Sanford Scandal Underscores Sad State of Politics
Governor Mark Sanford’s John Edwards moment provides an opportunity to dwell on what is wrong with politicians and politics in the US as well as other countries. That some are calling for his resignation after an extramarital affair allegedly with a woman named Maria Belen Chapur (or Shapur as some reports suggest) raises a question. Why is the resignation of a public official only demanded for a limited number of ‘offenses’? The sheer quantity of types of bad behavior displayed by POLS on a regular basis should have demands for resignation submitted on a daily basis. Simply for the amount of time they are not on the job and their arrogance to give themselves regular pay raises should be cause for their termination. But that is not likely to happen.
In Sanford’s case, along with governors Granholm, Pawlenty and Rendell, a Sunday morning talk show was the venue where the two Dems, Granholm and Rendell, had no shame in their acceptance of taxpayer dollars to do with just about as they please from the so-called stimulus plan while the two GOP governors suggested it was a bad idea and were against it.
As demonstrated by the information below, they all knew that legislatures, or in Sanford’s case, state Supreme Courts, had the power to force them to take the money. And now that Sanford has provided proof he is capable of being less than truthful, how is the public supposed to read POLS whenever their lips are moving. In a post on this blog the week the foursome discussed the stimulus plan and how they planned to respond skepticism was expressed and it would seem at least in the SC governor’s story that was warranted.
Below are the releases from Gov Sanford’s website in which he expresses the obligatory remorse for his personal sins and his application for stimulus funds as indicated in response to lawsuits in which the SC Supreme Court required his cooperation. How convenient. He was considered a 2012 potential Presidential candidate and expressed opposition to the out of control government spending and still does in his application and cover letter. If you know you can be forced to do something and want to look like a good guy it is no risk to voice your opposition.
This has been an obviously simple example demonstrating the difficulty in deciding whether or not an elected representative is being truthful. Along with many other POLS, in trouble or not, Sanford’s and their words have little meaning for constituents or the public at large.
Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com
Gov. Sanford Issues Follow-up Statement on Today’s Media Availability
Columbia, S.C. - June 24, 2009 - Governor Mark Sanford today issued the following statement:
“First and foremost, I apologize to my wife and my four boys. I have made decisions that have hurt and will continue to hurt them, and for that I’m sincerely sorry. Jenny has stood by me through campaign after campaign, through hard time after hard time, and neither she nor the boys deserve this. Please offer them your prayers.
“I apologize to my staff. I misled them about my whereabouts, and as a result the people of South Carolina believed something that wasn’t true. I want to make absolutely clear that over the past two days at no time did anyone on my staff intentionally relay false information to other state officials or the public at large. What they’ve said over the past two days they believed to be true, and I’m sorry to them for putting them in this position.
“I apologize to the people of South Carolina. There are many people out there right now who are hurt, angry and disappointed with me, and rightfully so. Over the time that I have left in office, I’m going to devote my energy to building back the trust the people of this state have placed in me.
“I ask for your forgiveness, and your prayers for everyone who I’ve hurt,” Sanford said.
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Stimulus Application and Cover Letter
Attached is the application for the stimulus funds, beginning with a cover letter.
Stimulus Funds and Cover Letter[pdf]
Governor Sanford Won’t Appeal S.C. Supreme Court Decision
Columbia, S.C. - June 1, 2009 - After a federal judge today sent two stimulus lawsuits back to the state Supreme Court, Governor Mark Sanford said he would not make any state or federal appeals of whatever is decided by the state’s top court, and will abide by whatever their decision is regarding a disputed $700 million in federal stimulus funds.
Governor Sanford had sought to use state dollars equal to about 10 percent of stimulus funds South Carolina was slated for in order to pay down state debt, so that future generations who ultimately pay for the so-called “stimulus” spending receive some benefit from the government services of today being bought with tax dollars of tomorrow. Instead, the General Assembly has tried to force the governor to apply for the funds.
Two state suits had been filed seeking to force the governor to apply for the federal funds. The governor had sought to have those claims consolidated with his own and have all three heard in federal court. With the federal judge sending two suits back to state court today, the state Supreme Court will almost certainly make the final ruling in the case.
Gov. Sanford noted that if the case is decided against him, he hopes it will serve as a wake-up call for fixing South Carolina’s antiquated government structure.
“We continue to believe that this issue is fundamentally about the balance of power and separation of powers in our state, and our hope is that however it turns out it will serve as a reason for more people to make their voices heard about the outdated and bizarre government structure in South Carolina,” Gov. Sanford said. “Legislative dominance in our state costs all of us in very real terms for the way it breeds duplication and waste. If we ever want to be competitive as a state in the 21st Century, it starts with having a 21st Century government structure.”
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