Stimulate That!

By fitsnews • on March 12, 2009
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sanford-stimulate1

“Why haven’t you posted anything on the Sanford stimulus announcement?” reads one of the e-mails Sic Willie received earlier today from a politico up in Washington D.C. “I was led to believe you were his spokesman.”

Uh, no … that would be Joel Sawyer, although we have been accused in the past of being the S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford’s “mouthpiece” given our fairly consistent support of his fiscal conservatism.

And to be fair, Sic Willie was Sanford’s spokesman for four years … two sober ones.

Oh, and “what took us so long” was the fact we were pretty friggin’ busy yesterday writing about the state’s 10.4% unemployment rate, crappy schools and the latest gathering of worthless RINO’s preserving both.

So what did we think of Sanford’s response to the stimulus?

In a word? “Yawn.”

With so much build-up, we expected a lot more – like maybe an ordinance of secession or something.

Of course, it’s not so much that Sanford’s response was a “yawn,” it’s that the whole political exercise is a “yawn.”

First of all, Sanford only has “control” over $700 million out of the $2.8 billion in “stimulus” funds sent to S.C., and he technically doesn’t even have control over that.

Whatever Sanford does, the majority of GOP lawmakers are just going to override him.

Second of all, unless his plan was to direct deposit they money into the bank accounts of taxpayers who are going to have to pay it back one day, what’s the point?

If we were governor of South Carolina right now, we’d have either zipped our lips or done something completely crazy.

We wouldn’t have requested a “debt repayment waiver for non-programmatic funds,” we’d have either a) recognized that this particular part of the battle is over, or b) written something like this …

President Barack Hussein Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC

Dear Mr. President,

Keep your stinking bailout money. And keep your highway, health care, education and law enforcement dollars, too, plus the billions in pork you send here each year.

We’re seceding – and we’re taking the billions in tax revenue we send up to Washington each year with us.

I’m creating a benevolent dictatorship down here, a free market regime that is going to move our state in precisely the opposite direction that you are taking this country – which means we’ll probably end up creating most of those 3.5 million jobs you keep promising people.

So you’re welcome.

Look, dawg, our taxpayers don’t deserve to be subjected to the nonsense of people like you, your Congress and your predecessor Jorge any longer – and for that matter nor do they deserve to be subjected to the nonsense of the idiots in our state legislature, either, which is why I have summarily dissolved that abominable institution.

And please, don’t try and mess me around, because I hear you’re cutting back on military stuff and one of our Sheriffs has a tank I’ve requisitioned specifically for going toe-to-toe with you.

Sincerely,

Gov. Sic Willie

P.S. – Stimulate that, fool!

We’re still toying with the draft, obviously, but short of sending something like that, what other option does Sanford really have at this point that’s not “all talk?”

Oh, and not that it will ever happen, but how ironic would it be if a state which seceded once to preserve slavery ended up seceding again to escape it?

Poll coming … stay tuned …

What Should Mark Sanford Have Done With Stimulus Funds At This Point?

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Comments

By Pat Hendrix on March 12th, 2009 at 3:20 pm

I wasn’t aware that we were endanger of slavery?

Unless it’s the slavery of stupidity, in which case that ship has already sailed based on this silly blog post.

By gary on March 12th, 2009 at 3:24 pm

Hmmmmm…The South’s unemployment shall rise again!

By Sgt. Rick Hunter on March 12th, 2009 at 4:46 pm

Pat Hendrix must have been the first one off the stupidity slave ship. “Endager” is grammatically incorrect when used in such context.

By Silent DoRight on March 12th, 2009 at 5:09 pm

Sic,
What’s your opinion of state rep Alan Clemmons?

By Mab on March 12th, 2009 at 7:00 pm

Pat WAS the first one off, apparently. We christened that ship with a bottle of Boones Farm Strawberry Hill, then sent it in the direction of the closest port beyond the Lepers’ Colony. Apparently they have computers there.

Pat — why don’t you go blog around over @ Huffington Post? Or Bruce Droppings? Or ACLU.COM?

By James the Foot Soldier on March 12th, 2009 at 7:22 pm

Since a governor has no control unless his veto is upheld there’s not a lot Governor Sandford can do.

IF he could get enough of the “republican” knuckledraggers to enter the 21st century I would suggest using the “stimulus” money to leverage into long-term revenue streams for the State:

#1
Use the highway stimulus to start putting up toll plazas at the first mile of every interstate coming INTO our state. Then leverage those toll dollars (from our benevolent Obama voting nieghbors – the irony in that would be so ironic) into building an interstate system worthy of the 21st century – concrete – a foot thick – minimum of 6 lanes on every mile.

