Five Democratic governors seek $1 trillion federal assistance | U.S. | Reuters: "Governors of five U.S. states urged the federal government to provide $1 trillion in aid to the country's 50 states to help pay for education, welfare and infrastructure as states struggle with steep budget deficits amid a deepening recession.

The governors of New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Ohio and Wisconsin -- all Democrats -- said the initiative for the two-year aid package was backed by other governors and follows a meeting in December where governors called on President-elect Barack Obama to help them maintain services in the face of slumping revenues."
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If we continue with this bailout madness the role of the national government in our economy and our system of federalism will be fundamentally transformed. To do such a thing by constitutional amendment would be at least a legitimate decision that the people have the power and the right to make. They would not do it, of course, and the bailout is unpopular. It would never pass as a constitutional amendment. But it is being done simply on the authority of a horrifically unpopular Congress, and a historically unpopular lame-duck President who has a record of making disastrous or highly questionable decisions.