By FITSNews || Somebody forget to tell the S.C. House of Representatives that unlike their counterparts in Washington, D.C., it’s illegal for state government to spend money it doesn’t have. Of course, somebody obviously forgot to tell them that a year ago, too, when lawmakers racked up an unconstitutional $100 million deficit that South Carolina taxpayers remain obligated to pay.
Nonetheless, on Monday the S.C. House of Representatives appropriated $200 million in federal “stimulus” dollars to go toward the state’s soaring Medicaid tab – even though the money hasn’t yet been passed by the U.S. Congress or signed into law by President Barack Obama.
Amazingly, all but six lawmakers voted in favor of this ridiculous measure.
“Once again, leaders in the State House have elected to turn to the federal government to solve South Carolina’s problems – except this time the situation’s even worse: the almost $200 million they spent today hasn’t even been authorized by the feds,” said S.C. Rep. Nikki Haley – a GOP gubernatorial candidate and one of the six lawmakers who voted against the spending. “They have actually spent money that doesn’t yet exist.”
The cash is part of a “second stimulus” that passed the U.S. House as part of a so-called “jobs” bill, because apparently politicians in Washington still define “jobs” funding as pouring money into failed government bureaucracies.
Stay tuned for more as the S.C. House debates what would be a record-setting $21.1 billion state budget …
By Uri March 15, 2010 at 6:40 pm
Will
What is this about?
“unconstitutional $100 million deficit that South Carolina taxpayers remain obligated to pay.”
Nikki Haley is great.
By No Name March 15, 2010 at 6:45 pm
Wake up SC the State is run by folks that have made the grave era of listening to the quasi academic idiots at the BEA …….all of whom believe a recovery in eminent.
No money no money …keep saying it …because it is the only thing that matters …ignore the DC smokescreens …….find Tea Party candidates to support to run against State GOp legislators who let this happen and have no clue now of what to do.
By Lancaster Liberal March 15, 2010 at 8:10 pm
What the House voted on today was an amendment to allocate $200 million in enhanced medicaid matching funds if and when the funds become available. The amendment included language that provided that if the Federal Medicaid matching dollars, that by the way do not require additional state dollars, do not become available, the affected health agencies’ budget would revert to the original amount recommended in the Ways and Means budget. If Haley wanted to offer an alternatve she should have done so. Instead she along with her group of Mark Sanford groupies chose to pander. Being against something is easy, proposing specific solutions is not.
By Just the Facts Ma'am March 15, 2010 at 9:30 pm
It’s funny watching how a pandering politician can get praise for doing nothing but staging a response to a budgetary possibility. With the disabled constituency crowded into the ‘balcony’ Haley was shameless in playing to them and demonstrated a sickening ability to use disabled men, women, boys and girls for her own political benefit. I wouldn’t vote for her now if she is the only candidate. She’s as fake as Sanfraud.
By James T Kirk March 15, 2010 at 10:13 pm
The Nikki Haley I cant remember, what was that I cant quite hear you fest continues. She voted to take the first stimulus package. She is running for governor, all be it a failed run, so now she is against any help from the feds. Our lawmakers need to come up with a plan for continued revenue stream to fund core services and stop taking handouts, because there want be any handouts next year.