Sanford Blasts Bush Plans On Bailout

[Lucille]

Sanford Blasts Bush Plans On Bailout (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/15/politics/politico/thecrypt/main4668919.shtml)


(The Politico) South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is warning President Bush to back away from using the $700 billion Wall Street bailout for ailing Big Three automakers, saying doing so would fundamentally alter the nation's economy.

In a letter sent to the White House on Monday, the Republican governor says Bush would be committing a "very great mistake" that would "open the floodgates to federal monies for every distressed industry across this country -- and there will be many in this economic slowdown."

Sanford, a potential 2012 contender for the GOP nomination, is siding with the anti-bailout wing of his party that is furious with Bush for trying to prop up the Detroit automakers and help distressed banks. He also is siding with his fellow Southern politicians who have sparred with Northern Republicans who hail from manufacturing states that are heavily unionized and have a significant Big Three presence.

"And I believe we are at a tipping point in moving from a market-based economy to a politically-based economy, wherein one's success can be determined not by good decisions and hard work, but by the size of one's voice and connection to Washington," he said.

After a $14-billion auto loan package failed in the Senate last week, the White House announced it was considering reversing course and using money originally intended for banks to save the Big Three and the millions of jobs relying on them.

[mtmedlin]

He is more moderate then Ron Paul but I really like this guy. Ron mentioned him multiple time as a VP. I think he and the guy from Oklahoma (someone help me out on his name) would make a great ticket.

Problem with people like Ventura, Kucinich etc.... are that they can be dismissed too easily because they are perceived to be on the lunatic fringe. Whereas Sanford has credibility and comes from an early primary state. He may not be everything I want but he sure is the right direction. Hopefully RPF can get behind him if he runs in 2012.

[Lucille]

I know he and Ron were close in the House and he voted with Ron often. I think he's our the best chance for '12. I love Gary Johnson and would hope he'd pick him as his running mate.

Here's the pdf of the letter in full (http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/Letter%20to%20President%20George%20W.%20Bush%2012. 15.08.pdf).

[slacker921]

I can't seem to find anywhere that Sanford has blasted Bush for pre-emptive strikes. Has Sanford said anything about getting the US out of the "policing the world" business?

[RSLudlum]

Sanford is a strict fiscal conservative governor of SC which has a very high population of military. I don't recall him ever really speaking about 'policing the world', but wouldn't doubt that he believes in defense more than projected power esp. when it comes down to spending. There's many in the mililitary here that I've spoken to that think we are spread too thin and think we need to concentrate on defense more than offense.

[ClayTrainor]

I can't seem to find anywhere that Sanford has blasted Bush for pre-emptive strikes. Has Sanford said anything about getting the US out of the "policing the world" business?

I don't know much about sanford to be honest, but i do believe he supports some Foreign intervention, from posts i've read on this forum.

[RSLudlum]

I don't know much about sanford to be honest, but i do believe he supports some Foreign intervention, from posts i've read on this forum.


from Ontheissues.org (http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Mark_Sanford_Foreign_Policy.htm). But of course this was before 9/11 that most of Washington says 'changed' everything. :rolleyes:



Mark Sanford on Foreign Policy
Republican SC Governor; previously Representative (SC-1)




1997: proposed freezing State Department budget at $6.3B
International spending is about $12 billion for foreign aid and $6 billion for the State Department. My proposal only dealt with the State Department portion, and left one of Washington's sacred cows, foreign aid, untouched.
Freezing State Department funding at 1997 levels ($6.3 billion each year), as opposed to increasing it by $265 million for each of the next two years was a no-brainer to me. Every day families and businesses are asked to do more with less--was it too much to ask for the State Department to manage with what they already had?

This amendment was consistent with testimony given to the international relations committee suggesting that if we merged the two cold war programs--the US Information Agency and the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency--we would see over $1 billion in savings. This bill did indeed fold the two programs into the State Department. But instead of saving $1 billion, spending at the State Department was set to rise by $265 million!

Source: The Trust Committed to Me, by Mark Sanford, p. 79 Nov 4, 2000


Voted NO on $156M to IMF for 3rd-world debt reduction.
Vote on an amendment that would transfer $156 million from foreign military financing to the Highly Indebted Poor Countries [HIPC] Trust Fund. The HIPC Trust fund is designed to help debtor countries pay off the money they owe to multilateral agencies such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
Reference: Amendment sponsored by Waters, D-CA; Bill HR 4811 ; vote number 2000-397 on Jul 13, 2000

]Voted NO on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China. [/SIZE]
Vote to give permanent Normal Trade Relations [NTR] status to China. Currently, NTR status for China is debated and voted on annually. The measure contains provisions designed to protect the United States from Chinese import surges and the administration would have to report annually on China's compliance with the trade agreement. The bill establishes a commission to monitor human rights, labor standards and religious freedom in China.
Reference: Bill sponsored by Archer, R-TX; Bill HR 4444 ; vote number 2000-228 on May 24, 2000

Voted NO on $15.2 billion for foreign operations.
Vote on a bill to provide $15.2 billion for foreign operations in FY 2000. Among other provisions, the bill would provide $1.82 billion over three years for implementation of the Wye River peace accord in the Middle East. In addition, the measure would provide $123 million in multilateral debt relief and would contribute $25 million to the United National Population Fund.
Reference: Bill sponsored by Callahan, R-AL; Bill HR 3196 ; vote number 1999-572 on Nov 5, 1999



Sponsored bill allowing Americans to travel to Cuba.
Sanford sponsored allowing Americans to travel to Cuba
OnTheIssues.org explanation: The US government has forbidden US citizens from traveling to Cuba since the 1960s. Try booking a trip from Mexico City to Havana on travelocity.com (or any travel website) and it says, "Due to a U.S. government travel restriction we are unable to book this reservation." You can, however, purchase that same ticket while in Mexico City, or anywhere else in the world. Sanford's bill attempts to undo this long-standing situation.

