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Gov. Mark Sanford Ping! |
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Posted on 02/18/2009 1:44:24 PM PST by Between the Lines
Making good on his rhetoric of the past few weeks, S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford has said “thanks but no thanks” to billions of taxpayer dollars slated to come to South Carolina as part of the federal government’s “economic stimulus” plan.
Or has he?
MSNBC reported on national TV this morning that Sanford had sent out a press release saying South Carolina would not be requesting any of the money associated with the $787 billion bureaucratic bailout.
Sanford’s office says that’s not true … at least not yet.
“Honestly? We’re still looking at the bill to see what’s in it and what we could potentially say ‘yes’ and ‘no’ to,” said Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer. “No decisions have been made yet.”
Whatever position Sanford takes, it’s extremely unlikely that he can actually block any of this money from coming to the Palmetto State, as Democrats in Congress structured the massive boondoggle to be incredibly resistant to, well, him.
Specifically, S.C. Rep. Jim Clyburn inserted a provision in the bill that would enable state legislatures to formally request the bailout money in the event a governor declined to do so.
Known as the “Mark Sanford amendment,” it could very well set up another showdown between Sanford and his GOP antagonists in the legislature.
Sanford has been repeatedly challenged to “put his money where his mouth is” over his highly-visible opposition to the bailout, with former Clinton advisor Paul Begala daring him to decline the money.
“Something tells me Gov. Sanford won’t take that gamble,” Begala wrote in an op-ed for CNN earlier this week. “Because for all his rhetoric about hating federal spending, he can’t wait to get his hands on our money.”
“South Carolina is a ward of the federal government,” Begala continued. “It’s been on welfare for years. If Gov. Sanford is so all-fired opposed to federal spending, let’s start by cutting federal spending in South Carolina. Otherwise, he’s got about as much credibility on fiscal conservatism as A-Rod has on steroids.”
Personally, we hope Sanford does say “thanks but no thanks” to the bailout money.
Sure, he’s been put into a position where such a decision would be a purely symbolic gesture, but it’s one he should still make.
This bailout is a heaping pile of big government dung, and Sanford should make it clear that fiscal conservatives in South Carolina - and across the country - want nothing to do with it.
Let the onus for accepting these funds fall on our state’s “Republican” lawmakers.
• Sarah Palin of Alaska said the state is ready to accept the money for construction projects, but she is sharply critical of other spending on social programs. One could say something about a bridge, but it's too easy.
• Bobby Jindal of Louisiana says he is applying some serious scrutiny: "We'll have to review each program, each new dollar to make sure that we understand what are the conditions, what are the strings and see whether it's beneficial for Louisiana to use those dollars."
• Haley Barbour of Mississippi started some political fireworks back home when he said he might refuse some of the money, declaring that "there may be some things that we'd be better off not to take." His office is now discussing the package internally, before they make a further comment.
• Rick Perry of Texas previously co-authored an op-ed piece with Sanford in the Wall St. Journal, standing with him against the bill. But now Perry says he's examining the money to see how much he'll take, depending on the strings attached: "We need the freedom to pick and choose."
Also up in the air is Jan Brewer, the new Republican governor of Arizona. Brewer's self-proclaimed "stimulus" package was actually composed of spending cuts, and thus far she has not yet formally requested the money.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/cha-ching-or-not-which-gop-governors-could-really-turn-down-stimulus-bucks.php
I live in Michigan. The Depressionator is taking the money AND raising taxes.
Bookmarking.
This is tough.
If the Red states turn down the stimulus money the Feds won’t spend less, the blue states will just get more. The solution is start winning elections again instead of declining stimulus money, I think.
Sanford ping
Let the Hessians drink and make merry. It's Christmas, Santa has come and no one attacks in the dead of winter on Christmas.
FYI, Freeper upchuck is the keeper of the Mark Sanford ping list.
I live in CA and am holding my breath to see if the Repubs cave. I’m tellin’ ya, Wyoming is looking awfully good.
I support Gov. Mark Sanford 100% because he is our Commander-in-Chief of South Carolina. He is also our main power against the fed’s, anyway you look at it.. With a stroke of his pen he could give power to set things straight IF NEED BE...
I repeat myself, Gov. Mark Sanford, is our Commander-in-Chief of South Carolina. The choice's at this time in South Carolina's History is love him or leave him, we can work out the rest later. Not a time to ride the fence..The fed's will not care nor wait for you to make up your mind. Washington's is nothing but a big bluff and do their dirty work in the dark. South Carolina on the other hand does not according to HISTORY.. The Irish never forget the past..we hate doing thing's twice..
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