Governor appears to have upper hand
McMaster's opinion backs Sanford
By Yvonne Wenger
COLUMBIA — Political hyperbole in the Statehouse skyrocketed Tuesday as Attorney General Henry McMaster issued an opinion that the Legislature cannot bypass the governor to accept $700 million in federal stimulus money.
Attorney General Henry McMaster: Lawmakers can't bypass Sanford.
Legislators, in response to the news, predicted dire consequences if they have to write a budget without the money, such as mass teacher layoffs, while the governor's press secretary essentially accused lawmakers of telling tall tales.
Congress intended the cash to be used to help bridge the state's shortfall in tax collections over the next two years while the economy recovers.
It is a portion of the $8 billion South Carolina could receive from the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and the only chunk of state-targeted money in limbo.
Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler, R-Gaffney, said "a minimum of 3,000 teachers would lose their job" without the federal cash before the start of the next school year.
Sen. Nikki Setzler, D- West Columbia, said "school districts cannot survive."
The opinion
Read State Attorney General Henry McMaster's opinion on the stimulus money acceptance, released 3/31/2009
Sen. Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, said South Carolina would face financial "Armageddon" as legislators decide between educating kids, keeping college tuition in check and ensuring public safety by leaving prisoners locked up and police on the streets.
Senate Minority Leader John Land, D-Manning, said this would cause the unemployment rate, already second-highest in the nation at 11 percent, to tick upward "dramatically."
Gov. Mark Sanford has until Friday to request the money. But the only way he will do so is if legislators agree to use $700 million in state money over the next two years to pay off debt, according to his office.
The two-term Republican governor said he has a plan, and he wants legislators to let him guide them on how to balance the budget, pay down debt and keep police officers and teachers on the job.
Leatherman said the governor's plan is "smoke and mirrors."
What happens now
Unless another option is brought to light, the Legislature must decide whether to work with Sanford and pay off debt, find services to cut or risk a court challenge and take the money.
From the Governor
Gov. Mark Sanford's response to Sen. Hugh Leatherman; Leatherman, a Florence Republican and lead Senate budget writer, had asked Sanford last week in a letter to reconsider his decision to reject $700 million in state budget aid. (PDF)
Clemson University political science professor and Republican political consultant David Woodard said he sees the attorney general's opinion as the culmination of a long-standing rivalry between Sanford and the Legislature.
"They are kind of out-flanked by the governor, as I see it," he said. "These powerful senators are used to getting their way and they are finding out, 'Hey, we don't have any cards.' "
Joel Sawyer, press secretary for Sanford, said on the surface it appears that some senators are putting together a budget that is intentionally irresponsible to engage the governor in political gamesmanship.
"We are absolutely at a loss to account for some of the dire predictions being made," Sawyer said.
Support for Sanford
The governor also is not without his legislative support.
Sen. Larry Grooms, R- Bonneau, joined about a half-dozen senators Tuesday at the S.C. Policy Council for the release of a report the conservative think tank commissioned to show the harm the stimulus money would cause to the private sector.
More info
House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn's statement on McMaster's opinion. (Word Document)
South Carolina Policy Council press release announcing the report on economic impact of federal spending. (2 page PDF)
South Carolina Policy Council report on economic impact of federal spending. (24 page PDF)
Grooms, a Senate budget writer, said the stimulus cash is not free money, and accepting it means living by the rules Congress sets.
"The very problem that got our country into the situation we are in right now is, we spent money that we did not have," he said. "Irresponsible spending is certainly not the way to get out."
McMaster, who has said he has an interest in running for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in 2010, said the Legislature cannot force the governor to act against his will, despite a provision in the stimulus bill that was intended to let lawmakers bypass the governor.
McMaster outlined the position in a 17-page, nonbinding legal opinion in response to questions posed by Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston.
McConnell said that if the Legislature would move to take the money without Sanford's blessing, then $700 million would be tied up for months in court. But if the state does not use the budget aid, some other state will, and taxpayers here will still have to pay it back, he said.
"I was always taught, don't get mad enough to cost yourself money," McConnell said.
