Rep. Mike Doogan Thinks the Stimulus Money is Free

Great, my Rep is saying the federal money is free.

From Rep. Mike Doogan's constituent e-mail on Friday:

Saying No to Federal Money is Un-Alaskan

Gov. Sarah Palin threw everybody a curve by rejecting a third of the federal stimulus money our Uncle Sam wants to give us. Turning down free federal money. Whodda thunk it?

This sparked some grumbling about how Palin’s presidential ambitions -- right-wing Republicans are bound to love her rejecting money from that arch-Satan, Barack Obama – are depriving Alaska schoolchildren and the unemployed of money that will help them.

That’s not the end of it, though. The legislature can still accept the money by passing a resolution doing so.

That’s not the end of it, though. Once the state gets the money, it goes right into the regular appropriations process, which means Palin can veto it.

That’s not the end of it, though. A three-quarters vote of each House can override her veto.

Stay tuned.

Mike, the money isn't free. That's why we are looking at a debt. Get that in your brain. It's not free, unless you don't pay federal taxes.

CBO: US deficit ballooning to record $1.7 trillion

The US budget deficit is turning a deeper shade of red.

On Friday, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said this year’s budget deficit is now nearly $1.7 trillion, more than $400 billion larger than it forecast two months ago. Next year’s deficit will be nearly $1.1 trillion, $430 billion more than its prior forecast. And that doesn’t count President Obama’s budget plans to cut taxes and increase spending.

Although the deepening recession is partly to blame for the increase, the nonpartisan CBO says the increases are largely due to the sharp rise in spending (think fiscal stimulus package) and the higher cost of saving the financial system.

Meanwhile you will see headlines like this in Alaska Cook Inlet producer files for bankruptcy