Stimulus Deadline Looms for Skeptical SC Gov. Sanford

Jokes are bad, but Sanford, Wilson messes could scare off more business

(NEWSER) - The fact that two of its more prominent politicians—Gov. Mark Sanford and Rep. Joe Wilson—are the butt of recent political jokes is no laughing matter in South Carolina, where memories of the fight over flying the Confederate flag are still scaring off business and tourism. The firestorm around Sanford has paralyzed state government, and citizens of all stripes worry that one of the worst economic situations in the US is going to get uglier. More»

(NEWSER) - The South Carolina Supreme Court has ruled that Gov. Mark Sanford must apply for $700 million in federal stimulus money aimed at education that the governor had strenuously resisted, the State reports. The state’s General Assembly had already mandated the move, but Sanford argued it had no authority to do so. Earlier this week, the GOP governor anticipated the court's decision and said he would not press it further. More»

(NEWSER) - South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is officially accepting federal stimulus funds, beating tonight’s deadline, the Washington Post reports. The state is expected to receive around $8 billion, though Sanford has continued to reject $700 million earmarked for law enforcement and education. Sanford had wanted to use that money to pay down the state’s debt. More»

Opponents can be 'guinea pigs' for alternate plans: Begala

(NEWSER) - Here’s a clear way for political leaders to oppose spending in the stimulus package: “refuse to take the money,” Paul Begala writes for CNN. Case in point: South Carolina’s governor, who opposes the plan, shouldn’t help his struggling state with federal cash. Instead, he can follow his own advice and revive the state economy through tax cuts and trade deals. “Something tells me Gov. Sanford won't take that gamble,” Begala writes. More»

Tax-free provision ended with first stimulus

(NEWSER) - With most states already swinging in the recessionary winds, more bad news—many will have to start paying interest on the money they borrow to pay unemployment benefits. When jobless levels hit the unthinkable, with some states seeing 14%-15%, many had to go cap in hand to the feds to cover the gap, ProPublica reports. Those loans, as part of the original stimulus, were interest-free, but that provision has expired and efforts to put a new one in the tax-cut deal failed. More»