The Top 10 Reasons Alvin Greene Ran for U.S. Senate”
DISCLAIMER: The following does not reflect the personal views of Mitch Baroody. The content of the following top 10 list is meant for entertainment purposes only and does not present factual information, merely a fictional account, besides what is already known via public news media (CNN, FOXNEWS, ABC, CBS, NBC, The State). The purpose of this content is to bring humor to a very confusing situation and is not meant to be racist, a personal attack, or a stump for or against any particular candidate. Please keep this in mind when reading.
It has been a busy week for South Carolina. Nikki Haley and Gresham Barrett are set for the run off along with many others. This should be an interesting race and I urge each and every Republican to unify behind the winner. Even if we have certain established beliefs about the winner, certain ideas they don’t agree with, and even if they weren’t the first or second person we would support, the Republican Party must have little divisiveness and lots of unity to be successful this November.
The most interesting happening over the past week is the victory, from little known, of Alvin Greene in the Democrat U.S. Senate Primary. This has been the topic of many big news stories the past severals days. It has enraged Rep. Jim Clyburn and there has been a call for a full investigation as to who provided Greene with the 10,000 dollars he used for the filing fee.
The biggest question is, how a nominee was elected with a pending felony for obscenity on his resume. The story is, this guy showed pornographic photos to a young lady at USC and then asked to go to her dorm room. He was arrested as a result. The guy isn’t polished, gives a very poor interview, and is really quite funny to follow. I urge everyone to read more about this story if you don’t understand what is below.
To make light of this situation, I figured his candidacy needed a top ten list of explanations. Without further ado, here they are:
The Top 10 Reasons Alvin Green Ran for U.S. Senate
10. Because USC wouldn’t hire him as head of Public Safety.
9. He wants to have a wider audience, including 99 other Senators, to show his favorite “Computer Photos” to.
8. He is tired of Lt. Governor Andre Bauer referring to him as a “stray animal” because he received reduced lunch as a kid. He wants to become a Senator and have “Bauer ruled out of order for once.”
7. Tom Hanks told him he couldn’t grow up to be like “Bubba” because “Forrest Gump is just a movie. ” Greene abruptly “resigned’ from the military, ran for Senate, and plans to make a Resolution that will recognize Forrest Gump as a true story and not fictional entertainment.
6. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton broke into S.C. NAACP headquarters and destroyed his membership card. They told him he would have to find another club to join.
5. He saw that Mark Sanford, just a Governor, got an Argentinian mistress with South Carolinian’s tax payer dollars. He hopes to win a more powerful position, Senator, so that he can use tax payer dollars to get an even more “luxurious” mistress; he’s thinking Oprah.
4. He felt left out when Rep. Joe Wilson shouted “You Lie” at Barry-O. He wants the Congressman to pay him some attention and provide a shout out.
3. He wants to make a law that will allow felons to vote in elections so that he can vote for himself when he becomes Obama’s Vice-Presidential nominee in 2012.
2. Larry Craig told him how much fun it was to show pictures under Senate bathroom stalls…this seemed like a better plan than a USC computer lab.
1. He wants to be more credible than Will Folks and Larry Marchant so that Nikki Haley won’t turn him down again!
This is my list, tell me why you think he ran for U.S. Senate?
The Little Rascals: Spanky and the Gang
Tomorrow is the big day. The day everything changes or…..just begins again.
We will be electing more little rascals to follow a new Governor, their Spanky.
There are a lot of people asking me about this candidate and that candidate and who to vote for. So, I am going to give you my recommendations for the overall, BEST CANDIDATE for each job.
Governor:
Andre Bauer: Andre, the next Spanky, has the most common sense approach to fixing our problems. It starts with common sense, it ends with more jobs, economic growth, and South Carolinians that are a lot less government dependent. 
Andre walks the walk and he talks the talk. He’s one of the most transparent people in S.C. Politics. He has the experience to do the job right and you won’t be sorry if you vote for him.
Side note: Any of the candidates are better than train wreck in the waiting, Nikki Haley. Please do South Carolina a favor and avoid voting for her. She preaches transparency but she isn’t transparent, missed 70% of the House votes for transparency related bills, and she doesn’t know how to work with people (sounds eerily familiar to Mark Sanford) which is why she was reduced in leadership in the House.
