Maybe the answer is not in politicians? You know, like organizing, and making it known that there are people who will vote AGAINST people who accept the money? And oh, maybe teaching as many people as possible why accepting the money is bad?
Teaching people that taking the money is bad sounds much like a task worthy of Sisyphus. All too often when I attend public meetings about financing anything from the school band to new equipment for the little league to equipment for the SWAT team to juvenile justice programs, it seems to me that the first response out of anyone's mouth is "what about federal money/federal grants?" Want a new bat for the baseball team? Apply for federal money. SWAT team needs a new breeching shield? Write a federal grant. Want more jail space for delinquent kids? There's a matching funds federal program.
And, for many people, they see federal dollars as job opportunites and food on teh family table, especially in areas of the country like where I work. With many of the cuts made by businesses, the manufacturing jobs are taking hits, and many of these people see something, like Ted Strickland's plan on using federal funds to build a high spped rail system from Cincinnati through Columbus to Cleveland, as a great job opportunity. I can't fault anyone who wants to work to pay their bills, but why on Earth do we need high spped rails from Cinci to Cleveland? Yet federal dollars may be available for the program, so then it's okay.
Federal money has in many ways become like pharmacutical pain killers. THey can really help when you need them, but they can become addictive.
