Obama’s Top Stimulus Foe Launches TV Ad
EmailABC News’ Teddy Davis reports: South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) is taking to the airwaves to defend his decision to reject $700 million in federal stimulus dollars. "For me, the easy thing would be to accept money handed out from Washington," Sanford says in the ad. "But the easy thing isn’t always the right thing." Watch it by clicking here. The ad featuring Sanford is paid for by Carolinians for Reform, a 501(c)3 group. The group is spending $230,000 to air the ad statewide in South Carolina. It follows an ad from the Democratic National Committee which accused Sanford, who is eyeing a 2012 run for president, of playing politics on the stimulus. Sanford’s television ad prompted a new round of criticism from the DNC. "It’s not surprising that Governor Sanford feels he needs to spend a quarter of a million dollars defending himself in a television ad after rejecting millions in funding for his state," said DNC spokesman Hari Sevugan in a statement released to reporters. "Then again, if I had rejected $700 million for schools and public safety, I’d feel the need to go on TV and defend myself too, but that doesn’t excuse Governor Sanford for putting his political ambitions ahead of the needs of South Carolinians." Informed about the DNC’s latest criticism, Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer shot back, saying: "There’s a certain irony in the Democrats’ statement, given that it was not long ago they began airing political attack ads against Governor Sanford over his desire to pay down debt with stimulus money. So much for the new kind of politics we were promised by candidate Obama." In an interview with the Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza, Sanford acknowledged that he is taking heat in South Carolina for his decision. "The political math on it is certainly clear — it’s a political loser," said Sanford. "It is burning not building political capital." While Sanford is taking heat in his home state, he continues to believe, as he says in the ad, that "going further into debt will not solve a problem that was created by too much debt." The question looming over his potential 2012 bid for the GOP’s presidential nomination is whether he can win a national following among conservatives for standing up to the president on this issue.
Gulf of Mexico to Become Gulf of America? 
Can Mitt Romney Win Conservatives Back?
Hope this guy does lose his bid for re-election. The R’s are only thinking of themselves – it is about time all politicians start thinking about the Americans suffering in poverty, living in tents or worse, living on the streets, no jobs to be found and no health benefits. Voters in the Chicago area certainly sent incumbents packing in Tuesday’s election. I am sure there are more politicians that will suffer the same fate in the next few elections.
Posted by: WindyCityLady | April 9, 2009, 5:00 pm 5:00 pm
At last, someone standing up the the Messiah and the DNC….what a refreshing note. I notice the author did not call him a rascist. This is probably the first time someone has said no to the Messiah and not been called a racist.
Posted by: quarter | April 9, 2009, 5:40 pm 5:40 pm
Sanford to the unemployed:
F off. South Carolina’s unemployed are my stepping stone to the Republican nomination for president.
Posted by: John | April 9, 2009, 5:46 pm 5:46 pm
Uh Rush….what should we do now?
Posted by: Mack | April 9, 2009, 5:58 pm 5:58 pm
“I know that you’re hungry and unemployed, but my career aspirations MUST come first.”
Posted by: Mack | April 9, 2009, 6:25 pm 6:25 pm
Those wallowing in the proceeds of their GREED … their Selfish and Irresponsible behavior guilty of the destruction of the economic stability of the Middle Class… are squealing for more tax-cuts for the Wealthy … More Pork for their War Profiteering ..
While unemployed families wonder about the next meal for their children.
These PIGS have no shame.
Posted by: John in MI | April 9, 2009, 6:32 pm 6:32 pm
This is a joke. Someone go tell Sanford that he’s supposed to be dealing with the needs of the citizens of South Carolina and not his own political career…
http://www.political-buzz.com/
Posted by: matt | April 9, 2009, 7:20 pm 7:20 pm
The Census is hiring ACORN, Obama’s buddies, to do the Census. It will only take a few million of taxpayer money to get ACORN to do what they do best- which is fraud. By skewing Census results they can gerrymander the districts to keep more Dems in power in Congress.
Posted by: jschmidt | April 9, 2009, 8:37 pm 8:37 pm
Mark Sandord understands what many people, including political mavens and those uneducated in basic economocs do not – that the “free” money he takes today will have to come from somewhere else tomorrow. That “Somewhere else” is from the pockets of the citizens of SC. Like most of the Welfare dependent, gimmeitnow minded, no one cares that continued upkeep of infrastucture costs. Sanford has always gotten elected and re-elected by the PEOPLE, even when SC’s own Repandering Party wanted him out, because he looks out for the future and the taxpayers. There is a dearth of common sense in this country, those with it support Sanford.
Posted by: SCGranny | April 10, 2009, 8:59 am 8:59 am
How about using stimulus money to build a bridge over South Carolina?