Update: 8:09 PM Larry Marchant has passed a lie detector test confirming his physical relationship with the married Nikki Haley. This is the second lie detector test that has been released today. Lt. Gov Andre Bauer passed his test to confirm he had nothing to do with the spinning of the Haley affair. Looks like the wall is coming down on Haley guys!
Lieutenant Governor:
Ken Ard or Bill Connor: I worked for Ken and he is a smart businessman and he will do a great job for South Carolina. Ken knows business, he knows jobs, and he knows how to work with people. I have a lot of admiration for him and think he would do a good job.
Bill Connor is a fellow Citadel Alumni and he is a solid Conservative. Lately, he has taken a lot of heat from Larry Richter. The heat he has taken was not deserved and was WRONG. Larry has been disrespectful and anyone that has served in the military of any service or academy should be extremely upset. Bill was brave and served our country well and wants to be the same kind of leader in our State Senate. He would definitely shake things up. I urge you to read Ken and Bill’s websites to learn more about them. This is truly a preference position.
Side Note: DO NOT vote for LARRY RICHTER. His past of underhanded dealings, bribery accusations, removal from his judgeship, and accused drug use makes him a poor candidate. But his recent disrespect to Bill Connor makes him even worse. He has no respect for our military men and women. DO NOT give him your vote.
Attorney General:
Alan Wilson is hands down the best choice (read my article below for more details). His personality, military service, prosecuting experience, and burning desire to keep us all safe is just a few reasons that make him an incredible candidate.
His two opponents are great lawyers and would do a fine job as well. The difference in this race is that Alan Wilson won’t do a fine job, he will do a FANTASTIC job. South Carolina is better than fine. This state deserves FANTASTIC.
Superintendent of Education:
If you are looking for someone with more executive experience and a track record of success in fixing education problems, Gen. Mick Zais is your best bet. If you want a new type of candidate, a school teacher and conservative, Kelly Payne is a great choice.
Treasurer’s Race:
Curtis Loftis is the most conservative and responsible choice. Converse Chellis has wasted tax payer dollars for far too long, definitely isn’t a Conservative, and he was also sued for fraud, sexual harassment, and a poor work ethic by his former business partner (reportedly settled for over 250,000). However, Chellis is a pretty nice guy. Unfortunately, being a nice guy isn’t enough. Loftis is the Conservative and responsible choice S.C. needs.
SC 1st Congressional District:
Carroll Campbell III is the best choice for this position. He has the business leadership that will bring jobs and I-73 to Myrtle beach.
He is a solid Conservative, believes in his father’s philosophy of “Building Relationships” to get business done for his district.
Unlike other people running this election cycle, Carroll IS NOT a career politician. A great guy and he will be a great congressman.
SC 6th Congressional District
Jim Pratt: I shouldn’t be giving this race any credibility at all by posting it on here but I have been asked about it. There is no chance a Republican will EVER win this district. It hasn’t happened, it won’t happen this time, and it won’t happen in the future. It doesn’t matter who you are, how famous you might be, or how much money you have…it cannot be won! With all this in mind, if you have to pick someone, Jim Pratt is about as sane as it gets. Another positive note, he doesn’t refer to himself as “The Clint Eastwood of Marion.” Vote Pratt if you don’t abstain.
This is the rundown as I see it. I tried to be as fair as possible. Tomorrow, your vote is power. Exercise it wisely and remember, the choices you make have the potential to improve or cripple the Republican party. No longer can we afford to take steps back or continue doing the same failed policies of our current Governor. We need to move forward, reform our government, and get things working right for once. Most importantly, don’t believe someone’s lies just because you don’t want negative stuff about them to be true. In the end, the wall a lie rests on will not only crumple itself but those that stand near it.
By MEB
A Night with the Governor Candidates: The Good, The Bad, The Contradictory
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.
Keep Your Politics Off My Football
By Brad Turner
What role do politics play in the world of sports? The answer: None. However looks like the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus has forgotten this. After the news got out of the possibility that the University of South Carolina was going to lose its lone black Board of Trustee member, the Black Caucus got on the phones. And who did they call? Ghostbusters? Well they might as well have because they sure didn’t call anyone who could do more about it. They called the 2010 recruiting class for the South Carolina Carolina football team. That’s right, they called out of state TEENAGERS.