On tap for today
• Gov. Mark Sanford will speak to the Rotary Club of Mount Pleasant at 1 p.m. at the Holiday Inn at 250 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. The meeting is not open to the public.
• The S.C. Progressive Network is planning a rally from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Statehouse in Columbia to urge Sanford to sign off on $700 million in federal stimulus cash.
David Slade contributed to this report. Reach Yvonne Wenger at 803-799-9051 or ywenger@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
sardis12 (anonymous) says...
Let's storm the Rotary Club meeting...
April 1, 2009 at 1:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
louieabaker (anonymous) says...
At last, some ray of hope in this socialists take over, Governor Sanford. God Bless him!
April 1, 2009 at 4:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
moonpie (anonymous) says...
Hey and listen to the people that want the money, they sound just like the Obama administration. There will be dire consequences if we don't act fast, this is the worst we have ever seen, children will go hungry. Then when they got the money it's not that bad ya'll, they said...This will be over quicker than we thought, keep spending!?
This state and this country is too far gone I'm afraid.
April 1, 2009 at 6:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JoanneH (anonymous) says...
"Gov. Mark Sanford will speak to the Rotary Club of Mount Pleasant at 1 p.m. at the Holiday Inn at 250 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. The meeting is not open to the public."
Really? So, Marky, you arent' going to be in Columbia when we come to see you? How convenient.
April 1, 2009 at 7:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
steve (anonymous) says...
"This state and this country is too far gone I'm afraid."
AMEN! Whack jobs in the Statehouse, Governor's Mansion & Washington DC, and citizens who are going to do their best to make a bad situation worse!
The population of SC is around 4,479,800. If you take out politicians, criminals and anyone making over $1,000,000 a year, each of us could get $1,000,000 from that $700,000,000 and fix the state of our State's economy very in a skinny minute.
April 1, 2009 at 7:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mb300sl (anonymous) says...
McMaster is about as smart as a brick...I agree with Gov. Sanford in principle but I think we should take the money as the taxpayers of SC are going to have to pay back the money anyway...we can deal with the Obamessiah in the next national election. My guess is that the majority of the US will have had enough of his administration by then...
April 1, 2009 at 7:37 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Jennasmommy (anonymous) says...
Our Gov. simply does not care if "our" schools are closed or teachers are laid off. You see his children attend Heathwood Hall, a VERY private school in Columbia. He pays about $15,000.00 PER SON (and he has 4) to attend this school. What he pays in tution alone is more than many families of 4 live on for an entire year. It is more costly than the College of Charleston! Marshall Sanford is in an elite class and he plans to keep it that way. Wake Up! He wants the money to pay off debt he is no doubt responsible for racking up. This way he can make his run for the Whitehouse in 2012 and claim he balanced our budget. Don't be fooled, the citizens of SC don't factor in any of his decisions.
April 1, 2009 at 7:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Mabilene (anonymous) says...
Check out this article for insight on taking on debt with strings attached. Obama is just offering China's loan to the states, and putting his own strings on top of China's strings. What a stringy mess!
http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/...
& the comment:
Comments 1 - 1 of 1
*
By: Jaeger
Rated 4/5
I'd love to be a fly on the wall observing that meeting with the jaded, experienced Chinese oligarch, Hu Jintao, and our neophyte President whose mad spending plans cannot proceed very far without Chinese loans.
Hopefully, the spectacle of our president coming hat in hand to China asking them to loan us yet more and more money won't be too pathetic, although I don't see how it can be otherwise. Surely, being so heavily indebted will be perceived as either a loss of face or as unbelievably short-sighted and naive. I'm sure that the Chinese will try to influence Obama foreign policy by attaching certain caveats on their loans such as, say, backing off from Taiwan and keeping our ships and aircraft out of the South China Sea that China claims as its EEZ.
This whole dynamic with China that this president is setting up with his profligate budget policies is unbelievably stupid, naive, and short-sighted. Pres. Obama is potentially going to damage the United States beyond a point of no return.
March 31, 2009 at 9:05 p.m.
April 1, 2009 at 7:49 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
charlestt (anonymous) says...
