In an excellent summary of the insane debate going on in the South Carolina Senate over H 3114, the bill that would ban abortion at twenty weeks, we have the cretins explaining science and morality. Lee Bright continues to tear his little heart out over the thought that 20-week fetuses are feeling pain. No doubt he spends many nights lying awake thinking about those same fetuses being denied the right to experience sexual pleasure in the womb. Danny Verdin, another example of imaginations gone wild, can't get past the pain a fetus must be going through during an abortion.
Jeez guys, you must have been a riot in your high school biology classes. Should we really have men who are so prone to hysteria that they readily distort facts be making legislative decisions about... well, anything?
And while they relate to a fetus as though it is a cute little kitty, they have absolutely no concept of pain in reality. The pain of a woman whose pregnancy has gone horribly wrong. The pain of carrying a fetus who has severe abnormalities to term, and then giving birth to an infant who also will THEN live in pain until death. The pain of a woman being unable to care for herself or other family members because she is being forced to carry a life that it has been determined will require the draining of resources, emotional and financial. The tragedy of forcing life when maybe God has created a system wherein some pregnancies fail so that others can flower.
False science and hysteria rule the day in Columbia.
But we have some fearless souls on the other side who are attempting to bring reason and proper analysis to this fascist enterprise.
Senator Joel Lourie sums it up:
“We’re a bunch of men sitting up here trying to tell a woman whether it’s right or not to terminate a pregnancy at 20 versus 24 weeks. We ought to be ashamed of ourselves that we’re going to impose our own value system and interfere with the relationship between a woman, her physician, her spiritual adviser and her family.”
We're not even talking about the fact that that infinitesimal percentage of doctors who have testified as "experts" in favor of this bill have had center stage against professional organizations like the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. We've had testimony by people who have said they "just know" a fetus at twenty week feels pain. Proud to be a member of such an august legislative body that would consider that "evidence."
But then there's God. The legislators themselves have toned down the religious rhetoric, substituting it with false science claims so that they can pretend they are keeping church and state separate. But there has been more than enough religious fervor that has crept in via "witnesses."
So that the argument is not really whether a woman should be allowed to decide for herself about terminating a pregnancy. It is really about the fact that because some women of faith chose to have the baby, all women should be prevented from having a choice. It is because small-minded hypocrites like Lee Bright want to be heralded by the church as the man that saved "unborn babies" from being "killed" while defending abusers rights to carry guns. It is about misogynists like Danny Verdin telling us that allowing exceptions to a 20-week abortion law for rape and incest would be encouraging women to lie.
Basically, it is the ugliest of motives, control of women, combined with voyeurism and government surveillance, that gives continued voice to these abortion bills.
This twenty week abortion ban, that in a world ruled by reason and true concern would have been laughed out of any governing body, will come for a Senate vote soon. The criminal domestic violence bill, which would truly save lives, is being held hostage while those same "pro-life" legislators fight about whether abusers should have their guns taken away.
But we can still be heard. We can thank and encourage those Senators who are fighting for women's right to reproductive health and privacy, and we can write and call our own State Senators to tell them in no uncertain terms to vote no to this bill.
Thanks to Brad Hutto and Joel Lourie and others who are fighting to keep the government out of women's private lives.
Go to the Statehouse website to send an email to let each senator know how you feel about this bill.
This is the email I sent to all senators:
I urge you to vote NO on the bill that would prevent women from deciding on whether to have an abortion after twenty weeks. Science has proven that at 20-24 weeks a fetus has not developed the ability to experience pain.
Also, this is an extremely rare procedure (estimated 30 per year) which occurs in the course of wanted pregnancies where fetal abnormalities are detected.
This should be a decision between a woman and a medical professional. Government intrusion in such a private and personal matter is unacceptable.
Vote NO on H 3114.
I hope you will all join me in making your voice heard.