This call to arms is headed by Democratic Representative Todd Rutherford. For whatever reason, he has come to the conclusion that in order to fix a perceived problem in the legislature, he would try to make kids stop coming to college in South Carolina. Needless to say this isn’t good for anyone.
First off, Rutherford apparently doesn’t realize the potential damage he could do if these future student-athletes listen to him. They are under a contract to come to USC at this point. They have signed their letters of intent back in February. In order for them to be able to go to a different school they would have to be released by the program then sit out a year. Apparently Rutherford doesn’t care what happens to these kids, even if that means losing a year of their scholarship and football career, as long as he gets his point across.
His complaints stem from the “lack” of diversity of both the University and its board. African-Americans make up 14% of the student body at USC. This is actually the same or better than a number of schools in the Southeast including the University of North Carolina (11%), University of Virginia (8%), University of Tennessee (9%), University of Georgia (8%), University of Florida (10%), Louisiana State University (10%), University of Mississippi (14%), University of Kentucky (5%), and instate Clemson University (8%). In terms of diversity in the Southeast, USC is progressive!
Telling black students to not come to USC is counter-productive to say the least. Rutherford complains that the student body of USC does not reflect the racial diversity of the state. However, he is telling black students not to come. I don’t see how this makes things better. Instead, you would think the logical solution would be to encourage the black population in South Carolina to apply to USC and thus add the desired diversity.
Now for a slightly more pointed message I want to get across. Can he prove that the loss of the lone black board member is in any way, shape, or form a racial attack? No. He only points out that there would no longer be a black member. Leah Moody is currently the only black Trustee. She replaced Samuel Foster II when a bank fraud scandal forced him to resign on July 1, 2009. Foster was the first elected African-American to be elected on the board. Moody is now facing Alton Hyatt Jr. for the spot. House Speaker Bobby Harrell of Charleston has clearly expressed that the election is not a case of race. “What everyone should be thinking about is who’s the best person for the job, regardless of race?” That makes sense to me.
Picking someone just because of race is wrong, no matter their color. If Hyatt is not the best person for the job then he does not deserve to be on the board, simple as that. But if he is, then elect him. We need to help our schools in any way possible. If a less qualified person is placed on the board simply because of race, we are moving in the wrong direction. The black caucus should be spending their time finding candidates who are more qualified for the position rather than try to threaten the state when they don’t get their way.
The backlash from the attack on South Carolina’s football program has come hard and quick. I have to give it to Rutherford, He knows how to get peoples attention. However, the negative attention is probably not what he was looking for. Much of the talk on the sport radio networks have all been the same; this is a political problem and it does not need to be intertwined with athletics. Rutherford defended himself by saying, “Gamecock fans should not be calling and threatening black legislators. Call the Republican leadership.” Well Mr. Rutherford, it looks like you brought this on yourself. The Gamecock nation is not going to sit idly by while you try to blackmail their beloved football program and their University. Most people can plainly see that the football program cannot effect the Board of Trustees in any way. Why can’t Rutherford?
I will admit, I feel bad for Moody. She has come out and said that she does not support calling the recruits, “The race is in the General Assembly.” She is running on her own merit instead of her race. And good for her, she gets it. I’m glad she is distancing herself from this nonsense. She knows that she should be elected on what she can bring to the Board of Trustees. Rutherford should shut up for a minute and listen to her. This is her race to win, not his. If he wants to help, talk to the representatives who have a say in this election and convince them that she deserves this spot by what she can provide to the University and not because of the color of her skin.
Mr. Rutherford, it is time to stop using race as a talking point to get votes. Here is your chance to step up to the plate and back a candidate based on ability. Leave the student-athletes of the University of South Carolina alone, and if you want to make a change, talk to the people who can do it.
Evening Joe: A Heated Debate with One Clear Winner
This past month has been dogged with the Late Night crisis between Jay Leno and Conan O’brien. But apparently, the winds from NBC blew crisis to Charleston on Thursday night. Boy, was the beginning of the Gubernatorial debate interesting.
