SC Governor caught in a few more ‘falsehoods’
Apparently South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford didn’t wait the years he said he did before having an affair with the woman in Argentina.
Wow, paint me surprised.
Seriously, this guy needs to just stop trying to sugarcoat this stuff. He had an affair. He lied about where he was while governor. That’s just his public indiscretions. I’m sure his wife can add to the list, but that’s not my concern.
Sanford sat down with The Associated Press to talk about the affair. I’m all for public officials explaining themselves, owning up to their mistakes, but this guy seems to be taking it to an extreme.
He appears like somebody who loves the attention, more than than he feels remorse for his now very public affair. What’s even more disturbing is that this man was once rumored for a presidential run against President Obama in 2012. Really? Is this the best figure the national Republican party can come up with? The question doesn’t just come up because this man had an affair. It comes up because his behavior then and now calls into question his ability to make rational decisions. What says more is his inability to stop going on about it and waxing poetic about the “connection” from the very start with the Argentinean beauty.
People are motivated to cheat on their spouses for a variety of reasons. Public officials are targets for judgement because of their office. But Sanford doesn’t seem to know when to stop. He got caught and now it seems he’s using this as an opportunity to detail the great love story. As if that excuses his apparent lack of respect for his office, lying to staff, being out of the country and not putting the lieutenant governor on standby.
It seems the more he talks, the more damage he does to his family, his mistress and to himself.
Oil producers honor Coffee
OIPA is the state’s largest oil and gas advocacy group that represents more than 1,800 members in the crude oil and natural gas production and exploration industry. The group also named Dewey F. Bartlett Jr., president of Keener Oil and Gas Co., member of the year. Bartlett, a Republican who has ann
ounced he will run for major of Tulsa, was honored for his efforts to hire OIPA’s first Washington-based lobbyist.
Senate President approves list of interim studies
Thirty-four interim studies have been approved by Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee. The topics of the studies range from how military pay is handled in divorces, oil and gas pipeline safety, a review of health insurance mandates and the cost of autism insurance coverage. The studies will be conducted between now and the beginning of the next legislative session in February.
For a complete list of the studies go to:
http://oksenate.gov/publications/senate_studies/interim_studies_2009.html
E-mails detail Sanford’s affair
The State in South Carolina has suspected Gov. Mark Sanford has been having an affair for quite some time. Apparently the newspaper got copies of emails between Sanford and his beauty of Buenos Aires in December, but could not verify their veracity. The emails came from an anonymous source. Those emails, however, may have prompted Sanford to tell his wife about the affair before she read it in the papers.
It’s hard to know what goes through somebody’s mind when they’re involved in a heady romance and attempting to make leaps in their political career. At one point, Sanford was rumored to be a top Republican pick to take on Obama in 2012. We’ve seen these scandals in Republicans and Democrats alike. It’s as though their external barometer gets turned off…or they just surround themselves with so many loyal people that nobody bothers to notice or remember the imperfections of a politician on a meteoric rise. There is nobody there to slap their hand away from the cookie jar or ask them to think again. Or maybe the politician doesn’t listen to trusted advisers and staff who are making gentle corrections. It’s had to know and it does take an abundance of ego to even want to pursue an elected office and believe you can win, in addition to a desire to serve your fellow man.
But the common theme in all these politician personal transgressions is arrogance. For Sanford it’s one thing to cheat on his wife, he will spend the rest of his life trying to answer for that to his family. It’s another for him to thumb his nose at his elected office and disappear. We saw similar arrogance with President Bill Clinton, who whether he had sex with that woman or not, apparently did not consider it abusing his power or office when he even entertained a flirtation with a overeager intern in a cute blue dress.
It’s not that every politician needs to get on television and sob like Jimmy Swaggert “I have sinned…” but, it would be nice to see some geniune humility, or better yet some respect for the elected office, whatever it is.
After all, some countries are still fighting for their right to vote and for it to be counted. Have some public officials forgotten that?
S.C. governor is crying over Argentina
Well, it comes as no surprise that the governor of South Carolina didn’t just head for Argentina “to drive the coast line.” In a press conference this afternoon, Gov. Mark Sanford admitted he traveled to Argentina for a romantic tryst with a woman who lives there.
Shocker. I know we should all have more faith in the common good of people, but who jets off to Argentina and says they’re hiking on the Appalachian Trail? The two are incongruous. In fact, if those of us in the Capitol press room had placed bets on it, we could afford a few drinks at Junior’s tonight. But then again, we’re paid to be cynical.
