by Dennis Krivda

Created on: June 28, 2009   Last Updated: July 03, 2009

Republican Governor Mark Sanford poses a genuine threat to the United States of America. And, he admitted as much when he recently confessed to failing the people of South Carolina. His failure, however, stretches far beyond the Carolina border. Not only has he failed the people of South Carolina, but - through his utter disregard for the importance of his elected office - he has also betrayed the trust of every American alive today. Without question, Mark Sanford's sexual weakness has jeopardized the very security of the United States by making the federal government vulnerable to foreign intelligence gathering.

He should resign as governor immediately. If he refuses to resign then the people of South Carolina should remove Mark Sanford from office at once because his love affair with a foreign national has already placed their lives and the lives of their children in harm's way.

Beyond that, Mark Sanford's reckless behavior should petrify every American citizen (regardless of their political affiliation) because he has placed himself in a position that is extremely susceptible to extortion and espionage. And the fact that some GOP party faithful continue to play political football with the lives of innocent Americans should infuriate voters all across the land.

Several Republicans insist that Mark Sanford must remain in office, but they insist on Sanford's continued governorship not because they think his service will provide what is best for the state of South Carolina or for the country. Rather, GOP hardliners want Sanford to stay on as governor simply because he has little more than one year left on his current term and cannot run for a third term as governor of South Carolina. As a result, some Republicans feel as though it might be tougher to retain that governor's office for their party if Sanford were to resign. Plus, the lieutenant governor would assume the office of governor upon Sanford's resignation, which would make him an incumbent and legally bound to serve only one more term as governor of South Carolina should he seek election for a second term.

That fact alone should cause a ground swell of opposition to Mark Sanford remaining in office. When elected officials build priorities based strictly on their party's interests (or on the goal of furthering their own political careers) then the American people must remove such myopic and dangerous public servants.

And clearly, Mark Sanford ranks as one dangerous public servant. The very fact of his most

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