Leatherman zings Sanford, Liberal-tarians one more time

Leatherman

It seems the (Former Gov. Mark) Sanford wing of the Republican Party is not too happy with Sen. Hugh Leatherman (R-Florence.) 

Leatherman was elected Senate president pro tem, Wednesday. Leatherman is also chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, a most-powerful position.

The Senate voted 42-2 to elect Leatherman to the post.

Sen. Tom Davis (Beaufort) and Sen. Shane Massey (Edgefield) voted against Leatherman's ascendancy.

It gives Leatherman even more power, obviously.

Leatherman was political Enemy No. 1 to Sanford, when Sanford was governor. Davis and Massey are the same brand of Republican as Sanford.

They could be characterized as “Liberal-Tarians.” These are nuanced members who claim the Republican Party. Their key appeal is to triangulate, in an effort to incorporate more Libertarian, Libreral, or would-be (frustrated-with-losing) Democrats.

Liberal-Tarians are too-cute-by-half (as the saying goes) for most Republican voters.

Liberal-Tarians are soft on social issues, but claim an allegiance to fiscal Conservatism.

Manifestations of Liberal-Trains, nationally, are Rep. Ron Paul and N.J. Gov. Chris Christie. 

Their free-for-all thinking is lauded by some liberals, and fits well sometimes, with inexperienced and pop-culture voters. But Liberals savage Liberal-Tarians when Liberal-Tarians oppose Big-Government spending as a solution (the reason Liberal-Tarains claim the R.)

Libertarians lose out in the end, because most serious, hardworking Republicans in South Carolina know that social liberalism leads to fiscal irresponsibility.

Sanford was a master at disguising his Liberal-Tarian nature, and maximizing his Conservative bent. But he lived a good example of the Liberal-Tarian lifestyle.

He was a pious man, very scornful of those who did not like his stingy hand on the purse strings. But his lack of moral responsibility allowed him to walk out on his wife and children for his lover. He also admitted he “crossed-the-line” with other women as he termed it. Sanford lived liberal, personally, but he was very harsh – judgmental if you will- in dealing with opponents.

I bet it was not fiscally beneficial for Sanford to leave his family. And that ambiguity is the point. 

Anyway: Sanford's rage-against-the-machine mentality is why he clashed to such a large degree with Leatherman, and other Republicans.

Sanford – when he was governor from 2002-2010- used to schedule trips to Florence, to hold news conferences. It was an attempt to spook Leatherman, on his home turf, on spending issues. It didn't work. Leatherman always won. And the bad blood between the two helped define Sanford's legacy.

In the end: Sanford, as governor, can be identified as: “The Great Uniter.”

Sanford UNITED Republicans and Democrats, alike, against him, to override his overflowing bounty of budget vetoes every year.

And while Massey was tantrum-ing ( pop culture word for kids throwing a temper tantrum) Wednesday, to the media's delight, Leatherman likely had a grin from ear to ear. He got Sanford one more time.