[vc318]

I was just reading an article where Broward County schools was commended for the vast improvement on the FCAT Testing yet teachers were still let go. I know the the Florida Board of Education is forcing the layoffs but it's just a sucky way of commending those teachers on a job well done by handing them the pink slip.

[sunnykerr]

Well, let's face it, teachers are like nurses. The better they do, the more the government thinks they could probably do a good job with less. And, the next thing you know, they figure they (the government) could do a good job without them altogether.

Of course, then they throw in the fact that demographics may be changing and whatnot, but it's still people losing their job.

[vc318]

Well, at least parents are holding protests over this. I read there are some rallies going on a various schools in Broward County. It's nice that they care but in the end nothing can be done. The superintendent has his hands tied - he's being told to let teachers go by the Department of Education to make their budget. It really stinks just like everything else that's going on right now.

[sunnykerr]

Well, here's to hoping it gets better.

[ceilirose]

This is a fairly good recap of Gov. Sanford and his troubles:

COLUMBIA, S.C. - After going AWOL for seven days, Gov. Mark Sanford admitted Wednesday that he'd secretly flown to Argentina to visit a woman with whom he'd been having an affair as steamy e-mail exchanges with his mistress emerged. Wiping away tears, he apologized to his wife and four sons and said he will resign as head of the Republican Governors Association. “I’ve been unfaithful to my wife,” he said in a bombshell news conference in which the 49-year-old governor ruminated aloud with remarkable frankness on God’s law, moral absolutes and following one’s heart. He said he spent the last five days “crying in Argentina.” Later Wednesday, The State newspaper in South Carolina released e-mail exhanges between the governor and the woman, identified only as Maria. Sanford's office Wednesday did not dispute the authenticity of the emails, The State reported. One exchange was dated July 10, 2008 when the governor is reported to have written to her: "Two, mutual feelings .... You have a particular grace and calm that I adore. You have a level of sophistication that so fitting with your beauty. I could digress and say that you have the ability to give magnificent gentle kisses, or that I love your tan lines or that I love the curve of your hips, the erotic beauty of you holding yourself (or two magnificent parts of yourself) in the faded glow of the night's light - but hey, that would be going into sexual details ..." Sanford, who in recent months had been mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2012, ignored questions at the news conference about whether he would step down as governor. By leaving the country without formally transferring power, critics said he neglected his gubernatorial authority and put the state at risk. It wasn’t clear how his staff could reach him in an emergency. At least one state lawmaker called for his resignation. As a congressman, Sanford voted in favor of three of four articles of impeachment against President Bill Clinton, citing the need for “moral legitimacy.” The governor paid for the trip with his own money, not state funds, according to CNBC's Ryan Ruggiero. The affair is now over, Sanford said, describing the woman as a “dear, dear friend” that he’s known for about eight years and been romantically involved with for about a year. He said he’s seen her three times since the affair began, and wife found out about it five months ago. “What I did was wrong. Period,” he said. His family did not attend the news conference, and his wife, Jenny Sanford, said she asked the governor to leave and stop speaking to her two weeks ago. The governor says he wants to reconcile, and his wife’s statement said her husband has earned a chance to resurrect their marriage. “This trial separation was agreed to with the goal of ultimately strengthening our marriage,” she said. Sanford denied instructing his staff to cover up his affair, but acknowledged that he told them he thought he would be hiking on the Appalachian Trail and never corrected that impression after leaving for South America. “I let them down by creating a fiction with regard to where I was going,” Sanford said. “I said that was the original possibility. Again, this is my fault in ... shrouding this larger trip.” Questions about Sanford's whereabouts arose early this week. For two days after reporters started asking questions, his office had said he had gone hiking on the Appalachian Trial. Cornered at the Atlanta airport by a reporter, Sanford revealed Wednesday morning that he'd gone to Argentina for a seven-day trip. When news first broke about his mysterious disappearance, first lady Jenny Sanford told The Associated Press she did not know where her husband had gone for the Father's Day weekend.

