Corrupt conservatives; Sanctimonious hypocrites on the right dishonor faith, family and freedom

The Washington Times ^ | 2009-06-27 | Jeffrey T. Kuhner

[rabscuttle385]

Is the conservative movement rotten to its core?

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford's bizarre revelation that he had an extramarital affair with a longtime female friend in Argentina has dealt another blow to an already decrepit Republican Party. After losing control of Congress in 2006 and the White House in last year's election, the Republicans are not only in the minority; they also are adrift and leaderless. Mr. Sanford was highly touted as one who could advance new ideas, as a fresh face for Republican conservatives.

He carved out a distinct political identity by fusing a command of policy with Southern folksiness. Pro-tax-cuts, pro-life and a staunch critic of big government, Mr. Sanford is a solid conservative. He has been a champion of old-fashioned, austere values such as frugality, modesty and Christian morality. His Southern conservatism is rooted in God, country and family.

. . . . .

He has openly confronted America's decline, often making comparisons to the decadent Roman Empire. He rightly pointed out that, like ancient Rome, America is plagued by malaise and is in decay: Our borders have become porous; our politics are rife with factionalism; our economy is slowly being strangled by bureaucratic statism; our national identity is disintegrating; and our culture is ravaged by neo-pagan hedonism and moral permissiveness.

His greatest accomplishment as governor is that he has abolished the illegal $155 million budget deficit he inherited from his predecessor. Mr. Sanford is a rare breed: He takes constitutional requirements seriously. And he balanced the budget by slashing spending.

He emerged as a national leader against President Obama's $787 billion economic stimulus plan.

. . . . .

Yet now he has squandered much of his legacy on an act of pure folly.

[sitetest]

Dear Tax-chick,

I agree with Mr. Steyn’s thesis.

Which means that perhaps our choices may be limited to choosing between evil and depraved minions of Satan who wish to make the state everything over all, or corrupted men who at least still have the dream of freedom and of limited government, no matter how flawed they themselves might be.

Men who are not corrupt, whose egos are not so large as to fill a galaxy, don't run for high political office. For one, they disdain the requirement to turn one’s insides out for all to view. For another, many honest men know that they are honest but not beyond temptation, and wisely choose not to go where they will be morally destroyed. Avoiding occasions of sin, and all that sort of thing.

sitetest

[Tax-chick]

Men who are not corrupt, whose egos are not so large as to fill a galaxy, don't run for high political office.

Apparently not. And plenty of corrupt and egotistical men are available even for low political office, such as mayor of my insignificant suburb. Perhaps it's because the cost - in money, time, and personal harassment - of running for any office is so high. The "reward" simply of doing a job and potentially improving the community for all often isn't sufficient, so there has to be cash-in-hand, massive ego support, or both.

I often work on local campaigns - state rep, county commissioners, town council - and finding an honest candidate is hard. Sometimes the best you can do is figure out who owns them, so you estimate how they'll vote.

[DoughtyOne]

While I don't like saying this, it still appears to me that this is about as close to 'a screed' as I have seen in the Washington Times.  The misinterpretations of what Sanford's actions say about Conservatism needs to be addressed.

Unlike most leaders in his party, Mr. Sanford is not a Reagan Republican. He does not mouth the mantra of the politics of sunny optimism - which during the past 10 years has become a form of meaningless pandering.  Reagan was not always a sunny optimist.  For example, he saw Jimmy Carter for what he was, and called the Soviet Union 'the Evil Empire'.  He did firmly believe in the resilience of the United States, and focused the conscience of U.S. Citizens on that.  His rebuilding of the military wasn't based on the sunny optimism of seeing our military decimated by he predecessor.  It was based on reality.  It was based on Conservative principles.  And when folks talk about meaningless pandering, they really need to know what they are talking about.  Reaganism is alive and well today, mainly because Conservatism is a belief system that will always reside in the hearts of men, even if it is called something else.  Is it meaningless to hearken back to Reagan, and the nation he left to us?  Harrumph!

