Tuesday night’s Gubernatorial debate was not the heated explosion some may have hoped for. However, this debate effectively represented each of the candidates for who they are….or who they think they are.
The following is a summary of what I gathered from each candidate: Bauer is confident, knows what he wants, and he wants to cut government waste and stop generational dependency; Gresham Barrett loves God, wants jobs, and has 8 ways to bring them;
McMaster touts his proven leadership abilities, has no clear and decisive plan for anything, but believes he is the only candidate that can effectively execute the laws from the legislature to the homes of the people; finally, Nikki Haley hates government, anyone that disagrees with her ideas, will intimidate those that disagree with her, and is basically Mark Sanford on steroids.
Before I begin a thorough analysis, let me say this. Bauer, Barrett, and McMaster deserve a pat on the back for staying after the debate, answering many questions, and greeting those in attendance including young children that recognized them from TV and school. I will have to say, I am quite disappointed in Mrs. Haley for not taking the time to greet the people in attendance, especially the kids. She obviously thinks her current “Front Runner” status exempts her from meeting the people in Florence, especially kids.
Now for the analysis. First we will start with Gresham Barrett.
Barrett was impressive and VERY unimpressive on certain issues. He was one of the few that actually mentioned a plan for bringing jobs. He mentioned his 8 step plan and actually knew what each step was.
He identified himself as a job ambassador and constantly referred to former Governor Campbell as someone to idolize himself after. While bringing jobs sounds nice, let’s look at one way he wants to do it. He said that tourism is crucial to making our state grow, especially marketing areas like Myrtle Beach. He mentioned bringing 2,000 jobs by building an oil rig off the shores of the Myrtle Beach area. For this….I say really? Common sense says this is a bad idea right now.
After the disaster in the Gulf, should we truly continue putting faith in offshore drilling, miles and miles from the coast? What if another company messes up and floods our coasts? This will screw up tourism for years. The Myrtle Beach economy would have quite a lot of trouble recovering. This has disaster all over it. These candidates, especially Congressman Barrett, cannot be for beach tourism and for offshore drilling. Gresham continued to indirectly refer to no child left behind, and the bush tax cuts that put our country into an incredible deficit (along with the war).
This only reminded me of one thing, his bailout vote. He seems more and more like the non-conservative President Bush was. I cannot see Gresham as anything more than a Social Conservative. I give him that because he talks the Christian talk. Overall, he’s a nice guy but he didn’t win the debate. Even though I disagree with a great deal of what he says, I give him 2nd place for being decisive. As a candidate, he’s pretty good. But some of his stuff is just hard to stomach.
Attorney General McMaster is another story all together. While he is a friendly guy, amusing to listen to, and fun to watch, there is no way this guy is going to be governor. I’m sorry to bust the bubble of so many, but he isn’t going to do it. This election year is very, very important for our state. People are listening more than ever. When you listen to Henry, who I often refer to as General Lee, he does stay on message.
The bad thing is, his message has nothing to do with actual policies. He touts his experience as an executor, putting sex predators behind bars, and making everything safer. He makes it sound like he is the only one that knows how to do the job because of his tenure bankrupting the state Republican Party and doing a pretty fantastic job as Attorney General. Being Governor and being Attorney General are two different ballgames though. Henry was given the chance to show himself as a true conservative candidate.
All he could say was “I want a strategic plan” for economic development. In other words, there is no plan. His connection to Reagan and his past performances as an executor will make everything fix itself…apparently. I was disappointed most in Henry because he really had a chance tonight…but he failed…not just a fail but a miserable fail. He was fourth place tonight.
While I was very disappointed in Nikki Haley’s sudden rush off, after the debate, I found myself agreeing with her on certain points. For once, we do need to audit every government agency.
We need to find out where and why our agencies are losing money.
I agree with her on this. She wants to put more energy into small business. I completely agree with her that an environment for small business is necessary. She spoke against the corruption and lack of conservatism in the state house and will fight it. She will also bring more accountability and transparency to the table. Hold up…wait a minute…let’s go back to the corruption first.
She wants to fight corruption in the state house. She said she will exert her influence on legislators that will not support her reform efforts. In other words, she will intimidate legislators into backing her agenda. If they do not, she specifically said, she will expose them in the media through lists. This doesn’t sound too nice. She is going to be a dictator?
I guess having an opinion other than your Governor will no longer be allowed. Furthermore, checks and balances will be history under Nikki. If you disagree, you better just quit or you will be exposed as a burden to the taxpayers.
Next, she spoke about accountability and transparency. Wow….that is all I have to say. Nikki wants more accountability for the legislators. However, according to a credible but unnamed source of mine, she was absent over 70% of the time for these votes in the house. This includes one of the votes that would increase accountability and transparency. Unbelievable huh? It gets better. For a woman touting transparency, she isn’t very transparent.
