Today's Kooky Facebook Picture...

     Truth be told, this one is by no means a kooky picture... Usually, we choose something to make you laugh, but this one was the winner the moment I saw it.... My childhood friend Steve Graziano has been involved with the 9-11 cleanup and reconstruction since Day One.  The work on the new Tower One has been going on for a while, but today was a special day.  They installed the beam that allowed it to pass the Empire State building as the tallest skyscraper in New York once again, at 1271 feet.  This is the beam, and as you can see, all of the guys tagged it proudly...


   Much like we came back after September 11,2001 and Tower One is back to being the Top Dog on the New York Skyline, America can come back too.  Of course, the first thing that happened is we forgot our political parties, and we all came together as Americans.. We have our doubts, but there's always hope.


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Happy Anniversary to the House of No....

Do You Smell Something? No, It's not Pepe LePew - It's the Senate.


     April 29th was a day full of anniversaries of note.  Most focused on the killing of Osama bin Laden, others on the 20th anniversary of the Los Angeles Riots.  We were going to do a post on it, but we didn't see much constructivity of noting how the world has changed since then. It really has for the good, but there's lots of work to do.


     Nope, the other anniversary yesterday was the 3rd Anniversary of the last time the US Senate has passed a budget.  Yep, nearly 1100 days ago, the Senate did it's job - and it has failed to do so since.  Imagine if you didn't do a basic function of your $175,000 per year gig.... You think you'd still have the job?  I know I wouldn't, but we re-elected almost all of them every six years. 



    I guess we'd have to put the blame on Harry Reid, since he's the Majority Leader - and he's a Class A moron.  Being the leader, at least have the guts to submit a bill.  Yeah, it's going to get ripped apart, but at least you tried.  Better yet, get together with Mitch McConnell and put together SOMETHING of a bipartisan agreement to cut ANY mutually agreeable ideas.  Anything is better than nothing. Except in Congress....


    Yeah, we're doing a lot of Congress bashing this week.  It's becuase we are headed to that terrible period where both parties bunker down, aiming to win every possible seat they can - and nothing gets done.  They essentially will be wasting the next six months of your tax dollars - 25% of their term - just fighting to get re-elected.  Funny part is, if they DID just do their job, they'd all get re-elected.  The Senate has long been called the Place Where Good Bills Go to Die.  Sometimes it's true, sometimes it's not. Not everything that come sout of the House should be passed.  But, at least come up with your own idea...  Oh, we forgot - you're busy blowing out those candles!  Don't forget to make a wish.... We know we will.


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'As We Know It': The Four Most Dangerous Words in Politics

From the Way They Talk About Things, You'd Think Fixing What's Broken in DC Would Be the End of the World - Don't Buy It!


    We've been kicking this idea around a bit for a while.  Maybe since it's just an idea, and not a specific problem coming up that day, it falls back in our minds, then pops up again.  We'll, since we're going to start talking about specific ideas to our problems in the near future, the time has come to bring up what we consider to be the four most dangerous words in politics - As We Know It...


  More correctly, it should be 'The End of _______ As We Know It', but since the '_____' part can vary in words, it ruins the thought.  So, what are we talking about?  Simple... We have a $1.5 trillion budget deficit.  We can't sustain that, or else our government will be in a shambles.  Rather than discuss with fear the future of America with overblown programs from all areas, we scare the crap out of everyone by talking about what would happen if we DIDN'T fix these things.  And what do they all do? Use the same term - As We Know It.  



   Seriously, listen to every Liberal Social Pimp politician talk about Medicare, Social Security and other entitlements - our favorite term.  What exactly ARE Americans 'entitled' to from it's government.  Not to say that we can't do good things if we wanted.. But, when a program is on pace to torpedo our credit ratings, and the ability of it's citizens to be independent from government dependency, then we get pissed off... These are the same people who called lowering the budget increase for Medicare from 7.9% to 7.7% a CUT!!  Pure and simple, they are bullshit artists...


    On the other side, we can't continue running the Defense budget at $600 billion annually as well.  We have the strongest military in the world, and it doesn't take that to maintain it.  We could be on track for that by minimizing our exposure in Afghanistan and other countries, but unfortunately, we have Senators and Congressmen who get financed every election cycle by companies who depend on government contracts.  In short, everyone has their tit lined up at DC's nipple, and they all do their best to avoid cuts to them by telling you it'll be the end of Social Security as we know it, or Medicare as we know it, or National Defense as we know it... and that the economy will be ruined - by not spending.  Does that make any sense to you?


    There is one simple word to describe it all - Fear.  The AARP is afraid they'll lose their influence, Defense contractors are afraid they'll stop getting overpaid for planes, weapons and $150 hammers.  And every Senator and member of Congress is afraid their state will lose an Air Base, or a plant or a voting block, and thus they won't get re-elected.  So, they do nothing, and kick the can down further - until it's too late.  Why should they care about a problem in 40 years? They'll be dead by then. They live life two years at a time, or less..


    To us, it makes an interesting case for term limits. Just like a murderer who repents and finds God right before he/she is executed, Congressman and Senators have an eerie knack for doing the unpopular but right thing as they walk out the door to retirement.  Watch how much stuff the lame duck Congress gets done after November's election.  A lot of them won't be there soon after, so they don't care about the repercussions of doing what's right.  Both sides need to give ground.


