Free Republic

I am worried for our country -- not so much because of the tumult in the financial markets but because of the federal government's response and its implications. It seems that each new crisis is met with a new answer from the government. After Hurricane Katrina, the federal government assumed roles traditionally handled by state and local governments. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the government federalized 25,000 workers through the Transportation Security Administration. The example of security-focused countries such as Israel, which elects to have that function handled by the private sector, did not matter. Now, our federal government...

ABC News' Jan Simmonds reports: Republican vice presidential prospect Gov. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., told reporters today that removing the Confederate flag from the grounds of South Carolina's Statehouse would not be a priority during his final years in office.

Video on YouTube of a discussion on CNN between Wolf Blitzer and Mark Sanford

The Talk Shows Sunday, July 13th, 2008 Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows: FOX NEWS SUNDAY (Fox Network): Tribute to Tony Snow with guests including Vice President Dick Cheney and commentator Rush Limbaugh.MEET THE PRESS (NBC): Carly Fiorina, adviser to John McCain; Sen. Claire Mccaskill, D-Mo.; Republican strategist Mike Murphy; Harold Ford Jr., chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council. FACE THE NATION (CBS): Israeli Ambassador Sallai Meridor; Sens. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Richard Lugar, R-Ind. THIS WEEK (ABC): Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, R-Calif. LATE EDITION (CNN) : Sens. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and Chris Dodd, D-Conn.; Govs. Mark...

((The bill allows for fines as high as $10,000 when an employer knowingly hires an illegal immigrant. Sanford says federal law won't allow fines that range that high.)) COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford says the Senate's illegal immigration bill has penalties that can't be enforced by the state. Sanford says he will consider vetoing the bill if changes aren't made. Senators passed a bill Wednesday that allows for fines as high as $10,000 when an employer knowingly hires an illegal immigrant. Sanford says federal law won't allow the state to impose fines that range that...

Last week, I asked David Walker, the U.S. comptroller general, why he is quitting his job to travel the country on a "fiscal wake-up tour." His answer: Because we have only five to 10 years to address the federal government's looming shortfalls before we're faced with a fiscal crisis. In about a decade, the twin forces of demographics and compound interest will leave few options for solving the fiscal mess Washington has created. By then, our options will all be ugly. We could make draconian spending cuts, or impose large tax increases that will undermine our economy in the competitive...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate John McCain has a big decision ahead of him -- picking a vice presidential running mate whose presence on the ticket would reassure Americans concerned about McCain's age. ADVERTISEMENT McCain is 71 years old and would be the oldest person ever elected to a first presidential term. He has survived a bout with melanoma that left a long scar on his face and suffered harsh treatment as a Vietnam prisoner of war. Voters do not typically base their vote on the vice presidential choice but they do want to be assured that the running...

John McCain faces a dilemma when it comes to choosing a vice president. He needs a running mate who will be a contrast to him in a few key ways — younger, more knowledgeable about economic issues, and, especially, more conservative. But if McCain selects a running mate whose conservative credentials are beyond dispute, he’ll be choosing a candidate who likely disagrees with him on some issues of great importance to the Republican base. On Sunday, I spoke with two leading contenders for the McCain ticket, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, both in Washington for...

Byron York interviewed two of the men mentioned most often as potential running mates for John McCain, governors Tim Pawlenty and Mark Sanford. Both men enthusiastically supported McCain in the primaries, but both men have significant policy differences with McCain on the nominee's signature issues -- immigration and campaign-finance reform. How they reconcile themselves to McCain may prove instructive to the rest of the field, and may give conservatives reason for hope in both men: On Sunday, I spoke with two leading contenders for the McCain ticket, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, both in Washington...

Short List of possible VP Candidates: Romney, Huckabee, Coburn, Hunter, Thompson, DeMint, Sessions, Lynn Cheney, Ingraham, Rush, Mark Levin, Lieberman, Giuliani, Condy Rice, Colin Powell, Rumsfeld, JOhn Bolton, Pawlenty, Sanford, Stallone, Chuck Norris, J. C. Watts, Jeb Bush, Michael Steele Any others? Have at it.

... The path back requires re-establishing the GOP as a party of limited government and economic freedom. This is essential to Mr. McCain's political future, the fortune of his party, and the economic well-being of the nation. And the first big indication that he intends to bring back the party of Reagan will be who Mr. McCain taps as his running mate. ... Fortunately, there is no shortage of true-blue fiscal conservatives in the GOP. Here are few who would help Mr. McCain unify his party and restore its winning brand: ... South Carolina's Governor Mark Sanford... South Carolina Senator...