Good job Gov. Sanford. Let those self-serving pigs-in-slop at the Statehouse squirm. This money was never going to teacher salaries, it was to build new daycare's, I mean schools, not pay teachers.
If people are not interested in a responsible government, then keep fighting Sanford. The intellectuals are standing by, watching this country go down the drain because of uneducated, opinionated, political charlatans. If you don't know your history or political science, then keep your "what's in it for me" opinions out of it. If people really cared they would have studied in school and been successful in life (like Mark Sanford). Instead they come to the game late, unprepared and stupid and believe their opinion carries weight. Let's face it, 15% of the people reading this benefit from real education and the rest have some kind of blurry picture in their head of what happens in the world everyday. If you are one of those, please shut it. There is nothing so pathetic as listening to an idiot wade into a subject, about which they know nothing except what they learned at church or work about getting a check. God didn't give us all the same tools to work with. Some people are good with ditches, some are good with scalples. Let the people with brains decide what happens. Indian tribes never had a young idiot for a chief, they chose older smarter respected members of their society to lead. Let's let our chief handle it, and the rest of the idiots can just hope that their child can one day grasp concepts of which they themselves are not even aware of.
You must work and carve out something for yourself, the govt. is never going to do it for you. If your waiting on that, your a failure already.
Sanford told those idiots what was coming and now you blame him? Unbelievable!
Also, my wife is a teacher for CCSD and we are oppossed to this money! Really!
April 1, 2009 at 7:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
theronce (anonymous) says...
blue, "the will of our president...majority...country" is not a dictatorship yet. Some states still exercise their rights from time to time for good or ill. What should the rest of the country or the president care anyway, the money will still be spent somewhere, and it's just more money for the majority you refer to. You bought and paid-for folks are something else. States and individuals need to exercise their remaining freedoms from time to time as they can for no other reason than to keep them. It's not enough for the feds to run the country, they have to micromanage the states too. That little pittance of fake money won't make a bit of difference in the long run.
April 1, 2009 at 7:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tigerrecord (anonymous) says...
blue eyes,
just because you believe it to be a majority does not make it true. look at the numbers, your in the minority. not just on this issue.
April 1, 2009 at 7:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
512c (anonymous) says...
I hated school any ways, why should I care if we never have to send our children to school again?
April 1, 2009 at 8:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
northeastguy (anonymous) says...
The King of Clowns is running out of time to fund this state. The good news is we won't have to worry about him ever being president. At least 49 states have enough sense not to elect the king of political clowns.
April 1, 2009 at 8:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
halfsheli (anonymous) says...
"But if the state does not use the budget aid, some other state will, and taxpayers here will still have to pay it back, he said." (McConnell)
Can someone please explain to me HOW the taxpayers of SC will have to pay back money that another state gets. I truly do not understand. Is this just McConnell trying to scare the taxpayers into insisting that we get the $700 million?
April 1, 2009 at 8:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
halfsheli (anonymous) says...
If this is the case, then the federal government is forcing every state to take the money and use it according to federal rules????????
April 1, 2009 at 8:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tigerrecord (anonymous) says...
The good news is we may not be the United States if the biggest blunder in the American electorate continues his bastardizing of our principals and foundations.
Wake up people, are you really this ignorant? These politicians play on your emotions. Teachers will be fired! Schools will crumble! Tires are going to start falling off of your car at random! Puppy's will start dying on the spot and smiling will cease to exist.
Quick question, if you only have $5 and you see something for $6, do you buy it? Or do you buy the economical version for $4?
Be responsible, we're talking about a minimal amount of money here that will go a long way in de-leveraging our states future. If you don't understand amortization, feel free not to comment. The money won't go to exactly as they describe, just like Obama said, "I won't propose 860 Billion in new spending" when he comes by and blows that out by a trillion. Nevermind the fact he wants to force states hands and create a federal oligarchy ruling over those that "can't rule themselves." We don't want your help.
It's because of feeble minded people who aren't proactive, but rather reactive, that we are currently in this mess. If you can't fix it for the next 5-10 years, you aren't trying to fix it the correct way.
