Breakfast in Berkeley: Grooms wins GOP straw poll, IT kids make new friends
Every first Saturday in Goose Creek, Republicans gather at the American Legion Post 166 for grits, eggs, and a heapin' helping of politics. This month's standing-room only crowd set a record for attendance with an estimated 200 attendees, giving State Senator Larry Grooms a nearly-unanimous win in their gubernatorial straw poll:
- Barrett 10
- Bauer 4
- Grooms 131
- Haley 14
- McMaster 14
These results were a big difference from the recent Dorchester County GOP straw poll where McMaster beat Bauer by a single vote, and with the other candidates far behind ... but we've said there are plenty of reasons not to read too much into straw polls and we're standing by that.
We heard from more than a few attendees who grumbled that McMaster chose not to attend because of schedule conflicts, but rather because it was expected that Grooms would win the straw poll handily. We won't go so far as to say we believe them, but we will say that this is the risk you run when you confirm months before, only to bail in the last few days.
Kelly Payne's "IT Kids" were there, getting their first taste of Lowcountry politics. Introduced by yours truly from the stage, who was wearing my very own IT kids shirt, they made a lot of friends and positive impressions quickly at the event.
If you missed the event because you slept in, it was too far to drive, or whatever, here is some of what you missed:
We heard from more than a few attendees who grumbled that McMaster chose not to attend because of schedule conflicts, but rather because it was expected that Grooms would win the straw poll handily. We won't go so far as to say we believe them, but we will say that this is the risk you run when you confirm months before, only to bail in the last few days.
Kelly Payne's "IT Kids" were there, getting their first taste of Lowcountry politics. Introduced by yours truly from the stage, who was wearing my very own IT kids shirt, they made a lot of friends and positive impressions quickly at the event.If you missed the event because you slept in, it was too far to drive, or whatever, here is some of what you missed:
- Fellow blogger Mike Reino was hanging out, taking pictures. Due to his performance at my graduation party roast, every effort was made to keep a microphone out of his hands.
- Dean Allen, running for Adjutant General, gave a short stump speech, focusing on State Guard improvement.
- Bill Connor, running for Lt. Governor, waved his faith around a little too much - a point raised by a number of attendees - and waved around his clueless and unsustainable "Retirees for Economic Development" plan (most jobs created to serve retiree communities are low wage and those who work them require large amounts of welfare benefits to make ends meet, while flooding local schools).
- Brent Nelsen sounded much better and more qualified running for Superintendent of Education than he did when he was prospecting for the Governor's race. Even if he kept avoiding that long-haired dude who runs the Blogland.
- 1st District Congressional candidate Tumpy Campbell gave a decent stump speech, pleasantly surprising in that he spared the audience the kind of "my daddy" crap that his brother overused when running for Lt. Governor two years ago, but his "just got into politics" claim was far from accurate, considering his past membership on the state ports authority board and his involvement as a political advisor for the Catawba Indians.
- Local representative Tim Scott, always a favorite of this group, asked for input as he considers entering the race for Lt. Governor - and looks like he got plenty while at the event.
- Larry Grooms gave another passionate stump speech, talking about working harder for economic development, pushing for more energy generation capacity, reforming permitting and regulatory agencies, and let attendees know he was married to his soul mate.
If you're kicking yourself in the butt for missing so much fun - you should!
But there's plenty of other upcoming events, so you can catch up on what you missed this time. Be sure to visit the Lowcountry GOP Breakfast Club next Saturday at Kelly's BBQ on US 78 near Summerville, where SCGOP Chair Karen Floyd will be speaking, and put the Berkeley group on your calendar for next month!
Also ... special thanks to Senator Danny Verdin, who drove all the way down from Laurens to hang out and check out Lowcountry politics.
You forgot to mention Terry Hardesty announcing his bid for County Supervisor, and the message from Minnie Blackwell that she is also running for that post. In addition Dale Adcox announced he is running for County Council District 6.
