S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford is notorious for using charts and graphs to make his political points.
Thankfully, his communications director Joel Sawyer isn’t responsible for drawing them.
Seriously, we’ve heard that Sawyer was attempting to draw the federal “stimulus” in this picture, but it looks more like an inebriated serpent to us.
Or maybe an inebriated mountain range.
Whatever it was he was attempting to draw, Sawyer was the latest S.C. politico to address the “It” kids – i.e. the Dutch Fork High School current issues class taught by Miss Kelly Payne.
Over the last few months, Payne has turned her classroom into a “must-stop” for dozens of S.C. political leaders, including Attorney General Henry McMaster, House Speaker Bobby Harrell and Sic Willie (a leader in his own mind).
Sawyer was reportedly a big hit with the kids, and answered numerous questions about the stimulus funds, the state budget and which political blogs he reads (editor’s note: duh, FITS).
Will Gov. Sanford himself pay a visit to Payne’s class? Stay tuned …
Here’s another picture of Sawyer following his speech, in which it looks like his inebriated serpent has been stabbed with a stick … ouch.
Props to Sawyer for taking time to visit the kids, and for being such a good sport about his inability to draw squiggley lines very well.
By Wes Wolfe March 26, 2009 at 3:13 am
Funny how I have not been invited, though I am the only one to have actually graduated from Dutch Fork. What a load. No wonder I decided to graduate early from that den of the nouveau riche and entered college early.
By Sarah March 26, 2009 at 7:54 am
It was interesting learning about the economy from someone who is so close to it. Governor Sanford has a wonderful Communications Director.
By An Ardent Admirer of Ms. Payne March 26, 2009 at 9:02 am
think that it is fantastic that state wide decision makers come to visit these students. Obviously these kids are responsible for our future so teaching them early about how to agree to disagree is a critical part of their education. The speakers cover the spectrum of the political world. From liberals with passionate beliefs on social issues to conservatives with passionate fiscal callings to practioners (lawyers and journalists) who give advice and opinion to decision makers, Ms. Payne has really opened the eyes of these students and is preparing them to be critical thinkers in the arena of ideas. Hopefully, they will learn that an issue can be debated passionately between equals and that winners of the debate can be gracious and losers can be respectful.
By R March 26, 2009 at 9:58 am
Wes,
Hundreds of people graduate from Dutch Fork every year. I would hardly say you were the only one.
By Asheton Richardson March 26, 2009 at 10:31 am
Joel Sawyer told us that Gov. Sanford has always made decisions based on principle. As a High School student, even I understand that his decision not to accept the bail-out money is more than principle, its common sense. You do not spend what you do not have, you live within your means. For all the people that think the stimulus money was going into their pockets or creating long-term jobs, you are not seeing the big picture. At 17, I can figure out the ambiguity in the wording of the stimulus package. Has anyone ever thought they wrote it that way for a reason, to keep people confused? We need to be very careful about allowing ourselves as a nation to nationalize and give up our right to make our own decisions and be controlled by the federal government. People in opposition to Mark Sanford’s prudent spending are just misunderstanding how the money works and what the stimulus package will really do. We need to create a South Carolina that has long-term jobs, not the short-term, temporary jobs that the stimulus will create. The people opposing Mark Sanford are simply failing to see the big picture, long-term versus short-term. In the long run, the stimulus will hurt us more than help us. It will solve the problem for only a short period of time, because when those jobs that it will temporarily create are no longer needed, we will be right back at square one. It will make people more dependent on the government rather than the private sector. Dependence on the private sector is vital in a free market economy. People need to just step back and take a look at what the stimulus is really saying and how it will affect South Carolina.
By Stuart and "It Kid" March 26, 2009 at 10:56 am
Was Calvin Woodward reading Joel Sawyer’s notes?
By Stuart and "It Kid" March 26, 2009 at 10:57 am
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/stimulus_jobs_numbers
By BC March 26, 2009 at 11:15 am
Asheton Richardson wrote: At 17, I can figure out the ambiguity in the wording of the stimulus package. Has anyone ever thought they wrote it that way for a reason, to keep people confused? We need to be very careful about allowing ourselves as a nation to nationalize and give up our right to make our own decisions and be controlled by the federal government.
You propose good points but lets make this issue more personal in nature. When you plan to purchase your first home, do you plan on paying it out right in cash? How about purchasing your own car (not one that mom and dad bought)? How about any kind of large ticket item more then $10,000? Sadly, our country has grown beyond their means and this is what has happened to the SC economy. Gov. Sanford tried on several occassions to sound the alarm but it feel on deaf ears. The General Assembly grew government at a rate far greater than those revenue streams could support it. The current economic crisis will further push more people onto the unemployment roles and businesses will disappear. The only difference is with the stimulus funds this reduction could occur at a more controllable rate or buy time for the General Assembly to solve its revenue problems.
Also, no one is making the argument to remove the dependence on the free-market system; but it should not be our sole system to pull us out of this crisis. Under normal economic conditions, the free-market system corrects itself by those companies exiting at a controllable rate. This rate is balanced due to legal proceeding and attrition of staff, equipment, facilities, and capital which is further liquidated to pay debts (liabilities). What Gov. Sanford has proposed in SC and nationally is a sudden shock to the system that would dump millions of employees into the street (within an extremely short period of time) and thousands of companies would fail all at once. Now, please tell me how would the free-market system correct itself with that occurring? Not only would the country’s economy shrink at an alarming rate but businesses would find it next to impossible to acquire capital and government services would slow almost to a halt. In essence its like applying the emergency brake in a car going 80 mph without slowing down. Lastly, scores of unemployed workers would drain any social services programs left and tax revenues affecting states (including SC) would fall at a tremendous rate possibly leading to reductions in even critical services (i.e. law enforcement, EMTs, and firefighters.)