So, if the teachers are laid off now (which I highly doubt will happen by the 1000s) what's to say in ONE YEAR when the money buffet is closed they won't be stuck in the exact same position? Where do we garnish the funds from then? Are you going to supplement the continued failure of students who don't care and teachers sucking on the nip of our gov't bailouts?
Be realistic or grow a brain. Quit pandering to the emotions of your heart strings, and realize this has to be fixed the correct way. You wouldn't fix a drug addiction by doing more drugs would you, so why do you propose to fix a spending problem by spending. It's classically non-sensical.
Northeastguy, the king of clowns? Really? I've met Sanford personally and had conversations with him. He's got more interest in your best interest than you'll ever have in anyone else. I hear the northeast calling, they're joining in with the southeast and saying "GO WEST!"
April 1, 2009 at 8:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tigerrecord (anonymous) says...
WD,
What would the effect of spending 700 million this year to supplement failing programs be on the current leverage in our state debt?
Second part of my two-part question. What would the net affect be of paying down that debt in reducing the leverage debt has upon us for the next 20?
If you know how to do the math, answer, because that's the proposal that's been put forth. Otherwise, change your tone, move along, and if you don't like SC, you can choose to pay higher taxes and enjoy the concrete jungle of some other place.
April 1, 2009 at 8:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
northeastguy (anonymous) says...
tigerrecord
The northeast, the midwest, the northwest, the west, the smart south and everyone else already knows Sanford is the King of Clowns. Was is fun talking to a clown? He can probably get 4% of the vote in 2012 if he's lucky. That's what America thinks of Mark Sanford.
April 1, 2009 at 8:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
scottmcx (anonymous) says...
I want to know how we'd have to pay back the stimulus money if SC didn't take it? That's like I didn't buy something but I have to pay for it with interest.
Since the Dictator in Washington won't allow us not to take the money and also not pay it back, then paying off debt is the best solution as it lowers the gross interest costs to SC citizens.
I have a friend, a Citadel Grad from the '70s. He became an Air Force pilot, then an airline pilot. The gov't made a contract with him regarding Medical care into the future. They BROKE IT and he has to pay more of his care than originally agreed. The Airline went bankrupt so he lost his retirement. He's a Mr. Fix it in Virginia hanging ceiling fans, etc. College Grad, Air Force pilot!
The Dictator is firing CEOs and setting salaries for bankers. There's a Bill going through Congress to allow AN APPOINTEE, the Sec. of Treasury, to set ALL wages to what he thinks is "fair" if he so desires.
Congress gets a raise....everbody else, "let 'em eat cake". The government is the about the only business in the WORLD that has not had to "downsize" or "restructure" over the past 20 years. They have cut the military but the gross size and cost of the government continues to rise. They just TAKE and TAKE and the people are left with less and less.
If there are "Tea Parties" now...what happens when the bills come due?
Social Security, Medicare and "wlefare" in general are "Madoff" style Ponzi schemes. Since incoming tax money went down due to the Recession the Ponzi plan began to come apart, so they print more and raise taxes. If you did it, you'd go to jail with Bernie.
I don't care which Party you support, they are both partners in the Ponzi scheme. Only a few, like Sanford, have tried to break away and usually get crushed for it.
Buy more ammo. The manure is on the way to the fan.
April 1, 2009 at 8:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
IHATEINBEV (anonymous) says...
I guess I need to show it again.
Amendment X
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
April 1, 2009 at 8:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bettered4sc (anonymous) says...
These comments just reinforce the Country's image of the stupidity of South Carolinians. After moving here 1.5 years ago we have been stunned by how far behind SC is in its beliefs and the few opportunities that it avails it's citizens. Our schools leave our children decades behind our Northern peers and years behind our Southern peers. Our job base also lacks greatly behind other areas. Even Georgia and North Carolina have advanced while SC just sets back and watches the gap get bigger and bigger. While the next generation flees the state (at least the ones who have enough education and money to be able to do so) due to lack of quality education and a progressive job job market, South Carolina will continue to follow Michigan into the great abyss of massive unemployment and poverty. At least Michigan now has a Governor that knows her state is on the right path and is trying to invest in her citizens by educating them for the future while ours just spouts of political propaganda and pushes us further and further behind. With the lack of investment by our Gov. and Assembly in our beautiful state we will soon finally be ranked number one in something other than beauty and friendliness, unfortunately it will be unemployment. It really is sad to see such a beautiful state head straight into failure. While I will be sad to leave all of the beauty behind I can not move my family out of here fast enough. I look forward to moving to a state that will invest in my children and give them every opportunity available to them to help them move forward into the world market not backwards like SC has done for them in the past 18 months.
