Governors Sanford And Perry Reject Federal Aid For Unemployed

Hebiclens renders the demented Governor of South Carolina

After Michigan, South Carolina has the worst unemployment rate in the U.S.-- north of 10%. They also have one of the worst governors anywhere-- if not the worst: Mark Sanford (picture by Hebiclens above). The good news for South Carolina is that Sanford is term-limited out. The bad news for South Carolina is that an even more extreme sociopath, Gresham Barrett, is likely to replace him. They deserve him. On the other hand, what's really scary, is that Sanford is determined to run for vice-president... of the United States... of America.

And his campaign slogan? "Ah turned down the stimulus money." The $700 million was meant to help unemployed workers and to keep other workers-- like school teachers-- from being fired. But Sanford's political calculus doesn't include unemployed workers or teachers. He's trying to appeal to the furthest right base of what's left of the Republican Party in dark corners of Idaho, Wyoming, Georgia, Texas, Utah... places like that.

House Speaker Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, said the $700 million can help state agencies, such as the Department of Education, transition to smaller budgets over a few years rather than taking the hit at once. Charleston Mayor Joe Riley urged Sanford to change his mind. ‘Paying off the debt does nothing for the schoolteacher who is losing a job or the probation officer who is being laid off,’ he said. House Minority Leader Harry Ott, D-St. Matthews, said the House, which passed its budget early Wednesday, plans to use the money as a one-time fix. ‘The recovery money was intended to fix some problems, specifically in the education budget, but also to help generate jobs,’ he said. As the jockeying around the $700 million continues, the state Senate will begin debating the state budget.

The South Carolina legislature is very Republican-- and very angry at Sanford's perfidy and self-centered decision.

While some local lawmakers may agree in theory with Gov. Mark Sanford’s proposal to use stimulus money to pay down the state’s debt, they’re also questioning its practicality and the governor's priorities. Sanford said he will seek a waiver from President Barack Obama to use $700 million of the $2.8 billion allotted to South Carolina to pay debts and contingent liabilities. ‘First of all, he is operating on the premise that he can get a waiver from the president to allow those funds to be used that way,’ Rep. Bill Sandifer said. ‘I personally do not feel there is any possibility of getting such a waiver. The stimulus package was written in such a way that the funds are designated for very specific things, with very specific conditions on their use.  Beyond that Sandifer also said he and others in the General Assembly were irked by Sanford’s waiting to announce his intentions until after the House had passed on a spending bill to the Senate under the assumption they’d have all stimulus moneys at their disposal.

Brad Woodhouse of the DNC, summed up the whole sordid matter pretty well: "Mark Sanford is putting his personal ambition ahead of the people of South Carolina by cow-towing to the Rush Limbaugh-led, obstructionist wing of the Republican Party. Now is not the time to politicize these practical steps to create jobs in South Carolina and across the country.  Governor Sanford should stop playing politics and work with leaders from both parties who want to use the economic recovery funds to help create jobs, fix our schools, reform our health care system, make America energy independent, and lay the foundation for long-term growth in the 21st Century.” It looks very much like the South Carolina legislature is preparing to tell Sanford to pursue his race to the bottom of the Republican barrel on his own time-- and not on the backs of struggling South Carolina families.

But guess what! Texas Governor Rick Perry, who is desperately trying to hold onto the governor's mansion in the face of a challenge from fellow winger Kay Bailey Hutchison, is trying to out-stoopid Sanford. Perry's turning down $556 million in federal stimulus money for unemployed Texans.

The announcement, following weeks of speculation about whether Perry would reject part of the massive economic stimulus package, set off charges that the governor was forsaking, for political expediency, about 45,000 Texans who need financial help fast. Conservative and business groups applauded Perry's decision.

Some Democratic lawmakers said they hoped to marshal enough votes to take the money over Perry's objection, though that would be difficult.

"Texas covers the smallest percentage of unemployed workers of any state," said Don Baylor Jr., an analyst for the Center for Public Policy Priorities, an advocate for low-income Texans. Four out of five laid-off workers are not eligible for unemployment benefits, he noted.

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, a Democrat who chairs the National Governors Association, called Perry's decision to reject the unemployment funds "stunning."

"It's a terrible call. It is based on politics," he said, adding that while the federal stimulus does require some states to add coverage, it doesn't require the changes to be permanent. Lawmakers could roll back the expansion in two years, though they are often reluctant to take away benefits from voters.

The Texas legislature, like South Carolina's, is controlled by the Republicans, and they are also rejecting their crazy governor's partisan gameplaying. The House Select Committee on Federal Economic Stabilization Funding approved a motion by a 5-1 majority, yesterday "encouraging the Legislature to make the necessary changes to enable the state to receive $555 million in federal stimulus dollars." Sorry we don't have a clown picture to Perry yet. So what happened to Bobby Jindal (UPDATE: this) and Sarah Palin? Or do they roll it out next week so it looks like a movement with momentum instead of the dead end it is-- and, of course, the elephants' graveyard?