There is a VERY well known “secret” that was just let out about her and blogger, Will Folks. Many claim it isn’t true. Many of the same people that were talking about how true it was several years ago are now claiming how false it is. The best way this could be solved is if legislators were transparent, right? That is what Nikki would say, correct?
But when asked for her emails and logs as a legislator, she will not clear the air by releasing them. She is talking the talk but not walking the walk. What is the conclusion based on this and her not filing legal action against the alleged accuser? The conclusion is simple. The affair probably happened, as I heard it did several years ago, and she is probably not being very truthful right now. I look forward to seeing more evidence in the upcoming weeks.
As a candidate, she is nothing more than Mark Sanford on steroids. She has the ideologue politics, she may or may not have the mastress, and she doesn’t practice what she preaches. Yikes, four more years of this? She said we need an accountant as Governor. I agree, that would be helpful at times, but the answer isn’t Accountant Haley. A businessman with experience balancing budgets and saving money would be just as effective. Despite everything on the table, she still did better than Henry. I give her third for this debate. Unfortunately, it looks like she will probably lead the pack for first in the primary. But there are still a few days left!

Andre standing under Calhoun in State Senate
Finally, Lt. Governor Andre Bauer. While I have been kind to Andre on my website before, my purpose has been to be very objective in this article…with only slight subjectivity. Andre hasn’t changed very much. He continues to tout the same message he has always been bringing. He wants to bring us out of the Stone Age. Andre said, “The answer to our school systems isn’t throwing money at it.
The answer is to fix the discipline system.” He continued to talk about saving money, how he has always conserved money and in fact, given 400,000 dollars back to the state. He claims to have been the only member to travel and actually sit down with companies to bring them to the state.
If anyone knows how to be a jobs ambassador, Andre does. He only speaks common sense. Everyone can identify with what Andre said tonight. You don’t ever find yourself questioning what he says.
The problem for many is that he makes too much sense. People can’t understand why a politician would be so incredibly upfront. Tonight, he was so confident he answered one question with a simple, “No.” Andre has served in both houses and is a TRUE Conservative.
However, Andre is not the conservative ideologue Nikki Haley is. Andre knows how to work with the legislator to get thins passed that will help the people immediately. Unfortunately, he had to sit and watch Mark Sanford lock the door on communication for eight years. If anything, he knows how NOT to govern.
He pushed off the questions about his personal life saying, “Everyone already knows it. I have nothing to hide.” I thought this was another show of his grace, calmness, and confidence. Tonight, Andre established himself as the one to beat. He spoke common sense with clear plans. His ideas are so innovative like his plans to make South Carolina greener and energy efficient.
There are other ways to fix the energy problem than drilling offshore and hurting tourism by having an oil spill on the coast of our state. Most importantly, he doesn’t shy away from tough issues or even questions.
After the debate, I overheard him being asked a question. The lady asked, “What about homeschoolers. Will you give us tax credits?” His response showed the condition of his conviction. He replied, “You bet. Homeschoolers save taxpayers money. Anything it takes to save taxpayers money, I’m up for it.” Andre talked the talk and walked the walk tonight.
For this, I gave him two thumbs up and can honestly say, in a tight debate, he set himself apart. I think there is little certainty, he won it tonight.
As for the primary, I think what we will see is very simple. Barring overwhelming evidence of an affair coming out against Nikki Haley in the next few days, she makes the run-off with Andre Bauer. Truthfully, it all depends on how much they are all seen and what type of television ads they put on the screen. The next few days and tonight’s debate in Charleston will continue to give a clearer picture. But I don’t’ think it gets clearer than a run off of Bauer and Haley.
Could We Soon See the End of ITAR’s Chokehold on Space Exploration?: My Interview Below
Article Written by Daniel Sims, Columbia University, for Universe Today (NASA Endorsed Publication)
Jeff Foust of The Space Review may have said it best when he claimed that ITAR, a set of trade regulations regarding defense-related trade, was “an acronym that has become figuratively and literally a four-letter word in the industry given the costs, delays, and general uncertainty involved in dealing with those regulations.” No matter where you are on the political spectrum or no matter where you stand on the debate about what’s next in space, you will find people who hate the ITAR’s (
International Trade Arms RegulationsInternational Traffic in Arms Regulations) influence on space commerce. Even in this time of great partisanship, Rep. Howard Berman [D-CA28] along with six Democrats and four Republicans have joined forces to craft a sword that, once given to the president will eliminate ITAR’s influence on space commercial enterprise.The Safeguarding United States Satellite Leadership and Security Act of 2011 is the name of the bill. Also named HR 3288, the act removes spacecraft and related components from the United States Munitions List which is a list of items which are controlled by ITAR. China, Cuba, Iran, Sudan, Syria, and North Korea have restricted access to US spacecraft merchants, easing fears that US technology would fall into the wrong hands.
