Grassroots Call To Conscious Action - Daily Briefing

9.12.2010 - Hopefuls to appear at public forums

2010-09-12T10:48:00.000-07:00

Hopefuls to appear at public forums
By Robert Behre
The Post and Courier
Sunday, September 12, 2010

2 Comment(s)

CHARLESTON - Voters trying to decide on a Statehouse or Charleston County Council race might want to attend an upcoming forum where the candidates will meet face to face.

The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters of the Charleston Area plan to hold two such forums next month.
Covering the politics of the Lowcountry, South Carolina and the nation.

On Oct. 18, Charleston County Council District 8 candidates Democrat Anna Johnson and Republican Thomas Legare will meet, as will District 9 candidates Democrat Amy Fabri and Republican Joe Qualey.

The forum also will include state Rep. Anne Peterson Hutto, D-James Island, and her challengers Republican Peter McCoy and Green candidate Eugene Platt. The forum will begin at 7 p.m. at James Island Charter High School.

On Oct. 25, the four County Council candidates will face off again at 7 p.m. at St. John's High School Auditorium. That forum also will include state Rep. Robert Brown, D- Hollywood, and his GOP challenger Sean Pike, as well as state Rep. Leon Stavrinakis, D-Charleston, and his GOP challenger Lee Edwards.

Reach Robert Behre at 937-5771 or rbehre@postandcourier.com.

9.10.2010 - Letter to the Editor - SAFE ROUTE NEEDED

2010-09-10T12:25:00.000-07:00

Safe route needed

Unlike most of the letters being published, I support the extension of I-526. If it had been done in 1969 when first proposed, with a completion date (including the bridge) of 1978, we would not be having these discussions. We need a fast, efficient way to leave the island. Going onto Calhoun Street, into South Windermere or onto rural Johns Island roads doesn't fit the bill. I would like to avoid businesses and congestion and travel to I-26 or Highway 17 South on a safe and logical route.

While at a service station on Harbor View Road I happened to overhear someone trying to tell an out-of-town visitor how to get to I-26. I finally stepped in and invited the visitor to follow me, since the directions were too complicated. If things had been completed as proposed we would not have the problem of buying expensive properties or infringing on the James Island park, since we were relatively undeveloped at the time.

Because things were put on hold, Charleston annexed, people bought on the routes in consideration, and roadblocks were put up so more people could profit from the extension. Everyone has known the extension was in the works so they should not profit from their purchases.

It's something like building at the end of an airport runway then complaining about the noise. You knew what you were doing so you have no one to blame but yourself. Get the job done before it becomes so expensive and South Carolina so broke that it is no longer feasible. Or is that the whole idea?

Margaret Lentz

Hood Street

Charleston

Rosenberg Explains Why Not One New Home Priced Over $750,000 Sold In July | zero hedge

2010-08-26T07:23:00.000-07:00

Rosenberg Explains Why Not One New Home Priced Over $750,000 Sold In July | zero hedge

8.26.2010 - Pick a SC Board

2010-08-26T07:22:00.000-07:00

Pick a Board, Any Board (S.C. Has Plenty)

South Carolina can truly say it is on board -- for boards. The sheer quantity of boards and commissions, numbering about 300, means these bodies have a stake in everything from dead humans to massage therapists, Investigative Reporter Kevin Dietrich shares in this story on The Nerve.

Republican candidates for SC governor debate in Charleston | WCBD

2010-02-02T08:09:00.000-08:00

Republican candidates for SC governor debate in Charleston | WCBD

2.1.10 THE NERVE - Education reform

2010-02-02T08:02:00.001-08:00

THE NERVE CITIZEN REPORTER: Legislators Ponder Education Reform http://bit.ly/acG5GJ

1.27.10 Carifest / Michaelsangelsproject

2010-01-27T07:10:00.000-08:00

Dear Shea:

It was such a pleasure speaking with you this morning. Thanks for your encouragement and leads.

I am sending you the dance flyer and some websites.

www.michaelsangelsproject.org

www.charlestoncarifest.com
Face Book: Charleston Carifest

Looking forward to talking with you soon.
Lorna Shelton Beck
843-557-6258

1.26.10 Fox News / aggressive cheerleading

2010-01-26T10:59:00.000-08:00

Does Fox News coverage = GOP campaign contribution?
8 hours and 17 minutes ago

With its open and aggressive cheerleading -- not to mention on-air fundraising -- for Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown last week, Fox News crossed yet another threshold in its unabashed transformation into a purely political entity. Now completely turning its back on producing any semblance of independent journalism, Fox News eagerly flaunts its role as GOP kingmaker.

That relentlessly partisan approach continues to raise fundamental questions about what role Fox News plays in our political culture and, thanks to its shameless GOP boosterism, whether the cable channel and its programming should fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Election Commission. Meaning, does Fox News' gung-ho GOP campaign coverage double as a contribution to the Republican Party, a contribution that should be regulated?

The Commission defines "contribution" to include any gift of money or "anything of value" made for the express purpose of influencing a federal election. A key Commission exemption for decades, though, has been granted to the news media, since they have been seen as "neutral" and not controlled by political interests. Therefore their editorial product could not be considered a "contribution" or "expenditure" to any campaign.

The exemption was created, in the words of the Commission, to ensure "the unfettered right of the newspapers, TV networks, and other media to cover and comment on political campaigns," which makes perfect sense, since there's nothing wrong with newspapers endorsing candidates or columnists berating incumbents. The exception has allowed journalists (and more recently bloggers) to report and pontificate about campaigns without having to worry about federal finance laws and whether their editorial efforts cross the line into candidate contributions.

That approach worked well because for decades there has been both a spoken and unspoken understanding among professional journalists as to what kind of guidelines and standards ought to be upheld in the pursuit of the news. That was especially true of cable and network news broadcasters, who wield so much influence in our TV-centric culture.

As former Federal Communications Commission chairman Reed Hundt once wrote:

Part of this tradition is that broadcasters do not show propaganda for any candidate, no matter how much a station owner may personally favor one or dislike the other. Broadcasters understand that they have a special and conditional role in public discourse... Virtually all broadcasters understand and honor it.

But as we've been stressing for the past year, the radically transformed Fox News no longer plays by any discernable rules. I mean, allowing one candidate, on the eve of a special election, to repeatedly raise funds on the air? That's unthinkable in any other newsroom in America. Yet that's the platform Fox News opened to Scott Brown in his quest to defeat Martha Coakley in Massachusetts last week. That is, when Fox News wasn't regularly smearing Coakley.

So the question must now be raised: Is Fox News' relentlessly one-sided coverage the equivalent of a massive campaign contribution to the GOP? And based on some recent regulatory language used by the FEC, the answer might just be "yes."

This type of issue has been raised in the past. For instance, in 2004, the National Republican Congressional Committee filed a complaint with the FEC accusing two co-hosts at Los Angeles' KFI-AM of "criminal behavior," claiming they were attacking Republican Congressman David Dreier while endorsing his Democratic opponent.

Following that same 2004 campaign season, the conservative Center for Individual Freedom filed a complaint with the FEC, claiming that CBS's controversial report on President Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard (i.e. Memogate) constituted an "illegal expenditure" on CBS's part to Sen. John Kerry's campaign because the network knowingly aired a false broadcast intended to curtail Bush's re-election bid.

The Commission swatted those complaints away because for decades it has given a wide berth to who qualifies for the media exemption, specifically allowing outlets to remain eligible "without regard to whether programming is biased or balanced," insisting that approach falls within "legitimate press function."

Frankly, I think most people -- and certainly most journalists -- would prefer to keep federal authorities out of newsrooms. They'd prefer not to have the government involved in making editorial judgments in terms of who's a journalist and who is not. (One of the beauties of journalism has always been that no higher authority makes that call.) And honestly, prior to Fox News' relentless, and unapologetic, partisan campaign on behalf of Scott Brown, I had always sort of shrugged off the suggestion that any form of biased news coverage or punditocracy doubled as a "contribution" or should be regulated by the government.

And I certainly didn't think much when conservative writers last year raised the dark specter of the Obama administration unleashing the FEC on Fox News, and alleged that that's why the White House criticized Murdoch's channel and labeled it illegitimate -- so the FEC could swoop in to "stifle speech" the government doesn't like. (I don't see any evidence that that's the case.)

But now I'm having second thoughts, simply because of how dramatically Fox News has ramped up its obvious pro-GOP campaign coverage just within the last couple of months. Recall that in November, Fox News pushed a handful of Republican and conservative candidates in New Jersey, Virginia, and New York. The openly one-sided coverage, in which Fox News hosts and analysts urged viewers to donate, volunteer, and vote for the featured candidates, ran counter to every conceivable journalism doctrine. (Surprise!)

Honestly, the November coverage paled in comparison to last week's Fox News GOP orgy, where the cable outlet pushed Brown's candidacy incessantly -- as well as exclusively -- and then celebrated his win just as fanatically.

If Fox News made such a huge leap between last November and this January, imagine what Fox News' programming will look like this coming autumn, when the entire House of Representatives is up for re-election, as is one-third of the Senate. In other words, the Brown production was merely a (tame?) preview of what's to come. Fox News obviously liked what it saw with the Brown victory, and if it's not already collectively drunk with kingmaking power, it will soon become completely inebriated, and its relentless pro-Brown campaign will likely look reserved come November. And the "contributions" will be almost too many to count.

Which brings us back to the point Media Matters has been stressing for months, and which the serious media elites have been slow to acknowledge: Fox News is the Opposition Party. Period. And that's why Fox News ought to no longer qualify for the FEC's media exemption. That's why Fox News' cheerleading-on-steroids for Republican candidates obliterates all previous guidelines set by the Commission.

Note that in March 2006, the FEC moved to include bloggers, and others doing online activism, to be part of the established media exemption. Even though individual blog sites might be uniformly partisan, that didn't mean their content represented an expenditure to the bloggers' favorite candidates or political party. The FEC used its standard criteria and ruled that because blogs were "neutral," meaning they were not controlled or owned by a political entity, they shouldn't be subject to federal campaign finance regulation.

So, because Fox News is "neutral" and is not owned by a political entity (although you could certainly argue it's controlled by the GOP), then it has free reign in terms of the media exemption, and is free to transform itself into GOP Central and the FEC shouldn't say boo, right? Case closed, correct?

Not quite.

Let's look at the case of the recent start-up company Melothe Inc., which petitioned the FEC for a press exemption. Melothe described itself as a Web-based TV station that would go inside the campaigns of Democratic candidates and provide Web video and programming that would be of special interest to Democrats and progressives.

But Melothe did not qualify for the exemption, as explained in a November 13, 2008, memorandum, signed by FEC's general counsel. Even though the FEC and the courts have used a very liberal definition of "press entity" for the exemption, the Commission ruled that Melothe did not qualify because it would essentially be indistinguishable from the interests of its chosen candidates.

Sound familiar?

See if the highlighted passages below from the FEC memo remind you of a certain "fair and balanced" cable channel:

Melothe, Inc. proposes to work with the campaigns of only Democratic candidates and, potentially, only one candidate of that party. The commission recognizes that lack of objectivity is news and commentary does not automatically disqualify an entity from coming within the press exemption. ... Here, however, the featured campaign's message would be indistinguishable from that of Melothe, Inc. itself, indicating it would function not as a press entity but a press arm of the candidate's campaign.

More:

Melothe, Inc.'s proposal, however, further indicates that Melothe, Inc. intends to engage in core campaign activities that are not legitimate press functions. Melothe, Inc envisions that program hosts, interviewers and news anchors will regularly solicit contributions, with links to the candidate's contribution page appearing on the screen during programming. ... In these respects Melothe, Inc. would be functioning not as a press entity but as a fundraising arm of its chosen campaign.

The FEC's conclusion:

Here, the Commission finds that the purpose of the venture would be to actively participate in the chosen campaign's activities, to promote the chosen candidate and the campaign's message, and to solicit money and support on behalf of that candidate. This purpose and function cannot be viewed as normal business activity of a press entity.

If you weren't already aware, Fox News pretty much did all those things on behalf of Scott Brown.

The FEC made the correct, sensible decision in 2006 when it extended its media exemption to include bloggers, even though many of them broadcast a proud partisan voice online. There's nothing wrong with a strong editorial voice. What Fox News is doing today, however, goes so far beyond broadcasting an editorial voice, skating so close to GOP campaign management, that it should no longer enjoy the distinction of a media exemption.

Indeed, with its radical transformation into a purely political entity, Fox News has changed the rules governing politics and the press. It's time for the FEC to recognize that, look at Fox News with a fresh set of eyes, and act accordingly.

1.26.10 Tim Tebow Ad

2010-01-26T10:39:00.000-08:00

Adam Ostrow 22 minutes ago Adam Ostrow 2
Tim Tebow Super Bowl Ad Already Creating Online Buzz
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We’re still almost two weeks away from the Super Bowl – and all of its wannabe viral commercials – but at least one yet-to-be-seen ad is already capturing the imaginations of the Web: a pro-life spot featuring college football star Tim Tebow.

The ad is being paid for by a group called Focus on the Family, and will star Tebow and his mother, who went against doctor’s advice and decided to keep Tim despite medical risks. Women’s groups want CBS to drop the ad, but so far, the network is standing behind it.

This isn’t the first time CBS has run into controversy regarding its Super Bowl ads. According to the AP, the network caught heat in 2004 when it rejected a Super Bowl ad buy from the “liberal-leaning United Church of Christ highlighting the UCC’s welcoming stance toward gays and others who might feel shunned by more conservative churches.”

Of course, that was before the days of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and millions of blogs, where the Tebow story is quickly gaining momentum on both sides of the issue. A Facebook Group calling for CBS not to air the ad – in part because they rejected the 2004 United Church of Christ commercial – has already grown to 5,000 users. Meanwhile, several groups (like this one) urging CBS to air the ad have hundreds of users spread across them.

You can also see the big spike of tweets about Tebow we’ve seen in the past 24 hours:

Now, CBS is in the difficult decision of figuring out what to do. Online buzz will only grow during the two week lead up to the Super Bowl, and for an event that tries to be as uncontroversial as possible (especially since nipplegate), having the pre-game focus be on the issue of abortion presents a challenge.

Meanwhile, if the ad does air, look for it to be absolutely huge on the Web, where online video sites already look to capitalize on the buzz created by Super Bowl commercials by launching features dedicated to just the ads.

What do you think CBS will do? What do you think they should do? Share your thoughts in the comments.

1.26.10 Andre Bauer hits national spotlight

2010-01-26T08:09:00.000-08:00

In the national spotlight ... again

GOP, Dems say Bauer used poor metaphor
By Yvonne Wenger
The Post and Courier
Tuesday, January 26, 2010

COLUMBIA -- Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer landed in the media spotlight Monday for his comments about stray animals looking for food and breaking the cycle of government dependency by taking benefits away from some families.

Bauer is the latest South Carolina politician to make the national news circuit. He made it on CNN and CBS, as well on politico.com.

photo

Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer

"There must be an outbreak of foot-in-mouth disease in South Carolina," said Larry Sabato, a nationally regarded political analyst and director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. "It could be in the water or the food or the air, but appropriate state officials should take action."

Bauer made the comments Thursday at a Fountain Inn town hall meeting. His gubernatorial campaign for the Republican nomination was on damage control after he mentioned potential consequences if parents on government assistance don't take part in their children's education.

He said schools with the most children who receive lunch for free or at a reduced price have the lowest test scores. He went on to say that parents should lose their benefits if they're not involved with their children's education.

"My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals," Bauer said, according to the Greenville News. "You know why? Because they breed.

"You're facilitating the problem if you give an animal or a person ample food supply. They will reproduce, especially ones that don't think too much further than that. And so what you've got to do is you've got to curtail that type of behavior. They don't know any better."
Blog

Andre Bauer's blog post on this topic

Democrats pounced on the comments, denouncing Bauer for what they see as calling on the state to take away from poor schoolchildren as a way to punish their parents.

"This is the same kind of crass vulgarity we have come to expect from South Carolina Republicans who have embarrassed our state like Mark Sanford, Rusty DePass and Joe Wilson," South Carolina Democratic Party Chairwoman Carol Fowler said in a statement.

DePass, a former Richland County Republican Party chairman, kicked off the news cycle in June when he wrote on Facebook that an escaped gorilla was one of first lady Michelle Obama's ancestors.
Hear Lt. Gov. Bauer's remarks

Listen to Bauer's remarks from the Greenville News Web site

Bauer said Monday that while he could have stated his message better, the dialogue about ending government dependency is still worthy of debate. Elected leaders must take up the tough issues, but in doing so his political opponents have tried to distort the message, Bauer said.

Bauer said he does not want to take benefits away from children. He also said that as a child he qualified for free and reduced lunch.

Some fellow Republicans said Bauer might have used a poor metaphor but that he tapped into frustrations held by many in the state.
Reader poll
Were Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer's comments about government assistance a poor choice of words or is he putting a voice behind what other politicians are afraid to say?

* Poor choice of words
* Voicing what others are afraid to say
* Neither

See results

"Between bailouts and entitlement spending, we are moving increasingly toward a culture where it is acceptable to take more away from society than one contributes to it," GOP Party Chairwoman Karen Floyd said in a statement. "In other words, it's becoming the exact opposite of what John F. Kennedy talked about in asking not what your country can do for you. So I understand what the Lieutenant Governor was trying to say, but in my view the statement was hurtful."

Sid Bedingfield, a visiting journalism professor at the University of South Carolina and a former CNN executive who oversaw the network's political coverage, said Bauer's attack is not new or surprising.

"Criticism of government assistance for the poor has been a staple of conservative rhetoric since Lyndon Johnson's Great Society programs of the 1960s," Bedingfield said. "If you remember, President Reagan railed against what he called the 'welfare queen who drives a Cadillac' during his 1980 campaign.

"But Bauer's execution of this strategy seems amateurish. His attack came just hours after the release of new, record-setting unemployment figures in South Carolina."

Bedingfield and other political observers, including USC associate political science professor Mark Tompkins, said Monday that Bauer's comments could end up helping his political opponents for governor.

"From a communications standpoint, the episode raises some questions about the political skills of Bauer and his campaign: Is he capable of competing effectively at the highest level of statewide politics," Bedingfield said.

Reach Yvonne Wenger at ywenger@postandcourier.com or 803-926-7855.

Copyright © 1995 - 2010 Evening Post Publishing Co..

1.26.10 2009 SC Conservation

2010-01-26T08:06:00.000-08:00

The Post and Courier logo
80,000 acres so far

Conservation organization notes another milestone in 2009
By Bo Petersen
The Post and Courier
Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Margaret P. Blackmer

Lowcountry Open Land Trust

Land along this tidal creek in southern Charleston County is among the private properties put under conservation easement with Lowcountry Open Land Trust in 2009.

A year after the most productive year in its history, Lowcountry Open Land Trust hit another milestone. In 2009, the trust passed the 80,000-acre mark of lands protected under conservation easement, including nearly 2,000 acres in the verdant ACE Basin.

The newly conserved properties comprise 4,654 acres in seven counties under 22 owners.

"There's an unusually strong conservation ethic in South Carolina," said Margaret Blackmer, board of trustees president, in a new release. "We're gratified to work with landowners who recognize how important it is to preserve the unique rural nature of the area."

It was the third year of milestones for the trust. The protections followed a banner year in 2008, when nearly 19,000 acres were conserved, almost double the total of the previous high year of 2007. That year, more than 10,000 acres were protected. Through the trust's 24-year history, more than 81,000 acres have been preserved.

The trust is a Charleston-based nonprofit working with landowners to put conservation easements on private properties, filling a niche between national groups and small-scale groups. The effort has been characterized as an important part of the quilt of public and private conservation that has set aside more than three quarters of a million acres so far in the greater Charleston area.

The ACE Basin is a public-private, ecological preserve of nearly a quarter-million acres of the deltas of the Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto rivers in Colleton County.

Year's tally

Properties preserved in 2009 include:

County — Easements — Acres

Allendale — 3 — 454
Charleston —5 —526
Colleton — 3 — 1,810
Dorchester — 1 — 300
Hampton — 5 — 967
Jasper — 1 — 154
Orangeburg — 3 — 399

Copyright © 1995 - 2010 Evening Post Publishing Co..

1.22.10 SC unemployment hits 12.6%

2010-01-22T09:35:00.001-08:00

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina's unemployment rate rose sharply in December to a record 12.6 percent, led by losses in tourism related jobs.

The Employment Security Commission figures released Friday were up from November's 12.3 percent rate and came despite fewer people actively looking for work.

“December's labor force levels were the lowest since September, 2008, and we have seen unemployment reach record levels in South Carolina,” said commission interim executive director Sam Foster.

In all, 6,720 people left the labor force. Meanwhile, job losses continued to mount with 5,200 lost in leisure and hospitality business and 4,000 from business and professional services. Manufacturers continued to shrink payrolls with 800 more unemployed there.

There were a couple of bright spots as retailers hired 700 people and the transportation, warehousing and utilities sector picked up 1,000.

Allendale and Marion counties had the highest rates of 23.6 percent and 22.6 percent respectively, with Marion County's joblessness up by 1.4 percentage points from November. Lexington County posted the lowest rate 8.7 percent.

1.22.10 Renewable Energy

2010-01-22T09:33:00.001-08:00

How Renewable Energy Will Dethrone the Powers That Be

On her quest to discover the future of energy in the United States, Amanda Little traveled to west Texas to interview oil tycoon turned renewable energy advocate T. Boone Pickens. In this lively excerpt from Little's impassioned, solutions-oriented book Power Trip, Pickens discusses his recent decision to advocate renewable energy, his plan to turn the Texas Panhandle into "wind capital of the world," and why he thinks the shift to homegrown energy sources is as patriotic and economic as it is environmental.

What will America's post-petroleum future look like?

1.22.10 Free Speech

2010-01-22T08:12:00.000-08:00

Free speech from UPstate blog.
Decision allowing corporations and unions to support candidates is proper

Published: Friday, January 22, 2010 at 3:15 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 8:28 p.m.

When the Supreme Court threw out a 63-year-old law meant to keep businesses and unions from having too much influence on elections Thursday, it made the right decision. Keeping such groups from spending money to directly support or oppose candidates was an unconstitutional attack on free speech.

The court also struck down a law barring union and corporate-paid "issue ads" from airing in the closing days of elections, also correctly.

The court upheld the injunction against companies and unions donating money directly to the campaigns of the candidates themselves. These organizations can now fund commercials for or against candidates but cannot give the candidates themselves money, and this distinction is wise. If companies and unions that seek contracts and business voted on by politicians give money directly to these candidates, that comes too close to vote buying for comfort.

The case the justices decided focused on a movie made by the group Citizens United that was highly critical of Hillary Rodham Clinton as she sought the Democratic presidential nomination. Citizens United wanted to air ads for the film and show it through pay-per-view on local cable systems during the 2008 primary campaign. Federal courts ruled that the movie was essentially a long anti-Clinton campaign ad and could not be broadcast on television within 30 days of the primaries.

The 30-day barrier is a narrow issue, but the Supreme Court signaled it was ready to take a much broader look at campaign finance restrictions, and this groundbreaking decision is the fruit of that examination.

1.21.10 US Supreme Courts give corporations the golden egg

2010-01-21T10:16:00.000-08:00

Court eases business, union election spending rule
AP

By MARK SHERMAN, Associated Press Writer Mark Sherman, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 18 mins ago

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court threw out a 63-year-old law designed to restrain the influence of big business and unions on elections Thursday, ruling that corporations may spend as freely as they like to support or oppose candidates for president and Congress. The decision could drastically alter who gives and gets hundreds of millions of dollars in this year's crucial midterm elections.

By a 5-4 vote, the court overturned two of its own decisions as well as the decades-old law that said companies and labor unions can be prohibited from using money from their general treasuries to produce and run their own campaign ads. The decision threatens similar limits imposed by 24 states.

It leaves in place a prohibition on direct contributions to candidates from corporations and unions.

Critics of the stricter limits have argued that they amount to an unconstitutional restraint of free speech, and the court majority agreed.

"The censorship we now confront is vast in its reach," Justice Anthony Kennedy said in his majority opinion, joined by his four more conservative colleagues.

Strongly disagreeing, Justice John Paul Stevens said in his dissent, "The court's ruling threatens to undermine the integrity of elected institutions around the nation."

Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor joined Stevens' dissent, parts of which he read aloud in the courtroom.

The justices also struck down part of the landmark McCain-Feingold campaign finance bill that barred union- and corporate-paid issue ads in the closing days of election campaigns.

Advocates of strong campaign finance regulations have predicted that a court ruling against the limits would lead to a flood of corporate and union money in federal campaigns as early as this year's congressional elections.

"It's the Super Bowl of bad decisions," said Common Cause president Bob Edgar, a former congressman from Pennsylvania.

The opinion goes to the heart of laws dating back to the Gilded Age when Congress passed the Tillman Act in 1907 banning corporations from donating money directly to federal candidates. Though that prohibition still stands, the same can't be said for much of the century-long effort that followed to separate politics from corporate money.

The decision's most immediate effect is to permit corporate and union-sponsored political ads to run right up to the moment of an election, and to allow them to call for the election or defeat of a candidate. In presidential elections and in highly contested congressional contests, that could mean a dramatic increase in television advertising competing for time and public attention.

In the long term, corporations, their industry associations and labor unions are free to tap their treasuries to assist candidates, although the spending may not be coordinated with the candidates.

"It's going to be the Wild Wild West," said Ben Ginsberg, a Republican attorney who has represented several GOP presidential campaigns. "If corporations and unions can give unlimited amounts ... it means that the public debate is significantly changed with a lot more voices and it means that the loudest voices are going to be corporations and unions."

Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Senate Republican leader who filed the first lawsuit challenging the McCain-Feingold law, praised the court for "restoring the First Amendment rights" of corporations and unions. "By previously denying this right, the government was picking winners and losers," McConnell said.

The case does not affect political action committees, which mushroomed after post-Watergate laws set the first limits on contributions by individuals to candidates. Corporations, unions and others may create PACs to contribute directly to candidates, but they must be funded with voluntary contributions from employees, members and other individuals, not by corporate or union treasuries.

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas joined Kennedy to form the majority in the main part of the case.

Roberts, in a separate opinion, said that upholding the limits would have restrained "the vibrant public discourse that is at the foundation of our democracy."

Kennedy, who dissented from the rulings the court overturned Thursday, said, "No sufficient government interest justifies limits on the political speech of nonprofit or for-profit corporations."

Stevens, in a 90-page opinion that dwarfed Kennedy's, complained that the court majority overreached by throwing out earlier Supreme Court decisions that had not been at issue when this case first came to the court.

"Essentially, five justices were unhappy with the limited nature of the case before us, so they changed the case to give themselves an opportunity to change the law," Stevens said.

The case began when a conservative group, Citizens United, made a 90-minute movie that was very critical of Hillary Rodham Clinton as she sought the Democratic presidential nomination. Citizens United wanted to air ads for the anti-Clinton movie and distribute it through video-on-demand services on local cable systems during the 2008 Democratic primary campaign.

But federal courts said the movie looked and sounded like a long campaign ad, and therefore should be regulated like one.

The movie was advertised on the Internet, sold on DVD and shown in a few theaters. Campaign regulations do not apply to DVDs, theaters or the Internet.

The court first heard arguments in March, then asked for another round of arguments about whether corporations and unions should be treated differently from individuals when it comes to campaign spending.

The justices convened in a special argument session in September, Sotomayor's first. The conservative justices gave every indication then that they were prepared to take the steps they did on Thursday.

The justices, with only Thomas in dissent, did uphold McCain-Feingold requirements that anyone spending money on political ads must disclose the names of contributors. The justices filed five separate opinions totaling 176 pages.

1.21.10 Young Mass voters no-show

2010-01-21T09:20:00.000-08:00

Young Voters Were No-Shows in Massachusetts
by Meteor Blades
Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 07:56:03 AM PST

One of the heartening aspects of the 2008 election was that 18-to-29-year-old Americans tied the 1972 record turn-out for their age group. An estimated 23 million voters under 30 voted, and two-thirds cast ballots for Barack Obama. That result led a few amateur observers to the rash conclusion that the nation was headed into some invincible Democratic Party juggernaut for a generation or two because those energized voters would continue to choose Democrats.

In Massachusetts Tuesday, young people flattened that idea, according to a survey by Rasmussen Reports for the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University. It's not that they gave Republican Scott Brown the majority of their votes. They didn't. Those who voted preferred Martha Coakley by nearly 3:2. Nothing like the 4:1 margin they gave Obama in 2008, but still respectable.

In '08, however, 47.8% of the under-30s voted in Massachusetts, compared with 81% of the 30-and-over population. On Tuesday, only 15% of young voters cast ballots, compared with 57% of the 30-and-over population. The Massachusetts vote isn't the first sign of dwindling interest by youth. Last year, 17% of young voters showed up for the Virginia governor's contest, 19% for New Jersey's.

