Like bad beef, or a defective Pinto, one S.C. lawmaker wants to give the public the opportunity to recall statewide elected officials – including the governor.
The legislation comes amid rabid bureaucratic disdain for Gov. Mark Sanford in the wake of his decision to reject $700 million in federal “stimulus” money.
“Does this affect our current Governor? No,” says Rep. Boyd Brown (D-Winnsboro). “Did he inspire this bill? Certainly.”
Sanford asked President Barack Obama for permission to use the money to pay down debt, but Obama refused. Since then, every bureaucrat under the sun has been using taxpayer resources to protest Sanford’s decision.
The money in question represents less than 10% of the estimated $8 billion in bailout cash coming to the state this year – and an even smaller fraction of the state’s $20.4 billion budget. Also, South Carolina’s public schools currently have nearly $900 million in the bank, and their budgets – like our state’s higher ed budgets – have soared in recent years.
Still, Boyd stands a good chance of getting this bill through given lawmakers bipartisan disdain for Sanford, who unlike them actually is taking concrete action to get government to live within its means.
By calhoun fawls April 2, 2009 at 1:35 am
Recall is a bad idea. It costs taxpayers money and it prevents leaders who are duly elected from doing their duties as they see fit. There are laws in place already to remove officials who act unlawfully.
That said, if there was a recall measure in place, and Sanford was recalled, I would vote against it. While I disagree with the Governor on his stand on the stimulus money, (since we will pay for it anyway), and on things like tuition tax credits, the fact remains the people of South Carolina elected him Governor. It just seems wrong to try to snatch the job away from a duly elected Governor just because you disagree with this or that act by him. A Governor, or any other statewide official, has to be left free to act lawfully in the execution of their duties for this government of ours to work and not become a constant election gimmick.
Do I disagree with Governor Sanford on some things? You bet. Do I want to thwart the will of the people who elected him by removing him from office? Nope. I would not remove Mark Sanford for not taking stimulus money or remove Andre Bauer for getting a speeding ticket. Besides, we have not action hero actors ready to take over either office.
By Snead April 2, 2009 at 7:58 am
Look, kids! Plagiarism!
By Joshua April 2, 2009 at 11:50 am
If this passes, can we recall Jim Rex for tripling the number of educrats making $50K+?
I can think of a few State Senators I might enjoy recalling…
By BIN News Editorial Staff April 2, 2009 at 10:38 pm
More droppings from a sprayed roach.