We tried to be shocked upon learning that Gov. Mark Sanford has filled half his appointments with people who donated to his 2002 campaign. Then we remembered that money is as inevitable to politics as water vapor is to rainfall.

Some donors may have wanted something in return - jobs, influence, etc. But the vast majority of folks who support political candidates want only to be part of something important. They "vote" for government as they think it ought to be by writing checks to candidates they admire.

It may be that some Sanford donors appointed to boards and commissions fall into the former category. But Sanford says he let his vision for state government drive his choices for available seats. It happened that many of his picks had given him money.

Some call this spoils politics, and in a sense, that's fair. He did win the election and with it the right to determine the direction of state commissions and boards. As long as this process is honest - no one has shown otherwise - readers should have no problem with it. It's how government functions in this country.