It's unknown how much of this fall-off in Massachusetts can be attributed to a get-out-the-vote effort that ignored young voters, according to some people with inside knowledge of the poorly organized Coakley campaign. If that was the campaign's approach, it obviously was yet another misstep by the organizers.

“Three state elections do not necessarily make a national trend, but there is clearly an issue right now with youth turnout and enthusiasm,” said CIRCLE director Peter Levine. “It will be interesting to see the turnout of young voters in November’s mid-term elections.” ...

Their most important issue was the economy, whereas for voters overall, the number one issue was health care.

Of those Massachusetts voters who said that health care was the most important issue in the Senate campaign (56%), 86% opposed the Democrats’ plan. That was probably one contributor to Scott Brown’s victory. But young voters favored the health care plan, 55%-40%.

Young voters were less likely to be “strong” supporters of President Obama than Massachusetts voters overall (30% of youth versus 35% of all voters), but they were more likely to support him at least “somewhat.” (Sixty-seven percent support the president somewhat or strongly.)

A megaton of commentary has already been written about whether the Massachusetts race was a referendum on President Obama or his policies. The majority of voters there voiced general approval of Obama. But attitudes toward the administration's policies are another matter. And those attitudes may well have had some dampening effect on the youth vote.

Two months ago, Harvard's Institute of Politics released its biennial survey of Young Americans’ Attitudes Toward Politics and Public Service. The survey of 2807 18-to-29-year-olds found that 58% approved of Obama's overall performance, several points higher than the approval rating given him by the overall U.S. population. At the same time, however, youth disapproved of his handling of specific issues, including the economy (52% disapproved), health care (52% disapproved), Iran (53% disapproved), the federal budget deficit (58% disapproved) and Afghanistan (55% disapproved - the poll was taken three weeks before the President announced his decision to send more troops, something that
66% of those surveyed said they opposed).

Whether views like those plus general impatience with the pace in Washington were demotivating factors in Tuesday's election, this plunge in the youth turnout ought to get some serious attention from Democratic leaders unless they want to see Massachusetts repeated in races across the country come November.

Race tracker wiki: MA-Sen

* Permalink ::
* Discuss (235 comments)

1.21.10 Obama new bank regulations purposal

2010-01-21T06:50:00.000-08:00

Obama To Propose New Bank Regulations

President Obama will publically propose new bank regulations sometime today, the New York Times reports. Following the bank-fueled recession that the country is just starting to come out of, a bill dealing with financial regulation is expected soon. The White House intends to work closely with Congress to ensure that the bill includes a limit on bank size and prohibits commercial banks from proprietary trading. Paul Volcker, a former chairman of the Federal Reserve, has long championed these regulations. Volcker is in Washington for the announcement. Mervyn King, head of the Bank of England, is leading similar discussions in Europe, according to the New York Times. BusinessWeek has also weighed in, writing that "Obama is renewing his focus on economic issues in an effort to tap into voter anger about the struggling economy, taxpayer bailours and growing bank profits."

Read original story in The New York Times | Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010

1.20.10 Morning Joe coming to Chas

2010-01-20T09:07:00.001-08:00

TV's Scarborough to bring show to town
Staff report
Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Joe Scarborough is not only moderating next week's Republican gubernatorial debate in Charleston, he's bringing his entire TV show to town.

The South Carolina Republican Party on Monday announced that Mika Brzezinski, co-host of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," will join Scarborough to moderate the debate on Jan. 28.

Scarborough and Brzezinski will broadcast "Morning Joe" live from Charleston that day.

Brzezinski also will speak at a luncheon honoring the state's current and former first ladies on the same day.

"Having Joe and Mika's participation in these events is a great way to spotlight our party, our candidates, our state and Charleston," said Karen Floyd, chairwoman of the S.C. Republican Party. "This day will be an incredible kick-off to the campaign season for the South Carolina Republican Party. We are proud of our candidates and their consistent emphasis on lowering taxes, slowing government growth and promoting individual freedom. This debate will help highlight the principles we are all about as a party."

All four announced Republican gubernatorial candidates are expected to participate in the event.

They are Attorney General Henry McMaster, Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, state Rep. Nikki Haley and 4th District U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett. Sen. Larry Grooms, who participated in the last debate, has withdrawn from the race.

The debate will begin at 8 p.m. and be broadcast locally on WCBD. The first ladies lunch will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Both events will be held at Memminger Auditorium in downtown Charleston.

That day, the party also will hold a reception for GOP 1st District congressional candidates looking to succeed Henry Brown. That event will be held at Tristan Restaurant.

All three GOP gatherings are ticketed events. Tickets for the lunch and debate are $250 per person per event.

For more information or to order tickets, call the South Carolina Republican Party at 803-988-8440.

1.20.10 We The People

2010-01-20T09:00:00.001-08:00

Press Release - "We the People" (Low Country)
Date: 2010-01-19, 8:31AM EST
Reply to: comm-85ytq-1559816042@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

Press Release
On Thursday, January the 7th, the Libertarians held their Charleston County Convention. Reelected was the incumbent chair, Stewart Flood .There was a change in guard in the Vice Chair position, in which Colin Ross, now occupies. Colin Ross is also now the Charleston County Secretary.

There was also a nomination of four candidates for office:
Keith Blandford for Congressional House Seat 1,
Lee Edwards for S.C. House 119,
Sean Pike for S.C House seat 116, and
Colin Ross for S.C. house seat 111.

All of the candidates for office are promising real, honest fiscal responsibility, and a change from the current status quo in government. All the candidates are small business owners who believe it is time to return to government 'for the people, and by the people.' This is in contrast to unwritten current slogan of many politicians from both parties, 'dishonest government by the crook, for the crook.'
Inviting Those Who Believe in Liberty, and Less Government Interference

Those who believe in liberty and less government interference were shown the exit sign by Lindsay Graham at the SC republican convention, and we have not forgotten this offense. The libertarians have a 'bright welcome sign' out for those who are sick and tired of both major parties.
We proudly take on the title of 'lovers of liberty,' and wear it as a badge of honor. We would like to welcome anyone, who believes in our core values: integrity, personal liberty, and less government interference to stop by our next meeting on the 4th of February at 7:00 PM at the outback steak house in North Charleston.

2010 to be an Exciting Year for Libertarians

This should be an exciting year for libertarians in the low country, with 4 very solid candidates strongly running. We encourage those who are angry with government, frustrated with traditional politicians, or just plain tired of paying considerable amounts of their income in taxes for failed policies, to come out and show their support for the sound, simple ideas that have made our country great.

* Location: Low Country
* it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

image 1559816042-0

1.20.10 GOP House Leader Alert

2010-01-20T08:28:00.001-08:00

http://gopleader.gov/UploadedFiles/leader-alert-header.jpg
HOUSE DEMOCRATS ON THE RECORD: PASSING THE SENATE HEALTH CARE BILL NOT AN OPTION

DEMOCRATIC LEADERS SCRAMBLE ON HEALTH CARE REFORM, AND FELLOW DEMOCRATS SAY “NO”

January 20, 2010 | House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) | Permalink
Following the Democrats’ stunning defeat in the Senate special election in Massachusetts yesterday, House Democrats are scrambling to figure out another way to force a costly government takeover of health care on the American people. The top House Democratic leaders seem comfortable with attempting to pass the Senate health care takeover bill in the House. However, numerous House Democratic members are already on the record saying the Senate bill is a nonstarter. Will they flip-flop now and bow to their leaders, who are intent on defying the will of the American people? Here’s a sampling of what some House Democratic rank-and-file members said about the Senate bill prior to last night’s developments in Massachusetts:

Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA)

* “Most analysts say the insurance tax would be passed on to consumers, and organized labor is strongly opposed, as are House Democrats, some of whom contend that the tax would violate Obama's campaign pledge not to tax the middle class. ‘We did in our House bill something that protects middle-class Americans from having to pay more for health insurance and health insurance reform,’ Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), a member of the House leadership, said yesterday. ‘So far we want to stay to that principle.’” (Erica Werner, “AP Sources: Obama Backs High-End Health Plan Tax,” Associated Press, 1/06/10)

Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT)

* “‘It's a tough sell for a lot of members,’ Courtney told reporters before a meeting of the Democratic caucus. ‘It's hard for me to image that they can convince the caucus to move on the Senate bill without some plan, an immediate, concurrent fix whether its a reconciliation bill or whatever.’” (Jordan Fabian, “Rep. Courtney: Senate Bill Would be a 'Tough Sell' in the House,” The Hill, 1/19/10)

Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO)

* “As the co-chairs of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, we have serious reservations about the abortion provision included in the U.S. Senate's health care bill,’ said Congresswomen Diana DeGette, D-Colo., and Louise M. Slaughter, D-N.Y. ‘This provision is not only offensive to people who believe in choice, but it is also possibly unconstitutional. As we have maintained throughout this process, health care reform should not be misused to take away access to health care.’” (John Nichols column, “Senate’s Health Reform Abandons Half the Population,” The Capital Times, 12/22/09)

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)

* “Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chair Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., who has argued for using the conference process to strengthen the weak Senate measure -- by restoring a government-run public option as an alternative to profiteering by private insurers, among other initiatives -- expressed frustration with the latest development in the reform fight. ‘I am disappointed that there will be no formal conference process by which various constituencies can impact the discussion,’ said Grijalva. ‘I have not been approached about my concerns with the Senate bill, and I will be raising those at the Democratic Caucus meeting on Thursday. I and other progressives saw a conference as a means to improve the bill and have a real debate, and now with this behind-the-scenes approach, we're concerned even more.’” (John Nichols column, “End Run Around Health Reform Conference Committee Would be Mistake,” The Capital Times, 1/07/10)

House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (D-CT)

* “‘I don't think you can find a member in here, prior to or after, who supports the Senate bill,’ said Rep. John Larson, the fourth ranking Democrat in the House, after a meeting of the caucus tonight.” (Brian Beutler, “Determined or Delusional? House Leadership Sounds Optimistic on HCR,” Talking Points Memo, 1/19/10)

Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA)

* “‘If it comes down to that Senate bill or nothing, I think we're going to end up with nothing, because I don't hear a lot of support on our side for that bill,’ said Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA).” (Brian Beutler, “Determined or Delusional? House Leadership Sounds Optimistic on HCR,” Talking Points Memo, 1/19/10)

Rep. Dan Maffei (D-NY)

* “Rep. Dan Maffei said Tuesday he opposes a proposed tax on high-cost insurance plans -- so called ‘Cadillac’ plans -- because it would unfairly hit middle-class workers and retirees.” “Maffei, D-DeWitt, called the ‘Cadillac tax’ one of the ‘most disturbing’ aspects of the Senate health reform bill. He discussed the issue in a talk to more than 100 retired members of United Auto Workers Local 624 at the union's office in East Syracuse. Unions oppose the tax.” (James T. Mulder, “Maffei: 'Cadillac Tax' on High-Cost Health Plans Would Hurt Central New York Workers,” The Post Standard, 1/13/10)

Rep. Michael McMahon (D-NY)

* “During a wide-ranging interview in his New Dorp district office, McMahon (D-Staten Island/Brooklyn) said he would vote ‘no’ if the Senate's recently passed health care bill came before the House as is. ‘The health care bill is one that I continue to see as troubling for New York because we are not being treated very fairly,’ he said.” (Tom Wrobleski, “Health Care Still Top Issue as Congressman Begins Second Year,” Staten Island Advance, 1/13/10)

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)

* “But Representative Jerrold Nadler, Democrat of New York, said: ‘The view of many progressives is that the tax [on Cadillac plans] is unacceptable. It would affect a lot of middle-income people.’ Mr. Nadler said the politics of the tax should worry Democrats. In effect, he said, ‘the tax tells blue-collar workers that you should pay higher taxes and get lower benefits to help finance coverage for the uninsured.’” (Robert Pear and David M. Herszenhorn, “Labor Campaigns Against Tax on Health Plans,” The New York Times,1/13/10)

Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY)

* “‘It's time that we draw the line on this weak bill and ask the Senate to go back to the drawing board,’ Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, D-Fairport, said in a CNN commentary shortly before the bill passed week. ‘The American people deserve at least that.’” (Jerry Zremsk, “Schumer Heals Splits on Health Bill,” Buffalo News, 12/27/09)

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI)

* “In an interview yesterday, Representative Bart Stupak, Democrat of Michigan, who opposes the Senate bill in part because of provisions related to insurance coverage of abortions, said, ‘House members will not vote for the Senate bill. There's no interest in that.’” (David M. Herszenhorn and Robert Pear, “Democrats May Seek to Push Health Bill Through House,” The New York Times, 1/19/10)

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY)

* “Congressman Weiner will oppose the final bill unless it represents a genuine improvement on the Senate bill.” (Weiner campaign Web site, “A Message From Congressman Anthony Weiner” dated 1/12/10, countdowntohealthcare.com, accessed 1/19/10)

Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA)

* “Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., co-chairwoman of the House Progressive Caucus, has called the Senate bill a giveaway to private insurance companies. ‘It does not have a public option to control costs,’ she said in a news report. ‘By providing low-cost competition, the public option would have forced insurers to rein in the spiraling costs of premiums.’” (David Hogberg, “Senate Set to Pass Medical Overhaul,” Investor's Business Daily, 12/22/09)

REPUBLICAN LEADER PRESS OFFICE
REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH)
H-204, THE CAPITOL
(202) 225-4000 | GOPLEADER.GOV

1.20.10 Boeing coming to N Charleston

2010-01-20T07:16:00.000-08:00

Q&A with Marco Cavazzoni, vice president and general manager of final assembly and delivery at Boeing Charleston.
By Warren Wise
The Post and Courier
Saturday, November 21, 2009

photo

Marco Cavazonni

The point man for South Carolina's new 787 plant is Marco Cavazzoni, who this month was named vice president and general manager of final assembly and delivery at Boeing Charleston.

In a trait that befits an aviation executive, Cavazzoni is a globetrotter, having lived in four countries before relocating to the United States. Among his stopovers: Spoleto, Italy, which is best known locally as the inspiration for Charleston's world-renowned Spoleto Festival USA.

Cavazzoni also speaks four languages: Italian, French, English and Spanish -- and is a former world-ranked swimmer for the Canadian national team.

As an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, he majored in electrical engineering. He went on to earn a master's degree in aerospace engineering from Concordia University in Montreal and a doctorate in organizational leadership from Pepperdine University.

His previous job at Boeing was as vice president of technical services for the company's commercial aviation services division. He also has worked in various management roles on the C-17 program.

Cavazzoni took some time after the groundbreaking festivities Friday to field some questions from The Post and Courier.

Question: We've heard a lot of talk about the quality of the workforce in South Carolina and whether it's capable of building Boeing planes. What are your thoughts?

Answer: I think it's a very enthusiastic workforce. I think the attitude, which is a huge parameter in the workforce, is really outstanding. I think the willingness to learn is also outstanding. What we've seen is the ability to attract the local talent and be able to see the quality of work in a fairly short period of time that is actually produced by the workforce as a key element. We really have a lot of work to do. It's a great celebration, but it's a lot of work to be done in a pretty short period of time until we deliver our first airplane.

What will you be looking for in employees?

I think the first thing we are going to look for is their attitude and values, which are really important. From a skills perspective, I think it's going to be a mixture. We will look at people that already have skills coming in and people actually that we will train to ensure that we build the best airplanes in the world.

The state with its incentive package said the project should bring 3,800 jobs to the site within seven years. How many jobs does Boeing say it will produce at this site?

This initial phase, if you look at mechanics that will be on the floor, will be a thousand or so. That will continue, but there's not only those jobs, but there's a lot of support jobs and so on. So, we look forward to this being a long-term pledge that will last not only seven years but 10, 20, 30, 40 years. All 3,800 jobs are 787-related.

What is your hiring schedule?

We're coming up with a plan right now. You can appreciate supplying for the building, supplying for the training, supplying for the tooling. I think it will be two or three months before we have an exact understanding of what type of skill set we will require and the numbers associated with that.

How many existing positions will be transferred from other areas to Charleston?

Our intent is to develop the local community and the local workforce. I think, as we start up, there are some people that we will need to draw from, whether it be from Seattle or frankly in the aerospace industry in general. The focus is really going to be with the local community. Even at the beginning, we would like to have the most amount of local talent that we possibly can.

What will the jobs pay?

I don't have that information right now. Typically aerospace is a good business. It's good wages with good benefits.

Will building a second assembly plant require your suppliers to double their output?

As part of our overall plan to achieve 10 airplanes a month, from where suppliers are right now, there is a ramp up to get to 10 a month. That's really the plan. We will do a portion of those 10 a month.

Are you concerned about the union trying to reorganize here once the plant is finished?

I think our focus is to provide an environment where employees feel that they not only contribute but where their opinion and their input counts. So what we are going to focus on is having an employee involvement program that really draws from the input that employees give us in order to make this the best possible manufacturing plant that we possibly can. I think that's going to be the key. Once you achieve that and there is alignment, then that's going to be the strength of this facility. Communication is a big piece of it. Not only that they understand what the plan is and where they fit on the map, but also being able to draw people in production to do the work. They are the ones who have the ideas. Everybody runs the business of running their household, so we want to make sure that when our employees come here, we don't turn that off. So that level of entrepreneurship is welcomed and fostered in the work place rather than not. If we do that, this is going to be the world's premier plant for airplane building. That is going to be our goal.

What makes moving to Charleston attractive to you?

What is not attractive about moving here! The environment, the people are just unbelievable. When you step off the airplane, it's like a breath of fresh air. You are getting oxygen. It's not only important to me, but to my family. We came over here, and they had the same feeling. This is a match.

1.20.10 Community Supported Agriculture programs

2010-01-20T07:12:00.000-08:00

CSA programs selling shares
Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Spring is nearly three full moons away, but local farms already are signing up members for this year's Community Supported Agriculture programs.

photo

file/staff

Subscribers to a CSA buy "shares" and, in return, they are provided with a weekly supply of fresh, seasonal vegetables and fruits. Members prepay for a certain quantity provided over a period of time.

Legare Farms

Legare Farms on Johns Island offers a half-bushel of produce for 15 weeks: nine weeks in the spring/summer and six weeks in the fall with a midsummer break. The cost for the CSA season is $355. Call Legare Farms at 559-0788 or e-mail legarefarms@bellsouth.net.

Rosebank Farms

Rosebank Farms, also on Johns Island, has three 12-week CSA seasons. New this year is an annual payment option, but subscribers still may sign up for individual seasons.

The farm offers two options, a bag pickup or deluxe box delivery for downtown Charleston residents only. Share sizes range from small to large, and costs range from $200 to $600 per season.

To subscribe, log on to www.rosebankfarms.com/CSA, e-mail csa@rosebankfarms.com or call 768-0508.

1.19.10 Lessons for Dems after Coakley

2010-01-19T09:18:00.000-08:00

OnoShea

Mark Green: Lessons For Democrats After Coakley: Stay On Offense - Politics - Air America: http://bit.ly/7q0vjw via @addthis

1.14.10 MLK Day community service day

2010-01-14T08:38:00.000-08:00

Join the organic sustainability committee on MLK Day, helping in the James Island Elementary children's garden project. Wear garden clothes, shoes and bring rake and bottle of water. Contact: Shea 843.810.0088

1.14.10 Drinking Liberally events

2010-01-14T07:57:00.000-08:00

The death and destruction from the earthquake in Haiti is almost incomprehensible, yet some on the far right have still been able to make it political. I hope that you all find your own way to help the effort. In the meantime, let's get together after the long holiday break and talk.

What: Drinking Liberally
When: Thursday, Jan 14
5:30-7:30ish
Where: Mellow Mushroom (look for us upstairs)
309 King Street
(between George and Liberty)

Info after the signature.

