South Carolina Governor: Obama Stimulus Will Turn U.S. Into Zimbabwe

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford warned yesterday that the recently-signed stimulus bill could spur a Zimbabwe-style economic collapse. According to CNN:

"What you're doing is buying into the notion that if we just print some more money that we don't have and send it to different states, we'll create jobs," he said. "If that's the case, why isn't Zimbabwe a rich place?"

Zimbabwe has been in the throes of an economic meltdown ever since the southern African nation embarked on a chaotic land reform program. Its official inflation rate topped 11 million percent in 2008, with its treasury printing banknotes in the trillion-dollar range to keep up with the

Sanford has long sparred with the federal government over social spending outlays -- first over unemployment, but now on a much larger scale over the $2.8 billion in stimulus funds directed towards South Carolina. According to Sanford, whose state is second only to Michigan in unemployment, he will turn down a quarter of the stimulus funds unless he is permitted to direct it towards paying down South Carolina's debt, CNN reports.

However, other South Carolina officials are questioning the wisdom as well as the feasibility of Sanford's hard-nosed position. According to South Carolina's local UpstateToday.com:

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.

"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."

Sanford's statements this week have provoked umbrage from some federal lawmakers, namely House Majority Whip James Clyburn, spurring a heated exchange of words. As Politico reports:

"I don't know what he's talking about," said Clyburn. "Nobody else talked about any kind of debt retirement program."

In response to Clyburn's comments, Sanford Communications Director Joel Sawyer said, "Representative Clyburn has made clear during his time in Congress that he's never met a spending increase he didn't like. The governor's proposal to use these funds for debt repayment is the only responsible way to proceed in the face of a stimulus bill that even the Congressional Budget Office has said will prove to be a drag on the economy in the long run."

Also from Politico, Glen Thrush spoke with Clyburn Thursday and got the South Carolina representative to expound on the implications of Sanford's remarks:

House Minority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) told me he thinks S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford's quip comparing President Obama's stimulus package to Zimbabwe's economic policies are "beyond the pale" -- and suggested they might carry a racial subtext.

...

Asked if his "beyond the pale" comment implied a racial overtone to Sanford's remarks, Clyburn replied:

"I'm sure he would not say that, but how did he get to Zimbabwe? What took the man to Zimbabwe? Someone should ask him if that's really the best comparison. ... How can he compare this country's situation to Zimbabwe?"

Responding to Clyburn's insinuations, Governor Sanford's spokesman replied, "Rep. Clyburn always plays the race card."

Comments

[ZimbabweanAndProud]

Using Zimbabwe is out of line. The Governors comparison of the US Stimulus package to Zimbabwe is like comparing apples to oranges. Zimbabwe's problems did not arise from the Zimbabwean Government printing money. Zimbabwe may have the highest inflation rate, but we are surviving. Yes we are. In Zimbabwe with the little resources we have we are trying educate our people and I am confidant that if were to go to Zimbabwe and pull out a student who walks 2 hours to school with no shoes and sits in a sub-standard class room, shares a book with 5 other students in class. Then go to South Carolina's most disadvantage area education wise and select a student of the same age as his Zimbabwean peer the Zimbabwean will excel, thanks to Zimbabwe's high literacy rate. (It has been the highest in Africa for years). So please Governor Mark Sanford do not use Zimbabwe in this way we do not appreciate.

[Justo Montoya]

at least you disagree with the content of what he is saying rather than just dismiss it as a subtle racial attack. I disagree with you the FED's M3 measurement of the money supply show that money has expanded to unprecedented rates so hyper-inflation is a very realistic situation. This is not a problematic of just Obama but of all of Washington.

[maxfax]

So.Carolina is 2nd only to Michigan in unemployment, while Sanford seeks to reject a large portion of the stimulus, and use another portion to pay down state debt, an obvious act to create good sound bites for his future run for president.

What is wrong with Southern Governors? They don't want benefits for unemployed, jobs, education, or healthcare for their citizens.

Is this the "plantation mindset?"

[maxfax]

From Forbes worse schools in the country, South Carolina tops the list with the most. Then there is proof that even the beauty queens are not too smart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww

What is it with Southern governors, they don't want their constituents to be educated or healthy.

[kgirlSC]

I have to say I do agree, "the reason the Old South continues to re-elect Republicans is education. Southerners, by and large, are not well-informed and often vote against their own best interests." I grew up and was educated in the north. I moved to South Carolina several years ago and I am very involved in the school system. In a state where educators are always complaining about being over worked and under paid, I was shocked by the number of Southern teachers who are republican and do not push for unions! Everyday we are having budget cuts in our schools, yet the governor is turning down this money?? I can understand paying off debt when times are good, but to turn down money during times like this is just irresponsible. How is the young girl in Dillon ever going to get her school repaired without the stimulus money? How will the other children of SC, rich or poor, get the education they need to compete in the real world? What will the SC governor do to improve the unemployment rate in South Carolina? South Carolina is number two in the country for unemployment!

[Elizabeth Shaw-Duffey]

I completely agree. I was a teacher in South Carolina for two years and I came from the north. I cannot believe the serious issues that teachers and students are faced with on a daily basis because of a lack of funding. When I saw the movie, "The Corridor of Shame," I was appalled. How can anyone think that it is okay for students to have to endure such conditions? How can Governor Sanford know about these conditions and still turn down money that could help??? Would he allow his own children to attend schools like those in the corridor of shame? It makes me sick to think that there is a way to help these schools and he is turning away. Our children need help...speaking from experience...South Carolina students do not have the same level of education that students from other states do. We need this money to repair the damage that has been starring us in the face for a long time.

