The obstructionist Republican Party seems to be careening increasingly off into delusional la la land - except that is for GOP Governors who seem to be warming to Barack Obama and the stimulus package. But then again, they have states to govern and must put pragmatic approaches ahead of lunatic ideology like the GOP Congressional members and the anti-immigrant, anti-gay, Christo-fascist party base. Backing the stimulus are governors like Jim Douglas of Vermont; M. Jodi Rell of Connecticut; Charlie Crist of Florida; and Arnold Schwarzenegger of California (pictured above). Meanwhile 55% of the GOP base still believe that Sarah "Bible Spice" Palin represents the future of the party. Personally, I believe (and sincerely hope) that until the GOP throws the Christian Right off the bus, the party will continue to drift into the political waste land. Here are some highlights from the New York Times on the GOP governors who seem to be distancing themselves from the Kool-Aid drinkers:*
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. The contrast reflects the two faces of the Republican Party these days. Leaderless after losing the White House, the party is mostly defined by its Congressional wing, which flaunted its anti-spending ideology in opposing the stimulus package.
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In the states, meanwhile, many Republican governors are practicing a pragmatic — their Congressional counterparts would say less-principled — conservatism. Governors, unlike members of Congress, have to balance their budgets each year. And that requires compromise with state legislators, including Democrats, as well as more openness to the occasional state tax increase and to deficit-spending from Washington.
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Mr. Crist even campaigned last week with Mr. Obama in Florida for the recovery package. “Whether it’s teachers or people on road crews helping our infrastructure, those in the health care arena as it might relate to Medicaid, all of these areas are important, all of them can produce jobs,” Mr. Crist said, adding, “Regardless of what your party is, Republican or Democrat, it really doesn’t matter. We have a duty and an obligation to the people who elected us, no matter what our position happens to be, to work together to get through this thing.”
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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.
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As for the Bible Spice lovers, the Washington Post had this to say about the GOP base:
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The latter group [the national conservative base] are far more important to Palin's political future as they will likely play an outsized role in choosing the next presidential nominee of the party. Assuming the nominating calendar stays the same as it was in 2008 (a big assumption), two of the first three contests -- the Iowa caucuses and the South Carolina primary -- will give a major edge to the most conservative candidate. And, late January polling by Rasmussen Reports shows a majority of Republican voters (55 percent) believe that Palin is the right model for the party going forward while just 24 percent said the same of 2008 nominee John McCain (Ariz.) . . . Palin polarizes. It remains to be seen whether that trait is the key to her future successes or the hurdle that holds her back.
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