Shelby

James Island/Folly Beach DL meet Fridays, 6ish, Buffalo South
~~~~~
Drinking Liberally plays trivia Thursdays, 8pm at Buffalo South. Sometimes we even win :) Come join us!
~~~~~
If anyone is interested in starting a small Drinking Liberally library, where we can share interesting political tomes, please let me know. I have several, both personal and received from the national leaders, that some may find interesting and enlightening, and I hope that some of you do, too, and would be willing to share. Books can be donated to the little library or lent, it's up to the owner. We already have an offer of additional books, so if you are interested in borrowing or lending, contact Shelby at charleston@drinkingliberally.org
~~~~~
We can always use additional volunteers at the women's clinic to escort patients and their companions as they enter the clinic amid shouts and taunts from protesters. Contact bflosue@earthlink.net if interested in helping defend a woman's right to privacy and choice.
~~~~~
1st and 3rd Sundays, 8:30 Bike Ride at Waterfront Park in Charleston. $25.00 per person. Bike rental available. This is a very easy ride that would be ideal for you, your friends, and family that visit Charleston to participate in. Give Paul Hedden a call at 214-6965 if you have any questions.
~~~~~
From National:
Matt Filipowicz of Chicago Drinking and Laughing Liberally put together an animated video about our campaign pressuring Budweiser to step down from the Chamber of Commerce - since then, we've featured the video in a diary on Daily Kos. If you get the chance to check the diary, watch the video and pass it on to your members, it'd be much appreciated - here's the link.

This weekend, this Bud's for us
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/1/8/104640/0076

1.13.10 Rex jobs plan

2010-01-13T10:28:00.001-08:00

Jim Rex To view the full text of the jobs plan, go to http://rex2010.com/issues/the_jobs_plan/

1.14.10 Boeing package unveiled

2010-01-13T08:18:00.000-08:00

The Post and Courier logo
Boeing package unveiled

S.C. legislative panel OKs borrowing $270M in bonds
By Katy Stech
The Post and Courier
Wednesday, January 13, 2010

State and county officials finished up work Tuesday on deals that will give hundreds of millions of dollars worth of tax breaks to the Boeing Co. for building its $750 million jet assembly plant in North Charleston. And in a reversal of previous policy, Boeing wants you to know the details.

photo

Courtesy of BE&K

Turner and BRPH Architects-Engineers

This image is an artist’s rendering of the future facility for Boeing’s Co. second line in North Charleston. Dreamliner production is expected to begin there in July 2011.

A state legislative panel agreed to borrow $270 million in bonds for the project, an effort that will cost the state about $23 million each year in interest payments. That's the most the state has ever borrowed for an industrial company.

And Charleston County Council members voted unanimously on a deal that will mean hundreds of millions of dollars in property tax breaks. Minutes after the 9-0 approval, county officials distributed thick packets of legal documents that laid out major portions of the county's agreement with the company.

Those details were released after Boeing came under fire last week for asking the county to keep the details private for up to a year. Company officials later asked the county to release the information, said Economic Development Director Steve Dykes.

"They wanted the aura of transparency to be as great as it could be," he said.

The most generous local tax break, a property tax break called a fee-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement, wasn't given an estimated value. Through that deal, the company will pay a deeply discounted property tax assessment of 4 percent -- less than half what a typical manufacturer pays in South Carolina.
Boeing incentive summary, ordinance, and agreement.

• Boeing Financial Incentives (PDF)

• Boeing County Ordinance (PDF)

• Boeing Fee Agreement With Charleston County (PDF)

The company's tax rate won't rise for the next 30 years, and half of what the company does owe in property taxes each year will be returned for company officials to spend on site improvements.

That gradual return will put an estimated $50 million back in Boeing's pocket during the next 15 years.

After all the breaks, the company is expected to pay about $138.6 million in property taxes during the course of the next 30 years. County officials did not estimate how much the company would've paid without the deal-sweeteners.

Local incentives also give Boeing access to a $2,500-per-employee break on its annual corporate tax bill, which could amount to a $9.5 million break when the plant is fully operational.

Boeing has said it plans to open its assembly building next year with about 1,000 manufacturing employees, gradually adding staff to reach the 3,800-worker threshold needed to take advantage of what state lawmakers promised.

The Post and Courier's
Boeing Special Section.

Charleston County officials will also administer $5.1 million in grants that Boeing can tap as it spends money on site improvements, in addition to the county spending a $150,000 grant on a traffic study for the area around the company's 400-acre site.

State lawmakers have put the combined value of the state and local incentives at $450 million, but the Senate Finance Committee has never broken down that figure.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright © 1995 - 2010 Evening Post Publishing Co..

1.13.10 A tough task ahead

2010-01-13T08:16:00.001-08:00

The Post and Courier logo
A tough task ahead

Budget cuts, jobs main focus as lawmakers get back to work
By Yvonne Wenger
The Post and Courier
Wednesday, January 13, 2010

COLUMBIA -- Tuesday's opening day of session found some legislators in the making.

In the House chamber, Rep. Kris Crawford's daughters, 11-year-old Madeline and 7-year-old Abigail, squeezed into his chair and helped their father draft a bill.

photo

Photo by Wade Spees

Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell speaks about Family Court Judge Frances Segars-Andrews during Tuesday's session of the General Assembly.

Madeline came up with the idea for a new state law after visiting a library with her grandmother and having to pass through a puff of cigarette smoke. The bill that Crawford, R-Florence, will file in the coming days would create a buffer zone outside of non-smoking buildings where people can't light up.

"It smells bad," Madeline said. She and her three younger sisters, Abigail, Jessica, 9, and Lillian, 6, were off from school, so they came to the Statehouse to tag along with Crawford while their mother worked.

The bill is part of a stack that legislators will deal with in their January-to-June session that will be dominated by job-creation efforts, new spending controls, budget cuts and an overhaul of the state Employment Security Commission.

State spending is set at $5.1 billion, or about the same level it was in 2003, after nine rounds of budget cuts handed down since July 2008 due to falling tax collections.

Rep. Chip Limehouse, R-Charleston and a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, said the Legislature has a difficult task ahead of it to write the upcoming budget.

"For the past three years, we've been robbing Peter to pay Paul," he said. "Well, Peter is now bankrupt and Paul has left town."

On Tuesday, the Statehouse brimmed with people: real estate agents who want to push for legislation to alter the timing of reassessments, anti-abortion demonstrators, motorcycle advocates who want their rights protected, activists who want the Confederate battle flag returned to the Statehouse dome, lawyers who want a seat on the bench and judges looking for promotions -- and, of course, the stars of the show: the 170 legislators.

Sandy Stone, an Isle of Palms city councilman and an agent with Island Reality, traveled to Columbia to make sure legislators know the consequences of a law change that prompts reassessments when a property is sold.

photo

Photo by Wade Spees

House members chat informally Tuesday as they began the second regular session of the 118th South Carolina General Assembly.

"It has basically stymied investments in South Carolina," Stone said.

Since the law changed in 2006, when a property is sold it is reassessed at the full value and that typically results in a big tax increase.

The Senate is poised to take up the matter.

Sen. Mike Rose, R-Summerville, introduced another issue Tuesday that he wants the Senate to take up. Rose filed a bill that would give military bases the freedom to allow servicemen and women to play Texas Hold 'em, despite a state law that outlaws certain cards and dice games.

Rose said the commander at the Charleston Air Force Base told the airmen not to play poker until some issues with the state's anti-gambling law are settled. But Rose said the state needs to pass a law that makes it clear that the military can make its own decisions on the matter.

Several other proposals to alter the state's gaming law are also pending.

First up in the House is a resolution to censure Gov. Mark Sanford.

House Speaker Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, said he wants the House to complete its debate on censure today, in a single day, so the legislators can move on to issues.

"We're not going home until we get it done," he said.

Follow statehouse reporter Yvonne Wenger on Twitter, @yvonnewenger.

Copyright © 1995 - 2010 Evening Post Publishing Co..

1.13.10 Boost or burden

2010-01-13T08:14:00.000-08:00

The Post and Courier logo
Boost or burden?

Eckstrom remarks on stimulus add fuel to partisan debate
By David Slade
The Post and Courier
Friday, January 8, 2010

COLUMBIA -- Comptroller Richard Eckstrom said South Carolina state government has now received $1 billion in stimulus money, and that most of it has benefitted people "who tend not to be taxpayers."

Along with other Republican critics of the Obama administration's stimulus plan, Eckstrom said South Carolina residents would be better off if the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act had never been passed.

photo

Photo by Alan Hawes

The Post and Courier

Velmin Adilar cleans up mortar Thursday at the end of the work day at the Arthur W. Christopher Community Center construction site on Fishburne Street in Charleston. The project is among recipients of federal stimulus money in South Carolina.
Previous stories

Obama stimulus plan broken down by state, published 02/05/09

Stimulus: who gets what, publishes 02/15/09

Stimulus: Where's the money going? published 08/02/09
Read more

Read more about the budget at postandcourier.com/budgetcrisis
For more information

The federal government's stimulus-tracking site: recovery.gov

The Comptroller General's stimulus-tracking site: cg.sc.gov/scstimulus

ProPublica's stimulus-tracking site: propublica.org/ion/stimulus
Covering the politics of the Lowcountry, South Carolina and the Nation.

Related story

Sanford wants to cut health care, pay, published 01/08/10

He said it increased the nation's debt but has not brought the unemployment rate down.

With the amount of stimulus money spent and the state unemployment rate rising at the same time, the highly partisan divide over the merits of the stimulus program has become a chasm.

While the phrase "shovel-ready jobs" has gone hand in hand with the stimulus program, most of money sent to state governments in 2009 was spent, as intended, on Medicaid, unemployment compensation, and food stamps.

"Those might be worthwhile spending initiatives, but if we don't have the money, then we shouldn't spend it," Eckstrom said. "The money was spread among a narrow group of people, who tend not to be taxpayers."

His comments were sharply criticized by state Democrats.

"Wow. That's sad that he feels like that," said Keiana Page, communications director for the state Democratic Party. "Collecting unemployment means that you did have a job, and many people are receiving food stamps and Medicaid because they are unemployed.

"I'm sure they appreciate the efforts our government has been making," she said.

U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., also criticized the stimulus plan, in a column Wednesday published by The State newspaper, writing that "some in Washington are jeopardizing America's future" by increasing the national debt.

"This might be funny, if it weren't the taxpayers' money," he wrote, referring to inconsistencies in reports on stimulus-created jobs.

South Carolina Democratic Party Chairwoman Carol Fowler shot back that Wilson's argument was "loud and wrong, as usual."

"His unemployment questions should be directed to Governor Sanford who blew off meetings with potential employers to pursue an extramarital affair," she said.

State Senate leader Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, said he thinks the federal government would be better off without the debt from the stimulus plan, but the state would have felt the loss of that money.

"That money got out into the economy, and things would have just been worse in this state, or there would have been services that would have been slighted," he said.

"We had no choice," McConnell said. "You don't get mad enough not to take it."

Politics aside, the stimulus debate is an economic one. Each side can argue the merits of increasing the long-term national debt in order to pump money into the economy during a dire recession when both state governments and consumers have slashed their spending.

Much of the stimulus money has gone not to "shovel-ready" jobs, but to fund programs for the unemployed, shore up ailing state budgets, pay for tax cuts for working families and retirees, tax credits for first-time home buyers, and so on.

Job creation is expected to be more apparent this year as more construction projects, such as the completion of the Berlin G. Myers Parkway in Summerville, get under way.

In South Carolina about $300 million of the $1 billion cited by Eckstrom was designated for patching holes in the state budget. That money helped avoid more layoffs of teachers and state troopers and additional cuts to social services.

In addition to the money flowing through state government, billions more have come to South Carolina for specific programs and projects, ranging from the hiring of new police officers in North Charleston to a $1.6 billion cleanup of the Savannah River Site.

In Allendale County, with the state's highest unemployment rate, more than 1,000 people showed up for a June job fair for the Savannah River jobs.

However, there's still a long way to go to get anywhere close to the White House's February estimate that 53,700 jobs would be created or saved in South Carolina over two years because of the stimulus package.

The federal government's official stimulus-tracking site says 8,147 jobs had been created or saved in the Palmetto State, as of Oct. 30.

"I think we would be worse off without it," Page said. "I hate that people like Rick Eckstrom and Joe Wilson are spreading the perception that the stimulus was supposed to be a magic wand that would cure all of our problems."

Eckstrom said the perception that the stimulus plan would reduce unemployment came from those who created it.

"The billion-dollar mark was a startling threshold to cross in South Carolina, yet we have continued to see our unemployment rate go up," he said. "I am disappointed."

Yvonne Wenger contributed to this report. Reach David Slade at dslade@postandcourier.com or 937-5552.

Copyright © 1995 - 2010 Evening Post Publishing Co..

1.13.10 Jamie Sanderson blog

2010-01-13T07:45:00.001-08:00

Tuesday, January 12, 2010
South Carolina Conservative Action Council wants kids left in cars alone for more than five minutes

Yes. That's right.

The South Carolina Conservative Action Council was out today at the state house, stating they wanted legislators to "kill H. 3588" and holding up Confederate flags. But there's a problem, and even WIS in Columbia didn't catch it.

A group of citizens gathered outside and inside the capitol, opposing a pre-filed bill. House bill 3588 would remove the Confederate flag from the State House grounds.

You see, the bill H. 3588 these nuts refer to died about two years ago. Instead, they are actually wanting to "kill" a bill that makes it against the law to leave a child unattended in a vehicle for more than five minutes. News 13 in Myrtle Beach gets props for actually stating the obvious.

You gotta love those pro-confederate supporters. When they stick to the past, they go all out.

1.11.10 Letter from the White House

2010-01-11T10:48:00.001-08:00

The White House, Washington

Dear Friend,

As the first year of the Obama Administration concludes with the State of the Union, the White House is inviting Americans across the country to connect directly with some of the President’s senior advisors. Through WhiteHouse.gov, these leaders will report to you on their work and answer your questions on where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re heading.

Every morning this week at WhiteHouse.gov, you’ll find a guest blog post from a senior advisor talking about the progress the Administration has made in a particular area. Then, in the afternoon, that advisor will host a live video chat with the public where you can ask anything you want, or just tune in and see what’s going on.

Join the Discussion

Here’s the schedule we have planned:

* Monday, 3:30 EST: Carol Browner, Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate, discusses the President’s push to create the new clean energy economy.
* Tuesday, 3:00 EST: Ben Rhodes of the National Security Council discusses the President’s handling of national security and foreign policy.
* Wednesday, 12:00 EST: HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will talk about health reform, from how far we’ve come to how reform will benefit American families and small businesses
* Thursday, TBD: The nation’s first Federal Chief Technology Officer, Aneesh Chopra, will join Norm Eisen, special counsel to the President for ethics and government reform, to talk about all the ways in which the President has changed Washington.
* Friday, 1:00 EST: Christina Romer, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, talks about the President’s primary focus on restoring the economy for all Americans and creating jobs for the American people.

Stop by WhiteHouse.gov to read all of the posts, join the chats, and find any updates on times. As the President likes to say, this is the “People’s House,” so we want to open it up and make sure you know what we’re doing to bring the change America needs.

Sincerely,

Valerie Jarrett
Senior Advisor to the President

1.11.10 GCTAG Coffee Shop Meeting Recap

2010-01-11T10:31:00.001-08:00

Saturday, January 9, 2010 -- The coffee shop meeting kickoff was a true success. Twenty folks came together from both near and far bringing old and new perspectives.

Once again, the GCTAG is moving forward and staying true to the mission statement: A nonprofit nonpartisan progressive grassroots committee driven organization working for the betterment of all citizens through education, advocacy and conscious engagement of respectful dialogue and civility, open to new perspectives and opportunities of pro-activism on local to global issues.

In 2010, we are already venturing into new waters:

<1 The state of our local, and country's economy ( not surprising, SC surpasses the US Friday numbers, 12.3% to 10%)
<2 Senator Lindsey Graham is working with Sen John Kerry and Sen Joe Lieberman on climate control (global warming to most of us)
<3 Stimulus is just not getting to Main Street as fast as it should, due to the Gov or Washington?
<4 Banks are not lending as quick as they should.
<5 Businesses are not hiring full-time, and when they do it's short term part-time.
<6 Entrepreneurial business have been on the increase and will be the trend in 2010.
<7 District 1 is open
<8 Sen Demint is up for re-election
<9 The SC Statehouse will be back in session tomorrow and is considering more tax and fees to make the budget work.
<10 The underwear terrorist has opened up more then his pants . . . .

So this all comes to:

Here we are. How do we get away from here to there? By using our intellect and consciousness.

GCATG Recap: A community or extended family that works is one where healthy interdependence is appreciated and supported. Good direction is essential, but strong kinship is dependent upon every member of the community. Trust, shared responsibilities and good communication are essential. Each member must be encouraged to find his or her appropriate expression, and contribution.

The functional family is a team that symbolizes the ideal of human interdependence, and has long provided a firm foundation for society. The healthy family is a microcosm of society and the native soil in which ethical values take root and grow. Fertilize this soil, and the whole of society benefits.

The power that bonds a tribe is the yin or feminine principle — gentleness and receptivity. Relationships are improved through cultivation of these. Learn to accept both advice and aid from others, and be willing to assume an appropriate role in any group that supports good relating. A good team player is always valuable to others. Increase your value!

On Saturday, we welcomed conservative speaker David Farrow. His topic basically was "Everything Will Change" how we as a community can make those wrongs right and how we both want the same basic human needs but have different ways of reaching them. Many ideas were exchanged. I have made the decision, the GCTAG will take a viral leap with the Charleston Times. We need your support.

How can you be supportive?
Attend the next Grassroots + Grounds meeting (new name for 2010)
Next Saturday, January 16 ~ 11:00 - 1:00 pm at out new location: Fort Johnson Cafe + Coffee, www.fortjohnsoncafe.com
Speaker: Organizational Topic: Citizens Awareness Board

1.11.10 Fits News - 2010 SC Statehouse: considers tax /fee increases

2010-01-11T09:32:00.000-08:00

SC Lawmakers, Agencies Eye Massive Tax And Fee Increases
By fitsnews • on January 11, 2010
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sc state house email addresses

South Carolina’s legislative leaders are considering hundreds of millions of dollars in tax and fee increases as part of their efforts to preserve an unusually large, inefficient and dysfunctional state government through 2010 and beyond.

At a whopping 41 percent of gross state product, South Carolina already has the tenth-largest government apparatus in America – and that’s based on 2005 numbers (when the state budget was $4 billion less than it is today). Unfortunately, taxpayers can expect that abnormally large percentage to grow even larger in the months and years to come – even as unemployment continues to rise and income levels stay flat on account of the worst economic recession in eighty years.

How is this possible?

Well, in addition to another billion dollars worth of federal “stimulus” money, 2010 could see the most prolific (and yet under-publicized) round of tax and fee increases in recent memory – which would suck hundreds of millions of dollars directly out of the state’s economy and into government coffers.

In fact, despite their public pronouncements to the contrary, RINO legislative leaders like Senate Finance Chairman Hugh Leatherman, Senate President Glenn McConnell, House Speaker Bobby Harrell and House Ways & Means Chairman Danny Cooper, are secretly working behind the scenes on several tax and fee hikes.

“It is evident that our state’s economy in 2010 will not produce the General Fund revenue needed to fund every program,” these four legislative leaders wrote in a recent opinion-editorial. “A general tax increase to make up for this loss would be foolish and would only further hurt our economy. So, the alternative is to carefully examine and eliminate – or privatize – some of the programs we can’t afford to fund.”

Sounds good, right? After all, FITS has been arguing for the privatization of dozens of different government functions for years – ideas which Leatherman, McConnell, Harrell and Cooper have rejected in favor of a massive expansion of government’s role in the private sector.

Of course, as anyone who follows state government in South Carolina can tell you, saying one thing and doing another is standard operating procedure for RINO politicians like Leatherman, McConnell, Harrell and Cooper.

For example, note how careful they were to only express their objection to a “general tax increase.”

As for specific tax increases, well … that’s a different story. In fact, sources tell FITS that a new sales and use tax law being drafted by longtime big government backer Burnie Maybank (which is based on Leatherman’s expressed wishes) is chock full of tax hikes. In addition to imposing an Internet sales tax, Maybank’s proposal – which is currently being “scored” by the liberal Board of Economic Advisors – reportedly seeks to extend the state’s already high sales tax to a host of other services that are not presently subjected to such a levy.

Maybank’s plan is also said to repeal numerous existing sales tax exemptions – all while failing to offer a corresponding revenue decrease.

The result of all these changes could be a net tax hike totaling billions of dollars – again, with no corresponding relief for South Carolina taxpayers.

As if all of that wasn’t bad enough, on top of Maybank’s latest big government machinations we have a routinely exploited government loophole that’s poised to wreak additional havoc on taxpayers – namely relating to the billions of dollars in largely unexplored (and totally unpublicized) “other funds” that are generated predominantly by state agency fees.

In the 2003-04 budget, these “other funds” totaled $5.4 billion (compared to $4.9 billion in general funds). In the budget lawmakers approved last year, they had soared to $7.2 billion (compared to $5.7 billion in general funds).

This year? They are likely to climb even higher – unless lawmakers take action to prevent that from happening (which is … duh … extremely unlikely).

Here’s how this scam works …

Any agency proposing a fee increase must notify lawmakers of their intention to do so, at which point the proposal is placed on a committee calendar for debate. However, if the legislature doesn’t take up the fee increase within ninety days, it doesn’t go away - it becomes law!

Millions of dollars worth of fee hikes are passed each year by this “backdoor” method (a favorite of McConnell’s), which enables lawmakers to shore up agency budgets without having to go on the record supporting tax hikes.

There is a proposal on the table to close this oft-abused loophole, though.

State Sen. Tom Davis (R – Beaufort) has filed a bill that would require any fee increase to, in his words, “receive the affirmative vote of both the State Senate and S.C. House of Representatives.”

Here’s an excerpt from the text of Davis’ bill:

No state agency, department, or entity by regulation may increase or implement a fee for performing a service or function, or a civil penalty or fine for failure to comply with a requirement or provision of law under its jurisdiction without the specific approval of the increase or new fee, fine, or penalty by the General Assembly by a joint resolution approving the regulation. The joint resolution approving the regulation increasing or implementing a fee, fine, or penalty must contain the amount of the increase or imposition in the title and in the body of the joint resolution.

Unlike some “pro-business” advocates, we’ll obviously be tracking how lawmakers vote on this important legislation, as well as any attempts they make to kill it or dilute its effectiveness.

Either way, contrary to what legislative leaders are saying, tax and fee increases are very much on the table in 2010, and while the mainstream media isn’t likely to tell you about them – count on FITS to keep you updated on lawmakers’ latest efforts to brave the ongoing recession by digging even deeper into your pockets …

1.09.2010 - GCTAG coffee shop speakers bureau

2010-01-02T09:01:00.000-08:00

GCTAG - Grassroots Call To Action Group coffee shop speakers bureau 2010 kickoff.

Who: Grassroots Call To Action Group

Statement: Nonpartisan progressive grassroots committee driven organization working for the betterment of all citizens through advocacy, information and conscious respectful discussion on new perspectives and opportunities of commitment for pro-activism from local to global issues.

Areas of interest: Economy, Education, Environment, Ethics & Policy, Health Care, Cultural Understanding, Lobby & Elections, and Organic Sustainability

What: Weekly Coffee Shop Meeting - speaker bureau platform enriching Lowcountry quality of life through engaging dialogue, civility and respectful discussion.

When: Saturday, January 9, 2010 ~ 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Where: Ft Johnson Cafe + Coffee, 1014 Fort Johnson Road, James Island, 29412 < located to the right of James Island Charter High School, huge parking lot with easy access behind, back door entrance. for menu: www.fortjohnsoncafe.com

Topic: History and future of Lowcountry / SC politics and resolve.

Speaker: David Farrow, SOB native, founded the Charleston Mercury newspaper, conservative, journalist/editor/blogger/activist. Blogged progressively and assisted in the community resolve of Ambose Farm / NASCAR Ernie Irvin conflict.

Contact: Shea Onofrey, Founder / Organizer 843.810.0088 –

12.18.09 Paul Krugman says just pass it!

2009-12-18T10:35:00.000-08:00

Krugman Says Don't Kill Senate Health Bill ... Is He Right?

What a cynical exercise this entire health care reform debate has been.

Now we have a situation in which Joe Lieberman, who rakes in cash from the insurance industry and whose wife is a lobbyist, and others stuffing their pockets with insurance company cash, are holding hostage real reform on the backs of those who can't afford insurance.

Today Paul Krugman joins the "Pass it, it's better than nothing" side:

At its core, the bill would do two things. First, it would prohibit discrimination by insurance companies on the basis of medical condition or history: Americans could no longer be denied health insurance because of a pre-existing condition, or have their insurance canceled when they get sick. Second, the bill would provide substantial financial aid to those who don’t get insurance through their employers, as well as tax breaks for small employers that do provide insurance.

All of this would be paid for in large part with the first serious effort ever to rein in rising health care costs.

The result would be a huge increase in the availability and affordability of health insurance, with more than 30 million Americans gaining coverage, and premiums for lower-income and lower-middle-income Americans falling dramatically. That’s an immense change from where we were just a few years ago: remember, not long ago the Bush administration and its allies in Congress successfully blocked even a modest expansion of health care for children.

Bear in mind also the lessons of history: social insurance programs tend to start out highly imperfect and incomplete, but get better and more comprehensive as the years go by. Thus Social Security originally had huge gaps in coverage — and a majority of African-Americans, in particular, fell through those gaps. But it was improved over time, and it’s now the bedrock of retirement stability for the vast majority of Americans.

Look, I understand the anger here: supporting this weakened bill feels like giving in to blackmail — because it is. Or to use an even more accurate metaphor suggested by Ezra Klein of The Washington Post, we’re paying a ransom to hostage-takers. Some of us, including a majority of senators, really, really want to cover the uninsured; but to make that happen we need the votes of a handful of senators who see failure of reform as an acceptable outcome, and demand a steep price for their support.

The question, then, is whether to pay the ransom by giving in to the demands of those senators, accepting a flawed bill, or hang tough and let the hostage — that is, health reform — die.

Again, history suggests the answer. Whereas flawed social insurance programs have tended to get better over time, the story of health reform suggests that rejecting an imperfect deal in the hope of eventually getting something better is a recipe for getting nothing at all. Not to put too fine a point on it, America would be in much better shape today if Democrats had cut a deal on health care with Richard Nixon, or if Bill Clinton had cut a deal with moderate Republicans back when they still existed.

I respect Paul Krugman, and I do understand his points. But I am cynical enough that the idea of "cutting a deal" holds no weight when you have a bunch of miscreants like today's Republicans, for whom "cutting a deal" means "doing it their way or not at all."

I also question the assumption that just because history shows that social insurance programs improve over time, it will remain that way in the future. This is the first major health care debate that has had not just the 24/7 cable news echo chamber, but the 24/7 internet. This is the first major health care debate that has a cacophony of faux-"grassroots" astroturf group fronts run by major corporations that use falsehoods and half-truths to influence a population too busy working or too frightened about not working to research the veracity of their claims. This is the first time that Dick Cheney's "one percent doctrine" has been applied to mainstream journalism, so that facts and utter horsepuckey have been given equal time, and the very notion of "alternative facts" is even part of public discourse. History may have shown that social insurance programs improve over time, but as the financial giants say about your "investments", "past performance is no indication of future performance."

It may very well be that this is the best we can get (and with so many amendments flurrying around, a simple read of S-1679 doesn't necessarily reflect reality), but my skepticism lies in the reality that just as with the current insurance system, there is absolutely no requirement that I've seen so far that actually requires the for-profit insurance companies to actually pay claims. It's easy to provide "coverage", because "coverage" involves issuance of a policy and the collection of premiums. But with no mandate to actually pay out claims for covered procedures, we have very much the same kind of system we have now, in which in many cases, payment is contingent on just how hard you want to fight with the person in the headset in a cubicle whose job it is to make you beg for actual payment of claims.

And if you want numbers about what the real impact of this gift to the insurance companies is going to be, Marcy Wheeler has 'em.

2009-12-18T10:29:00.000-08:00

Environment

8 Things We Love That Climate Change Will Force Us to Kiss Good-Bye

By Tara Lohan, AlterNet. Posted December 18, 2009.

We face losing everything from 50,000 species a year to the world's best wines. How to put it all in perspective?

If we don't work quickly to curb the effects of climate change we may lose the bird-eating fanged frog. Most of us may not miss that one, but there is an enormous list of species and places we may never see again unless we reverse this crazy climate change ride we've put the earth on. The Natural Resources Defense Council reported that, "The first comprehensive assessment of the extinction risk from global warming found that more than 1 million species could be obliterated by 2050 if the current trajectory continues."

The numbers are virtually impossible to comprehend, especially when you consider that not just individual species, but entire habitats, cities, and cultures may be lost. How to put it all in perspective? Below are eight major features of our planet and our lives whose potential disappearance may inspire action.

1. World's Best Wines

So far the polar bear has become the poster child for climate change, but we may have more luck galvanizing people into action if they know the future of some of world's best wine is at stake. A report from Greenpeace showed that the climatically sensitive process of wine production in France is being disrupted by changing temperatures. "The average annual temperature has significantly increased, leading to major shifts in the wine production calendar," the group reports. "The harvesting season is occurring much earlier than normal and higher temperatures are proving detrimental to the vines. Wines end up having higher sugar levels and alcohol content while retaining less acids -- which means they are unbalanced with an overripe flavor and heavier texture."
wine

Great wines are the result of a combination of climate and terroir, and both are at risk. Apparently this news is spurring food and wine groups in France to demand action in Copenhagen. Greenpeace reported that a coalition of renowned chefs and sommeliers have said that if French wines are to survive, they need "an ambitious deal by developed nations to reduce carbon emissions by 40 percent by 2020."

And it's not just French wine. The National Academy of Sciences predicted that climate change could mean the end for California's tasty vinos, too. Hey, if the threat of millions of climate refugees and mass extinction doesn't get people going, maybe alcohol will.

2. 50,000 Rainforest Species a Year

Scientists estimate that we lose 50,000 species a year to deforestation in the world's rainforests. And to make matters worse, the already horrendous environmental effects of deforestation are being amplified by climate change. This is playing out most notably in the Amazon.
amazon

"The fear is that there will be a kind of a feedback where trees are cut down, and it gets warmer and drier" in the forest and harder for the trees and other vegetation to grow back, Bob Henson, author of The Rough Guide to Climate Change, told CNN.

