Democrats are denouncing Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels for saying that the federal government sending additional money to the states is not a good idea – after he signed a letter in February asking Congress to extend enhanced payments to fund Medicaid. But while Daniels criticized the $26 billion package that President Barack Obama signed into law on Tuesday, his spokeswoman said if the government sends more money to Indiana, the state will cash the check.
Daniels, who has left open the possibility that he might run for president in 2012, said Tuesday that he believes the government does not have the money to pay for the bill, which includes $10 billion to help prevent teacher layoffs and $16 billion for Medicaid. Daniels also said it contained "red tape" that limits states’ flexibility in spending the money.
"The passage of several months have just offered further proof this isn’t the right way to put anyone back to work where it counts, on the private sector jobs that pay the bills," Daniels said.
Democrats say he’s being inconsistent.
"He signed a letter in support," said Dan Parker, executive director of the Indiana Democratic Party. "For his future ambitions, he knows he has to look like he’s opposed to it. He does not want to even look like anyone who is being cooperative or working with this administration. If he’s fully against it, he shouldn’t take the money."
Robert Schmuhl, a political science professor at the University of Notre Dame, said Daniels was in a position of talking to two different audiences – one of them Indiana voters and the other the nation to which he is a potential presidential candidate.
Democrats Denounce Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels For Hypocrisy On Health Care Funding