#2
Since the new Medicaid money is going to line the coffers (even more) of every hospital in the state: the state’s special district hospitals should be required to run nursing schools and churn out nurses that will earn great wages and stop the waste of taxpayer money that is currently being spent on contract agency nurses. And those other 45 hospitals in the state should be required to contribute to the operating costs of the eight new nursing schools.

#3
Use the energy money in the stimulus package to install windmills in the medians of every interstate criss-crossing our state and sell that energy to SCANA or Duke. The revenue stream from those windmills could then be used to offset the cost of building a new nulcear power plant every five years.

Three ideas – with three categories of jobs that earn wages waaaay above the South Carolina average: Highway engineering and construction jobs, Nurses, Nuclear power plant construction and operating engineers.

By Mab on March 12th, 2009 at 7:42 pm

I could go to nursing school! Again! Yaaaay!

Next time, I promise to be less aggressive — more ‘continuum of care’ stuff.

By Grover on March 12th, 2009 at 9:40 pm

Sanford should turn down the stimulus money. All we are doing is delaying the inevitable, which is the day when we either have to cut out all the crap we are paying for that we don’t need in order to fund the programs we do need, or raise the hell out of taxes to cover the cost of all these things we are paying for with federal money.

If he won’t turn the money down (looks like he isn’t going to), then he did the right thing. Take it and pay down SC debt. Look, our personal debt will go up because of the federal burden. Let’s not make it worse by increasing our state debt. Pay it off and at least our children will be starting out a little less in the hole than they already are.

By Cooter Brown on March 13th, 2009 at 6:09 am

Mista Sic- Ye is me new hero! Yer letter brote tear o’ joy (an’ lafter) to my ol’ half blind eyes. Please, run fer gov’ner! Mak a ol’ man happy befo he depart dis here werld of sin an’ sorro. Oh, dat dey mite burry my bones in free soil– free from Warshington. Is dat two much ta ax???
C.B.

By Cooter Brown on March 13th, 2009 at 6:15 am

Pat, ye is an’ idiot! Eben I knows “endanger” is differ-ant frum “in danger”!
James- Ye is part o’ da problim as well…
Hit don matta what ye spend it on– hits blood monie an’ comes wit da chain’ o’ slaverie! En addishun, hits a dam loan dat hasta bee payed bak! Is hour freedom fer sale, Mista Foot Soldier?

By Andrew Jackson on March 13th, 2009 at 8:19 am

Focus on the real problem which is the Federal Reserve. I had to educate the people about the evils of a national bank printing money outside of public oversight and finally was able to kill the serpent.

In the last 6 months, the Federal Reserve has loaned out over a trillion dollars to companies and refuses to reveal how much they have loaned to who.

Congress refuses to ask questions about the Fed because they need the money spigot on full blast to keep up with our “stimulus”.

By John on March 13th, 2009 at 9:19 am

Seeeeeeeeeeeeeecession! Seriously. Who’s with me?

By gary on March 13th, 2009 at 10:18 am

Just think what our state’s actual unemployment numbers would be if our hopelessly corrupt government actually enforced our border “laws.”

By Gillon on March 13th, 2009 at 10:21 am

Two thoughts that our pecuniary-minded governor and his like-thinkers might keep in mind:
“A man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”
Jesus Christ
“In the long term, we’re all dead.”
John Maynard Keynes

By Brandon on March 13th, 2009 at 10:29 am

And put the damn flag back on the dome while you’re at it!

By Mab on March 13th, 2009 at 11:51 am

All these legislative goons around here, whining about that mean ol’ Sanford — while CHINA! is telling US the same thing Sanford is trying to tell that idiot in the White House.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090313/ap_on_bi_ge/as_china_us_economy

By Pat Hendrix on March 13th, 2009 at 1:10 pm

Sgt. Hunter,

Thanks, in fairness, I was drunk when I wrote it and usually have an editor catch my sloppy mistakes. But thanks for the pedantic comments.

In the future, if I need a lecture on spelling or shinning my shoes, I’ll let you know, Sgt.

And Cooter, that schtick is getting pretty old.

By Sherrie Mitchell on March 13th, 2009 at 3:16 pm

I came upon your webiste today looking for info on the national deficit, I ended up perusing it for the past hour. I’m not a graduate of Berkley or any other “lily-white school”. I am a Hoosier who happens to live in a state with the same financial woos as yours.