I sat down in my lazy boy, put my popcorn in my elephant container, and began munching down to Joe Scarborough’s sarcasm. Then a bunch of screeching, scratching, hair pulling, and silence took place. Not to mention, all of Nikki Haley’s speech was silenced. The TV then went blank. I thought of a few reasons this could have happened.
1. CBS affiliate executives have cut down power to preserve it for the upcoming “winter storm disaster” that is expected to hit South Carolina with ice and snow this weekend…we all know the dangers of 1-3 inches.
2. Maria Chapur became angry that she was not invited to be Mark Sanford’s female companion at the SCGOP luncheon in Charleston on Thursday. So, she made her presence known by knocking out the sound guy and hijacking the debate.
3. President Obama’s renewed hope and change from the state of the union was just to divert our attention from the 100% regulations he would now be having over TV stations. That means no more Republican debates and especially no more long narratives from Attorney General Henry McMaster.
4. The only other reason would be that they just had poor sound quality and they didn’t have it all together at first.
So, I stuck with the fourth reason, and it came back on at 8:30. All four of them ready to lead our state into the next decade or were they? So let’s go through each candidate and analyze their performance tonight.
First, I will start from the bottom with Gresham Barrett. As a Citadel colleague, I was really disappointed in his performance. Not that I was even supporting him, but you wish each other the best. Congressman Barrett was less than confident, and sometimes seemed more like a Southern Baptist preacher rather than someone ready to lead our state…amen?
What bothered me most was the defense of his vote for Socialism in the bailout/tarp saga. He consistently defended this vote and refused to back down. I am in disbelief that anyone claiming to be “The 4th most Conservative Congressman” could stand behind a vote like this.
Many in South Carolina’s conservative circles spoke with him the night before he voted and warned him…but he apparently knew best. Barrett went on to not answer questions, beat around the bush, and really did not establish himself as a credible candidate.
He seemed just like acurrent U.S. Congressman should: Uninformed and Out of touch. I am sure that is how many South Carolinians see him as well.
Next, let’s talk about General Robert E. Lee. Excuse me, I mean Attorney General Henry McMaster. Where do I begin…. the other candidates seemed to get tickled every time McMaster would speak. This in return, made things interesting. The only statement that stands out in my mind about him is that he has “the most executive experience” out of all of the candidates. I hear him say that in the midstof his Southern charmed, rambling. While he comes across like a Southern Gentleman, not even waving but bowing at the audience, he too seemed out of touch.
While I appreciate and respect his Conservatism and think he has been one of the best AG’s in S.C. History, I do not believe he showed he could effectively win against Vince Sheheen or Jim Rex tonight.
Often, he didn’t answer the questions, he went on random tangents, and he couldn’t break out of the box and be real with the people. He seemed too much like a polished politician and not a personable statesman that the people will need to move forward with the state’s problems.
Yes, the state should be open for business, but I have a feeling General Henry may open it for business by delegating a lot of the responsibility the way he does in the AG office. While it works as Attorney General, as Governor, we have seen the Department of Commerce’s unimpressive performance. We can’t afford another four years of relying on them.
He finally went on to talk about how he did a great job as Chairman of the Party to bring Republicans to victory. While this may have been true, he failed to mention the financial mess he left when he ran for Attorney General. After his performance tonight, I know one thing…I’m not lovin’ it. So, I don’t think I can “back that Mac” because it may look good, but the intentions it has for each and every one of us may not be so beneficial.
The biggest surprise of the night was Nikki Haley. The “daughter of immigrants” was on top of her game. She did very well. However, I will bring up a few shortcomings. She should have never answered the question about censuring Lindsey Graham. She said she would have! This makes her seem like she is not a compromising figure, something our state greatly needs in the Governor’s office. This is the one thing I will agree on with Senator Robert Ford, yes a democrat.
This also shows the lack of distance between her and Mark Sanford. She continues to keep herself close to “Sanfordesque” positions such as not accepting stimulus funds. The Nikki Haley Campaign analysis is pretty simple. Let’s look at the election between McCain and Obama. People were tired of Bush and tired of anyone similar and too close to Bush. McCain was not different enough. People voted for change because they were sick and tired of the same ole, same ole.