Showing posts with label Brad Hutto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brad Hutto. Show all posts
Friday, April 17, 2015
Monday, November 3, 2014
Some Last Thoughts (Before I Vote)
Unsurprisingly, in the last day before the midterm money leads by, well, a lot.
Take Lindsey Graham, for example. Graham has proven that he is slick and, I have to say, pretty creepy. He can sit back and sound like your kindly uncle who knows what is best and well, he's just going to do it, because it's good for you. Like increasing the social security retirement age. But don't forget that he has also taken some unpopular stands and went up against a slew of opponents in the primaries and, well, he slew them all. Why? Because he's willing to work with those on the other side. Huh. Of course, like that wise old uncle, he tells you that you're going to have to give something up as well.
Here's the thing you need to remember about Lindsey Graham: he is a manipulative s.o.b. He actually said, in his moderate voice, that the reason we needed to vote for him is that it will take a republican to work with the crazy republicans that keep blocking progress in Congress. And in case you thought you had heard him wrong, he said it again.
And then there is the megalomaniac Tim Scott, who sees himself as sent by God (in the guise of Nikki Haley). He is dumber than dirt, and maybe even dumber than his predecessor, Jim DeMint, but he has been polished to a shine even brighter than his nice suit. People I actually know think he is smart, and that he sounds good in public. Maybe I just haven't been around enough to see him preaching to his congregation. But I listened to the debate, and he may have been rehearsed, but he was wooden, as though even he didn't believe his stock phrases anymore. And I saw his ad, the one where he brags on pretending to work next to "everyday people," of whom he apparently no longer counts himself. And I've heard his lies, like about how he voted to reduce the interest on student loans.
And then there is Nikki Haley. Smarmy and flirty, who has wowed all the big bucks, basically because she will do absolutely anything they want her to do, and even more. South Carolina under her watch has sold itself to big corporations and refused to feed, insure and educate its poor. She has worked to deny those who might oppose her right wing plans the right to vote, and she has cost us millions of dollars to fight this battle in court. She is mean-spirited and vindictive, and she can flash a phony smile better than just about anybody I know.
Then we have idiots like Mike Fair, who wears his stupidity with pride and calls it faith. He single-handedly stopped our state legislature from moving health and sex education into the 21st century because the old ways are good enough for him. Of course, he and fellow idiot Kevin Bryant also provided us with better comedy than you can find on cable TV when they argued for putting the Bible in the Columbian mammoth bill.
But we've also got a few tough choices, but choices nonetheless, and some where we have to hold our noses to give it our best shot, and some where that doesn't even help. Parenthetically, when someone distasteful is running unopposed, or unhappily you just can't vote for either candidate, don't leave that space blank. Write-in "None of the Above" so your vote will count.
Do not despair, though, because we do have some good choices, and even some very good choices.
We don't have to let Mark Sanford breeze by without opposition, because Dimitri Cherny is running as a write-in independent candidate. He's a good man, and I would love to see Sanford's face if Cherny with no financial backing or name recognition made a decent showing.
Brad Hutto has fought against great odds to unseat Lindsey Graham. What I like about Hutto is that he is not trying to hide the fact that he is a Democrat, and that he supports the Affordable Care Act, and even President Obama. It took guts (and I hear some persuasion by the state party) for him to agree to step up.
Bakari Sellers is running for Lieutenant Governor, and he is smart and caring. He has traveled around the small towns in South Carolina introducing himself to people and talking about what he can do to improve life for South Carolinians. He has been endorsed by Charleston Mayor Riley, among many others. I have to say that I watched the debate, and Bakari's comments were a breath of fresh air compared to those of his opponent, you know, the guy who thinks we should all volunteer for service jobs so people like him don't have to pay taxes.
I haven't mentioned Gloria Tinubu here because she is not running in Charleston or for a state-wide office, but she is an amazing woman running for Congress in the 7th district. She is brilliant and outspoken, and although she lost in 2012, she is determined that she is going to try again so that she can fight for her district, the state and the country in Congress. If you know anybody from the 7th district, tell them to by all means get out and vote for Gloria.
