After having two Commerce Secretary nominees not work out, President Obama selected a third Asian American to join his Cabinet: former Washington (state) Governor Gary Locke (pictured above with Obama at the annoucenemnt, a Chinese American (joining VA secretary Shinseki and Energy secretary Chu). Locke has done some international business consulting since he was governor. Also in the news this week was another Asian American politician, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. Jindal, mentioned as a possible 2012 presidential candidate, gave the televised Republican response to President Obama's speech to Congress, is one of the Republican governors who's threatening not to use small parts of the stimulus package money that their states would qualify for. The stimulus - and certainly President Obama's budget including health care and energy initiatives - are providing a rallying cry for Republicans. On the other hand, another 2012 prospect, Florida Governor Charlie Crist, has been a stimlus proponent and says his state will use all the money. Even another 2012 prospect, MN Governor Tim Pawlenty, says that although he doesn't agree with everything in the stimulus, an underlying problem he has is how much more money flows out of MN to the federal government than comes back in spending and programs. Obviously, turning down government money would only make that worse.
-- Perry
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