Lindsey v. Women

The thing about the tantrums we saw last week, both from Brett Kavanaugh and Lindsey Graham, was that they both sounded like men who had been spending way too much time with the "president."  It makes sense, doesn't it, that if he can get away with it, they can too.  And they did.

Women like Susan Collins, who pretend to be pro-women, are really throwbacks, as are any republican women who will tolerate and make excuses for raging men, and minimize the assaults on women.  I guess because she is a women, successful in the republican party, she knew to keep her head down, study the notes she was given, and act like she was taking the high road.

The double-talk we heard last week may have taken us by surprise, but shouldn't have.  It was the same double-talk we heard during the Clarence Thomas hearing.  The woman was confused; the woman allowed herself to be put in that position; the woman waited until she had something to gain (?!) by coming forward when she did; while we sympathize with the woman, we don't believe her.  The man is having his reputation destroyed; his family and career are being harmed; his sincerity cannot be doubted.  Lies excused, attacks rationalized.

Why wouldn't Kavanaugh stick it out?  He had powerful and loud men on his side.  Donald Trump has insulted every-damn-body in the world, and knows that they will stand by him as long as he has power to wield.  And, like Clarence Thomas in 1991, Kavanaugh ends up not having his family and career destroyed:  he ends up with a lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court.

And then there is Lindsey.  He has been taken for a ride -- and not just on the golf course -- more than once by Trump.  But he has what Trump preys on:  ambition.  So he has been strung along since November of 2016, at first tentatively throwing his support, and then with more fervor, no, fever.  What we witnessed from Graham last week was nothing short of hysteria.  He was indeed crazed.

Like Kavanaugh, he had been spending a lot of time listening to presidential rants and invective, to the point where reason was a distant memory, calm was no longer even in the repertoire.

So it was no surprise that after Graham's rant, women -- and good men -- across the country rose up with outrage.  We need to do something NOW, and the passion and determination is NOW.

I was not surprised to receive an email during that time from the South Carolina Democratic Party.  What did surprise me was that they were promoting past chair and bombast Jaime Harrison as their choice to oppose Lindsey Graham in 2020.

First of all, I have heard Harrison speak just a few times, including a couple of appearances on Rachel Maddow before the 2016 SC primaries.  I may be wrong, but it seems that whatever question he is asked, Harrison will respond with a long-winded replay of who he is and how he got here.  Harrison's success as chair can only be summed up by the Democrats' losses in local, state and national government during his reign.

That said, the most important thing about where the party stands today is that they are not RIGHT NOW promoting a woman to run against Lindsey Graham in 2020.  With the successes of women running for office across the country, with the rage and determination that resulted from the mockery of a Senate Supreme Court nomination hearing, it never occurred to our state party that Graham's assault was an invitation.

Had the situation been reversed -- and I am happy to say that wouldn't have ever happened -- but if it had -- by the end of the tirade, there would have been meetings and "bindersful of women" to parade in front of the electorate; fund raising emails promising the revenge of victimized women would have gone out in minutes.

While republicans disdain women, they know how to use us.  That is why we had a Nikki Haley as governor, but we can't seem to promote and elect a Democratic woman governor.  It pains me to say it, but they will use Nikki all the way to the presidency, and she will be happy to be used.

We do have fantastic women on the political stage in South Carolina.  While the party might jump on board when they smell success, they don't put their money or their mouth into finding and promoting women that are right here for the running.

We don't just have smart and motivated women, we have organizations right here in South Carolina that will help.

Right off the top, we have South Carolina Democratic Women's Council, and local chapters, including Charleston County Democratic Women.  I wish I could say women were well represented on the Democratic Party websites, but you have to look hard to find them.  If you want to hook up with the Women's Council or CCDW, your best bet is to look on Facebook.

Then there are the women's action networks that have grown HUGE since 2016.  WREN -- Women's Rights and Empowerment Network -- is fighting for women's issues across the state, from wage equality to healthcare to empowering women to seek leadership roles in business and, yes, politics.  Emerge America opened its doors in South Carolina in 2017.   I can't speak highly enough about the work they are doing to encourage and train women to run for political office.  Thinking you can do a better job than the jackasses now in office?  Get in touch with Emerge SC.  Want to help women who have decided to run?  Contact Emerge SC.

And of course we have great groups here in South Carolina like Planned Parenthood Action Fund and the American Association of University Women, both of which can be counted on to promote women in government as well as women's issues in healthcare and education.

