Two Men With Clout

Rise of Clyburn, Spratt should improve S.C.'s place at federal transfer trough

We noted earlier this month that with the coming Democratic takeover of the U.S. House, South Carolina stands to become a more powerful force in Congress. Thanks to his seniority, U.S. Rep. James Clyburn in January will become the Democratic whip - the third most powerful position in the House. Thanks to his seniority, U.S. Rep. John Spratt will become the chairman of the House Budget Committee.

Some readers, as is their right, took issue with our positive view of Clyburn's and Spratt's impending rise to power. One said this proved The Sun News to be the "liberal" newspaper he had always suspected it to be. Several others noted that Clyburn had voted the "wrong" way on issues of importance to them, and saw his rise to power as a sign that House Democrats will attempt to undo the conservative gains of the past 12 years.

While that concerns us, too, we are far more concerned that in terms of federal payments, South Carolina did not prosper in the last years of the Republican Congress. The retirements of Sens. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., in 2002, and Ernest Hollings, D-S.C., in 2004, diminished our state's Washington influence.

Our current Republican representatives and senators are capable enough people. But none has been in Congress all that long. None has the clout that Clyburn and Spratt, as our longest-serving representatives, will have in January. Their ascendancy prospectively will increase federal transfers for highways, stormwater abatement, beach renourishment, economic development, airport upgrades, community block grants, veterans facilities and other legitimate S.C. needs. If these gentlemen, in concert with U.S. Rep. Henry Brown, R-S.C., and the rest of the S.C. Republican congressional delegation, can improve the state's position at the federal money trough, federal payments to our state will rise. Infrastructure needs will be met in more timely fashion, with proportionally less pressure on local and state budgets.

We may be ideologically incorrect in expressing hope Clyburn and Spratt can accomplish what our Republican leaders couldn't. But because this is the way the Washington game is played - and always has been - we don't apologize for seeing some good in the Democratic House takeover.