April 1, 2009 at 8:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
crankyyankee (anonymous) says...
This issue really breaks down into two camps of thought. Those that got an education and worked all their lives to save and live a good lifestyle and those that sat on their collective fat butts and did little to better their lives. The workers (taxpayers) want to pay off existing debt if forced to spend money they don't have and those that have nothing see an opportunity to get into someone elses wallet! Do any of you think spending 700 million on South Carolina education is going to make your child any better off? You're a fool if you think so and history pretty much proves it! I for one hope there are more workers out there than poor pitiful me's! Time will prove Sanford right again but most of the poor will have moved on to pick another carcus. Most poor people don't like people who are educated and work harder than themselves because they just can't seem to reconcile the fact that they are to blame for their failures and not the rich! So blame Sanford or someone else but please don't blame yourself because you live in a trailer, can only afford one I-pod and your prodigy is going to Brentwood. Bless those poor peoples hearts! Problem is Gadsden Green and other subsidized handouts ensure there are more poor pitiful me's than honest workers. So here we are the poor pitifuls outnumber the workers and the BO's of the world know it. I don't see this Country as a world leader in anything but misery for very much longer. Thank you BO, Barney and Nancy you've destroyed in sixty days what it took our forefathers two hundred plus years to achieve. Our leaders are spending your childs future but you could care less. Brilliant!
April 1, 2009 at 8:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lakegirl (anonymous) says...
Why don't those idiots at the State House take a $1 salary for a year? Their salaries would then pay the teachers salaries. The legistators make enough money in all their side deals that they wouldn't miss a years salary. It would also put them in the same boat as the the 10% of unemployed in SC. Unlike many, the legislators would maintain health insurance.
April 1, 2009 at 8:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
WinthropEagleFan (anonymous) says...
steve, you said this:
"The population of SC is around 4,479,800. If you take out politicians, criminals and anyone making over $1,000,000 a year, each of us could get $1,000,000 from that $700,000,000 and fix the state of our State's economy very in a skinny minute."
How does that math work? Even if you split that $700 million up among half of the state population, that's $312.51 per person, not anything close to $1,000,000.
April 1, 2009 at 8:58 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
northeastguy (anonymous) says...
bettered4sc
Amen to that!
These people were born and raised here and have no clue about the role of government. Provide a decent education to your kids. The King of Clowns could care less obout schools falling apart, no air conditioning, etc. Heck he would just send them to a private school. Remember, the King of Clowns runs this plantation, and noone is to question him.
April 1, 2009 at 9:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
blah_blah_blah (anonymous) says...
Governor Sanford is denying US OUR money. OUR money is going to OTHER states, now. And EVERYONE will have to pay it back.
Why aren't YOU pissed?!
April 1, 2009 at 9:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
scottmcx (anonymous) says...
Hey Blue, et al. Before SC was burned, raped and pillaged by you freaking Yankees we paid off the National Debt from the Revolutionary War so the Yankees didn't have to. SC and Georgetown in particular was one of the richest areas in the World.
Now Georgetown, and most of the state, is a smelly "Mill Town" or waste dump for Yankees.
We were all enslaved to Washington and Northern industry by Mr. Lincoln. He freed no one. We're going to pay for Detroit, I mean the UAW, bailout and taxes are going to be a yolk most "productive" citizens will not be happy about pulling.
The present "unpleasantness" makes the fact clear that we're all simply feudal peasants now. The King takes ALL and gives back enough to, maybe, keep us away from the palace gates with pitchforks.
Any "foreigners" who want to leave SC...you know where the door is.
Leave us alone...we'll do fine.