      I watched former Comptroller of the US David Walker talk about the budget gap, and the guy made so much sense it was scary... But still, you will hear someone say that small adjustments today will end something as we know it.. Next time you hear a politician say 'It will be The End of __________ As We Know It', translate it as this instead: I am scared, and I am full of shit... No duh.  Any change will be the end of SOMETHING as we know it.  The fact is our budget is broken, and for a lot of things, it NEEDS to be the end of it - and you know it!

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Today's Founders Quote: Correcting Abuses

"My confidence is that there will for a long time be virtue and good sense enough in our countrymen to correct abuses."

- Thomas Jefferson, 1788.


   Hmm..... Virtue and Good Sense - two simple qualities that we all think we have, but seem hopelessly lost in Washington.  That is the challenge: to find people who have these qualities.  The problem is, it takes $1.5-2 million dollars per cycle to win just a Congressional seat in Florence-Myrtle Beach.  That money makes it impossible to run and not whore yourself out to whoever got you there.


    However, we might lose our good sense around cutiepie Jessie Rogers.. Grrrr!!!


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Cartoons of the Week....

    Remember when we only had one Cartoon of the Week?  We're pretty glad that the cartoonists are pumping out some funny stuff.. We didn't post on Obama and Romney's dog snafu's, but even we didn't think about the effect it would have on the Feline Vote...

Another topic we passed on was Obama's campaign stop/visit to various college campuses to push for continuing the half-priced rate on student loans...  While a 6.8% rate may seem high compared to what it is now, keep this in mind: when I graduated, my loan rate was 8%, and it was changed to need based in my sophomore year. That means it went from you got money if they HAD it to you got money if you NEEDED it... And I lived.  I always laugh my ass of when i hear college kids say they'll have to drop out if tuition goes up or they lose $1000 on their grants.  Do what I did - work in the cafeteria 10 hrs a week! That was when minimum wage was $3.35.  Better yet, go to a college you can afford.  No, I'm not very sympathetic...


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It's Off to the Striped Bass Festival Again !

The Manning Court House is Looking Pretty Good, And Luckily No One Had to Hide in the Shade Around It This Time...


     We'll admit it.. We disappointed ourselves and a bunch of friends this weekend.  Like we said last post, there was a lot to do Friday and Saturday - but we didn't quite do everything we planned.  Lots of blockades from all over..


    We expected to go to the first Florence After Five, but a nasty hail storm rolled through right about the time the event was set to go on.  We haven't seen hail since the Great Storm of 2000 dented EVERYTHING we owned!  We normally leave the car outside, but when the hail dropped, you never saw us move so fast!  It was short, and the hail was only dime-sized, so we got lucky.  Fortunately, the weather was better on Lake Marion, so after watching some of the NFL Draft, we were off to The Palms at Wyboo...


   I felt bad for Moye, because I was an hour late, and once we did get out, I wasn't much fun.  I was tired, and I didn't rest much, so the lump in my throat came back, so it was back to the Slough to get ready for the Striped Bass Parade... Again, I wasn't as useful as I planned, as we overslept just a bit, and didn't set up the tent.  Once again, it was Miss June to the rescue, as she and Sumter Graham got the Republican booth ready..


  Finally, it was off to the parade lineup, as we were smack in the middle of the 'dignitaries' area of the over 150 floats and guests. So, what do you do when you're with a dozen politicians? You schmooze...

Republican Senate 36 candidate Rev. Leon Winn was at the parade, joining Moye and Barbara Ardis before starting... Miss Barbara drove us in her Chrysler convertible. The Jazz music she played made the trip nice and relaxing...

When you're in Clarendon County, you have to do business with Democrats, although not all are - and Moye doesn't let his hooks out of you if he thinks you aren't! Ask Shaun Kent, who looks to be the favorite for John Land's old seat.

Like any parade, a cool car gets lots of attention, and Sheriff candidate Pete Surette's classic Mustang convertible fits the bill...

Moye with Clarendon GOP MVP June Brailsford at the GOP Tent.. June does everything for the party, and a special birthday wish to her husband Buck as he celebrated his 80th Friday..








    The running around had finally stopped, or I thought, when the phone rang.  It was my real estate agent, and despite the fact I have an Open House today, someone wanted to look at it yesterday at 130... It was 1130.  It wasn't 100% ready (I planned on doing it when I got home), but you're essentially a hostage to everyone else, so I drove the hour back to Florence, cleaned the inside up, and then went to lunch while they showed the place.  BTW, I haven't heard whether they liked it or not yet.....


  Yeah, it wasn't everything I hoped for , but it happens... Although it was a bit warm, it's been much hotter than it was yesterday.  Back in 2004, people were hiding under the shade from the courthouse!  Shade was still more valued than open air, but the good sized crowd enjoyed it, and if you're a candidate in the area, it's still the best place to be!


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There's a Festival For the Rest of Y'all !!!

Florence After Five and Striped Bass Festival Kick Off This Weekend

Bored? Nothing to do?  Well, the SC6 Community Calendar cracked open today, and we've got stuff for you to do.  Actually, TWO THINGS... and you can go to both of them - no picking and choosing necessary! 

The Florence Downtown Development Corporation renews it's successful Florence After Five program tonight at 530, with the band Speakeasy playing from 6-8.  Like the flyer says, it'll be held every last Friday night of the month from now until October, although we suggest going now, before the really hot Summer months kick in.  We're sure there will be lots of friends, business owners and even a few politicians on hand...

But, it doesn't stop there... Our game plan is to shuffle down I-95 to Lake Marion and hang at The Palms with Moye in preparation for tomorrow's Striped Bass Festival and Parade.  It'll be at least our fifth or sixth one - we've lost count - but it's always a good time, and it's not supposed to be quite as cold as some of them.  The Clarendon GOP will have a booth as usual, along with the usual chotchkies that make festivals fun..  For the redder neck ones of you, there will be the annual Tractor Pull down the road as well..