By T4 March 26, 2009 at 11:52 am
R, learn to take a joke.
Asheton, you’re right, you ARE 17. You don’t know anything. Stop expounding Fox News and the like, you little Sanfordite.
That’s right, I’m a poet, and F@*kin’ know it!
By AlabamaSlammer March 26, 2009 at 12:52 pm
@Wes Wolfe – anyone can set up a blog and copy a bunch of calendars. Get a real job and maybe they’ll invite you.
By Asheton March 26, 2009 at 2:51 pm
I humbly thank you taking the time to read my post and share how you feel. Most adults wouldn’t take the time to do that for a 17 year old. As a teenager getting ready to enter the real world where I will have to purchase my own car, insurance, etc., I know there are a lot of responsibilities ahead of me. I love my country, and my state, however, it is hard to be optimistic about my future. It seems like we have become a nation of people who care little for their freedom and who’ve grown too dependent on their government. I don’t want to trade away my personal liberties in exchange for a government that becomes a surrogate parent. I am not an economist but one day I might be. It still seems to me that the wording in the stimulus bill was left unclear with federal strings attached for a reason. Throw out the ideological argument that you don’t spend or take what you don’t have. Do you really believe that the money will save, create, and “stimulate” jobs in SC? Or directly put disposable income into peoples pockets. tuyShouldn’t we be striving to free ourselves from federal mandates, and not enslave ourselves to them? I may be wrong on what is best for our state at this moment, but I refuse to ever become a disengaged or uninformed citizen.
Respectfully SC’s Future
By R March 26, 2009 at 4:23 pm
T4,
How would Wes saying he’s the only person to graduate from Dutch Fork be a joke?
By "It Kids" March 26, 2009 at 4:40 pm
We would be honored for Mr. Wolfe to come speak to our class. We did our HW and found out that we did have guest speakers that are DFHS grads. General McMaster’s commincations director, Brad Henry, graduated from DFHS in 1998 and Bryan Cox from the SCPC graduated from DFHS in 1996.
By walter david March 26, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Now that Robert Ford is suddenly acceptable, maybe this class will actually hear from someone with a little different perspective. Better yet, maybe they can go on a field trip to Mr. Ford’s district. That might offer them some “perspective” they’ve never been exposed to.
By Adam Fogle March 26, 2009 at 10:16 pm
“@Wes Wolfe – anyone can set up a blog and copy a bunch of calendars. Get a real job and maybe they’ll invite you.”
Bahahahahaha…
Seriously Wes, what the hell would you talk about?
The story you wrote in the Free-Times last year? Okay, there’s 30 seconds.
Then what? The day’s meetings and receptions? There’s another 15 seconds.
Add in your magical romance with Terry Sullivan and you’re up to a minute total.
Hmm… I wonder why you haven’t been invited.
By The Senator March 27, 2009 at 12:58 am
hehe, ROFL luv it, and have a nice day you jack off weewee lover… Mr. McAlister got you dead on did he not. What does it feel like to have no friends? There is a cure for this, please call…
By friend of a friend. March 29, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Now now Sic, I personally would enjoy seeing a post that exhibits your professional drawing abilites expressed in front of a class of confident students that have heavily questioned other politicos such as House Speaker Bobby Harrell, SC Reps Balentine and Haley as well as many others. I’m sure they would be similar. Hopefully I’m not giving Ms. Payne’s civics class too much credit…. ;)
In other words, Gov. Stanford’s communications director Joel Sawyer became a great addition to the guest list when he spoke to the class. He is a man who tells the truth and does not sugar code anything. He said honestly that he is on the same page as the Governor on all the issues presented to him which gave us a sense of security. Nothing against the governor, but sometimes it is hard to believe that someone with a lot of power doesn’t just make decisions without thinking of others. However, this man does. Mr. Sawyer conveyed the gov. as a good man in a truthful, honest way. This is the way politics should be, or at least something that should be done more often. Gov. Stanford became more of a reounded character of the state in my mind via hearing Mr. Sawyer talk the way he would to a room full of adults. He did an excellent job of staying on the high end of vocabularity and complexity in his speaking and treated Ms. Payne’s students with the same authority and knowledge as reporters.
Oh, and Wes?
In case you haven’t gathered this yet, Ms. Payne has invited these people to come speak to give her class a wider view of politics from a personal, yet unbiased standard. This means that she never excluded anyone from speaking that would give her class some view of the real, adult world of politics. As long as the guest is appropriate in manner, speech, dress, etc. they are welcome to contact Ms. Payne in order to ask to speak to her class. If you feel you can share something worthwhile then you are most definitely invited to come speak. But, do not complain about not being invited. In general, you are. Feel welcome, but do not be discouraged and complain about it because you didn’t recieve a personalized, handwritten letter.
By Rebecca March 29, 2009 at 7:04 pm
I was very happy to have Mr. Sawyer speak to our class. He was so knowledgeable and he answered all of our questions. He was honest, fair, and he told us what he truely thought. Thank you Mr. Sawyer for coming to visit our class.
By james October 16, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Ay,
The days b rough, but we keep on STEELERS! shut up and eat ur stupid popcorn.
Good tidings,
James W. Cunny the thirdyninth