Governor Mark Sanford and liberal hypocrisy

It's a mainstream media and liberal feeding frenzy.

Republican Governor, Mark Sanford, of South Carolina, recently admitted to having an extra-marital affair.  Sanford had disappeared for several days, saying he was hiking in the Appalachian mountains.  That wasn't the case.  Sanford was instead practicing adultery.   He has since publicly apologized to his wife, family, friends, and supporters.  However, as a politician - he is finished.  The only way Sanford could salvage his career right now would be to become a Democrat.  And here is where the hypocrisy lies.

Democratic politicians, when caught doing anything illegal or improper, never seem to suffer quite the same consequences as Republican politicians.  Why is that? Are Republicans held to a higher standard?  And if so, why?

I have several views on this phenomenon.  Republicans and conservatives who vote Republican representatives into office expect nothing less than good behavior.  Republicans do not allow free passes for politicians from their party that go astray.  Morality is important to conservatives and Republicans.    And even though the mainstream media likes to perpetuate the false notion that  bad or illegal behavior is common within the Republican party, has anyone scrutinized some of the Democratic political figures that have done the same thing, or worse?

U.S. Massachusetts Senator Teddy Kennedy killed a girl.  Has had affairs.  Admitted alcoholic.  Yet, Kennedy is still a senator after many, many years.  And now since Kennedy is in ill health, he will be elevated to hero status whenever he passes on.  All has been forgiven.

Bill Clinton had sex in the Oval Office with an intern.  At the time, the Democrats yelled in unison that sex is a private matter!  Clinton was impeached, since he lied under oath - (not for having sex).  Remember how the Democrats in Washington DC. marched after Clinton was impeached to show their support for Slick Willy?   Even after being impeached, Clinton remains the first "rock star" (and don't forget "black President"), within the Democratic party.  He is making millions off of speaking tours.  No shame involved there, folks.

What about Elliot Spitzer?  While Governor of New York, Spitzer had a fondness for prostitutes, which eventually led to his resigning as Governor.  But where was the condemnation of Spitzer from the left?    Was he held up as an example of what was wrong with the entire Democratic Party?  No. 

John Edwards came very close to being a candidate for the Presidency.  Yet, the mainstream media bent over backwards not to report on very valid information that Edwards was having an affair.  An affair, while his own wife, Elizabeth, was dealing with breast cancer.  After much foot-dragging, the story eventually did surface.  It was a quick blip and has since disappeared.  Did Edwards become a poster boy and reflection of the entire Democratic party?  No.

Closer to home we had our own mayor, John Norquist, having a consensual affair for five years with staffer Marilyn Figueroa.  Eventually Norquist left office early, only to receive a lucrative position at the Congress for New Urbanism.

In 1987, Congressman Barney Frank had a gay prostitution ring running out of his Washington DC. townhouse for a year and a half.  The ring had been set up by a male prostitute that Frank had hired as an "aide."    In 1990, the House ethics committee reprimanded Frank.  That was it.  Less attention was given to the Barney Frank story than in 2006, when Republican Mark Foley's sexually explicit  e-mails to male pages came to light.   Foley later resigned after his "scandal" broke.  Foley sent naughty e-mails and his career was over.   Frank, as we all know, is still in office.

Melvin Reynolds, a Democratic representative from Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives was convicted of sexual assault and sexual abuse of a 16 year old campaign worker.  He served prison time, then tried to win his seat back in 2004.  He lost to Jesse Jackson, Jr.  Yet, where was the outrage?  What even led Reynolds to have enough gall to run again for his old seat once out of prison?

Remember Marion Barry?  He was the mayor of Washington DC. from 1979-1990.  He was caught using crack cocaine and spent time in prison. He was also found guilty of not paying federal and local taxes.  Once out of prison, Barry went on to become mayor of Washington DC. again - from 1995 - 1999.  Today, Barry serves on the City Council in DC.

So here is where the double-standard comes in.  When a Republican politician is caught doing something illegal or wrong, their career is over.  Why?  Because conservative and Republican voters, as well as Republican politicians expect better out of their leaders.  They will not tolerate such behavior.  And the shortcomings of a handful of individuals does not represent the entire Republican Party as a whole.  Mark Sanford was a hypocrite -not the entire Republican party.  He made a choice.  He knew the difference between right and wrong.  And conservatives and Republicans believe in the concept of right and wrong.  The mainstream media and Democrats like to conclude how the bad behaviors of one Republican represent a crisis among the entire Republican party.  That is not true. 

