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"Thinly-Veiled Threats"? White House Suggests Arizona Republicans Put Up or Shut Up

July 14, 2009 10:27 PM

In a coordinated response to comments made by an Arizona Republican senator calling for a the stimulus bill to be halted, the Obama administration this week coordinated a series of letters to the governor of Arizona, with the implicit message: put up or shut up.

Arizona Republicans responded that the White House was bullying their state.

On This Week with George Stephanopoulos on Sunday, Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., said of the $787 billion stimulus package, "the reality is it hasn't helped yet. Only about 6.8 percent of the money has actually been spent. What I proposed is, after you complete the contracts that are already committed, the things that are in the pipeline, stop it."

A day later, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer received letters from Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHoodAgriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar all pointing out the billions headed to Arizona.

Kyl "publicly questioned whether the stimulus is working and stated that he wants to cancel projects that aren't presently underway," LaHood wrote to Brewer, a Republican. "I believe the stimulus has been very effective in creating job opportunities throughout the country. However, if you prefer to forfeit the money we are making available to your state, as Senator Kyl suggests, please let me know."

LaHood, a former Republican congressman, said that the $48 million in the stimulus bill for infrastructure includes $520.9 million for Arizona highway projects
"creating good-paying jobs and rebuilding America for the future."

Salazar said that Arizona has $320 million in interior funds headed her way.

Donovan said that if the $73 million in HUD funds headed her way were canceled, "the following awards would not be made: $14 million in Community Development Block Grant money; $22 million in Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing; $32 million in the Tax Credit Assistance Program; and over $3 million in Project-Based Rental Assistance. Much of this funding is scheduled to be obligated in the next 10 days."

Vilsack said that the Agriculture Department "announced over $230 million in funding for Recovery Act projects in Arizona….If we cancel projects that are not currently underway, here are a few examples of Arizona projects that would not be funded: $45 million to provide approximately 500 single-family housing loans;
$1.4 million to develop systems for converting wood to energy; $17.6 million in Forest Service funding benefiting Apache County; Five years of increased Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for Arizona."

Kyl said that “It’s unfortunate that President Obama and his administration seem unwilling to debate the merits of the stimulus bill and acknowledge its shortcomings. Instead, they have resorted to coordinated political attacks with the Democratic National Committee and the politicization of departments of government by using cabinet secretaries to issue thinly veiled threats to the governor and the people of Arizona."

Added the governor's spokesman, "the governor is hopeful that these federal Cabinet officials are not threatening to deny Arizona citizens the portion of federal stimulus funds to which they are entitled. She believes that would be a tremendous mistake by the administration. And the governor is grateful for the strong leadership and representation that Arizonans enjoy in the United States Senate."

- jpt

July 14, 2009 in Stimulus | Permalink | Share | User Comments (200)

User Comments

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I love Arizona and I abhor the politicians that have her in a stranglehold. If half of the bizarre goings on in our State legislature were picked up on nationally, we would be the laughingstock of the nation. Add to that our two Senators...one a repugnant conservative bully with no concept of moving anywhere but backward and the other used to be a man, but not sure what happend to his backbone when he ran for President. Anybody got a spare can of Republican-be-Gone???

Posted by: DH | Jul 16, 2009 6:49:59 PM

high hard and fast baby,
that's the way it's played in the American leauge,
the United States of American leauge that is.
It's unbecoming to be an American whiner.
Stand up brush yourself off and get back in the batters box for gods sake.

Your playing in the big leauges against Oman.
We'll get you a t to hit off and you can go in the pee wee leauge if you prefer.

Posted by: Mike | Jul 16, 2009 4:54:59 PM

Dr. Hood...Good call. I caught it to. That is the way the government works. If they have $48 They rationalize they can spend $520.

On another note, Obama is terrible. How about a slogan taken from the dems like...OBAMA LIED, COUNTRY DIED.

Posted by: Chris | Jul 16, 2009 4:03:31 PM

Keep it up Obama! Be loud and proud! Let Americans hear who you are behind the slick smile.

