Frugal Café Blog Zone

Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on June 25, 2009

This over-the-top media frenzy over Gov. Mark Sanford’s extramarital affair is beyond troubling. Our American media has disintegrated into a 24/7 gossip-driven National Enquirer slimefest bash-a-thon whenever sex is a factor.

Yes, sex sells. But, so do illegal drugs and phony passports.

Does that mean our (government-run/Obama-loving) media needs to race down that pathetic “porno-lite path” with such sophomoric zeal, while barely glancing at far more troubling matters that actually AFFECT our country?

Sanford’s weird disappearance and reappearance, lies he asked his staff to tell other lawmakers while cavorting with his mistress in Argentina, and the despicable way he has treated his wife and children are all loathsome. He’s a worm of an SOB. But I won’t live a different life or be affected beyond my initial reaction of “What a rotten, lascivious jerk” because of it. His family WILL be affected, the state of South Carolina is most definitely affected, but for 98.5% of Americans (I’m ballparking from last year’s census numbers), there will be no impact. None, nada, zilch.

Not so with the president’s firing of Inspector General Gerald Walpin. Walpin had performed his duties as a watchdog to the letter of the law, and was getting close to exposing fraud of Obama’s cronies (most specifically, Mayor Kevin Johnson). He wouldn’t look the other way or stop his investigation into fraud at St. HOPE, so our government arrogantly “jumped the shark” and kicked Walpin to the curb.

Except, it’s highly illegal to do that. Walpin and other IGs are protected from capricious firing, as they are expected to be keeping an eye on all improprieties, investigate and report them, no matter who is POTUS. The law and rules that detail the stringent protocol that must be followed in the termination of an inspector general applies equally to Republican presidents and to Democrat presidents. No matter what the current White House administration may think, Obama is president, not an emperor or a king or, as Evan Thomas at Newsweek believes, a god.

To top it off and add nasty insult to injury, WH spokespersons have tried to malign Walpin without evidence, telling the press that they thought he was deranged or some other crappy nonsense.

Where are the real journalists? There is a huge scandal just waiting to be exposed by a young pup of a reporter, just waiting to turn the government on its ear. But smearing and mocking a philandering husband and sex-driven politician has been easier, quicker to “sound bite,” and sexier to the masses who don’t want real news, but bawdy TMZ-esque sex reports masquerading as legitimate news stories. Sexual affairs with women in Argentina get more press coverage because our childish journalists love the cachet of it. Who will report on the far-reaching corruption, crime, and cronyism of Obama supporters that is RIGHT THERE? Hopefully, someone soon.

Shame on our media, and shame on Americans who flock to this salacious garbage. There is also a heaping helping of giggly schadenfreude from the Democrats because of Sanford’s stance against the porkulus/stimulus bill.

Time to move on from the schoolyard mocking of Gov. Sanford’s midlife-crisis sex drive and ask about real grownup stuff, like the illegal firing of IG Walpin.

Not Tucker Carlson: WATCHDOGS, NOT LAPDOGS.

The job of an Inspector General is not a pleasant job. Imagine being the person who always carries the bad news, who always shows up to point out mistakes, and who gets people in trouble. Imagine being in an almost-constant adversarial relationship with the people you work around. It takes a rare and thick-skinned person to do that job. But it is a necessary job. Inspectors General are the watchdogs who guard our interests in government. They make sure the dollars our government spends are spent in accordance with the law. Without them, fraud and abuse would run rampant. Well, more rampant than it already does.

That is why they must be independent agents, not beholden to the agency they inspect. The day they become lapdogs and not watchdogs is the day that we lose any semblance of accountability for the trillions dollars our government spends on our behalf.

So the current scandal, wherein three Inspectors General have retired or resigned under what appears to be political pressure from the Obama administration should concern us. Right now, members of Congress are looking into the various allegations, but that won’t be enough. We will need tenacious “mad-dog journalists” to dig into the story as well and ask the right questions. Once we get answers to those questions, it will be our responsibility as citizens and taxpayers to make sure that Inspectors General keep their independence.

