How about starting up a contractors board that would pay for its self within a couple of years and help everyone from fraud and shodding buildings. With some of this money like a million would be enough, and it would make Miss. a better place to live and create some needed jobs that are not there right now. The board would be for us, the people of Mississippi to protect us.

I really hope that Haley Barbour is a genius because he has convinced the people of Mississippi, the 50th state in just about all that is measured, the vote him into the highest office in the state twice. I don’t know just what this says about him or us.

The Gub wants to save that money so he can funnel it all to his interests. You couldn't get a contract on Katrina recovery unless you hired Haley's brother to represent your firm. L&T that is doing all the dirt work at Toyota is owned by a relative of Haley's. They've buried every stump and tree they could push in a hole up there. Now some sink holes are appearing. Haley takes care of his own, you can believe that. Chip, Trent, and Haley's bro's lobbying firm has gone to number one in Ms in just one year. Guess you can chalk that up to good business decisions on their part. The part of the stimulus he wants to put away is the part that benefit small businesses. See Republicans are pro big business cause those corporations are the ones that can keep the money flowing to their pockets. I think we need make all public officials wear those jackets like race car drivers that have all of their sponsors on there. You'll never see a picture of a commoner.

@jhall2

The Republicans would like you to believe that they are focused on fiscal responsibility. Their actions, however, over the past decade indicate otherwise. Entering the Bush Presidency there was a budget surplus and the National Debt was being paid down. That has not been the case since 2001.

Their current arguement is that we should retain the Bush tax cuts extended to the wealthy which are scheduled to expire (as written by Republicans), but they don't want to identify programs to cut to offset that revenue that is needed to begin to approach a balanced budget.

The cold hard fact is that we desperately need a legitimate third party in the center that can reduce spending, revise the tax structure, and restore the rights we have partially conceded since the "Patriot Act" was passed. If we are going to be serious about presenting a balanced budget, there can be no sacred cows when it comes to cutting spending. This includes the giant defense budget since it is one of the most bloated components.

It should be abundantly clear by now that no one party has all of the answers. Without reasonable cooperation, there are no solutions.

The only way to turn this country around is to start being fiscally responsible. This is a key priority with many republicans..thus I'm putting my faith more in Haley than the dems who want to spend every dollar taken in. There will be harder times to come, and this money will be needed then.

"Don't spend it all in one place."

Good for the governor! When the federal handouts stop the states will still be responsible for the programs funded by this money and we will see deficits in the budget and cuts will need to be made. And good ole Hob never saw a tax dollar he did not want to spend.

I thought the whole idea of stimulus is to use it quickly. He just wants to rat hole it to use on something else.

yes, indeed, fellow out-raged citizens....

Shame on Barbour for looking to put some money back for when we might need it worse. It'd be much better to spend it now and suffer later... (please note the sarcasm)

Whether or not we should spend the money now, I do not know. However, the mentality of "spend whatever we have now" is what helped to put us in this national(and somewhat world) economic condition.

Does Barbour ever close his mouth? In every picture I have seen of him, he has his mouth wide open. Maybe photographers aren't quick enough to catch him between words.

The Goobernor strikes again.

Goobernor Photo caption should be: "I once caught a fish thiiiis big"!

We are getting this money to help state programs that need it not so we can hide it away. Gov. Haley Barbour needs to be thrown out of office for even suggesting something so stupid. We need to use this money this year for the programs that need it.