Oh wait, we forgot the best part - they're both free!  Yep, festivals are a great way to break up the usual routine and make a day of it with the family.  Plus, you'll usually run into some old friends while you're there.  So, come on out and enjoy the street events!  We'll see you there....

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NFL Draft Day: One Pick Is Not a Draft Make, But...

Can RGIII Overcome the Curse of the Number Two QB Pick?  These and Other First Round NFL Draft Observations..


    Football season is a lot like politics.. Every new cycle is greeted with great anticipation, you pick a running mate, then you undergo a series of tests.  But, fate deals a cold hand, and there can only be one winner at the end. Of course, if you're running for City Council, you can finish second and still achieve the goal.  If this sounds like a harsh, cocky assessment from a guy who's team won the Super Bowl last year, we're guilty as charged.  It's not easy up here at the top of the mountain....


   For a lot of teams, the draft is the first step.  Why? It's the easiest way to fix a need... You need a QB? Draft one.  Short on the D-Line? Pick three in the next few rounds...  Of course, the allure is that finding that gem in the 5th round is a lot cheaper than signing that established free agent (who might be past his prime).  High risk, high reward...


    Of course, every year, there are lots of guys who are NFL ready in the Draft's first round, so the ability to fill that need should be easy, right? Nope... Don't ask us why, but some teams listen to the hype, or get so adorned on a certain player that they draft him in the first round, when the rest of the league has him in the third round.  Or like Mike Ditka, they give up every pick for one guy...  No guy is worth an entire draft, but NFL GM's still do dumb things. Let's see a few observations, not necessarily all bad.


That QB's Gotta Be Number One.
    We will say without a doubt, Andrew Luck is the class of the draft, and the most NFL ready.  Strong armed, accurate and mobile, he reminds us of another Number 12 who played college ball in California - Aaron Rodgers.  The problem with drafting a QB first, is makes the other teams look for the second best QB available - and they move up.  That brings us to Robert Griffin III.  The question mark is that RG3 is in the dreaded second spot of the Top Two picks being QB's.  Five times, the number one QB made the Super Bowl. Only one Number Two has - Donovan McNabb. Others on that list make us cringe: Rick Mirer.  Ryan Leaf.  Griffin has skills like McNabb, Michael Vick and Cam Newton - he throws better than Vick, and is faster than Newton and McNabb.  But, he looks less solid than all three, and he has NO weapons.  Newton had Steve Smith and DeAngelo Williams. Seeing Griffin running around like a chicken with his head cut off could be a real possibility..

     As much question as Griffin might be (some), it's nothing compared to the Dolphins choosing Ryan Tannehill at Number 8, and Cleveland picking 28 yr old Brandon Weedon at Number 22.  One is too inexperinced, the other too old - can you say Chris Weinke?  Cleveland better hope Weedon can overtake Colt McCoy immediately, or it is a wasted pick, unlike their top choice of Trent Richardson, who will be awesome.  They could have found a receiver at that spot for the next ten years.. Tannehill is a project, but 2012 is doubtful for him. Matt Moore gets the call for one more year - and P-Luv's Fish suck another year...


Any Doubt the SEC Has the Most Talent?
    With nine first round picks, it's pretty safe to say that the SEC ruled the talent pool this year, including two from South Carolina.  Stephon Gilmore rose up after the combine, and went early to Buffalo. Bring a heavy jacket, my friend.  The one of the big suprises of the first round was Melvin Ingram's drop to San Diego.  Yeah, he is at that tweener weight, and lacks the height of a premier pass rusher, but the guy is a player, and the Chargers got a nice pick - and Ingram is gonna love the mild Cali weather..


The Rams Are Still the Rams...
     Stuck with the number two pick, and already having a franchise QB and RB, the Rams did what initially was a good idea - they swapped picks with Washington.  The problem was they dropped to number six - then let everyone know who they wanted: WR Justin Blackmon.  There is an old saying in negotitating - He Who Talks First Loses.  They moved way too early, and Jacksonville - who also needed a WR, came in and swiped Blackmon from under them.  They traded again, and ended up at Number 14 with Michael Brockers, at DT who has TWO career sacks at LSU.  Another Glenn Dorsey?  We'll see...


And the Seahawks Pick.... Jeff Lageman !
     Don't know Lageman?  He was a pick from the Jets about 20 years ago. He was rated as a 3rd rounder, but for some reason, the Jets HAD to have him, and took their 1st round pick on him - and he was a total bust. The Seahawks seemed to have repeated it last night by selecting West Virginia's Bruce Irvin, a JUCO transfer who's had some legal problems in the past.  He looks fast and nasty on film, but he is a sole pass rusher.  Will he be a Warren Sapp or Randy Moss - or a Lawrence Phillips?  We'll see..


Don't Mess With Bill Belichick
    For a guy who's picked at Number 28 the past dozen years, Belichick always seems to find quality picks by trading around.  He started out at numbers 27 and 31, yet somehow ended up at 21 and 25, and got rusher Chandler Jones and LB Donta Hightower.  He now has six rounds to find another rusher and maybe some secondary help to find the four points he needed to win the Super Bowl last year...


Will we review the other six rounds? Hell no - we won't know any of these guys probably, but these are the rounds that actually make a great team.  I'd say anyone can pick a first rounder - but apparently, that doesn't appear to be the case.