[jinsei]

I don't understand why anyone could be proud of poverty! I would be so proud if I could say that my country
(the U.S.) has no poverty. If America is the country with a 0-sum-game then I honestly don't want to live here. Humans are social creatures and no matter what, no individual lives entirely unto himself or herself.

[Oldchef]

The parts of the stimulus package that the Republican governors (South Carolina, Texas, and Louisiana, so far) want to turn down are those that are tying to help their citizens who are out of work by extending the unemployment insurance for a longer period. These governors don't seem to care about the hardships being faced by their citizens. They're concerned (if you can believe it) that this will result in their having to raise the unemployment tax on businesses; no concern for those people trying to pay their bills and buy some groceries while trying to find a job, just knee-jerk reaction to the possibility of raising taxes by a small amount on business. Sanford, of course, can't run again, so he'll be looking for some position with big business after his term is up. Could be part of his reasoning?

[edwcorey]

It should be all or nothing. The states refusing are backwaters of civilization. If they refuse any part of the package, they lose the whole package, and their portion should be divvied up by the states that accept. Let South Carolina and Texas stew in their own juices.

[TakingBackTheUSA]

Hear Hear!!!

[bilmardre]

Wonder why Sanford didn't choose Iceland for comparison?

[jinsei]

He probably thinks Iceland is another name for the North Pole or something :)

[BassMent]

No scary Africans there. Just elves.

[jpmdevildog]

Sanford: “Zimbabwe has a staggering 11 million percent interest rate! Can you even fathom that? A gumball would cost $27,500. A vente soy chai skim milk latte with a sprinkle of pumpkin spice would cost $526,900.”

http://weeklyworldnews.com/politics/6890/clyburns-zimbabwe-remark/

[DestinationsUnknown]

Sanford is allowing Richard Rainwater's wife, the 'queen of corporate bankruptcy' (Fortune), write SC 's new tax code.

[123dee]

In his CPAC convention speech last month, Sanford provided a novel take on the
2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster that killed 1,836 people along the Gulf Coast.

Where many Americans saw pictures of dire poverty in the wreckage, Sanford said he
“saw something more unsettling.”

“What I saw were images of dependency,” Sanford said.

Some of the blame, he said, lay with people who lived in dangerous, low-lying areas.

[Dark Sphere]

Making a mountaing out of a mole hill. Sick and tired of our "Black Leaders" using race to stir up non issues...typical

[sueno]

The stimulus bill will help "poor" people
regardless of color, but in this case, schools in S.C.
are continually forgotten on purpose-
People just want what's theirs,
just like the tax cuts that you enjoy robbing
from those less fortunate than yourself.
I don't know what "mountain" that you live on,
but a lot of people are suffering, so that you can live better-

[Dark Sphere]

Tax cuts robbing the poor??!!! That is laughable. The poor don't pay taxes (Income). As a matter of fact, the bottom 50% of wage earners don't pay taxes.

Since when is up to you or the Government to decide who gets to keep their hard earned money!!?? Again, that is socialism, whether you want to hear it or not.

No one is stopping the poor from getting educated and working.

[eden4barack08]

So you can defend the comparison to Zimbabwe with a straight face?

[ltyler01]

I believe Sanford purposely used Zimbabwe to inject a level of fear of a certain black US leader.

I have no doubt in my mind this was his intention.

[learntofly]

Totally agree.

[REDSTATEREFUGEE]

Bottom line? Just another dreary Southern neo-conservative working against improving the lot of his state's people. The reason that the Old South continues to re-elect Republicans is education. Southerners, by and large, are not well-informed and often vote against their own best interests, sustaining the likes of Mark Sandford in South Carolina and Rick Perry in Texas, just to name a couple.

[eden4barack08]

Yup, and they're fighting tooth and nail to keep the poor, poor, and the uneducated, uneducated. Fighting for their political survival at the cost of people's LIFE survival.
We need an end to these shameful tactics.

[Justo Montoya]

It is this kind of attitude that makes the GOP tactic of labeling democrats and progressives as elitists so effective. All this nonsense about southerners being uneducated idiots who are not aware is really offensive.
Mark Sandford is not a neo-conservative. Neo-cons advocated for the welfare state. Katrina did show dependency in Texas people were smart enough to rebuild Galveston's infrastructure without federal funds. And nobody should be forced to subsidize the risk of people who chose to live in areas prone to flooding. The Zimbabwe analogy is appropriate (and not race related in anyway, thats stupid) because that government has monetized their debt to the point where their currency is now useless just like we are doing with these stimulus and bailouts.

[hortonhearsawho2]

Secede again and we will just leave it at that...

[arvay]

Racial "subtext?"

Seems fairly clear to me, this guy is saying that the US president has something very important in common with a crazy African leader who's ruined his country. Anything unclear about that?

This may kelp Klan recruiting in his state, but in the long run the Republicans are going to continue sinking with the "Southern strategy" millstone around their necks.

Keep at it, Republicans, we salute your irrelevance!

[hortonhearsawho2]

Exactly, not one mention of turning into some poor White dominated country....Hey, we might turn into the south...

[realitychecks]

Down here with Jindal,I'm thinking I'd rather be somewhere else.