“You guys are being way too hard on the governor …”
That’s a complaint we get a lot here at FITS, especially recently, but it’s a complaint we get about a lot of different politicians, which we assume means we must be doing something right.
The truth is that we’re “way too hard” on everybody, but since we are South Carolina’s preeminent fiscal conservative media outlet, we’re apparently supposed to see the “bigger picture” surrounding embattled S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford, a guy who we’re told is still the state’s most “essential fiscal conservative leader.”
Yeah … right.
Forgive us for being crass and cynical, but when a guy causes the transmission to fall out of a movement that hundreds of people have spent years of their lives advancing … all so he could romp around with his “soul mate” in the low-lit cafes of Buenos Aires while his kids spent Father’s Day alone?
Yeah, a guy like that is not the “essential leader” of anything in our book.
Anyway, the “bigger picture” we’re supposedly missing in this case deals with the subsequent investigations into Sanford’s travel practices that came after his admission of an affair with Latin lover Maria Belen Chapur. Specifically, we’re told that Sanford has used the state plane (and traveled on the state dime) much less than previous governors – which presumably entitles him to a “hall pass” when it comes to using tax dollars to pay for personal and political travel.
We’re also told that Sanford is a “public official” not a “public employee,” which means that technically his travel is not subject to the same restrictions that he famously imposed on his Cabinet agencies.
Finally, we’re told that Sanford has a “rock solid legal case” with respect to his efforts to block the release of a preliminary report on his various indiscretions that’s being prepared by the S.C. State Ethics Commission.
All of those, obviously, are points that we acknowledge have varying degrees of persuasiveness.
But here’s the “bigger picture” that we see – the fact that Sanford is making any of these arguments in the first place.
Seriously, think about it for a minute … Mark Sanford, the father of modern fiscal conservatism in South Carolina, is basically attempting to justify his excesses by saying that other people’s excesses were worse.
That may be good enough for a typical political, but not Sanford. He was supposed to be different. He was supposed to be better than that. He was the supposed to be the guy in the white hat, the good Sheriff who rode in and cleaned up this bloated, backward, backwoods town once and for all.
He was also supposed to be, like Caesar’s wife, “beyond reproach.”
Frankly, the fact that the governor would jeopardize everything he claimed to be fighting for – and in the process give his enemies all the ammunition they would ever need to discredit him and his policies – smacks of a contempt for ideas that only the most narcissistic, hypocritical politician would dare demonstrate.
Forget throwing away the multimillionaire wife for a mid-life crisis, this is a much broader betrayal of principle.
But that’s just the thing – Mark Sanford is a narcissistic, hypocritical politician.
He doesn’t give a damn about “ideas.” He only cares about how ideas benefit him – first his ambition, and now his pathetic need for “redemption.” We didn’t want to believe that about him for the longest time, but if there is one thing we’ve learned about Mark Sanford in this current crisis it’s that he’s every bit as morally and ideologically bankrupt as the politicians he’s spent the last six-and-a-half years of his life castigating.
After all, here’s a guy who has said “sunlight is the ultimate disinfectant in the political process” probably a million-and-one times, and yet now he’s taking his own ethics commission to the Supreme Court to prevent it from releasing information to the public?
Again … Sanford may have a “legal point,” but in making that point he loses all credibility.
And with each day that Sanford continues to obfuscate, evade, parse and deny … “his” movement suffers more.
“The reality is that Mark’s mistake has ensured that unchecked legislative power has never been stronger,” one of Sanford’s Cabinet directors told FITS recently. “The obsessive focus on Mark has played right into (lawmakers)’ hypocritical hands and even the few ‘good guys’ in the game … and I mean few … have lost focus on the real problems and real source of those problems.”
Indeed.
So just how far back has Sanford’s fall from grace set the reform movement in South Carolina?
We put that question to several reformers and their estimates put the annual loss at anywhere from two years to two decades.
Of course, the saddest part of that derailing of fiscal conservative reform is that Sanford continues to believe that he is somehow still indispensable to the fiscal conservative movement.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Accordingly, until Mark Sanford figures out what he needs to do, we will continue to be “way too hard” on him.
By Strom's Daughter October 2, 2009 at 1:30 am
“Of course, the saddest part of that derailing of fiscal conservative reform is that Sanford continues to believe that he is somehow still indispensable to the fiscal conservative movement.”
Dude, you live in an outhouse.
Advocating a “conservative fiscal movement” in a failed state like ours is like demanding that the walls of your outhouse be torn down.
If it wasn’t for the “socialist” largesse this state receives annually from the federal government, there wouldn’t even be an outhouse for you to call home.
Hell, with an electorate made up of troglodytes screaming for less of everything that smacks of civilization while simultaneously endeavoring to set up a medieval Shi’ite Baptist theocracy, is it any wonder how we keep the rest of the country in stitches?