Last but certainly not least, Joyce Dickerson has had to fight to be heard throughout this race. She has run on a shoestring, and in spite of the lukewarm support of the Democratic party (famous for failing to support good candidates in past years). She won the primary against two male candidates in spite of suggestions by male Democratic leaders that maybe she should step aside. She is not just the underdog in this race against Tim Scott, but she is the underdog that we should all be fighting for.
Joyce Dickerson will not be swayed by power or money. She knows who her constituents are in South Carolina: the struggling middle class, seniors, veterans, children. She knows the issues: low wages, lack of health insurance, failing schools, unemployment, crumbling roads, student loan debt. There isn't one of us who would not benefit by having Joyce fighting for us in the Senate.
It was a big step, going from Richland County Council to the U.S. Senate. But, unlike Tim Scott, she is doing it without the dollars and support of corporations, lobbyists, and of course, Governor Nikki Haley, who gifted the seat to him two years ago. And unlike Nikki Haley, she is a woman who will fight for women, and her candidacy has made me proud.
So, I'm happy to say, we do have lots of reasons to vote. It may be that many of these great candidates don't win because they are fighting enormous odds. But they have fought, and it has cost them a huge chunk of their lives, and people have contributed to their campaigns because they believed in the message, and that we need this change.
Given all that, the very least we can do on November 4 is vote. And bring some friends and family members. And if enough of us turn out, well, you never know....
Take Lindsey Graham, for example. Graham has proven that he is slick and, I have to say, pretty creepy. He can sit back and sound like your kindly uncle who knows what is best and well, he's just going to do it, because it's good for you. Like increasing the social security retirement age. But don't forget that he has also taken some unpopular stands and went up against a slew of opponents in the primaries and, well, he slew them all. Why? Because he's willing to work with those on the other side. Huh. Of course, like that wise old uncle, he tells you that you're going to have to give something up as well.
Here's the thing you need to remember about Lindsey Graham: he is a manipulative s.o.b. He actually said, in his moderate voice, that the reason we needed to vote for him is that it will take a republican to work with the crazy republicans that keep blocking progress in Congress. And in case you thought you had heard him wrong, he said it again.
And then there is the megalomaniac Tim Scott, who sees himself as sent by God (in the guise of Nikki Haley). He is dumber than dirt, and maybe even dumber than his predecessor, Jim DeMint, but he has been polished to a shine even brighter than his nice suit. People I actually know think he is smart, and that he sounds good in public. Maybe I just haven't been around enough to see him preaching to his congregation. But I listened to the debate, and he may have been rehearsed, but he was wooden, as though even he didn't believe his stock phrases anymore. And I saw his ad, the one where he brags on pretending to work next to "everyday people," of whom he apparently no longer counts himself. And I've heard his lies, like about how he voted to reduce the interest on student loans.
And then there is Nikki Haley. Smarmy and flirty, who has wowed all the big bucks, basically because she will do absolutely anything they want her to do, and even more. South Carolina under her watch has sold itself to big corporations and refused to feed, insure and educate its poor. She has worked to deny those who might oppose her right wing plans the right to vote, and she has cost us millions of dollars to fight this battle in court. She is mean-spirited and vindictive, and she can flash a phony smile better than just about anybody I know.
Then we have idiots like Mike Fair, who wears his stupidity with pride and calls it faith. He single-handedly stopped our state legislature from moving health and sex education into the 21st century because the old ways are good enough for him. Of course, he and fellow idiot Kevin Bryant also provided us with better comedy than you can find on cable TV when they argued for putting the Bible in the Columbian mammoth bill.
But we've also got a few tough choices, but choices nonetheless, and some where we have to hold our noses to give it our best shot, and some where that doesn't even help. Parenthetically, when someone distasteful is running unopposed, or unhappily you just can't vote for either candidate, don't leave that space blank. Write-in "None of the Above" so your vote will count.
