AZ Repubs spend Obama Ed Stim money like drunken sailors

by David Safier

Republican politicians hate the stimulus money. I know, because they tell me so whenever they get a chance. Terrible idea. Typical reckless Democrats spending us further into debt.

Then they turn around and use the money to save their own hides, and their states' budgets. Many of the Republican stim-haters have presided over media events with big Santa Claus grins on their faces as they hold  gigantic 6 foot checks displaying big dollars funding big state projects. The checks are written with evil Obama money, but I guess when Republican hands touch it, all Democratic sins are wiped away. Hallelujah! It's a miracle!

Arizona has cut big bucks from education this year, but without Obama's education stimulus dollars, the cuts would have been far worse — unsustainable, in fact.

How much of Obama's education stimulus money has Arizona spent? Remember, this is a one time deal, not something the Feds plan to repeat yearly.

The answer, according to the NY Times is, Arizona has spent all of it this year.

[Six states] — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, New Jersey and Washington — [have] allotted all of their education stabilization money to schools for this school year and last, leaving zero to spend on the school term beginning this fall.

As bad shape as we're in this year, things will be much, much worse next year when the evil Obama administration won't be there to bail out Arizona Republicans. Where will they find the money to replace it?

Their growing budget problems should be very bad news for Republicans this November, when their bankrupt promises are shown for what they are. Unless, of course, they push all the painful decisions past the election into December and January. And unless Democrats let Republicans control the agenda and the talking points.