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Like Animals and Small Children, The Elderly Can Sense Evil..

      We have another one of THOSE stories today, but this is different than most.. Why? Because this one actually happened to us!  As history has shown us, mixing myself and elderly people is like oil and water.  Why, we're not exactly sure, but we think it's because when people get older, they become more like little kids.. They often do things that don't have any logic behind it, and there's a sense of obstinance.  You are more used to it with kids, because it's more commonplace, so when you find that elderly person in that place, you rarely see it coming - like I did yesterday.


   I had to travel to Columbia to attend a seminar to help my Dad get VA benefits, which he's never applied for.  He's 87 now, and slowing down fast, but the assisted living home he's at is doing a great job with him. My dad is no picnic to deal with - he has a lot of paranoia, which is what got us into trouble back in 2006, but it's tolerable now.  Anyway, since I was in town, I stopped by to visit him.  I'm standing in the lobby, chatting with Dad,as he's sitting in a chair, when this lady is staring at me.  I mean STARING, as she walks up..


 Seriously, this lady is giving me a 30 second Stinkeye all pissed off looking at me.. So, I say 'Hi' and introduce myself - and she's still staring, saying nothing.... Finally, she says 'I wanna punch you'.  So, I'm like 'why?'  She repeats, "I wanna punch you", and before the nurse comes by - she actually punches me in the arm!  So naturally, I'm rolling on the floor, writhing in pain as I'm speed dialing my attorney... kidding!  My dad tells her that I'm his son, and she says to him 'I wouldn't be too proud of this one if I were you!'... Classic!  That's when Dad dropkicked her - two hits: he hit her, she hit the floor!!!!  Again, kidding...


   I thought this would be the only oddity of the day, but I wasn't done visiting nursing homes, so I was just getting started.. I go to the other place, and it turns out the seminar was canceled, because I was the only one scheduled. Too bad no one called, but I digress.. So, I ask to use the bathroom. As I get out, there's a nice woman in a wheelchair in the hall, near the door.  She says to me, 'Oh, you shut the door!' and I was like why wouldn't I?  She says 'I came by here earlier and this woman was going with the door open.  I asked her what she was doing, and she yelled 'I'm gonna kick the shit out of you when I'm finished here. So of course, I left'.  I decided to quit while I was behind, and hopped in the car immediately..


   To those home health workers, I say this: Kudos to you, they don't pay you enough!


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Kooky Facebook Pic of the Day ..

     I found this one today on Joe Beineke's page... First Snooky's due date, now this.... Maybe we ARE in trouble.


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More Signs of a Slowing Economy ....

Sales of Durable Goods Drop 4.2% in March - The Economy Sputters On


    Before you ask - no, we are not one of those Republicans praying for an economic downturn so Mitt Romney will win the election in November.  We just read the numbers, and call it as it is.  And the numbers are telling us that the US Economy is once again stalling a bit.. Added to the rising new unemployment claims, this week we got news that orders for durable goods dropped in March by a solid 4.2%...


   OK, first question: what the hell are durable goods? Easy... They are big ticket items like cars, refridgerators, TV's and those I-Pads we love so much.  Stuff that costs a lot and lasts past dinnertime.  Basically, the big items that drive an economy forward, and show us that citizens have disposable income to spend. In short, the items that show us an economy is strong.  When it drops, that tells us otherwise - in real terms, not just what a politician says...


   America is telling us with their dollars what Barack Obama is afraid to - that we're slipping back into stagnation. That we're not very confident in the near future, and we need to keep whatever money we have in the bank, not in the driveway or living room.  And with good reason.  Big Business is going into 2013 like a car driving into a fog with the headlights off.  They have no idea what the climate is going to be like, but it's only on little things - you know, stuff like ObamaCare and Tax Structure. 


 Yeah, it's our contention that if DC were able to pass legislation for more than six months at a time, we'd be out of the recession in a much stronger manner... Why? Just look at it.  Many companies are making money, and sitting on pretty good amounts of cash, but they're not hiring.  Like we always say, businesses plan long term, but DC keeps going the short route, and it's crippling business' ability to plan - and therefore, to hire.  How can they, with a huge, incalculable expense like ObamaCare and Taxmageddon's estimated $494 Billion coming down the pike? 


    Nope, for right now, things do not look good for America's economy.  The political ramifications of it? We're not there yet.. Like we said before, April's unemployment numbers will be the standard that determines if Obama is re-elected.  However, this is not a good sign going into that crucial period.  We'll see if anything turns around, but a sharp drop like this in durable goods is not the way anyone wants it...


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The Fat Guy Sings at Last On Tuesday ....

With $4.3 Million in Debt, and One Win in Three Months, Newt Learns Even Sheldon Adelson Eventually Runs Out of Campaign Donations...


     Apparently, even after months of Spring-like weather, Newt Gingrich didn't see his shadow - and he has finally seen the light.  Come Tuesday (Fat Tuesday?), the former Speaker of the House will suspend (read:end) his Presidential campaign - approximately 3 months after it died politically..


    Unlike Rick Santorum, who spent Easter weekend going over things and leaving in a pretty timely manner, Gingrich is going to drag this out for an entire week... Why? Because he has a pretty sizable ego, and for intent and purposes, this is his Swan Song.  No, we really don't think Gingrich will have much of a place in the forefront of the Republican Party after this... He had his good points, but Ron Paul and Rick Santorum have been model citizens compared to the bad loser Gingrich has been since Florida.  We all knew his sole purpose was to take out Mitt Romney after getting blitzed in January, and it was not in the best interests of the GOP to do so....