OFFICIAL CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY:

Prohibits the President from regulating or prohibiting, directly or indirectly, travel to or from Cuba by US citizens, or any of specified transactions incident to such travel.
Declares that this prohibition does not authorize the importation into the US of any goods for personal consumption acquired in Cuba; &
The restrictions on the President's authority do not apply in a case in which the US is at war with Cuba.
EXCERPTS FROM BILL:

FREEDOM OF TRAVEL FOR U.S. CITIZENS AND LEGAL RESIDENTS: The President shall not regulate or prohibit travel to or from Cuba by US citizens or legal residents.
TRANSACTIONS INCIDENT TO TRAVEL: The President shall not regulate any transactions ordinarily incident to travel to or from Cuba, including the importation into Cuba or the US of accompanied baggage; the payment of living expenses; or facilitation of travel to, from, or within Cuba.
EXCEPTION: The restrictions on authority contained in section 1 do not apply in a case in which the US is at war with Cuba, armed hostilities between the two countries are in progress, or there is imminent danger to the public health or the physical safety of United States travelers.

[slacker921]

Good info there. 9/11 turned a lot of decent people into mindless fascists so I'm interested to see what Sanford has to say about interventionism and foreign policy now that things have "changed".

[Imperial]

I would be very happy with any combination of Paul, Sanford, and Johnson for the presidency on a Republican ticket.

[Bro.Butch]

Whoever pushing this guy hasn't done the research.

http://www.ontheissues.org/Mark_Sanford.htm

Check out Mark Sanford's voting record and at the bottom of the page is his Nolan Chart reading.

WE DON'T NEED TO BACK Sanford ANYTIME !!!

I wouldn't vote someone dogcater with a Nolan Chart reading like Sanford's !!!

[Eric21ND]

He's pushing for the Fed to bailout his state now. Sanford is dead to me.

[RSLudlum]

He's pushing for the Fed to bailout his state now. Sanford is dead to me.

Statement from SC Governor's office on the matter:



Governor: Unemployed Won’t be Punished for Agency’s Mismanagement
GOVERNOR TO CONTINUE AGGRESSIVE PUSH FOR ACCOUNTABILITY,
WILL ASK FOR FEDERAL LOAN IN MEANTIME

Columbia, S.C. - December 31, 2008 - Saying that he won’t allow the state’s unemployed to be punished for one agency’s utter disdain for accountability, Governor Mark Sanford announced today that he will continue aggressively pushing for transparency at the state Employment Security Commission (ESC) and will apply for a federal unemployment benefits loan.

The ESC has twice refused to sign a memorandum stating that they would cooperate with an independent audit, and that they would better share information with the state Department of Commerce - our state’s lead economic development agency. Despite their refusal to sign off on such modest accountability measures, the governor is proceeding with plans to force the ESC to deliver on the openness the state’s taxpayers deserve.

The Governor’s Office has been working with legislators to request an audit early next week, and was pleased to learn that another group of lawmakers requested one earlier today. More names are expected to be added to that request in coming days.

The Governor is also drafting a letter to the ESC Commissioners - all former legislators drawing a six-figure salary - demanding they provide the information he has requested under his Constitutional and statutory authority. The governor will specify a reasonable timeline for gathering the information. If they do not comply, the governor has the authority to remove the Commissioners, and will do so.

“It is unbelievable that any state agency would hold such outright contempt for taxpayers and the unemployed that they would refuse to sign a very simple request for audit compliance and sharing data they already collect,” Gov. Sanford said. “We will not punish the unemployed for this agency’s incompetence - but all working taxpayers need to realize that without reform, they will ultimately pay the price as the ESC has suggested doubling unemployment taxes from $300 million to $600 million a year. The agency has watched this fund run out over six years and has done nothing to prevent it. That, coupled with the fact that they’ve repeatedly tried to run from the sunlight an audit would bring tells us they have something to hide. If these Commissioners do not provide us with the information taxpayers are entitled to, they will answer for it with their jobs.”

The LAC has over 20 years experience in auditing state agencies, and has a long record of rooting out waste and abuse in state government. A report from the LAC two years ago led to sweeping changes at the state Department of Transportation (DOT), and a similar audit recently uncovered a litany of problems at the state Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN). The ESC had previously agreed to such an audit in meetings with the Governor’s Office and in media reports, before backing away from that commitment Monday. The data request the governor and the Department of Commerce have made is aimed at providing area-specific data about unemployment so that economic development efforts can be better targeted.

source (http://www.scgovernor.com/news/releases/12-31-08-2.htm)

[Lucille]

I heard about that. It is disappointing.

Sanford's Abstracted Once Again (http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/opinion/story/729501.html)

And even still, the liberals clutch their pearls over Sanford's "cruelty."

[Imperial]

I think he is a pragmatist.

I can understand his caving in, if I necessarily don't agree with it.

My personal view is we need uncompromising principalists alongside pragmatists to achieve the change we are seeking.