The same principle will apply to South Carolina this election cycle. The non-Sanford candidate is going to be the only hope for Republicans. Nikki Haley is too much like Sanford and will most certainly fail come primaries as a result of it. I see her poll numbers improving a little but she will never make it to the top when the general election comes around in November. Her message will resonate with tea party people and could surprise us come June, but she will never beat Sheheen if he wins the primary (which it looks like he will). However, her performance tonight should be admired. It was something to be proud of.
Finally, tonight’s winner……..Lt. Governor Andre Bauer, a true non-Sanford candidate. His confidence, clear and direct answers, and composure show his maturity from the last few years. Tonight, he was in his element and proved victorious. First, the bad. The hosts ganged up on the poor guy and pulled out all of the bad about him. They mentioned his recent “Animal-kid” comment and his driving record. Andre displayed a bit of arrogance to the female co-host when she lambasted him about the animal comment. He stated that a minority preacher asked him to speak at his congregation.
In response to the female co-hosts continued bullying, he replied, “I’ll give you his number if you want.” Even with this comment, he showed something special…”Straight Talk.” While John McCain often said he was all about straight talk, he hardly showed it. Tonight, a new bearer of this title is Andre Bauer.
When asked which Senator shared his ideology, he quickly stated “Jim DeMint.” He had an answer for everything. They were concise and easy to understand. No elaborate stories, no monologues from “God’s and Generals,” no over-doing religiosity, but just Andre speaking his convictions.
This is the type of Governor South Carolina has been itching for. Tonight, Andre Bauer showed his seriousness about the race. For a while, I had my doubts, but tonight I know he is ready to become Governor of South Carolina. There is no doubt.
If Republicans want to win in November, there must be a lot of thought to who that candidate will be on the other side. If it is Vince Sheheen, which I feel it will be, it will be a tough fight.
All jokes aside, these four candidates are great people. They all have excellent qualities with great intentions. However, when it comes to the difficult opposition this November, in the aftermath of Mark Sanford, the field will be extremely difficult. Too tough for the likes of Nikki Haley and Gresham Barrett. I believe the Attorney General and Lt. Governor are the only two that will stand a chance. While the Attorney General showed he is a good candidate to beat Sheehen, Andre Bauer showed he is the best candidate to not only beat the democrats, but lead our state with honor, integrity, and great vision for the next decade…for this…I salute the Lieutenant Governor.
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Nero Watches While Rome Burns: A Commentary on South Carolina lawmakers
The more I look at the landscape of South Carolina politics, the more I feel like I am watching a History Channel special on Nero observing Rome burn to the ground. The state lawmakers, especially the Republicans, are watching from the second floor of the capitol enjoying and taking part in the show. There are some serious problems in South Carolina right now. The double digit unemployment rate is bad. The ballooning size of the federal government is worse. Tremendous challenges exist in South Carolina education. Is there no one to give attention to these issues or is there focus going to remain on political war?
Being a South Carolina lawmaker comes with a South Carolina responsibility. These are big shoes that have to be filled. For instance, John C. Calhoun once fought the federal government over unconstitutional laws in his Nullification Debate. I can look at the entire legislature and tell you, there is not one John C. Calhoun present.
However, that may be a result of still having the voice voting system in the Senate. We may be surprised who will pop up when transparent voting takes place there. Instead of fighting the biggest problem this generation will ever face, state lawmakers find Mark Sanford to be a much more viable target.
This is the type of Political cleansing done by the Republican Party elite. This is the type of cleansing that makes me ashamed to associate with some members of the Republican Party. Is it a social club or is it a group dedicated to serving the interests of the people? When a Governor makes a point to bring pigs in the statehouse, utilizes a horse and buggy, plays the hard line with stimulus funding, and does not bow to the pressure of other Republicans, he marks himself in the eyes of Republican leaders like Glenn McConnell, Bobby Harrell, and even Jakie Knotts. Our lawmakers are merely sparring and bottom feeding on their own like a bunch of aggressive Beta fish. Is there no clear voice to lead us towards a better South Carolina?
Lawmakers, including a majority of Republicans, try to impeach Gov. Sanford because he got caught sinning. I ask these men and women, are you without sin? If this is about sin, let’s impeach every single lawmaker in the state and federal government. Since when was being without sin a qualification to be a lawmaker or even Governor? This isn’t even a qualification to be a priest.
