| In Texas, the Legislature wants to pull down the unemployment insurance funds -- over the objections of Governor Rick Perry. In Florida, apparently, they've got the opposite problem: the Republican-controlled legislature there won't pass legislation to change the law to allow the unemployment insurance funds to be collected, despite the Governor's desire to do so. From The Washington Post, "Keeping Jobless Rules Intact, Florida Declines Stimulus Money": Days from the end of the legislative session, Florida lawmakers have refused to move a bill to expand unemployment eligibility in order to accept $444 million in federal stimulus aid. While the Republican-controlled Legislature plans to use as much as $5 billion from the stimulus package to balance the budget, lawmakers balked at moving the unemployment insurance bill out of committee. [...] Other Southern Republicans have raised protests about the unemployment benefits, saying that expansion could eventually require them to raise taxes. But Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida said he supported changing the law to draw the extra federal money. “I think taking it is important,” Mr. Crist said. “I know the people need it, especially those who may be facing unemployment. I wish it would be reviewed again.”
If Florida is the bizarro Texas, what does that make California? |
