The impact of the “authoritarian approach” adopted by the Obama administration that requires states to spend economic recovery funds in specific ways “remains to be seen,” according to an analyst for the the American Legislative Exchange Council.
Jonathan Williams, director of tax and fiscal policy for the organization, today praised Texas Gov. Rick Perry for signing onto state sovereignty legislation.
He said the “tipping point” appeared to be “the dramatic increase of the federal government through this stimulus program.”
Hundreds of billions of dollars have been directed to banks, states, specific projects and programs. States with severe financial difficulties, such as New York and California, jumped at the money, but others were less enthused.
Williams today told Greg Corombos of Radio America/WND of the impact of Washington’s attitude.
The audio of the interview is embedded here:
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While California jumped at the money, “other states were quite reluctant to see that much federal money coming to the states, because as they know – and as we all know – there has never been a dollar flowing from Washington without a thousand strings attached to it,” Williams said.
He said the money is what is causing the rising resistance to federal mandates.
“Good for Gov. Perry for taking a stand on this,” he said.
 Texas Gov. Rick Perry |
As WND reported, Perry threw his support behind a growing movement to rein in the federal government by appealing to the 10th Amendment, which reserves to states “the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution.”
“I believe that our federal government has become oppressive in its size, its intrusion into the lives of our citizens and its interference with the affairs of our state,” Perry said.
“That is why I am here today to express my unwavering support for efforts all across our country to reaffirm the states’ rights affirmed by the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,” he said.
Williams said Washington politicians believe every problem has a Washington solution, but the nation’s Founders believed resolutions should come from the people at the local and state level.
“That’s where decisions are made best,” he said.
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