I guarantee you none of them are perfect. If there was one perfect man, he would have all of the solutions and be able to pass them to fix our decaying state. This is about far more than Sanford’s affair with “beautiful Maria.” This is about his hard-line stances and his true Conservatism.
I find it to be a rarity for any lawmaker to stand up for the best interests of South Carolinians. Rep. Joe Wilson’s outburst doesn’t count. Mark Sanford, truth be told, knows that limited government is the best form and was willing to make it as limited as possible before his affair. Don’t crucify the man for obeying the true meaning of our Constitution. Also, don’t make a legislative session out of a sin many consistently commit and many lawmakers have committed. There has been a target on his back for years.
The only reason his indiscretion is brought up is because he got caught and that is a convenient target for his opponents. There are much bigger problems to worry about than Sanford’s indiscretions and possible “Ethics” concerns.
This debate goes much further than just Mark Sanford. Senator Glenn McConnell has made it his prerogative to ruin the career of a noble jurist, family court judge Charlie Segars-Andrews. Since her votes may not have always gone to elect McConnell and his friends, it appears they believe she does not understand the laws enough to be a Judge anymore after 16 years on the bench. Therefore, she is being cleansed by South Carolina politicians, notably Republicans, because she isn’t in the good ole boy system. This is a South Carolina tragedy and just another example of how our leaders do not lead.
These personal attacks have gone far enough. Many South Carolina lawmakers are more concerned with personal problems than the dire problems our state faces. Who are they going to attack when our state is succumbed by the Federal government? I would like to see them try and remove Hillary Clinton when her ideology doesn’t mesh well in the future North American union. That is a Jihad in itself.
If these personal attacks are going to continue, why not take them to those that are not serving South Carolina’s best interest? I know beyond any doubt Gov. Sanford and Judge Andrews are not the real problem. Rep. Jim Clyburn and Rep. John Spratt are two of the enormous problems. Why don’t they get any criticism? They consistently vote to increase our national debt by funding extraneous programs like bridges to nowhere, socialism in America, and vote against the sovereignty of our state. Governor Sanford stood up for sovereignty and responsible spending at one time. Look where it got him!
Then there is Rep Bob Inglis who couldn’t be more out of touch with what his constituents actually want him to do. He even voted against a Congressman who embarrassed the state but still should be commended for taking a stand. Go after those that are truly hurting the state not those that do not mesh well with the GOP establishment. Unfortunately, this will not happen because our lawmakers act out of revenge for hurt feelings and hypocrisy rather than integrity and principle.
South Carolina is burning to the ground and one would think it is because of the unemployment rate and because of the growing federal government’s hand squeezing our necks. However, the match that lit the torch was done by the GOP establishment sitting in the halls of our capitol. Political cleansing has hurt our state’s potential. We have succumbed to politics instead of truly making a difference and taking a stand with principle. The people of South Carolina are tired of it. Where is a true leader at?
Why can’t our state begin standing up against the Socialist Obama Administration? Where are the John C. Calhouns when we need them? What we have is a mob of Romans plotting against each other and several Neros fiddling as they watch our “state burns” to lower levels of mediocrity. How much further will this go before a true leader stands up and says ENOUGH?
Help save South Carolina from Partisan politics. Sign the petition to help save Judge Andrews:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/judgeandrews
Breaking The Divide: Changing The GOP Brand
Branded…that is one word I cannot stand. When you are associated with one group, it is believed that you live like and believe like that group. Being branded by a political party is one of the worst problems in politics today. If the political parties knew what they actually stood for, it may not be that big of a problem. However, both major parties in today’s political spectrum have members that seem very displaced and disillusioned with their platform.
The Republican Party couldn’t be further away from knowing where it stands. Does it go Conservative or does it go Moderate? Senator Olympia Snowe consistently shows her moderate views as a Republican; always moving across the aisle to back liberal, progressive reforms. Then there are Conservatives like Jim DeMint who stand their ground and hope for the party to move further to the right.
The Democratic Party is on the biggest move towards the left in its history. Although, the New Deal programs were a pretty big push as well. Every day, America hears of a leftist initiative coming out of the White House and the Democratic controlled Congress. However, they have disgruntled democrats that are commonly called “Blue Dogs.” Whether they disagree socially or fiscally, they still line up with many Republicans just the way Senator Snowe lines up with many democrats.
