As most of you know, I live in a very difficult state for Democrats. All the best possibilities for Democrats are elsewhere, this election cycle, so I have been surprised to see the level of interest in South Carolina factors and contests.
The contest I am thinking about tonight is not a promising one for Democrats. In fact, the Republican candidate is one of the worst. Tim Scott was appointed by governor Nikki Haley to fill the remainder of quitter Jim DeMint’s term in the US Senate. He is expected to become the first African-American elected to the Senate from this state, and the first black candidate to be ‘elected to statewide office since Reconstruction.’ That quotation is from Jamie Self’s Thursday article as it appeared in The Greenville News. (What black candidate was elected to statewide office before Reconstruction?!) (The article was originally posted at The State, Columbia SC's paper, and may be found in its entirety now at the Black Christian News Network's site, here.)
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Scott’s approval ratings in the African-American community are (most appropriately) low. Our Democratic champion, whom I will be voting for, Joyce Dickerson, is also black. In a CBS poll late last month, she led Scott among African-American voters by 60-15%. (The margin should be a great deal wider.)
In an interview conducted I don’t know when, Scott said:
For me, though, from a completely authentic position (we voters will be the judge of that, d*@khead), the people that I talk to very often are the people that need the most help and the most hope. My life story is a story of hope and opportunity. If I don’t share that with the folks, I’m not honoring the opportunity I was given.
Here is news for you, Mr. Senator. People cannot eat the ‘hope’ you pander. They cannot clothe themselves and their families in it. They cannot educate their children with it. They cannot use it to get jobs. They cannot use it for fair treatment, for equitable opportunity. It can give them no dignity, no respect.
According to the article …
Some Republicans hope Scott’s rise in the GOP will help diversify the party …
It is true that Scott’s race gives the impression of diversification, as does the gender of a few Republican women. But their scarcity only illuminates the real truth. The Republican Party is a party of rich white men. They happily select a few minority members, a few women, a few African-American citizens, but what characterizes those members is their absolute and utter LACK of policy diversity. They uphold and ratify every discrimination and bad policy Republicans have adopted, and they give that party political cover where none is warranted or deserved. That is not the diversity America needs, Senator Scott. And it certainly is not the diversity the African-American community needs. They need hope, yes, but backed by real opportunity. They need it backed by deeds, not hollow words.
Scott, again …
The fact of the matter is, if we don’t figure out the DNA of hope, we’re going to have chaos in our country, and it’s not going to be pretty.
Well listen up, Mr. Scott. We have chaos in our country now, are you blind?! And it is not because there is no understanding of the ‘DNA of hope.’ I just TOLD you what the DNA of hope is. It is deeds to go along with words. It is genuine opportunity and fairness for all. It is facing the truth that we are ALL in this together, that seeking the advantage of only the most wealthy is one of the worst ideas anyone in this country has ever had. Hope is nothing without substance, and all real, substantive things that can give hope a real foundation for Americans, whether African-American or not, are things you oppose and block.
Politically you do have an advantage President Obama does not have. You are not guilty of governing while black. You do not govern at all. You block governance. You undermine it. You gut it. You drown it. And you do it with your eyes absolutely wide open.
Will you open your mind and your heart to what you SAY is important to you? Learning about the ‘DNA of hope?’ I am not optimistic at all. Your own selfish opportunity is ALL that matters to you. And to all Republicans. It never had to be that way, it does not have to be that way now. But you have to choose a different path, a far less selfish one. No, I am not optimistic.
Finally, from the article …
Democrat Dickerson says while some black voters hold conservative social values, including her, they question whether they can trust the Republican.
Scott says black voters can.
There, I agree. They can trust him to do everything in his power to undermine their opportunity, to sabotage their opportunities for success in any arena. As for help, and meaningful hope, he cannot be trusted at all.
On to tonight’s comments! Collated and formatted by brillig!
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From Smoh:
This comment by SC Lib is hysterical and clearly the best political ad of the season. From The Marti's Moondai Furbutts.
From Puddytat:
A suggestion from idonthavetimeforthis about money buying politicians.
From Gwennedd:
In my diary The Jedi Order..Is It Really a Religion, OHdog makes this smart comment on the expected progression of the new Jedi religion.
Top Mojo for yesterday, October 26th, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary FAQing Top Mojo.
1) This is the out of state race I am most personally by bastrop — 131
2) One of the reasons why I don't watch the by blugrlnrdst — 103
3) Didn't think Gregory got it done, but by Remediator — 99
4) thank you by KibbutzAmiad — 81
5) I don't think Christie will come around. In by d3clark — 69
6) I can't afford a donation right now. by slksfca — 68
7) yes! by boji — 66
8) Ugh, the RW "not race, not racism" fallacy. Here by Assaf — 65
9) The result in this race is about the people by khyber900 — 62
10) I get that! I'm in AZ where the villagers might by blugrlnrdst — 62
11) It was missing as soon as Bill Monroe left by Theodoric of York Medieval Liberal — 61
12) BREAKING (Reuters): Hickox to Sue State of NJ... by bobswern — 60
13) You know, Chuck, we can see you by Dallasdoc — 59
14) #Sekritarmy Advises Foraging Fresh Ingredients: by leonard145b — 58
15) It Was Missing When Russert Was Hosting. by Gooserock — 57
16) The way Kaci Hickox is being treated is shameful! by leevank — 55
17) Oh Hai Whoknu! And When Goth Bunny Finds Love... by leonard145b — 55
18) Ms. Hickox has lawyered up. by Richard Lyon — 54
19) Of course it is. Race is a ludicrous fiction. by JesseCW — 53
20) Sekritarmy answers questions by arizonablue — 53
21) Hi and thanks. by NancyWH — 52
22) Chuck is looking very bad indeed. by elwior — 52
23) It's almost as if I didn't point out that levels by Rei — 52
24) Indians 101 by Ojibwa — 50
25) Wow! by futurebird — 49
26) Oh Hai Kossacks! Ur #Sekritarmy Moment Of Zen: by leonard145b — 49
27) What endorsements can do is provide validation by blugrlnrdst — 49
28) Thank you for boosting the signal by 1864 House — 48
29) Like the AMerican Dream, Cheap Fast Connectivity by Gooserock — 47
30) #sekritarmy advises against mess hall menu change. by jwinIL14 — 47
Top Pictures for yesterday, October 26th. Click any picture to be taken to the full comment and/or larger picture. Thank you
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