And why does “narcissistic” need to be capitalized?
That’s so State U.
Poor State U.
By Brian October 2, 2009 at 1:57 am
Props to the guy who coined “medieval Shi’ite Baptist theocracy.” I see his point. But principles are principles. And damn if Folks didn’t put the fine point on it again.
So… I hear the lawmakers would impeach but they CAN’T FREAKING AFFORD TO COME BACK IN SESSION. And then I heard they might come without pay just for the privileged of pulling the trigger. What sez u?
By Stop Pimpin' Your Kids October 2, 2009 at 2:01 am
It would all be laughable if the actual humans who live in the toy state this couple set out to buy weren’t existing in such pitiful conditions:sucky, violent schools,extreme poverty and unemployment, poor public health, and little hope of any true reform ever trickling down to the masses any time in the next few years. Both the he and she Sanfords continue such unimaginable displays of narcissistic hubris that they have long since passed humorous; now they are just pathologically needy and insensitive.
By CoolAireHeights October 2, 2009 at 4:42 am
Strom’s Daughter writes….
“…is it any wonder how we keep the rest of the country in stitches?”
I dunno Strom’s Daughter, since “the rest of the country” – you know, the ones in stitches – keep moving to our state. Kind of strange for so many of these fine folks to be abandoning their socialist utopias for such a “failed state”, no? Let’s face it Strom’s Daughter, your “workers of the world” ideas – though I’d bet my dog that you are yet another hypocrit socialist that rides around town in a Volvo (with the mandatory Obama sticker on it, of course) swilling a Starbucks latte – are incredibly stupid and merely devalue motivation and hard work. With the loss of such attributes, a society (or a state) collapes – hence, why all of your socialist state homeys are moving here. To the chase though, you are a turd.
By Cliff October 2, 2009 at 5:44 am
All the movement needs is leadership. Honest, reasonable, and true.
Andre Bauer ain’t that. We will be worse off.
Lame Duck Sanford is the best we can hope for till 2010.
By Soft Sigh From Hell October 2, 2009 at 7:23 am
I want to compile the “Collected Works of Strom’s Daughter” so none is lost.
By Toyota Kawaski October 2, 2009 at 8:06 am
another great quote from Gov.Moonbeam yesterday at Aiken Tech “For too long the state has been between the 40-yard lines and never break out.” That is pure Vince Lombardi wisdom
By Soft Sigh From Hell October 2, 2009 at 8:11 am
“keep moving to our state”
They retire with good union pensions or the fruits of business success and move to a depressed third-worldish economy where (1) their money goes a lot farther, and (2) winters are mild and sunny. Not even libertarian GOPers can screw up that latter one.
By Groundball October 2, 2009 at 8:30 am
Cliff, I don’t agree. The longer Sanford stays, the more this state sinks into oblivion. Your “movement” is essentially dead and gets “deader” by the day. The King is dead.
When everyone voted for Andre (and yes Cliff, I believe that you voted for him), we all knew about his problems during the first term. However, nobody cared enough not to re-elect him.
All I hear about is “liberty”, “Constitution”, etc., but ya’ll don’t want to go by the Constitution and let Andre serve. Sanford’s supporters are as hypocritical as he is. Period.
By Elliott October 2, 2009 at 8:35 am
Well said, Mr. Folks.
By Sunni SC October 2, 2009 at 9:06 am
Cliff, not an attack here, just the question I have had every time someone says how bad off we would be with Andre.
Since Mr. Appalachian Trail has gone to the trouble of having it so brilliantly and legally clarified that the Legislature runs this state, what does it matter if Andre steps in for a few months? I mean, heck, the Legislature has proved-beautifully-over the past 6.5 years that it runs the place, not the Governor. I mean really, exactly which one of Mr. Appalachian Trail’s plans have come to fruition in 6.5 years?
And if they do not come back and get rid of him, without pay, I think they should all be run out on a rail come the next election round.
By Tim October 2, 2009 at 9:32 am
This article is right on. Sanford may still be better than most others, but he was supposed to be doing it right, not just less wrong.
By Jonny D October 2, 2009 at 9:48 am
Calm Down Fits, Calm Down. I mean damn, we can’t have you overheating and blowing a gasket, that plays right into the haters’ hands, you know, the bad guys who are trying to silence ya. Me, I personally think you’re a little punk ass bastard, but a loveable one nonetheless, and I look forward to you breaking wind.. ahh stories, and promoting this fabulous website for many years to come. So please, don’t worry about a thing, ’cause every little thing is gonna be alright.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RntL-2uwt_g
By SC Integrity October 2, 2009 at 9:49 am
Hey “you guys way too hard” why don’t you post rather than pester our host? Could it be because you know there’s no way true, honest, integrity seeking, mostly moral conservatives and independents will tolerate your hypocrisy and stupidity?