HR 3288 has created much excitement in the space industry.
“Congress has the opportunity to dramatically improve the competitiveness of the U.S. satellite and space industries and ensure an innovative and thriving U.S. space industrial base,” said Patricia Cooper, the president of the Satellite Industry Association, in a press release. She added that they would be jumping for joy if it weren’t for the “outmoded and overly-restrictive regulation” they say they are under.
Why so much joy? Mitchell Baroody, law student, political analyst, advocate, speaker and told Universe Today that “while ITAR may have some positive effects on National Security, the detrimental effects of these ‘red tape-laced’ regulations cannot be ignored.”
For instance, according to The Space Review in 2006, U.S. Satellite Manufacturers have estimated losses from ‘$2.5 and $6.0 billion since 1999 due primarily to ITAR regulations.’
“When industries become over-regulated, this is what happens,” Baroody said. “As a result of ITAR, even…‘friendly’ foreign countries are weary of dealing with the U.S.”
This makes it difficult for our allies because spacecraft are listed after deadly toxicological agents and before destructive nuclear weapons with all three under the same trade rules. Despite this hilarious position, spacecraft’s removal is still, according to Space Politics, “an uphill battle, as Congress awaits the administration’s export control reform proposals as well as delivery of a final version of a report looking at the national security implications of moving satellite export control reform.”
This uphill struggle against protectionism might not be so bad because over the overwhelming need to create jobs. Baroody acknowledged that there are “many who are advocating protectionist ideals, like Donald Trump advocating increased trade tariffs of 25% with China in April of 2011.”
However, Baroody said, there are many more who know that in the present American economy, people are looking for any feasible solution to export control that has economic benefits. “Unfortunately, becoming more protectionist could have some very negative economic implications for the American consumer,” he said.
Baroody does not foresee this bill being stopped by the protectionist movement. “HR 3288 does not, in any way, benefit the one country who has been treating us unfairly, China,” he said. “This bill should not face an obstacle, in reference to protectionism.”
To Baroody, the thought “that idealists tendencies, which are not accurate, can dominate and win over more jobs, more freedom for American business, and more money in the pockets of Americans is…sickening.”
Some could counter-claim saying national security is at risk, but Baroody thinks the US government has gone too far.
“Before the satellite industry was given such a devastating blow in 1999, it is fair to say there was not enough oversight. However, putting satellites on the munitions list went way too far,” he said. “Now, American Manufacturers are winning with HR 3288 and American security is being preserved because the malevolent nations are excluded from being sold these satellites and components.”
Drilling down to the mechanics of the law, this is the only route Congress can take to export reform as Baroody explains: “Title 22 USC § 2778 (The ITAR) gives Congress oversight in munitions list removal. The President has to present any removals to Congress and cannot remove anything until 30 days have passed upon notification of the Speaker and specific committees. They specifically authorized the President to have discretion in removal. In HR 3288, Congress authorizes the President to remove the satellites and related components only if this does not cause a threat to National security.” In other words, congress can’t remove the spacecraft from the munitions list themselves.”
The Safeguarding United States Satellite Leadership and Security Act of 2011 is not perfect. “The bill includes risk-mitigating licensing controls, procedures, and safeguards,” Baroody said. “Red-tape and regulations are always going to get in the way of commerce, regardless of whether it involves space or some other category of commerce. If you put aside the risk mitigating licensing controls, procedures, and safeguards and look at America’s tax system, the answer is obvious.”
“The red-tape a company has to go through to get a product to market, like a satellite, can also be just as bad as paying more for it,” Baroody continued. “Having to paddle through the exorbitant amount of regulations to ensure you are legally allowed to sell your product and your buyer is allowed to keep it, is detrimental to every business. We should have regulations, but they should be within reason and should make sense. Government should not babysit our industries but they should keep an eye on them to make sure no one is getting hurt and the American people are being reasonably protected”.
This bill even has international implications. In an interview for The Space Review Dennis Burnett, vice president of trade and export controls for EADS North America expressed that “You cannot build a big sophisticated satellite without US parts and components, you just cannot do it…Those components might comprise no more than five percent of the satellite, but still, it’s a very important five percent.”
Because of this international impact, the bill was referred to the Foreign Affairs Committee on November 1st. This so called ‘Congress of specialists’ will, if they give the bill their time, study the bill then report on it. If the committee doesn’t give the bill their time, it will die there. Only after the committee’s review will there be a vote on the elimination of the ITAR.
Posted by Mitch Baroody | 11/28/2011 | Categories: Political Thought | Tags: Baroody Conservative, China Trade, Conservative Commentary, Gingrich Nominee, GOP, HR-3288, ITAR, Mitchell Baroody, Munitions List Bill, SCGOP, South Carolina Republican, Space, Space Review, Trade Tariffs, U.S. Munitions, U.S. Space Agency, Universe Today | Leave A Comment »