Yet now he has squandered much of his legacy on an act of pure folly.  The difference between Conservatives and Leftists, is that Conservatives at least comprehend that there are values even if they cannot always live up to the ideal standard.  Sure Sanford screwed up here.  We don't know all the reasons why, but he did.  The Leftists wouldn't even acknowledge that their guy had done anything wrong, if he behaved as Sanford has.  We acknowledge it.  We rake him over the coals for it.  We abhor his behavior.  We also know that the human condition being what it is, good men will fail at times.  If Sanford is contrite, apologizes, continues to do good work, then this won't be the end of him.

How does Sanford's actions rank compared to a Congressman who had a 'life partner' running a male on male whorehouse out of his home?  Did the left condemn that person?  Did he lose credibility with his supporters?  Was he drummed out of Congress never to be seen again?  As Conservatives it is our job to trash what Sanford did, and him for having done it.  It is not our job to be his executioner.

The modern Republican Party was formed in opposition to the 1960s counterculture.  Incorrect!  The modern Republican party was not formed in opposition to the 1960s counterculture.  It merely held it's ground on moral values.  It had them all along.  It is the Democrat party that morphed itself.  It is the Democrat party that completely abandoned any pretense of adhering to or even respecting a values system based on Christian ethics.

Mr. Sanford's fall is not simply a Shakespearean tragedy. It is a reflection of the moral collapse of the conservative movement.  Oh I see, then as a result of Sandford's action, Conservatives have completely abandoned the pretense of adhering to or respecting a values system based on Christian ideals.  Ah, I think we can safely say that the Conservative movement has not suffered any sort of collapse here.  One person demonstrated their human frailty.  They screwed up big-time.  Wow.  News flash, film at eleven, who knew humans sinned?  This is sure news to me!  /s

The American right is permeated with sanctimonious hypocrites who talk like traditionalists but live like libertines.  If a guy talks about moral values his whole life, then gets caught up emotionally and commits a murder, does that suddenly mean that murder has stopped being wrong?  The fact is, that only one of the two major parties in the United States stands up and says what is right and what is wrong.  I certainly don't expect every person that does know what is right and wrong, to adhere to those tenets every moment of their lives.  Even as moral weaklings, we espouse high ideals because it strengthens society as a whole.  By addressing issues and clearly defining what is right and wrong, we strengthen those who would do right in their lives.  We don't know how many times sin lost out as a viable option, because even the weakest among us, at most times spoke of high ideals.  It is fair to call someone a hypocrite if they have spoken out against something, and have then done it themselves, but I want to caution folks here.  If you are a Christian and you sin, you are technically a hypocrite.  Guess what.  Every person who espouses to live a good life, is in some things a hypocrite.  So Lefties out there who trash Sanford and think he should resign, you are demonstrating your complete lack of understanding what Christianity is.  Christians aspire to live perfect lives.  They don't live perfect lives.  They try.  They fail.  They try again.

At its core, conservatism is not simply a set of beliefs; it is a way of life - one that is anchored in the natural moral order centered on faith, family and freedom.   Yes it is, but as long as humans are involved, there will be failures in judgment, sins that disappoint us all.  Is there some indication that Sanford will now stop voting as he always has?  Will he now sell out all his values across the board?  Was his infidelity a sign that he could no longer be of service to his constituents, or his nation?

Let's talk about a lifestyle that sees a person frequent a bathhouse on weekends, coming into sexual contact with many partners.  Is that something the left condemns?  Why of course not.  Let one person on the right make a major mistake and of course they are called on the carpet as if the world had come to an end.  I detest what Sanford did.  I don't want to see any public figure do what he has done.  I believe he is a slug for having done it.  I am still not prepared to destroy this man's chance at leadership.  I will address what he has done that is wrong, and I will urge him to do better.

This is the conservative holy trinity. And it is now being defamed by its own high priests.   Defamed?  You can't defame something that is a bedrock fact.  You can show that you are human and commit a sin that is very wrong, but you cannot destroy the moral value that you are breaching.  It will always be morally right to remain faithful to your spouse.  Even if no humans were still practicing marital fidelity, there would still be the moral standard that it was wrong not to.

News Flash: Moral Standards were not destroyed by Sanford's actions.  The idea that he was perfect was.  And that idea is based on a flawed concept.  There has only been one perfect human being.  The rest of us are poor imitators, but at least we decided to try.  I believe that Sanford will try again.  I wish him good luck.