What on earth is wrong with the few of you who utter such a pathetic sentiment?
Why do you feel you don’t deserve better than Sanford, a liar, thief, selfish, despicable delusional narcissist?
Are you so lacking in ethics yourself that you refuse to demand better of our leaders?
Why so? This is truly the crux of our sick saga, why any SCer would be willing to tolerate and accept Sanfraud in any degree. We know HE’s nuts but the real fear and concern should be for those who still support him who are not on his payroll or personally profiting.
At least the head serpent will continue to expose others up until he is crushed. Friends like Haley, Davis, etc… We also now know most SC Rotarians are frauds and hypocrites too. I will never support any of their organizational initiatives. Other demons will come to light soon no doubt.
By Huhhh??? October 2, 2009 at 10:06 am
I think you minimize the damage that fighting the education stimulus money did.
I would be willing to bet that 90-95% of the white public school teachers have been blindly voting R for years. This spring they learned the R governor literally did not care if they had a job and, therefore, whether they lose their homes and their children lived or died.
Then, he makes a mockery of their “family values” with his out-sourced adultery.
Before that, the ESC mess in December showed the average SC working stiffs on the construction sites and few factories left that the R governor did not care if they and their children lived or died.
(Mark probably is not psychologically capable of the kind of empathy that he needed to be able to identify with those people. I’m not sure how much “principle” was ever involved in those positions. It was about rigid adherance to what he THOUGHT his base would support. He still has supporters who believe in him. They cannot face the fact that their judgement about him was so woefully wrong.)
I don’t think the teachers and working stiffs will forget the contempt the leader of the SC R Party has shown them for quite a while.
The people in SC who have been voting R blindly since 1980 are probably starting to realize that THEIR life, liberty and pursuit of happiness is not the same as Mark, Jenny and Sic Willie’s and that government is more than static, rigid ideology; it’s about citizens.
Hopefully, they will start bringing their new knowledge and common sense to the voting booth.
Great job, Strom’s Daughter.
I do agree with the capital “N” in Narcissitic. It means he’s meeting the Personality Disorder definition in the DSM-IV. He’s REALLY pathological.
By Darth October 2, 2009 at 10:38 am
I’ll believe you’re being too hard on him when you’re looking through the dumpster on Arsenal Hill for viagra, enzyte and cialis packaging…
By MKinVA October 2, 2009 at 10:44 am
Cool Aire: “since “the rest of the country” – you know, the ones in stitches – keep moving to our state”. Just a little reality check. SC population grew about 468,000 in the years 2000 – 2008. North Carolina, about 1.2 million and Georgia, about 1.5 million. It seems when people are moving to the south they tend to skip over SC.
By Crooner October 2, 2009 at 11:31 am
“[N]arcissistic, hypocritical politician?” Don’t you have to be a little narcissistic to think you are the best person to lead a state, or a country for that matter? And aren’t we all hypocrits?
Who cares whether Sanford stays or goes. Nothing will change either way. In 2010 the conservatives who run this state will decide which of them is truest to their cause and elect him, and it will be a him in this state. This despite the fact that conservatives have been in power like, forever, and SC remains at the bottom of every meaningful quality of life measure save the weather. What was that definition of insanity?
If Sanford does finish his term that may be enough for a Democrat to win the statehouse. But with control of the state in the hands of the legislature that change will be meaningless as well.
By shaggy October 2, 2009 at 11:42 am
now, let me ask you all one one question. letterman has now done essentially the same thing and has been making fun of Sanford for months. You all going to quit watching Letterman and switch to Conan or better yet watch that crooked Jesus channel. Oh, yeah, I forgot the guy who who owns that did that did the same thing but it was gay sex. Convenient Christians.
By Gina October 2, 2009 at 12:25 pm
post and courier:
Update: S.C. House Democrats call for gov’s resignation
By scarlettohell October 2, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Stick a fork in Sanford. He is DONE.
By Admiral_Komack October 2, 2009 at 2:01 pm
“Lame Duck Sanford is the best we can hope for till 2010.”
Screwed, we are.
By Admiral_Komack October 2, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Letterman does show up for work.
Letterman is good at what he does: entertain.
Sanford doesn’t work and he cannot govern.
By Toyota Kawaski October 2, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Shaggy you make me proud love mom/cousin
By Chucktown Import October 2, 2009 at 4:11 pm
“South Carolina’s preeminent fiscal conservative media outlet . . .”
Wow. That is just….wow. Hahahaha. Thank you for that, I almost cried from laughing so hard.
By fitsnews October 2, 2009 at 4:14 pm
CI,
Happy to entertain you as always.
