Oh for God's sake, why doesn't Mark Sanford just announce that he's running for president in 2012 and get it over with?
Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina has just announced that he will reject about $700 million in federal stimulus money for his state, in his continuing battle with the White House over ways the money can be used.
Mr. Sanford was responding to the Obama administration’s second rejection of his requests to use about $700 million of South Carolina’s anticipated $2.8 billion in stimulus money to pay down some of the state’s debt.
For a champion of the party that has English-only written into its platform, Sanford certainly seems to have a lot of difficulty with the language. From a White House press release:
Further, there should be no confusion about how this money should be spent.
Are you listening, Governor?
First, to -- money to put in people's pockets ...
Second, the purpose is to create jobs in the near term ...
And third, to make investments in those areas that would create the jobs of the future.
So no, the money can't be used to pay down South Carolina's debt. Of course Mark Sanford knows that.
But the Democratic National Committee isn't letting Sanford's grandstanding slide. They've been running an ad aimed at the people Sanford allegedly serves:
An economy in crisis. Record unemployment. Skyrocketing foreclosures. South Carolina is facing tough times -- but Governor Sanford is playing politics instead of doing what's right. Turning down millions in recovery act funds, putting politics ahead of health care, jobs and schools. Leading Democrats and Republicans oppose Sanford's move. Tell Governor Sanford: Stop Playing Politics With South Carolina's Future.