Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina, who has refused to accept $700 million in federal stimulus money, was dealt a major blow when a federal judge said two lawsuits seeking to require him to take the money should be heard in state court. The legislature has ordered Mr. Sanford to request the money, most of which would pay for education, but he has refused.
In a news conference after the ruling, Mr. Sanford said he would accept whatever decision the state court made, and acknowledged that he faced long odds in a state with a notoriously weak governorship and several previous court rulings that favor the legislature’s authority over the governor’s.
“It looks like we will be bound to spend that money,” Mr. Sanford said.
Molly Spearman, the executive director of the South Carolina Association of School Administrators, which filed one of the lawsuits against the governor, applauded the announcement.
“Thank goodness for the people of South Carolina,” Ms. Spearman said. “He’s realizing that he’s going to lose and there’s no reason to try and delay this any longer…”
Mr. Sanford’s critics say he has used his opposition to the stimulus package to boost his national profile for a presidential run while South Carolina suffers from the nation’s second-highest unemployment rate.
I guess you don’t get to be leader of the Republican Party till you prove willing to sacrifice education for ideology?
Lets see, turn down stimulus funds-check.
Don’t believe in evolution-check.
Outlaw abortions-check.
I think we have the next Repuglican Nominee.
I guess you don’t get to be leader of the Republican Party till you prove willing to sacrifice education for ideology?
I guess you don’t get to be leader of the Democrat Party till you prove willing to pander for more money, even though the state is paying over $10,000 every year for every kid in school.
And who is going to pay for this one-time windfall after the stimulus money goes bye-bye. Yup, the South Carolina taxpayers will be on the hook for all that additional money.
And who will they blame? Obama? Certainly not. They’ll blame the local politicians for cutting the education spending.
“I guess you don’t get to be leader of the Republican Party till you prove willing to sacrifice education for ideology?”
Another way to put it might be you’ll get it IF you REALLY NEED it. Otherwise it’s nothing more than a union donation that will be sent to the opposing party and will never actually see the kids in the classroom. The Unions are just holding the kids hostage and lying to your face about the real issue, they just want your money and are will to screw your kids to do it.
i guess i dont quite understand. yes, his state may need the money but if the governor, being rightly elected by his state’s voters, decides that he does not want the money from the federal government, then he should have that right. then, when he comes up for re-election, the voters can vote him out of office if they do not like this policy. OR, as we saw in Illinois, if it is totally out-of-this-world crazy, then the rightly elected state representatives can impeach the governor. the system works, until you get activist judges in on the game (where have i heard that before??)…
jbenson2 and Breetai, have either of you spent any time with the South Carolina school systems? No?
I have and I’ll tell you that corruption is the biggest issue. Companies and school administrative executives funnel money to themselves instead of to the educational needs of the children. I personally observed it happen… Unbridled greed again rears its ugly head, robbing these children of the opportunity of a compelling education.
Madtruckman,
If the constitution of South Carolina provides for a weak governor and strong legislature, like the weak mayor and strong council here in Dallas, then the governor does not get to decide.
Hmmm, South Carolina ranks in bottom of just about every ranking of education of high school students on down. So denying state educational funding is going to do what to the state’s already rotten educational system?
By Republican standards making people dumber makes them better Republicans?
If you can’t understand the debate you turn to hate, go Republicans!
#5 ethanol: Yea, you got that right. I spent a couple of years in the North Carolina public system and it’s was in shambles.
There was plenty being spent, but for what??
Some states wisely refused to take funds for the “No child left behind” because of the strings attached. It turns out that complying with the requirements ended up costing more than the money received from the fed.
For once, I actually applaud the court for making the right decision. It’s a state issue between the governor and the legislature as to taking the money. The federal courts simply have no jurisdiction.
Yet another case of the feds encroaching on states’ rights. Disgusting.
You’re all reaping what you sowed.
#7 So less education means more Republicans? Makes sense in a very machiavellian way.
Well dude it’s like this. Several countries are on the rebound from the depression with high growth rates but the list doesn’t include us.
It seems we have major dept and are heading for 25% of the gnp going to fed. The EU is grouped with us.
Several states are on the list for early recovery in the US and while TN is not in the top ten we are in the top 20.
Cal didn’t make the list. They have made a lot of bad choice and are in dept and heading farther down with way to many taxes and way to much spending.
So take your pick. A growing economy or a welfare state with most people on the dole and the standerd of living heading for the sewers. Your call.
These GOP dead weights might consider just taking the money and investing it in a money market Fund.
For crying out loud, these goons have nothing to do.
Well, I’m out-a-here. I have been a subscriber, and listener to the podcasts for a while and I am sick of the politics. I can get that somewhere else. You bunch of California liberals are just too much for me. You can have it, your taxes and all. If we don’t tow the Obama line, then we must be idiots. Un-hooking from the Dvorak train right now …
#13
Don’t let the HTML hit you on the way out
J/P=?
boo hoo… another inbred gone
#2, benson,
I guess you don’t get to be leader of the Democrat Party till you prove willing to pander for more money, even though the state is paying over $10,000 every year for every kid in school.
They are? Do the School Boards know there is that much being spent? I understand them to be spending a little less, like under $7,000.
why does everything have to be
rebup vs dem issue?
its a simple states rights and monetary issue.
it seems the bulk of the complaints
the states have with the current stimulus bill is that it not only mandates how they can spend the money,
but more importantly, only 60% (70% at most) of said mandate funded.
-requiring the state to pony up the other 40%. -this at a time when almost all states are in the red.
producing the extra monies *mandated* by the stimulus means either deeper
cuts in other programs or of course, more/higher taxes.
given that tax revenues are down 20%-30% for almost everyone, taking the money will almost guarantee even deeper budget shortfalls in the very near future.
this could bring the states that take the money back to federal nipple for even more cash, which the Feds will be all to happy to give. -with even more strings attached that will undoubtedly further erode any
“states rights” that are left.
imo, in The Big Picture, it looks like a well planned hostile take over by a Multi National Corporation (Of which the U.S.of A is) of a smaller corporation in the same industry (of which in fact, the States are)
-the industry being Government
(and it’s subsidiaries)
quite simple really.
If I was State, I wouldn’t touch the money with a ten foot pole, tbh.
(too much at stake, esp with the insanity that is going on in congress)
-s
“I guess you don’t get to be leader of the Republican Party till you prove willing to sacrifice education for ideology?”
But it’s North Carolina, not exactly in the top ten states and if making the population dumber suits the Republican Party, then what the hell.
http://statemaster.com/graph/edu_bes_edu_ind-education-best-educated-index
Dumber than what is going on in California and Congress? Now that would be a trick.
Not sure how one would actually manage to do that but I’m sure you guys will figure it out.
?*^)
I guess the courts are clueless as to where the money actually comes from, too, and why the federal government wants them to take it.
Take money from good ole Uncle Sam be prepared to pay for it by giving up your rights. This applies to states also. Funny how kids at one time could be educated better in one room schools than they are today in multi-million dollar school systems. Your liberal education system at work.
How can the federal government pass a law that says the state legislature can override a governor’s veto?
Obama said his stimulus plan would create 4 million jobs, and instead we lost 700 thousand jobs. 700 million is about 1 thousandth of the stimulus package, so refusing that would prevent the loss of 700 jobs.
#22 -no he said “create or save xxx jobs”
“create or save” is politico speak for zero sum gain.
-his words are empty, just like every other politicians words & thoughts..
-s