It was a great crowd. We hope to have that many next month to hear the County Superintendent of Schools speak.
Check out the Mississippi Economic Development study from a couple of years back that Bill was citing before you make clueless assertions like the one you made here.
Each retiree couple who brings retirement assets (which average $1.5M, FYI) creates the economic equivalent of 3.7 factory-level manufacturing jobs.
As one attendee yesterday reminded me - that's what's good for small business in this state, and small business is the heart of this state's economy.
Other than that, great to see you.
JDG
Regarding your comment about Bill Connor waiving his Faith around a little to much,
I see you agree with Obama in that we are no longer a Christian Nation.
I can also see by your comments you must be reading your Horoscope daily to come up with your opinions. (noticed on you bio that you're proud of your Zodiac sign) You make a great poster child for our public schools.
It didn't work out that way.
The Zodiac thing was assigned automatically, I think. As to my faith and what I think of this nation, go ask my priest.
This nation is what it is. It's not what Obama thinks it is, nor what you think you can make people do. Keep in mind that our faith is about freewill. If you want a society where you can tell people how it's gonna be, you'd make a great Muslim.
First, you are right. If retirees were great for prosperous jobs, just take a ride to Santee in Connor's home county. New lakefront resorts a mile away from new trailer parks and dilapidated shacks and cinderblock homes. Josh should get out of prosperous republican coastal counties and go look at the democratic areas which lie just inland and he'd see the truth behind that study.
The truth is that its not three goodpaying jobs, but rather seven lowpaying ones. One hotel or restaurant or lawncare manager, four minimum wage jobs with two foreman or assistant managers who are barely paid above the menial workers. You are right on that.
But the truth is that we need those jobs. Connor is right, but the answer in the long run is wrong. Our state has too many unskilled workers for whom tourism and retiree jobs is all they can hope for. Even then they have to travel an hour each way to work and get food stamps and medicaid and live in low-income housing to make ends meet. When that happens, factor in the cost of the welfare benefits and ask what is the real cost of those retirees?
Most republicans just see the coastal counties and their needs. They don't look at the realities in the democratic counties. If they would think outside of the box and take a real look at the bigger issue and show a little bipartisanship, republicans could sweep this state.
I see what you are getting at by trying to shake things up and getting people to see the big picture. Maybe Connor would be wise to do the same.
If someone thinks the Lt. Governor should bang the drums on issues which a Governor overlooks, they'll find me in their court. If Connor wants to be the bull in the economic china shop, then great, but he needs to stop taking such a simplistic approach to the issue.
The benefits you'd receive from the incomes of retirees, taxes they pay, and the lack of demand placed upon government services is offset by the cost of social services and public goods and services consumed by those earning $7/hour and who aren't paying any real taxes because they make too little to pay income taxes and live in high-density apartments and drive inexpensive cars so they pay little property taxes to support schools.
Real sustainable economic development on a large-scale doesn't lie in drawing retirees. The Upstate is clearly the most prosperous region of the state, with no Sun Cities or waterfront mega-retirement communities. Look at what Savannah and Jacksonville are doing - using the natural port advantages to draw industry. We could do it here, if we had a skilled workforce.
Brent Nelson had a lot to say yesterday about the need to address this at the community level, and he's right. Workforce improvement is key, but there's no way we can do that with a set of policies or lots of new programs - it will take a big committment at the community level to keep people in school and get others to continue their education, and some people with the guts to take the bully pulpit.
As to the "born again" bit ... we've seen a lot of politicians who wave it around, and it gets old. Maybe some of us would rather see those who live their faith through service than through preaching. Count me as one of them, and there are others out there who feel the same way.
After all, if he wasn't credible, would all of you be trying to tear him down so much?
Earl, where ARE your manners son?
I like Lt. Col. Bill Connor's honesty and his willingness to listen as well as speak. If you have a better idea or you can improve on this one, he would be willing to listen. That's what makes a good leader a great leader. The fact that he is open about his faith is admirable and there is no shortage of references from the people he served in the military with.