Arrogance

South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Carol Fowler released a statement in response to Governor Mark Sanford and U.S. Senator Jim DeMint’s opposition to President Obama’s economic “stimulus” bill.  Hilariously titled “DeMint and Sanford Don’t Speak for Us,” Ms. Fowler Kool-Aid stained release is more of the Obama/Pelosi arrogance and misdirection.

“Mark Sanford and Jim DeMint have gone too far in their belligerent opposition to the president’s economic recovery plan. They appear not to understand that every day more and more South Carolinians are losing their jobs. The president’s plan will bring jobs—good, private-sector jobs doing essential work—to our state. If Sanford and DeMint get their way, money that would have gone toward paychecks for South Carolinians and profits for South Carolina businesses will be sent to other states instead.”

She left out Lindsey Graham. Can Ms. Fowler provide a list of those “good, private-sector jobs doing essential work” that are supposed to come to South Carolina should this bill be enacted?  For that matter, can Ms. Fowler tell us where the first batch of “stimulus” money went?  We should, however, express our gratitude to Ms. Fowler for “
understand(ing) that every day more and more South Carolinians are losing their jobs.”  No… we didn’t know that and, as she notes, I’m sure Governor Sanford and Senator DeMint were clueless until her revelation.

“Yesterday’s address to the U.S. Senate Republican Caucus by our governor was nothing more than his attempt to play national politics. Our state is suffering while Mark Sanford tries to make a name for himself as a presidential prospect. However, he fails to realize that if he can’t lead his state during an economic crisis, he definitely isn’t capable of leading our country.”

Governor Sanford is Chairman of the Republican Governor’s Association.  It was in that role that he spoke to legislators in Washington.

Where IS leadership “during this economic crisis?”  Chris Dodd?  Barney Frank?  Keep in mind that these two paragons of leadership (Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee) and Barney Frank (Chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services) were on watch when Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – the prime suspects in the current disaster – were misrepresenting their books.

In September 2003 the Bush administration launched a measure to bring Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under stricter regulatory control, after a report by outside investigators established that they were not adequately hedging against risks and that Fannie Mae in particular had scandalously mis-stated its accounts.

Ms. Fowler “fails to realize that if [Democrats] can’t lead [in South Carolina] during an economic crisis, [they] definitely [aren't] capable of leading our country.”

“As for Jim DeMint, he has long been out of touch with his South Carolina constituents. But he needs to come back to reality and realize that our state has the third-highest unemployment rate in the country. Our state budget has been cut to the bone and our public schools and colleges, which were already underfunded, are reeling. His solution to everything is to deregulate businesses and cut taxes on the rich, but right now South Carolina badly needs our share of funds from the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act. And we need leaders who will support this bill.”

Wait… “our share of funds?”  What’s the rationing formulae?  And, please, Ms. Fowler, do you REALLY want to discuss “taxes on the rich” (see Tom Daschle, Tim Geithner, Nancy Killefer, Hilda Solis).

Ms. Fowler is correct: Mark Sanford and Jim DeMint don’t speak for “them” – the people that got us in the mess and don’t have the intelligence, the scruples or the honesty to do what’s necessary to get us out.

True “leaders” will NOT support this bill.  Rather, a true leader will propose an economic, not political solution to our problems.