Now that McCain has the nomination, would Mark Sanford be a good VP to balance the ticket? I don't live in SC so I don't know details about him other than he seems to be popular, has good conservative credentials when he was in Congress, and is a pork buster. Hey I'm not excited about McCain, but PIAPS must be stopped!

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford on Wednesday again called for a 30-cent per pack increase on cigarettes and said he wants to use the money to cut income taxes for most of the state's wage earners. But this time, the Republican governor wants to give people a choice: either pay taxes at the current rate of 7 percent and take eligible deductions, or pay a flat tax of 3.4 percent. "Persistence is the key to politics," Sanford told employees at Greer Flooring Center as he gave a preview of a piece of his budget plan for 2008-09. His full state...

OrlandoSentinel.com COMMENTARY Note to Muslims: We didn't yield free speech on 9-11 Darryl E. Owens COMMENTARY August 25, 2007 After a rancorous week, Sanford City Commissioner Randy Jones and Central Florida Muslims have agreed to play nice. The feud began at a public meeting Tuesday, in which Jones rankled Muslims with an observation about redeveloping a patch of land near a mosque in his district: "The fact of the matter is, I don't think you will get a lot of takers on residential [development] next to a mosque just because of what's going on worldwide." Danette Zaghari-Mask, head of the...

FL Official 'Regrets' Mosque Comments City commissioner will take part in Muslim town hall meeting The Orlando chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Orlando) today thanked a local official who expressed regret for recent comments about U.S. mosques that some Muslims found offensive. At a recent City of Sanford planning meeting, Commissioner Randy Jones said: "I mean it might be un-politically correct, but I don't care. . .The fact of the matter is, I don't think you will get a lot of takers on residential [development] next to a mosque just because of what's going on worldwide." In response...

OrlandoSentinel.com Mosque comment draws ire, explanation Robert Perez Sentinel Staff Writer August 23, 2007 SANFORD The leader of one Central Florida Muslim organization is demanding an apology from Sanford City Commissioner Randy Jones for comments Jones made regarding a Sanford mosque. At a public meeting Tuesday discussing ways to spur redevelopment, Jones made comments he first admitted might be politically incorrect. "I mean it might be un-politically correct, but I don't care," he said. "The fact of the matter is, I don't think you will get a lot of takers on residential [development] next to a mosque just because of...

Sanford's article in WaPo on Friday was moderately disappointing for someone like me, who wants a President with rock-ribbed credentials opposing wasteful spending and who champions free markets and economic growth. While I am relieved that he disagrees with the anti-development, anti-weath creation Al Gore crowd on "solutions" to global warming, I am disappointed that he cites anecdotal evidence from S. Carolina and treats it as "proof" that global warming is a threat. See "The Politically Incorrect guide to Global Warming (link below)" or Michael Crichton's "State of Fear" for discussions of what the science really says -- or doesn't...

In Friday's Washington Post, South Carolina Governor (and Republican) Mark Sanford wrote an opinion piece on climate change and politics that inderectly insults his fellow conservatives.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Around here, T. Denny Sanford is not known just for the billions he made in banking — he's also known for the millions he has donated. When officials at Sioux Valley Hospitals & Health Systems told him of their dream to transform the facility into a major research institution for children's health, he donated $400 million, and they promised to rename the institution after him — Sanford Health. "I have been quoted as wanting to die broke," Sanford , 71, said at Saturday's announcement before 1,800 employees and community leaders. Hospital president and CEO Kelby Krabbenhoft...

Excerpt - In what police describe as a "probable" suicide leap, a prominent Monterey Bay Area attorney fell at least nine floors to his death at the Embassy Suites Hotel Monterey Bay in Seaside the morning before Christmas. Shortly before 9:30 a.m. Sunday, officers found the body of Aptos attorney Paul Sanford in the west end of the hotel lobby, where he had landed on a large ventilation grate. Police Capt. Steve Cercone said horrified guests were eating breakfast in the atrium at the time, and a number of witnesses saw Sanford fall from somewhere between the 9th and 12th...

With the implosion of George Allen, movement conservatives no longer have a candidate in the presidential mix that looks and acts like one of them. Even though the field contains several heavy hitters, such as John McCain and Rudy Giuliani, the GOP grassroots has no one that is a natural fit. If a small but growing number of conservatives have their way, however, a candidate who could truly excite the base might enter the fray: my old boss and current South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford. On paper, a Sanford candidacy seems quixotic. Entering the White House derby at this point...

