In Charleston, It's In the Air

Once again, Charleston has been voted #1 travel destination.  We are about as happy to have visitors as they are to be here -- it's good for business, and it is just really nice that people love our city.

One of the wonderful things about Charleston is that in spite of the bustle and popularity, it continues to feel like a small town.  No skyscrapers.  Manageable traffic.  And what continues to be a leisurely pace.  People don't tend to honk if you take too long to wake up when a red light turns green, and we're really happy to give directions, and in fact, just keep talking to you for as long as you want.  There are great restaurants and art galleries, and wonderful historic walks around town.

Why would anyone want to change all that?

In fact, if we continue to ignore the increasing congestion and pollution caused by cruise ships in our port, not only will Charleston begin to be less of a desirable tourist attraction, the air quality will endanger ourselves and our children.

Bobbie Rose is running for Charleston City Council for District 8, and she knows that we cannot ignore the risks to our treasured city.  She understands that the best thing we can do for tourism in Charleston is to create regulations that will protect the environment.  She knows that while unregulated, the cruise ship industry has no reason to curb its pollution in our harbor.

We have had too many politicians in Charleston and in South Carolina that refuse to work with businesses in the interests of our families and our environment, scaring us with talk of killing jobs if we establish reasonable rules and limits.

Isn't it time we stood proud here in South Carolina, and work with those businesses who respect and want to maintain (if not improve) our quality of life?

The City Council election is Tuesday, November 5.  To find out which district you are in go to SC Votes.

If you are in District 8, be sure to support the candidate that will work to insure that the quality of life in Charleston doesn't just maintain, but improves.  Bobbie Rose will keep Charleston #1, not just for tourism, but for its residents.

from Charleston City Paper

Bobbie Rose

Charleston City Council

District 8

Vote: Tuesday, November 5

When Tim Scott's Freedom Is Not Our Freedom

The U. S. House Representative for SC District 1, who is not and never has been my representative, although I live in that district, has a peculiar view of freedom.

For example, he believes that women should not have the freedom to access contraceptive care, but that employees should have the freedom to not provide this coverage when the law requires it.

He calls it "conscience."

I call it bullshit.

When a religious institution feels comfortable taking my tax dollars, which I do not have the freedom to withhold from said groups, regardless of my conscience, the very least obligation they should have is to follow the law.  If their conscience causes angst, they can refuse the federal dollars.  They can also stop pretending they should be tax-exempt.

Tim Scott passionately professes his belief in "life."  That, too, is bullshit.  Jesus, neither Scott's nor anyone else's, would never condone automatic weapons (or war, for that matter).  When innocents are getting gunned down in a classroom or a movie theater, Scott should have more important things on his "conscience" than whether or not a woman should be allowed free contraceptives.

This hypocrisy would puzzle me more if it didn't so much follow the money.  The National Rifle Association has incredible power in this country, and incredibly deep pockets.  So it is no surprise that when Scott "prays" on issues, gun control provokes as resounding a "no" from God as does contraception.

No disrespect to God, however.  Because when Tim Scott prays, he may think he is hearing God's voice, but in fact he is hearing answers that are easy on his ears.  The voice he actually hears, I believe, is that of Jim DeMint.

I have yet to hear of a vote cast by Tim Scott that he has not only agonized over, but then voted against what his hero in the Tea Party has dictated.

And so freedom, for Tim Scott, is the freedom to hear whatever voices he chooses to hear, and to vote "for life" when it is convenient, and anti-life when the NRA and Jim DeMint tell him to.

Shame on you, Tim Scott.

Welcome Bobbie Rose!

Wrapped up in my own little world, I have been walking around thinking, "I wonder who's running against Tim Scott..."  Today I found out.


Bobbie Rose describes herself as a "liberal, progressive Democrat", and in my mind, in South Carolina, that means you need to stand tall and be fearless.  You need to not be afraid of the names that the right-wingers will call you, and the false accusations that will be made.  As a woman, you need to be unafraid to say exactly what "women's rights" means to you, you need to be unafraid to fight for the right of a woman to own her body.


You need to be able to stand up for freedom of religion, not the freedom of the religious right to dictate our lives.


You need to be able to defend good government, and responsible, much needed, taxation.  We need schools and teachers that are paid a living wage, we need well-funded libraries.  We need roads and bridges, and we need to bring our public transportation into the 21st century.


Corporations need to be responsible employers and taxpayers, and not billionaires shopping for cheap labor and a free ride in South Carolina.


Our Representative needs to keep our harbor from being exploited by the oil industry, and respect and support science and innovation.


I am thrilled to throw my support behind Bobbie Rose.