Sanford had established himself as a renegade. He was known for bringing piglets to the the South Carolina House floor to show his distaste for pork spending in a budget. He had also been rumored for a presidential run on the Republican ticket. Guess that’s off the table now.
Sanford, 49, is the married father of four boys and was the head of the Republican Governor’s Association. During the same press conference in which he admitted to his affair, Sanford stepped down from the Republican Governor’s Association.
So here’s the question, what is it with politicians and public foibles?
People all have their weaknesses and make mistakes. Most of us luckily get to do that in private. Then again we don’t chose to run for public office.
Politicians are already in the limelight and then they continue to make mistakes or foolish decisions. Jetting off to South America, lying to their staff or failing to pay their taxes. When you decide to live in a fishbowl, to serve the public, you give up the luxury of making mistakes and quietly moving on — good or bad.
Watch the video of Sanford today:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/06/24/south.carolina.governor/index.html#cnnSTCVideo
Argentina…not on the Appalachian Trail
Apparently the governor of South Carolina got confused, or missed a year or two of geography. Gov. Mark Sanford, who left last week, untethered, unguarded, said he was hiking on the Appalachian Trail.
Turns out he was in Argentina. Not even close governor. And apparently the governor’s staff was just as confused. Staffers told the press that the governor was taking a break from a contentious legislative session and getting his bearings in the woods.
Wrong. The governor said he wanted to do something exotic and flew to Buenos Aries at the last minute. OK.
Speculation and rumors are swirling. But really this raises a few questions. Who was lying? The governor? The staff? Does the public need to know the whereabouts of its high elected official at all times?
He did stop communicating with his family during the hiatus, according to reports. Maybe they’re entitled to more of a explanation.
Sanford is expected to hold a press conference later today and critics are already questioning Sanford’s judgement and ability to govern.
Guess we’ve got it easy in Oklahoma. Gov. Brad Henry seems to keep to his scheduled appearances, although sometimes it’s on his own timetable. Most people don’t worry unless he’s more than 30 minutes behind schedule.
South Carolina’s governor takes a hike, literally
Not sure how Gov. Brad Henry feels about the outdoors, but South Carolina’s governor is heading out on the Appalachian Trail — untethered. According to media reports, Gov. Mark Sanford left in the sport utility vehicle that his bodyguard normally drives and stopped communicating with his office, family and friends late last week.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the hiatus comes after Sanford sparred with opponents and Obama administration officials about the use and his desire to refuse nearly $700 million in federal stimulus dollars. Sanford was expected to return to his office on Wednesday. Staffers heard from him today, according to media reports.
In a statement, Joel Sawyer, Sanford’s spokesman said, “Governor Sanford called to check in with his chief of staff this morning. It would be fair to say the governor was somewhat taken aback by all of the interest this trip has gotten.”
Another interesting wrinkle in the Wall Street Journal story is this:
“The state’s top attorneys spent Monday researching state laws, which are ambiguous, about whether an extended or unexplained absence can trigger the temporary replacement of the governor or transfer of authority to Lt. Gov. André Bauer. Both men are Republicans, though they have clashed at times. Elected officials decided against pursuing a power transfer after being told by aides to the governor that they knew Mr. Sanford’s location.”
Public officials, word to the wise, don’t be absent on crucial days. Oklahoma has had it’s share of untimely absences. Just last session, Sen. Steve Russell, R-Oklahoma City, was absent on what was supposed to be the last day of session. Without his vote, Republicans didn’t have the support to pass the chief information officer bill. They came back after the Memorial Day holiday to take up that bill and others.
But I wonder, maybe Gov. Sanford isn’t hiking. Maybe he’s just sitting at home, watching movies and taking a break from politics, if only for a few days.
ODOT eyes high speed rail
Oklahoma can already brag that it leads the nation in spending its federal stimulus dollars allocated for road and bridge projects.
Now state transportation officials could be going after another pot of federal dollars. High speed rail. Oklahoma is included in one of ten proposed high speed rail corriders. The South Central corrider would begin in Tulsa and connect Oklahomans to existing rail routes in San Antonio. Another spur would veer east toward Arkansas and connect passengers to trains that run out of Chicago at Little Rock. It’s a plan that hold promise. However, the plan currently only has $8 billion in funding.
Oklahoma’s Transportation Director Gary Ridley estimates would could cost more than a $1 billion just to improve the track between Oklahoma City and Tulsa for high speed rail use.