    It definitely has been a bitter pill for Gingrich to swallow.. But, you can only argue 'I'm the smartest guy in the room' or 'I'm the Sage - the Conscience' for so long.. If you fail, you fail.  There are no explanations sometimes for why people lose or win.  Voters aren't always logical beings - but sometimes they are.  Personally, I passed on Gingrich because he's 68, and I have a problem supporting a guy who's been married three times running on family values...


   It may be only temporary, but Gingrich played us again here.  After all, rather than us just saying the race is over for him, we're yapping about him for another 5-6 days.  He knows that once he quits, he has jumped off the cliff and no one will be listening for quite a while..  As far as the coveted prime time speaking slot, we seriously doubt it.  This is it for Newt Gingrich.  The string - and the cash - have run out.  The Fat Lady sings at last....


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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!!!

As Much As We Love Her, We Might Have to Take Megan Fox Off Our Wish List - We Can't Afford Some Other Guy's Kid!


      Like the Hee Haw song goes, 'Gloom, Despair, Disgrace and Agony.... Deep, Dark Depression, Excessive Misery'...  After years of dedication - all for naught - we have taken the last insult from Megan Fox as a permanent sign that she's waiting for just the right moment to knock on our door - she's pregnant.


     Yeah, after years of dating him, getting engaged, married and now having his baby, we're afraid this whole thing with old Beverly Hills 90210 star Brian Austin Green is gonna work out.  Crestfallen doesn't explain it...


      We're not sure why.. Yeah, he's good looking (better than we are), he has all that 90210 residual cash still rolling in, and maybe he's a nice guy.  But he probably has the worst three word name in the business.. After all, his initials are BAG !!!  I mean, has she even thought about that???!!!! Our guess is no, and she probably doesn't care anyway.


        So, just like Gary McLeod had to be resigned to the fact that he will never be the 6th District's congressman, we'll have to realize that Megan Fox is never coming to Florence to occupy the extra bedroom we'd been saving for her the last few years.  Having kids are the last straw... After all, how the hell are we supposed to keep those kids happy after Green spoils them?  And if the kids aren't happy......


   Au revoir, our raven-haired, crystal-eyed, voluptuous beauty - our Muse!  No more flowers (which we never bought), or chocolates (negative on that either) or platitudes of love on our blog.... We'll just have to give up on that - and go find another hot woman on Chickipedia.


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Our Guess Is Facebook Will Now Crash Permanently..

The Four Horsemen Go Online With Their Own Facebook Page... Word Is Mark Zuckerberg Is Ready to Pull the Plug On the Whole Thing!


    This is what happens when you let the four of us get together for more than five minutes... The dreaded Four Horsemen of the Political Apocalypse - Moye Graham, Earl Capps, Tom Grimes and myself - had way too much chat time together at the convention this weekend, and when that happens, bad things occur.


    Since Earl wasn't completely occupied by work, teaching, politics, his wife or Dokken concerts, that Evil Genius mind of his went to work, and he decided to take the juggernaut that is the Four Horsemen online.  Yes, we have our own Facebook page...  After our surprising display of influence (somehow) the past few weeks, Earl put up a page, so we could find a base for that power.  That, and a lot of people wonder exactly what the heck the Four Horsemen is... The answer? Not much... But, it's been well-received by a lot of people in the party...


    And that really is the focus of it - One Big Party.  Literally a party.  Like eating BBQ, downing a brew or two, having fun and discussing politics.  As far as the party, we're in the beginning stage of planning, but we'll get it all together.  Like we said, we want to put the 'Party' back in Republican Party - and this might be the easiest objective we've ever had to accomplish...


    If you'd like to join, simply go onto Facebook, and search 'The Four Horsemen Online', and request to join... So far, we haven't declined anyone - even a Democrat like P-Luv!  After all, the man can cook some mean BBQ, he's been known to drink a beer or two, and he knows every stupid movie that I do.  Besides, someone has to be put in the Sumo outfit!


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If There's a Odder Way to Injure Your Kids, We Haven't Seen It.

Study Shows Going Down a Slide With Your Child in Your Lap Is a Leading Cause of Broken Legs... We Shit You Not!


     It's a little hard to tell, but the person in the picture is actress and recent Mommy, Minnie Driver. No, we're not picking on her, it just happened to be the best picture we could find with a Mom and Child on a slide.  Hopefully, she'll consider it a public service...


   Time for one of those slightly odd stories we like to post every once in a while.. After all, those convention posts are pretty worn out.  Yesterday, we heard a recent medical survey that tracked causes of child injuries, and a leading reason small kids break their legs is from going down a slide.  But, not from going down by themselves - it's from going down in the laps of their parents...


    Yep, it's true, and we have a very simple reason for it...  E=mc2...  It's simple physics.  A kid goes down a slide moving at a rapidly increasing rate of speed, followed closely by a mass about 10-15 times heavier.  If anything causes the kid to decelerate, the parent runs over the kid - who's leg is leading the way - and shit happens...


   Hey, we've all done it.  The problem for parents is twofold: First, we worry so much about our kids going down alone , that they might get injured, and we go with them, which is actually MORE dangerous.  Secondly, we parents WANT to go down the slide, so we go with them..  Seriously, an adult going down a slide alone is pathetic looking, so we go with the child, so we don't look stupid.  Love does hurt sometimes...


   No, we didn't put too much thought into this either, but now that the numbers prove it, we and hopefully you too will let go,and just let the kids go down the slide alone - you're actually doing them a favor...