Arrest your opposition - "right wing terrorists." Take over the media - officially! Crash the economy and bring Americans to their knees. Herd them into long line for rationed, centrally controlled health "care." Enslave Americans that world government your Marxists pals have been dreaming about for a century. Go for it all, now, Obama.

Posted by: Sara123123 | Jul 16, 2009 3:13:49 PM

"1. 911 Clinton in office eight years, Bush 7 months. Clinton's fault"

yes Bush is not at fault for ignroing warning of an impending attack

"2. 6,000 Kurds and Iranians killed by chemical gas (WMD) Scud missiles with chemical warheads (WMD) all proven to be in Iraq before invasion."

Yeah way before....like in 1988 when REAGAN was in office and Saddam was our buddy.

Posted by: Ryan C | Jul 16, 2009 2:22:38 PM

Divide and Conquer!!! Thats the plan and it's working to perfection. It is amazing to me that so many of you still believe it's about Democrats and Republicans. You guys argue amongst yourselves while the Replublic is being destroyed by the lifetime politicians and banksters. The Governor of Ariz. should tell them to stick the money up their ass, that the people of Arizona
will take care of their own business! It is clear to me that there is a large contingent of people who have no idea how money works or finance works, so I will make this simple. The "money" that makes up the stimulus DOES NOT EXIST!!! It is Fiat, it is an IOU! There is nothing of value that backs it, it is paper with ink, nothing more.

Posted by: Brian | Jul 16, 2009 2:09:47 PM

JohnnyLee You have swallowed the whole democrat lie about Bush. Do some research
1. 911 Clinton in office eight years, Bush 7 months. Clinton's fault
2. 6,000 Kurds and Iranians killed by chemical gas (WMD) Scud missiles with chemical warheads (WMD) all proven to be in Iraq before invasion.
3.ODL was in the sights but Clinton refused to pull the trigger.
4.Obama has spent more money than all other pres. combined incl. Bush.
5.Not one single case of illegal spying ever proven.
6. Torture saved millions of Amer. lives. Should have done more.
7.Not one proven viiolation of Constitution by Cheney or Bush. Obama on the other hand has violated the Contitution at least 32 times so far. Can be proved.

Posted by: Dr Moon | Jul 16, 2009 2:06:46 PM

My comment is in regard to the 6th paragraph.

"LaHood, a former Republican congressman, said that the $48 million in the stimulus bill for infrastructure includes $520.9 million for Arizona highway projects"

How can $48 million, include 520.9 million?

I have been trying all morning, to take 520 things, out of a total of 48 objects. I have yet to succeed. Can someone clue me in on how this is done? I want to use the same math on my paycheck

Posted by: ProudToBeAChristianFruitcake | Jul 16, 2009 12:56:33 PM

$1 million, 3 separate law firms, fradulent documents purported to be originals; how are all these related? Barry's attempt to conceal the truth about his place of birth, and college admissions. What's he hiding? Let's also add, forced hostile take overs of private companies, forced 'health care' from cradle to crave, forced ruination of the American economy. I see a naked marxist, fact.
Wake Up Sheeple!!!

Posted by: Intellibronc | Jul 16, 2009 12:12:04 PM

Hey, the porkulus package is nothing more than democrats taking from the producers and giving it to the low-life slugs who keep electing democrats so they keep handing out money to them. And on and on it goes. It's quite ingenious, actually.

Posted by: Alex | Jul 16, 2009 12:10:32 PM

DK, are you really that obtuse? Of course we shouldn't stop people on the street and ask for their birth certificates and kick them out of the US if they can't produce them. We should, however, demand to see proof that our "president" is legally qualified to be the president.

It's obvious from the tactics this administration is using that they are definitely at least "wanna be" dictators. The speed with which they are tearing the country down is amazing; even Jimmy Carter couldn't do it so fast. Their destruction of this country definitely needs to be stopped.

