SC student Ty’Sheoma Bethea’s hopes dashed by Sanford’s decision to reject $500m in education funds.
SC student Ty’Sheoma Bethea’s hopes dashed by Sanford’s decision to reject $500m in education funds.
Yesterday, ThinkProgress reported that Gov. Mark Sanford’s (R-SC) decision to reject $700 million of stimulus funds could result in the firing of up to 7,500 teachers across the state, more than $500 million of which was slated to fill in the massive education budget deficit. Last night, CNN’s Jessica Yellin visited Ty’Sheoma Bethea, the South Carolina student who pleaded with Congress to save her crumbling school. Sanford’s decision, Yellin pointed out, means Bethea’s school will remain in disrepair. Watch it:
Pete Pillow, spokesman for the state’s education department told ThinkProgress yesterday that if Sanford’s decision holds up, “then we’re in a real world of hurt because of all the cuts that are going on. And it isn’t going to get any better. It’s not like the economy’s going to turn around in the next year. Not in this state anyway.”
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The Think Fast thread has a very appropriate response to Gov. Sanford, from Texas:
State senator Wendy Davis (D) said, “After declaring his unconscionable decision today…Gov. Perry will be resting comfortably tonight in a home paid for by Texas taxpayers.”
The naked disdain that “conservatives” hold for the economically disadvantaged is becoming more and more blatant. One can only hope that working class people who have been buffaloed by the Republicans for years will begin to see more clearly who has their real interest at heart — and it’s not Gov. Sanford.
March 13th, 2009 at 10:04 amScumford is redirecting the stimulus money to the state’s deficit, not rejecting it. He is accepting it, but not using it for it’s intended purpose.
March 13th, 2009 at 10:07 amThis is Hooverville 2.0
http://www.pufferfishblog.com/
March 13th, 2009 at 10:07 amSouth Carolina has the fastest rising rate of unemployment.
March 13th, 2009 at 10:08 amSanford is up against term limits so he doesn’t have to run again and this is his opening salvo in the race for the GOP nomination.
He cares for no one but himself.
Prick.
When Bush implemented a stimulus last year, most people used their pittance to pay down credit cards or to buy gas at $4.50/gallon (Exxon/Cheney, I’m looking at you!)
Sanford is going to do the same thing with money intended to stimulate the economy. The question is, will congress or the administration do anything to prevent him? Weren’t there mandates included on how the money could be spent?
PEACE
March 13th, 2009 at 10:11 amThese southern republicans are a strange lot. They seem to assume that none of their constituents can read. I guess by refusing funding for schools they plan on keeping it that way
March 13th, 2009 at 10:12 amPlease, President Obama and Congress, take back every mis-allocated nickel from this poseur.
March 13th, 2009 at 10:13 amThis kind of mindset is why the South is still so far behind the rest of teh nation in terms of racism, gay rights, women’s rights, etc.
After growing up in Georgia, I lived in California for a while, and then came back. I’m ready to go again…
March 13th, 2009 at 10:15 amThis Republicant will stand up for his priciples, right? What precisely does that mean? How is this ‘principled’ stand helping one person in his state? Aside from any Presidential fantsies, how is this ‘principled’ stand costing him? Principles should Compel him to find out what needs doing at that school, reaching into his own pocket to buy the materials, then doing what needs to be done to fix the blasted problem. However preening and posturing will get so much more exposure, and appearing ‘principled’ will get nods of approval from the 23%ers, once again. Maybe he should remember this thought, whatsoever you do to the least of my people, that you do unto me (Matthew, 25:40).
March 13th, 2009 at 10:18 amMy thinking is that IF the people of his state get educated, then they’ll want more money from their employers. You know, the folks he worships at the feet of…
March 13th, 2009 at 10:21 amWe are ready for another great “experiment in democracy”. Tell these Republican-run states that they do not have to take the stimulus money but if they do it must be spent the way the Democrats intended. Then, let’s see if the non-stimulus states recover as fast as the stimulus states. I, for one, doubt it.
March 13th, 2009 at 10:21 amSanford’s setting a dangerous precedent. Nearly every State in the Union is facing deficits. If he gets away with balancing the State budget, which he’s responsible for, with stimulus funds, a domino effect will be seen with many other States.
Congress made accountability mistakes with TARP. Let’s not allow it with stimulus monies.
March 13th, 2009 at 10:25 amThis is what happens when you live in an ideological vacuum that is devoid of context (reality). You vote against expanding children healthcare (SCHIP), simply because it is a government program, argue for more tax cuts for the rich, even after they failed, and you deny your constituents’ children necessary funds for school, because it’s goes against your narrow belief that the federal government can do no good.