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Tom Grimes Breaks His Silence ...

Is Our Fellow Horseman Riding Off Into the Sunset???


     For the last few days, we've been getting questions from all over the place as to the plans for our friend Tommy Grimes after his close loss in Saturday's convention race.. After 14 years in the game, some feel he may be done in an official capacity, while others want him to stick it out... What really matters is what he wants to do. Now that the dust has settled, let HIM tell you what he thinks...



"I want to thank each of you for the hard work you personally put in to organizing the convention. As district conventions go, this was most assuredly one of the most interesting conventions I have been a part of in a long, long time.

I also want to thank each of you for your support and your county’s support in my quest for the Chairmanship of the 7th. I cannot thank you each enough for the encouragement and support. I know that some of you put yourselves at tremendous personal risk to your individual reputations and I can never thank you enough. It was a hard fought race that saw a lot of bitter and nasty mudslinging from some groups. I and those that helped with my campaign tried to remain above the nastiness and for the most part, we were successful. While I would have preferred a different outcome this past Saturday, I have no regrets on how I ran my campaign and with a few tweaks would do it the same way again. Elijah won an extremely close election and I ask that we all come together now, unite behind Elijah and move forward to elect our party’s nominee to the US House of Representatives this November.



Since the convention, I have received a number of calls and e-mails asking what I am going to do now that I no longer hold an official position? Let me be clear on this, I do not need another bullet point on a resume’ to work with and be involved, active and supportive of the SCGOP. It was not just campaign rhetoric when I talked about working in my dad’s tobacco warehouses as kid. It was not rhetoric when I talked of my summers at our family beach house in Garden City or earning my Eagle Scout badge and the times I spent at Camp Coker in Society Hill. The love, concern, passion and drive I have for this area we call the Pee Dee and the Grand Strand is borne from something some can never truly understand or appreciate.

As a young man in my twenties, I had the unique opportunity to stand on Mulholland Drive; look out over the Los Angeles basin and wonder why we could not have some version of that growth along the Grand Strand? I also lived in metro Atlanta and still frequently return to see old friends. Inevitably I will find myself sitting in the lounge atop the Peachtree Tower at sunset, looking out over the vast metro area of “Hotlanta” and wonder why we could not have some version of that growth and the jobs it brings across the Pee Dee and the Grand Strand? That has been, is and always will be, the one driving issue for me. I believe that our party, is the one party that can move this state forward where jobs and opportunity are available; where dignity and pride still mean something; where any child regardless of who their family is, can with hard work and determination rise to be whatever they dream of.


Judging by the calls, e-mails and comments on blogs and Facebook, many Republicans want me to remain active in the party. There are a few that wish that I disappear, such are the traits of ungracious winners. I will be honest, at this point I have made no plans past our state convention next month. I still have the SCGOP awards committee to chair and look forward to working with our state Chairman Chad Connelly for the best convention we can have on May 19th. After that, my calendar is surprisingly open for the first time in over a decade and half. About the only thing I know right now is that there is one place it appears I am not wanted and their wish will be granted.



There is still much work ahead of us and Saturday’s outcome didn’t change that. Even though I’m not sure what my next role will be, I’m looking forward to new opportunities to help move our Party and our state forward. I will continue to spend time with the rural county parties across the Sixth and Seventh Districts, where I have many long-time friends and allies, and I will continue working to make a difference, as I know many of you will be doing as well. Let’s move forward together."


 
Sincerely,
Tom Grimes
Former 6th District Chairman


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Darlington Takes Center Stage in the 7th District Race....

The Candidates Prepare for Today's Debate in Hartsville With a Meet and Greet in Darlington. Too Bad They Won't All Get to Participate.


       After taking a whole day off from the campaign Sunday to blog about everything, we were back on the road last night at The Music Hall on Harry Byrd Highway in Darlington - just down the road from the Raceway - to attend the Darlington GOP's Candidate Meet and Greet.  We learned a valuable lesson last night: give a candidate five minutes to talk, and it's over quickly, but pretty dull.  Let them just mingle around and talk about whatever, and you can be there for hours talking about anything! 


      Though there weren't too many unfamiliar faces, we ran into a few new friends of SC6 that we never met, and some local candidates in tough districts that could use a little help. As far as the 7th District candidates, they were very well represented, with only Tom Rice and Dick Withington not being there in person or with a staffer.. We're not sure why Rice wasn't there, but word was Withington was back in Myrtle Beach addressing wounds received in an altercation with an elderly lady over a disputed parking space... kidding!!


    Though Darlington itself is a tough area for Republicans overall, the seem to have carved out some even local districts to give them a fair representation in County Council - better than we have in Florence.  Though the party doesn't officially meet as often as others do, they are substituting it with events like this instead.  Let's take a look at the action from last night....

Katherine Jenerette spends a lot of quality time with a local voter.  Seriously, she talked with this man for at least a half hour, and we're still jealous!   Katherine is a big fan of SC6, and she gave me some info that was confirmed by others that we underestimated.  In a recent poll, she is actually within striking distance of the runoff.  How? Simple... With this race glutted with male politicians with business experience, Jenerette is the only serious candidate with a military background - especially a current one.  Combine that with he name recognition from previous races in the area, and being one of only two females in the race, and Jenerette may have that thing that every candidate needs - a solid voting block.  Going to VFW halls worked for John McCain in 2008, and it might work here as well.  June 12th will let us know, but we can't argue with the one who nicknamed me 'The Bad Boy Blogger from Florence' - especially when she's a badass with automatic weapons!

