MINORITY PARTY’S PROBLEM IS ITSELF …
By John Osborne || For years South Carolina Democrats have been blaming everyone but themselves for their problems. Of course it doesn’t take much investigation to uncover the inescapable truth: They have made themselves obsolete.
Invariably Democrats take positions that go against the views of most South Carolinians – rendering them unelectable statewide. Then they beat their base like a baby seal every year fighting for something South Carolinians do not want – more government dependency.
And what do they do after they lose? Complain about gerrymandering – or attempt to pin the blame on the demographics they love to highlight.
Look no further than the Democratic priorities for the 2014 legislative session: Medicaid expansion, increasing the minimum wage and raising teacher pay.
Yes, you heard that right: South Carolina Democrats are still supporting Obamacare – which roughly thirty percent of the nation approves of.
In fact Vincent Sheheen – the Democratic gubernatorial nominee – thinks so highly of this legislation he all but killed his chances of being elected governor by endorsing it last session.
Next up we have the minimum wage. Even though a Congressional Budget Office report states that it could cost America a million jobs, Democrats have made it the forefront of their national agenda – and South Carolina’s perpetual minority party is blindly going along for the ride.
Then they add teacher pay to the agenda. Wasn’t it Vincent Sheheen – along with “Republican” Rick Quinn Jr. – who pushed through legislation tying school funding to the sales tax (an unsustainable revenue source)? So in essence, wouldn’t this mean Democrats are campaigning on fixing their own mistakes?
But rather than recruit candidates for their base to actually vote for – or candidates who could attract independents – Democrats claim gerrymandering is the problem with all of their races.
Let’s imagine in an alternate universe, though, in which we made every district match the state’s demographics. Under such a set-up, the population of every district would look roughly like this – 5.4 percent Latino, 27 percent African- American, and 68 percent Caucasian.
That doesn’t exactly scream “Democratic victory” – which means Democrats should stop blaming every loss on gerrymandering.
In 2012 only 90 of the 170 legislative districts in South Carolina even had a Democrat on the ballot.
South Carolina Democrats are rudderless. Hopefully they can make a course correction, but we all know that won’t happen. Fixing their trajectory is the last thing the Democratic elite in South Carolina wants. Because, if that was to happen, the voters would have power and God forbid that happen. In South Carolina, Democrats kill competition as quickly as they try to destroy free markets.
They would rather eat themselves alive than win.
John Osborne is a military veteran and a recent graduate of the University of South Carolina.
31 comments
It’s real easy to blame Republicans since the majority of elected officials in this state are Republican. As a whole, everyone; Democrats and Republicans, need to put on their big boy pants and own up to their own problems.
They would rather stick to their convictions than lie to win. I believe that is what mr osborne is saying.
You must be kidding. You want to see an entire pack of liars all colluding to cheat the election process? Look no further than what’s unfolding at the Richland County Election Commission.
I’m not kidding.
Are you familiar with the calamity that’s ongoing here in Columbia with the Election Commission?
Yes, and I’m not talking about that and I’m not playing 20 questions with someone who has no respect for women.
All that judging of people who have a difference of opinion with you must be exhausting. Bless your cancerous liberal heart. If things don’t fit your narrative you choose to deflect and spin. The Richland County Election Commission is infected with lying, cheating, bigoted, criminals who are rigging the vote since their gerrymandering argument doesn’t really hold water.
You are such a cunt. Enough said.
None of my liberal friends share that view of me, must be a personal problem SCBlueWoman. It’s probably time to have your medication adjusted.
Ellington, along with “The Colonel” and. Frank Pytel are the best known Non Republican Republicans around here(although this Osborne character is about to join up),except ,of course, for Fits himself.
We’ll go with the title “Conservatives” vice “Republicans”. You could also refer to me as a “little r” republican – one who believes in the republican ideal of a form of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is generally associated with the rule of law.
In fact FANoR, I’d probably only identify my self as a little “c” conservative – as in one who holds to traditional attitudes and values and practices self control in personal matters.
You say he has no respect for women, then you call him a cunt. Real classy. No wonder liberal women are so miserable, they have no self-respect, then are astonished and indignant when no one else respects them either.
Keep up. He called me one yesterday. I was returning the “favor.” I’m astonished that you are so stupid.
Brigid proves her stupidity on here all the time. All she knows how to do is RANT about the awful “liberals” – typical Teapublican Troll – nothing more.
Frigid is “a strong woman” like Hillary.
And Brigid – And you’d know what about class, dear?
Refusing the Medicaid expansion is how Republicans intend to keep millions of people from being insured under the ACA, and it also impacts those who go through the exchanges.
But hey, Democrats can’t blame Republicans for thaaaaaaaat…
And again, this is 100% paid for by the feds for a short time, then 90% paid for, forever. You are literally turning down a 90% off clearance. (And before someone says “But Smirks, they could change that later on!” Uh, yeah, and just what party would dare cut federal spending on Medicaid? Democrats? Really? No, I think we all know which party would fuck states over like that.)
I said it before and I’ll say it again. Kentucky accepted the expansion AND ran their own exchanges. We refused the expansion and bummed off the feds to run the exchange in our place. In five years, I am willing to bet that Kentucky is doing fantastic while South Carolina still has a boatload of uninsured sobs and our healthcare still hasn’t improved one bit. And every last one of these naysayers will be scratching their heads wondering why, or better yet, explaining how Kentucky is just a special case. Hell, I’ll bet some of you will say “Well, I wasn’t reeeeeaaaaaallllyyyyyy against Obamacare, I just thought it needed a few changes is all…”
Write it down, quote me on it, what have you. I’m confident enough in my prediction, hold me to it. Somehow I doubt I’ll end up eating crow over it.
