I have an over-developed sense of fairness and a belief that, in any serious debate, you should always at least listen to the other side's ideas. I also like to hold my side up to a higher standard than the other side uses. That occasionally means defending Republicans and calling out Democrats who need a lesson in logic, rhetoric and manners.
Tonight's Republican is South Carloina Gov. Mark Sanford. The Democrat is House Majority Whip Jim Clayburn (D-SC). The catalyst is this story over at Crooks and Liars: Sanford compares U.S. blacks to Zimbabweans.
Sanford is not a popular guy around here. His rejection of (some) of the stimulus package has been duly noted.
OTOH, he lead the fight against REAL ID and basically told Chertoff to screw himself, leading to a very funny, public humiliation of Skelator. I once saw Sanford on stage with NetRoots hero Jon Tester. At least on the topics of national security, civil liberties and federalism, I liked what Sanford had to say.
Because of these positions I rank him a couple of notches above most Republicans. He's certainly in a better class than Limbaugh, Vitter or Steele. So when Clyburn went "race-card" on him in the above video, I couldn't let it pass.
Basically, Sanford rejects the stimulus package for fiscal reasons. He doesn't like spending money we don't have. (BTW, this is also one reason he gave Chertoff the bird over REAL ID.) In the MSNBC interview he said:
"What you're doing is buying into the notion that if we just print some more money that we don't have, send it to different states - we'll create jobs... If that's the case why isn't Zimbabwe a rich place?"..."why isn't Zimbabwe just an incredibly prosperous place. Cause they're printing money they don't have and sending it around to their different - I don't know the towns in Zimbabwe but that same logic is being applied there with little effect."
Immediately Clayburn shot back:
"Sounds like he's playing the race card," Clyburn said. "[W]hy would he compare this country to Zimbabwe? Is he comparing this president to Mugabe? What is this about? It's very strange to me."
... "I'm sure he would not say that, but how did he get to Zimbabwe? What took the man to Zimbabwe? Someone should ask him if that's really the best comparison. ... How can he compare this country's situation to Zimbabwe?"
Race card? Comparing Obama to Mugabe? WTF! Seriously! WTF!
Clyburn is totally out of line here. I think he realizes that, since he back-peddles and claims to have had his tongue in his cheek later in the video.
But from the video it is clear that Sanford is talking about monetary policy and nothing else. There is nothing racial about his remarks, at all. Either Clyburn has a racial hair-trigger or he was just trying to score some cheap points.
If worrying that printing money causes inflation is playing a race card, I've done it myself. If using Zimbabwe to make a point about very bad fiscal policies is racist, I'm guilty of that too. But I did it back when W. still ruled. If I were in a mean mood, I could draw a few other comparisions between W. and Mugabe. But they won't be racially motivated. Just some thoughts about respect for the Rule of Law and nepotism in government.
I'm certainly not defending all of Sanford's positions. I don't live in South Carolina and I don't know much about their local politics. But in this case, Sanford is right and Clyburn is wrong.