Randal Wallace talks shop with Tom Grimes and Darlington's Matthew Blewitt... Matthew could be a future Horseman in Waiting, but he's good guy - we may not want to corrupt him!

Chad Prosser was on hand, fielding questions from a local voter as well... I know what some are going to say, so just be nice for once!

Jay Jordan chit-chat's with fellow candidate Jim Mader and his wife, Marjorie.  Next time you see Jay, ask him about Championship Wrestling... He IS from Florence!

Lastly, Tom poses with Andre Bauer's elephant. Is that Robert McCready under there??  Hey Tom, the elephant is supposed to be for the KIDS!!!








    Speaking of kids, Renee and Tony Culler were there, as well as their four daughters.  I got my usual fist pounds and hugs from the little ones, and I gave Serah Culler some advice on flyer handouts - if they don't want them, Scotch Tape it and stick on their back like a 'Kick Me' sign!  It makes one feel good to pass on your knowledge to the next generation...


   If you can't tell by now, it was a very informal night, but it gets more serious in Hartsville (or Hartsvegas, as the locals say) with tonight's debate.  The very odd part about this debate is it's a bipartisan debate, with nine total candidates from the two parties - five Republican and four Democrat.  So obviously, three of the candidates you see - Culler, Mader and Jenerette - will not there, along with Withington.  We're not sure who is exactly promoting this debate, but they simply went with polling data from who knows where, or someone's opinion, and chose the five.  Sounds like they're jumping the gun a bit, and really should have had one debate for each party.  Yeah, it might be more interesting to see the sparks fly among candidates who are diametrically opposed, but every candidate deserves a shot...

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Hey, We Have Primaries Today .....

All My Cousins and Friends' Families Get to Vote In Steeler Nation and Four Other Northeastern States Today - OOOHH, the Excitement!


    A few weeks ago, today seemed like it was really going to be an important event in the 2012 GOP Presidential Race.  Things change a lot in a short period of time, don't they?  Where were once wondering whether Pennsylvania was going to be Rick Santorum's Alamo, where he'd either die in his own home state, or maybe live for another day, we're left wondering if Newt Gingrich might have a shot at .... Delaware!  All together now..... YAWN!  By the way - no Newt, you don't.  Not unless Delaware suddenly bordered South Carolina or Georgia...


    Yes, we are getting ready to head for that dreaded period in politics - The 'Tweener.  Every bit as annoying as the 12 year old similarly named, we are in that vast wasteland where the primaries for all intent and purposes are over, and the conventions start.. It's gonna be a long 4 months!  Where each day since January, we had a new development or mishap, we're now faced with endless months of rehashed attack lines and marketing of bad strategies and tag lines.   Let's hope the GOP Veepstakes will be interesting, but we doubt it.  They're already eliminating possible choices.  After all, how many times can we listen to Marco Rubio, Tim Pawlenty and Chris Christie say they don't want it?  Apparently a few thousand....


    Yes, we are in South Carolina, where no one cares how Yankees vote anyway.  But today, even my friends back home don't care.  Honestly, I haven't seen a single political Facebook comment from the hundreds of friends I have up there at all... Apathy is alive and well on the Northeast Corridor.   At least it won't make or break anyone's nomination, because that was decided about a month ago - the dead just haven't stopped walking yet.  Zombie Candidates...  Rarely do we watch American Idol over election returns, but we just may go that route tonight.


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Using Two Words Can Fix All of This ....

      Well, it's been two days since the big convention, and things are calming down for the most part.  Our review of it seems to have been met with mostly positive reactions.  The only corrections I got were mistakenly putting Kenney Boone as Mayor of Florence and misspelling Carroll Padgett's first name.  Our apologies to Boone, Padgett and current Florence Mayor Stephen Wukela...  We tried, like always, to be honest and fair in assessing things, and I think we did, and the response from just about all of the people we were running against has been positive...


   The point of this post is to show that we all make mistakes.  Some are temporary slip ups or errors, where we say 'Oops, sorry' and we correct it and go on.  Before I get into this, we will preface it with this statement: Like most critiques, we do it for a constructive reason, and it's usually for that person's benefit.. Whether they don't like that we do it here it irrelevant. Why? Because the mistakes we see are public ones, and public mistakes deserve public corrections. That's just how it goes..  Especially when the mistake you know you make is followed up by a public explanation that is a bigger mistake than the first one.  What we are saying is take our excellent advice, don't take it as anything more than that, and move on - just like we do.  Posts like these aren't made to split people, it's to mend them..


    So, what exactly am I talking about?  At the convention, Florence County Chair Bill Pickle on a few occasions referred to the 7th District as 'The Great Pee Dee District'.. The first thought that came to many of us was is Pickle trying to piss off Horry and Georgetown counties on purpose, or is he just not thinking right now?  We think we got our first answer, when Tom Grimes got 25 of Carroll Padgett's 29 delegates in the second vote later that day.  Our second answer came from Pickle himself this morning...


    Bill took the first few minutes to review the convention on his radio show.  His first minor error was mention Elijah Jones winning the Chairman race, but forgot to mention Horry County members Jerry Rovner and Cleo Steele's election as Vice-Chair and Secretary. It could have been a mental error, because live radio isn't the easiest thing to do.  We guess we weren't the only ones to bring up the 'Great Pee Dee' references, because that was his next topic.. His explanation was that it was done purposefully, in that all eight counties run through, border or confluence the Little Pee Dee and Great Pee Dee Rivers.  