-FITS
By MKinVA October 2, 2009 at 5:18 pm
shaggy: What the heck does some entertainer have to do with the governor of a state? Letterman MAY be a hypocrite, but he isn’t responsible for the government of several million people nor does the public pay his salary. Letterman may be a hound dog, a jerk, or whatever, but until 7 months ago, he wasn’t even married. Your argument is as moronic as Sanford pointing to all the other politicians who misused the public trust as a DEFENSE.
By aprice2 October 2, 2009 at 5:44 pm
…oh, come on! Too “hard” on Sanford?! I say FITS could stand to be harder. Keep up the good work FITS.
By scooter October 2, 2009 at 9:26 pm
I feel like I am living in a nightmare. How long will we leave this fool in office? He only gets worse as time goes on. What disrespect for the people that elected him. I really can not stand his creepy stories anymore. Go away, man. We do not like you and do not respect you, and do not want you here. And, there is a good, hard working man who can lead the state. Let him do what is right for the state. (I am not talking about Sanford)
By Mike Honcho October 3, 2009 at 12:00 am
Oh, were this self-righteous rant anything more than just that.
The only person who claims that Sanford claims he is indispensable to the “reform movement” is the cult of personality in front of your lap top. I’ve said this before, but this site’s approach to Sanford has been the same since the beginning. So, I’d say that appeals to stop being “so hard” on Sanford is a figment of someone’s imagination.
Reform should not be about Sanford and if the writer or anyone says it is, they are deluding themselves or lying to the rest of us. Since you mention the hundreds of people who have spent years advancing the reform movement in that moralizing tone, one expects you set all of these people to the beyond reproach standard as well. Yet the writer of this blog gets to indulge his ego with his little rebellious streaks of past indiscretions while telling it like it is against the man. Don’t get me wrong, your logical inconsistencies on this whole movement talk is written in an entertaining fashion.
The irony is that this site gives voice to the legion of insider sycophants who advance the status quo and parade on here anonymously to share their well-oiled jokes with, well, the same people who have already heard them in person.
Go right ahead, tee off on Sanford daily, hourly, you have anyway – even before the trip to Argentina. But, spare us the self-righteous indignation of how Sanford is hurting the cause you want us to think you believe in. Meanwhile, you take the “reform movement” and blindfold it, give it a cigarette, and shoot in the head.
I wouldn’t ask you to stop being so hard on Sanford. Maybe, just maybe you should start being a little harder on yourself.
But the status quo wouldn’t come here to read that and echo chamber for you, would they?
By Spok October 3, 2009 at 11:16 am
Everyone needs to go to http://www.scgovernor.com/contact/email/ and submit an email letting Sanford know that you want him to resign. I am tired of hearing Sanford’s spokesman say that people overwhelmingly want him to remain in office and so he can get back to work. Flood his email box with your true feelings. I doubt Sanford’s stance will change, but the heat needs to remain on him until impeachment can begin.
By Spok October 3, 2009 at 1:55 pm
http://www.scribd.com/doc/17394703/Complete-Emails-to-Governor-of-South-Carolina-Mark-Sanford-staff
Read these emails, if this is not enough information to Impeach Sanfraud I dont know what is. LiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLieLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiessLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLieLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiessLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLiesLies
By Jackie Black October 3, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Not sure about the website address above. It’s the only one I have unless someone would like to set one up for me.
Why have all, or most of you, jumped on the “I hate Mark Sanford” bus??? He came to this job with a bunch of legislators that are either stupid or believe they are Making a name for themselves…and they are! I wonder if many of them finished sixth grade. They are so use to having things their way, how dare anyone stand in their way.
I’m just loving cutting down my list of candidates for governor. Bauer is first, as always. If he can’t drive, he can’t be governor. Just another of his immature attributes. I’ve known this guy for almost as long as he’s been on this earth and he still is trying to get out of the “I can do anything I want to, Mommy” so shut up. Not going to work this time.
Barrett…he’s out. I’m waiting to see if their are anymore fools around.
Oh! There is one more who shoots his mouth of in inappropriate places.
By alaindelon October 4, 2009 at 8:49 am
HARD is an operative word for Sanfraud in regards to Maria Chapur isn’t it?
Especially after reading the emails as suggested by Spok and
considering that Sanfraud is too arrogant and/or stupid to resign AND
get a divorce,I insist FITS comes down on him like a ton of bricks.
By COURTNEY October 4, 2009 at 11:20 am
Too hard on Sanford ???? Hell, he is used to “hard” things…isn’t that the shit the got him in trouble in the the first place ????? I say keep up the good work…let him know what it feels like to be the one being “nailed” for a change !!! What an ass !!!!
By Jackie Black November 11, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Do not use my business website!