Without the Amazon, we lose what scientists call the "lungs" of our planet -- the area where 20 percent of the world's oxygen is produced. Not to mention the thousands of fruits, plants, herbs, medicines and other edibles that come from the region.

Now scientists are saying that one third of the Amazon's trees could be wiped out by modest temperatures rises. "The research, by some of Britain's leading experts on climate change, shows that even severe cuts in deforestation and carbon emissions will fail to save the emblematic South American jungle, the destruction of which has become a powerful symbol of human impact on the planet," the Guardian reported. "Up to 85% of the forest could be lost if spiraling greenhouse gas emissions are not brought under control, the experts said. But even under the most optimistic climate change scenarios, the destruction of large parts of the forest is 'irreversible.'"

3. New Orleans

There's a long list of cities in danger of being swamped by rising sea levels, including major population centers like London, New York, Calcutta and Shanghai. But New Orleans, which already sits below sea level, is especially vulnerable. And we all know how good our nation's record is of helping New Orleans deal with catastrophe and its aftermath.
katrina

"Scientists say New Orleans and the barrier islands to the south will be severely affected by climate change by the end of this century, with sea level rise and growing intensity of hurricanes. Much of the land mass of the barrier island chain sheltering New Orleans was lost in the 2005 storm," the Guardian reported. "But the extent of the land that will be lost is far greater than earlier forecasts suggest," said Dr. Michael Blum and Professor Harry Roberts.

The two performed a study which found that huge amounts of soil need to be dumped into the Mississippi River Delta, otherwise 5,212 square miles of land in the area could be lost to the ocean and tidal marsh by 2100. "All that remains of New Orleans would probably be the French Quarter and the airport," the Christian Science Monitor reported about the study. "Lake Pontchartrain would lie beneath a vast bay. Along its southernmost reaches, the Mississippi River would remain a river only by virtue of the levees raised to contain it."

4. Pacific Salmon

Salmon on the Pacific coast have had a rough time, thanks to dams, pollution, introduction of nonnative species and other bad decisions by us humans. Now, climate change is causing rising temperatures, which are affecting this cold-water loving species, and decreased precipitation is causing reduced river flows, further threatening salmon. Throw in some ocean acidification and it's a recipe for disaster for salmon populations and those who depend on them. And there are lots who do.
salmon

Salmon are a crucial part of the food chain for 150 species, including humans. The fish is a staple in many Native American communities and an economic mainstay for tens of thousand of fishermen in coastal towns.

"Global warming is expected to hit the already warm and dry western U.S. very hard," said Glen Spain of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations, most of whose members depend on salmon harvests for a large part of their livelihoods. "The science shows that these changes have already begun, and are already affecting our region's valuable salmon runs. Averting this looming disaster should be one of our nation's highest priorities."

5. The Maldives and Tuvalu

While rising seas may threaten one of the United States' most beautiful and culturally rich cities, it's also getting dangerously close to wiping out entire countries, including the island nations of the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and Tuvalu in the Pacific. The Maldives are composed of over 1,000 coral islands and support a huge diversity of marine life, including commercial tuna fisheries. The gorgeous Polynesian country of Tuvalu is one of the smallest in the world and is already looking for other nations to take in its citizens as climate refugees.
maldives

The Maldives' first democratically elected president, Mohamed Nasheed, spoke at COP15 earlier this week, calling for immediate action to restrain CO2 levels and return them to 350 parts per million, as scientists have recommended:

We are here to save our planet from the silent, patient and invisible enemy that is climate change ... There are those who tell us that solving climate change is impossible. There are those who tell us taking radical action is too difficult. There are those who tell us to give up hope.

Well, I am here to tell you that we refuse to give up hope. We refuse to be quiet. We refuse to believe that a better world isn't possible.

I have three words to say to the doubters and deniers. Three words with which to win this battle. Just three words are all I need. You may already have heard them. Three - Five - Oh. Three - Five - Oh.

6. Glaciers

Glacier National Park is going to have the same draw without the glaciers. When the park was created in 1910 it had 150 glaciers. Today it has only 30, and they're getting smaller.
glacier

And it's not the only iconic spot on the verge of losing its icy coat -- both Mount Everest and Mount Kilimanjaro are threatened, too. "It is clear that global warming is emerging as one, if not the, biggest threat to mountain areas," says Roger Payne of the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation.

As for Kilimanjaro, National Geographic reports, "The ice fields Ernest Hemingway once described as 'wide as all the world, great, high, and unbelievably white in the sun' have lost 82 percent of their ice since 1912--the year their full extent was first measured. If current climatic conditions persist, the legendary glaciers, icing the peaks of Africa's highest summit for nearly 12,000 years, could be gone entirely by 2020."

This is bad news for animals that have adapted to live in these ecosystems and for the businesses that are supported by tourism and climbers. But melting glaciers also mean immediate flooding, following by drought. This is bad news for billions.

Agence France Presse reported this week that melting glaciers in the Himalayas will affect 1.3 billion Asians living downstream in Pakistan, India, China, Nepal and Bhutan. "Temperatures in the region have increased by between 0.15 and 0.6 degrees Celsius (0.27 and 1.08 degrees Fahrenheit) each decade for the last 30 years, dramatically accelerating the rate at which glaciers are shrinking," the news outlet reported. "'Scientists predict that most glaciers will be gone in 40 years as a result of climate change,' said Prashant Singh, leader of environmental group WWF's Climate for Life campaign."

7. Coral Reefs

Carbon dioxide emissions are causing the world's oceans to become more acidic, which is a threat to creatures that have "chalky" skeletons (including corals). In order to form their skeletons, they need the water to be saturated with calcium carbonate, but as acidification goes up, saturation goes down. According to Science Daily this poses a risk to one-third of ocean life and the basis of the ocean food chain.

If temperatures rise by 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, we are likely to lose 97 percent of our coral reefs. The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) recently filed a petition to have 83 species of coral listed under the Endangered Species Act.

SolveClimate reports that, "Since acidification happens at a rate parallel to the increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide -- oceans absorb about one-third of CO2 -- it's picking up pace. According to CBD oceans director Miyoko Sakashita, coral reefs are likely to be the first major ecosystems widely damaged by the effects of more acidic oceans."

Some of the world's most famous coral reefs include Australia's Great Barrier Reef, which is the world's largest; the Belize Barrier Reef; the New Caledonia Barrier Reef in the South Pacific; the Red Sea Coral Reef; and the Andros, Bahamas Barrier Reef. The reefs are home to an incredible array of biological diversity, next only to rainforests, and also provide vast economic boosts. "Globally, the welfare of 500 million people is closely linked to the goods and services provided by coral reef biodiversity," Science Daily reports.

They are also home to some of the most beautiful sights on Earth.
reef

8. Really Big Bears

Most environmentalists know that "charismatic megafauna" are the ones that capture the hearts of the public and the media. This has catapulted the polar bear to the forefront of our attention, making it the first mammal to be listed as threatened because of climate change. The loss of summer ice in the Arctic has meant shrinking hunting grounds for the bear. They've had to travel farther to find food, decreasing their fat storage, increasing their stress, and causing some to drown as they swim to reach distant ice floes. By 2050, two-thirds of polar bear sub-populations will be gone.
bear

But polar bears aren't the only bears at risk. Changing temperatures are now causing grizzlies to den later in the fall. As a result they're overlapping with hunting season, which is bad news for the bear. But that's not all. Climate change is also affecting their food sources. "Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) seeds are a food resource for grizzly bears in some areas, including Yellowstone. Global warming has led to an increase in whitebark pine blister rust as well as an increase in competing species such as Douglas fir in higher elevations," the Endangered Species Coalition reports. "As whitebark pine and other natural grizzly food resources decline due to global warming, grizzlies may shift from remote high elevation areas to lower elevation human-populated areas, looking for alternative foods. Here, they often encounter humans and our garbage, food and livestock. This causes bears to become conditioned to humans; these human-conditioned bears are often removed or killed by wildlife managers due to safety concerns."

And the List Goes On

There are thousands of other species teetering on the brink of collapse and as many incredible places that will lost, if we don't take action to curb our greenhouse gas emissions and begin mitigation strategies. Later today, we will be able to see what the world's political leaders have agreed to and if it will be enough. As we try to untangle the outcome of the COP15 climate change negotiations in Copenhagen, let's try to keep this list in mind, even though it's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what's at stake. When we're talking about preserving ecological diversity, amazing creatures, human lives, and some of the most beautiful places on Earth we need solutions that transcend politics and economics as usual.

Tara Lohan is a senior editor at AlterNet. You can follow her on Twitter @TaraLohan.

12.18.09 No more foreign $

2009-12-18T10:02:00.000-08:00

The Dark Gray Swan: No More Foreign Dollars With Which To Buy US Treasuries
By Tyler Durden
Created 12/17/2009 - 21:31

Could the next black/green/dark gray swan be so obvious that it has avoided everyone? Well, except for the deputy governor of the Bank of China, who just gave the world a startling reminder of economics 101, when he said that it is "getting harder for governments to buy United States Treasuries because the US's shrinking current-account gap is reducing the supply of dollars overseas." Oops.

The funny thing about natural (and economic) systems: they can only be pushed so far before they snap back to default state. With the entire world embarking on an unprecedented spree of domestic bubble blowing to mask the collapse in global GDP, everyone forgot to trade. Zero Hedge has long emphasized that the drop in world trade can only sustain for so long before it brings the current destabilized system back to some form of equilibrium. Because with every country intent on merely printing more of its own currency, whether it is to build bridges or to make the stock of electronic book fads trade at 100x earnings, said countries ran out of non-domestic cash. Alas, this is most critical for the United States, now that Treasury monetization is over, as the US needs to constantly find foreign buyers of its debt to fund unsustainable deficits. Foreign buyers who have US dollars. And according to Shanghai Daily [1], this could be a big, big problem.

Here is what the BOC's Zhu Min said earlier:

"The United States cannot force foreign governments to increase their holdings of Treasuries," Zhu said, according to an audio recording of his remarks. "Double the holdings? It is definitely impossible."

"The US current account deficit is falling as residents' savings increase, so its trade turnover is falling, which means the US is supplying fewer dollars to the rest of the world," he added. "The world does not have so much money to buy more US Treasuries."

In a nutshell, in printing trillions of assorted securities, the Treasury has soaked up the world's dollars, which due to US banks not lending, is sitting and collecting dust in the form of bank excess reserves. These excess reserves can not be used to buy Treasuries and MBS as that would be literal monetization (as opposed to the figurative one which is what QE has been). And the world is running out of dollars with which to buy Treasuries.

Does this mean that the "world" will be forced to buy dollars, and thus spike the value of the greenback? Not necessarily:

In a discussion on the global role of the dollar, Zhu told an academic audience that it was inevitable that the dollar would continue to fall in value because Washington continued to issue more Treasuries to finance its deficit spending.

Critics of this line of thought can point out that China still has trillions in foreign exchange reserves. However, even as China has been selling mortgage backed securities almost as fast as PIMCO, it has not been buying treasuries: China's Treasury holdings have been flat at exactly $800 billion since May 2009 [2]. In the lesser of two maturity evils (the instantaneous, dollar bill, and the long-dated, the 30 Year) China has followed in the footsteps of so many millions of High Frequency Traders opting for that which can be liquidated instantaneously.
A different read of Zhu's statement is that the US should no longer rely on China for funding its bottomless deficits. And if that is the case, things are about to get much worse as the Fed has no choice but to turn the monetization machine on turbo.

* Banks
* Cash
* China
* Collapse
* Debt
* default
* Deficit Spending
* Deficits
* Dollar
* Economics
* Excess Reserves
* FED
* funding
* GDP
* Greenback
* Gross Domestic Product
* hedge
* Lending
* MBS
* money
* mortgage
* Mortgage Backed Securities
* Oops
* PIMCO
* Reserves
* securities
* spending
* The dollar
* The World
* Treasury
* United States
* US
* World Trade
* Zero Hedge
* Zhu Min

12.18.09 Obama summit scrambles

2009-12-18T09:11:00.000-08:00

Obama scrambles at summit, but frustration shows
AP

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, center, follows the speech of U.S. President AP – U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, center, follows the speech of U.S. President Barack Obama, right, …

* Obama calls for climate deal in Copenhagen Play Video Video:Obama calls for climate deal in Copenhagen AP
* Obama at Copenhagen: let's act Play Video Video:Obama at Copenhagen: let's act Reuters
* Raw Video: Obama arrives in Copenhagen Play Video Video:Raw Video: Obama arrives in Copenhagen AP

By JENNIFER LOVEN, AP White House Correspondent Jennifer Loven, Ap White House Correspondent – 9 mins ago

COPENHAGEN – President Barack Obama squeezed two impromptu meetings into his tight schedule and made an animated plea for compromise Friday, making plain his frustration over the difficulty of pushing world leaders to settle on a plan to combat global warming.

"We are running short on time," Obama told the 193-nation summit as the clock was running out on its final day. "There has to be movement on all sides."

He indirectly acknowledged that some nations feel the United States is doing too little to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and he urged leaders to accept a less-than-perfect pact. Meanwhile, he offered no new U.S. concessions.

"No country will get everything that it wants," Obama said.

It's possible that Obama's biggest success here will have nothing to do with the climate. He said the United States and Russia are "quite close" to a new nuclear arms control treaty.

Before and after his climate speech, Obama huddled with large and small groups of leaders from numerous nations. He met privately with Premier Wen Jiabao of China, the only nation that emits more heat-trapping gasses than does the United States. Officials said the two men made a step forward in their talks, but the degree of progress was not clear.

In larger meetings attended by Obama, China sent lower-level officials.

In his speech, Obama said the United States has acted boldly by vowing to reduce greenhouse gasses and help other nations pay for similar efforts. Critics note that many industrialized nations have promised much larger reductions.

Without mentioning China specifically, Obama addressed Beijing's resistance to making its emissions-reduction pledges subject to international review.

"I don't know how you have an international agreement where we all are not sharing information and making sure we are meeting our commitments," Obama said. "That doesn't make sense. It would be a hollow victory."

And yet Obama arrived in snow-covered Copenhagen with no new proposal from the U.S. side. Some had hoped he might increase Washington's emissons-cut pledge, now only a fraction of those from other developed countries, or put a specific dollar amount on America's expected contributions to short- or long-term aid funds to help poorer nations deal with the effects of climate change.

Obama planned to spend only about nine hours at the summit.

His one-on-one meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev focused on nuclear weapons. The two nations are negotiating to replace an expired Cold War-era arms control treaty.

The U.S. commitment to reduce greenhouse gasses mirrors legislation before Congress. It calls for 17 percent reduction in such pollution from 2005 levels by 2020 — the equivalent of 3 percent to 4 percent from the more commonly used baseline of 1990 levels. That is far less than the offers from the European Union, Japan and Russia.

Even that target was hard-won in a skittish Congress, and Obama has decided he can't go further without potentially souring final passage of the bill, approved in the House but not yet considered in the Senate. He also could imperil eventual Senate ratification of any global treaty that emerges next year.

___

Find behind-the-scenes information, blog posts and discussion about the Copenhagen climate conference at http://www.facebook.com/theclimatepool, a Facebook page run by AP and an array of international news agencies. Follow coverage and blogging of the event on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/AP_ClimatePool

12.18.09 Fritz Hollings Op-Ed

2009-12-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

My Turn
Campaigning, not governing

By Fritz Hollings
Former U.S. senator, D-S.C.

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- I thought I was through for the year [See Dec. 15 commentary on "Nothing gets done"], but the President’s idea of a commission to study the budget problem is what’s wrong with Washington.

I saw this nonsense develop. When I came to the Senate in 1966, we had year-to-year budgets. But the Appropriations Committee was broken down into thirteen functions and the one function didn’t know what the other twelve were doing. When we summed up at the end of the year, we had a budget that exceeded everyone’s spending limits. So we instituted the Budget Committee to get an allocation for each particular function at the beginning of the year, and important programs were not ruined by cuts across the board in the old procedure. As we instituted the budget process, the economists taught us that a three-year budget was more realistic. But three years became five years, and five years became ten years, and ten years now is about to become a study commission.

When Dick Lugar was Mayor of Indianapolis, he had to submit a budget each year that would pay the bill. If he had submitted a five or ten year budget, Wall Street would have downgraded his credit rating. The same with Mark Warner as Governor of Virginia. Every mayor, every governor, in America next year will submit budgets that will be paid for in a year. And the President and Congress ought to approach the problem like a mayor or a governor. Even a three year budget that would pay the bill would be salutary. But this nonsense of campaigning by appointing a commission instead of governing has got to stop. We elected President Obama not to referee, but to play. Not to campaign, but to govern. Tell him as President to submit his budget that will pay the bill.
Fritz Hollings served from 1966 to 2004 as a Democrat from South Carolina in the United States Senate. A former chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, his views can be read online at Citizens for a Competitive America.

11.12.09 SC Comp Gen Eckstrom worried

2009-11-12T05:57:00.001-08:00

Bookkeeping worries Eckstrom
By Yvonne Wenger
The Post and Courier
Thursday, November 12, 2009

The state Employment Security Commission's questionable accounting practices could put South Carolina's ability to borrow federal money -- and cut checks to the nearly 12 percent of unemployed workers -- in jeopardy, state chief accountant Richard Eckstrom said Wednesday.

Eckstrom, the comptroller general, said federal officials and White House personnel left him with one important takeaway message from meetings he had with them earlier this week.

"We had better carefully protect and carefully account for the federal money that is being sent to South Carolina, and if we don't, we jeopardize our ability to receive federal funds," Eckstrom said. "That is a pretty frightening thought."

photo

State chief accountant Richard Eckstrom.

Eckstrom was in Washington to discuss the oversight of federal stimulus cash across the country. The commission is distributing about $15 million a week in unemployment benefits, which includes stimulus money for extended benefits and federal loans.

The state is projected to borrow $1 billion to cover benefits as the state's unemployment remains among the highest in the nation at 11.6 percent. The trust fund that cuts the checks has been broke since last year.

Commissioner Becky Richardson, one of three people appointed to oversee operations, said the unemployment agency faces a major overhaul.

"I am ready and willing to help them bring about reform to make this a more efficient agency," Richardson said.

"South Carolina deserves better than what it has received. We all need to roll up our sleeves and fix it."

Eckstrom said an ongoing annual audit of the commission shows "significant" discrepancies between bank statements and balance sheets. He likened it to a personal checkbook register and bank statements showing different totals in an account. Eckstrom said he was not at liberty to say at this time how much money is in question, but the audit report will be public when it is complete.

The bank statements and the balance sheets need to be crossed-checked monthly, Eckstrom said. The commission went a year without checking, he said.

One issue perhaps contributing to the problem was that the commission did not have a certified accountant in charge of cross-checking the balances, Eckstrom said.

"The problem with the agency is typical in state government and that is, it thinks it can do accounting with unqualified people," Eckstrom said.

Richardson said new staff has been hired to address that problem, including a certified accountant. She said the change was made as soon as the commissioners became aware a problem existed.

More changes at the commission are also under way. Executive Director Roosevelt Halley recently retired and the commission is searching for a replacement, she said. Sam Foster, a former commissioner, is interim director.

Additionally, the Legislative Audit Council is studying the commission and will present recommended changes to lawmakers. When they return to session in January, lawmakers are expected to consider giving the commission a head-to-toe makeover.

11.10.09 Group probes Boeing The Post and Courier - Charleston SC newspaper

2009-11-10T10:13:00.000-08:00

Group probes Boeing The Post and Courier - Charleston SC newspaper

11.10.09 State economic board making budget estimate The Post and Courier - Charleston SC newspaper

2009-11-10T10:03:00.000-08:00

State economic board making budget estimate The Post and Courier - Charleston SC newspaper

11.10.09 Burton announces Congressional bid The Post and Courier - Charleston SC newspaper

2009-11-10T10:01:00.000-08:00

Burton announces Congressional bid The Post and Courier - Charleston SC newspaper

11.10.09 Winthrop poll sheds light on Southern opinion of Obama The Post and Courier - Charleston SC newspaper

2009-11-10T10:00:00.000-08:00

Winthrop poll sheds light on Southern opinion of Obama The Post and Courier - Charleston SC newspaper

11.11.09 GCTAG member Linda Krough services

2009-11-10T05:47:00.001-08:00

Dear friends,

Visitation for Linda will be held at the J.Henry Stuhr Mount Pleasant Chapel, 1494 Mathis Ferry Rd. on Wednesday night from 6-8pm.

The funeral service will be held at the Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting St. Charleston SC 29401 on Thursday at 2pm with a reception after in Keller Hall. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Circular Congregational Church or the Charleston County Democratic Party.

Chris Wilkerson
843-469-8050

11.9.09 House Vote on passage HR 3962

2009-11-09T16:44:00.001-08:00

OnoShea

GovTrack: House Vote On Passage: H.R. 3962: Affordable Health Care for America Act: http://bit.ly/3FqwGW

11.04.09 First Gubernatorial Debate

2009-11-04T06:47:00.000-08:00

Candidates debate 1 year before election
BY YVONNE WENGER,
Wednesday, November 4, 2009

ORANGEBURG -- Debating gubernatorial candidates agreed Tuesday that protecting South Carolina's environment is important but differed on how to strike a balance between that and economic development.

The debate, in which five Republican and five Democratic candidates participated, comes at a time when climate-change questions loom large on the national scene, and the Charleston area works to find balance between preserving its fragile, low-lying environment and accommodating business growth.

The S.C. Natural Resources Society provided a forum along with ETV for "The Big Picture Election Special: Spotlight on the Candidates" at

Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College, exactly one year before the state's next governor is elected. A crowd of about 250 gathered for the 90-minute debate.

The candidates played up the need for leadership without making lofty and empty promises, and also began to carve out their political identities.

At the top of the list is state Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Bonneau, who was the only one to doubt the scientific existence of man-made global warming. Grooms said he wouldn't interfere with businesses and high-paying jobs for an "unproven science."

In contrast, Democratic state Sen. Vincent Sheheen of Camden tried to describe a vision for the environment that extends beyond his candidacy, including the introduction of state legislation to put rules in place for the use of water resources.

While all the Republicans in the debate stressed nuclear energy as the state's preferred energy source in the future, Attorney General Henry McMaster, a Republican, was emphatic about it.

"The path to prosperity in South Carolina is lit with nuclear power," he said.

Charleston attorney Mullins McLeod, a Democrat, also left the audience with one takeaway point: Career politicians and their rhetoric stand in the way of South Carolina's progress. McLeod said that if he was elected, he would not seek any other office in the future.

State Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston, didn't address the environmental issues head-on, but rather repeated that the role of a governor is to work with the Legislature, which sits in the driver's seat in South Carolina.

Columbia attorney Dwight Drake, a Democrat, was pointedly honest about the limitations of a governor in influencing major environmental issues. He said that to talk about drilling for oil off the coast is moot because federal law prohibits contracts until 2014. The governor needs to be focused on the "here and now," he said.

Third District U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett of Westminster, a Republican, said the key is to tap the potential for renewable energy and the power it has to create jobs. "You can have it all," Barrett said.

Poll results for all Lowcountry races PDF
Covering the politics of the Lowcountry, South Carolina and the Nation.

That was the closest a Republican and Democrat came to agreeing on the subject of the debate.

State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex, a Democrat, said "clean and green and competitive" belong in the same sentence. "That is the direction the entire planet is heading," Rex said.

State Rep. Nikki Haley, R-Lexington, stayed close to a topic that is the hallmark of her campaign: improving the business climate. When asked about whether to restructure the state Department of Health and Environmental Control, Haley said reform was necessary because the agency has a reputation for stalling business plans.

Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, R-Charleston, stood out for staying on point all night. He answered the question asked and stuck to environmental issues with detailed responses.

Bauer said the state needs to support green industry by offering tax credits and eliminating corporate taxes for businesses that meet certain clean standards. "We would be known as the green capital of the world," Bauer said.

Cash on hand

The amounts of cash the gubernatorial candidates have on hand, according to the latest filings. Some have money from previous elections they can tap with permission.

--Barrett, $1.34 million

--Bauer, $16,850

--Drake, $230,600

--Elliott, $0

--Ford, $21,500

--Grooms, $300,000

--Haley, $273,000

--Lovelace, $0

--McLeod, $319,000

--McMaster, $1.01 million

--Powell, $13

--Rex, $44,400

--Sheheen, $627,000

11.4.09 Chas Co Council results

2009-11-04T06:45:00.000-08:00

Seekings boots Evans from seat
By David Slade
The Post and Courier
Wednesday, November 4, 2009

In a hard-fought Charleston City Council contest with the highest voter turnout in the city Tuesday, five-term Councilwoman Yvonne Evans narrowly lost her bid for re-election to challenger Mike Seekings.

photo

Mike Seekings

Seekings, an attorney, captured nearly 52 percent of the vote in District 8 versus Evans' 48 percent, according to unofficial returns. The district serves part of the peninsula and West Ashley.

"We went into this race ready to work for the city, and I think people were just ready for a new voice," Seekings said. "We're going to address the issues we ran on -- flooding, green space and making Charleston the best city in America for biking and walking."

About 22 percent of District 8 voters went to the polls, compared with between 7 percent and 10 percent in other city races.

Councilwoman Kathleen G. Wilson, the only other council incumbent facing a challenge, easily won her bid for a second term in District 12 representing much of James Island. Wilson captured 61 percent of the vote, leaving the remaining 39 percent for challenger Craig T. McLaughlin.

In West Ashley, where two council seats were up for grabs because the current council members did not seek re-election, the District 2 seat was won by Blake Hallman, known for his work to protect Morris Island from development.

The District 10 seat will go to a Nov. 17 runoff between candidates Ginger Rosenberg and Dean C. Riegel.

In Charleston, municipal candidates need to capture more than 50 percent of the vote to win, which can be difficult in a race with more than two candidates.

In West Ashley, the council seats currently held by Larry Shirley and Deb Morinelli were the hot contests because neither sought re-election. Those two districts cover most of the area west of the Mark Clark Expressway, and each race attracted three candidates.

Poll results for all Lowcountry races PDF
Covering the politics of the Lowcountry, South Carolina and the Nation.

In District 2, currently Morinelli's seat, the candidates were Hallman, Rodney Williams and Stephen H. Ziker. Ziker captured just 3 percent of the vote, allowing Hallman to win the more than 50 percent needed for victory, against Williams with just under 44 percent.

In neighboring District 10, the seat Shirley has held for the past 20 years, the candidates were Art Beane, Riegel and Rosenberg.

Rosenberg landed the most votes, 40 percent of the total, but not enough to avoid a runoff election with Riegel, who received just under 37 percent.

Two additional City Council seats and a Charleston Water System board seat were up for election, but in each case the incumbents seeking re-election were declared the winners in September because they faced no opposition.

Those candidates were City Council members Robert M. Mitchell (District 4) and William Dudley Gregorie (District 6) and water system Commissioner David E. Rivers.

The victorious City Council candidates will begin four-year terms in January.

Reach David Slade at 937-5552 or dslade@postandcourier.com.

11.04.09 Light voting

2009-11-04T06:41:00.000-08:00

Light voting, few snarls
BY ALLYSON BIRD and KATY STECH, The Post and Courier
Wednesday, November 4, 2009

With lingering memories of last Election Day's long lines and four-hour waits, local voters had a far different experience at their polling stations Tuesday.

Voters turned out in much fewer numbers for the handful of lower profile municipal elections throughout the Lowcountry.
Photo Gallery
Lowcountry Elections
gallery photo

Scenes from local elections around the lowcountry.

Marilyn Bowers, director of the Charleston County Board of Elections and Voter Registration, reported a 22.4 percent turnout, or 18,973 voters, with virtually all precincts reporting.

Even Mount Pleasant's steady stream of voters, likely drawn by a contentious, three-way mayoral battle and crowded Town Council race, didn't trigger problems.

"It's totally different atmosphere than a big general election," Bowers said.

A total of 723 out of 3,545 possible Berkeley County voters, a manageable 20.3 percent, turned in ballots, said Berkeley County Elections and Voter Registration Director Wanda Farley.

The county's biggest problems, she said, were comparatively small compared with years past: A few residents showed up to vote but were turned away because they didn't live within Moncks Corner city limits.

Her office also reported slight confusion in the morning hours over voters who went to their normal polling locations. With only the Town Council race and a question over Sunday alcohol sales, everyone had to vote at the Moncks Corner municipal complex on Carolina Avenue.

Evidence of the light turnout was not only borne out in the final numbers but at the polling stations scattered throughout the Lowcountry.

Poll results for all Lowcountry races PDF
Covering the politics of the Lowcountry, South Carolina and the Nation.

Only a few voters had stopped by Mason Preparatory School in downtown Charleston by the end of the morning rush hour. Looking at his short list of signatures, poll manager Larry Libater said even some of those people did not vote because their council districts did not have races.

Although the parking lot was full at the National Guard Armory on Mathis Ferry Road in Mount Pleasant, the traffic didn't compare with the general election last year.

Looking at just one full page of voter signatures shortly before 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, poll worker J.H. Richardson said, "Last year at this time it was probably on page four."

11.4.09 Matt Foley blog - Alan Watts Words of Wisdom

2009-11-04T05:57:00.001-08:00

Thursday, October 29, 2009
Words of Wisdom

"To know that you are God is another way of saying that you feel completely with this universe. You feel profoundly rooted in it and connected with it.

You feel, in other words, that the whole energy, which expresses itself in the galaxies, is intimate. It is not something to which you are a stranger, but it is that with which you, whatever that is, are intimately bound up. That in your seeing, your hearing, your talking, your thinking, your moving, you express that which it is that moves the sun and other stars.

And if you don't know that, if you don't feel that, well naturally you feel alien, you feel a stranger in the world. And if you feel a stranger you feel hostile, and therefore you start to bulldoze things about, to beat it up and to try to make the world submit to your will, and you become a real troublemaker."

~ Alan Watts

11.4.09 Michael Gerson on forcing the young to fund health reform - washingtonpost.com

2009-11-04T05:12:00.000-08:00

Michael Gerson - Michael Gerson on forcing the young to fund health reform - washingtonpost.com

11.4.09 Smart decisions

2009-11-04T05:08:00.001-08:00

Poll: Almost half of Americans reject swine flu vaccine

Despite a rising nationwide toll of sickness caused by the H1N1 flu virus and an intensive push by the government to have people vaccinated for it, almost half of Americans say they aren't likely to get the vaccine, according to a new McClatchy-Ipsos poll.

11.3.09 SC Nat Resources Society gubernatorial debate tonight

2009-11-03T07:15:00.000-08:00

Dear Shea --

I’m excited about this evening's gubernatorial debate, hosted by the South Carolina Natural Resources Society. This is the first opportunity for each gubernatorial candidate to discuss natural resources, conservation, and economic development in South Carolina.

