Sanford and ‘Some’

Wednesday will mark the day Mark Sanford, governor of South Carolina, rejected “some” of the estimated $8 billion in federal stimulus money his state is slated to receive. Sanford’s anti-deficit spending stand has sparked talk that the Republican may be eyeing a 2012 presidential campaign. Updated.

Sanford announced that he wants to use $700 million in federal stimulus funds to pay down the state’s debt, not pay for social services. South Carolina’s state legislature is believed to have enough votes to overrule the governor’s plan.

The Guardian:

South Carolina governor Mark Sanford is expected today to become the first governor to formally reject some of the federal stimulus money earmarked by Congress for his state.

The move will cement Sanford’s growing reputation as a political powerhouse among Republican party stalwarts nationwide — though how much of the estimated $8bn in stimulus funds destined for South Carolina will be affected is unclear. The law allows state legislative leaders to accept funds the governor rejects.

“Our objections to the so-called stimulus bill have been well-chronicled for the way it spends money that we don’t have and for the way this printing of money could ultimately devalue the American dollar,” Sanford said on Tuesday, even as he acknowledged that he’ll accept some.

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