The rest of the article:

E-mails between Sanford, 'Maria' emerge - More politics- msnbc.com

Sanford's infidelity is between him and his wife. However - his actions were really goofy and bizarre. He was a basket case this morning at his press conference. Besides the gross hypocrisy of his Conservative Right views clashing with his actions he has legitimate questions to answer to in regards to his responsibilities as Governor and his abdication of them.

Along with Senator Ensign last week - these Conservative Senators are the worst proponents of why gay marriage shouldn't be allowed. Maybe in some way this might make it easier for some in this country to accept it.

Sanford also was in Congress in 1998 and voted to impeach Clinton. Ouch!

[wanderer78]

I can't say I'm surprised by yet another elected official cheating on his wife. To be fair, it seems to happen in both parties.

But the story was just...odd. Father's Day weekend. Seriously? I hope Sanford doesn't have children.

[ceilirose]

Originally Posted by wanderer78 (View Post) I can't say I'm surprised by yet another elected official cheating on his wife. To be fair, it seems to happen in both parties. But the story was just...odd. Father's Day weekend. Seriously? I hope Sanford doesn't have children.

I agree - Edwards, Spitzer and the Kennedys. Chris Matthews on Hardball listed all of these recent politicians who have screwed around and there's enough for a baseball team.

Sanford's story is really odd and is probably going to end his political career.

[Bella Grint]

I think it really gets to me how the right is saying this isn't as bad as when Clinton or Edwards did it. I have to admit, Edwards will probably be the worst either way for me. Then again, Sanford isn't the president or running for president..that doesn't make it any better though. I love the hypocrisy that somehow makes it better if Conservative politicians cheat and it only matters at important times..well, this will probably screw up Sanford for good too. I believe Giuliani is the only one who has managed to keep going after cheating (if that was true). Either way, a politician will be ruined at some point if they are in an important position or place but political affiliation won't matter. Not to me anyways.

And he has 4 sons :/

[vc318]

Originally Posted by Bella Grint (View Post) I think it really gets to me how the right is saying this isn't as bad as when Clinton or Edwards did it.

Cheating is cheating. Why should it be okay for one party and not the other? So ridiculous.

[ceilirose]

Whether the Sanfords stay together is their business but I don't have any sympathy for him. I feel for his wife and what his children will have to deal with - both in public and private. I think he's sorry he got caught and that it's probably going to damage his political career.

His little meltdown over this affair is worse because he dragged his office into it. Sorry you don't get to take off and not be bothered when you're the Governor of a state. It doesn't work that way. Sanford had been Governor for seven years so he knew the drill.

As much as Clinton screwed up I don't remember him just taking off for days on end to be with Lewinsky. I agree that what Edwards did was worse but he wasn't holding public office when he did it. He betrayed his wife and family and if he had been elected President then we all would have been lied to but it didn't turn out that way. He's still a sleaze though - he was caught thinking with his other brain just like all the others.

[vc318]

But for this guy to feel the need to go have a fling in another country? Sheesh, I'm surprise the wife didn't deck him in front of the cameras.

[ceilirose]

Originally Posted by vc318 (View Post) But for this guy to feel the need to go have a fling in another country? Sheesh, I'm surprise the wife didn't deck him in front of the cameras.

He also apologized to his mistress first in that speech. It's just too bizarre and this was a serious contender for the Republican nomination in 2012. Now let's sit back and see what Sarah Palin will do to get back into the news.

[Callace]

That he cheated on his wife is of course a horrible misdeed, but does it really disqualify him from his office? Or should it rather be considered a private matter, which makes him no less capable at his job.

[ceilirose]

Cheating on his wife doesn't disqualify him but being the Governor of a state and just taking off is a big problem. His staff not having a clue where he was or how to reach him is just not right. If you have a job with huge responsibility you just can't take off because you need to get away. You want a vacation then let the person who is second in command run the state but for better or worse you have to be accessible. Sanford failed miserably on that.

[Callace]

Yeah That is a good point. Leaving your job without notice, for whatever reason, and particularly for that kind of thing, is something one just cannot do. If something important happen, he has to be available.