The question is, where is the median and how do the parties provide separation so that one can clearly stand apart? While the Republicans struggle with moderates and the Democrats struggle with blue dogs, I don’t foresee either leaving their respective parties or forming new ones. A three party system, while a great idea, is not realistic in our country.
Therefore, which party can come on top right now and gain superiority from the disarray? I think it is the Republicans that will come on top if they are willing to make some big changes in the future. There is one key part of the Republican Party that I think is wrong and is continuously being done wrong. If it is not corrected, the party will remain in a quagmire state of disarray. It could grow and become “The Party” if one simple adjustment is made. That is with social issues.
The Republican Party needs to reach out to Fiscally Conservative Democrats and bring them over. They also need to make amends with Socially Moderate liberals within the GOP. Social Issues have been killing the GOP for some time now. It is time to get over them.
First of all, a new stance on the right to life must be taken. While moving towards Conservatism, the Republican Party should move towards a Pro-Choice stance on Abortions. I am sure you have already read my reasoning behind Conservatives backing a Pro-Choice platform, but please hear me out again clearly please. Being Pro-Choice is being Conservative. However, the Party must move towards defining a fetus at conception and giving it rights. Therefore, any abortion would be murder under a new Federal Law. Yeah, this is the roundabout way of eliminating abortions. However, it is the Conservative way of doing it.
Don’t call yourself a Conservative unless you believe a Woman has the right to choose what she does to her body as long as it is not Murder. True Conservative Principle 1, a person should always have the choice to do what they want to their body; the government should NEVER regulate that. However, if there is an embryo in that body, it should not only be defined as a person but its rights should be protected from detrimental procedures just like every other person in this country.
Second, the Republican Party must embrace Domestic Partnerships for all Americans. This should apply to couples of all sexes. Moving towards Conservatism is moving towards keeping the government’s definition of personal lives very minimal. If two women who don’t ever plan to get married and are not lesbian, want to live together in order to make it by, give them the same benefits as a normal couple whether they are gay or not. It is fair.
The government should be equal and fair. Taking these rights, only because of a marriage certificate, is not fair. True Conservative Principle 2, the government should never be bias towards its citizens. The Republican Party should push domestic partnerships because they believe in less government in the lives of Americans. Marriage should be done in a church and is something between heterosexual couples with God. Receiving benefits is a different story.
These two social issues are enough to sway some Conservative Democrats over to the GOP. If the Republican Party did a 180 degree turn on these issues, majorities would be seen all over the country in 2010 and 2012. Many voters are democrat because of social issues. Change the platform, win the voters. To do this, religious Conservatives will finally have to admit that being a Conservative is being anti-government regulation even in the right to life and the right to partnership. Keeping the government out of a woman’s body and a couple’s partnership is also keeping the government out of religion! It works well for everyone!
I believe victory for the Republican Party lies in a move towards a Conservative stance. However, before that move can take place, Conservatism must be redefined from its present meaning. While it may not be popular for a while, it is what Conservatism truly is and it will make the Republican Party the majority party again. Until then, social issues will be the mark of defeat for the Republican Party.
The Nobel Peace Fraud
Last night, before I went to bed, I happened to watch an episode of the Twilight Zone. Little did I know, I would wake up and somehow be mixed up into one of Rod Sterling’s masterpieces. Boy was this a masterpiece! President Barack Obama: lecturer, community activist, state senator, U.S. Senator, President, and now, Nobel Peace Prize Winner. This is truly amazing. It is actually extraordinary for the President. What a great example for our country’s children. Wait….how do we explain to young people the way to get the Nobel Prize? I am trying really hard to figure out what the President did to deserve it but……..well I’m having a lot of trouble.
When my cousin, in the 7th grade, asks me how someone can get one, I am clueless as to the criteria. I guess I will tell him you just have to be President of the United States…wait….Reagan didn’t get it. The people that chose this must be out of their mind. Seriously, they need a shot of epinephrine to be woken back up apparently. So, in the midst of my world apparently spiraling out of control in the Twilight Zone, I have compiled a top ten list of reasons President Obama doesn’t deserve the Peace prize.
