said. ”The governors themselves are living quite comfortably, living in public housing. They should put their interest for people over any kind of ideology or political dispute.”
Jackson said the governors should follow President Barack Obama’s example of bipartisanship.
”People in the South and in the rest of the country need the money,” he said. ”To say you don’t want the money, but to receive it is to posture. The stimulus will help all Americans. The governors should welcome that gladly.”
Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer said South Carolina officials are reviewing the bill to determine whether to reject part or all of the money. He took issue with Jackson’s comments, saying rampant spending under the stimulus bill will devalue the dollar, hurting the poor.
”We would certainly challenge the premise,” Sawyer said. ”We think this bill is ultimately going to hurt the very people Mr. Jackson’s talking about.”
Kyle Plotkin, Jindal’s press secretary, also dismissed Jackson’s comments.
”Nonsense,” he said. ”The governor was elected to serve the people of Louisiana and he’s fulfilling that obligation by taking a close look at the bill to see what strings are attached to any funds coming to Louisiana.”
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Associated Press Writer Melinda Deslatte in Baton Rouge, La., contributed to this report.
