RGA chairman warns Obama against bailouts
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/06/02/art.carson.ap.jpg caption="Sanford was elected RGA chairman last month in Miami."]WASHINGTON (CNN) - The chairman of the Republican Governor's Association wrote to President-elect Barack Obama on Tuesday, urging him to steer clear of industry bailouts and pressing for conservative solutions to the ailing economy.
In the letter, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford thanked Obama for taking time to meet with him and the rest of the nation's governors in Philadelphia on Tuesday, and promised to work with the new administration to confront the country's economic woes.
But he expressed "earnest concerns with the direction some in Washington, D.C. seem to be headed with the recent so-called 'economic recovery efforts.'"
Alluding to the failure of some Wall Street investment firms and the weakness of the domestic automobile industry, Sanford wrote that "we must be wary of the moral hazard present in the idea of bailing out the private of public sector - for what in some cases were poor decisions."
Sanford, who has long pressed the Republican party to return to its small government principles, proceeded to outline four proposals to revitalize the economy: keeping taxes low, expanding international trade beginning with approval of the Colombia Free Trade Agreement, preventing the expansion of union power by not enacting "card check" legislation, and slashing government spending.
Sanford's spokesman Joel Sawyer said the note was officially written in his capacity as South Carolina's governor, not as president of the RGA, telling CNN there is "a broad degree of consensus from GOP governors on the general themes, but not every governor agrees with every point."
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Cutting taxes and increasing free trade DID work. GIVING houses away to people with no money is what didn't work!
The govt raises more money when taxes are cut and the public spends than they do by raising taxes. THIS IS A FACT. Why give a stimulis when you can just cut taxes instead? Oh, because Congress gets to give it to those THAT DON'T PAY TAXES. (AKA buying votes)
Bush screwed up the other half of the equation with out of control spending. The democrats allowed it to happen because they'll give into any bill that has enough pork in it. The only thing the dems threatened to filibuster before 2006 were SCOTUS judges.
Sanford is right. I guarantee you that chapter 11 will not kill the auto industry. People will still need cars and who in their right mind would not build them where there is billions in equipment and workers ready to go.
What chapter 11 WILL DO is kill that parasitic UAW union contract and that is the reason why BO and Congress are going to cough up the money.
And this is the guy who couldn't remember what John McCain's economic policies in a CNN interview?
It's amazing that he got elected governor, or does that say something about the people in SC!
I notice that Sandford 's plan did not include limited CEO compensation or Corporations off shore tax breaks. He only wanted limited union power or limited worker's rights or the use of poor work environment like in Colombia. He is just another Republican who cares about the rich and not the worker. Trickle down economics has never worked for the good of us all and never will.
If we are going to bail them out do it right. You can say they are loans but what happens when they default? We all lose.
Just make the auto workers government employees and get it over with. Let the govenment produce cars if they are going to spend that much money in the auto industry.
The United States of Welfare...thank you Barry
The Republican vision has not worked. Let the Dems provide new policies. By insisting on keeping business as usual we'll never get out of our economic crisis.
Doesn't anyone see what is happening? He is trying to become the 2012 GOP Candidate! He is everywhere grabbing the mic at conventions, going on PBS and network news. Before this he was so quiet! Someone is gunning for 2012.
I read alot of anti-republican comments here and that is ok, I understand why you are upset with the past 8 years. This is not a Republican or Democrat issue this is our country we are talking about. When are we going to realize or at least ask the question, Where is this bail out money coming from? It all sounds wonderful, but nothing is free – even "Free Healthcare" isn't free. Someone is going to foot the bill and whether you are Dem Or Rep guess who that someone is?
Well we could just print more money, that will only deepen the recession. Most people I've talked to Dem or Rep do not agree with the bail outs and it doesn't take a math wizz to figure out that the money they are throwing around could almost buy every American a car... Problem Solved- No, because the Auto industry will still be back, the banks will still be back with their greerdy little inefficient hands out.
Sounds like we are being sold a bill of goods, but waitm, we're not buying. That's OK – We're the government and we know what is best for you inignificant people. WAKE UP AMERICA!
I too want a bailout, or stimulas, whatever its called, and think we the people ( who voted Obama IN ) should be taken care of before the 3 giant auto makers..no one would help me avoid bankruptcy if I made a bad choice, neither should Government bail out the automakers !
He is another reason the Republicans are in trouble!
Plus, no more bailouts for the tobacco industry in S.C.!
