ping
You know, when it comes to budgets, one would think that the destitute state of the NYT would mean they have no credibility whatsoever. Hey NYT, WHAT FRIGGIN’ BUSINESS IS IT OF YOURS? You’re a regional, not a national paper anymore. You’re a dying man with a hole in his gut, pointing out my splinter. Just roll over and croak already, save us a perfectly useful shotgun shell.
Why is this any of the Slimes’ business?
I’m tempted to tell y’all at the NYT to STFU, but nobody pays much attention to you fools down here in the South. (No, Miami ain’t in the South no more.)
FU NYT
When your own state is in the hole by about $15BILLION DOLLARS it’s easy to poke fun at other people.
I think the NYTs has more problems to worry about than Mark Sanford. Maybe they should start worrying about telling the truth and stop trashing every Republican they disagree with.
Funny how they don’t seem to mention that the federal money comes with cables attached that will last LOOOOONG after the money is gone.
The state governments that accepted the “stimulus” are either desperate or run by fools.
The NYT is not in the position to offer anybody any kind of advise on budgets. They need to clean up their own mess before they start trying to butt into the business of a state.
To be fair, Mark Hussein Sanford has also polished his credentials with Algore global warming extremists, and socialists who, like MHS, also want Obama to succeed.
What the NYT doesnt understand is that most of the people of South Carolina will see that article as a badge of honor for the governor!
That just proves that hes doing what he was elected to do piss off liberals!!!
I'd like for the NYT to very carefully and specifically define what they mean by this statement. Is this intended to mean that other "more responsible political leaders" should depose Mr. Sanford? Impeach him? Overstep their bounds and impinge on Mr. Sanford's rightful duties? Are they advocating the overthrow of the properly elected government of South Carolina, or perhaps just the Executive branch? Just what exactly does the editorial board of the NYT mean by this vaguely threatening statement?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...the NYT has lost their mind. Mark Sanford is best Gov that SC has ever had, and very fiscally conservative. SHEESH, it is the right decision for SC IMHO.
Columbia, S.C. - March 20, 2009 - Governor Mark Sanford today announced that since the White House has denied his request to use stimulus dollars to pay down state debt, he will not be seeking certification of those funds. Instead, if the General Assembly chooses to seek the funds in his place, he is asking the legislature to use other money for debt repayment so that the state does not dig itself further into a budget hole.
Were obviously disappointed by the White Houses decision, because it cuts against the notion of federalism and the idea of each state having the flexibility to act in a manner that best suits its needs, Gov. Sanford said. As a result, we will not be seeking the use of these federal funds for the way they put our state even further into an unconscionable level of debt. If our General Assembly chooses to make use of this federal money, wed ask them to use existing state resources to begin paying down our states sizable liabilities. Now is the time to do so, because it will give us more flexibility in addressing future needs at a state level if this economic downturn is indeed protracted. We simply cannot afford to base 10 percent of our state budget on money that will disappear in two years time.
Governor Sanford has opposed the federal stimulus package because he doesnt believe we should spend money we dont have, because we shouldnt pass a substantial bill for todays government services on to future generations, and because the massive run-up in government spending in time will devalue the American dollar. The Congressional Budget Office has forecast a $1.8 trillion federal deficit for this year - the largest ever - and just today said the Presidents budget plan would lead to $9.3 trillion in deficit spending over the next 10 years, a level $2.3 trillion higher than the White House predicted just weeks ago.
The governor sought to use just one quarter of the $2.8 billion coming to South Carolina - about $700 million - to pay for past promises made by state government. Doing so with debt related to education would free up over $162 million in debt service in the first two years and save roughly $125 million in interest payments over the next 13 years - just as paying off a family's mortgage early frees up money for other uses. A recent study by the American Legislative Exchange Council ranked us 4th highest in the nation for the percentage of annual revenue required to pay debts.
Speaker Harrell, Senator McConnell and others have expressed support for the idea of paying down debt with stimulus dollars. If the legislature decides to take these funds, we stand ready to work with them and the rest of the legislature in finding ways to accelerate our states repayment of debt so that we can free up dollars for other purposes, Gov. Sanford said.
