Multiple insider battles are waging between government bureaucrats and taxpayer advocates in South Carolina over Gov. Mark Sanford’s decision not to apply for $700 million in federal bureaucratic bailout money.
Seriously, it’s all anybody in S.C. politics is talking about.
But while the chattering classes are all up in arms and the media (including FITS) is following the issue closely, the war hasn’t exactly seeped out into the streets.
At least not if the “crowd” gathered Tuesday night in front of the S.C. State House is any indication.
Only five protesters had assembled at this unofficial “protest spot” as of 6:15 p.m., three of them holding the “IMPEACH SANFORD – PEOPLE NEED THE $$$ NOW!!” sign pictured above, and the other two (an elderly couple) holding handwritten signs thanking the governor for taking a principled stand on behalf of the taxpayers.
Five people. Three signs. Two opinions.
How underwhelming.
By Wes Wolfe March 31, 2009 at 6:42 pm
You should show up for the demo tomorrow. Should be a decent crowd, or so I hear.
By fitsnews March 31, 2009 at 6:47 pm
We bet it will be a crowd. It’s amazing the amount of government employees you can rope together when you use taxpayer-provided resources to do so.
Wait … this may have even been a “prequel” to all that taxpayer-funded razzmatazz tomorrow …
-FITS
By ahnolt March 31, 2009 at 7:31 pm
vat a bunch of loo’-zahs.
By anonymous March 31, 2009 at 11:57 pm
FACEBOOK MEMBERS CALL FOR THE IMPEACHMENT OF MARK SANFORD
http://www.wistv.com/global/video/flash/popupplayer.asp?ClipID1=3604848&h1=Sanford%27s%20stance%20has%20plenty%20of%20people%20talking%2C%20Jack%20Kuenzie%20reports&vt1=v&at1=Political&d1=183300&LaunchPageAdTag=Political&activePane=info&rnd=92182411
By Earl Capps April 1, 2009 at 6:49 am
Nobody is asking the question of how much it will constrict the economy when the debt has to be paid off.
Maybe I’m missing something here, but doesn’t borrowed money have to be paid back, either through higher taxes or printing more money?
By vic nettles April 1, 2009 at 8:20 am
How could the citizens of SC ellect this idiot
By JustWondern April 1, 2009 at 8:30 am
Correct Earl. But the people who look for ‘entitlement’ money usually dont have to pay much in taxes. You and I wont see any of that money, but we sure as hell will have to pay it back.
By Toyota Kawaski April 1, 2009 at 8:58 am
We taxpayers will have to pay it back regardless of what Gov.Moonbeam does so why not take it
By T4 April 1, 2009 at 8:59 am
The lack of people at the demonstratin is a pretty realistic depiction of voter apathy in SC rather than people truly against Sanford. The only people who care enough to show up are a mere fraction of the dissenting, in Columbia.
Budget cuts and public “dog and pony shows” are about all Sanford has done for South Carolina…I love a stagnant state! Cuz I ain’t for nun of that change! I digress, SANFORD 2012…what a hack!
By John April 1, 2009 at 9:41 am
First, don’t take the money. Second, refuse to enforce the taxes and whatnot to repay the money we didn’t take. Third, secession. That is all.
By mackone April 1, 2009 at 12:37 pm
For some reason I am not hearing the voice of reason from either side.
Do we or don’t we need additional money for education? Maybe. I seem to remember seeing that there some reserve funds that could be tapped until something could be worked out. I also question the fact that we are hearing an awful lot of rhetoric but very little facts from only one side. And those are limited.
Let’s stop with the, we may have to lay off teachers, policemen, cut programs and all the associated arguments that are, frankly, getting old. Why have we not put more effort into getting the parties together and try and live within what we have. We have to get familiar with the old saying that it is very difficult on the original purpose of draining the pond, when you are up to you ass in alligators.
Could it be that we are not paying as much attention to education as we are athletic facilities and extra curricular programs? Could it be that our from school to work programs are eating up valuable time and resources that could be better spent on the basics of education, or maybe using entirely too much of lottery money for college, and not to where it could do the most good?
This may not be the answer but right now all I seem to be hearing is blame and excuses. Where are the answers? We have to start somewhere.
I read that the Governor had offered to accept the stimulus money in question if the state legislature would come up with a plan to pay down the debt. We need to understand that the credit rating of the state is critical to any future growth. Check with the State Treasurer and see what a lower credit rating would do to the state. We cannot afford that fiasco.
We hear such an outcry everytime the subject of school choice comes up. I have to shake my head an wonder what is the issue. What we are doing is obviously not working. Kids are failing, we rank at the bottom of almost every education issues but no one wants to change. I have always heard that the definition of stupidy is doing the same thing in the same way each day and expect a different. Maybe we should check the reasons some people don’t want change. We need it, our kids need it and our state needs it.
Why can’t we get together and use what logical sense we have and try to compromise. The word that means nobody wins, but it stops all the petty bickering so that government can move on to doing what it is designed to do.
By Denise Galub April 2, 2009 at 12:39 pm
To Vic, I see public school with all the Federal Money did not teach you how to spell correctly. ELECT not ELLECT. Glad I Home Schooled my 3 children.
By haha home school October 20, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Glad to see your home schooling promotes the arbitrary capitalization of letters.