    With the implosion of Sen. George Allen, movement conservatives no longer have a candidate in the presidential mix that looks and acts like one of them. Even though the field contains several heavy hitters, such as John McCain and Rudy Giuliani, the GOP grassroots has no one that is a natural fit.     If a small but growing number of conservatives have their way, however, a candidate that could truly excite the base might enter the fray: my old boss and current South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford.     On paper, a Sanford candidacy seems quixotic. Entering the White House derby at this...

GREENVILLE - Gov. Mark Sanford and his Democratic challenger Tommy Moore finally met in person Wednesday in a debate that started with both of them accusing the other of not telling the truth.Moderators opened the debate by showing a TV ad from Moore that says Sanford cut education by $500 million. Sanford said that was not true because the amount of money for education has increased since he was elected governor in 2002.Sanford also said the General Assembly passes the budget and that the governor can't add anything to it. Nonetheless, Sanford said education spending had increased by $600 million...

The Cato Institute in Washington, D.C. gave Gov. Bill Owens a D grade for his fiscal performance during his last year in office in a report released this week. The Libertarian-leaning think tank releases a report card every two years for all 50 governors based on 23 criteria gathered from various sources, such as the U.S. census and budget data provided by state governments. According to the report, Owens “engineered one of the biggest falls from grace in this report card’s 16-year history.” The institute blasted Owens for his support of Referendum C, which was passed by voters last November...

Inc.: Sanford doesn’t help entrepreneurs A national business magazine has ranked Gov. Mark Sanford as the worst incumbent governor in the nation for promoting entrepreneurs and said the Republican’s “policies have negatively affected entrepreneurs.” Sanford’s campaign manager dismissed Inc. magazine’s ranking as liberal bias and said the magazine chose to give “kudos to governors who have pushed for massive tax hikes and big-government health-care plans.” Of the 26 governors facing re-election, Sanford was the only one given a one-star rating. The four governors who received four stars, the highest ranking, were: Janet Napolitano of Arizona, Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, Bill...

In an election for Governor of South Carolina today, 9/20/06, Republican incumbent Mark Sanford defeats Democratic challenger Tommy Moore, 54% to 41%, according to a SurveyUSA poll conducted exclusively for WCSC-TV Charleston and WLTX-TV Columbia. The election is in 7 weeks, on 11/7/06. Sanford gets 82% of Republican votes. Moore gets 77% of Democrat votes. Independents are split. Sanford gets 65% of white votes. Moore gets 67% of black votes. Moore leads by 25 points among voters under age 35. All other age groups strongly favor Sanford. Moore leads by 12 points among the most educated voters. Sanford wins by...

South Carolina state senator Jake Knotts (R) "says he will not run for governor this year," the AP reports. Last week, Knotts said he would make an independent bid against Gov. Mark Sanford (R) and Tommy Moore (D). "Knotts says he had the signatures of 13,000 people. He needed the signatures of 10,000 registered voters in order to get on the ballot in November." Hotline On Call: "The why is hard to tell. Knotts had enough signatures. But he says he wouldn't have been able to raise the money -- at least $2 million. Was there any White House pressure,...

The results of today's primary elections are available at SCVotes.org They will be updating the linked files as the returns are reported.

May 10, 2006--South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford (R) holds a solid lead over two Democrats who want his job. Sanford leads State Senator Tommy Moore (D) 52% to 33%. That's a slightly larger lead than Sanford enjoyed in our last South Carolina poll which found the incumbent with a 13-percentage point lead over Moore. Sanford leads Florence Mayor Frank Willis (D) by 27 points, 55% to 28% (see crosstabs). That, too, is a better performance for the governor. The Democrats will select their nominee next month. Twenty-nine percent (29%) of voters have a "very favorable" opinion of Sanford while just...

Agents Discover Illegal Shipment Of Brass Knuckles POSTED: 10:25 pm EDT April 10, 2006 UPDATED: 12:39 pm EDT April 11, 2006 ORLANDO, Fla. -- Police have not yet issued any charges in connection with the discovery of thousands of illegal weapons meant for distribution in Central Florida. Customs agents alerted Orlando police when they intercepted a shipping container at Orlando International Airport. Inside, they found more than 14,000 brass knuckles. The weapons were hidden in boxes labeled "belt buckles." Authorities said a closer look revealed a little nub that might be used to adjust the size of a belt, but...

SANFORD, Fla. -- The judge who had 11 people arrested for accidentally going to the wrong courtroom told an ethics board he was "horrified" by what he had done, blaming the problem on a mental disorder. Seminole County Judge John Sloop, 57, blamed his actions on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Tuesday, the first day of his trial before the Judicial Qualifications Commission. He said he now takes medicine and sees both a psychologist and a psychiatrist. "I will never be able to make amends," Sloop said. The morning of Dec. 3, 2004, 11 traffic offenders went to the wrong courtroom....