Do not despair, though, because we do have some good choices, and even some very good choices.
We don't have to let Mark Sanford breeze by without opposition, because Dimitri Cherny is running as a write-in independent candidate. He's a good man, and I would love to see Sanford's face if Cherny with no financial backing or name recognition made a decent showing.
Brad Hutto has fought against great odds to unseat Lindsey Graham. What I like about Hutto is that he is not trying to hide the fact that he is a Democrat, and that he supports the Affordable Care Act, and even President Obama. It took guts (and I hear some persuasion by the state party) for him to agree to step up.
Bakari Sellers is running for Lieutenant Governor, and he is smart and caring. He has traveled around the small towns in South Carolina introducing himself to people and talking about what he can do to improve life for South Carolinians. He has been endorsed by Charleston Mayor Riley, among many others. I have to say that I watched the debate, and Bakari's comments were a breath of fresh air compared to those of his opponent, you know, the guy who thinks we should all volunteer for service jobs so people like him don't have to pay taxes.
I haven't mentioned Gloria Tinubu here because she is not running in Charleston or for a state-wide office, but she is an amazing woman running for Congress in the 7th district. She is brilliant and outspoken, and although she lost in 2012, she is determined that she is going to try again so that she can fight for her district, the state and the country in Congress. If you know anybody from the 7th district, tell them to by all means get out and vote for Gloria.
Last but certainly not least, Joyce Dickerson has had to fight to be heard throughout this race. She has run on a shoestring, and in spite of the lukewarm support of the Democratic party (famous for failing to support good candidates in past years). She won the primary against two male candidates in spite of suggestions by male Democratic leaders that maybe she should step aside. She is not just the underdog in this race against Tim Scott, but she is the underdog that we should all be fighting for.
Joyce Dickerson will not be swayed by power or money. She knows who her constituents are in South Carolina: the struggling middle class, seniors, veterans, children. She knows the issues: low wages, lack of health insurance, failing schools, unemployment, crumbling roads, student loan debt. There isn't one of us who would not benefit by having Joyce fighting for us in the Senate.
It was a big step, going from Richland County Council to the U.S. Senate. But, unlike Tim Scott, she is doing it without the dollars and support of corporations, lobbyists, and of course, Governor Nikki Haley, who gifted the seat to him two years ago. And unlike Nikki Haley, she is a woman who will fight for women, and her candidacy has made me proud.
So, I'm happy to say, we do have lots of reasons to vote. It may be that many of these great candidates don't win because they are fighting enormous odds. But they have fought, and it has cost them a huge chunk of their lives, and people have contributed to their campaigns because they believed in the message, and that we need this change.
Given all that, the very least we can do on November 4 is vote. And bring some friends and family members. And if enough of us turn out, well, you never know....
Monday, July 7, 2014
Beating Graham
Some of you may not know that Lindsey Graham does actually have an opponent in the upcoming election. Brad Hutto has been around and involved in state politics for awhile, and represents SC Senate District 40. I was so impressed with his strong stand on women's right to reproductive freedom and privacy that I hoped that he would be that candidate who is unafraid to really promise to make a difference.
Sadly, based on his website, this does not appear to be the case. Other than promising to fight for a woman's right to make her own health care decisions without government intervention, his statements on issues tend to be along the lines of trying not to say much that might be controversial. Getting people off food stamps, improving education and infrastructure (while making sure government tightens its belt). He's going to "fix" the Affordable Care Act, by allowing people to choose the best plan and at the same time not letting the insurance companies be in control. Granted, he promises to support alternative energy development, but even Exxon claims to do that.
I like Brad. And we all know it took guts to step up to run against Graham, who has been courting the biggest of the big money backers for a very long time. He doesn't have lots of billionaires who are going to be writing him checks because frankly, they have Lindsey Graham in their pockets. What he does have is lots of people who might make the effort to get out and vote for him if he is willing to take a strong and public stand for them.