Last year, I was proud to be recognized as a “Senate Champion” by the Conservation Voters of South Carolina for my leadership on conservation issues such as environmental permitting and the protection of our state’s waterways.

As Chair of the Sportsman’s Caucus and a floor leader in the effort to create the South Carolina Conservation Bank, I recognize the importance of our state’s natural resources as a driver for our recreation and tourism economies.

And as your governor, I will ensure economic growth and sustainable use of our natural resources go hand in hand so that our precious natural resources are available for future generations of South Carolinians.

Please tune in to ETV tonight at 8:00 PM to watch this important debate.

Yours,

11.3.09 Decision on Sanford ethics report is near | McClatchy

2009-11-03T06:13:00.000-08:00

Decision on Sanford ethics report is near | McClatchy

11.2.09 VIDEO: World War GREEN - Legislation - Senator Sanders Unfiltered: U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (Vermont)

2009-11-02T08:20:00.000-08:00

Legislation - Senator Sanders Unfiltered: U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (Vermont)

11.2.09 SLATE: TV Execs find new strategy

2009-11-02T06:05:00.000-08:00

TV Execs Fall in Love With the DVR

When DVRs first came out, it seemed obvious that people would skip all the commercials. So networks naturally opposed Nielsen's plan to measure commercial viewing during shows that are watched live or played back within three days. Contrary to all expectation though, 46 percent of viewers 18 to 49 years old—the only demographic that really matters for networks in prime time—are just sitting through the commercials. That means ratings are improving for certain shows, and could even help save some programs from what seemed to be a sure trip to the morgue. The big exception? The Jay Leno Show, which was once touted as being "DVR proof" because it involved topical humor. Turns out that's not a plus after all.

Read original story in The New York Times | Monday, Nov. 2, 2009

11.2.09 SLATE: White House woos Dede Scozzafava

2009-11-02T06:03:00.000-08:00

White House Helped Get N.Y. Republican To Endorse Democrat

When Republican nominee Dede Scozzafava dropped out of the race to replace Republican Rep. John McHugh in New York's special election, Democrats immediately launched an all-out effort to get her to back their candidate, Bill Owens. The race in upstate New York has been the subject of much analysis, as it has become a cause célèbre for so-called tea party conservatives, who thought the Republican nominee was too liberal and began to back Conservative Party nominee Dough Hoffman. Conservatives from around the country have been working to get Hoffman elected, and his support has risen exponentially in the past few weeks. When Scozzafava dropped out, Democrats quickly realized that getting her supporters in their camp was the only way Owens had a shot at winning the Republican-leaning seat. The White House even got involved by pushing Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to woo Scozzafava, an assemblywoman. Their efforts quickly payed off. She issued her endorsement yesterday afternoon and immediately faced the ire of members of her party.

Read original story in Politico | Monday, Nov. 2, 2009

11.01.09 First Hindu temple in Lowcountry

2009-11-01T06:56:00.000-08:00

New Hindu temple, first in the Lowcountry, opens in Ladson

By Adam Parker

The Post and Courier

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Photo by Alan Hawes

The Post and Courier

Dinesh Sarvate leads a prayer ceremony at the new Hindu Temple of Charleston during the Oct. 18 inauguration in Ladson.

Photo by Alan Hawes

The Post and Courier

Idols are placed in abundance on the altar. The temple is meant to be a central meeting place for all area Hindus regardless of language or tradition, organizers say.

Photo by Alan Hawes

The Post and Courier

Kiran Tandon, the temple's executive committee president, lights candles at the altar of the Hindu Temple of Charleston. The Oct. 18 ceremony marked the Hindu festival of lights.

India by the numbers

--325 spoken languages and 1,652 dialects.

--18 official languages.

--29 states and 5 union territories.

--204 million square miles.

--4,670 miles of coastline.

--1.15 billion people.

--Parliamentary form of government.

--Fourth largest economy in the world.

--Fast-growing IT industry.

--World's largest gem and jewelry industry.

--World's largest postal service.

--World's largest rail network.

--World's biggest film industry.

Quickly, the modest space, a storefront in a Ladson strip mall, was transformed into a temple.

The room was painted pale yellow and deep saffron, decorations running along its circumference. A giving tree rendered on the two lateral walls featured pale green leaves wide enough to accommodate the names of donors. A handmade, richly appointed altar stood at the room's focal point. Framed pictures displayed famous temples and important deities.

The Indian flag, with the Buddhist Dharma Chakra, or Wheel of Dharma, at its center, symbolizing national progress and enlightenment, hung in one corner; an American flag in another.

The Hindu Temple of Charleston, in Ladson's College Park Center, opened its doors to an eager community last week. The Oct. 18 ceremony, its first, drew more than 300 people who kicked off their shoes at the door and assembled inside for presentations by children, a few comments from organizers and special guests and a worship ceremony led by College of Charleston math professor Dinesh Sarvate, who apologized in advance for any mistakes he might make.

The temple has been the aspiration of the local Indian community, about 400 families strong, for four years. A committee was formed in 2006 to devise the plans and develop the project, according to Peyush Dwivedi, temple secretary. On Oct. 7 of this year, the temple received its nonprofit status.

It's the first Hindu temple in the Lowcountry and the fourth in the state. Columbia, Spartanburg and Mauldin, which is near Greenville, each have a Hindu center.

Dwivedi said the storefront temple in Ladson might be temporary. The real goal is a large, stand-alone building on property owned by the nonprofit organization recently incorporated to manage temple business.

The overriding purpose of the enterprise is to unite Charleston's Hindu community, promote Indian culture and pass on its traditions and practices to the new generation, said Anish Kapoor, temple treasurer.

The diversity of Indian culture is famous, and the Charleston area includes people who observe a variety of traditions, Dwivedi said.

"Everyone can come and connect in this temple," he said.

Festival of lights

The opening of the temple was purposefully timed to coincide with the annual festival of lights, or Diwali holiday, said Kiran Tandon, executive committee president.

The festival marks the end of the harvest, beginning of the new year and the victory of good over evil as expressed in the story about how the brutal king of Lanka, Ravana, was defeated by Rama, the seventh avatar of the supreme god Vishnu and legendary king of Ayodhya, after Rama's 14-year exile in the forest.

Diwali marks Rama's celebratory homecoming. Lamps are lit, new clothes worn and sweets shared. Merchants close their accounting books of the previous year and start afresh, Dwivedi said.

Every worship ceremony begins by acknowledging the great Hindu god Ganesha, whose elephant head symbolizes the soul and whose human body the material existence of mankind, participants said.

Hinduism's array of deities has many manifestations, depending on the region, history and traditions of a particular community. Many Hindus believe that these deities are manifestations of one god, Brahman, according to "The Heart of Hinduism" Web site, the Hinduism Today Magazine book "What is Hinduism?" and other sources.

The religion is a conglomeration of traditions and beliefs; it has no central doctrine but relies on an enormous body of holy texts that include theological and philosophy content as well as numerous epic myths. It distinguishes between the individual self or soul and the supreme self or God, and between matter and spirit. It encompasses a variety of religious practices, including Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, and advances the ideas of human rebirth and godly reincarnation.

"Buddha is an incarnation of Vishnu (the supreme Hindu god)," Sarvate said. "That way, we can consider Buddhism a part of Hinduism."

Hinduism, which has no known founder, is practiced mostly in India, but also in Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, China, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, Malaysia and Laos.

In India, which is about 80 percent Hindu, regional differences abound. In some places, certain gods are preferred, while elsewhere, other deities are worshipped most. Creation and hero myths can differ according to local traditions and customs.

Preparations

At the Hindu Temple of Charleston, a few days before the inauguration, several members of the Indian community prepared the storefront space with decorations and wall paintings. Arrangements had been made for two local restaurants to provide food for a dinner following the weekend ceremony.

The festival of lights begins by honoring Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, Dwivedi said. Hindus set up shrines at home and display gold jewelry in respect, hoping the upcoming year will be bountiful.

Dwivedi said that worshippers at home positioned before the shrine must face east, where the sun rises, while at Hindu temples the idols must look east, according to ancient Indian religious texts. Finding a space that faced east took a little extra time, he said.

The Ladson area is home to a number of Indian families, one reason why the temple is located there, he said. But it will draw Hindus from all over the Lowcountry.

In addition to festival ceremonies, the temple will be used for birthdays, family celebrations, marriages, achievements deserving special recognition and prayers, Dwivedi said. A back room will be used for religious preparations, language classes, yoga programs and other community enterprises, he said.

Indians in the Charleston area speak 13 different languages, he said. On the Indian subcontinent, more than 325 languages and 1,650 dialects are spoken. The state recognizes 18 official languages -- Hindi is the most popular with about 422 million users; Bengali is in second place with about 83 million users, according to the India Association of Greater Charleston.

Auspicious start

At the Oct. 18 Diwali ceremony and temple inauguration, six languages were used. Dr. Shikhar Mehrotra, president of the temple's board and assistant professor of surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina, welcomed everyone and defined the meaning of the temple as a place where the "mind becomes still."

Special guests offered words of respect, including Goose Creek Mayor Michael Heitzler, who traveled to India on a Fulbright scholarship years ago; the Rev. Rufus Small of Harvest Center Church next door; and David Cohen, dean of the College of Charleston's School of Languages, Cultures and World Affairs, who noted that the college is the only school of higher education in the state to offer modern Hindi.

An orange flag symbolized salvation and the falling away of material concerns. Covered gods were revealed one by one. Flames were lit. Then Sarvate began to lead a prayer of invitation, welcoming the deities to the temple, blessing the space and spirit, making the room holy.

Reach Adam Parker at 937-5902 or aparker@postandcourier.com.

11.1.09 P&C Editorial endorsements - Nov 3

2009-11-01T06:52:00.000-08:00

Elect Hallman, Seekings, Rosenberg and Wilsonto Charleston City Council

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Blake Hallman

Mike Seekings

Ginger Rosenberg

Kathleen G. Wilson

Tuesday's municipal elections feature four races for Charleston City Council, with incumbents seeking additional terms in Districts 8 and 12 and incumbents stepping down from Districts 2 and 10 seats. Voters have important choices in all four races as the city faces the continuing challenge of making ends meet during economically difficult times.

In District 2, we're endorsing Blake Hallman. As president of the S. C. Battleground Preservation Trust, Mr. Hallman persevered for four years, forming local, state and federal coalitions which, working together, halted the threat of development on historic Morris Island.

Now Mr. Hallman, a Charleston native, is ready to use his energy and experience to address issues of growth, traffic and drainage west of the Ashley.

Mr. Hallman, who teaches marketing at the Culinary Institute of Charleston, says the city needs to bring new business to Charleston. A board member of the Fort Sumter-Fort Moultrie Trust and former general manager of the Sunflower Grill, Mr. Hallman has marketing ideas to encourage tourism for those interested in restaurants, shopping and beaches, as well as history.

He says his district needs relief from traffic congestion and cites the extension of the Glenn McConnell Parkway as a potential solution. But he adds that a long-term remedy includes bike-friendly development. He hopes to work with MeadWestvaco for the low-impact development of Watson Hill that will respect the historic area and keep traffic increases at a minimum on Ashley River Road.

Mr. Hallman worked doggedly -- and successfully -- to help save Morris Island from development and wants to put his tenacity to work solving problems for the city. He would be an able representative for District 2.

Michael Seekings realizes that he faces a tough political test running for the District 8 seat held by a five-term incumbent but says he will bring a fresh perspective to city issues. We think so, too.

Though Mr. Seekings lives and works on the peninsula, he wants to make sure that West Ashley also gets the attention it deserves from City Council.

Mr. Seekings, a lawyer who lives near the College of Charleston, sees bicycling as part of the solution to the city's traffic and parking problems. He will vigorously support the development of a comprehensive bike plan that will include better connections between West Ashley and the peninsula and more bike lanes and paths citywide.

He wants more communication between the city and the College of Charleston to ensure that students understand the rules of the road and wants better enforcement of traffic laws.

He also believes police can better deter crime if they get out of their cars.

Mr. Seekings supports completion of Interstate 526, a project that will ease congestion in the West Ashley portion of his district. He says Charleston should resist high-density development by enforcing its zoning laws.

Mr. Seekings would bring new ideas and new energy to council as the District 8 representative.

Ginger Rosenberg, who's running in District 10, would bring to council management skills she honed during a 25-year corporate career, plus insights gained while working with local non-profit organizations in the city.

She currently works in marketing and program development for the Center for Women, and is responsible for starting a job counseling program there for unemployed women.

She says the city needs to encourage small business development with more reasonable fees and a less cumbersome licensing procedure.

Her relationships with multiple local organizations give her a strong background in consensus building. That will help her address difficult problems like traffic and drainage, which are of great concern to her West Ashley district.

Mrs. Rosenberg combines business acumen with a genuine commitment to the people of Charleston.

Having a council member with the background and the interest to actively engage in the city's budgetary process would be a benefit to Charleston and City Council. Elect her to represent District 10.

Incumbent Kathleen Wilson, seeking her second term representing District 12, has delivered on promises to fight overdevelopment, address traffic woes and work for more and better recreational opportunities. While protective of her James Island district, she has a citywide focus.

Mrs. Wilson, acting executive director of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, has demonstrated her commitment to managing growth. She took a lead in stopping a Super Walmart that would have filled wetlands and cut grand trees on James Island. And she cast council's sole vote to oppose Angel Oak Village, a development that would abut the iconic Angel Oak on John's Island.

Mrs. Wilson has shown her ability to negotiate prickly issues. She was instrumental in reducing, from 40 to four, the number of grand trees to be cut for intersection improvements at Folly and Camp roads.

She supports proposed road improvements to ease traffic congestion on Harbor View Road. She wants the city to step up efforts to fix its drainage problems.

She wisely called for more transparency in hiring a new fire chief in the wake of the tragic Sofa Super Store fire.

A world-class marathon swimmer, Mrs. Wilson has been a firm advocate for her constituents. She deserves the opportunity to continue on council.

11.1.09 Mcleod Plantation right price?

2009-11-01T06:46:00.001-08:00

Is McLeod worth its price?

Questions raised in plantation's purchase

By Diane Knich

The Post and Courier

Sunday, November 1, 2009

McLeod Plantation would bring the landlocked College of Charleston something it really needs -- more space for intramural sports fields, President George Benson says.

That might not seem like a good reason to buy a $4 million plantation, but the college has no space for such fields, and students complain about that, he said. He also said there are many academic uses for the property, including historic preservation programs, science projects and the arts.

And most important, Benson said, is that McLeod Plantation is uniquely Charleston. One of the things the College of Charleston has going for it is its location, he said. McLeod will "make us a special and unique place to go to school."

Photo by Robert Behre

The Post and Courier

The old slave cabins are a reminder of McLeod's past. Preservation programs are among the possible academic uses for the site.

Photo by Alan Hawes

The Post and Courier

In September, the College of Charleston announced its intention to buy the 40-acre McLeod Plantation on James Island for $4 million from the Historic Charleston Foundation.

College seeks piece of history; Education, preservation, recreation among plans for James Is. site, published 09/26/09

"If you're on Wall Street, you want to teach finance. If you're in Charleston, you want to teach historic preservation and the arts," Benson said.

But questions have swirled around campus and the community since the college announced in September that it was seriously considering purchasing the 40-acre plantation. Some wondered about the huge gap between the $4 million price tag and the $850,000 a previous owner paid. Others questioned why the college was considering spending up to $4 million on the James Island plantation when the college has other pressing financial needs.

The American College of the Building Arts purchased the property for $850,000 in December 2004 and sold it back to the Historic Charleston Foundation for the same amount in January.

Katherine Robinson, executive director of the Historic Charleston Foundation, said the price the American College of the Building Arts paid reflected how much the foundation had invested in the property since it inherited it from the estate of William McLeod.

The foundation took a different approach in reaching its deal with the College of Charleston, she said. The current $4 million price tag was based on an appraisal.

The college is in the middle of a 90-day due diligence period and is exploring whether to buy the property and how much to pay for it, Benson said. The college is getting an independent appraisal, inspecting the structures, conducting an environmental study and having other tests done, he said. The period ends Jan. 13.

If everything checks out, the College of Charleston Foundation will pay

the Historic Charleston Foundation $1 million up front. It then will pay $500,000 per year for six years at 3 percent interest, said George Watt, executive vice president for institutional advancement.

The $1 million will come from a $3 million fund held by the foundation for discretionary use by the college's leaders, Watt said. The college foundation's total portfolio is about $50 million in more than 400 funds. Of that, about $5 million is discretionary, he said.

College leaders said they also are looking for donors to help cover the plantation's cost.

Joe Kelly, speaker of the faculty, described the overall faculty reaction to the pending purchase as "cautious."

"Anytime you're looking at spending $4 million, it's going to be controversial," he said.

He knows of between eight and 10 academic areas that might have uses for the property, he said. But there also are faculty members who are against it. They are concerned about other needs on campus that they think are more pressing, Kelly said.

One such campus need is completing interior work on the second floor of the college's new science center. Another is the overhaul of the Rita Liddy Hollings science building. According to faculty members, the Hollings complex has a serious mold problem that's making them and their students sick.

Jim Carew, a geology professor, said his initial reaction to the news about the college possibly purchasing the plantation was negative. But, he said, he learned that the college is not putting out $4 million in one lump sum.

The college isn't deciding between McLeod Plantation and science facilities, he said. "I ended up accepting it's a reasonable thing to do," he said.

Steve Osborne, the college's vice president for business affairs, said that the college is applying for money from the federal stimulus program to complete the new building.

Phil Dustan, a biology professor, said the college has to be careful about how it acquires and uses the historic property. "Unless it's done with the greatest of dignity, it will ignite a firestorm of protest," he said.

And John Capelle, president of the Student Government Association, said students really want the intramural sports fields. "I can't tell you how important that is for everyone," he said.

Now, students use the fields at James Island County Park, he said. But those fields don't have lights, so students can't play at night. He would like to see the college purchase portable lights for McLeod. Students could play night games, then put the lights away so they don't disturb nearby neighbors.

Benson said the college recently adopted a new strategic plan. The purchase of McLeod Plantation is consistent with the plan's three values: educational excellence, a student-centered community and a focus on the traditions and environment of the Lowcountry.

And the plantation is available now, he said.

"My job is to handle day-to-day operations, but it is also to look deep out into the future. The choice for me was strategic," he said. "There's a window open for a brief amount of time, and it's going to close."

Robert Behre contributed to this report. Reach Diane Knich at 937-5491 or dknich@postandcourier.com.

11.1.09 SC relied on tax breaks and incentives

2009-11-01T06:44:00.001-08:00

State relied on power of tax breaks, incentives

By Rudolph Bell, The Greenville News

Sunday, November 1, 2009

South Carolina has diversified its approach to economic development in recent years, spending hundreds of millions of dollars to leverage university research into high-tech entrepreneurship and pushing to develop existing industry clusters.

But last week's announcement that The Boeing Co. will assemble its 787 Dreamliner jet in North Charleston shows the state's traditional approach to job creation -- using tax breaks and other incentives to recruit branch manufacturing -- can still carry a punch.

The plant is South Carolina's biggest win in the economic development game since the late Gov. Carroll Campbell recruited a BMW factory to the Upstate in 1992.

Campbell likewise employed traditional recruiting and incentives, an approach sometimes called "buffalo hunting" or "elephant hunting."

Gov. Mark Sanford in the past has criticized the use of tax breaks to lure companies as favoring new and big businesses over longtime and small ones.

To recruit Boeing, however, Sanford's Commerce Department worked closely with the General Assembly to craft a package of perks that has not as yet been publicly disclosed in its entirety but which lawmakers say is worth $450 million.

House Speaker Bobby Harrell of Charleston said the approach used to land Boeing harks back to the one Campbell used to recruit BMW.

"This is a case study in how it ought to be done," Harrell said. "The Commerce Department was very involved, and key legislators were brought in early in the process to make sure we could get through the General Assembly what was needed to bring the company here."

Harrell and other key lawmakers have never shared Sanford's libertarian reservations about using incentives when the result is a net gain for taxpayers.

"If we want to bring jobs to our people, we've got to be competitive with the sister states," said state Sen. Hugh Leatherman, a key player in the Boeing negotiations as chairman of the Finance Committee. "If we don't, we sit here and watch the jobs go to other states. I frankly am not willing to do that."

The Boeing announcement also shows there is still much to gain by courting the manufacturing sector.

"Manufacturing is not dead in this country," said Jeanette Goldsmith, a site consultant with the McCallum Sweeney firm of Greenville who helped Boeing pick Everett, Wash., for its first Dreamliner plant.

While there are likely fewer manufacturing jobs to recruit than in the past, "manufacturing is still a very critical component of South Carolina's economy and the country's economy," Goldsmith said.

Goldsmith said Boeing might bring additional production to South Carolina related to the next generation of its 737 airliner or an Air Force tanker plane it hopes to build. For that reason, state officials should cultivate their relationship with Boeing and identify sites in the Charleston area where the company could put plants.

"There's a lot more work coming," Goldsmith said.

Boeing's announcement also shows that South Carolina continues to benefit from its status as a so-called "right-to-work" state with one of the nation's lowest unionization rates.

Hal Johnson, president of the Upstate Alliance, the regional economic development organization with headquarters in Greenville, said South Carolinians believe labor and management "need to communicate with each other, and we don't need a third party to do it for us."

11.1.09 Oil be gone

2009-11-01T06:42:00.001-08:00

Oil-spots cleanup complete

Staff report

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Photo by Grace Beahm

The Post and Courier

Mikail Childs with Environmental Labor Solutions picks up pieces of oil that collected Tuesday among the reeds washed along the shore on Seabrook Island.

Cleanup continues; officials say ship spilled fuel, published 10/22/09

The Coast Guard announced Friday that it had completed cleaning up the tar balls and oil spots that were deposited on 60 miles of area shoreline after oil slicks were spotted in the harbor Oct. 20.

Gooey, black deposits of oil and tar were removed from the beaches at Sullivan's Island, Fort Sumter, Folly Beach and Kiawah, Seabrook and Edisto islands, the Coast Guard said.

More than 50 people from Coast Guard Sector Charleston, the S.C. department of Health and Environmental Control and Natural Resources, and contractors from Moran Environmental Services participated in the 10-day cleanup.

There was no evidence of direct impact to wildlife or fisheries. Crewmembers removed more than 2,600 bags filled with oily debris and sand for a total effort of more than 550 man-hours at a cost of approximately $330,000. The cost is paid by the Coast Guard National Pollution Funds Center's oil spill liability trust fund.

The source of the spilled oil petroleum product remains under investigation. The Coast Guard will provide an update on the investigation when a responsible party is identified. The responsible party may be responsible for the costs of the cleanup, plus additional civil penalties or fines.

"We had great cooperation from our state and local agency partners, and from the public as we quickly responded to reports of pollution," said Capt. Michael McAllister, commander, Coast Guard Sector Charleston. "We showed how working together to protect our environmentally sensitive shorelines minimized the impact of this spill."

11.1.09 State electric co-op

2009-11-01T06:40:00.000-08:00

In state electric co-op's plan, everyone wins

By Doug Pardue

The Post and Courier

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Ron Calcaterra

South Carolina's electricity cooperatives have an $800 million plan that could dramatically cut energy use in nearly a quarter-million homes -- and cost almost no money.

The plan could save billions of dollars in costs for electricity use and power plant construction, and substantially cut greenhouse gas pollution.

How would it work?

The federal government would put up grant and low-interest loan money. The cooperatives would administer the program and help homeowners use the money to upgrade the energy efficiency of their homes. And the monthly savings on electricity bills would be divided between the homeowner and a loan-repayment program.

Every bit of the money loaned to a homeowner would be repaid within eight years.

All the cooperatives have to do is persuade the federal government to buy into the idea.

The plan is the brainchild of Ron Calcaterra and his staff at the Central Electric Power Cooperative in Columbia, which purchases and supplies electricity for all 20 cooperatives across the state and will oversee the effort.

The cooperatives cover mainly rural areas and serve about 1.4 million people, almost a third of the state's population.

The grant and loan proposal is the key aspect of a multipart program by the cooperatives to cut the energy consumption 20 percent over the next 10 years. If successful, it would reduce electricity use by about 700 megawatts, enough to pull an entire coal-fired power plant off line, or make unnecessary the construction of a new one.

By policy, Central views environmental protection and energy conservation as important parts of its efforts. The cooperative already has prevented the construction of a proposed $1.2 billion coal-fired power plant that Santee Cooper, the state-owned energy company, wanted to build in Florence County.

In August, Santee Cooper pulled the plug on that plant because Central switched 1,000 megawatts of the power it buys from Santee Cooper to Duke, making the proposed Pee Dee power plant unnecessary.

Duke had excess power supply capacity due to the decline in the textile industry, and Central's action freed up electricity for Santee Cooper to meet the growing demand along the Grand Strand.

Getting public buy-in

The initial part of the cooperatives' energy conservation plan already is in the works: educate the public about the advantages of cutting electricity use and grab the lower hanging fruit of energy conservation.

Getting people to replace energy-gobbling incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient, compact florescent bulbs is the most immediately effective way to cut electricity use.

Central plans to provide customers with 7 million free florescent bulbs over the next 10 years. The company already has spent $6 million mailing homeowners 2 million bulbs in packets of two with energy-savings tips.

When all are sent, Central expects a 3 percent cut in the electricity used by the cooperatives.

One problem Central must overcome is a general lack of awareness by consumers of the advantages of energy conservation for them as well as the environment, Calcaterra said.

The U.S. Department of Energy ranks South Carolina as one of the nation's bigger consumers of electricity per person in the nation, so a public-education program is a key part of the cooperatives' initial efforts.

In one very public campaign, the cooperatives are working with television stations in seven markets across the state to run a show this fall called "Help my House." In the show, Central will spend $10,000 on one house in each market to demonstrate how to make a home more energy-efficient, and will follow-up to illustrate the advantages.

The Charleston area show will be on WCBD News 2.

Another key to the conservation effort is to determine what works best. To accomplish that, Central has launched several programs:

--Manufactured houses account for one out of every four homes Central serves and are typically the least energy efficient. As a result, Central will spend $3 million this year to retrofit 800 of the homes with different energy efficiency methods. New ducts and heating-and-air systems will be installed on 200; new roofing and insulation will be used in 200; energy-efficient appliances will be placed in 200, and the final 200 will be weatherized. At the end of two years, Central will see which method saved the most energy for the least cost.

--Spend $300,000 to upgrade the heating-and-air systems of 60 site-built houses to see what works best.

--Install passive solar water heaters on 60 homes to see if they can reduce electricity use by as much as half by pre-heating water.

--Place "Beat the Peak" alerts in 300 homes to see if homeowners will voluntarily cut back on electricity use during peak demand and wait for off-peak times, when electricity is cheaper, to use major appliances or hot water.

--Install a $3 million, 1,000-kilowatt battery early next year at a substation to store electricity during off-peak times and put it back into the system during peak times. If successful, Central could install the tractor-trailer-size, zinc bromide batteries at all 400 of its substations and effectively remove the need for another power plant to provide electricity at peak times.

It's up to Washington

With all of that information in hand, Central hopes to more effectively launch and target its proposed $800 million grant and low-interest loan program.

Calcaterra took that plan to Washington on Oct. 19 and presented it to the Rural Utility Service, an agency of the Department of Agriculture. He wants the federal government to provide $80 million a year for 10 years.

If the government approves the plan, the money would be used to weatherize the 150,000 homes, remove electric resistance heating elements from 75,000 other homes and replace them with efficient heat pumps, and replace older heat pumps with new ones in another 15,000 homes.

A main selling point for the plan is that it's not a government giveaway. It comes with a built-in repayment system that virtually guarantees the loans will be repaid.

That's being done, in part, because 25 percent of the people served by the cooperatives live below the poverty level and can't afford the out-of-pocket, up-front costs, Calcaterra said. Grants will be provided to help some of the least able.

Here's how the program would use the savings on homeowners' electric bills to automatically repay the loans: Central estimates the cost of weatherizing each home at $1,250, and the owners should realize a savings of $18 a month on their electric bills. The cooperative would automatically take $12 of that as a monthly loan payment and let the homeowner keep $6 of the savings.

The loan would automatically be paid off in about eight years. The monthly savings from changing out the resistance heating units and replacing them with heat pumps would be about $86. The homeowner would keep $30 of that and the rest would pay off the loan in less than seven years.

Calcaterra said the federal officials he met with "seemed positive" about the idea. The cooperatives plan to present a formal proposal early next year after figuring out how to administer the program and manage upgrades.

Weldon Freeman, a public information officer with the Agriculture Department, said the agency wouldn't take any action on the idea until it is submitted as a formal proposal. He said the agency had no comment on the idea at this time.

To Calcaterra, the plan is simply too good for the government not to approve. As an added benefit, it would boost the stimulus program by providing jobs all over the state to weatherize homes and buy and install more efficient heating-and-air units.

Already, he said, the state has provided $8 million in federal stimulus money to the technical colleges to prepare a work force with heating and air-conditioning classes.

In addition, Calcaterra said, the plan could be replicated in parts of the state served directly by power companies such as Santee Cooper, SCE&G and Duke and across the country.

If the federal government won't go for the plan, "we'll do it on a smaller scale," Calcaterra said. On its own, the energy savings would be much smaller, most likely 7 percent over the next 10 years, he said.

But Calcaterra remains confident the government will go along.

"This is it, all laid out: recovery by retrofit," he said. "If you want to have an impact, this is your best opportunity. ... I'm telling you this is the best that can be done. It's certainly the quickest that can be done."

11.1.09 Who do you want in charge? The Post and Courier - Charleston SC newspaper

2009-11-01T06:39:00.000-08:00

Who do you want in charge? The Post and Courier - Charleston SC newspaper

11.1.09 B O E I N G

2009-11-01T06:38:00.001-08:00

Bringing Boeing to S.C.THE ART OF THE DEAL

How political rivals, tenacious pursuit, ironclad silence and a little bit of luck produced a monumental victory

By Allyson Bird

The Post and Courier

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Photo Gallery

Boeing Plant - North Charleston

