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Opinion
Bickering
by Republicans ‘welcomes’ Democrats in
August
8, 2005
As
long as Republican officeholders in South Carolina have
themselves as friends, they don’t need any enemies.
Some of
them are becoming so critical of each other – publicly
critical – they’re giving Palmetto State Democrats plenty to
smile about. Furthermore, if they keep it up, the voters of
South Carolina cannot be blamed if they look more seriously at
Democratic candidates.
The latest Republican critical of
Gov. Mark Sanford is our own Third District U. S. Rep. Gresham
Barrett. Barrett told a group of reporters and editors in
Greenville the other day that Sanford is not doing enough to
boost the economy and create jobs in the state. He also said
despite trying to help Sanford in that respect, the governor
has shown only slight interest.
ONLY A COUPLE
OF WEEKS ago, Sanford was criticized by Rep. Bobby
Harrell, R-Charleston, new Speaker of the S. C. House of
Representative, on the same economic grounds. That was even
more revealing of the internal bickering among state
Republicans. It was also notable since Harrell and Sanford are
both from Charleston.
These aren’t the only examples of how
state Republicans are shooting themselves in the political
foot. When U. S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham helped
broker a deal among a group of Republican and Democratic
senators on electing federal judges, many rank-and-file
Republicans were taken aback. They were so offended, in fact,
they have vowed to do everything they could to elect someone
else to the seat Graham holds. Unfortunately for the
Republican Party, much of the complaining also has been
public.
What it all comes down to, of course, is that
voters in general are getting an uneasy feeling about the
continuous jawing among officeholders they helped
elect.
THE BITTERNESS WITHIN the
Republican ranks is counterproductive, not simply for
Republicans. It has a negative effect on all of us.
Every
political party in power eventually is voted out of power …..
at least out of the majority. Every voter knows, too, control
changes from time to time. Regardless of which has the
majority, though, there’s always a need for a viable loyal
opposition. It almost always translates into a common good
because there are opposing views and arguments covering a wide
range of issues.
State Republicans, however, have become
their own opposition. If state government changes, this time
it won’t be because of the loyal opposition. As comic strip
character Pogo said, “We have met the enemy and it is us.”
Editorial expression in this feature represents
our own views.
Opinions are limited to this page.
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