Then there are all the women right here, right now, that we should be persuading to take on Lindsey Graham.  Just a few names come to mind; I'm sure we can put our heads together and think of lots more:

SC Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter from Orangeburg 

Linda Ketner, who in 2008 nearly defeated 4-term incumbent Henry Brown for US Congress District 1 

Margie Bright Matthews, SC state Senator for District 45

State Senator Mia McLeod from Richmond County, 

So, here we are.  Do we jump up and down and wave our hands so that our Democratic Party will listen to us?  Do we -- both women and men -- insist on being represented equally in government and especially in the Democratic Party?

And most important TODAY, after Lindsey Graham invited us to step up and challenge him, do we find a woman who will fight for us, so that a misogynist like Lindsey will not be holding down that seat and voting against our interests in Congress after 2020?

Write, call, email your state and local Democratic Party.  They won't take this step unless it is absolutely clear we will accept no less.  Spread the word on Facebook, at home, at work, community meetings.

Finding and supporting a woman to step up and take on Lindsey Graham for Senate in 2020 needs to start now.  And it should really be a no-brainer.

It is time for Lindsey to go.  And he seems to agree.

"I hope the American people can see through this sham."

What Special Election???

I finally got a call on Thursday asking for my vote on September 1.  It's tough to think about this election because it is a reminder of the murder of state senator Clementa Pinckney.  But we owe it to Senator Pinckney, and ourselves, to get out and vote, and to vote for the best candidate.

The primary for State Senate District 45 is September 1, little more than three weeks away.  It appears that there are eleven democratic candidates running in the primary, according to Ballotpedia:

Chauncey Barnwell, whose Facebook page says that he is dedicated to "helping citizens create prosperity for themselves and their families."

William Bowman Jr. talks about "inclusion, ethical actions and transparency."  He spoke at Stop the Violence Day in Jasper County.

Sheree Darien says she is inspired to continue Senator Pinckney's work and would like to bring more funding to rural South Carolina.

Kent Fletcher ran for Senate seat 46 in 2008, and talked about fighting rampant development, and developing energy independence through renewable resources.  He was against the Wall Street bailout and would support more funding for education.  He was a Marine in Iraq.

Libbie Henry Green appears to have run for House 122 in 2008.  I was unable to find out anything about platform, positions or background.

Kenneth Hodges is SC House representative for District 121.  That means we have a voting record we can look at.  It indicates that Hodges has voted for improved sex education and against the hare-brained anti-abortion bills that have plagued our state legislature.  He has gotten high ratings by conservation groups and low ratings by Tea Party groups.

R. Keith Horton is a Ridgeland real estate broker.  I'll bet a better blogger than me could find more on him, but this is all I got.

Margie Bright Matthews is a Walterboro attorney who appears to have some support in the Democratic party.  I have inquired via her website as to her positions, and particularly on women's reproductive rights.  I'll let you know what I hear.

Richmond Truesdale, Jr. has little out there in the ether, other than he ran for this seat and lost resoundingly in 2008.

John Edward Washington is running in order to continue Senator Pinckney's legacy.  However, other than stating he will do what his constituents want, he does not specifically address any issues.  Senator Pinckney had a voting record and clear opinions on legislative issues.  I would hope that Washington would be more cognizant of those issues and Pinckney's positions.

Korey Williams.  I am so glad this is the last candidate, and I hope that it is not due to sheer exhaustion that I can't find anything on him.  Other than he is a defense, personal injury and family law attorney.  In my defense, that's all the P & C had on him as well.

I would welcome any additions and/or corrections to the above.  We need to have some discussion and debate about this election.

For me, issues of women's reproductive rights is key.  When I got the call from someone endorsing Kent Fletcher, I asked for his position on that issue.  When the woman I was talking to admitted she didn't know, I told her that I would base my vote on this issue.  I urged her to pass this message on to Mr. Fletcher.  Of course, those volunteers making calls rarely have the ear of the candidate, but if ever this were so, it would be now.

I also believe that anyone in South Carolina who will stand up for women's right to freedom and privacy in reproductive health care -- and yes, I did say "abortion rights" -- will stand up for pretty much all other democratic issues.  There is a reason why abortion has become a litmus test for candidates all the way up to the Supreme Court.

It is a shame that Charleston County Democratic Women is on summer hiatus.  But let's give this truly special election, and the candidates running for Senate seat 45 the attention it deserves.