- Putting American generations in debt by pushing a corrupt stimulus package through Congress. A package that gave millions of our hard earned dollars to programs that the great majority of Americans will never see the benefit of. Furthermore, leaving the GOP out of the debate. Peaceful? Nope.
- Tried to pass a Health Care plan by bullying Congress, leaving the GOP out of the debate, and possibly still using a very un-peaceful nuclear option to ruin Health Care for the 85% that are insured. Also, alienating the poor in his country by passing this plan because of under the table payouts, which will become common place in medicine. Peaceful? Nope
- Pushing an Employee Free Choice Act that will alienate freedom of choice and the right to privacy in union elections. Is this making peace with the American people? Nope
- He is soley responsible for bringing the troops out of Iraq. Oh wait! That’s right. President Bush, John McCain, General David Petraeus (most notably), and others are responsible for allowing us to withdraw so many troops. President Obama voted against it in the Senate. So the surge that brought a little peace to Iraq because of its overwhelming effectiveness was actually the work of President Bush and co. Obama said it would FAIL! Does this make him a man of peace? A big NOPE
- If he brought peace to Afghanistan it would be one thing, but he can’t make a decision. The Taliban is reforming and the President wants to work with them to restore order. Working with a group that alienated their people, brought strict Shira law on them, killed many, and made the entire country live in fear? Our President wants to let some of them come back into power. But wait, he doesn’t even have a plan for Afghanistan because he can’t listen to the very men that are over there. Is he bringing peace to this growingly bad situation? NOPE
- Did President Obama spend his entire life fighting poverty, going into the trenches and helping the helpless, bringing peace to the hearts and minds of men and women that had none, feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, and doctoring the sick? Mother Theresa did and she won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. President Obama is no Mother Theresa. His reforms will alienate the poor, hungry, and sick even more..read my piece about Universal Healthcare. So, does he do these things and as a result, become a man of peace? NOPE
- Did President Obama ever get put in prison for his efforts to fight racism, dictatorship, and the fight for freedom? Nelson Mandela did and he won the prize. President Obama jokes about racism on late night tv, is quickly moving America towards a socialist state, and can’t decide whether he wants to fight for freedom in Afghanistan while he takes freedom away from Americans with his socialist policies. To his credit, he did drugs and would have been put in Jail had he been caught. For the question, I say NOPE.
- Martin Luther King was one of the most eloquent speakers in history. Not to mention eloquent, he was a man of principal, a man of conviction, a true man of courage, and one who officially broke down the racial barriers in the US. He was one of the greatest leaders in World History and is an example for all cultures to follow. He won the Nobel Peace Prize. Is Obama anything like him? He bows to Saudi Kings and gives good speeches in Prague. He talks about his experiences with racism growing up and gives good speeches but they haven’t had much of an effect. Back to the question, is he anything like Martin Luther King Jr.? NOPE.
- Anwar Sadat won the Nobel Peace prize for his efforts to bring peace between Egypt and Israel. He was a true peacemaker and martyr. Obama only alienates Israel, and doesn’t do very much to protect our staunch ally. Last time he got between Israel and Palestine, it didn’t go so well. There is no peace there and as far as I know, they are still blowing each other up. Is he anything like Anwar Sadat, heck, even a flower child that walked around promoting peace getting people to drop everything, smile and be happy? NOPE.
- The biggest snub ever was President Ronald Reagan. He should have been given the Nobel Prize along with his friend, Gorbachev. Reagan promoted peace, a non-nuclear USSR, and ensured the safety of his country in an era of uncertainty, THE COLD WAR. He is responsible for the free Russia and Germany we know today. He didn’t get a prize, WHY should Obama? Is Obama anything like Reagan? NOPE
Argue with me if you may. These are just ten of many reasons President Obama SHOULD NOT GET THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE. I am now going to go back to sleep and hopefully wake back up into reality. If this is reality, then I plan to sleep for the rest of the day. I am still in disbelief. Today, when my young cousin asks me about how to win the prize, my answer will be simple. Be President, alienate the people in your country, don’t’ bring any peace at all overseas, make good speeches with a teleprompter, and don’t be like anyone else that won the prize, especially Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, and Anwar Sadat.
