PRESIDENT OBAMA FINDS SUPPORT AMONG REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS

UPDATE BELOW

Unlike their counterparts in Congress, governors are required to balance budgets. President Obama is finding support among many Republican governors--especially from two states with huge budget shortfalls: California and Florida. A blogfriend of mine who lives in Texas has posted in comments here on "Progressive Eruptions" that Gov. Perry of Texas has talked out of both sides of his mouth--condemning the stimpak at the same time he anticipates the funds to help his state's budget shortfalls.

The Congressional Repubs would rather listen to a radio talk-show comedian than to the men and women who actually govern.




All of this points to the complete disconnect [and cynicism] of almost all the Republicans in Congress [only three Republican senators voted for the stimpak]--they've placed their party above their country.





More from today's NYTimes:





WASHINGTON — President Obama must wish governors could vote in Congress: While just three of the 219 Republican lawmakers backed the $787 billion economic recovery plan that he is signing into law on Tuesday, that trifling total would have been several times greater if support among the 22 Republican state executives counted.

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“It really is a matter of perspective,” Mr. Crist said in an interview. “As a governor, the pragmatism that you have to exercise because of the constitutional obligation to balance your budget is a very compelling pull” generally.




With Florida facing a projected $5 billion shortfall in a $66 billion budget, and social costs rising, the stimulus package “helps plug that hole,” Mr. Crist said, “but it also helps us meet the needs of the people in a very difficult economic time.”

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Recently, Governors Schwarzenegger, Crist, Douglas and Rell joined 14 Democratic governors in signing a letter to Mr. Obama lauding his economic plan. Other Republicans would have signed on, said a person familiar with the letter’s drafting, but for party pressure in their states.




The National Governors Association sent a bipartisan letter of support to Congressional leaders of both parties, signed by its Democratic chairman, Edward G. Rendell of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Douglas, its Republican vice chairman. “The combination of funds for Medicaid, education and other essential services is critical for governors as they work to manage the downturn in their states and improve government for the long term,” it said.



Privately, Republicans favorably contrasted Mr. Obama with the outgoing Republican president, George W. Bush, according to two participants.





Though Mr. Bush had been a governor — in good economic times — his relations with state executives were distant at best. Amid a downturn early in the decade, he unsuccessfully opposed $20 billion for the states. Last fall, he resisted some Republicans’ pleas for aid.





Mr. Douglas in January sought a meeting with the new administration at the White House office that is a liaison to governors. Instead, he got an Oval Office meeting with Mr. Obama.




When reporters briefly came in — the two men flanked the fireplace just as presidents and foreign heads of state typically do — Mr. Douglas praised Mr. Obama for his leadership. The stimulus bill “might be a little different” if he had written it, the Republican said. “But the essence of a recovery package is essential to get our nation’s economy moving.”

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While the irrelevant Congressional Republicans fiddle with Aerosmith tunes and crow about being losers, the Republican governors of 22 states are working with President Obama to deal with our economic crisis--they are the real examples of bipartisanship.

Bob Herbert tells us why we are so lucky to have President Obama.