I don't know anyone who is sponging off the government by collecting food stamps. That allotment is a pittance, and yet it helps to sustain more of us than you can imagine. I like that Hutto is speaking out in support of raising the minimum wage. But $10.10, by the time it gets passed in the Senate is still inadequate. It will still keep families living in poverty. By the way, those of us who are living with the help of food stamps -- you don't even know who they are, because they are embarrassed and afraid to admit it. In order to get rid of the need for food stamp assistance, our government needs to take a strong stand against employers who claim they are unable to stay in business if they give employees a living wage.
And here's more unsolicited advice to State Senator Hutto:
Don't be afraid to speak up for Obamacare. Honestly, if you're willing to campaign on all the great benefits of the Affordable Care Act, you will be doing a great service to the public, because you will be fighting the absurd and destructive disinformation campaign that idiots like Graham have been promoting, all in the name of fear-building in order to garner votes.
And by standing up to right wingnuts on women's reproductive health, you've gotten our attention and a lot of loyalty. Mention it every chance you get, and we'll actually get out and vote for you.
Here's something few politicians do in South Carolina: talk about the great work Elizabeth Warren is doing to curb the great and powerful Wall Street beast. And specifically talk about the bill that was recently defeated that would have allowed people to refinance older student loans at current lower interest rates, and Lindsey Graham's part in that defeat. And if you want students to get out and vote for you, talk about making college more affordable. Oh, go on, even talk about subsidizing education, the way we subsidize big oil and big agriculture.
For that matter, you might even get some hard-core republican farmers out to support you if you talk about how failure to regulate and large government subsidies have strangled the family farm, and small business in general. Because Graham and his gang have convinced voters that the enemy is government, where the enemy is actually the giant corporation with their lobbyists and lawyers that control people like Lindsey Graham.
So many issues, and it's just a matter of explaining to people how the current system, with Graham and Scott, have worked to keep us one of the poorest states, with bad roads, failing education, low-paid workers, inadequate health care, oh, and gun violence.
The issue that seems to have alienated more of us Dems than any other is that of gun control. Hutto voted for the ridiculous bill that allows guns in bars and restaurants, putting the onus of responsibility on the bar/restaurant owners. If you're afraid of the people here who are passionate about their guns, you should know that even gun owners understand that there is a time and a place for wielding that weapon. Here we are in 2014 making the country's top-10 list for gun violence.
I would give pause at the voting booth when I consider that you might be in the US Senate, voting on a bill that would require background checks and limit ammunition capacity. Such a reasonable law, adopted in states that recognize the need, a law that might actually make life safer on the streets and in our schools, I would have to say at this point you would vote against it.
All things being equal -- and in politics in 2014 they are not -- you just might win against Graham. But because all things are not equal, Brad Hutto needs to be a strong alternative to Lindsey Graham, not a lukewarm bunch of promises. My motto here in South Carolina is, if you're going to lose anyway, you might as well speak out. In fact, and in a wonderful irony, speaking out will get you the greatest chance of beating the odds and winning that election.
So, Brad, go out and defend us against the likes of Lindsey Graham.
Sadly, based on his website, this does not appear to be the case. Other than promising to fight for a woman's right to make her own health care decisions without government intervention, his statements on issues tend to be along the lines of trying not to say much that might be controversial. Getting people off food stamps, improving education and infrastructure (while making sure government tightens its belt). He's going to "fix" the Affordable Care Act, by allowing people to choose the best plan and at the same time not letting the insurance companies be in control. Granted, he promises to support alternative energy development, but even Exxon claims to do that.
I like Brad. And we all know it took guts to step up to run against Graham, who has been courting the biggest of the big money backers for a very long time. He doesn't have lots of billionaires who are going to be writing him checks because frankly, they have Lindsey Graham in their pockets. What he does have is lots of people who might make the effort to get out and vote for him if he is willing to take a strong and public stand for them.
