2009 was a tough year for Governor Sanford, but according to a January 2, 2010 editorial in the "Wall Street Journal", he at least got one thing very right.  The $200 billion federal stimulus that was supposed to save the states from fiscal calamity is going to come back the haunt the states that took the money in a big way in 2010.  Just like Governor Sanford predicted, the states that took the money are facing huge financial problems that will be brought about by accepting the federal money.  " In most state capitals the stimulus enticed state lawmakers to spend on new programs rather than adjusting to lean times.  They added health and welfare benefits and child care programs.  Now they have to pay for those additions with their own state's money."   To make things worse, at the behest of the public employee unions, Congress imposed "maintenance of effort" spending requirements of states.  These federal laws prohibit state legislatures from cutting spending on 15 programs, from road building to welfare, if a state took even a dollar of stimulus cash for these purposes.  Congress has made it almost impossible for states who accepted the stimulus money to balance their budgets without large tax increase.  This at a time when unemployment is high, tax revenues are down, and individuals and businesses alike can least afford it.