The rest of it is just pure drivel. Maybe you should stop concentrating on why Democrats aren’t winning and start looking at why the same crappy Republicans, many of whom used to be Democrats, are still in office despite a litany of evidence why they shouldn’t be. Maybe instead of laughing at the notion of a Democrat complaining about gerrymandering, you should worry about the various tactics used to get rid of non-good ol’ boy politicians? Maybe instead of worrying about teacher pay going up, you should actually be complaining that the amount of money we funnel into the education system does not result in decent teachers getting decent money?
I don’t blame Republicans or Democrats for the shape this state is in. I blame the voters. They deserve 100% of the brunt of the blame as they vote in the same corrupt pigs every election, Republican or Democrat. Good job keeping this a partisan issue, though.
South Carolina is still fighting the Civil War, and all it takes is some rhetoric from a politician to stir up the masses. They would rather not accept the funding and believe they are proving a point than accept it like other states have done.
I don’t understand the reluctance to take the fed dollars. The 2015 budget passed the house last week at $24Bil..$17bil of that is federal dollars. The GOP would rather hurt their constituents than help them if they think it makes Obama look bad.
The problem is: Your brand is so far about of touch w/ good, decent and reasonable people. To people who hold this country together, you are extreme and REPULSIVE…
Therefore, the democrat party has to whore itself to a union of race-baiters, atheists, angry feminists, anti-Americans, Pagans, selfish abortionists and hateful, heathens and the extra-rights homosexual lobby…
Nationally, the media, which is your STRONGEST weapon, was able to spin one guy, Obama, and hide the hideousness of what you are, and what you are doing to this country….
But in more local races, especially Congressional, and state-based races, Conservatives and Republicans can define you for what you are…and show how ugly the democrat party is..That is why you lose….
Without monumental change and total renunciation and repentance of what democrat has become…you will NEVER get elected on your “merits.”
Democrats may be able to so vilify the GOP, that you steal offices by default…but that will only apply to federal offices…and it will be sporadic at best.
Otherwise, you will always be dependent on a conglomeration of the filthy, immoral, entitled and bitter electorate…and sin ALWAYS collapses on itself, eventually. And when it collapses on itself (see Obamcare)…no amount of lying, spinning and attacking or blaming the other guy will save you…
And I Conservatives get control of the Republican Party (I am praying daily) and do what their Platform instructs…you will be killed as a movement and a party…
And the ONLY way to defeat the damage you do to America, is to obliterate you. Wipe you out as completely as possible. And if we doi not eradicate your influence, the country dies. It’s that simple, choose democrat, or death for America.
I wonder if Republicans are blaming Democrats in California.
Democrats should play fair – like the Republicans.
You got that right, no one plays fair.
It’s a matter of degree – they have no problem pandering to hate mongers and blaming the victim, if it suits their base… who do *you* cheer for? The ones who use religion as a smoke screen to fuck over “the average joe” on behalf of the rich, or the ones who are a little too full of themselves in their attempt to represent “the average joe?”
“It’s a matter of degree” – depending…now that speaks volumes about fair play.
Think Hogan’s Heroes.
So your underlying argument appears to be that if the Democrats hope to win more elections in SC, they need to act more like Republicans. But then they would no longer be Democrats, would they?
Yeh whats the point of these articles by this latest “boy toy” of Fits(like Tom Tom Ravenel).
This Republican seems to want the Democrats to become the Republicans.A little crazy perhaps, but when you live in this Fits created world where one is a Republican, votes Republican,Supports all the Republican positions but somehow isnt a Republican?
Well I guess anything makes sense.So hark Democrats!Hurry take all Republican positions so this character can write an article blasting you for becoming too much like the Republicans cause you see hes not one(neither is Rick Quinn) ,but Obamacare is wrong ,”free” enterprise is God etc etc.
But remember ,like Fits .
He Aint no damn Republican!
Democrats must raise the minimum so people paid a minimum wage can afford the Bronze Plan offered through Obamacare. 10.00 an hour is not enough. The current wage hike if passed is an incremental step to a much needee higher minimum wage down the road. Translation: small businesses will be hit harder to make the ACA affordable. Is there one state or federal job that starts at the current minimum wage?
Mr. Osborne, I wish you would remove the “a recent graduate of the University of South Carolina” from your byline because you are an idiot and you de-value the diploma I have from USC. First according to the Kaiser Family Foundation 56% of the population support the ACA. Second, why are you so against Medicaid expansion? Do you feel, like Gov Deal of Georgia, that poor sick people should just die? Besides, at least the hospitals would get some $$$$ (which pay the doctors, nurses, etc) instead of $ 0 for the emergency room. No need to even get into the long-term benfit of people having acces to medical care. Third, why shouldn’t teachers get paid more. If we don’t get quality teachers, then when you get old you will have dumbasses looking after your well-being. Fourth, why don’t support a modest increase in the minimum wage– afterall, you would get a modest raise. Fifth, gerrymandering– if you have almost 1 of every 3 voters in every district are minorities, the elected officals would have to pay some attention to them, thus the minority voters have more influence and we would have as many narrow minded dumbasses in the capital. If the R’s are not scared of this, then why do they push for super white districts?