Jindal et al. think they fool all

Most Republicans say they hate the stimulus bill. But will that prevent them from taking the money for their states?
In a word, no.
Even Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal - a notable governor and leading critic of the bill - is now making a stand that he will reject $98 million from the plan. [Federal unemployment assistance].
Sounds like he is really being a principled politician, right?
Well, no.
His state is slated to get $7.68 billion and he is rejecting $98 million of it. That's a whopping 2%.
In short, he is being a politician and making some good headlines for himself. [He's a leading candidate for 2012 too].

Even if you agree with his reasoning you have to ask yourself how he can possibly get any headlines out of this when he clearly won't do anything to stop the other $6.70 billion from coming into his state.

Let me just say the Republicans are not really opposed to a stimulus bill. They are opposed to some facets of this stimulus package, yes. But I guarantee you that if the House and Senate's numbers were closer to a 50 / 50 split more Republicans would have voted for the stimulus. Granted, it would have been altered from its current state. But Republicans in the House especially knew the bill would pass no matter what their stance. So their attitude was to stand against it completely [on principle, you see] knowing full well their states would still get the money.

So these neo-Hooverites get to have it both ways. They can go home to their constituents and say they voted 'no' thus stirring [empty] populist sentiment. But yet they can also have the stimulus money come rolling into their state helping people, aiding businesses, fixing infrastructure and generally getting everyone through this tough economic time. And what's more, when 2010 and 2012 comes around many of these Republicans won't be pushed out because they are in Republican strongholds. They'll sail through because their constituents - flushed with cash and better economic times - will still hate the Democrats and love their Republicans who took a political stand. Even though the stand actually did nothing constructive.

Gotta love politicians.