CAN FLORIDA DO THE SAME AS SOUTH CAROLINA?

You may recall that Gov. "Appalachian Trail" Sanford (R-SC) turned down Federal stimulus money but was eventually forced to apply for it because of the SC legislature and the SC courts.

In Florida, Gov. Lex Luthor (© Atrios) has turned down $2.3 billion from the Feds for a high-speed train connecting Tampa and Orlando and even the local GOP are not amused:

Representative John Mica, a Florida Republican and the new chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, told reporters Wednesday that he had tried but failed to talk Mr. Scott out of turning down the project.

Mr. Mica said the "federal government has done everything" it can, including agreeing to put up 90 percent of the rail link's financing. He added that it "defies logic" that Mr. Scott would cancel the rail line before the state had received bids on the project.

Steve Benen reports that Mica isn't the only one:

Republican State Senator Thad Altman called the governor's decision "tragic" and "bad for the people of Florida." Republican State Senator Paula Dockery said something similar. Republican State Senator Jack Latvala, chairman of Florida's Senate Transportation Committee, said Rick Scott "cut off our nose to spite our face."