I don't know anyone who is sponging off the government by collecting food stamps. That allotment is a pittance, and yet it helps to sustain more of us than you can imagine. I like that Hutto is speaking out in support of raising the minimum wage. But $10.10, by the time it gets passed in the Senate is still inadequate. It will still keep families living in poverty. By the way, those of us who are living with the help of food stamps -- you don't even know who they are, because they are embarrassed and afraid to admit it. In order to get rid of the need for food stamp assistance, our government needs to take a strong stand against employers who claim they are unable to stay in business if they give employees a living wage.
And here's more unsolicited advice to State Senator Hutto:
Don't be afraid to speak up for Obamacare. Honestly, if you're willing to campaign on all the great benefits of the Affordable Care Act, you will be doing a great service to the public, because you will be fighting the absurd and destructive disinformation campaign that idiots like Graham have been promoting, all in the name of fear-building in order to garner votes.
And by standing up to right wingnuts on women's reproductive health, you've gotten our attention and a lot of loyalty. Mention it every chance you get, and we'll actually get out and vote for you.
Here's something few politicians do in South Carolina: talk about the great work Elizabeth Warren is doing to curb the great and powerful Wall Street beast. And specifically talk about the bill that was recently defeated that would have allowed people to refinance older student loans at current lower interest rates, and Lindsey Graham's part in that defeat. And if you want students to get out and vote for you, talk about making college more affordable. Oh, go on, even talk about subsidizing education, the way we subsidize big oil and big agriculture.
For that matter, you might even get some hard-core republican farmers out to support you if you talk about how failure to regulate and large government subsidies have strangled the family farm, and small business in general. Because Graham and his gang have convinced voters that the enemy is government, where the enemy is actually the giant corporation with their lobbyists and lawyers that control people like Lindsey Graham.
So many issues, and it's just a matter of explaining to people how the current system, with Graham and Scott, have worked to keep us one of the poorest states, with bad roads, failing education, low-paid workers, inadequate health care, oh, and gun violence.
The issue that seems to have alienated more of us Dems than any other is that of gun control. Hutto voted for the ridiculous bill that allows guns in bars and restaurants, putting the onus of responsibility on the bar/restaurant owners. If you're afraid of the people here who are passionate about their guns, you should know that even gun owners understand that there is a time and a place for wielding that weapon. Here we are in 2014 making the country's top-10 list for gun violence.
I would give pause at the voting booth when I consider that you might be in the US Senate, voting on a bill that would require background checks and limit ammunition capacity. Such a reasonable law, adopted in states that recognize the need, a law that might actually make life safer on the streets and in our schools, I would have to say at this point you would vote against it.
All things being equal -- and in politics in 2014 they are not -- you just might win against Graham. But because all things are not equal, Brad Hutto needs to be a strong alternative to Lindsey Graham, not a lukewarm bunch of promises. My motto here in South Carolina is, if you're going to lose anyway, you might as well speak out. In fact, and in a wonderful irony, speaking out will get you the greatest chance of beating the odds and winning that election.
So, Brad, go out and defend us against the likes of Lindsey Graham.
Friday, June 13, 2014
Making Noise
I think there is one thing about the Republican Party that we can all agree on: they make a lot of noise. Unabashedly. They may be idiots, but they are bombastic and cocksure idiots. And we all know when they are in the room.
Look at Mark Sanford. He is not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he does know how to attract a crowd. We Dems all laughed at the stunt he pulled in front of MUSC,
Look at Mark Sanford. He is not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he does know how to attract a crowd. We Dems all laughed at the stunt he pulled in front of MUSC,
but Mark got the last laugh.