State officials must decide by July 10 if they want to compete for rail funding. The national project is ambitious, but if executed it could change the way the nation’s transportation system works. It would conserve fuel as well, something the Obama administration has made a priority.
But naysayers might say that our current rail system is already propped by federal subsidies, and this would just create more of burden. It’s an interesting concept. And wouldn’t be nice to get on a train in Oklahoma City and get to San Antonio or link up with the vast network of lines that radiate from Chicago’s Amtrak station?
I’ve traveled cross country by train only once, going from Chicago to Spokane, Wash. It was a beautiful trip going through the plains and mountains and Americana in between. But it also took nearly two days and cost just as much as an airplane ticket, if not more.
For a rail system to really work, those are obstacles that would have to be addressed before the American public sees the value.
For more information on the project go to: http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/31
GOP doctor-lawmakers skeptical of health plan
Reps. Mike Ritze and Doug Cox, the only medical doctors serving in the Legislature, say they are leery of health care reform plans being developed by President Barack Obama’s administration.
That’s somewhat to be expected. Both Ritze and Cox are Republicans; Obama is a Democrat.
Cox, an emergency room physician in Grove, concedes the present medical care system must be improved.
“Going to a doctor with a simple sore throat and leaving with a bill over $100 is not acceptable – it is putting access to medical care out of reach for many Oklahomans,” Cox said in a statement issued with Ritze, of Broken Arrow.
“However, this is a very complicated issue. These problems did not develop overnight yet it seems, as with many issues facing his administration, the President is trying to force a ‘reform’ through Congress in a very rapid manner without sufficient detail regarding long-term effects,” Cox said. “Health care reform must be addressed, but in a systematic, methodical manner with greater involvement by those who are skilled in delivering care.”
Ritze said the reforms being advocated by Obama and Democratic congressional leaders are unlikely to improve care or reduce prices.
“The ‘new’ blueprint for health care will fail for the same reason the current system is failing: It violates the basic laws of economics,” Ritze said. “When the apparent price of something goes down, demand goes up.”
Proposals that would have residents paying essentially the same amount for coverage, regardless of actual risk and medical need. As a result, Ritze said, demand for medical care will skyrocket and the system will be clogged with nonurgent-care patients, displacing those with serious medical conditions and increasing waiting times.
“Collective prepayment drives up demand because healthier citizens feel the need to ‘get their money’s worth’ out of the system,” Ritze said. “Ultimately, that will compound the doctor shortage in states like Oklahoma.”
He said the number of U.S. medical graduates entering family medicine and internal medicine has fallen by half over the past decade. The situation will not improve under a system that prevents pricing that covers actual cost and allows minor profit, Ritze said.
Other nations that have experimented with universal health care are losing good doctors, he said.
Cox suggests getting back to the “primary care concept” where every American has a personal family physician/
“This has been shown in study after study to reduce cost,” Cox said. “The present system requires too many clerks working in health care that are not involved in patient care. The administrative paper/computer work required is a major cost driver in the system.”
- Michael McNutt, Capitol Bureau
Editor comments on military tax break
By Julie Bisbee
Capitol Bureau
jbisbee@opubco.com
Senate Bill 881 removes the state income tax on federal pay to troops. The exemption will apply to all active military personnel, including National Guard members and reservists.
Senate author Steve Russell, R-Oklahoma City, said military personnel often switch their state of residency on military financial documents to avoid states with income taxes. This law, which takes effect July 1, 2010, will make Oklahoma one of 16 states with an active-duty military tax break.
Military personnel declare their state of residency, even when they are serving in other states or countries. They also pay excise taxes, license plate fees and other state taxes to their state of residency. Russell said the law could prompt more troops to declare Oklahoma their state of residency.
“As a career soldier and years of experience, I know that there are many people from Oklahoma who change their residency to avoid paying state taxes,” Russell said.
Losing military residents could mean a loss of revenue, Russell said. For every 10,000 troops who change their residency from Oklahoma, the state loses about $6 million in motor vehicle fees, he said.
“That loss of revenue exceeds what is paid in taxes,” Russell said. “This shows that we want to grow the number of military in Oklahoma rather than be a donor state.”
The move also makes the state more attractive at times when the Department of Defense evaluates its bases and installations and considers shuttering some, he said.
“This is something tangible that we can do for the troops,” Russell said. “We all like the photo ops and feel-good events, but this actually proves that we really care about our troops.”
BY THE NUMBERS
54,000
Service members who entered the military in Oklahoma
21,000
Service members who claim Oklahoma residency
Source: Sen. Steve Russell, R-Oklahoma City
