SoonerBlue

As Paul Lynde once said, in answer to the Hollywood Squares question, what are two things you should never do in bed?

"Point and laugh."

After all that blather, all that righteous talk of massive debts and staying true to conservative values...South Carolina's Gov. Mark Sanford backed down....he rode it down to the midnight line, but he's going to join the other 49 governors -- Democrats and Republicans -- in filing to accept Recovery Act money for his state.

From mcclstchyde.com: "Gov. Mark Sanford will comply with a midnight Friday stimulus deadline and become the last governor in the nation to seek millions of dollars in federal economic-recovery funds for his state, aides said late Thursday.

Sanford will continue contesting $700 million in education and law enforcement money for South Carolina, but his 11th-hour move to meet the deadline buys time for schools fearing mass teacher layoffs and draconian cuts.

Sanford's month-long fight over stimulus money placed South Carolina in the national spotlight and put him at loggerheads with President Barack Obama.[..]"

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/65407.html

We should note that Sanford isn't completely done...he still wants to direct some of that $700 million away from spending projects that might help the public. But, he got to have his "national spotlight" and his stimulus too...he gets to say he was the nation's most prominent critic of stimulating the economy AND he gets to take the money he said he doesn't want. Hoping to impress GOP activists who select the 2012 nominee, see.

Great political theater. Sanford gets to act out his outrage at the audacity of the federal government and at the same time save all those teachers from unemployment. He's sacrificing himself for the children...what a hero.

But now, every time Sanford tries to contest this or that provision of funds, lawmakers in his state can point to this decision. And laugh.