April 1, 2009 at 9:06 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
AMAZING (anonymous) says...
OBAMA LETTER TO SANFORD: IF YOU DO NOT APPLY FOR FEDERAL STIMULUS FUNDS, MONEY WILL NOT BE THERE
Among the numerous rumors swirling around Columbia is a report that President Barack Obama has told Gov. Mark Sanford that if he does not apply for federal stimulus funds, the money will not be available for South Carolina.
And The Palmetto Scoop has now confirmed that Obama has, in fact, sent Sanford a very blunt, personal letter saying just that.
The correspondence reportedly states that roughly $700 million in discretionary stimulus money allocated for South Carolina will be revoked on Friday if Sanford declines to accept the funds and that, by law, no alternative options can be accepted.
Take it or lose it
http://www.palmettoscoop.com/2009/03/...
April 1, 2009 at 9:06 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CHRISJIII (anonymous) says...
Just the "non-binding opinion" of another brain dead republican. The party of "No" is just continuing to set itself up for its own demise.With political "leaders" like them who needs enemies from abroad, the GOP is doing their work for them in bringing our country down.
April 1, 2009 at 9:09 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
blah_blah_blah (anonymous) says...
scottmcx
i'm sure those places were really rich, when you have free labor.
and no, i'm don't know where the door is to leave SC.
April 1, 2009 at 9:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mkris (anonymous) says...
OH please, the Republicans and particularly Sanford have carefuly crafted a myth of the private market, balanced budgets and 'pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstaps'.
Sanford has bearly worked a day in his life outside of the public trough. He inhereted his money. His 'Wall street' experience can be summed up as INTERN. He has feed his whole life in the public trough.
South Carolina has one of the lowest corporate and business tax rates in the Country. BUT most Business will not relocate to South Carolina because its education is so bad. Relocating businesses must keep most of its middle and key employees to operate. But most key employees and middle management (most with school age children) will not relocate to SC because of the horrible reputation of its public education. Until that changes Sanford and his ilk are in a race to make South Carolina China's cooliee.
April 1, 2009 at 9:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
majorjohnson (anonymous) says...
The governor has been screaming at legislature for years to quit spending one time money creating permanent programs. He's been trying to get them to set funds aside for rainy days. They derided and belittled him and overrode his vetoes. They are still doing it, and the economically ignorant citizens of the state are joining in.
This is $700 million of $2.8 BILLION we are getting in stimulus funds, with a potential $8 BILLION stimulus dollars. You people are saying that the $2.1 BILLION we are getting without regard to this $700 million isn't enough to pay for the teachers and such? Most of that money is not going to salaries for laid off teachers, it's going to new programs that will have to be paid for when the money isn't coming in anymore. CCSD is over $20 million under budget, they're getting about the same amount in stimulus funds that they are under budget, and they've already stated that the stimulus money will be used to create new programs. That means when the stimulus money quits coming in they'll still be $20 million under budget and have an extra $20 million in new programs they'll have to fund.
April 1, 2009 at 9:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bettered4sc (anonymous) says...
mkris - finally a voice of reason. How long do you think it will take SC to realize that its lack of quality, or even better than "minimally adequate" education is the cause of its failure.
scottmcx - when you are finished figuring out how my Great-Great- Grandfathers kicked you Grandaddy's ass in the civil war let me know. It is time to stop making dresses out of your plantation curtains and enter the 21st century. Your state is falling down around you and needs you to wake up and invest in it's future not it's past.
As more and more of the tourists and relocated Yankees realize that SC is the home of blundering idiots and choose not to visit or relocate taking our high earnings, forward thinking minds and tourist money elsewhere I am wondering how you actually will survive. With no one to pay taxes, no jobs and no education system SC shall make an interesting case study to those who are interested in the history of how states fail.
April 1, 2009 at 9:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Name_Withheld (anonymous) says...
Mark Sanford's fiscal child abuse
Remember Ty'Sheoma Bethea, the Dillon, S.C., girl who asked Congress for stimulus funds to rehab her dilapidated middle school? I thought she was an inspiration for America; wingnuts at the Washington Times thought she was "irresponsible" for asking government to solve her problems.