Mangled by the hands of Time South Carolinians can be expected to pay as much attention to Time magazine's rap on Gov. Mark Sanford, as they would to, say, an outsider's criticism of boiled peanuts or USC's Gamecock mascot. Some of the same reasons that Time finds to chastise the governor help explain his popularity in the state. Time, for example, is dismissive of the governor's frugality, dating back to his years as congressman when he slept in his office to save money. South Carolinians recognize that there is something commendable in a public official who spends with caution, particularly...

Columbia, South CarolinaPERHAPS the most overused political tag these days is "budget hawk." It's embraced by Democrats who want to balance bloated budgets by raising taxes and by Republicans who want to cut taxes but have little appetite for spending cuts. Then there is a budget hawk like Mark Sanford, South Carolina's GOP governor, whose thrifty ways infect his politics as much as they do his personal life. "The governor is as cheap as everyone says he is," says his former press secretary. "It's not part of his image."The aide describes a recent staff retreat at Sanford's 3,000-acre farm near...

SANFORD: No, I think it's pretty clear that what Karl Rove said to Time magazine's Matthew Cooper doesn't even come close to the kind of knowing violation that is required by the act. Really, the act really requires an intent to harm national security, and that certainly can't be said in these circumstances, I think. I think a covert agent under the act has to be someone who has deep cover, who is working abroad. Not just traveling abroad, but is stationed and working abroad sometime within the last five years. And USA Today reported that Joe Wilson's book has...

State employee demoted after recording parody songs Associated Press CHARLESTON, S.C. - A state Transportation Department worker who poked fun at Gov. Mark Sanford and state lawmakers in satirical songs on a compact disc has been demoted. Michael Covington, who was one of four deputy directors of the department, now earns $5,300 less in his new position as director of administration, overseeing public relations and customer service. Covington, who now makes $93,645, has apologized and said he has learned his lesson. "When you're in a position of authority, you've got to be very careful about any jokes, sarcasm or comments...

Gov. Sanford Issues FY 2005-06 Budget Vetoes SANFORD SAYS VETOES AN EFFORT TO WORK WITH GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON TRUST, RESERVE FUND REPAYMENT Columbia, S.C. - May 17, 2005 - Saying that South Carolinians deserve more of their money back, that government shouldn't grow faster than the taxpayers' ability to pay for it and that more of the $707 million in new money coming into state government this year should go toward paying back trust and reserve funds, Gov. Sanford today issued his budget vetoes for FY 2005-06. Totaling $95.9 million, the governor's 163 vetoes would provide for over $210 million...

Physician to battle Sanford in primary Governor is ‘out of touch,’ Lovelace says By LEE BANDY Staff Writer Dr. Oscar Lovelace Jr., a physician who practices in Prosperity and White Rock, says he will challenge Gov. Mark Sanford in next year’s Republican gubernatorial primary. The governor “is out of touch with the people of South Carolina,” Lovelace said in an interview Monday. “His libertarian ideology flies in the face of common sense and causes him to get out of touch.” Sanford must be held accountable for the state’s health care crisis and his lack of support for public education, Lovelace...

COLUMBIA - Florence Mayor Frank Willis knew he’d get a lot of attention at the South Carolina Democratic Party Convention on Saturday, but he was content to let another Democrat have the limelight. Willis announced two weeks ago that he was considering a run for governor, but that he wouldn’t decide for sure until early May. Willis knew State Sen. Tommy Moore would make his announcement Saturday, and he was going out of his way not to steal any thunder from the candidate. “This is Tommy Moore’s day, and I assured him I wasn’t going to make any announcements today,”...

Which of the following presidential hopefuls would stand the best shot at defeating Hillary in '08:

COLUMBIA — Being nice, the speaker of the S.C. House initially made reference to the more generic term "farm animals." But in the end, the host gave up altogether, abandoning any attempt to avoid use of that four-letter "p" word ("pigs"), as he and the governor got in a little good-natured needling during Tuesday's legislative press conference. South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford raised eyebrows and a bit of a stink last year when he showed up at the South Carolina Statehouse carrying two rather lively piglets in his arms as a protest of the state's $5.5 million "pork barrel" spending...

Since there has been a great deal of speculation regarding who will or won't run in 2008, lets list the choices and get the freepers picks regarding 2008 Governors Governor Pawlenty Governor Sanford Governor Pataki Governor Romney Governor BarbourSenators Senator Frist Senator Allen Senator Hagel Senator McCain Senator Brownback Senator Santorum (provided wins re-election, and then still outside chance)CongressmanCongressman TancredoFormer MayorsMayor GiulianiFormer CongressmanSpeaker GingrichOutside shot of running but not likely.Vice President Dan Quayle Senator Cornyn Senator Alexander Secretary ThompsonNot running and stated as soVice President CheneySecretary RiceGovernor Bush.

