By FITSNews || Having officially lost his political testicles thanks to the Maria Belen Chapur scandal last summer (ponder that irony for a moment), S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford is “walking humbly” with Palmetto State lawmakers this year in an attempt to pass a few scraps of his once-ambitious legislative agenda.
In other words, he’s taking what the legislative branch is giving him, Shawshank-style.
The latest example of the governor’s “Ben Dover-age?”
Sanford has decided to “single out and applaud” S.C. Speaker Bobby Harrell for his “persistence and commitment to restructuring.”
What did Harrell do exactly?
Yeah … he gave Sanford the single most pointless (and powerless) piece of his government restructuring proposals, a bill that would allow S.C. voters to choose whether or not they continue to independently elect candidates to the utterly and completely inconsequential S.C. Secretary of State’s office.
Woot-woot! Yay “government restructuring,” right?
(Right?)
Wrong.
This isn’t a victory for the taxpayers or good government advocates - in fact, it’s not a victory at all. And Sanford’s contention that this move will “go a long way toward increasing accountability across state government” is about as accurate as his “I was hiking the Appalachian Trail” comment.
For those of you who’ve forgotten, Sanford’s original restructuring platform would have left only the office of Attorney General independently elected. Governors and Lt. Governors would have run on the same ticket while the State Treasurer, Superintendent of Education, Adjutant General, Agriculture Commissioner, Comptroller General and yes, the Secretary of State, would have been folded into the Governor’s Cabinet.
Much more importantly, however (at least from the taxpayers’ perspective), Sanford’s original restructuring plan would have also consolidated the state’s eight health care delivery agencies and scrapped the wasteful S.C. Budget and Control Board, a giant, five-headed monster of an administrative agency that is unique to our ass-backward state.
Of course, Sanford got none of that … which is why he’s going to such lengths to take credit for this legislative backwash.
In fact, the cost of putting this ridiculous question on the statewide ballot means this latest experiment in “government by musical chairs” will probably end up being a net loss for S.C. taxpayers.
By Conservative Republican February 25, 2010 at 4:25 pm
Would someone please tell me if we’re having a SC Treasurer’s race or a Comptroller General’s race? What’s this upstate philanthropist deciding to do?
If this is how indecisive the guy is, I’d as soon he continue with his charity fundraisers!
By Barker February 25, 2010 at 5:15 pm
Maybe if sanford had better people skills, he would have gotten his way by now. This shit about they are all crooks is no excuse.
By Liberty for Me February 25, 2010 at 6:00 pm
Bobby Harrell is a joke….unless you like warrantless searches.He keeps all his new expanded liberty ideas in a secret compartment in his car.
By Soft Sigh From Hell February 25, 2010 at 6:23 pm
“This isn’t a victory for the taxpayers or good government advocates – in fact, it’s not a victory at all.”
How can you not understand? This is SC government. It is the same from the Governor’s Mansion to big agencies like DHEC, down probably to the Swansea city council and trivial semi-official committees on this problem or that. It is image over substance, what you can talk about and point to and pat yourself on the back about, god forbid not anything involving an objective assessment of what you actually did and accomplished.
By Ynotfirst February 25, 2010 at 7:45 pm
restructuring;reform- bad bad ideas.
let the people’s will stand please…
By R February 25, 2010 at 8:29 pm
South Carolina gets what we deserve. We keep electing corrupt self-serving morons to the Legislature year in and year out. Nothing will change and South Carolina will not advance into modern times until people get fed up and quit electing these dumb asses.
By Old Bertie Boy February 25, 2010 at 9:56 pm
Damn that General Sherman.
By Sophie February 26, 2010 at 2:37 am
I recently spoke with a person who was on Sanford’s staff during Sanford’s first term.
I asked, “What was it like? What impressions did you take away after working closely with the Governor for four years?”
This person, not in politics, commented, “It is amazing how really, plainly, stupid he is. Dumb. Moronic. He does not seek out advise of others, even potential allies. Self-destructive. A nut-case. Dumber than Forrest Gump.”
Forrest Gump sayings from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109830/quotes
Forrest Gump: Stupid is as stupid does.
and
Forrest Gump: Why don’t you love me, Jenny?
[Jenny says nothing.]
Forrest Gump: I’m not a smart man… but I know what love is.
and
Coach Bryant: That kid may be the stupidest son of a bitch I’ve ever seen, but he sure is fast!
and
Jenny Curran: His name’s Forrest.
Forrest Gump: Like me.
Jenny Curran: I named him after his daddy.
Forrest Gump: He got a daddy named Forrest, too?
Jenny Curran: You’re his daddy, Forrest.
and, in this case, “Drill Sergeant” is Bobby Harrell:
Drill Sergeant: Gump! What’s your sole purpose in this army?
Forrest Gump: To do whatever you tell me, drill sergeant!
Drill Sergeant: God damn it, Gump! You’re a god damn genius! This is the most outstanding answer I have ever heard. You must have a goddamn I.Q. of 160. You are goddamn gifted, Private Gump. Listen up, people…
Forrest Gump: [narrates] Now for some reason I fit in the army like one of them round pegs. It’s not really hard. You just make your bed real neat and remember to stand up straight and always answer every question with “Yes, drill sergeant.”
Drill Sergeant: …Is that clear?
Forrest Gump: Yes, drill sergeant!
Go GUMP … I mean MARK!
By Huhhh??? February 26, 2010 at 12:25 pm
Yep, R: it’s the voters, stupid.
Most Black people go to church and get told how to vote.
Christian Right types go to church and get told how to vote.
There is only a small sliver in the middle who can and maybe give some thought to who and what they are voting for.