Posted by: Angela | Jul 16, 2009 9:18:41 AM

This country is now controlled and being run by Union style thugs!

No more should we tell other countries to get rid of their dictators, since we have our own!

By the way, not all foreign countries have fallen in love with us since Obama's election, they are wondering why we are destroying our economy!

Posted by: bobc | Jul 16, 2009 7:45:02 AM

I can't show you my birth certificate either should I be kicked out of the country too? I guess we should start stopping people randomly on the street and if they can't provide proof they were born here then we should kick em out.........

Posted by: dk | Jul 16, 2009 5:02:14 AM

WHERE'S THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE?

Posted by: Joe Birther | Jul 15, 2009 8:06:27 PM
_______________________________________
If the republican machine of personal destruction didn't uncover any wrongdoing you can bet there isn't any. Do you have so little confidence in your own party to believe they wouldn't/couldn't have proven this ridiculous allegation by now?

If so then it's perfectly sensible to assume they shouldn't be running a laundrymat let alone a country!!!

Posted by: dk | Jul 16, 2009 5:00:38 AM

Every penny of the Porkulus that's been paid out needs to be recouped and not another penny should be doled out. Both Bush's and Obama's Bailouts were frauds to line the pockets of their foreign bankers, chiefly, the Red Chinese and the Wahabbi Saudis. The Porkulus Bailout needs to be halted and ended. A moratorium on all "bailouts" and social spending should be instituted and an austere period of American govt. shall begin. States will have to fend for themselves. All illegal aliens must be told to leave the U.S. to save the Republic. There's a chance, just a chance that we can save the nation if these are done.

Posted by: levotb | Jul 16, 2009 4:25:44 AM

How, tell me, are all those welfare programs listed in the article going to create a SINGLE long-term, full-time job? That very list shows the folly of the so-called stimulus plan. It was never an economic stimulus plan at all. Just a pay off to political cronies and the added gimmees to every Democrat welfare program. Arizona should criticize the plan as it is worthy of criticism. It is a faud and is not what it was said to be. AND, they should be given every penny of it they are entitled to and not have to give it back in exchange for criticizing it. Obama wants to give handouts. Let handouts be given. Handouts also bring with them criticism. Serves him right. The thin skinned thug who can't bear any criticism without sending out his bullies and henchment. What a disgrace he is.

Posted by: Texas | Jul 16, 2009 1:57:06 AM

So, Jeff, ready to forgo your state's portion of the stimulus? But hey, since AZ is one of the Welfare States (recieving more money from the federal coffers than AZ provides) why should this be any different. It's okay to dip your hands into the pockets of the Northeast and East Coast states.

Posted by: Ellen | Jul 16, 2009 1:37:31 AM

After eight long years in office, what exactly did the Bush administration accomplice?
1. 9/11 attack on America
2. Iraq war for WMD's which doesn't exist
3. Allowed the person responsible for the 9/11 attack on America(OBL)to escape into the mountains of Afghanistan
4. Failed to install the proper troop strength needed in the ill-advised Iraq war making it impossible for our forces to win.
5. Bankrupted the nation paying for this ill begotten war.
6. Allowed the torture of prisoners
7. Illegally spied on American citizens
8. Abdicated presidental powers to a Vice President which we now know commited numerous violations of our constitution
9. Made America hated by other nations which jeopardize the safety of American citizens traveling abroad

Posted by: johnnylee | Jul 16, 2009 1:23:15 AM

Well, at least Arizonans don’t have this guy providing spiritual advice...
Posted by: tjp612

that's because they're most likely part of the fraud evangelical christian mafia

Posted by: Oh yeah | Jul 16, 2009 12:48:48 AM

Perhaps cracking a political science textbook might help sort out your frustration and confusion about how the federal system works.

Its very easy to wave a pitchfork at the government and cry about your problems. Its more productive to learn about how our national system of government works.

Posted by: james | Jul 15, 2009 11:40:20 PM

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