I don’t think our government (federal or state) is going to solve our problems with the economy. I think that task is up to all of us living in America, the owners of this great nation. We must demand that the increasing trade deficit stops immediately. We must buy American made products. We are the biggest consumers of products and services in the world. If we only bought products made in America, how would that stimulate our economy? How many new manufactures would have to be initiated to accomodate our needs? Start reading your labels like you do food items in a grocery store. If it’s not made in America, sacrifice and don’t buy it. (Does Wal’mart even sell a product made in America?) We as a whole can do anything, even reduce the gas prices when we quit buying the product.

Supply and demand, simple economics.

A prayer, “John Adams, George Washington, and the rest of our Fore Fathers guide us.”

By RonPaulWasRight on March 13th, 2009 at 4:49 pm

Sherrie! Does Ron Paul know about you? He would be so proud!

Glad they are still teaching economics somewhere in the U.S. of America.

By James the Foot Soldier on March 13th, 2009 at 5:42 pm

Sir Brown,

First, the U.S. Congress appropriated the stimulus package.
Second, the President signed the legislation into law.
Third, our legislators are going to spend every fukin’ (pardon my french) dime of it no matter what Governor Sanford’s posturing suggests.

My suggestions funnel the stimulus dollars into revenue streams for the next generation of South Carolinians since THAT is the generation that will be forced to pay it back.

By James the Foot Soldier on March 13th, 2009 at 5:42 pm

and Mab…how are those sponge bath skills?

By Mab on March 13th, 2009 at 6:01 pm

It’s not me. It’s the patients. Some of the are just psycho.

By Frank Adams on March 14th, 2009 at 12:49 am

By André Bauer
Lt. Governor of South Carolina

As a fiscal conservative I am not a fan of the current “economic stimulus” bill, however, it is hard to ignore the awful possibility that South Carolina taxpayers could wind up stuck in the salad bar after paying full price for a prime rib buffet.

For openers let me be clear: I support our Governor’s attempt to use additional stimulus money to repay debt. It’s a wise and good use of funds that positions us well for the future.

Clearly, Governor Sanford believes he is doing the right thing, and I don’t for a minute doubt his intentions. This is someone who time and time again has fought for the taxpayers.

But here is where I disagree. If the Administration turns down the Governor’s request, I cannot in good conscience allow South Carolina taxpayers to fund benefits for the other 49 states.

The issue is that my constituents in Seneca are as needy as residents of Sacramento. The same goes for the citizens of Aiken vs. the taxpayers of Austin, or the jobless in Chapin as opposed to the unemployed in Chicago. Whether you live in Beaufort or Biloxi, Spartanburg or Spokane, New Ellenton or New York, Dillon or Denver, the issue is that people are in need and if stimulus is purchased with your dollars, the stimulus ought to be available to you. Why send the money and jobs elsewhere? That is the key point. Citizens in South Carolina, their children and grandchildren, have already been stuck with the bill. Why then punish us now — when the need is the greatest?

The place we find ourselves is not a reflection of how Mark Sanford believes he is right to exclude more appealing options. The reality is that this developing spat is rooted in the fact that Bill Clinton, Barney Frank, and Chris Dodd sparked a housing crisis by pushing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to make sub-prime loans — no matter how hard Jim DeMint and Lindsey Graham opposed them.

The basic issue is that some people want something for nothing, and politicians respond to constituent demands for pork barrel projects — that’s the heartfelt view of Mark Sanford, who has and will continue to say no. And he is right. But the trouble is that for so many of us, it is easier to dress that up and say that elected officials should fight so that the people who elect them have jobs and are able to feed and educate their children.

So, which is the more principled choice: Say no, pay for prime rib and eat lettuce; or, address the fact that real people are hurting in a state where more than 10% are unemployed, 40% of the kids are on Medicaid, and everyone is watching as their life savings are slashed in half?

The truth is that we are in an economic war, and all resources should be focused on beating this new “enemy” which is killing our jobs and our savings and our futures. Like all wars, when you find yourself in one, fight for your life first and argue principles later. Like they say, there are no atheists in foxholes, and no time for academic political debate there either.

Is this war? Opinion leaders are beginning to conclude that America is indeed in the equivalent of a war footing when it comes to dealing with this economic crisis. Warren Buffett was the first to say it earlier this week. Then yesterday, the New York Times’ Tom Friedman declared, “Economically, this is the big one. This is August 1914. This is the morning after Pearl Harbor. This is 9/12.” And the Washington Post’s Steven Pearlstein added, “What we are facing is the economic equivalent of a war.”

All three pundits posed the same question: If we’re at war, then why aren’t people acting like it? Why isn’t the Obama administration, instead of trying to score hits on Rush Limbaugh, doing everything it can to develop a clear and transparent plan to fix the banking crisis? Why are folks on Wall Street engaged in short-selling — i.e., betting against the economy?