Sanford run could hurt S.C. By LEE BANDY Staff Writer South Carolina’s Republican presidential primary could lose its national luster if Gov. Mark Sanford decides to run for the White House in 2008. Other GOP contenders, knowing they would have no chance in a candidate’s home state, simply would bypass South Carolina and take their campaigns — and millions of dollars — elsewhere. “It would devalue the primary,” says Robert Botsch, a political science professor at USC Aiken who does not participate in partisan efforts. “There’s little to be gained by challenging a favorite-son candidate.” Worse, he adds, “It would...

Your Life is a Journey But where is it taking you? You had friends and laughter, adventure and romance. Remember the halcyon days of your youth? But then the friends went away, the laughter faded, the adventure ended and the romance was over. It was time to go to work. Do you ever feel like you're wearing ankle irons, condemned to row forever with the other galley slaves in the dim life below ship's deck? "I too have had my dreams: ay, known indeed the crowded visions of a fiery youth which haunt me still." - Oscar Wilde One of...

Sanford run for White House likely By LEE BANDY Staff Writer If there were any doubts that Gov. Mark Sanford will run for president, he certainly erased them with his State of the State address before a joint session of the General Assembly. The Capital City was abuzz. Veteran political observers said it sounded more like a State of The Union address. “Did you hear that speech? “ asked state Rep. Jim McGee, R-Florence. “Looks like to me he’s running.” House Majority Leader Jim Merrill, R-Charleston, who worked for Sanford when he was a congressman, is more certain. “He’s definitely...

Why not really put parents in charge? A true "Put Parents in Charge" act would alleviate the need for the current Put Parents in Charge Act that is causing so much controversy. Many parents already work extremely hard to be sure their children are prepared in all ways for school. These parents are doing what is expected of them. When you have children, you accept the responsibilities that come along with the position. Of course, there is no job description nor an owner's manual. Keep them fed, clothed, sheltered and loved. Respect for adults and others around them is taught....

A little discussion about the 2008 Presidential election, inspired by Rush today. Although discussion of possible candidates is welcome, I am opening this thread by issues only. What issues will be at the forefront-here's what I think: #1 - War on Terror and Illegal Immigration. It's already happening, but these two issues will converge as '08 nears. More and more Republicans (especially "Main Street" Republicans, like you and me, not the Beltway types) are realizing that our nation cannot be truly sovereign, let alone safe from terror without a stricter border policy and better protection against border-jumpers. I think at...

COLUMBIA—Gov. Mark Sanford urged lawmakers to resist the urge to splurge Wednesday, warning that although the economy is improving, "we're not out of the woods yet."In his annual State of the State address, the governor laid out what he characterized as a "hopeful" future for South Carolina: a state that attracts better jobs and more people with a competitive income tax rate, public schools improved by school choice and lower legal liability limits. Lawmakers said much of his agenda is likely to become law, though not without a fight in some areas. Democrats said the governor's priorities — and those...

Sanford: Lower tax rate is top goal By AARON GOULD SHEININ Staff Writer Q&A WITH THE GOVERNOR Lowering the S.C. income tax rate is his chief priority for the legislative session that opens today, Gov. Mark Sanford told The State. This will be Sanford’s third legislative session as chief executive, and he says changing the culture of government is, in many ways, more important to him than advancing legislative ideas. In the interview, Sanford, a Republican, also refuses to rule out a potential run for the White House in 2008, but he dismisses the idea as not being “on my...

(PRWEB) December 22, 2004 -- Why support a Sanford ticket? Under President George W. Bush, aided by a Republican Congress, we've seen the size of government expand -- dramatically. Discretionary spending has soared; education has become federalized under the No Child Left Behind Act; and the American welfare state has received it's biggest booster shot since the days of Lyndon B. Johnson, in the form of the Medicare prescription drug coverage entitlement. This is all despite the fact that Bush campaigned on a platform of smaller government and lower taxes. While he followed through with lowering taxes, the skyrocketing size...

They Have Serious IssuesLegislature, Governor Pursuing Ambitious Agenda in New Year South Carolinians could see everything from their paychecks to their fortunes in civil court to their children's education options change dramatically depending on what happens at the State House this year. The General Assembly resumes session on Jan. 11 and legislators have prefiled no fewer than 409 bills — 223 in the House and 186 in the Senate. If history holds true, only a small fraction of the bills will end up becoming laws. Also as in years past, a few key issues are likely to dominate the agenda....