The Opinion Blog

Try to Play Nice, Governor

Tuesday’s editorial urges the governor to work on her people skills ahead of the next legislative session:

If the governor is trying to convince legislators to give her more power over the daily running of the state, this isn’t the way to go about it. Gov. Nikki Haley has a historic opportunity to retake the powers of the executive branch and disentangle its functions from the legislature, but she first needs to keep the favor of legislators in order to win reform. Her abrasive actions thus far in her tenure are only making it harder to further that worthy goal.

The state has long lived with a weak executive branch, with the governor given less authority than leaders of many other states and overseen by a more powerful legislature that has kept the reins of power firmly in its fist.

Advice from the Pros



Sunday’s editorial shares some advice for candidates and voters in the 7^th Congressional District from those who’ve spent time serving up in Washington:

Those campaigning for the chance to serve as our area’s representative from the new 7th Congressional District are a disparate lot, made up of current and former politicians, business owners, lawyers, men, women, black, white. But they do have at least one thing in common. None has ever served in the political bubble that is Washington, D.C.

With that in mind, we solicited advice and tips for the candidates – and the voters who will elect one – from some of those who’ve gone before them. Rep. Tim Scott currently represents the 1st District that covers Horry and Georgetown counties, Sen. Lindsey Graham now represents the entire state as one of our two senators and formerly represented the state’s 3rd District in the House, and Mark Sanford represented the 1st District in the House before becoming governor. All were kind enough to offer some insight recently into what it’s like to serve in Washington and what it takes to be a successful congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Time to Play Nice, Governor



Thursday’s editorial urges the governor to try a different tack when it comes to leadership:

There’s a joke that’s been going around the area lately. We’ve heard it in a variety of forms, but the general idea goes something like this:

Gov. Haley endorsed Mitt Romney in the primary. That sure worked out well. She pushed hard for voter ID and immigration reform. The Justice Department nixed both of those. Haley encouraged DHEC to reconsider dredging for the Savannah Port. The legislature is now doing its best to undo that move. Boy, really hope the governor doesn’t get behind I-73.

The Black Eye Fades



Thursday’s first editorial:

Forgiveness and grace really do matter. I used to believe that at an intellectual level; now it is at the level of heart. Over my life I have not given enough of either, and yet given all the ways in which my failings have come to light, I write to apologize for, in the most profound of ways, letting you and so many others down. It’s always the people closest to us whom we hurt the most, and given my standing of public trust, I know I’ve hurt many across our state. I apologize for this, and more than anything would ask for your forgiveness going forward.

– Gov. Mark Sanford in July 2009 apology letter to state.

Rewrite the Job Description



It’s time to take a hard look at our state’s lieutenant governor job, as Thursday’s editorial discusses:

“I have no interest in resigning.”

“I’m not going to resign.”

“I have no plans to resign.”

– Lt. Gov. Ken Ard on Tuesday

It’s a strong sign that there’s something wrong at work if you feel compelled to start issuing statements such as these. And we imagine there’s definitely some worry in Lt. Gov. Ken Ard’s office these days. Ard is feeling some stiff pressure from Democrats and some in his own party to step down in the face of a lingering campaign finance scandal.

Governors' Job Numbers Rarely Add Up



Saturday’s editorial (via The Columbia State)

Nikki Haley is hardly the first S.C. governor to put out misleading job-recruitment numbers. In fact, we can’t recall a governor who hasn’t done that.

Oh, the governors usually are technically correct when they boast of the number of jobs that have been announced on their watch. But they do that knowing full well that most people will think they’re talking about the number of new jobs that are actually available for South Carolinians who want to work.

The Sun News Legislative Scorecard



Sunday’s editorial is our annual legislative scorecard:

This year’s legislative session began with a sense of excitement and promise. After eight years of bickering and conflict between Gov. Mark Sanford and the legislature – culminating with the threat of impeachment proceedings against him as a result of his extraordinary political self-immolation – a new face was in the governor’s mansion.

Gov. Nikki Haley promised to work with the legislature to get a number of important measures passed, streamlining the government and opening it up to inspection by those it serves. And in fact some of these worthy goals did come to fruition, chief among them the push for more roll call voting in the House and Senate, which helped make this year’s scorecard possible.

Amazon's Ups and Downs



Thursday’s first editorial weighs in on the continuing battle over whether to subsidize Amazon’s move into South Carolina:

It may be hard at first to see how the battle over Amazon’s distribution center in Lexington County concerns those of us on the Grand Strand all that much. After all, none of the 2,000 jobs created would be based here, and we’d see none of the $125 million investment by the online giant.

But the ripples of the deal will touch us nonetheless, as became clear after the legislature’s initial rejection of incentives for the company. Rep. Tracy Edge of North Myrtle Beach told The State newspaper that several members of the caucus began sharing complaints from their local leaders that prospects were stopping or delaying investments after Amazon’s deal, brokered by Gov. Mark Sanford’s administration last year, was turned away.

Out of Proportion



Is a $237,000 fine too much for missing paperwork? Thursday’s editorial thinks so:

Ken Ard may soon be on the hook for $212,000. The state’s lieutenant governor faces 106 charges from the State Ethics Commission that accuse him of spending campaign money on personal expenses and failing to file reports on his spending.

They’re serious charges and it’s encouraging that the commission treated them as such. People who contribute in good faith to a campaign don’t deserve to have their money spent on football games and a family vacation. Much as Ard would like to paint himself as a political newcomer and outsider, this is not his first foray into politics, and he should know better.

Our Time in the Sun



Friday’s editorial:

Another Sunshine Week is coming to a close, this time with some encouraging progress on making our government more transparent.

After years of pressure by the S.C. Policy Council, Gov. Mark Sanford and first Rep. Nikki Haley and then Gov. Haley, the Senate agreed at last on Thursday to a measure that will put all major votes in the legislature on the record, joining the House in passing the bill. It’s embarrasing that it took so long to reach this basic level of accountability, but heartening that this year’s legislators heeded the concerns of citizens and agreed to shine some more light into the halls of government.