Most if not all of these states are running severe deficits and are
praying that the feds will throw them some dollars. The Republican
governors supported the stimulus because they don't want to see
massive layoffs in their states. It's not like we're a poor country.
Here's a comparison of individual state economies to those of other
countries. I think it's the whole tax cutting craze that has hurt many
states: hello, states have to collect revenues to spend on public
projects (roads, bridges, schools, safety net programs, etc.)