Stimulus FUBAR in Kentucky

There's something worse than the repug governors trying to refuse federal stimulus money because it will help the unemployed, poor, sick and elderly in their states.

That's a "Democratic" governor who loses $45 million in no-strings-attached federal stimulus money because he failed to make a teeny-tiny change in state law.

Kentucky will miss out on an estimated $45 million in no-strings-attached federal stimulus money -- funds to extend unemployment benefits for thousands of jobless Kentuckians -- because of its failure to make a simple change in state law.

The change would have allowed unemployed workers who exhaust their benefits to receive up to 20 additional weeks at no cost to Kentucky when the state's three-month jobless rate climbs to at least 8 percent. The state's current rate is 8.5 percent.

Beshear not only failed to take the simple, no-cost step to get that additional $45 million in federal stimulus money, when questioned he lied about it.

In an interview, Gov. Steve Beshear downplayed the significance of the state's failure to act. He stressed that jobless Kentuckians will be eligible for the 13 weeks of federal benefits when the 5 percent threshold is met -- which he said will happen soon.

"Under our current law, and under the federal stimulus, we are taking full advantage of all the stimulus has to offer," he said.

Read the whole thing for details.

Adding insult to injury, on Friday Beshear announced a task force to deal with the catastrophe of the state's Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. Wonder how much Beshear losing $45 million in free federal money is making that catastrophe worse?

The press release features yet another shameless Beshear lie:

"We will ensure that Kentuckians receive all benefits to which they are entitled under the federal stimulus," said Gov. Beshear.

I call Steve Beshear a DINO and cowardly waste of oxygen because Steve Beshear is a DINO and cowardly waste of oxygen.

Cross-posted at They Gave Us A Republic ....