Now her governor, Mark Sanford, has taken that line of thinking one step further: He told Fox's great poet Glenn Beck that taking stimulus funds to fix schools like Bethea's would be "fiscal child abuse," while rejecting the funds helps kids. No, I'm not kidding.
The folks at Think Progress have the video. Here's the key exchange between the butt-kissing Beck and the esteemed gentleman from South Carolina:
BECK: But your point, if I'm not mistaken is, no, no, no, you're taking care of the children in South Carolina by not taking it. Can you explain that? [:]
SANFORD: Since we don't have any of this money that's now being dispensed from Washington, D.C.; since we're going out and printing money and we're issuing debt to solve a problem that was created by too much debt; since that's taking place, and since those costs will be borne by the next generation, in fact it is sort of fiscal child abuse to do what we're doing.
Of course it's clear that rejecting stimulus funds disproportionately hurts South Carolina's black community. The state's unemployment rate is highest in black counties, and schools in the so-called corridor of shame are of course mainly African-American. Sanford cares about one set of kids, and it's clear whose they are. The GOP's Southern Strategy is alive and well, even if it's only working in a handful of states. Too bad Ty'sheoma is unfortunate enough to live in one of them.
Clearly, the irresponsible teen should have had the sense to be born somewhere else, and preferably in a different color skin. Next time she'll know better.
-- Joan Walsh
April 1, 2009 at 9:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
scottmcx (anonymous) says...
I don't support slavery, it was evil. The US is the only "civilized" Government who "claims" to have freed slaves through a war of attrition against its own countrymen, that was evil.
Slavery was clearly dying when the war started. Most estimates are that it would have died a natural death, with peace between the races, in 20-30 years without hundreds of thousands of deaths and billions in destruction OR 100 years of "Jim Crow".
What's the difference between "free" labor that provides house, home and security to the worker and the "new slavery" to the government where you work your tail off and the King takes it all in taxes and the bank forecloses on your house? The gov't is about to tell you what you can eat, what car you can drive, and on and on and on...yes massa. Both are evil.
Where is the freedom in either?
April 1, 2009 at 9:37 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
stanleyt (anonymous) says...
I believe Governor Mark Sanford simply doesn't value public education. (I have to say he appears consistent with his own ideology as he apparently doesn't send any of his kids to public schools, but rather to extremely expensive private schools). No problem there of course, it's his life.
The problem arises, however, that he is willing to sacrifice the dreams of OUR children, students who are going to public schools or even semi-public institutions like College of Charleston. All for his political ambitions.
Please contact the office of the governor at (803) 734-2100 and let his office there know where you stand, whether you think his ideas are good or bad. Either way, it is imperative, that we make our voices heard.
April 1, 2009 at 9:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
scottmcx (anonymous) says...
News Flash...
Tucked away in the Stimulus Bill...They're going to add another "diamond" structure to the Ravenel Bridge. I don't think that makes it wider or able to handle more traffic, in fact it closes the bridge...What a waste, what genius...See below
The memorandum noted that the project was aimed at helping Charleston hang onto its coveted claim to North America's longest cable-stayed bridge. A new bridge currently under construction in Louisiana is expected to surpass the Cooper River bridge's cable span by 37 feet.
Construction of the third tower would close the bridge for about eight weeks and employ 50 people. Traffic between Mount Pleasant and Charleston would temporarily be routed through North Charleston via Interstate 526, the memorandum said.
April 1, 2009 at 10:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Larz13 (anonymous) says...
Posted by bettered4sc on April 1, 2009 at 8:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
At least Michigan now has a Governor that knows her state is on the right path and is trying to invest in her citizens by educating them for the future while ours just spouts of political propaganda and pushes us further and further behind.
---
You obviously have been drinking too much Kos Kool Aid for too long and believe all of the bogus facts that folks like northeastgay and blue_eyes spew.
