South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is Latest Victim of His Own Politics

Last week it was Nevada Sen. John Ensign, this week it's South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford.

If they weren't so incredibly juicy, political sex scandals would be rather ho-hum by now. Whether it's a Democrat or a Republican, extra-marital affairs unfortunately seem rather commonplace in modern-day politics. Politicians from across the political spectrum seem to go astray, from local borough council members to sitting US presidents.

For obvious reasons, a political figure who runs on a platform of family values and then betrays those family values in the worst possible way is inviting not only criticism, but ridicule. There is little they can do but suffer the consequences of their actions. In Ensign's case, his affair with a campaign staffer was particularly heinous because he had been one of the many GOPers who 10 years earlier had called for President Bill Clinton's resignation in the wake of the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

In Sanford's case, he famously refused President Barack Obama's stimulus money (later compromising his position to pay down South Carolina's debt burden), because it was not in the taxpayers' best interests. Now, there are questions about whether he used taxpayer money to finance his trips to Argentina to visit his mistress. If true, allegations of merely being hypocritical will give way to allegations of being a criminal.

Republicans who run on a family values platform are -- and should be -- held to closer account than Democrats when scandals like these break. All too often, people expect this behavior from Democrats, so there isn't as much of a breach of trust when they are caught. Taxpayers are more tolerant than they should be, but they don't like to be lied to, and they can't stand to be stolen from.

The fact that both Ensign and Sanford are dyed-in-the-wool conservatives puts the conservative movement in a very difficult predicament, and further erodes the credibility of all conservatives. Clearly, their behavior is not in alignment with traditional family values, and since both were considered potential candidates for the 2012 presidential election many casual political observers will believe their behavior is representative of all conservatives.

It is not.

Ensign did the right thing by resigning. Sanford should follow suit. Regardless of things work out for him -- for good or ill -- he should practice what he's preached all his political life. Since this scandal will undoubtedly negate his ability to govern effectively, Sanford should realize it is in the public's best interests (and his own) for him to step down and deal with his personal problems privately.

Salvaging his 2012 presidential prospects should no longer be Sanford's top priority; salvaging his marriage should be. To do that, he'll need to be away from the public's prying eyes and away from the distractions of political life.