Sanford calls Beck's latest paranoia a "conspiracy theory"

Jed Lewison for Daily Kos

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Wednesday May 20, 2009 · 5:50 PM PDT

2009/05/20 · 17:50

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Now Glenn Beck is claiming that the federal government has a secret plan to strip state governments of their authority to levy taxes, a notion so ridiculous that even South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford calls it a "conspiracy theory."

The source of Beck's latest craziness seems to be his belief that the federal government will bail out California to keep the state from going bankrupt.

How he makes the synaptic leap to his conspiracy theory is anybody's guess, but it's worth noting that while Beck sees California as a leech on states like South Carolina, California only receives $0.78 for every dollar it pays in federal taxes, while South Carolina receives $1.35.

So whose leeching off who? We report. You decide.

(In case you're on the fence, it's also worth noting that while California twice voted against making George W. Bush president, South Carolina twice voted to put him in office. In fact, without South Carolina, the Bush recession never would have happened, because Al Gore would have won the presidency.)

Transcript below the fold.

Transcript:

BECK: People are moving away from these states that have gigantic income taxes that are out of control. The government has got to stop the exit. They've got to block the exits.

So, if they bail out California, they bail out Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, what would stop them from saying, "You know what, let's just stop with the state taxes because we just all have to be in this together, we just all have to help each other"? And instead of -- instead of rewarding states like yours or Texas, that's trying to be responsible, they will just penalize.

They'll just take that money and it will be the end of state rights.

STEIN: I think that's part of the plan.

BECK: I do, too.

...

BECK: So, do you believe that that is an agenda point? Do you believe that there is -- there is any kind of serious thought that, yes, we could do that?

SANFORD: I hope not. And again, I don't believe in the conspiracy theory.

BECK: No, no, no. I'm not...

SANFORD: I'll just give people the benefits of the doubt. I give them the benefit of the doubt and I'll say, it's just incredibly stupid policy that's going to really encumber my four boys, your kids and grandkids, and a lot of other folks that are out there.

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Sanford calls Beck's latest paranoia a "conspiracy theory"

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