Posted by: Bill Graves | April 10, 2009, 1:21 pm 1:21 pm
Thankfully, Mark Sanford stands against guys like Barack Obama who would rather spend tens of thousands of dollars on a pizza than defend their country against wasteful pork “stimulus” packages that burden ourselves and our children.
Posted by: NPage | April 10, 2009, 3:51 pm 3:51 pm
Governor Sanford says: “… going further into debt will not solve a problem that was created by too much debt.”
Maybe the stimulus works like this:
(1) The national government is in deep debt because of spending money it did not have and borrowing large sums of money so it could keep on spending. Much of the borrowing was from from unsavory characters (countries); characters with lousy human rights records, with histories of supporting terrorism; some, long time haters of the USA.
(2) So to help our economy, the national government, gives the big banks and manufactures huge sums of money from the tax payers coffers so that the big banks and manufactures can lend us back our money or use our money to manufacture products that they will charge us interest on; even though it is our money they are using to do this with.
(3) The People, slowly emerging from personal debt, will now be bombarded with advertisements to go to the banks and borrow money; go to manufactures’ retail outlets and purchase, on credit, certain products (whether they are needed or not); to use their freed-up credit card purchasing power to purchase even more products (whether they need them or not). All of this puts the People back into debt they have been trying so hard to rid themselves of. Remember, the money that the banks and manufactures are using to put the People back into deep debt, once belonged to the People. That is before the national government convinced the People that if the big banks and the big manufactures were not saved, using the People’s money, then untold suffering would ensue. That’s why they created the phrase: “Freeing-up the Credit Markets.” The government wants the People to incur debt. Why?
(4) So the People, enraptured by MEN OF WORDS, bowed their heads and when asked, “Are you True Believers?” said, “Yes, we are.” (A little play on Eric Hoffer’s “The True Believer.” All the while the big bank managers, the Wall Street tycoons, the big manufacturing bosses, are resting in a millionaire’s retreat. By the way: What does $10 million look like?
Posted by: Percy | April 10, 2009, 4:04 pm 4:04 pm
The Census is hiring ACORN, Obama’s buddies, to do the Census. It will only take a few million of taxpayer money to get ACORN to do what they do best- which is fraud. By skewing Census results they can gerrymander the districts to keep more Dems in power in Congress.
Posted by: jschmidt | Apr 9, 2009 8:37:27 PM
Gerrymandering? The Republicans have that down pat in Texas. Look up Texas re-districting 2003. Don’t tell me that a neighborhood group like ACORN has any power. There is nothing they can do but count people. Please clean up your own house before trying to find fault in others. FU
Posted by: butterfly | April 10, 2009, 6:32 pm 6:32 pm
It takes courage to say no in the face of “free” money. It looks so easy, but it’s not, and it’s not free. The stimulus money is only for a short period of time. Where is the money to come from for those programs when the stimulus money is gone? This is a well considered choice. The GREEDY are the states at the trough lapping up the $$$ with no thought to the future. Typical congressmen. Don’t think, just spend.
Posted by: Gary | April 10, 2009, 9:26 pm 9:26 pm
Republicans, didn’t you all create this mess? Would there have to be a need for a stimulus if it were not for the Republican rule spending that put the country on its knees and practically on its face?
Posted by: Brenda | April 10, 2009, 11:46 pm 11:46 pm
There was no need for a stimulus. There was a need for a tax rebate, or tax breaks all around. That was the only stimulus that was necessary. COMPANIES were engaged in bad spending which should have spelled their ruin. instead we have government attempting to seize the assets of this country. When that process is finalized, the only ones with wealth will be the ones willing to submit themselves to the rule a party. Research what Hugo Chavez did in Argentina and tell me it doesn’t sound familiar.
Posted by: NPage | April 11, 2009, 2:59 pm 2:59 pm
Democrats blame Republicans and Repubs blame the Dems. I blame our President and Congress, past and present, along with the Federal Reserve. They all knew this was coming, ALL, and did nothing to stop it. The Federal Reserve Bank, a privately owned entity, is the one benefiting from this mess, along with the others who help cause it; banks and brokers. It is time to call for the abolition of the Federal Reserve and demand this country goes back to the gold standard, as outlined by the Constitution.
Posted by: Michiel W | April 11, 2009, 4:44 pm 4:44 pm
are the dems saying we don’t have the right to question how our tax money is spent?
Posted by: big al | April 12, 2009, 4:39 pm 4:39 pm
Mr. Stamford: Hope you don’t plan to get re-elected. How you can be so anti Obama from the start blows my mind. Not one of you (Rep.)have given our new president a break. From the first week, Mr. Boexner has not stopped bashing him about one thing or another. Negativity produces more negativity and unfortunately for you it will backfire. How about some Americanism and stand by our president at least for a year like we did for Bush?
Posted by: talmag | April 13, 2009, 10:41 am 10:41 am