Waiting to Pounce

Wonder where your republican lawmakers are?  If Peter McCoy is your representative in the South Carolina State House, I have a good idea.

If you don't know Peter, he is that warm and fuzzy lawmaker whose issues page promises that "South Carolinians can count on Peter McCoy" to do any number of things, followed by no specific item or pledge.  How can you not like someone who you can "count on" to:  provide ethical leadership, improve infrastructure, grow jobs and the economy, protect taxpayers and ratepayers, continue enhancing our quality of life, and continue improving education?  Sign me up.

Actually, if you are a republican legislator in a safe district, the first thing you do is:  nothing.  Mark Sanford was a pro at this, until he got sideswiped by a simultaneous challenge from the right and a progressive Democrat taking advantage of a loophole that in the past had always worked to the republicans' advantage.

Lately, Peter McCoy has had no challengers.  In 2012, Carol Tempel gave him a run for his money, despite the fact that a bizarre rule kept her off the ballot as a Democrat and forced her to run as an Independent.  He was not expecting that to be a serious challenge.

During that 2012 campaign, while Tempel worked tirelessly to get her message out to the voters, McCoy was avoiding anything that might actually inform voters of his stand on the issues, including refusing to show up to a debate, thus becoming the other "empty chair" featured in that year's political extravaganza.

About the time the Post & Courier endorsed Carol, the McCoy gang decided it was time to bring out the big guns they had at the ready.  With more money in his campaign chest, and little need to spend it till the last few weeks of the campaign, McCoy began to litter mailboxes in the 115th with fliers claiming that Carol was the "most liberal" candidate ever, featuring the most unflattering photo of her that they could find and further doctor.

This isn't new.  Republicans here in SC will bring out all the fear-mongering tools at their disposal, starting and spreading rumors about their opponent being a "Nancy Pelosi liberal" when they can't find a skeleton in the closet.  Sadly, in SC this sometimes means a last minute whisper campaign about sexual preferences.  Right this very minute there is a smear campaign going on against a candidate for SC House District 15, featuring the bombastic musings (complete with mug shot) of FitsNews.  This is because, of course, they are unable to fight on the issues.  Because, of course, if they were honest about their stand on the issues, they would lose.

Let's take Peter McCoy, for example.

He has had one issue that he has been hanging his political hat on lately:  SCANA.  This ripoff of South Carolina ratepayers has put McCoy squarely on the side of... pretty much all utility ratepayers.  So he has been outspoken on where he stands, kind of like demanding the end to puppy abuse.  And he was also in the fortunate position of being a leader in the House legislature when this issue exploded.

But what about all those other things McCoy claims you "can count on" him fighting for?

Peter McCoy hasn't yet found a tax he wouldn't want to cut.  He is one of those folks who promises to cut your taxes and improve your... fill in the blank.  The secret is, that he stands by big business (he calls it "small business"), as the answer to pretty much everything.  You can "count on him" to privatize education, vote no to modernizing public transportation in the Lowcountry, and resist any regulation that his donors might oppose.  The result is an education system that continues to lag well behind the rest of the country, roads and public transportation that continue to worsen, and shameful and costly failures in infrastructure.

If Peter was around to debate these issues, he might blame local government.  Or he could, as Carol Tempel does, vow to work with local government to make these incredibly important changes happen.

And then there is Peter and the NRA.  He voted to allow guns in restaurants and bars a short couple of years ago.  He won't concern himself with the gun tragedies that happen on James Island, maybe because so many of his voters come from "safer" (read, "white") parts of town, conveniently gerrymandered (read, "hammered") into House District 115.  When it comes right down to it, McCoy will always vote with the NRA because he knows where the big money comes from.

And as long as we are on favors, let's talk about "counting on" Peter to provide ethical leadership.  It appears that McCoy's wife was easily appointed to a seat on the Circuit Court in Charleston County, leading to charges of nepotism.

In a surprising twist, Peter McCoy has come out in favor of legalizing medical marijuana.  McCoy has a more, shall we say progressive, attitude towards allowing medical marijuana than other knuckle-draggers on his side of the aisle because he has had personal experience with seeing his infant daughter suffering and learning of the relief that is available through cannabis.  To his credit, rather than hunting it down through illegal channels he has pursued legalizing the drug.  Not true for abortion, as I suppose he has never been the unfortunate who has had to face an unwanted or dangerous pregnancy.

