Fiscal Conservative Hypocrisy Watch

Do words have meaning to the GOP anymore?

Famous Appalachian Trail hiker Mark Sanford ran for Congress and for governor of South Carolina as a penny-pinching fiscal conservative. Guess who’s a big hypocrite? Politico analyzed Sanford’s travel records:

The records detail more than $468,000 worth of state-funded travel for Sanford and show that he routinely billed taxpayers for high-end airline seats, racking up more than $44,000 on business- and first-class tickets. He often stayed in pricey hotels that far exceeded the rates he imposed on other state employees.

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While running for governor in 2002, Sanford zeroed in on travel spending, criticizing Democratic incumbent Gov. Jim Hodges for “lavish spending” on airfare and hotel rooms.

“If I become your governor,” he asserted in a radio ad, “I’ll fix that problem in Columbia.”

Indeed, in his first year as South Carolina’s chief executive, Sanford moved quickly to implement his campaign promise by urging state employees to sleep two to a hotel room while traveling on state business.

Later, he called out an unnamed state employee for staying in a New York hotel for $269 per night — which he pointed out at the time was $61 above the federal rate — and a state consultant for billing the state $375 a night for a three-night stay in a Phoenix hotel to attend a conference.

BTW, Sanford is on vacation again, this time with his wife. How much time does Sanford spend on vacation anyway?

Remember how Texas governor Rick Perry made a big deal about not accepting the oppressive government stimulus money, and even flirted with secessionist talk? Guess who’s coming around looking for money?

Perry, probably thinking more about his upcoming Republican gubernatorial primary than effective government, made a very foolish call. In the Spring, he didn’t want $555 million in stimulus funds that would have simply been a grant, which the state wouldn’t have to pay back. Now, Perry may ask the federal government for a loan that could reach $650 million, which Texas will have to pay back.

So, the stimulus follies have taken down 3 governors so far: Palin (resigned), Sanford and now probably Perry. Perry’s big advantage over Kay Bailey Hutchison was his support from the far right. How are they going to feel now that Perry is begging the federal government for money?