Where was Gov. Sanford the last eight years when G.W. Bush was leading this country into a deep hole?
Barack will be just fine making his own decisions thank you Gov. Sanford but no thanks. Its the Rethuglicans that got us into this mess in the first place.
Yep! All of those "conservative solutions" have worked thus far; haven't they? NOT!
RepubTards have had 8 years to offer up "solutions". Now that the Dems are in power they are going to start shooting their mouths off? That's about right!
Sanford in real English:
1.no taxes to fund any projects...
2.free trade with other nations to deplete our available jobs...
3.forget workers rights, they are lucky to have a job....
4.since we don't want to collect taxes forget spending, see #1.
Hey Sanford, been there done that....
I'm surprised he didn't throw in the old capital gains tax garbage.....
This guy sounds just like Bush, and look where 8 years of that got us. The only thing I agree about what he said was the union portion. I think the unions, at least in the car industry, are too costly and their unreasonable demands have sent the auto industry into bankruptcy. I oppose an auto industry bailout because a lot of the money will go to finance the unions (past, present and future commitments)
I'm pretty sure Republicans don't believe in conservatism anymore... if they did they wouldn't be losing elections..... Still, I'm surprised Sanford wasn't censored for being truly Republican. Maybe he should have run for President... well, there's always 2012. I'd much rather have Sanford than Palin.
conservative is a failure PERIOD
The Republicans and Bush got us into this mess. What is Bush doing?
Thousands of people will lose their job if nothing is done. I don't care about the CEO's, I care about the working man.
Why do you think the republicans suffered so badly this election......your Ideas are old......the same old stuff that we've been doing for the last 8 years and look where it has gotten us......nowhere.......most of the economists say we need finanical help.........give up this no taxes crap.......I'm even willing to pay a little more in taxes if it will get us out of this mess.........Republicans are just not willing to make the changes needed to get this country back on it's feet........keep your idea's to yourself if you can't come up with something new and different........
who is this clown and what shape does his ignorant azz think this country would be in if they didn't bail out, there wouldn't be a country left, IT'S THE ECONOMY STUPID
Where has this clown been for the last 8 years? Republicans have no credibility in any issues anymore. Go home, please. We are trying to clean up the mess you are leaving us with.
Funny how the so-called 'public' opposes funding of the auto industry, as if they are expert in how to handle macro economic matters. lol
The so-called 'public' that is griping about the pay of union workers are dead to the fact that there are execs of the companies who are making as much in a minute what the union workers are making in a week!
If the auto companies created much wealth over the years, why shouldn't the union workers participate in the auto industry wealth? Are they little more than slaves to the auto company?
The so-called public should relax and allow people with greater economic expertise do their job.
Spiting the auto comapnies when they are down is revenge; but it is not right for the company.
Go after the companies when they are wealthy and were acting stupid.
Example? Go after the oil companies now when they are making record profits!
I happen tot hink that his comments were some of the best I have heard for a long time,,,, I would vote for him in 2012
AS A GM RETRIREE WE DID NOT MAKE 75 DOLLARS A HOUR THAT IS A DAM LIE, I HAD TO RETIRE EARLY FROM MY JOB AT THE AGE OF 48 BECAUSE MY JOB WENT TO MEXICO, I EARNED MY PENSION AND I DON'T NEED THOSE IGNORANT SOUTHEREN REPUBLICANS SAYING LET THE CO. GO BANKRUPT, WHO DO THEY THINK WILL PAY MY PENSION, YOUR PRECIOUS GOVT, WILL HAVE TO PAY IT, PAY ME NOW OR PAY ME LATER, BY THE WAY THEY ARE ASKING FOR A LOAN I'M A TAXPAYER TOO, AND I WOULD BE PAYING FI\OR THE BAILOUT TOO, OUT OF MY PENSION, WE MADE 28 DOLLARS AN HOUR, AND LUCKILY, THEY DO PAY FOR OUR BENEFITS, RIGHTFULLY SO, ALOT OF PEOPLE WALK ED AWAY FROM THERE JOBS, WITH CANCER, ARTHRITIS, AND EVERY OTHER ILLNESS, SO I'M SICK OF PEOPLE SAYING WE WERE PAID TOO MUCH, WE WEREN'T PAID ENOUGH, AND THE PEOPLE WHO SAY GET RID OF THE UNION, ARE MAD BECAUSE THER JOB DON'T SUPPLY THEM WITH BENEFITS, TUFF