Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina got a lot of press attention in the past few days as one of several Republican governors who have said they might not accept all the federal monies that the federal stimulus bill would provide to their states.
That seems impolitic, if not downright stupid, to me - a commitment to principle over common sense, dogma over practicality. Most states are facing big budget deficits with which federal money in nearly any category would surely help. Unemployment is a problem in most states; South Carolina is no exception. Wouldn't the voters of South Carolina benefit, if not from economic stimulus or jobs (that Gov. Sanford says won't come), then at least by paying less tax, having more access to unemployment benefits, or seeing fewer state programs cut? On the other hand, Gov. Sanford is known for his conservative views on economic issues, and he has a conservative base to cater to, so maybe he knows best where his political bread is buttered. So let's wait to see whether Sanford rejects federal dollars, and to what extent. Then let the voters decide. Sanford will be up for reelection in 2010.
Not content with that simple solution, however, the Majority Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman James Clyburn, coincidentally also from South Carolina, proved the greater fool theory, seeking to turn the matter into an issue of race. Clyburn of course has his own political constituency to play to, but he has said publicly that Sanford's and other governors' rejection of stimulus money would be "a slap in the face" to African-Americans in the state. That may be true, but I see signs that the election of Barack Obama as President has subtly altered the effectiveness of that approach. I don't mean to suggest that racism is dead, far from it (see Race: Ideal and Reality) but I do think this is one of the ways in which we can say that we are now in a "post-racial" era. Playing the race card has a different effect on the game now; it is unlikely to be as politically compelling, and it won't be helpful to the new President. Clyburn, Jesse Jackson, and other African-American political leaders need to start understanding how that will alter their strategies.
There are also reports that Clyburn inserted language in the stimulus bill specifically permitting state legislatures to accept the money even if their governors object. That seems to me even more foolish. First, it's improper for the Federal government to be trying to manipulate the states in this way when no national policy is involved. This is just political trouble-making. Second, the Governors in question already decry the heavy hand of the federal government; this gives them more ammunition and hardens attitudes. Finally, it gives the Governors no-lose political cover - they can posture as firm conservatives, knowing that their state legislative assemblies will accept the money over their "objections." I don't think Congressman Clyburn has accomplished anything positive for "his" side of the issue here.
A last-minute note: Sunday on Fox News, Sanford did not rule himself out as a candidate for President in 2012. Again, voters -- including those outside his native state -- will have to judge whether burnishing his credentials as a Bush-style Republican will help or hurt him, when the GOP is trying desperately to give itself a new look.
Comments