McCoy will always support life until birth, and gun rights afterwards.

Now, rumors were swirling in the younger days of this never-ending Trump administration that Charleston's own Peter McCoy was being considered for a federal prosecutor appointment.  He had been a good Trump supporter until the cannabis thing.  But whether Jeff Sessions had a conniption over McCoy because of his own irrational obsession over marijuana, or somebody just told Trump that he might score more points by appointing a woman, McCoy continues to be stuck here in Charleston.

Laying low, until the final weeks of the campaign.

This is a strategy that rears its ugly head with the GOP because, frankly, it works.  We need to be aware and educated on this dirty trick.  Let your friends and neighbors know that Peter McCoy is not being forthcoming about his positions on issues, those votes that have not improved South Carolina and the Lowcountry in the years he has had the privilege of representing you.

And be aware, and make others aware, that while Peter presents himself as harmless and endearing, the people behind the money that feeds his campaign are not.  There are likely to be smears and just plain stupid insults, designed to create fear of voting for change.  Don't let it work this time.

South Carolina continues to hang onto the bottom of quality of life measures, and education continues to be underfunded.  As Carol would say, "Education=Jobs."  We are losing good teachers because they can earn a living wage in other states.  Our environment can be protected with adequate funds for infrastructure, and modern public transportation.

We need a state legislator that is honest and ethical.  Time to stop letting the GOP get away with playing games, like spreading innuendos and dirt, or hiding till October and then tossing a grenade at their opponents.

With just over three months to this election, it is time to spread the word, not just about the GOP dirty tricks, but about the good candidates that are running.  Carol Tempel is in this to improve and safeguard District 115, Charleston and the state of South Carolina, and she will be happy to talk to you about it.  She is not just asking you to trust her to do the right thing, she respects the people in her community enough to tell them what she plans to do when she gets to the State House.

Forced to run as an Independent in 2012, Carol came away with 31.9 percent of the vote.  I imagine the republican machine is working overtime to make sure they are armed and ready to fight her off again.  As Will Folks writes in FitsNews:  "There are one or two other competitive SC House races this November... so stay tuned for reports on those seats."  Reports, indeed.

Support her any way you can, because she is one of the great candidates that will actually work to make the changes that Peter McCoy will only make vague promises about.

Let the Games Begin -- So Soon???

I haven't yet had an anxiety dream over it, but when I left the shelter of Wadmalaw Island today to visit civilization, and read the Post & Courier article speculating about Haley's appointment to DeMint's Senate seat, I felt my little heart start to pound.

Because if Haley does appoint Tim Scott to the Senate seat (and Tim Scott's people are all over that), that would leave his House seat open.  AND there would be no appointment for that seat; we would be back to the voting booths, people.

Now I could name a grunch (i.e., greater than a bunch) of y'all who I would love to see have another go at that House seat.  We dems have no shortage of really good, really smart, really qualified people to run that race.

What worries me is that, in order to have a shot at winning, we would need three things:

1.  Money -- Those super-sized billboards you may have noticed cost bucks.  And for those many voters who get their news from FOX, it is going to take TV and radio ads galore to "inform" those folk.  Not to mention mailings to compete with the last minute quality stuff people like Peter McCoy might be sending out.

2.  Money -- If you've just recently run a campaign in this state, you just might not be able to quit your day job, or put your life on hold to do it again.  Those volunteers who worked their tails off in lieu of a paid campaign committee might really want to do it again, but I guarantee they will lack some of the verve they had not so long ago.

3.  Money -- All those awards officeholders like Tim Scott and Peter McCoy have gotten while in office don't come cheap.  You need to be willing to work for your money, and they have.  That means a nearly unending stream of funds from out-of-state big business lobbying groups with big pockets will be making sure that the republican candidate of their choice won't have to lose sleep over the race.  These are the real "party planners."

So, given that, to all you wonderful Democrats who have probably heard nothing since Thursday but, "Well, are you going to do it?" I would like to say, "So are you?"

Because if you are, I am with you.  Let's WIN THIS THING.

(sigh)