Likewise, when Democratic politicians are caught in wrongdoing, why isn't that described as being representative of the entire Democratic party?  Why are liberal politicians personal failures never a reflection upon liberalism or the liberal movement?

Oh sure, we hear the usual liberal talking point about how Republicans stand for "family values."  And how ALL Republicans are now hypocrites because a handful of Republican leaders cannot behave.  Yet, even though that statement is false, one could look at that statement in a different way.  What do Democratic politicians stand for?  Anything?  Do they have any values?  If they don't, then I guess it is OK for them to absolve and forgive all the Democratic politicians like the Kennedy's, Clintons,' etc. for their reprehensible and illegal behaviors. 

What exactly do "family values" mean?  Is it because many Republicans are pro-life?  pro-man/woman marriage?  If so, I still do believe that Republicans  stand for family values.  What kind of "family values" do liberals promote?  They seem to be trying to determine what a family actually is.  To re-define it.   And they want the government to assist in their quest to re-tool the family unit as they see fit.  And anyone who disagrees better watch out.  Look at what recently happened to Miss California, Carrie Prejean, for simply stating that she believed a marriage should be defined between a man and a woman.  She was trashed by the media and liberals throughout the country.  To make the lefties happy, she should have kept her mouth shut.

The tolerant, compassionate liberals are neither tolerant or compassionate.  They are not open-minded as they profess to be.  Look at how the liberal Obama Administration is attempting to control everything.  They want to control peoples lives.  They want to tell you what kind of car to drive.  They want to take over the banking industry.  They want more of your money.   They want to take over your health care - and in doing so, work to rid the world of those they see as unfit - those with birth defects, the sick, the elderly, the unborn.  They want to tell you where you can and cannot light up a cigarette.   They want to punish those who work hard to achieve their goals.    They are the most judgemental when it comes to those who do not follow their liberal ideals - that anything goes.  Nothing is wrong.  Anything is OK.  Except if it is a conservative belief.  Or if a Republican violates moral values.  

In summary, to really point out the hypocrisy of the left, remember during the Clinton scandal we were told over and over by the media and Democrats that "sex is a private matter?'  If the left truly believes this, than why the media firestorm concerning Governor Mark Sanford?  Shouldn't liberals be defending Mark Sanford at this trying time?

Comments

[grumps]

Amy, it's about the sanctimonius self-righteousness and false piety of the Family Values crowd. It's that simple.

If the so-called social conservatives would stop telling people how to live then liberals would stop holding them to account when they don't personally pratice it.

Oh, and BTW, working health care and banking bailouts into a post about Republican fornication borders on some sort of derangement.

[buck]

How are conservatives telling people how to live any more then the libs are? Looking around this country I would say the family values crowd has lost and the progressives have won. I'm not sure not having any values is a plus, but what the hell go for it.

[Amy L. Geiger-Hemmer]

Obama & Co. are telling us what kind of cars to drive. What kind of light bulbs to use. They want to force government-run health care on us - deciding what age the cut-off treatment is for the elderly (how compassionate). They want to control our investments, by getting control of the banks. They want to take more of our money without our say in the form of higher taxes - spreading the wealth and funding liberal social programs - without input from the taxpayers.

Liberals ARE hypocrites. They want the government to control every aspect of our lives, in the form of socialism - then they turn around and say Republicans are telling them how to live? What? How?

Simply because many Republicans and conservatives value family, hard-work, personal responsibility, religion, and traditional values like honesty and integrity? I don't see such values being forced down anyone's throats.

And when a Republican politician doesn't uphold such values - they are usually gone, career over. Democrats, on the other hand, sometimes even rally and support bad behavior. Witness the Democrats after Slick Willy was impeached for lying under oath. Remember that silly march they did through the streets of Washington DC. to show their support? For a lying president? And look at all the tax cheats Obama has in his cabinet. Think that would EVER be allowed with a Republican president? Republicans who don't pay their taxes go to prison. Democrats who don't pay their taxes work for Obama.

And look at what political party just told people when and where they can or cannot smoke. Private business owners no longer have a say over what their own business establishment can or cannot do.

What values do Democrats have anyhow?