Do you think the state of South Carolina needs a drastic overhaul of leadership? A lot of residents are considering such a question as the year 2010 approaches. This will be the time we elect candidates to statewide offices. It's an important time for us as Democratic supporters because we actually have the best chance to replace GOP leadership in this state.
How do we do it? It's not going to be easy, I assure you. The Republican fear machine is almost perfect in this state. Whether they scare with "abortions-on-demand" lingo or startle you with gays sitting next to you, they have their act down pact. It's worked for decades now.
And what's so upsetting is they hardly use any truth anymore to maintain it. They throw out a few code words, some short e-mails and brief campaign stops and POW... They have you fearing for your "sanctity of marriage," or weary us Democratic legislators might take your guns away. The end result is the GOP has you thinking national political rhetoric rather than state issues that matter to the people most: Job losses, lack of health care, funding annual budgets, public education shortfalls, lack of tax revenue, etc.
I hear pundits say that Democratic candidates will be using Sanford's follies as campaign messages in order to drum up support for their efforts. I say we don't even need to go there.
While it's tempting to use our governor's affair with another woman as campaign fodder, I say use what he's done in office during his two terms. And what is that you ask? Hardly anything to benefit the state of South Carolina.
Gov. Sanford has been in disarray since he arrived in office in 2003. His relationship with the state assembly has been on life support, even with a GOP-controlled statehouse. In 2006, he vetoed the entire state budget that was put before him. The state would have shut down if this veto wasn't overridden. State legislators know all too well the special sessions they've had to attend to deal with Sanford's libertarian ways.
The governor is known for his fight to destroy public education. He's been a heavy proponent of school vouchers – the ones us taxpayers would have to support (in dollars) in order to send children to private schools. And when you divert money from public education, you essentially kill it off.
I could go on and on about the governor's record, but that's for the gubernatorial candidates to do. I am only here to explain the dire need of Democratic supporters in a time that could prove positive for us in 2010.
The state turned out massive amounts of volunteers for President Obama's campaign. These people dedicated their time, efforts and homes to help elect a Democratic president. I urge those same people to head what I say here. If we do not produce such an effort for 2010, then this state will continue in a downward spiral of negativity. There will be no progression, only regression. We won't see high-paying, long-term jobs, only tourist-based and seasonal. We won't see vast improvements to our state's public education system, only more attempts to privatize and dismantle it. We won't see emphasis on Medicaid, only more cuts. We won't see budget surpluses, only deficits and cuts.
It's time to put aside the fear of coming out as a Democrat in a red state. It's time to throw away the burden of standing for what's really right in this state. It's time to move forward and defend our jobs, our money and our way of life. Get past the social issue doctrine that controls this state and start thinking about economical issues that affect us today.
People need not be afraid of backlash. The more we come out, the more our numbers improve. This state is controlled by fear and oppression. We can break it.
Readers know the despair in this state. They see the depression. They know the pain. I urge them to act on it. Stop thinking someone else is going to do it for you. Change is not going to happen that way. Voters in 2008 knew this.
We accomplished something great by electing President Obama. It's now time to do what's right for state – the place we live in 365 days a year. In order to get change, you have to be willing to work for it.
Don't let fear hold you back. Now's the time to stand up to the most conservative state in America and tell them we want progression, not status quo.
It's up to us as residents to do the work. I hope I can count on you to look past the rhetoric, the fear, the lies, the simple nonsense that controls this state.
Democratic candidates need your help as well as your support. Help is the key word. Let's all help change this state. Let's all help to change the direction. Let's all help make this state a better, prosperous place for all, not just a few.
Let's do our part and replace the GOP fear machine with Democratic truth and transparency. The results will prove to be better for generations to come well after we are gone.
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