The Boeing Co. has announced that North Charleston will be home to a new 787 Dreamliner assembly plant, ending a hard-fought contest for the facility that could have instead landed it in Everett, Wash. Boeing announced that it will add to its existing facility at Charleston International Airport where fuselage sections for the Dreamliner are currently constructed.

Boeing coverage

Check out the special section on Boeing from The Post and Courier for more Boeing stories, photos and video

This momentous scene -- state leaders hugging and crying as Gov. Mark Sanford signed with 10 commemorative pens the legislation that landed Boeing's plant in North Charleston -- came only after six years of patient courtship.

Boeing had considered locating its first 787 Dreamliner assembly line on that chunk of property near Charleston International Airport in 2003. Unable to woo the aerospace giant from its home near Seattle at that time, state business leaders immediately looked toward a second chance.

The tenacious suitor chased its prize at air shows in Paris and London and to hushed meetings in Charleston. The climax arrived Wednesday, with a bold promise made from the Statehouse floor.

Just minutes before the end of that business day, Boeing executives called an unnamed company official as he sat in Sen. Glenn McConnell's office. He shared the decision that jolted Washington state: For its second assembly line, the company had chosen South Carolina.

Olympus to Gemini

When Boeing first took notice of North Charleston, the deal became known as "Project Olympus." According to Charleston County economic development director Steve Dykes, most people involved didn't blame the company for sticking with its Washington roots. The mere consideration paid off later for the Lowcountry, when it attracted Vought Aircraft Industries Inc. and Global Aeronautica to make fuselages for the Dreamliner at the airport site.

"We've kind of known ever since Vought landed here that this was a possibility," Dykes said.

Around the time Boeing took over the Vought plant last summer, Commerce Secretary Joe Taylor called Dykes to notify him that "Project Gemini," or the second assembly line, had been activated.

While readying the site for Vought years earlier, the Commerce Department's project manager, Jack Ellenberg, had made sure to get the entire property permitted just in case. Then he and Dykes and others called on Boeing at the European air shows to ask, like an attentive server, if the company needed anything.

Ellenberg, who worked to bring BMW, Michelin and Google to South Carolina, supposes that part of South Carolina's appeal came from its consistency.

"Companies can pick up the phone if they have a question," Ellenberg said. "They know who's going to answer the phone."

When in August Boeing officials asked if they could have permits ready by Oct. 30 for an assembly line in North Charleston, Ellenberg could tell them he had been ready for years.

As Boeing's intentions became clear, Ellenberg and Taylor began regularly meeting with Charleston business leaders, including everyone from the obvious economic development players to tourism officials. About 30 people convened at each meeting, bound not to disclose what unfolded inside.

"What we wanted people to do was to not necessarily talk about the company, but to talk about positive things here," Taylor said. "When people's neighbors or co-workers had questions, we wanted to make sure there were enough people out there to say we're working this hard."

Game of trust

South Carolina had laid a foundation, yes, but its sturdiness remained untested.

Greenville attorney and former federal judge Billy Wilkins heard concerns from state lawmakers that Boeing planned to use South Carolina only as leverage against Washington state and the union that represents its production workers there. The International Association of Machinists last year staged an eight-week strike in the Seattle area that compounded delays that had been dogging the 787 program for two years.

Wilkins relayed that conversation to a top Boeing executive he knew personally and then set up a meeting at his firm's law office in Charleston. Sen. Larry Grooms, a Bonneau Republican, said that gathering at Nexsen Pruet about two months ago marked a turning point.

Boeing officials "shared with us that they had some concerns over the stability of government in South Carolina," Grooms said, alluding to the then-recent news of the governor's extramarital affair in Argentina. "They expressed some dissatisfaction."

Although Wilkins would not explain his Boeing connection, he served as chief judge of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and the company's general counsel served on the bench. Another Nexsen Pruet attorney, Leighton Lord, said his firm began working with Boeing more than a year ago to represent the company in its takeover of the Vought portion of the fuselage plant.

Boeing jobs: Suppliers likely to relocate, published 11/01/09

Experts: Boeing move a message to unions

"People were worried about the governor, and people were worried about a lot of things going on in our state for a couple of months," Lord said.

Then lawmakers rallied and did so without publicity, and the game changed.

Boeing officials "were really kind of taken aback by it," Lord said. "I don't think they were used to it."

Following the Charleston meeting, the Boeing discussions turned daily among involved lawmakers. They also started an active dialogue with the Commerce Department.

Sanford drew on a personal connection to Boeing Chairman Jim McNerney. The two had developed a business relationship decades earlier, thanks to McNerney's friendship with first lady Jenny Sanford's family in Chicago, where the aerospace giant is now headquartered.

Meanwhile, without knowing the story playing out behind the scenes, local machinists at the existing North Charleston plant voted to sever ties with the union that walked out on Boeing for eight weeks last year in Washington.

The leader in the local movement, Dennis Murray, said the timing had nothing to do with luring a factory, only that the labor contract with Vought ended when Boeing took over.

"It wasn't until we were well into this that we heard about a second assembly line," Murray said. "That was never a factor. We were being totally selfish. We were fighting for ourselves."

As he put it, "Boeing unknowingly helped us." But some would argue that the workers unknowingly helped Boeing make its choice.

Crunching numbers

Of all the leaders standing behind Sanford as he signed the incentives legislation Friday morning, none received as many hugs and handshakes as Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hugh Leatherman, a Florence Republican. At the meeting between Boeing and lawmakers, one company official had singled out Leatherman and Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, a Charleston Republican.

Leatherman remembered the Boeing representative saying, "I want to look the two of you in the eyeballs" as they discussed the potential factory.

A few weeks after the meeting at Nexsen Pruet, Leatherman met one-on-one with the Boeing representative to talk further. He and McConnell reconvened at the Renaissance Charleston hotel on Wentworth Street that Saturday morning.

McConnell remembered a few residents stopping by their table near the lounge window to joke about state business taking place. He thought, "Little do they know, this is big state business."

Without placing an order, the two senators looked at spreadsheets and talked numbers for an incentives package that could lure big business without hurting the state financially.

Days later, Leatherman left on an economic development trip to Japan but remained in e-mail communication with his Boeing contact.

A few days back in the country, he had a meeting at his Senate office Monday night.

Leatherman said there they ironed out an incentives package and then brought in their attorneys for a few more hours. As midnight neared, they had reached an agreement.

Their $450 million proposal was tentatively approved on a unanimous vote Tuesday in the Senate. It got final approval Wednesday and, in unprecedented time, moved to the House, which also gave its unanimous approval.

No one knew Boeing's final decision until McConnell, Leatherman, House Speaker Bobby Harrell, a company official and four attorneys met in McConnell's office shortly before 5 p.m. Wednesday. The Boeing representative took a call from top executives that sent lawmakers rushing to the Senate floor.

McConnell said Boeing representatives sat in the balcony but requested anonymity. As he stepped to the podium, McConnell said he thought, "The members can read our faces. We don't have to utter a word."

Reach Allyson Bird at abird@postandcourier.com or 937-5594.

10.30.09 Andre Bauer officially running for governor

2009-10-30T06:49:00.000-07:00

Bauer announces gubernatorial bid

Friday, October 30, 2009

COLUMBIA — South Carolina Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer is officially running for governor.

Bauer announced Thursday he had opened a gubernatorial campaign account.

The Republican has been expected to run in 2010. But in recent months, he offered to stay out of the race if he became the state's top official by the end of October because Gov. Mark Sanford resigned or legislators removed him. Bauer said the Legislature's failure to take up impeachment at the special session means his offer is gone.

10.30.09 Congress approves spending bill

2009-10-30T06:48:00.001-07:00

Spending bill approved

Measure increases sewer project grants

By ANDREW TAYLOR

Associated Press

Friday, October 30, 2009

WASHINGTON -- Congress on Thursday cleared a stopgap spending measure to avoid shutting down most federal agencies at midnight Saturday.

The measure, now ready for President Barack Obama's signature, would give Congress until Dec. 18 to finish seven incomplete spending measures that were supposed to be wrapped up by Sept. 30.

The Senate cleared the bill by a 72-28 vote after a 247-178 House vote earlier Thursday.

The legislation also extends highway programs and federal loan guarantees for larger mortgages.

The anti-shutdown measure was attached to a remarkably generous $32.2 billion spending bill for the Interior Department and environmental programs, one that pumps billion of dollars into clean and safe drinking water projects.

Several of the remaining bills, including a $626 billion measure funding the Pentagon, appear likely to be bundled together into an omnibus bill lawmakers had hoped to avoid.

The bill rewards Interior and the EPA and some smaller agencies with increases of $4.7 billion over 2009 levels, an increase of 17 percent. The biggest increases go to EPA grants to state and local governments for sewage treatment projects, wastewater treatment and clean drinking water projects.

There's $5 billion in the measure for such clean water projects, including 333 earmarks by lawmakers in both parties, such as $500,000 for Fremont, Ohio, to deal with sewer overflows during heavy rains and $400,000 for Washburn, N.D., for improvements to its drinking water treatment plant.

The generosity raised hackles with Republicans, who said the increases are simply unaffordable and unsustainable given the government's dismal deficit picture.

But Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash., the chief author of the bill in the House, said that former President George W. Bush had squeezed interior and environmental accounts in his eight years in office. Bush routinely cut back grants to state and local governments that are extremely popular with lawmakers, forcing them to rummage through other accounts to restore the cuts.

There's also $475 million to restore the Great Lakes, a sevenfold increase requested by Obama, as well as lesser amounts to improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay, Puget Sound, San Francisco Bay and the Long Island Sound.

But at the same time, Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey, D-Wis., used his clout to muscle through a provisions to effectively exempt 13 ships that haul iron ore, coal and other freight on the Great Lakes from a proposed federal rule meant to reduce air pollution.

10.30.09 N Chas staying focused on Boeing

2009-10-30T06:46:00.001-07:00

Staying focused was key

Mayor says optimism was order of the day

By Schuyler Kropf

The Post and Courier

Friday, October 30, 2009

Thirty days ago, North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey was extremely optimistic about his city's chances of landing Boeing.

Summey

Months of negotiations had gone better than expected. During a lunch at Trident Technical College, the mayor had even given some of the Boeing execs a history lesson on the Charleston Naval Shipyard, where generations of local workers had turned out fleets of U.S. surface ships.

"I told them I didn't know of one that sank because it wasn't built strong enough," Summey told the group at his table, drawing smiles from the Boeing suits.

He seemingly had reinforced that their multibillion-dollar gamble on trusting a 787 jet assembly line to an unfamiliar workforce, across the continent, wasn't so risky.

Then early last week, the Boeing clouds turned dark.

Media reports from the West Coast said Boeing's powerful labor union representatives in Washington state were considering negotiating on its no-strike clause. In his office, Summey recalculated the odds of landing the expansion if the union troubles were settled. In his head, the numbers dropped from about 75 percent probable, to below 60 -- less than reassuring.

Boeing coverage

Check out the special section on Boeing from The Post and Courier for more Boeing stories, photos and video

Even as rumors in Washington were escalating last week, Cawley said he kept plugging away, arranging for permits for Boeing to clear trees at the expansion site near the Charleston International Airport so work could quickly begin.

"It didn't have any effect on us," Cawley said of the swirling Seattle media reports, or any other matter beyond South Carolina's control. "We proceeded as if Boeing were coming here."

Summey said that on Wednesday morning, he still didn't know for sure if South Carolina's package and strategy had worked. "It's not over till it's over," he said.

10.30.09 Helping Charleston Homeless

2009-10-30T06:38:00.001-07:00

Helping hands

Homeless, others in need converge on Armory Park for everything from food to medical screenings

By Andy Paras

The Post and Courier

Friday, October 30, 2009

Photo by Alan Hawes

The Post and Courier

The lines were long Thursday for people taking advantage of the services offered during the 10th annual Stand Down Against Homelessness program at the Armory Park Community Center in North Charleston. More than 1,000 people received food, clothing, medical screenings, haircuts and other help. The event continues today.

Photo by Alan Hawes

The Post and Courier

If you go

Stand Down Against Homelessness continues from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at Armory Park, 5000 Lackawanna Blvd., North Charleston. The event is open to the entire community.

Nancy Mangus needed help, but she was afraid to ask for it.

The Summerville woman said she had few options after an expensive custody battle over her granddaughter emptied her bank account. When a friend told her about the 10th annual Stand Down Against Homelessness event Thursday and today, she initially resisted.

"I've never had to ask for help before," she said.

She wasn't alone as men, women and children in possibly record numbers lined up at the door of the Armory Park Community Center in North Charleston to receive food, clothing and a multitude of other services ranging from dental screenings to haircuts.

Volunteers served more than 1,000 homeless or in-need people in just the first two hours Thursday. Last year a total of 1,915 people were helped over the course of the two-day event.

The event, sponsored by the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center and Goodwill Industries, will resume today from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

"I'm really glad I came," Mangus said afterward while holding a bag of clothes and books. "It's nice to see all of the smiling faces and no judgment. That's what I was afraid of: judgment. But there was none at all."

Organizers said they had a feeling there would be a large turnout this year, given the sorry economy and high unemployment rate. Hugh Myrick, associate chief of staff for mental health at the VA, said he initially panicked when he saw all of the people waiting at the door.

"In some ways it makes one a little bit sad that we have so many people coming through," he said.

Myrick said once the event is over they will have to evaluate whether they need to move it to a larger location next year.

Despite long lines, most people appeared to be happy and relieved that they were getting help. Some got flu shots and haircuts, while others soaked their feet or learned about what services were available for them.

Tonya Lobbestael, public affairs officer for the medical center, said Veterans Affairs participates in the annual event because veterans make up 35 percent of the homeless population in the United States.

Organizers said about 25 percent of the early arrivals Thursday were homeless veterans.

Jeff Hollis of West Ashley is a former homeless veteran. In June the VA placed the Vietnam veteran in a home where he lived since and taken classes to help repair his credit.

He said Thursday's event, at which he ate breakfast, had his teeth examined and planned to get his hair cut, was just another way the VA has helped him.

"I thank the Lord and the VA for helping me get my life back together," he said.

Reach Andy Paras at 937-5589 or aparas@postand courier.com.

10.30.09 Climate Change meeting

2009-10-30T06:36:00.001-07:00

Symposium focuses on climate change risk

Associated Press

Friday, October 30, 2009

State and local leaders are meeting to discuss the threat posed to the South Carolina coast by bigger and more severe hurricanes.

The Coastal Risk Symposium on Friday in Charleston includes business, government and community leaders. Among the speakers are South Carolina Insurance Director Scott Richardson and Charleston Mayor Joe Riley.

Many scientists think climate change will result in more severe hurricanes in future years.

The symposium is sponsored by the Travelers Institute, created by The Travelers insurance and financial services company to discuss public policy issues of importance to insurance markets.

10.30.09 House Health Care Reform Bill

2009-10-30T06:35:00.001-07:00

Fresh questions greet House Democrats' bill

By DAVID ESPO

Associated Press

Friday, October 30, 2009

WASHINGTON -- Cheered by President Barack Obama, House Democrats rolled out landmark legislation Thursday to extend health insurance to tens of millions who lack coverage, impose sweeping new restrictions on the insurance industry and create a government-run option to compete with private insurers.

But even as party leaders pointed toward a vote next week, there were fresh questions that went to the heart of their ambitious drive to remake the nation's health care system.

Congressional budget experts predicted the controversial government insurance option would probably cost consumers somewhat more than private coverage. At the same time, rank-and-file conservative Democrats sought additional information about the bill's overall impact on federal health care spending.

There was no official estimate on the total cost of the legislation, which ran to 1,990 pages. The Congressional Budget Office said the cost of additional coverage alone was slightly more $1 trillion over a decade. But that omitted other items, including billions for disease prevention programs.

Yet another $230 billion or more in higher fees for doctors treating Medicare patients, included in an earlier version of the bill, was stripped out and will be voted on separately.

The measure "covers 96 percent of all Americans, and it puts affordable coverage in reach for millions of uninsured and underinsured families, lowering health care costs for all of us," boasted Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., at a ceremony attended by dozens of Democratic lawmakers. She spoke on the steps of the Capitol, not far from where Obama issued his inaugural summons for Congress to act more than nine months ago.

Pelosi said the legislation would reduce federal deficits over the next decade by $104 billion, and congressional budget experts said it would probably reduce them even further over the following 10 years

While saying they expected a vote next week, Democratic leaders were careful not to claim they had yet rounded up enough votes to pass the legislation. Still, the day's events capped months of struggle and marked a major advance in their drive -- and Obama's -- to accomplish an overhaul of the health care system that has eluded presidents for a half-century.

Across the Capitol, the Democratic-controlled Senate is expected to begin debate within two weeks on a bill crafted by Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. It, too, envisions a government-run insurance option, although states could opt out, unlike in the bill the House will vote on. That portion of the Senate version appears likely to be weakened even further, as moderates press for a standby system that would not go into effect until it was clear individual states were experiencing a lack of competition among private companies.

Obama called the House legislation "another critical milestone in the effort to reform our health care system."

Republican reaction was as swift as it was negative. "It will raise the cost of Americans' health insurance premiums; it will kill jobs with tax hikes and new mandates, and it will cut seniors' Medicare benefits," said the party's leader in the House, Rep. John Boehner of Ohio. He carried a copy of the 1,990-page measure into a news conference to underscore his claim it represented a government takeover of the health care system.

Rep. Henry E. Brown Jr. of South Carolina remarked, "Unfortunately, after weeks of secretive meetings behind closed doors, Speaker Pelosi has introduced a bill today that is quite possibly worse than it was this summer. By supporting such a far-reaching overhaul, the Obama Administration and Democrats in Congress are ignoring the voice of the American public.

"I said it this summer and I will say it again, I will not vote for any plan that includes a government takeover of health care as it will increase taxes and overall healthcare costs, add to our national debt and pay for it on the backs of American seniors, families and small businesses," Brown said.

"Republicans have offered common sense solutions based on budget-neutral proposals and the fundamental principle that personal medical decisions should be made by patients and their health care providers, not unaccountable bureaucrats in Washington. Democrats must listen to the American people, and I sincerely hope that will mean working with us on the real reforms families want and need," he said.

Republicans already have signaled their determination to make the health care debate a key issue in next year's congressional elections, when all 435 House seats will be on the ballot.

But their ability to block passage in the current House is nonexistent as long as Pelosi and her leadership can forge a consensus among the Democratic rank and file. The party holds 256 seats in the House, where 218 makes a majority.

Broad in scope, the House Democrats' bill attempts to build on the current system of employer-provided health care. It would require big companies to cover their employees and include federal subsidies to help small companies provide insurance for theirs, as well.

Most individuals would be required to carry insurance, and much of the money in the legislation is dedicated to subsidies for those at lower incomes to help them afford coverage.

For those at even lower incomes, the bill provides for an expansion of Medicaid, the state-federal health program for the poor. Adults up to 150 percent of the poverty level -- individuals making up to $16,245 and a family of four up to $33,075 -- would be covered, a provision estimated to add 15 million to Medicaid.

One of the bill's major features is a new national insurance market, in which private companies could sell policies that meet federally mandated benefit levels, the government would offer competing coverage and consumers could shop for the policy that best met their needs.

Thursday's bill includes an array of new restrictions on the private insurance industry, in addition to forcing insurers to compete with the federal government for business.

Firms would be banned from denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions and limited in their ability to charge higher premiums on the basis of age.

10.30.09 Council's new direction in garbage landfill

2009-10-30T06:32:00.001-07:00

Council snuffs garbage landfill

Plan for construction waste still on table

By Diane Knich

The Post and Courier

Friday, October 30, 2009

A Charleston County Council committee snuffed out a decades-old plan Thursday to possibly build a landfill for household garbage in the rural Adams Run community.

But a landfill for construction waste and debris still might be in the works for the area, which sits on the southwestern edge of the county near the intersection of U.S. Highway 17 and Parkers Ferry Road.

The Planning and Public Works Committee was scheduled to discuss and possibly vote on measures that would have allowed the construction waste landfill proposal to move a step forward. That would have required an amendment to the county's long-term land-use plan and a zoning change. But the committee put that vote on hold until its Dec. 3 meeting and scheduled a Dec. 1 public hearing on the matter.

The committee also voted 8-0 to put up for sale a 313-acre site the county owns adjacent to the 300-acre site of the proposed private construction waste landfill. Councilman Paul Thurmond did not attend the meeting.

The county purchased that property about 20 years ago with the intention of possibly using it as a site for a municipal solid waste landfill when the Bees Ferry Landfill was full. Some council members said the group had ruled out using the county's land for garbage. The committee voted to sell the property partly because the move sends a clear message to the Adams Run community that a landfill for household garbage is not coming their way, the committee said.

Both landfill proposals have generated strong opposition from community residents who worry about the safety of their water, which comes from wells, and the fragile low-lying environment near the ACE Basin.

But Mount Pleasant businessman Tre Sheppard's proposal to build a landfill for construction waste has garnered support from some council members.

Previous stories

Proposed landfill stumbles, published 01/13/09

Hundreds show opposition to landfill, published 02/04/09

Sheppard said Wednesday that if he is allowed to build the landfill, he plans to operate in an environmentally safe manner and to be considerate of area residents.

He said he plans to recycle at least 60 percent of the materials that he collects, a rate that far exceeds the county's recently established goal of recycling 40 percent of the stream of solid waste.

Sheppard knows that many area residents oppose his plan to build a landfill. But he said that if he's allowed to move forward and start the business, he's certain that even those now opposed will "actually be pleased with what's going on."

Rick Miller, an Adams Run resident who lives near Sheppard's land, said he and many other residents remain opposed to the project. Residents depend on wells for their water, he said. And if chemicals and other toxins leak from the landfill, they could destroy the area's water supply, he said.

He's surprised the plan still is being considered. "We thought it was dead in the water," Miller said.

The county's Planning Commission in February voted to recommend that County Council not move forward with the plan. Council then postponed discussion on the plan, first for 90 days, then indefinitely, as it made progress on the basic structure of a countywide plan for handling solid waste.

Councilman Joe McKeown said he thinks the county needs a site for construction waste. But he proposed conditions that he wants Sheppard to agree to before giving the project the go-ahead. The committee approved those conditions, which include: making sure Sheppard's plan is consistent with the county's larger solid waste plan; requiring Sheppard to pay a fee to the county for every ton of waste he disposes of and an additional fee for any out-of-county waste he accepts; agreeing to a long-term contract to handle storm debris if another hurricane should hit the county; and meeting recycling goals. McKeown also said that he thinks Sheppard should agree to line the landfill to make it safer for the environment. The law doesn't require that construction waste landfills be lined.

Councilmen Dickie Schweers and Vic Rawl, who represents the area in which the proposed landfill sits, questioned the wisdom of moving forward with the project before the county's detailed and long-term solid waste plan was complete.

But Council Chairman Teddie Pryor said the landfill is needed, and Sheppard's proposal meets the initial goals for handling solid waste. For example, he said, the county wants to develop more public and private partnerships for handling its garbage, and Sheppard's plan does that. Pryor also said that he's pleased with the amount Sheppard plans to recycle.

Pryor knows that some people who live near the site are opposed to the project. But garbage is always a sensitive issue. "And some folks, no matter what you do, you won't satisfy them," he said.

Reach Diane Knich at 937-5491 or dknich@postandcourier.com.

10.28.09 Congressman Henry Brown response

2009-10-28T10:12:00.001-07:00

October 28, 2009

Ms. Shea Onofrey

1514 Brookbank Avenue

Charleston, SC 29412-3461

Dear Ms. Onofrey:

Thank you for contacting me regarding efforts to update current neotropical migratory bird conservations efforts by the Fish and Wildlife Service. The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act was passed in 2000 to promote the long-term conservation of these birds in North and Latin America, and over $25 million has been authorized for these programs. With the current authorization for these programs nearing their expiration date and as the leading Republican on the Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee with jurisdiction over habitat protection efforts, I appreciate hearing your thoughts on this issue and welcome every opportunity to be of service.

The current Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation program has worked with local grantees in support of 260 projects, coordinated by partners in 48 U.S. states/territories and 36 countries. More than $25.5 million from NMBCA grants have leveraged about $120 million in other funds. Projects involving land conservation have affected about 1.9 million acres of bird habitat. In 2008, 37 projects were approved for funding. I am a strong supporter of these programs and look forward working with my colleagues on the Subcommittee to move legislation continuing and updating these programs. For more information regarding this conservation effort, I recommend visiting their FWS website at http://www.fws.gov/birdhabitat/Grants/NMBCA/index.shtm.

I am proud to be an advocate for animals and wildlife in Congress and to have the highest Humane Society rating of any member of the South Carolina Delegation during the 110th Congress. This Congress, I have made efforts to preserve sea turtles and species habitat here in the US and internationally a major priority.

You can learn more about my efforts to protect wildlife by visiting http://.brown.house.gov/Issues/environment.html, and you can sign-up for e-mail updates on issues before Congress by visiting http://brown.house.gov/updates. I am honored to serve you in Congress and I look forward to hearing from you on other matters of interest or concern.

Sincerely,

Henry E. Brown, Jr.
Member of Congress

10.26.09 Charleston stimulus - energy efficiency projects

2009-10-26T05:36:00.000-07:00

Grant aimed at energy efficiency

By David Slade

The Post and Courier

Monday, October 26, 2009

Charleston has been awarded more than $1.1 million in federal stimulus funds for energy efficiency projects, and some of the money is meant to be used to design a city-wide program to help property owners make improvements to reduce buildings' energy needs.

The grant also will be used to pay for new energy-saving traffic signals that use light-emitting diodes instead of traditional bulbs.

It also will help pay for the city's new Arthur W. Christopher Community Center, which is being built with a number of environmentally-friendly features.

About $250,000 of the grant, which City Council will be asked to accept Tuesday, is set aside for the proposed Charleston Energy Efficiency Partnership initiative.

The city's goal is to create an organization, possibly a nonprofit group, that would help property owners plan and finance energy-saving im-provements, which they could pay off over time through a surcharge on their water bills.

The city hopes to fund the program without city funds, by attracting private investment capital, though the details have not been worked out.

A number of other cities have such programs either operating or in the planning stages, and the federal government is supporting such initiatives with funding.

The idea is that with proper financing, property owners could use their energy savings over time to pay for the improvements that saved the energy, reducing power consumption with no out-of-pocket cost.

Some City Council members have been cool to the idea, and have expressed concern about the city's potential involvement.

"I think the message to council on Tuesday is, we're not asking them to commit to a particular business model," Charleston's new Director of Sustainability, Brian Sheehan, said Friday. "We're allowed the use that money to develop a model."

"The city doesn't see itself as the operator of this venture," he said. "It's kind of a private enterprise."

The concept was developed for Charleston by the consulting group Serrafix.

Sheehan said he doesn't know if Serrafix, or a different consultant, might be used to develop the details of the program the city hopes to launch.

10.26.09 Yard signs surging

2009-10-26T05:34:00.000-07:00

Local races enter countdown to Nov. 3

Some high-profile contests drive surging interest

By Robert Behre

The Post and Courier

Monday, October 26, 2009

Yard signs will continue to bloom and political barbs will keep sprouting as the homestretch nears for dozens of Lowcountry municipal campaigns.

Candidates have only 10 days left before Election Day arrives Nov. 3.

Election forums

• Mount Pleasant candidates will appear at a forum at 7 p.m. Monday in the town's municipal complex, 100 Ann Edwards Lane.

• A forum for Isle of Palms candidates will start at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Isle of Palms Recreation Center.

One of the highest-profile contests -- the three-way race to see who will become Mount Pleasant's next mayor -- will intensify Monday as the candidates appear at a forum at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.

Mayoral hopefuls Joe Bustos, Gary Santos and Billy Swails are expected to appear, as are the 19 candidates for the town's four Town Council seats.

None of the 22 Mount Pleasant mayoral and council candidates are incumbents, and the surging interest in these wide-open races has resulted in heavy absentee voting so far, said Marilyn Bowers, director of the Charleston County Board of Elections and Voter Registration.

Another lively contest is taking place just up U.S. Highway 17, wherelongtime Awendaw Mayor William Alston faces a challenge from Town Councilman Sam Robinson. In a campaign dominated by talk about the town's growth and zoning issues, each mayoral hopeful also is backing a different slate of council candidates.

The city of Charleston also is holding an election Nov. 3, but only those voters who live in City Council Districts 2, 8, 10 and 12 may participate. These districts mostly cover West Ashley and James Island, though District 8 also includes part of the peninsula.

Covering the politics of the Lowcountry, South Carolina and the Nation.

Voters on the Isle of Palms will choose between incumbent Mayor Dick Cronin and challenger Jimmy Ward, and they will choose among six candidates for four city council seats. The city's candidates are expected to appear at a forum at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Isle of Palms Recreation Center on 28th Avenue.

Seabrook Island and Rockville also will elect a mayor and several council members, while voters in Ravenel, Lodge and Edisto Beach also will go to the polls. Moncks Corner voters will pick several council members and decide whether to allow Sunday beer and wine sales there.

Some elections, like those in McClellanville and Jamestown, were so sleepy that no challengers filed and the towns called off their elections to save the expense, as allowed under state law.

Bowers said voters who have moved should try to update their address before Election Day so they can receive a letter that will allow them to vote at the correct polling place.

Also, those seeking an absentee ballot by mail should do so as soon as possible.

"The last day we can mail a ballot is Friday before the election, but the ballot has to be back to us by Election Day," she said, "so waiting that late is really taking a chance.

10.16.09 GCTAG - Bob Krough letter to the editor

2009-10-26T05:31:00.000-07:00

More debate

A government-run medical program is the first step to socialized medicine and eventually a socialistic state.

"You and I are going to spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it once was like in America when men were free." The time was 1963, the author was Ronald Reagan and the threat was the creation of Medicare.

"Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians." The threat was the Egyptian armies and the setting was the railing of the Israeli masses against Moses as he tried to lead them out of slavery into the promised land,

Much hyperbole, misinformation, vitriolic rhetoric and behavior have surrounded the health care debate. Whether it stems from the earnest but unfounded fears of Ronald Reagan about Medicare, or the Israelites escaping slavery, the answer has to be found not in the threats of killing grandma or the rhetoric born of special interests, but in the facts and truth, or we will have to revisit this problem again and again.

Over 44,000 Americans die every year because of lack of health insurance. Over 50 percent of bankruptcies are caused by medical bills. Let's not treat our fellow Americans as disposable while unfounded fears and special interests prompt us to try everything else.

BOB KROGH
Stockton Drive
Mount Pleasant

10.16.09 $636 BILLION for the Pentagon this year

2009-10-26T05:27:00.000-07:00

End this earmark racket

Monday, October 26, 2009

The House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee dispensed $636 billion this year to the Pentagon. Its members must look on the $103 million they earmarked for favored projects as mere crumbs from the table.

Outside the defense budget, however, $100 million a year is a tidy sum, and getting a piece of the action is a regular part of Washington's political culture. At the center is a mutually beneficial connection between members of Congress, their former staff members turned lobbyists, and corporations or non-profits seeking federal money -- what some social scientists call "relationship circles."

In this instance, it's better described as a blatant conflict of interest.

Money holds these relationships together. Organizations looking for federal money hire lobbyists with connections to legislators in a position to sponsor earmarks. To promote good will, the lobbyists and the petitioners frequently make campaign contributions to the legislators. One hand, as the saying goes, washes the other.

Except for rare legislators like Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., most members of Congress from both parties apparently don't view the cycle as necessarily corrupting, despite the obvious conflicts.

Control of who succeeds in getting earmarks enacted equals political power in the House. No one has been as aggressive in promoting earmarks for himself and other members in his favor as Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. In the past 10 years he has helped his district obtain more than $400 million in federal funds, including a mostly unused airport named for him. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tried and failed to make him House majority leader, but he still helps her discipline the Democratic majority, and he helps himself, plenty.

Last year the FBI lunched an investigation into allegations that a lobbying group led by former Murtha staffers was illegally promising campaign contributions in exchange for earmarks. The investigation continues, but it does not seem to have had any chastening effect on Mr. Murtha or members of his subcommittee.

A recent study by the Center for Public Integrity found that this year, 10 of 16 subcommittee members earmarked $103 million for contractors who employed ex-staffers as lobbyists. Meanwhile, they received campaign contributions from the same contractors or lobbyists. A majority of the panel "continued to engage in controversial relationships involving ex-staffers-turned-lobbyists, contractors, campaign cash and earmarks," it said.

Getting campaign funds from earmark beneficiaries ought to be outlawed.

Until it is, the Murtha racket will continue bleeding the public purse for political gain.

10.16.09 Scientists gather

2009-10-26T05:23:00.000-07:00

Coastal change a topic at S.C. forum

Monday, October 26, 2009

MYRTLE BEACH -- Scientists from around the world are gathering in South Carolina this week for a geological conference.

And one of the topics at the six-day conference getting under way on Sunday is shoreline change along the northern South Carolina coast.

The International Geological Programs Annual Conference is being held in Myrtle Beach through Saturday.

The meeting includes the presentation of seven years of research on coastal change along the upper South Carolina coast.

"The South Carolina Coastal Erosion Study" was supported by the U.S. Geological Survey and the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium.

10.16.09 What about human suffering?

2009-10-26T05:21:00.000-07:00

Mercury study to be pared down

By Doug Pardue

Monday, October 26, 2009

State health officials are poised to begin a long-awaited study of the effects of mercury pollution in South Carolina, and whether some groups of people are suffering mercury- related illnesses.

But the study will begin as a more modest effort than the more statewide effort envisioned last year.

That study was called off because of the state budget crisis, and the study that's getting under way now will start off small because of the same financial limitations, according to Adam Myrick, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Environmental Control.

"Due to budget cuts, we won't be able to do a full epidemiological study as previously discussed. With a loss of somewhere around $40 million in state funding, that type of study simply isn't feasible at this time," Myrick said.

The Mercury Connection We know mercury taints fish. What about people?.

This study will begin with a focus on people in the Pee Dee region, where mercury contamination is particularly high. Asked when the study would begin, Myrick said, 'We're in the process of getting it off the ground now.'

Calls for the mercury study began in late 2007 after The Post and Courier's series, "The Mercury Connection," revealed that many people who eat fish caught in the state's mercury-contaminated rivers have unusually high levels of the poisonous heavy metal in their systems.

The series also revealed mercury "hot spots" where fish caught in rivers had the highest levels of mercury. One area near the confluence of the Great and Little Pee Dee rivers was named the mercury triangle because fish caught there contained some of the highest mercury levels in the state.

DHEC has tested the levels of mercury in fish for years. It occasionally issues warnings to not eat certain fish. But the agency never has systematically tested people to see if they are being placed at risk.

Mercury occurs naturally, but it also falls to the earth as pollution from coal-burning factories, especially from electric power plants. That mercury tends to collect in rivers and lakes where it gets into the food chain and ends up in fish.

Eating fish tainted with mercury is the main way people are exposed to health risks. Mercury can cause numerous health problems, especially brain and neurological injury. It is especially dangerous for pregnant women and young children.

Myrick said health officials have been trying to regroup on a study since early spring to determine "if we really do have a problem."

People in the Pee Dee area were concerned about mercury pollution, especially since Santee Cooper wanted to build a new $1.2 billion coal-fired plant on the banks of the Great Pee Dee River.

Even though Santee Cooper canceled the plant two months ago, Myrick said DHEC feels an obligation to residents of the Pee Dee to continue with a promised study, despite the lack of money.

He said people in the Pee Dee region will be able go to DHEC health department clinics in Lake City and Florence to have their blood drawn and tested for mercury levels. The tests will be free for "anybody who walks in."

Health officials also hope to eventually expand this offering at more health department locations around the state.

10.21.09 OP-ed - Barnwell Co GOP leader

2009-10-21T07:48:00.000-07:00

Barnwell County Chairman’s Op-ed

Written by Grooms News on October 21, 2009, 10:44 AM

From SCGOP.com

Over the weekend Barnwell County Republican Party Chairman, Ben Kinlaw, wrote an op-ed for The People Sentinel. Chairman Kinlaw voiced his support for Senator Jim DeMint in his battle against frivolous Congressional earmarks. It was written in response Representative Bakari Seller’s op-ed written last week. In case you missed the article, we have attached it below.

Dear Editor,

On Sept. 30 in a statewide newspaper, I read state Rep. Bakari Sellers’ column attacking U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint and his opposition to Congressional earmarks.

I was greatly outraged by the mentality of, “if we don’t put in for government handouts, someone else is going to get our share.” I applaud Sen. DeMint for standing by his campaign promises, holding his ground and not giving in to the special interest groups.

The vast majority of earmarks go to congressmen and senators who lead the Appropriations Committee – the so-called appropriators. They write the annual funding bills and reserve most of the earmark funding for the projects they support.

Sometimes these are projects in their home states, and sometimes the projects are supported by their campaign donors. Congressmen and senators who aren’t on the Appropriations Committees are left to fight for the table scraps.

In this system, there is no honest assessment of how these taxpayer funds could be used to best achieve our national goals. Each appropriator is left to his own discretion. This system is dangerously open to corruption and we have witnessed some of these appropriators sentenced on bribery and corruption charges.

Rep. Sellers seems to think $34 million in funding for South Carolina is worth the country funneling $17 billion into this broken system in 2008 alone. If South Carolina can only expect one fifth of one percent, shouldn’t our members of Congress be making reform their top priority?

Why should Sen. DeMint compromise his fight to save the U.S. taxpayer, because of the wastefulness of Congressional appropriators?

If they refuse to turn Sen. DeMint’s foregone earmarks into tax rebates or debt repayment, they should be the target of Rep. Sellers’ ire and not Sen. DeMint.

Sincerely, 
Benny Kinlaw
 Chairman 
Barnwell County
 Republican Party

10.21.09 Common Ground

2009-10-21T06:56:00.000-07:00

Bipartisan spirit on sanctions

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Six senators from opposite sides of the aisle have come together to urge passage of legislation to give President Obama authority to impose "aggressive and meaningful" sanctions on Iran. Their bipartisan spirit should encourage further cooperation to advance the necessary legislation.

The senators are Republicans Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, John McCain of Arizona and Saxby Chambliss of Georgia; Democrats Evan Bayh of Indiana and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania; and Independent

Democrat Joe Lieberman of Connecticut. In a recent statement, they said that while they "are hopeful" that the U.S. and allies can persuade Iran to give up its quest for nuclear weapons, they "believe that congressional action can aid the president and send the right signals to the Iranian regime."

Their proposal is well-timed. Iran continues to reject United Nations Security Council demands that it cease enriching uranium despite a show of cooperation on other matters. But it recently agreed to let international inspectors examine its underground uranium enrichment facility at Qom. Iran also said it might allow other nations to enrich uranium for a small research reactor.

Unfortunately, neither concession addresses the main concern — that Iran is rapidly assembling the technology for making nuclear weapons. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran now has the necessary knowledge to design and build such weapons. Talks on the nuclear program are being held in Vienna this week.

French President Nicholas Sarkozy recently said Iran had until December to reach agreement with the Security Council on its nuclear program, though President Obama appears to lean toward continued talks over confrontation. Either way, having powerful sanction tools available strengthens the Western negotiating position.

The six senators are calling for quick approval of three measures that already enjoy broad bipartisan support. One would give the president authority to impose sanctions on the sale of gasoline and other refined petroleum products to Iran. Another authorizes state and local governments to stop their pension funds and other investment vehicles from owning shares in companies that invest in Iran's energy sector. The third prohibits the U.S. government from doing business with firms that sell the Iranian government tools for censoring Internet communications.

"Diplomacy is more likely to be effective if backed by the credible threat of strong sanctions," the senators argued in a letter to their Democratic and Republican leaders.

Swift passage would give the president more options that he obviously needs.

10.21.09 Quick fix

2009-10-21T06:55:00.001-07:00

Fix problem, then go home

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

State lawmakers are getting back together next week for a quick legislative fix that will enable the state's unemployed residents to qualify for extended benefits. It's the least they can do.

It's also the most they should do.

Those who want to impeach Gov. Mark Sanford ought to wait for the completion of a State Ethics Commission review of his air travel. That's only fair, though fairness is not necessarily a concern for some of the governor's more strident opponents.

The Legislature also should wait until its January session to consider reorganization of the state Employment Security Commission. The ESC badly needs reform, but the special session isn't the right time or place to deal with it.

Using next week's session to address ESC reform was suggested by Gov. Mark Sanford on Tuesday during a roundtable discussion on the state's unemployment woes. Later in the day, however, the governor backed off that ill-considered idea: "It's going to be a longer issue. It will not be resolved in a day or two days."

At this point, expanding the scope of the session would simply provide an opportunity for legislators to go off in different directions, even if the topic were limited to the ESC. For instance, Sen. Robert Ford, who was first to ask for next week's special session (along with fellow Charleston Democrat Wendell Gaillard) tells us he would try to block any reorganization effort. The senator doesn't believe major ESC reform is warranted, despite recent events.

In contrast, House Speaker Bobby Harrell is inclined to undertake a thorough reorganization. Rep. Harrell, R-Charleston, worked on a reform plan last session, spurred by earlier agency shortcomings. Those included the ESC's failure to provide timely information about the state's dwindling unemployment fund and its apparent unwillingness to cooperate with the Department of Commerce on job creation issues.

So while the latest gaffe is the agency's most dramatic, it's not the only occasion it has stumbled. The ESC is controlled by a three-member appointed board, all ex-legislators. Its members draw six-figure salaries and get generous per diem and travel expenses. Think they deserve it?

Rep. Harrell sought the assistance of the Legislative Audit Council last session with the expectation that its work would provide the basis for comprehensive reform of the ESC. The Audit Council expects to complete its review before the next regular session begins. A similar effort was prelude to a legislative reform of the state Department of Transportation in 2007.

The two-day session, called by Rep. Harrell and Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell, should give quick relief to those 120,000 residents who have lost benefits. They estimate that legislators can get the job done in two days.

Wrapping up the emergency session in short order will allow the Legislature to fix a specific problem while precluding the possibility for mischief. And that will be a relief to a state which has seen more than its share of governmental follies in 2009.

10.21.09 Oil Spill in the harbor

2009-10-21T06:49:00.001-07:00

Source of oil spill not yet known

By David MacDougall

The Post and Courier

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

An oil spill in Charleston Harbor deposited tarry, black clumps of oil Tuesday along area beaches and may cause a temporary ban on shellfish harvesting, authorities said.

The source of the spill was unknown, said U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Michael McAllister, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Charleston. The Coast Guard received calls from mariners Tuesday morning reporting seeing oil slicks and tar balls in the harbor. A Coast Guard helicopter flew over the harbor and saw several slicks of oil.

Photo by David MacDougall

Black clumps of oil were spotted Tuesday along the beach on Sullivan's Island.

At the same time, island residents were calling their local fire and police departments to report that oil had come in with the morning tide.

Hannah Dodson was jogging on the beach near her Sullivan's Island home about 8:30 a.m. when she noticed hundreds of small, black globs of a gooey substance along the high water line.

"I picked one up and smelled it, and it smelled like a petroleum product," Dodson said.

Sullivan's Island Fire Chief Anthony Stith said the department received a number of calls, and the Beach Patrol investigated and notified the Coast Guard and the state Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Adam Myrick, a public affairs officer at DHEC, said the agency would be doing a shoreline assessment at daybreak today to determine the impact of the spill on shellfish. DHEC might close shellfish harvesting if the impact is significant, he said.

DHEC is monitoring the cleanup, but the Coast Guard was in charge, Myrick said.

Sullivan's Island had deposits on the beach from the area near Station 16 to Breech Inlet. Deposits also were reported on Folly Beach and at Fort Sumter.

Workers from Moran Environmental Recovery, one of the private contractors hired by the Coast Guard, were on Sullivan's Island, working as fast as they could to clean up as much as possible before high tide. One crew was picking up oil-infested clumps of sea weed and putting them into plastic bags. Another crew was using shovels and driveway squeegees to peel off the top 1/4-inch layer of sand in spots where the spill had left a fine black silt.

McAllister said residents should refrain from trying to clean up the oily debris.

"We ask that the public leave it to properly trained and outfitted cleanup personnel," McAllister said. "Our concern is, if folks come down and try to help clean up themselves, any materials that they take off the beach that are contaminated with oil, we have to go find it and clean it up."

The spill is not related to the collision Thursday night of two Air Force F-16 fighters off the coast, McAllister said. The F-16s spilled jet fuel, which is of a very different consistency and would evaporate quickly.

McAllister said it might take several days to determine the extent of the spill. The largest oil slick reported in the harbor was about 200 feet by 200 feet. He said that meant this was not a particularly large spill.

Determining the origin of the spill may take some detective work. Samples of the substance found on the beaches will be compared with petroleum products that could have been carried by vessels calling on the Port of Charleston, McAllister said.

Reach David W. MacDougall at 937-5655 or macdougd@postandcourier.com

10.21.09 Yoga Benefits /Class

2009-10-21T05:41:00.001-07:00

As a member of the Grassroots Call To Action Group you qualify for the CCSD employee discount. I sit on the CCSD - Charleston Literacy Roundtable and we do volunteer work for the them. We are still looking for more volunteers -

Contact me if you have questions? 843.810.0088 or grassrootscalltoaction@gmail.com

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Yoga Benefits

We bring the center to you.

September 11, 2009

Dear Dave,

Classes for CCSD employees are set up to meet once per week. If there are at least three requests to offer more than one class per week, I can accommodate that. I am happy to supply you with an amended proposal to include the addition of classes if registration substantiates it.

Rates

Per class - $12.00

6-week program - $66.00 (expires in 8 weeks)

12-week program - $120.00 (expires in 4 months)

18-week program – $162.00 (expires in 6 months)

Class Details

The minimum number of people per class is three.

The maximum number of people per class will be driven by the size of the space we use for class. Per Anthony Dixon’s approval, we can use the physical education room at Memminger Elementary School. Based on my estimations, we can accommodate at least 30 people in the class.

Each class will last one hour. (Tuesdays 6:30-7:30pm)

The schedule will be reflective of the Charleston County School District calendar for employees. The start date is October 6.

Yoga Benefits will be responsible for collecting all money and organizing participants’ program status. Please make checks payable to Yoga Benefits. Payment is due by the first class meeting on October 6. For specific inquiries, contact me at (843) 425.4806 or caryn@myyogabenefits.com

Simply stated, yoga is powerful. It is strengthening – physically, mentally, and emotionally. It is calming and peaceful. Yoga is seen as a form of exercise and yet many people practice yoga as a therapy. I am a firm believer that everyone can benefit from practicing yoga. In an office environment, yoga allows each practitioner to designate a time for relaxation. Class time is solely used to focus on oneself in a positive light, which we rarely take the time to do. Yoga is a great way to let go of a hectic day and will certainly give the class a new sense of camaraderie and community.

Thank you for this opportunity. I look forward to working with you and sharing my own sincere support with the class so each person can lead a happy, healthy, meaningful life.

All my best,

Caryn Antos

Yoga Benefits

Founder/Yoga Instructor

(843) 425.4806

Enjoy the convenience of yoga. Breathe. Relax. Grow.

10.20.09 Gov Sanford / unemployment

2009-10-20T07:38:00.001-07:00

Sanford convenes panel to address unemployment

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

COLUMBIA — Gov. Mark Sanford has put together a round-table meeting to discuss the state’s unemployment agency and handle a shortfall of as much as $1 billion in covering jobless benefits.

Sanford’s panel meets today in Columbia.

Meanwhile, the Legislature plans to return to Columbia for a one-day session next week to make sure the state’s unemployed qualify for an extra seven weeks of emergency checks. Legislators blame the Employment Security Commission for that and say the agency has to be overhauled.

Legislation was introduced to make changes to the commission this year. Lawmakers rejected the bill when it came to the House floor and sent it back to a committee.

10.19.09 Pennies paver

2009-10-19T08:36:00.001-07:00

Pennies pave the way

First dirt road to be resurfaced using funds from May sales-tax increase

By Dave Munday

The Post and Courier

Monday, October 19, 2009

Photo by Alan Hawes

George Wigfall Jr. stands at the end of George Wigfall Road in Berkeley County. The road, which was named after Wigfall's father, is to be the first of a dozen dirt roads to be paved using money collected through the county's penny tax increase.

Paving projects

The first roads that will be finished with the money from Berkeley County's penny sales-tax increase are a dozen dirt roads that residents have been complaining about for years.

--Arthur Gillins Road -- Moncks Corner, off U.S. Highway 17

--Blanding Road -- South of St. Stephen, off U.S. Highway 52

--Calestown Road -- East of Bonneau, between U.S. Highway 17 and S.C. Highway 41

--Dennis Drive -- Goose Creek, off Montague Plantation Road beside U.S. Highway 52

--Fennick Drive -- Moncks Corner, off U.S. Highway 52 just north of Main Street

--Firehouse Road -- West of St. Stephen, off SR-35 just south of S.C. Highway 45

--George Wigfall Road -- Cross, off S.C. Highway 6

--Green Bay Road -- Near Huger, east of S.C. Highway 41 between Halfway Creek Road and United Drive

--Mitchum Town Road -- Between Bonneau and Jamestown, off Bethera Road, which runs west of S.C. Highway 41 to connect with U.S. Highway 17 to the northwest

--Spring Pond Road -- East of Bonneau, between U.S. Highway 17 and S.C. Highway 46, just across Highway 17 from Calestown Road

--Tobacco Road -- South of St. Stephen, between Mendel Rivers and Harristown roads south of St. Stephen.

--Wilder Road -- South of St. Stephen, off U.S. Highway 52 between Blanding and Mandella roads

MONCKS CORNER -- Life is about to change for a couple of hundred Berkeley County residents who live on dirt roads.

No more potholes knocking wheels out of alignment, no more mud spattering everywhere every time it rains.

It's something George Wigfall Jr. of Cross has been working toward for years. His family lives on George Wigfall Road off S.C. Highway 6. The road is named after his father, a retired Westvaco forest manager and gospel musician who died unexpectedly on Thursday at age 81.

"Too bad he didn't live to see the actual pavement," said the younger Wigfall, 52, a former teacher.

George Wigfall Road will be the first road finished with the penny sales-tax increase that took effect in May, County Engineer Frank Carson said.

The county has hired five engineering firms to design the paving of George Wigfall Road and 11 other dirt roads throughout the county.

They're not the biggest projects on the county's list. In fact, they're pretty small when compared with widening U.S. Highway 17A between Goose Creek and Moncks Corner, which will affect hundreds of cars a day.

But the dirt roads can be knocked out quickly, and they've generated their share of complaints over the years, County Engineer Frank Carson said.

"Several of these roads have long histories that we're trying to address first," he said. "Some of these roads have some severe problems."

George Wigfall Road has a head start because the residents already have lined up rights of way that will be needed to widen the road. Paved roads are typically wider than dirt roads, and the county often has to buy more land from residents along the edges.

In cases where residents don't want to grant rights of way, the county is prepared to condemn land to keep the projects moving, Carson said.

The road on the list that's probably generated the most complaints is Tobacco Road, a rough stretch south of St. Stephen. Residents complained about the potholes and mud until the county tried out a new way of paving that generated even more complaints. The county covered the road with a mixture of coal ash from Santee Cooper's nearby power plant about four years ago. Residents said it caused even more dust, and some were afraid it contaminated their drinking water.

A consultant hired by Santee Cooper found no arsenic or selenium in the water, but some residents still weren't happy and retained lawyers.

Carson said he never thought the coal ash was a problem and that it won't make paving the road any more expensive. Coal ash that might be left is locked into place by other materials that have been put on the road over the last few years, he said.

The engineering firms that are designing the paving of the dirt roads are the LPA Group, STV Inc., RPM Engineers, Dennis Corp. and Wilbur Smith Associates.

On a bigger scale, the county also is accepting bids to widen Highway 17 from two to four lanes between Goose Creek and Moncks Corner, Supervisor Dan Davis announced this month.

Reach Dave Munday at 937-5553 or dmunday@postandcourier.com.

10.19.09 Shinefest 2009

2009-10-19T08:32:00.001-07:00

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Photo Gallery

Shinefest Music Festival

Thousands flock for family fun Saturday at outdoor music festival Shinefest at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Stadium.

10.19.09 Sen Graham tackles radical views

2009-10-19T08:30:00.001-07:00

Graham aims to tackle 'radical' views

Some say U.S. senator should focus on emphasizing his conservative record

By Ben Szobody, The Greenville News

Monday, October 19, 2009

Rich Glickstein

The State

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., described the crowd that disagreed with him at last week's Furman University forum as Constitution Party members with 'radical' views.

The shouts of "traitor" that rained on Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham last week at a local town hall meeting revealed rifts among conservatives that some analysts say might signal trouble for center-right politicians such as Graham.

Political experts say a burgeoning group of right-wing activists long seen as the fringe of the party is growing in influence, fueled by economic fears and populist ire over unchecked Washington spending and magnified by the power of the Internet.

Whether they represent a vocal minority or the seeds of a serious election challenge for Graham remains to be seen, though at least one Republican consultant thinks the state's senior senator has "real problems" outside of just a raucous town hall meeting.

"If he were running right now, he'd be in serious trouble," said Dave Woodard, a Clemson University political science professor and former campaign manager for Graham who said he has Upstate polling to support his view.

Graham, re-elected last year to another six-year term, flatly rejected that idea, describing the crowd at his town hall meeting this week as 40 percent Constitution Party members who are about to spark a "backlash" because of their "radical" views.

"They're a political fringe group," Graham told The Greenville News. "They believe that Medicare is unconstitutional and student loans are unconstitutional. I'm the conservative in the room."

The Furman University forum rapidly drew national attention via YouTube videos and political blogs last week, and Graham appeared to relish the chance to respond to hecklers, repeatedly telling them to "chill out" and that if they didn't like his efforts to build a big-tent party they could leave.

"I'm going to grow this party. I'm not going to let it be hijacked by Ron Paul," Graham said to boos and a shower of retorts from some in the crowd, many of whom identified themselves as supporters of the Texas congressman.

Conservative anger

Danielle Vinson, a Furman political science professor who introduced Graham at this week's forum, said the anti-Graham movement means that he is more likely to see primary opposition from the right in every election.

The conservative crowd that showed up at Furman this week is still in the minority statewide, Vinson said, but might not be far from representing commonly held views in Greenville and is "very active" compared to less engaged moderates that make up Graham's more natural base.

Still, she said Graham probably realizes he can cut his losses in Greenville and that he has plenty of time to maintain his stature elsewhere in the district.

Woodard is not so sure.

Before, he said a moderate U.S. senator from South Carolina could practice a science perfected by former Sen. Ernest "Fritz" Hollings -- vote how he wanted early in his term, then veer to the right in time to secure re-election. Now, YouTube and partisan Web sites give permanence to remarks that can inflame a critical crowd.

Broad support

Graham said the people who are angry with him still will feel the same way on Election Day but that he has the broad support of business owners, social and fiscal conservatives, military families, anti-abortion groups and gun rights advocates.

However, he said he won't go as far as some conservatives want.

"There's an element in politics, it's not enough to agree with them on the issue, you've got to hate who they hate," Graham said, estimating that a quarter of attendees at his town hall meeting raised their hands to indicate they thought Democrats were "devils."

"I'm not going to build a political career around hating people," he said.

Woodard said Graham now appears to make a point of his forays across the aisle to work with Democrats.

Furman's Vinson said Graham needs to get past those headline-grabbing moves and remind voters of what is essentially a conservative record.

The American Conservative Union gave Graham a conservative rating of 82 last year - behind some conservatives such as DeMint of Greenville and Jon Kyl of Arizona but ahead of numerous others including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback.

The Washington Post's congressional vote database shows Graham voting with the majority of his party 90.7 percent of the time.

It's sharing the state with DeMint that might hurt Graham the most among arch-conservatives, Vinson said.

'Siege mentality'

Vinson said the people who screamed at Graham this week and accused him of violating his oath of office are motivated, have a "siege mentality" because of election losses and don't seem to care about the math required to get legislation through Congress.

Woodard said, "They're feeling sort of like they've lost control of a lot of things."

He said he has become alarmed at the topics he's asked about that weigh heavily on the minds of some people.

They will ask what would happen if the president is assassinated, or if the entire economy collapses, or if China decides to call in its loans to the United States, Woodard said.

Graham said he doesn't think the vocal fringe is gaining ground.

"I am intent on making sure that people do not judge the county by this group," he said. "If this ever became the face of Greenville County, it would be harder to recruit industry."

10.19.09 Events - coming up

2009-10-19T08:29:00.001-07:00

Coming Up

Monday, October 19, 2009

Today

Charleston City Council candidates: 7 p.m. Charleston County Main Library, 68 Calhoun St. Candidates for districts 8 and 12 will appear at a forum.

SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD DINNER: 6:30-10 p.m. Wild Olive, 2867 Maybank Highway, Johns Island. $44 plus tax and gratuity. The S.C. Aquarium Sustainable Seafood Initiative and Wild Olive will host a three-course dinner served in a traditional Italian manner. 737-4177.

HOSPICE MEMORIAL SERVICE: 7 p.m. Herndon and Sons' Walterboro Chapel, 1193 Bells Highway. Winyah Hospice Community Care will hold its third annual Memorial Service for the friends and family of the deceased. 549-5166.

Wednesday

Charleston City Council candidates: 7 p.m. West Ashley High School, 4060 W. Wildcat Blvd. Candidates for districts 2 and 10 will appear at a forum.

EDGAR ALLaN POE POETRY READING: 6 p.m. Fort Moultrie, 1214 Middle St., Sullivan's Island. Free. In honor of Poe's 200th birthday, "Stark Raven Mad," a program sponsored by the University of South Carolina, will come to Fort Moultrie. Participants will enjoy a reading and discussion of nature in Poe's work led by Marjory Wentworth. www.artinstitute.sc.edu.

Friday

"SOUTHERN MIRACLES" BENEFIT: 5:30 p.m. reception; 6:30 p.m. dinner. Renaissance Charleston Hotel Historic District, 68 Wentworth St. To benefit the Children's Miracle Network, the hotel will host a five-course meal and silent auction. The dinner will be paired with wines from California, New Zealand, Oregon and Italy. $75 per person. Reservations required. 534-9004.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS FAIR: 6-9 p.m. Goldbug Island. Free. My Sister's House will hold its annual domestic violence awareness fair, which will include music by Rik Cribb and the Problems and The Most Interesting Band in the World, a silent auction, educational exhibits and a meal by The Barbecue Joint. Tickets for the meal are $10-$15. Beer will be available for purchase. 744-3242 or www.mysistershouse.org.

Saturday

BARCAMP CHARLESTON: 8 a.m.- 6 p.m. Lowcountry Innovation Center, 1535 Hobby St., North Charleston. Free. This "unconference" is part of a global movement that promotes creativity and technology by allowing participants to choose topics and lead sessions on those topics. Although the event is free, space is limited to 200 people, so registration is required. For a description of the BarCamp movement, to register or to see a list of possible session topics, visit www.barcampchs.org.

FOLLYPALOOZA: Noon-7 p.m. Center St., Folly Beach. The second annual Follypalooza benefit will raise money for the Hollings Cancer Center Patient Support Fund. The event will feature carnival games, a jump castle, face-painting, a dunk tank, food vendors, live music by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs and more. www.cityoffollybeach.com.

10.19.09 Arborgen

2009-10-19T08:27:00.000-07:00

ArborGen research goes 'green'

Lab joins up with Clemson to utilize 'purpose grown' trees

By Bo Petersen

The Post and Courier

Monday, October 19, 2009

Biofuel by cloning. The concept is a little hard to wrap your mind around.

But ArborGen, the Summerville-based forest research lab, is joining Clemson University in "green" research to come up with a profitable way to make a fuel from plants grown in South Carolina that take the place of some oil and gas use. Part of ArborGen's role will be to provide loblolly pine, eucalyptus, sweetgum and poplar for a process that extracts an unusual carbon sugar that is a key to producing ethanol.

The trees supplying the wood will be a mix of traditional stands and "purpose grown" varieties such as hybrids and pollinated seedlings. Some will be a little more advanced than that -- genetically engineered duplicates of a single tree.

The wood might be critical to making the process commercially viable because trees can be harvested year-round. So far, the research has focused on switch grass, a native product that must be harvested in season and stored. The difference might be pennies per gallon in the eventual cost of making the fuel, but they are important pennies.

