POLITOPICS

The Governors who say they don't want to take the unemployment benefits part of the Recovery Bill (although they are willing to take the rest) are doing so because they feel that the cost once the benefits run out in a couple of years is too high. It makes sense from a fiscally responsible standpoint, but that does not offer solace to jobless people who need unemployment benefits to feed their children and pay their rent while they are still looking for jobs that don't exist. Many jobless folks in these states are speaking out. Jobless Angry at Possibility of No Benefits - NYTimes.com

"As governors in nine states, mostly in the South, consider rejecting millions of dollars in federal stimulus money for increased unemployment insurance, there is growing anger among the ranks of the jobless in those states that they could be left out of a significant government benefit.

Several governors say they will refuse stimulus money to expand unemployment benefits. Should they reconsider?

Gov. Sonny Perdue of Georgia has said he fears the long-term consequences of accepting the federal stimulus money.

The stimulus bill recently passed by Congress includes incentives to states to expand benefits to many more jobless people, including part-time workers and those who have cycled in and out of the work force, who are not covered in many states."