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Mark Sanford on Government Reform

Republican SC Governor; previously Representative (SC-1)


Bring horse-and-buggy government into the 21st century

Bringing South Carolina's horse-and-buggy government into the 21st century is key to providing savings to the taxpayer and improving government services. SC currently spend 130% of the national average on the cost of government, due in large part to a government structure that is duplicative, unresponsive and inefficient. We also believe the best way to increase government-wide accountability is to reduce the number of elected constitutional officers and have them appointed by the governor instead.
Source: Campaign website, www.SanfordForGovernor.com, "Issues" Nov 7, 2006

Limit campaign contributions but not campaign spending

Q: Do you support limiting individual contributions to state candidates?

A: Yes

Q: For PAC contributions?

A: Yes.

Q: For Corporate contributions?

A: Yes.

Q: For Political Parties?

A: Yes.

Q: Do you support requiring full disclosure of campaign finance information?

A: Yes.

Q: Do you support imposing spending limits on state level political campaigns?

A: No. I believe we need to bring sunshine to the political process in SC. Soft money donated to parties should be disclosed.

Source: 2002 SC Gubernatorial National Political Awareness Test Nov 1, 2002

Voted YES on banning soft money and issue ads.

Campaign Finance Reform Act to ban "soft money" and impose restrictions on issue advocacy campaigning.
Reference: Bill sponsored by Shays, R-CT; Bill HR 417 ; vote number 1999-422 on Sep 14, 1999

Limit punitive damages; term limits on Congress.

Sanford signed the Contract with America:

[As part of the Contract with America, within 100 days we pledge to bring to the House Floor the following bills]:

The Common Sense Legal Reforms Act:
“Loser pays” laws, reasonable limits on punitive damages, and reform of product liability laws to stem the endless tide of litigation.
The Citizen Legislature Act:A first-ever vote on term limits to replace career politicians with citizen legislators.
Source: Contract with America 93-CWA11 on Sep 27, 1994

Government is too big, too intrusive, too easy with money.

Sanford signed the Contract with America:

This year’s election offers the chance, after four decades of one-party control, to bring to the House a new majority that will transform the way Congress works. That historic change would be the end of government that is too big, too intrusive, and too easy with the public’s money. It can be the beginning of a Congress that respects the values and shares the faith of the American family.

Like Lincoln, our first Republican president, we intend to act “with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right.” To restore accountability to Congress. To end its cycle of scandal and disgrace. To make us all proud again of the way free people govern themselves.

    On the first day of the 104th Congress, the new Republican majority will immediately pass the following major reforms, aimed at restoring the faith and trust of the American people in their government:
  1. Require all laws that apply to the rest of the country also apply equally to the Congress;
  2. Select a major independent auditing firm to conduct a comprehensive audit of Congress for waste, fraud, and abuse;
  3. Cut the number of House committees, and cut committee staff by one-third;
  4. Limit the terms of all committee chairs;
  5. Ban the casting of proxy votes in committee;
  6. Require committee meetings to be open to the public;
  7. Require a three-fifths majority vote to pass a tax increase
  8. Guarantee an honest accounting of our federal budget by implementing zero baseline budgeting.
Source: Contract with America 93-CWA2 on Sep 27, 1994

Other governors on Government Reform: Mark Sanford on other issues:
AK Sarah Palin
AL Bob Riley
AR Mike Bebee
AZ Janet Napolitano
CA Arnold Schwarzenegger
CO Bill Ritter
CT Jodi Rell
*DE Ruth Ann Minner
FL Charlie Crist
GA Sonny Perdue
HI Linda Lingle
IA Chet Culver
ID Butch Otter
IL Rod Blagojevich
*IN Mitch Daniels
KS Kathleen Sebelius
KY Steve Beshear
LA Bobby Jindal
MA Deval Patrick
MD Martin O`Malley
ME John Baldacci
MI Jennifer Granholm
MN Tim Pawlenty
*MO Matt Blunt
MS Haley Barbour
*MT Brian Schweitzer
*NC Mike Easley
*ND John Hoeven
NE Dave Heineman
*NH John Lynch
NJ Jon Corzine
NM Bill Richardson
NV Jim Gibbons
NY David Paterson
OH Ted Strickland
OK Brad Henry
OR Ted Kulongoski
PA Ed Rendell
RI Don Carcieri
SC Mark Sanford
SD Mike Rounds
TN Phil Bredesen
TX Rick Perry
*UT Jon Huntsman
VA Tim Kaine
*VT Jim Douglas
*WA Christine Gregoire
WI Jim Doyle
*WV Joe Manchin III
WY Dave Freudenthal
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* indicates election in 2008. See Governor's List for challengers.