So Long Federalism: Obama Says Governor Sanford Can’t Use Stimulus To Pay Down Debt

I’ve said again and again that the “economic rescue” Obama and the Democrat Congress are engaged in is less rescue than power grab. More evidence for that emerged today as Obama said that the stimulus money couldn’t be spent responsibly to pay down South Carolina’s debt as Governor Mark Sanford wants, but rather must be spent on inflating the state’s budgets by creating government that must be supported with on-going tax revenues from the citizens of the state.
In essence, Sanford wants to spend the money on paying off debt. Obama wants to grab the credit card and go shopping.

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Obama administration on Monday rejected South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford’s request to use $700 million in federal stimulus cash to pay down state debt. White House Budget Director Peter Orszag said in a letter to the Republican that the federal stimulus law doesn’t allow President Barack Obama to make an exception for that cash. Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer had no immediate response, but the governor has said he would reject part of the stimulus money if Obama wouldn’t give him flexibility in spending it.
The $787 billion stimulus legislation sets strict rules for the $53.6 billion being sent to help state budgets, Orszag wrote. It calls for 82 percent of the money to be used for public schools and colleges and 18 percent on public safety and other government services.
“Congress has not authorized the executive branch to waive any of the above statutory requirements,” Orszag’s one-page letter said.

Congress also put in the “stimulus” a provision that attempts to freeze the Governor out of the budgeting process when it comes to “stimulus” money. That provision is probably unconstitutional (Congress can’t just nullify a state’s chief executive), but it’s amazing to see them take it even a step further and dictate budgeting terms to the governor. Granted, we’re dealing with federal money and strings being attached to it is nothing new, but the sheer arrogance of it all is astounding.
I’d like to see Sanford thumb his nose at both Obama and Congress and do the right thing anyway. The liberals are in the wrong on this. Sanford should make them wear it around their necks.