The Opinion Blog

State shortchanges HGTC, CCU; now it's our problem

Today's editorial notes that once again, Horry taxpayers are to be asked to meet responsibilities that belong to the state:

The newspaper will probably support the much discussed 15-year 1-cent local option sales tax for school construction, once the Horry County Board of Education proposes it. The board began work on the plan this week.

This idea appeals to us because 20 percent of the proceeds would support construction projects at Horry-Georgetown Technical College and Coastal Carolina University. But in noting that both institutions need and deserve our financial support because the state hasn't provided it, we confess a certain weariness. Local leaders have made this argument before. Here we go again.

If you're ignorant or apathetic, don't vote

From the afternoon e-mail ... Americans for Limited Government recognizes a Georgia Newspaper for urging some readers NOT to vote:

ANNOUNCING THE ALGEE

It is time to present the first-ever ALG Award for Editorial Excellence: The ALGEE.

Henceforth, The ALGEE will be awarded on a monthly basis to that newspaper publishing the single most sagacious and courageous award in the previous 30 days. This month, it is being presented at the halfway point of the month because the Awards Committee simply cannot conceive a more meritorious editorial being penned within the next 15 days.

And the winner is: THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE for its outstanding editorial "Vote today -- or not!," published June 15, 2008.

I have $25 for McCain; do I hear $30? ... $30? ... $30?

From the afternoon e-mail ... Sheldom Richman wonders why the authorities have singled out a college student for punishment for offering to sell his vote when, in a sense, all our votes are for sale:

By Sheldon Richman

Poor Max Sanders. The 19-year-old University of Minnesota student faces five years in jail and a $10,000 fine; he is accused of putting his vote in the presidential election up for auction on eBay. He started the bidding at $10. The charge is bribery, treating, and soliciting.

I'm confused. Aren't all our votes for sale? Each candidate tries to bribe us with future benefits of all sorts. Basically, a campaign is an effort to buy votes wholesale.

Let's get those hijabs off-camera, please

Ripped from the wires ... Mitch Albom explains how, in this high-def digital age, images drive campaigns:

By Mitch Albom

With all the problems facing this country, the issue of "who sits where'' shouldn't rank very high.

But last week it did, after two Muslim women were denied seats behind Barack Obama at his rally at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, seats that would have placed them in full view of the TV cameras broadcasting his speech.

The women were moved away, they said, because they each wore a hijab, the traditional Muslim head scarf. That image, volunteers told them, was politically sensitive for Obama.

I think my vote counted but how can I be sure?

Today's editorial notes that despite several successful S.C. elections with paperless voting machines, concerns about the reliability of the electronic voting terminals won't go away:

How important is it - really - that voters be presented with a piece of paper verifying their participation in elections? According to the S.C. Election Commission, not very. But the agency hardly has an objective view of this issue.

A few years back, the commission mandated that all 46 S.C. counties use the iVotronic electronic voting system manufactured by Election Systems & Software. In reaching this decision, the commission turned a deaf ear to complaints that voters would lack confidence in a paperless voting system such as the iVotronic: How could a voter be sure that the voting terminal did what she or he told it to do?

Since then, several election cycles have passed. But this concern just won't go away.

'Join me in defeating Sen. Graham on Nov. 4'

From the afternoon e-mail ... Bob Conley formally accepts the Democratic nomination to oppose U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham in the Nov. 4 general election:

BOB CONLEY, DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR UNITED STATE SENATE IS RELEASING THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT FOLLOWING THE CERTIFICATION OF THE VOTE IN LAST WEEK'S PRIMARY:

Fellow citizens and members of the media:

Thank you for the confidence you have shown by voting for me in the primary. I am excited and hopeful that the race to come will illustrate the importance of bringing true and meaningful change to our country.

Defeated Gilland controls her own political destiny

Sen Luke Rankin may have stomped Liz Gilland in last week's Republican S.C. Senate primary. But as the newspaper says in today's editorial, whether she now becomes a lame duck as Horry County Council chairwoman is entirely up to her:

Last week, Horry County Council Chairwoman Liz Gilland lost her bid, by a large margin, to unseat S.C. Sen. Luke Rankin. Politics in Horry County being blood sport, some now believe that the wounds she suffered on primary day have left her too weak to meet the responsibilities of her current job.

Well, this week marks the first week of the rest of her foreseeable political life. Gilland can spend the time until the end of her term going through the motions as council chairwoman, as the wounds of harsh rejection leach away her remaining strength. Or she can cauterize the wounds and, using the tools at her disposal, play out the public-life role that's rightfully hers.

Renominate Graham and Brown Tuesday

In an editorial today, the newspaper makes its case for continued congressional service by two Republican lawmakers:

The ideological orientation of members of Congress may be important, but far more important is their commitment to constituent service and securing federal assistance for local projects. By that standard, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and 1st District U.S. Rep. Henry Brown have served constituents well.

Both gentlemen face stiff re-election challenges this year, with Democratic competition in the Nov. 4 general election and Republican competition in Tuesday's Republican primary. The Sun News editorial board strongly recommends Graham and Brown for advancement to the general election ballot in Tuesday's primary.

Realism or fantasy? Obama can win S.C.

From the morning's e-mail ... Phil Noble, a Charleston businessman and member of Barack Obama's S.C. steering committee, predicts that the Democratic nominee will wrest South Carolina from John McCain on Nov. 4:

A few days ago, Obama clinched the Democratic nomination. Even before this historic achievement, most pundits and even some Democrats in our state, including some very senior party officials, have said that Barack Obama doesn't have a prayer of carrying South Carolina in the fall elections. He will.

This traditional political thinking is like shortsighted generals -- they continually refight the last war instead of preparing for the current war that is ahead of them.

Replace incumbents with Smith, Gilland

In an editorial today, The Sun News recommended that voters pick challengers in S.C. House District 68 and S.C. Senate District 33 over the incumbents:

S.C. Rep. Thad Viers, R-Myrtle Beach, does not support the goals of public education. And like Viers and many other members of the Horry County delegation, S.C. Sen. Luke Rankin, R-Myrtle Beach, sees nothing wrong in working against the goals of local governments.

True, Viers was instrumental this year in fashioning the new state immigration-reform legislation. Several years back, Rankin led the effort to rescue the state-owned S.C. Public Service Authority - Santee Cooper - from possible privatization. Both legislators have done some good work.

But does that warrant the renewal of their leases on their legislative seats? Not when both have habits of mind and action that continually frustrate local public-life goals. Not when both cast themselves as the proper checks and balances for local governments when that's really the job of local voters. Not when both have capable opponents who understand that legislative power must have limits.