More uselessness from the Republican side

The large majority of Republicans in office seem to be Bible-wielding religiots, and here's just another example of such inanity. Mark Sanford, the Republican Governor of South Carolina, has refused to accept the slice of the Stimulus Funds signed into law by President Obama last week to aid the ailing economy and rampant unemployment. No, he's got a much better idea: instead of throwing money at the problem (and this is probably the only time that would actually be the good thing to do), he's throwing ... prayers.

Following the lead of a number of his fellow Republican governors, Gov. Mark Sanford (R-SC) has given some indication that he will not accept some of the money slated for South Carolina in the $787 billion economic recovery bill President Obama signed into law last week. “At times it sounds like the Soviet grain quotas of Stalin’s time,” Sanford said yesterday on Fox News.

On C-SPAN’s Washington Journal this morning, Sanford received a call from a Charleston resident who said he lost his job because he has been taking care of mother and sister, both of whom have serious illnesses. The caller told Sanford he is “wrong” to decline the money. “A lot of people in South Carolina are hurting. And if this money can come and help us out we need it.” In response, Sanford could offer him only his prayers:

CALLER: I hope you all are not playing politics with this. People in South Carolina are hurting. You know how unemployment rates are high right now and going up higher. We are running out of money in the unemployment bank — we need money for that, the people that need help. And I’m one of them, I can’t get no help. […]

SANFORD: Well I’d say hello to Charleston because its home and I’d say hello to this fellow this morning and say that my prayers are going to be with him and his family because it sounds like he is in an awfully tough spot.

There's also a video (which I haven't watched due to being at a highly-moderated school at the moment).

Very helpful, isn't he? Your money's drying up? No problem, let's just pray for some. Oh, and for your job back. And etc.

Separation of Church and State should be extended to ensure government officials and politicians in office don't let their stupid religions shine through their jobs. I doubt your prayers will be of much comfort for this caller, specifically, when he's still trying to take care of his mother and sister without a job.

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Actually, a little digging around has firmly convinced me this Mark Sanford, R-SC, is really a bit of a heck of an idiot. Just look at this devastating quote about Evolution (devastating to him and his credibility, need I point out):

Well I think that it's just, and science is more and more documenting this, is that there are real "chinks" in the armor of evolution being the only way we came about. The idea of there being a, you know, a little mud hole and two mosquitoes get together and the next thing you know you have a human being... is completely at odds with, you know, one of the laws of thermodynamics which is the law of, of ... in essence, destruction.

It seems this genius understands even less about Science than he does about politics, which is frankly fightening for both sides. I think my branding him a "religiot" is formally validated here.