And more recently, there was the traveling circus act that involved Lindsey Graham and his pack of wannabees. From the minute he learned that dim bulb Lee Bright was planning on running at him from the right in the primary, Lindsey began to beat his chest and pound the news shows; his face was on every media outlet he could finagle. Whenever there was a shooting or an abortion bill, you would find Lindsey Graham flashing his conservative credentials in most ridiculous fashion.
All that talk about guns and abortion fired up a few more of South Carolina's right wing-nuts. We ended up with quite the circus, four (or more?) challengers for Graham's seat. And did they make noise! You may not be able to name all those who ran against Graham, but you probably had fun watching the fireworks. And the media complied.
On the Democratic side, we tend to shy away from attention. We want people to understand that we are on the side of the good, and because we really do represent all those middle class ideals the republicans pretend to value, we don't get the support of the billionaires. Groups like A.L.E.C. just aren't very likely to want to throw big bucks at candidates that don't see government as a tool for, say, A.L.E.C.
So we don't have a lot of money, but our intentions are good. What's to be done?
There was an interesting race in Virginia's 7th District. You may have heard of it, especially if you've watched or read anything about Tuesday's primaries. Eric Cantor, GOP leader for well over a decade and current US House majority leader was toppled. Furthermore, he was toppled by an unknown, a university professor, who spent a fraction on his campaign (spending little more on his entire campaign than Cantor spent at steakhouses, according to the New York Times.) David Brat won handily, by more than ten points, leaving everybody -- except his supporters -- stunned.
David Brat is a creepy guy. Student evaluations of faculty comment more about how cute and charming he is than his teaching abilities. And so he got out to voters in the 7th District, constantly, tirelessly. He hammered out the message that -- are you ready for this? -- Cantor is a liberal. His proof? That Cantor had made some comments indicating that immigration reform, particularly in regard to children brought to the US, made sense.
Within this nasty success story is the kernel of a lesson. We Dems need to seek attention, not hide from it. We need to brag about our differences, and more important, if we really believe in Democratic principles, we should be able to tell people why they will benefit.
Here's another thing. There is a lot of free publicity available out there. The media loves something different. The four idiots that ran against Graham made the Republican Senate primary the centerpiece of the primary news cycle. When they all vowed to support each other against Graham in a runoff, it made front page.
Our candidates need to get together and work together. They need to figure out how to make news, and how to turn news to their advantage.
Here's another example. In our Senate primary, even those who try to follow the news mostly don't know who is running against Tim Scott (yes, I am guilty). But on the other side, Brad Hutto had a challenger. And that lit a fire under the Democrats that made the difference. It would have been a far better effort if the result had been state-wide debates and arguments rather than trash-talking, but any attention was better than none. Because we are the party that speaks for the people.
There is a race here in South Carolina District 114 for state representative. Most of us know Bobby Harrell. As far as I can tell, nobody likes him. His voting record is awful, and he is about as corrupt as they come. But unless we make some noise, he will win.
Bobby has two opponents. Yes, two. What an opportunity for us Dems. Mark Sanford knew that if he stood on the sidewalk downtown and gave a speech he would be ignored, but bring along a cardboard cutout of Nancy Pelosi and people are paying attention. Let's suppose that Sue Edward of the Green Party and Mary Tinkler of the Democratic Party coordinated events -- debates and even ads. Why would they do that? They would get twice the coverage for less dollars. They would not only be able to debate their differences, but talk about their similar goals. Even better, they would be able to talk about how Harrell's votes have worked against the people of South Carolina. What the heck, invite Bobby and make news whether he shows up or not.
My point is -- one of them, anyway -- is that when you have two great candidates, there is no reason for that third one that nobody likes to win an election because of name recognition. We need to be creative and open to really different ideas about how to get the word out. Think about Sanford debating Pelosi's cardboard image. We can do better. We just have to be willing to take the risk. And we need to believe in ourselves.
In the end, we increase our chances of winning -- look at the Cantor upset. And whether we win or not, we will have influenced the discussion, and perhaps even our elected officials' votes. And isn't that really what it's all about?
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