Institute "bench chemistry" research suggests the fuel now can be manufactured for $2.30 to $2.60 per gallon. The goal is to get that cost down to $2 per gallon or less -- the point at which it might be worth investing in.

"The hope is to stimulate (private company) manufacturing of biomass fuels in South Carolina," said Karl Kelly, corporate operations director of the Clemson University Restoration Institute. Those companies could be a second wind for the flagging agriculture economy in the state, as well as a source of other "green" energy jobs. The institute is located in North Charleston.

Developing a biomass industry along major transportation corridors in South Carolina "is going to be really important for rural area development and the preservation of forests," said Maude Hinchee, ArborGen chief technology officer, who predicted commercial outlets for the fuel could be operating within the next five years.

The biofuel project is being paid for with federal stimulus money, among other federal, corporate and private funds.

The institute and the company announced the collaboration Thursday at a bioenergy summit at the Clemson Pee Dee Research and Education Center in Florence. They will jointly research plant genetics and development, equipment engineering, material handling and pretreatment, as well as conduct field trials.

They will work with researchers from the Savannah River National Laboratory and South Carolina State University, as well as commercial partners such as Fagan Engineering, Dyadic International and the Spinx Co. That collaboration of partners helps win grants because a research effort running from the plant in the ground to the fuel tank makes commercial production more feasible, Hinchee said.

Genetically engineered trees are controversial among some environmental groups, who say the planting could displace native grown species. But engineered plants have been part of agriculture for years, used in crops such as corn, cotton and soybeans.

ArborGen, an offshoot of research departments at Westvaco and other timber companies, grows the trees to see if they can be a commercially viable source of nursery and fiber products, as well as biofuel.

"They can help us understand what's in the wood," Kelly said.

Reach Bo Petersen at 937-5744 or bpetersen@postandcourier.com.

10.19.09 Folly litter workshops

2009-10-19T08:26:00.001-07:00

Workshop addresses littering

Council determined to prevent problem with new ordinance

By Edward Fennell

The Post and Courier

Monday, October 19, 2009

Photo by Edward Fennell

During a Folly Beach City Council workshop session Tuesday, Councilman Tom Scruggs takes his turn at leading discussions regarding the prevention of littering on the beach.

It's been nearly four months since a July 4 weekend beach trashing inflamed passions at Folly Beach, and city officials are determined not to let the issue fade with the fall temperatures.

Council remains determined that before the 2010 beach season begins, new attitudes about littering will prevail. They hope teams of citizens and law enforcement officers, armed with new city ordinances, together will make life miserable for anyone found littering the oceanfront community.

At an Oct. 13 workshop, council outlined an action plan that includes replacing the state law currently in effect with a new city ordinance, pursuing options for sentencing convicted litterers to public service work, overhauling the city's trash ordinance, encouraging more recycling, enlisting more volunteer beach cleanup help and creating a citizens patrol that could discourage and report litterers. Council also is considering signs, as well as broadcast and print outreach efforts aimed at changing attitudes about littering and warning would-be violators that they'd better not leave their cans, bottles, food wrappers and cigarette butts on the ground.

On July 5, Folly Beach residents awoke to discover an estimated 40,000 weekend visitors had left tons of litter -- mainly alcohol-related -- on the sand. City Council met in an emergency session and held a public hearing seeking solutions from islanders and visitors.

"The public outcry was enough that we knew something had to be done, and not just a Band-Aid response," Councilman Tom Scruggs said last week.

Some proposals council is considering can be accomplished rather easily, but others will require more study, time and effort. Much is unsettled regarding the proposal for sentencing convicted litterers to public service, mainly picking up trash.

10.19.09 Tutoring dollars

2009-10-19T08:25:00.001-07:00

Tutoring dollars harder to come by

Some concerned the competition is detracting

By Diane Knich

The Post and Courier

Monday, October 19, 2009

Competition for millions of federal dollars is getting tough among companies that provide tutoring services to low-income children in struggling schools.

State and local school district leaders said that while many tutoring companies are reputable, others try to lure students with offers of bikes, music players and even computers. Federal law prohibits companies from offering incentives to bring in students, but many still try to do it, said Steve Abbott, Title I director for the state Department of Education. And companies are allowed to offer such rewards to students after they enroll or upon completion of the program.

It's a marketing tool to bring in more students the following year, he said. "So a kid might ask, 'Where's the provider that will give me a bike?' "

It's recruitment time for companies that offer tutoring services to low-income children in struggling schools. Under the No Child Left Behind act, schools that receive federal money because of the large percentage of low-income students enrolled and that fail to meet all of the law's requirements for three consecutive years must offer tutoring services to those students outside the school day. School districts must set aside a portion of their federal money, known as Title I funds, for such services.

The state screens companies that offer services, Abbott said. Such companies range from local mom-and-pop operations to national chains. And services range from one-on-one tutoring to small group instruction to online tutorials, he said. When the program began in 2003, 14 vendors had registered with the state. This year, the list consists of 129 providers, Abbott said.

Parents must sort through the dizzying array of options to find what's best for their children, he said. The state compiled a list of questions parents should ask providers to determine whether companies can meet their children's needs. Among the things parents should consider, he said, are whether instruction is one-on-one or in groups, tutors' qualifications and when and where services will take place.

Document

Read the State Department of Education parents' checklist for picking a tutor.

School districts also can sign up with the state to provide tutoring services, he said. They go through the same screening process as private companies, he said. Statewide, 18 districts offer such services.

Representatives from the area's largest school districts -- Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester 2 -- said they don't offer such services now, but they are considering doing so next year.

But the three districts are holding vendor information fairs so parents can meet with representatives from private companies that provide tutoring services. Charleston has set aside $1.8 million for such services for students in 22 schools; Berkeley nearly $1 million for students in 12 schools; and Dorchester 2 about $500,000 for students in two schools.

Abbott said districts across the state offer varying amounts per child for tutoring services based on the number of low-income students and the concentration of poverty in the area. Amounts in South Carolina school districts range from about $900 to $1,600 per child.

Students in Charleston County's struggling schools this year can receive up to $1,535 in tutoring services; in Berkeley County, $1,359; and in Dorchester 2, $1,034. Providers bill the school district for services rendered.

Parents' experiences with providers vary, school district leaders said.

Nancy Murphy, the mother of a first-grader who attends Midland Park Elementary School in North Charleston, said her son might have been forced to repeat kindergarten if not for the tutoring he received from Sylvan Learning Center last year. She plans to send him again this year.

Educators in the past had told her that her son, who tends to talk a lot when not challenged, might benefit from a medical evaluation, she said. But she was able to avoid that with help from Sylvan and staff at the school, she said.

"I never would have been able to afford Sylvan," she said. The No Child Left Behind act is working well for her and her child, she said.

For more info

For information on tutoring services:

--Berkeley County School District, 899-8600

--Charleston County School District, 937-6300

--Dorchester District 2, 873-2901

Some school district leaders said they have heard complaints from parents about certain providers. And some school district personnel question the wisdom of diverting federal money from schools to private providers.

Sheldon Etheridge, director of federal programs for the Berkeley County schools, said the district used to offer after-school and summer skills-building programs at schools that receive federal money. The programs were available to all children enrolled in those schools, he said. But the district no longer can offer those programs because the money is going to outside vendors.

In a quirk of No Child Left Behind, fewer students in those schools are getting services, he said. For instance, a child who is struggling academically but who isn't designated low-income by qualifying for the free or reduced-cost lunch program, isn't eligible for tutoring, Etheridge said. But a student in the school's gifted program who qualifies for the lunch program is eligible for additional tutoring services.

Abbott said he's not sure if additional tutoring is helping most students. The state reviews test scores from the Measures of Academic Progress test of students who receive tutoring, he said. But educators can't say what specifically contributed to changes in test scores.

States that thoroughly evaluate their programs usually work with a major university, he said. And it's expensive.

The state would like to conduct a more comprehensive evaluation of services, he said, "but we're hampered by methodology."

Reach Diane Knich at 937-5491 or dknich@postand courier.com.

9.28.09 CCSD / Communities in Schools

2009-09-28T09:02:00.000-07:00

District forms bond with nonprofit

Communities in Schools aims to prevent dropouts

By Diette Courrégé

The Post and Courier

Monday, September 28, 2009

The partnership between Charleston County schools and a nonprofit dropout prevention organization will expand this year to twice as many schools.

Communities in Schools will work with 13 district schools this year, up from six last year. Each partner school will receive at least one student support specialist who will case manage up to 50 students and work with the entire school population on issues such as teen pregnancy prevention and life skills. Student support specialists also coordinate the extra help coming into the school from outside volunteers and agencies.

The county school board will pay the nonprofit $420,000 to staff eight high-poverty schools and provide a volunteer coordinator to recruit mentors and tutors for students. The money will come from the district's Title 1 budget for low-income schools, and it will cover the salaries, training and supervision associated with those positions. Some of it also will cover field trips and incentives offered to students.

"This has been a big vote of confidence for us," said Jane Riley, executive director of Communities in Schools.

Schools such as Baptist Hill High, Burke High, Lincoln High, North Charleston High and the Sixth Grade Academy haven't received the group's help in the past but will now under the contract approved by the board earlier this month. Other schools have contracted directly with Communities in Schools and will pay for the services out of their school-based budgets.

Nineteen years ago, the nonprofit helped establish Clark Academy, a small high school program designed for students who haven't been successful in a traditional school setting. The district's involvement with Communities in Schools has continued to grow since then, and school Superintendent Nancy McGinley described the partnership as a successful one.

The district doesn't have enough guidance counselors, and the poor economy has put students and their families in stressful situations, she said.

"We recognize that in addition to the academic challenges that many of our students face, they face social and emotional challenges, and the counseling ratio does not enable our counselors to do as much individual, one-on-one counseling and support as our students need," she said.

Unlike student concern specialists who often focus on students with behavioral problems, student support specialists build relationships with students who have the highest risk of not completing high school. They lead the process of identifying and matching students to the services they need, and they adapt school-wide programs to fit each school, Riley said.

"It's not necessarily a cookie cutter program," she said. "We tweak it to focus on what the individual schools feel that they need."

Reach Diette Courrégé at 937-5546 or dcourrege@postandcourier.com.

9.27.09 Healthy Diets

2009-09-27T05:54:00.001-07:00

Grant aimed at changing kids' diets

By Diane Knich

The Post and Courier

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Photo by Brad Nettles

The Post and Courier

Students from Rendy Yates' first-grade class at Harleyville-Ridgeville Elementary School have a healthy snack of watermelon Friday. Dorchester School District 4 received a federal grant to give students more fruits and vegetables to encourage healthier eating.

DORCHESTER -- Many rural, low-income children don't eat a lot of fruits and veggies at home, but leaders at Harleyville-Ridgeville Elementary School in Dorchester District 4 are trying to change that.

The district for the second year has landed a $25,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to bring more fresh fruits and vegetables to children at the school. Pat Truett, the district's food service supervisor, said the money is used to buy fresh produce and give it to children as snacks during the school day.

The program gives the children a chance to try a variety of fruits and vegetables, she said. That's important because rural grocery stores often carry a limited selection of produce. District leaders hope it will promote better eating habits.

On Friday, school staffers served watermelon and cantaloupe to about 500 students. They also invited community business leaders, County Council members, police officers and state representatives to come to school to learn more about the program.

A group of first-graders stood outside in the school's play area eating watermelon slices as the juice dripped from their chins.

"Candy is full of sugar," said 6-year-old Kendall Brown. "Watermelon is better, and so is carrots."

First-grade teacher Rendy Yates said the children are learning a healthy way to snack. "They're learning it doesn't have to be candy or chocolate," she said.

They have already tried many vegetables, such as carrots, broccoli and cauliflower. School staffers often cut up the vegetables and serve them to children with cups of low-fat ranch dressing for dipping.

The strategy seems to be working. Favian Sanchez, who is 6 years old, said he likes the carrots at recess, but not the ones he gets at home.

A handful of first-graders made faces when broccoli was mentioned, making it clear they found it disgusting.

But they tried it. And that's what's important, Yates said.

Laura Schipmann, a guidance counselor at Harleyville-Ridgeville Elementary, said she and teachers at the school are also including related academic lessons throughout the school year. Students have learned about germinating seeds and the different parts of a plant.

And a local business donated young pear, plum and peach trees to the school, Schipmann said. The trees are now growing on the campus and teachers use them for lessons on the seasons.

Three other tri-county schools -- Charleston County's Angel Oak, Hursey and Mt. Zion elementary schools -- also received USDA fruit and vegetable grants this year.

Truett said the school gives the children produce grown in South Carolina whenever possible. It's difficult to purchase fruits and vegetables from many local farmers, though, because the produce given to the children must be from farms that have obtained a specific certification.

Todd Bedenbaugh, director of the state Department of Education's Office of Health and Nutrition, said farmers must have the "Good Agricultural Practices" certification, which means they have had an audit of their farming practices, including how they use chemicals. They also must carry liability insurance. The extra steps and cost keep some small farmers from being able to participate in the program, he said.

But Truett said the program is working. A parent recently told a district staff person that her child asked her to buy carrots at the grocery store. The parent was thrilled, and said it wouldn't have happened if her child hadn't been exposed to vegetables at school, she said.

Reach Diane Knich at 937-5491 or dknich@postandcourier.com.

9.27.09 Pee Dee Coal PLant

2009-09-27T05:53:00.001-07:00

Pulling the plug on Pee Dee plant

The inside story on how the controversial proposed $1.2 billion coal-fired generating station died

By Doug Pardue

Saturday, September 26, 2009

File/Staff

A loader moves piles of coal at Santee Cooper's coal-fired generating plant in Cross in 2007. About a 30-day supply is kept on hand at the power plant.

COLUMBIA -- The Grand Strand, South Carolina's tourist economic engine, won't have enough electricity by 2012 to keep its beachfront towers aglow unless a new $1.2 billion coal-burning power station is built near Florence.

That was the warning Santee Cooper, the state-owned electricity company, gave to state and federal regulators. It was the argument the power company presented at public hearings. And it was that caution that Lonnie Carter, Santee Cooper's president and chief executive officer, offered during interviews with journalists.

The argument that the coal-fired power plant was the only solution formed the key justification for Santee Cooper to spend $242 million over the past three years, most of that stockpiling material to build, even though it lacked government approval to operate the facility.

For much of that time, a little-known executive with a little-known company worked behind the scene, with Santee Cooper's blessing, to find a way to make the expensive and polluting power plant unnecessary.

The effort by Ron Calcaterra, president of the Central Electricity Power Cooperative, and his team paid off last month when Santee Cooper's board of directors suddenly announced it had pulled the plug on the Pee Dee Power Generation Plant.

The solution Calcaterra found: Buy some of its electricity from Duke Energy instead of Santee Cooper. That way Duke could use its excess power capacity, created largely because of the decline of the textile industry, and Santee Cooper wouldn't have to build a new coal-fired power plant.

The deal would buy enough time for a proposed new nuclear power plant that Santee Cooper plans to build with SCANA to come online about 2017 to meet expected increased power needs.

That seemingly simple announcement ended a heated, three-year battle between Santee Cooper and environmentalists who characterized the proposed Pee Dee plant as an industrial dinosaur.

The deal saved more than $1.2 billion in construction costs. It stopped untold millions of dollars in increased electricity costs. It ended the prospect of millions in additional charges to Santee Cooper's customers if, as expected, the federal government began regulating greenhouse gas emissions. And it prevented increases in poisonous mercury fallout and air pollution.

Go to postandcourier.com/mercury to read The Mercury Connection, which explores how coal fired power plants pollute the state's lakes and rivers with mercury.

Coal seemed the answer

Calcaterra is an electrical engineer by training and an amateur photographer. His office walls in Columbia feature artsy shots of power plants, equipment and electric poles. He's spent most of his working life with electric utilities, and he fully supported construction of the coal-fired Pee Dee Generation plant when planning began four years ago.

Central Electricity was experiencing significant growth, and the cost-effective solution at the time was to build the coal plant along the Great Pee Dee River, Calcaterra said.

Coal-fired plants can take 10 years from planning to completion, and given the growth at the time, Central didn't feel that it had another viable choice to meet that demand. Central has a legal obligation to serve the areas it covers, he said. "We can't say no."

Central purchases and supplies electricity to 20 cooperatives across the state, serving some 680,000 customers, mostly homes, accounting for about 1.4 million people, almost a third of the state's population.

It works in close cooperation with Santee Cooper. Central provides the customers and Santee Cooper provides the bulk of the power. Central accounts for about 60 percent of Santee Cooper's business.

The relationship began in the early years after World War II. With the war's end Santee Cooper had excess power and rural electricity cooperatives, which were in their infancy, needed electricity to serve far-flung households.

That led to the creation of Central, which had access to low-interest federal loans and built transmission lines to bring power to the cooperatives from Santee Cooper. Central later turned the lines over to Santee Cooper, and the two have been closely connected ever since, with a goal to provide electricity in the cheapest, most reliable way.

Coal really best way?

Shortly after Santee Cooper began plans for the Pee Dee plant, Central adopted a new mission statement, adding an environmental element to its operating principles. It would strive to balance "price, reliability and environmental principles" in supplying power.

Central promised to seek economically reasonable "renewable resources which are environmentally responsible, which offset or reduce CO2 and other emissions."

And it stated: "We view conservation and energy efficiency as a resource equal to power generation."

Both of those principles were among the key arguments used by environmental organizations in their fight against the Pee Dee plant.

About the same time, circumstances began to build against the plant, Calcaterra said. Among those was overwhelming scientific agreement that global warming was real and that it is fueled by carbon dioxide releases from coal-fired power plants. And it began to appear that the federal government might begin regulating carbon dioxide emissions through some form of "cap and trade" program in which polluting plants would have to buy credits from cleaner plants.

That created uncertainty over what the ultimate cost might be for electricity from the Pee Dee plant.

On top of that, Calcaterra grew increasingly concerned about the projected cost of the Pee Dee plant: That cost far exceeded Santee Cooper's bill for installing its two newest coal-fired generators at the Cross facility on Lake Moultre.

With construction projected to cost $1.2 billion, the base cost of electricity from the Pee Dee plant would be $2,145 per kilowatt, double the amount for electricity from the Cross generators, with the possibility of even higher costs, Calcaterra said.

With that and the environmental concerns, he knew "we had to try to avoid the Pee Dee unit while still meeting the obligation to serve."

So as Santee Cooper began its public campaign for the Pee Dee plant three years ago, Central began seeking alternatives, Calcaterra said. "We asked Santee Cooper if we could go out to see if we could find some avenues to take advantage of that they couldn't."

Santee Cooper President Carter agreed that the cost of the proposed Pee Dee plant would have been "significantly higher" than Cross, and he welcomed Central's efforts to find another way, especially if it allowed Santee Cooper to avoid significant construction costs.

The intricate regulatory and contractual rules that govern power companies limited Santee Cooper's ability to get other power companies to service its customers, but Central had more options so long as it met three obligations, Calcaterra said:

It could do no financial harm to Santee Cooper. It couldn't leave Santee Cooper unable to sell the electricity it already produced, and Central wanted to avoid creating the need to build new power generation capacity.

A solution

About a year and a half ago, Calcaterra and his team began confidential talks with Duke.

The negotiations involved five Upstate cooperatives that before becoming full members of Central in 2008 had purchased their power from Duke or the Saluda River Electric Cooperative, which like Central purchased power for other cooperatives. Saluda River's power came partially from the Catawba nuclear plant operated by Duke.

Because Duke had historically served the five Upstate cooperatives, it would be possible for the company to do so again, even if the cooperatives remained part of the Central system.

Under a deal worked out with Duke and agreed to by Santee Cooper, the transfer of service to Duke will phase in from 2013 to 2019, just when Santee Cooper projected that it would need the added power from the proposed Pee Dee plant.

About 1,000 megawatts of power would be shifted from Santee Cooper to Duke. That's enough to serve 250,000 homes. That amount of power generally costs about $300 million to $350 million a year.

Some regulatory hurdles remain, but Calcaterra and Carter do not expect them to derail the agreement.

It's a seemingly simple solution, but it required lengthy, complicated and sensitive negotiations to pull off, Calcaterra said. While those negotiations proceeded, he continued to publicly support Santee Cooper's efforts to win approval to build the Pee Dee plant.

He had no real choice because the Pee Dee plant would have been necessary if the negotiations failed, Calcaterra said. "We weren't certain it would work."

Carter said Santee Cooper never really wanted to build the coal plant but felt forced by circumstance. Although the power company has publicly maintained for years that the coal plant was the only feasible alternative, Carter said the company hinted all along that an acceptable alternative might be out there. He said he did so by constantly repeating a statement that, "We wouldn't build a coal plant if we didn't have to."

The deal between Duke and Central provided the out. Carter said those negotiations had to remain secret to prevent some outside force from derailing the plan. "You want to mess up a contractual negotiation, get a lot of people in the kitchen with you."

Carter called the deal "a triple win." And Calcaterra couldn't suppress a grin as he talked about what it accomplishes. "I think everybody benefits from it."

9.27.09 Michael Moore

2009-09-27T05:48:00.001-07:00

Fact-checking Michael Moore’s 'Capitalism’

Rachel Beck

Associated Press

Sunday, September 27, 2009

NEW YORK — Despite the title of his new movie, Michael Moore really hates capitalism. He says it’s a scheme for businesses to profit at the expense of the little guy.

The provocateur filmmaker is campaigning for an end to what he says is the “evil” in our economic system and a return to the days when our lives weren’t so defined by money. It’s an ambitious theme, but some of his arguments in “Capitalism: A Love Story” fall apart on closer inspection.

Moore’s trademark attack style will be familiar to viewers of his previous movies like “Roger & Me” and “Fahrenheit 9/11.” The opening scene includes shots of different bank robberies, which Moore sees as a methaphor for how taxpayers were looted. The film closes with him putting crime-scene tape around the New York Stock Exchange and some Wall Street banks.

In between are old-time film clips, heart-tugging scenes as families are forced out of their homes by foreclosure and stunts like showing up at American International Group’s headquarters in New York with a bullhorn, insisting he wants to make a citizen’s arrest.

His message is that capitalism brings out the worst of society. How else to explain why owners of privately operated juvenile detention centers in Pennsylvania paid off two judges to lock up young offenders?

There may be more to the story than is told in the film, which is now playing in New York and Los Angeles and opening across the country Oct. 2. That’s partly a function of events overtaking the narrative since filming ended. But that’s not always the case. Consider these three points in the film, which Moore discussed with The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

———

MOORE’S TAKE: Wall Street robbed taxpayers.

It’s pure theater when Moore arrives in an armored bank truck at the headquarters of Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Holding a white bag with a big dollar sign on it, he tells a security guard he is there to collect the $10 billion in taxpayers’ funds that went to the investment bank. He doesn’t get past the front door.

THE FACTS: Three months after that scene was shot, Goldman Sachs was one of 10 large banks that repaid in June some $68 billion they received from the $700 billion Troubled Assets Relief Program. Since then other large financial companies have repaid funds, too, including Chrysler Financial and American Express Co.

Still, many large banks haven’t repaid the TARP money. Citigroup Inc. and Bank of America Corp. each received $45 billion and have yet to repay those funds.

Not all of the $700 billion in TARP funds have been disbursed. The total peaked at $425 billion.

MOORE’S RESPONSE: “Let’s be clear on this. We’re not talking about the majority of people who took the money ... not even 10 percent of the $700 billion has been returned.”

————

MOORE’S TAKE: You’re better off dead — at least that’s how some companies view their workers.

THE FACTS: Moore highlights an ugly truth about insurance policies that benefit companies, not the employees, when workers die. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is scathed for its use of such “dead peasant” policies. Moore notes how the sudden death of a 26-year-old former Wal-Mart worker resulted in a $81,000 life insurance payout to the retailer.

But it’s never mentioned in the body of the film that in 2000 the world’s largest retailer canceled all 350,000 of these policies it took out on employees between 1993 and 1995.

MOORE’S RESPONSE: No misrepresentation here, he says: Wal-Mart’s termination of the insurance policies is included in a 7-minute-long presentation of facts and quotes on different issues relating to the movie shown in the closing credits.

———

MOORE’S TAKE: Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., and other government officials unfairly and hypocritically benefited from financial programs not available to all.

Moore asserts that Dodd received more than $1 million in discounted loans for being a “Friend of Angelo,” referring to Angelo Mozilo, the former CEO of Countrywide Financial Corp. That lender, which was heavily involved in the subprime-mortgage business, was sold last year to Bank of America.

Also, as chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Moore highlights that Dodd has oversight over the mortgage and banking industries and has been critical of predatory lending.

THE FACTS: Dodd has acknowledged that he participated in a VIP program at Countrywide, refinancing loans on two homes in 2003. One was a 30-year adjustable rate loan for $506,000 with an interest rate of 4.25 percent and a fee of 0.45 percent. He also got a 30-year adjustable rate mortgage for $275,042 with an interest rate of 4.5 percent and a fee of 0.73 percent.

Both interest rates and fees were within industry norms for that time, according to data provided to the AP by Bankrate.com.

Last month, the Senate’s Select Committee on Ethics cleared Dodd and Kent Conrad of North Dakota of getting special treatment on the mortgages. But the bipartisan panel also said the senators should have “exercised more vigilance” in their dealings with Countrywide to avoid the appearance of sweetheart deals.

MOORE’S RESPONSE: “Why wasn’t (the ethics panel’s ruling) in this film? Because the story isn’t over.

“I would hope that the Justice Department doesn’t just let this drop,” Moore said. Moore is calling for an investigation into how the loans were made, “not just to Senator Dodd, but to all those in both the Clinton and Bush administration that benefited from this.”

————

Moore was unapologetic when asked how his beat-down on capitalism squares with the benefits he earns by teaming with big names in the entertainment industry including Paramount, the Weinstein Co. and Overture Films, which is part of John Malone’s Liberty Media.

Moore says his life has greater purpose now that he has found success, and he doesn’t mind paying more in taxes. “It is not right, if you get through the door and get to enjoy the good life, when everyone else struggles and lives paycheck to paycheck,” Moore said.

His passion is to convince moviegoers that the game is rigged against most Americans, while Wall Street, big business and the wealthy keep coming out ahead. Moore says the taxpayer-funded banking bailout amounted to a “double robbery” because average people lost money in the market and then were asked to prop up the same companies that lost it for them.

Instead of laying all the blame on banks, Moore could have made the message of “Capitalism: A Love Story” even more powerful with a more nuanced approach. He does note how some individuals unwisely used their home equity like personal piggybanks, but there isn’t much discussion about how some of the people facing foreclosure got to that point. That would have bolstered his arguments and shown how damaging it is when greed is everywhere.

Grassroots Call To Conscious Action - Daily Briefing

9.12.2010 - Hopefuls to appear at public forums

9.10.2010 - Letter to the Editor - SAFE ROUTE NEEDED

Rosenberg Explains Why Not One New Home Priced Over $750,000 Sold In July | zero hedge

8.26.2010 - Pick a SC Board

Republican candidates for SC governor debate in Charleston | WCBD

2.1.10 THE NERVE - Education reform

1.27.10 Carifest / Michaelsangelsproject

1.26.10 Fox News / aggressive cheerleading

1.26.10 Tim Tebow Ad

1.26.10 Andre Bauer hits national spotlight

1.26.10 2009 SC Conservation

1.22.10 SC unemployment hits 12.6%

1.22.10 Renewable Energy

1.22.10 Free Speech

1.21.10 US Supreme Courts give corporations the golden egg

1.21.10 Young Mass voters no-show

1.21.10 Obama new bank regulations purposal

1.20.10 Morning Joe coming to Chas

1.20.10 We The People

1.20.10 GOP House Leader Alert

1.20.10 Boeing coming to N Charleston

1.20.10 Community Supported Agriculture programs

1.19.10 Lessons for Dems after Coakley

1.14.10 MLK Day community service day

1.14.10 Drinking Liberally events

1.13.10 Rex jobs plan

1.14.10 Boeing package unveiled

1.13.10 A tough task ahead

1.13.10 Boost or burden

1.13.10 Jamie Sanderson blog

1.11.10 Letter from the White House

1.11.10 GCTAG Coffee Shop Meeting Recap

1.11.10 Fits News - 2010 SC Statehouse: considers tax /fee increases

1.09.2010 - GCTAG coffee shop speakers bureau

12.18.09 Paul Krugman says just pass it!

12.18.09 No more foreign $

12.18.09 Obama summit scrambles

12.18.09 Fritz Hollings Op-Ed

11.12.09 SC Comp Gen Eckstrom worried

11.10.09 Group probes Boeing The Post and Courier - Charleston SC newspaper

11.10.09 State economic board making budget estimate The Post and Courier - Charleston SC newspaper

11.10.09 Burton announces Congressional bid The Post and Courier - Charleston SC newspaper

11.10.09 Winthrop poll sheds light on Southern opinion of Obama The Post and Courier - Charleston SC newspaper

11.11.09 GCTAG member Linda Krough services

11.9.09 House Vote on passage HR 3962

11.04.09 First Gubernatorial Debate

11.4.09 Chas Co Council results

11.04.09 Light voting

11.4.09 Matt Foley blog - Alan Watts Words of Wisdom

11.4.09 Michael Gerson on forcing the young to fund health reform - washingtonpost.com

11.4.09 Smart decisions

11.3.09 SC Nat Resources Society gubernatorial debate tonight

11.3.09 Decision on Sanford ethics report is near | McClatchy

11.2.09 VIDEO: World War GREEN - Legislation - Senator Sanders Unfiltered: U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (Vermont)

11.2.09 SLATE: TV Execs find new strategy

TV Execs Fall in Love With the DVR

11.2.09 SLATE: White House woos Dede Scozzafava

White House Helped Get N.Y. Republican To Endorse Democrat

11.01.09 First Hindu temple in Lowcountry

New Hindu temple, first in the Lowcountry, opens in Ladson

India by the numbers

11.1.09 P&C Editorial endorsements - Nov 3

Elect Hallman, Seekings, Rosenberg and Wilsonto Charleston City Council

11.1.09 Mcleod Plantation right price?

Is McLeod worth its price?

Questions raised in plantation's purchase

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11.1.09 SC relied on tax breaks and incentives

State relied on power of tax breaks, incentives

11.1.09 Oil be gone

Oil-spots cleanup complete

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11.1.09 State electric co-op

In state electric co-op's plan, everyone wins

11.1.09 Who do you want in charge? The Post and Courier - Charleston SC newspaper

11.1.09 B O E I N G

Bringing Boeing to S.C.THE ART OF THE DEAL

How political rivals, tenacious pursuit, ironclad silence and a little bit of luck produced a monumental victory

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