The Other Nikki

Here are some words that I have never strung together, even during the Confederate flag business:  kudos Nikki Haley.

I just watched a news conference in which she described the catastrophic damage of the past few days and the steps that are being taken to get us up and running again.  She was pretty amazing (again, words I have never used to describe our governor -- unbelievable, yes, but amazing, never).  She covered all the important points, had a clear understanding of what the issues were, and a good sense of priority.  She had a plan that appeared pretty comprehensive.  She nailed problems from roads caving in to lack of drinking water.

It occurred to me that during this event, Nikki Haley was not being political.  Because of that, she was clear headed about what needed to be done.  She did not hesitate to ask for emergency relief from "the feds" as she calls them, and appreciative and gracious toward our president and first lady.  She was unconcerned about balancing the cost versus the worth of the people who needed help.  If a person needed help, it sounded like they would get help.

This may be illusion.  It may be just the first response.  It may be that as time goes on, certain people will be expected to get back on their feet sooner than others, and will get far less aid than they need.

But for right now, it felt like I could call 911 and get taken to a shelter, or a hospital, and no one would be looking to find out if I could afford a hotel or had health insurance.

Imagine if Nikki could govern like that when we were not in a state of emergency.  If she did not dole out food stamps as though her pocket was being picked or graciously accepted Medicaid dollars for the uninsured the way she is accepting emergency funds.

Here's another thing.  Nikki isn't talking about praying for help.  She is doing what needs to be done.  From road repairs to bottled water, she is not resorting to ideology to determine if the government should be spending that money.

If only she governed that way the rest of the time, what a fine place South Carolina might be.