Well, frumps, sometimes political animals make such idiotically ignorant statements that it almost seems unfair to go after them because it’s so obvious that, in a battle of wits, they are at a very demonstrable disadvantage; and, then there’s always that argument that commenting on such bilge dignifies it somehow. Every once in a while, though, someone comes along who is so incredibly outrageous that their pathology must be highlighted lest they rise to even greater heights of public office.
I have no personal reason to pick on South Carolina as a hotbed of political hypocrisy, ineptitude and melodrama, it just seemed to work out that way this past year. The most recent Palmetto State pol to plant his foot firmly in his mouth is Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer who has decided that this might be a good time to dredge up that old Reagan-era bugaboo The Welfare Queen.
In his 21st Century version, Bauer compared public assistance programs to “feeding stray animals” which, in turn only keeps them healthy enough to reproduce thus perpetuating the “welfare dependency cycle” as he calls it. Here are Lt. Gov. Bauer’s own homespun thoughts on the subject:
“My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals,” Bauer told a Greenville-area crowd. “You know why? Because they breed.
“You’re facilitating the problem if you give an animal or a person ample food supply. They will reproduce, especially ones that don’t think too much further than that. And so what you’ve got to do is you’ve got to curtail that type of behavior. They don’t know any better.”
It doesn’t stop there, though, Bauer has no end of ideas for curtailing “unacceptable” behavior and has vocally supported bringing back corporal punishment to South Carolina’s schools.
Bauer: A Multi-Faceted Kind of Guy
When he’s not advocating the starvation and/or whipping of poor children, Bauer is a stand-up Christian Conservative who unsuccessfully introduced legislation to change South Carolina’s state license plate to this little beauty (below) called the “I Believe” license plate to honor the state’s “majority religion:”
Fortunately we still have some judges in this country who understand the importance of separating Church and State. One of them, Judge Cameron McGowan Currie, wrote the ruling, in which he declared the “I Believe” Act “in violation of the Constitution of the United States of America” and permanently enjoined the state from issuing the “I Believe” state license plates. While he was at it, the judge also noted:
“The “I Believe” Act had its genesis in Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer’s desire to do here what had been unsuccessful in the state of Florida–to gain legislative approval of a specialty plate promoting the majority religion: Christianity. Whether motivated by sincerely held Christian beliefs or an effort to purchase political capital with religious coin, the result is the same. The statute is clearly unconstitutional and defense of its implementation has embroiled the state in unnecessary (and expensive) litigation.”
Other Notable Bauer Performances
You may remember Lt. Gov. Bauer’s role earlier this year in the theatrical cover-up of Gov. Mark Sanford’s unscheduled “Flight to Rio.” Sanford, of course, is Bauer’s boss and, as such, probably counted on Bauer to cover for him, which Bauer did (rather clumsily) by dodging questions. Until he realized that a Sanford fall from grace could result in a nice promotion for none other than Andre Bauer.
If Sanford were compelled to resign, Bauer would automatically assume the governorship without an expensive gubernatorial campaign and, when Sanford’s term was up, Bauer would be running as an incumbent.
So it is that with a heavy heart, Andre Bauer makes the painful decision to do what he must and call for his boss to step down and let Andre take over the governor’s office:
“Regrettably, we have reached a point where we must all put the interests of the people of South Carolina first. It is my opinion that the best interests of the people of South Carolina can no longer be served by the current administration.”
[This, of course, is the same Andre Bauer that “embroiled the state in unnecessary (and expensive) litigation” to push his unconstitutional license plate design, who is now overcome with concern for the people of South Carolina.]
The Plot Sickens
As we all know by now, Gov. Sanford spends the next few weeks weeping on camera, making incomprehensible haiku-ish public statements, reuniting and separating with his long-suffering family . . . and governing the great state of South Carolina.
The next development in the curious case of the Governance of the Palmetto State takes us down an interesting sociological alley in which Gov. Mark Sanford allegedly “outs” his nemesis, Bauer. Bauer’s people characterize this latest development as a smear campaign (for making public what many South Carolinians have speculated on since the first time Andre Bauer sashayed onto the state political scene).
