If You Want Federal Aid, Ask Nicely

by Stuart Shapiro

When my kids want something, they usually demand it.  As with most responsible adults I am trying to teach them to ask nicely.  Well it turns out that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is treating the states the same way.

Sebelius this week sent a letter to all of America’s governors telling them that if they want to continue receiving the enhanced Medicaid funds that Congress approved last week that they have to ask for the money. . . By telling governors they have until Sept. 24 to ask for the funds, Sebelius is forcing the hands of these officials, particularly those Republicans who have been vocal about their distaste for additional deficit spending.

This should help highlight the hypocrisy of the Republicans who continually decry big government with their mouths and accept federal funds (or even advocate for them) with their hands and their back pockets.

By: Stuart Shapiro

Stuart is a professor and the Director of the Public Policy
program at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers
University. He teaches economics and cost-benefit analysis and studies
regulation in the United States at both the federal and state levels.
Prior to coming to Rutgers, Stuart worked for five years at the Office
of Management and Budget in Washington under Presidents Clinton and
George W. Bush.