I travel to MI for work and have for about 5 years. Their governor has to be the worst and the bedwetter libs in Detroit keep electing a socialist Canadian. When real estate prices were rising 10% yearly in other states, only one state was dropping--MI (look it up and not on some progressive b.s. website!). The economy there makes SC look like a day at the beach. Massive spending, no new jobs, population exodus. It has been that way for AT LEAST the last 5 years. Don't go spewing on how great a place it is. It is doomed--only to get worse when the auto companies really start to lay people off after they go through bankruptsy and the Delta/Northwest merger is finalized.
If you don't like it here--take 26 West to 77 North and keep going until you cannot go further!
April 1, 2009 at 10:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
scottmcx (anonymous) says...
Blue
Raised in SC, Huh? By Commies?..I don't like either Party...they're all stealing for their own purposes.
I can't believe you'd use the word "tards". You're like Obama and his "Special Olympics" comments. You don't care, you just pretend to.
April 1, 2009 at 10:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
coolfreaknbeans (anonymous) says...
Excellent posts tigerrecord. My question to all of those supporting sucking the gov't teet is this - What will we do in 2 yrs when the money is gone? I agree with tiger 110%. The same liberal BS going on. Gloom and doom. Schools will close down, children will starve, puppies will die, your houses will burn to the ground, you NEED us, we have to do it NOW NOW NOW or else....Muah ha ha ha!!!!!
April 1, 2009 at 10:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Larz13 (anonymous) says...
Need us be reminded that the last governor before Sanford was a Dumbo-crat. He left the state in dire straits financially and had 2 jets that the state bought to shuttle him around. Despite the legislature's power, Gov. Sanford has done his best to balance the budget.
This is the only case where he controls the purse strings and there are no overridden vetoes of it. He has made the choice simple. He will accept the stimulus as long as the budget includes provisions to pay down debt. Everyone gives a little and we don't need any more basket weaving classes at the CoC.
(sarcasm here)Too bad for Jim Clyburn...when he inserted the provision to allow the legislature to override the governor, apparently his Sally Stuthers Law School degree did not teach him to write a correct statute.
Looks like his wife and family aren't getting paid their $100K consulting fees on this one!
April 1, 2009 at 10:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
scottmcx (anonymous) says...
How many tourists come to Charleston because we have "the longest Cable Stay Bridge in North America? If they do, to steal phrase from blue-eyes, they must be "tards".
Hey..we need some stimulus money to widen the actual Cooper River just in case someone wants to build a Cable Stay Bridge longer than ours. Then, we'd be ahead of the game. Massa, O..please send cash.
Or, we could lay claim to "we have the longest Cable Stay Bridge in the USA, East of Louisiana" and save the money.
Go here for the full story: http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/
April 1, 2009 at 10:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mistirp1 (anonymous) says...
To: charlestt
From: mistrp1
Subject: your commentary
Date: April 4, 2009
When posing as an intellectual with condescending commentary,it would be wise to let your CCSD teacher wife do your composing for you. Not only did you misspelled scalpel, but you also did not know when to use the pronoun, your,as you incorrectly did for you're.
I sincerely hope that you did not include yourself in the 15% calculus you so astutely referred to.
By the way, since you and our Govenor are so principled in being against and not taking the stimulus funding, where are your principles, when annually, for every one-dollar in federal taxes received in Washington by our fiscally conservative South Carolina, South Carolina is returned one-dollar and thirty-five cents. Since, the national government has been running deficits, at least during all of the previous eight years,aren't we against deficit spending and should have been, with indignation, returning the excess thirty-five cents, which was in excess of the contibutions made by South Carolinians!
April 1, 2009 at 11:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
scottmcx (anonymous) says...
APRIL FOOLS!
April 1, 2009 at 11:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
darliberty (anonymous) says...
I support Governor Stanford....He has my vote..good for him
April 1, 2009 at 12:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Jennasmommy (anonymous) says...
Thank you mistirp1!! You said it perfectly.
April 1, 2009 at 1:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
geekboy (anonymous) says...
Posted by mistirp1 on April 1, 2009 at 11:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
To: charlestt
From: mistrp1
Subject: your commentary
Date: April 4, 2009
...
"Not only did you misspelled scalpel,"
******************
LOL!!!! Physician, heal thyself!!!
April 1, 2009 at 2:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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