Blogger Mike Rogers, a gay activist featured in the movie Outrage, has made it his avocation to force hypocritical gay politicians out of the closet. Rogers says he has “proof” in the form of statements made by several persons (who choose to remain anonymous) who have “first-hand” experience of the Lt. Gov’s sexual proclivities. Truth be told, this blogger does have a pretty remarkable track record, in his curious field. On the other hand, as an old lesbian quite familiar with the T-dance circuit it doesn’t take a wild imagination to come up with suspicions about Bauer’s sexual identity.
At the risk of advancing stereotypes, Bauer is a forty-year-old bachelor and former cheerleader (no less) with unnaturally good looks, a well-maintained buff physique and a Gentleman’s Quarterly patina. So it’s not patently absurd to peg him as gay and, if true, it shouldn’t make a bit of difference as to his ability to run for and carry out political office.
EXCEPT that, if it’s true and he denies it (which he does, in that sort of enlightened non-committal way that argues that it shouldn’t matter – rather than flat out denial) that makes him a liar and a hypocrite since he pretty ostentatiously panders to the Christian Coalition with stunts like his “I Believe” campaign; knowing full well that if those ultra-conservative donors had reason to believe Bauer is gay, there goes the old political career. So the lying and hypocrisy, to my mind, would make a difference as to his fitness for public office.
The other reservation that I have about Andre Bauer’s fitness to hold office takes us back to the beginning: the man appears to have an appalling degree of ignorance of – and insensitivity to – the economic plight of the people of his own state.
One has to assume, from his absurdly cavalier statements – the initial one on Friday, and the re-affirmation on Sunday – that, in this time of historic economic distress, Bauer is all for making it impossible, or at least more difficult for people in his state to get public assistance. Granted such people are probably not donors to Bauer’s political ambitions but, still . . . shouldn’t there at least be a respectful silence for the pain of one’s own constituents regardless of social policy dogma?
One heartening sign that all is not lost for South Carolina are the outraged statements made by numerous other South Carolinians (both parties), regarding Bauer’s words, which appeared in The State this weekend:
“It amazes me how some Republican politicians claim a monopoly on Christianity and then go out and say and do some of the most un-Christian things imaginable,” said Charleston attorney Mullins McLeod, who participated in a candidates forum in Columbia along with Bauer Saturday. “… Bauer’s comments are despicable and the total opposite of the Christian values Bauer espouses.”
“Sen. Vincent Sheheen, D-Kershaw, said if there is anyone not taking responsibility, it’s Bauer and his fellow Republicans. Sheheen, who is running for governor, noted the GOP has been in control while economic conditions in South Carolina have deteriorated and left more than 600,000 citizens jobless.”
“The increase of people in our state who need jobs, food and shelter is a direct result of the failed policies of those who’ve controlled our state government for the past eight years,” said Sheheen. “I am disgusted by these comments. They show an unbelievable lack of compassion toward the unemployed workers in our state who are hurting during these hard times.”
“Sen. Larry Martin, R-Pickens, said it’s ironic that Bauer’s comments appeared in The Greenville News next to an article about the state’s jobless rate setting a new record.”
“In that article, Martin said, there was a jobless worker who talked about the indignity of a willing and able worker having to ask for food stamps. “People are hurting,” Martin said.”
“State Education Superintendent Jim Rex, a Democrat who is also running for governor, said Bauer should apologize.”
“If the intent of Lieutenant Governor Bauer’s remarks was to blame children, who are not responsible for their own predicaments, or to blame adults, who want to work but cannot find jobs, it is regrettable,” Rex said. “It is reprehensible that a statewide elected official would compare his fellow citizens to stray animals. He should apologize.”
He should not only apologize, he should also go away.
South Carolina is enduring the nation’s worst-ever recession. Bauer’s comments came on the same day South Carolina reported its jobless rate is now 12.6 percent. State agencies are reporting more South Carolinians are tapping public assistance, as job creation is scant and job loss has remained robust.
According to the University of South Carolina’s Moore School of Business, the Latest Economic Indicators Vol. 44, No. 10, October 2009 put South Carolina’s economic rank at 46th out of 50 states in terms of per capita GDP.
So. In my humble opinion, South Carolina, now one of the poorest states in the country, deserves a rescue from the type of state governance they’ve received for the past eight years and Andre Bauer is surely not the “messiah” they so desperately need.