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Joel Sawyer
Communications Director
Office of Gov. Mark Sanford
The Honorable Barack Obama
President
United States of America
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Northwest
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President,
Id first thank you and Director Orszag for your response of March 16 to my letter of the previous week. Likewise, I have to express my disappointment that our substantive dialogue about the best way to adapt this stimulus to the unique situations of states across this country was interrupted by the Democratic National Committees launching of a petty attack ad against us even before we had received your response.
Ive made clear my opposition to using debt to solve a problem created in the first place by too much debt - and I dont believe this to be an unreasonable position. What I find less reasonable is the way this DNC attack ad returns a nation indeed yearning for change back to the same old politics-as-usual. Because I believe you and I share a common desire to escape this worn-out attack first mentality, Id respectfully ask you to immediately condemn and put an end to this unnecessary politicization of a truly important policy discussion.
In the spirit of moving forward, Id offer the following as a clarification to our using a portion of the stimulus funds to paying down our states sizable debt. With regard to the Education Stabilization Fund monies (ARRA § 14002(a)(1)) that must be used for the support of education, we think it would be consistent with statutory requirements to use this $577 million to pay down the roughly $579 million of principal for State School Facilities Bonds and Research University Infrastructure Bonds over two years. This would immediately free up over $162 million in debt service in the first two years and save roughly $125 million in interest payments over the next 13 years, which could then be directed towards other educational purposes - just as paying off a mortgage early frees up the typical monthly payment for other uses.
Regarding the $125 million in the Fiscal Stabilization Fund (ARRA § 14002(b)(1)) headed to South Carolina, wed lay out a few options for your consideration: first, paying down debt related to the states Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund that currently exceeds $200 million and would directly impact those currently out of work in this struggling economy; second, paying down debt related to state retirees, since that would seem to satisfy the statutory requirement that these funds be used for other government services; or third, paying down other bonded indebtedness at the state level.
We trust these alternative proposals fit both the statutory requirements and spirit of the stimulus legislation. Thank you again for your response, and we would again appreciate your opinion as soon as possible given that we believe this course of action will do more to ensure South Carolina's long-term economic strength than would other contemplated uses of the funds.
I also await your response on pulling down the attack ads. A good part of your candidacy was fueled by the hope for change in the way political debate is conducted in our country. On this, actions will speak louder than words - words you have been so gifted in delivering - in determining where you really stand, not as a candidate promising to deliver on change, but as a leader now capable of bringing this change. I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Mark Sanford
cc: The Honorable Peter R. Orszag, Director
Office of Management and Budget
Governor Sanford Responds to DNC Attack Ad
Columbia, S.C. - March 16, 2009 - Governor Mark Sanford today issued the following statement on the Democratic National Committee attack ad thats begun airing in South Carolina:
Over the past year, candidate Obama promised a break from politics as usual - something that I joined with millions of Americans in indeed hoping for. I did so because my entire time in public life has reinforced how needed change is from politics as usual, and because for better or worse I have always tried to debate ideas on their merits.
My opposition to the stimulus bill was based on the merits as I saw them and has been well-chronicled, but rather than engaging our administration in that debate, Obamas Democratic National Committee instead chose to launch a political attack ad against us for not supporting the stimulus plan exactly as the Obama administration saw fit. What may fit in one state may not fit in another, and accordingly I think tailoring stimulus responses makes sense.
Equally disturbing is the fact that this ad was launched before the White House even bothered to respond to our request to use just one quarter of the available stimulus money to our state to pay down a portion of our high state debt. This still means a $2.1 billion spending windfall would come to our state - and one has to ask isn't there a point when enough is enough in spending money we don't have? I dont think this approach of targeting ads against anyone who sees an issue a little differently represents the kind of so-called change many people were voting for in November.
In his inaugural, President Obama proclaimed an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics. Its in that spirit that Id respectfully ask him to end this ad, as it shatters the idea of change he so well articulated this fall - and to ask his Democratic National Committee to put an end to this mudslinging and get back to an honest debate about the future of our country.
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Joel Sawyer
Communications Director
Office of Gov. Mark Sanford
To NY TIMES: Thank you for your concern now worry about what’s going on in your own state since you know nothing about any other state or their state/local affairs.
The Business
In The Line of Business
Is To Mind Your Business
But If You Don’t Have a Business
Then Make It Your Business
To Leave My Business
Alone!
(eagle_star)