Daugaard and Heidepriem argue over how to grow government

The latest federal spending spree was discussed by Daugaard and Heidepriem:

South Daktoa governor candidates Scott Heidepriem and Dennis Daugaard disagreed Thursday on the wisdom of taking $26 million available in a federal jobs bill and offered different plans to increase state funding for education.

Heidepriem, a Democrat, said state government has grown too large under the eight-year administration of Republican Gov. Mike Rounds and Daugaard, his lieutenant governor. Heidepriem said he'd cut government to free up money that could go to K-12 education.

Daugaard said budget demands for Medicare have stifled efforts to increase education's share of the state budget. He said his plan for economic development and jobs growth would re-fire the state's economy and provide more revenue for education.

They appeared together in a one-hour debate at the state convention of the Associated School Boards of South Dakota and School Administrators of South Dakota.

Some of their sharpest exchanges involved the $26 billion jobs bill awaiting President Barack Obama's signature. It would provide about $26 million for teacher jobs in South Dakota.

Rounds has said he's not sure if the state will take the money because of federal regulations that might accompany it.

Heidepriem said it's a good bill that doesn't increase the nation's debt.

"This is an administration that accepted all the revitalization dollars, $250 million to balance the budget over the last three years," said Heidepriem. "This administration accepted $183 million earmarked for roads and bridges in the state of South Dakota, but when it comes to education this administration says no. Strings attached - we don't want it."

First off, Heidepriem statement that the spending does not increases the nation's debt is completely without logic. If we don't spend it the debt will go down, spending it will cause the debt to go up. It is simple mathematics. Where did he get his education?

Both political parties want to grow government. The "offered different plans to increase state funding" statement proves that point.

When it comes to fiscal responsibility, we have no choice for governor. The only real difference is that Daugaard may be more socially conservative than Heidepriem, and that does not take much effort. 

Comments

[HermosaSibbyFan]

PP mocks you. He mocks you. I don't. You know a P-C when you see it. The left and the rigth don't know up nor down and that's why they are in the middle. Not on the left, not on the right, in the middle.