March 13th, 2009 at 10:27 amAny southern governor who believes he (and they are all “he” if you haven’t noticed) can ignore federal guidelines on use of stimulus dollars and redeploy to nonstimulative purposes has forgotten about some unpleasantness in the 1860s that resolved the question of federal-state supremacy. If Perry, Jindal and Sanford want to reject funds fine but I suggest Obama go a little further. The vast majority of these states are welfare queens to begin with, pulling in far more in federal funds than the income taxes they pay. Let’s cut that money out and see how they do. South Carolina and Louisiana are already close to third world status. Let’s see how their Republican administrations do when they don’t have all those federal funds pouring in.
March 13th, 2009 at 10:32 amLemme see if I have the GOP mindset right…
“Students who are in crumbling schools are there because they CHOOSE to be there.”
Translation: “What’s an eighth grader going to do for ME?”
March 13th, 2009 at 10:44 amHe’s offered the good folks of South Carolina his prayers. What more do they want???
March 13th, 2009 at 10:46 amOk this is just getting ridiculous. I mean, I guess he doesnt want to be seen as a hypocrite but come on. I don’t agree with the stimulus either but just take the damn money.
March 13th, 2009 at 10:47 ampaleolib, if I could recommend your comment more than once, I would.
PEACE
March 13th, 2009 at 10:47 amAside from Sanford and Jindal, which other governors have been squawking about “principles” while their states crumble around them? Perry from Texas? I’d like to figure out who these clowns are and check to see how their approval ratings are going…
March 13th, 2009 at 10:53 amSanford and southern states governors have no love for public schools and public education to begin with.
This proves one more time that they are not interested in helping the average citezen in their states whether he or she was a student or teacher in the hope that religious schools take over.
They like the money from US government,but where does the money go is what’s difficult for them to accept.
Yesterday Gov. of Texas Rick Perry said that he likes to take the money but with no strings attached.
Their religious base always criticses public schools teachings,and Republicans leaders are doing some padering here.
Another bigger issue for Republicans now is not to see Obama’s ’stimulus plan’ succeeds,because that might sink their party’s support even lower among Americans…so they are trying to find any way to see Obama fails.
March 13th, 2009 at 10:53 amSome are not shy about saying it openly,but others taking a different approach like Sanford and company.
I think all this refusal of the stimulus money is just pure politics. They want to run for President, all three of them, Perry, Stanford, and Jindal. They think this will be a feather in their conservative hats for their own ambitions.
March 13th, 2009 at 11:16 amThe fact that families are suffering, children are not being educated is less important than their political desires. It is shameful.
Really?
One phone call from Michelle and this dude will be standing in a puddle of piss.
March 13th, 2009 at 11:46 amHippie_crusher Says:
Yet another child forever left behind by our failure to adequately fund education… Hippie_crusher, it may be too late for you, but rest assured we will get that funding through… no more children should have to spend their adult lives with such a tenuous grasp on what ‘debate’ and ‘facts’ mean.
We do it in your name, Hippie_crusher.
Your children will thank us.
March 13th, 2009 at 1:09 pmHOORAY FOR SANFORD!!!
He’s standing up for the fact that Education is a Pork-Barrel project undeserving of taxpayer dollars.
EDUCATION IS A PRIVILEDGE, NOT A RIGHT!!!
Only the Priviledged should get an education. The poor don’t deserve an education. After all, it’s not like a black child from an inner city neighborhood would ever grow up to become President!
/snark
March 13th, 2009 at 1:13 pmchat
thanks you tskler si a relask ol
March 13th, 2009 at 1:25 pmEVEN IF SC had the best schools in the nation, it wouldn’t make sense to refuse money to make them better.
And SC is very near the bottom – so why make them further behind.
Also, yesterday, some compared Sanford’s actions are robbing. But Sanford won’t see that money by refusing it. (And one could argue some neutrality as he won’t get it by accepting it as it goes to the schools).
So basically, he is either refusing the money for the fun of it, or he is even refusing money to his state out of spite.
March 13th, 2009 at 2:08 pmThe same people who call our country the greatest, are now responsible for its downfall, and its continued degradation. When will they realize?
March 13th, 2009 at 4:34 pmPerry is more or less a joke here in Texas. There were 4 candidates running for Texas Gov last election. He weaseled out a victory with something like 36% of the vote. As much as I like him, if ol’ Kinky Friedman would not have been in the running, we’d have a nice, competent Democrat for Gov.
March 13th, 2009 at 5:03 pmSanford exemplifies the GOP mantra: “I’ve got mine. To hell with everyone else.”
March 13th, 2009 at 9:11 pmSC needs to impeach the creep! he has only contempt for his constituents and cares only for his political aspirations.
March 15th, 2009 at 1:25 am