And why is the press covering all of this like a political campaign or expecting that, on Day 52, Obama should have already been able to turn the economy around? Associate Editor David Ignatius of the Washington Post also makes this point: “The culture of immobilism starts on Capitol Hill. These people are still working a four-day week, taking Fridays off so they can run home and tell constituents how diligent they are. They may talk about a crisis, but they don’t act like it’s real.”

It’s real people. It’s very real to 227,986 South Carolinians without a job and having to learn the ins and outs and humiliations of the unemployment lines.

Let’s face it: Washington has failed miserably. As leaders, we must make the best of bad policy. We’ve never experienced anything like this in our lifetimes. It is time to make the tough decision. The principle of winning the war wins the argument.

By Old Bike Dude on March 14th, 2009 at 8:41 am

The cooter dude wrote:
By Cooter Brown on March 13th, 2009 at 6:15 am

Pat, ye is an’ idiot! Eben I knows “endanger” is differ-ant frum “in danger”!
James- Ye is part o’ da problim as well…
Hit don matta what ye spend it on– hits blood monie an’ comes wit da chain’ o’ slaverie! En addishun, hits a dam loan dat hasta bee payed bak! Is hour freedom fer sale, Mista Foot Soldier? end of quote

It’s frightening when Cooter makes my point for me, ie South Carolina has to be the dumbest state in the galaxy.

By Gillon on March 14th, 2009 at 12:22 pm

Well, thanks to Frank Adams and Andre Bauer for clearing it all up for me. It wasn’t eight years of George Bush and six years of Republican control of both houses of Congress that contributed to the present national economic crisis–it was Bill Clinton, Barney Frank, and Chris Dodd’s fault. Senators Graham and DeMint, bless their hearts, have done everything they could to avert a fiscal crisis, including rubber-stamping an unnecessary war in Iraq that has bled our economy and nation nearly a trillion dollars and is still costing ten billion dollars a month that could be used here at home It’s not the fault of SC’s poor and failed leadership in the executive and legislative branches of state government that has contributed to SC having over a !0% unemployment rate and 40% of its kids on welfare. No, it that case it’s the fact that “Washington has failed miserably.”
And it’s President Obamaa’s fault for not doing enough to deal with the banking crisis he inherited from George Bush. He’s obviously devoting all his time to responding to the darling of the conservative right, Rush Limbaugh’s statements that he hopes that those efforts, and thus the country’s, will fail. And it’s not our do-nothing, self-serving governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature’s fault that they waste precious time and resources with little to show for it in this time of crisis. No, they are just victims of that “culture of immobolism” that Capitol Hiil inflicted on them.
So the citizens of SC should get down on their knees every night and be thankful that SC has such dedicated and competent leadership. You see folks, they don’t share any of the blame for the present economic situation. It’s all somebody else’s fault. But perhaps they have stumbled on the truth. It is somebody else’s fault. It’s the fault of the benighted people of SC who elected them. Unfortunately, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

By Gillon on March 14th, 2009 at 12:26 pm

correction on #10: “welfare” should read “Medicaid”

By anonymous on March 14th, 2009 at 1:58 pm

Sanford’s Beach House for Sale for $3.5 Million

http://www.indigojournal.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=563

…he’s put his Sullivan’s Island home on the market for $3.5 million?

The 6-bedroom, 5-home, 4474 square front home is described in sales materials as “…a great value for true oceanfront property.”

This home has been completely renovated since the owners purchased in 1997. The open floor plan is perfect for large family gatherings and the master suite has a separate study to enjoy the wonderful views of the Atlantic Ocean.

MORE GREAT PHOTOS
http://www.ctarmls.com/CharlestonReports/ListitLib/photo_show.aspx?mls_acct=2905761&report=members_full_prop1

By anonymous on March 16th, 2009 at 3:02 pm

Governor Mark Sanford Cries Uncle ….Please Stop! Please Stop!

SANFORD ASKS OBAMA TO STOP AD

On Friday, the Democratic National Committee is airing that blasts South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford’s opposition to $700 million in stimulus funds for his state. “South Carolina is facing tough times,” the ad goes, “but Gov. Sanford is playing politics instead of doing what’s right. Turning down millions in recovery act funds, putting politics ahead of health care, jobs and schools.”

Well, Sanford is now asking for Obama to stop the DNC ad. “My opposition to the stimulus bill,” he said in a statement, “was based on the merits as I saw them and has been well-chronicled, but rather than engaging our administration in that debate, Obama’s 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.”

Sanford adds, “I don’t 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.’ It’s in that spirit that I’d 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.”

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/03/16/1838083.aspx

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