Our government relies on the checks and balances that keep one branch from becoming more powerful than any other. The Inspectors General are a vital balance against overreach from the Executive Branch. We need to make sure that balance is maintained.

Related reading:
Hot Air: Walpin sues for wrongful termination and Obama has fired 2 IGs in 2 weeks, leashed another and Spitzer-Take on Sanford and Obama playing hardball on Walpin as key Dem calls foul and Obama cronyism: Going after AmeriCorps IG on behalf of contributor; Update: A Michelle Obama connection? and Great news: Porkulus accountability just as good as TARP’s
ExposeObama.com: Walpin-gate opens wider: FBI investigates
Citizen Wells: Inspector General of the AmeriCorps fired, Obama reasons, Gerald Walpin firing, proper procedure not followed, Michelle Obama involved?
The American Spectator: Shut Up, Sanford
Big Lizards: How to Succeed in Politics Without Really Trying
GayPatriot: Sanford scandal detracts from issues (& scandals) of greater relevance
Goodtimepolitics: Probe launched in suspicious firing of inspector general
Sister Toldjah: Another IG firing, and the leashing of another
Jeffrey Jena, Big Hollywood: The Real Housewife of South Carolina
Michelle Malkin: South Carolina GOP votes to censure Sanford and Lying Sanford’s days are numbered. Hurry up and Dear Mark Sanford: Buy a one-way ticket to Argentina already and be gone and Client Number Nine thinks he is all that and Two disappearing acts, one tabloid circus and A Biden connection: The Amtrak IG scandal and Sen. Coburn: Our watchdog and AmeriCrooks Watch: Meddling Michelle Obama to keynote volunteerism conference and Obama’s AmeriCrooks and cronies scandal and Obama’s Americorps scandal — and the First Lady’s meddling and GOP govs, stimulus strings, and the legality of the Punish Mark Sanford Amendment

NEOAVATARA: Obama’s Hypocrisy On Americorps
Diary of a Mad Conservative: My God – it’s a nightmare!!!!
The Sundries Shack: From Little ACORNs…
Frugal Café Blog Zone: Fraud in Obama’s White House? AmeriCorps & Cronie Scandal Unfolds, Taxpayer Money Funds Left-wing Groups, Inspector General Fired for Uncovering Misused Funds
Stop The Liberals Now: The All Powerful Obama Fires Inspector General of AmeriCorps (For Investigating a Corrupt Crony)
Katia the Conservative Dachshund: Michelle Obama meddling in Americorps??
Moe Lane: Let us recap the Gerald Walpin situation.
Riehl World View: Not Just Walpin – 3 IG Firings Being Questioned
Wellsy’s World: Fired Inspector General strikes back at Obama admin smear
Watcher of Weasels: Agitator and Agitprop in Chief
Ed Driscoll: The Walpin Firing: That’s The Chicago Way
Conservative Patriot HQ: More Bad News from the Most Ethical Congress Ever
Michelle Malkin: Bastard and Two disappearing acts, one tabloid circus and The dignity of Jenny vs. the jerkitude of Mark
Hot Air: Poll: 50% of South Carolinians say Sanford should resign and Video: The freaky deaky Mark Sanford press conference; Update: Wife told him to leave two weeks ago; Update: SC paper reprints e-mails to mistress and Sanford implodes, admits affair
The Wide Awake Cafe: Gov. Mark Sanford and his “Dear, Dear Friend”
Neoavatara: Republicans Behaving Badly
Jim Blazsik: The Republican case for Traditional Marriage: a response to Maura Flynn
Jules Crittenden: His Inner Kerry
Teh Resistance Blog: Compassion, What a Concept
Michelle Malkin: Bad taste award
The Other McCain: Mary Jo Kopechne could not be reached for comment

Categories: Entertainment, Celebrities, Government, Law & Constitution, Media & Communication, Social and Political Climate
Tags: Argentina, governor, inspector general, journalism, Kevin Johnson, Mark Sanford, media bias, National Enquirer, political, political scandal, politics, porkulus, president, Sanford's affair, sex scandal, sex sells, South Carolina, St. HOPE, tabloids, watchdog