   While that all may be true, there is a simple fact in politics, and in life - people don't like be called things they don't like being called.  In Horry and Georgetown counties, they consider themselves members of the Grand Strand, and that's what they prefer to be called... Even though it may an attempt to try and unify the two areas of the District, Pickle is doing himself and Elijah Jones a disservice by doing this. I wouldn't call it arrogance, but obstinance might be a better term for it.


   How? Easy... We were there, and a lot of people from the Strand left that convention with a bad taste in their mouths.  They drove a long way, and they spent a lot of money getting there in 15 passenger vans and staying in hotels.  See 'Red' from Myrtle Beach's comments from yesterday's post... He/She is pretty much on point.  There was a lot of frustration, and Pickle coming out by still refusing to use those two words - Grand Strand - pushed his thumb a bit further into the eye of the Horry and Georgetown contingent.  It makes Elijah's job harder when they get the feeling that they're not being respected. It's a bad move, considering they DO have both National Delegates, and a majority of the votes...


    I worked in Beaufort County a few years ago, which is actually three parts: Hilton Head, the area west of it, and Beaufort.  People on Hilton Head NEVER leave the island, and wouldn't be caught dead in Bluffton. As far as Beaufort, it's 35 miles away, but it may as well be a million.... Try to explain it though he might, there are unavoidable truths Bill would profit from learning: African-Americans don't like being called the 'N' word, there are terms that offend people both North and South, and people from the Grand Strand don't really consider themselves members of the Pee Dee... So be it.  Rather than spend endless sentences trying explain it, our County Chair would make things easier by just giving in, and use 'and the Grand Strand' like every TV station does when talking about the area. It would make life easier for a lot of us.. We're in the infancy of this District - let's try to start it off right.


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Today's Founders Quote: Their Great Security

"If virtue & knowledge are diffused among the people, they will never be enslav'd. This will be their great security."

- Samuel Adams, 1779.


    Some might think that knowledge among the people is a dangerous thing, but those are the ones who use the government to bend the rules towards their needs...and there are a lot of them.  The day we find people who serve with the common people's needs foremost is the day we turn it all around.


    We also apparently find great security in Mad Men star Alison Brie, because this is the second time we showed her... Nothing cheesy about that.  Nice combo - a Sam Adams, a fine cheese, and a beautiful woman.  Hey, a guy can dream...


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Cartoon of the Week ... Trifecta Time!

     Every once in a while, the political cartoonists surprise us.  We were expecting a slew of Secret Service spoofs today,but we only got one.  Rather than just going for the obvious, they really culled through the news, and found some interesting nuggets to pick on: Newt Gingrich's campaign going broke, Romney finally getting Santorum supporters, Tax Season and Kim Jung Un hiring Wile E. Coyote for his rocket program...  In addition to our Superfly Secret Service commentary, we picked these two as well...

We really liked this one that equate our National Debt with this week's Space Shuttle final trip to the Smithsonian... Those sizes are about right, and pretty soon, that 747 won't be able to piggyback it anymore, and it's gonna crash..

Lastly, politics goes to the hounds... What can we say - it's a Man Eat Dog kind of world......

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A New District.... And New Leadership

Elijah Jones Wins a Barnburner of a Second Vote to Become the 7th District's First Chairman.  Georgetown's Jerry Rovner Wins the Vice Chair Easily on the First Vote..


    Normally, we post events like these right after they occur, so that we might be the first to get the returns to you.  Yesterday, it was almost impossible... Why? Because we were pretty involved in the races, and by the end of it all, our blood pressure was so high, we had to spend all day yesterday to recover.  Whatever we had, we're not quite recovered, and we paid for it - and we weren't the only ones.  Half of those involved were in wheelchairs, canes, wheezing, coughing or pale!  We truly were a group of the walking wounded.  Campaigning is hard work...


   We'll do our best to be the New York Times of the 7th District Convention.  That is, to be the blog of record on the day's events.. Yesterday was expected to be a tough race for the Chairman's job, and it was that and much more.. Things don't always go the way you think.  We got one prediction wrong, which turned the second vote in a way that NO ONE thought it would, and the two remaining camps scrambled for delegates that they didn't think they were going to have to.... But we'll get back to that in a bit.


   It was a fully day at West Florence High yesterday.. For us, it started at Bean Groovy, for Andre Bauer's pre-convention breakfast meeting. We might have been there a tad early, but there were about 20 people there.  To Bauer's credit, he was working constantly, as usual, throughout the entire day. During the convention, he spent hours calling voters outside the auditorium. Plus, he remembered us, which is always nice. Our only criticism was Bean Groovy's breakfast selection was less than what we consider breakfast, so we made a beeline at the Waffle House around the corner, and loaded up on Hash Browns, a Fiesta Omelet and a big cup of OJ.  After all, it was going to be a big day..


   As much fun as the actual convention can be, the real fun is mingling before the convention.  After all, until the votes are cast, you need to shake as many hands as possible - because it does pay off eventually..

I ran into Horry County Chair Johnnie Bellamy, and I told her I was sorry about her delegates having to make such tough arrangements getting here.. Hotel rooms, renting TWO 15 passenger vans or getting up real early - these guys went through a lot.

But each event can cause heartbreak as well... Tom Grimes consoles his fellow Horseman Earl Capps when Earl saw the OTHER ponytailed guy dressed pretty oddly at the convention!  No one likes a copycat..

Convention Chairman Alan Clemmons and House 68 Candidate and friend Heather Ammons Crawford pose for us before the fun begins...





   At long last, the gavel was struck by Florence County Chair, Bill Pickle.  It started a bit slow to get the formalities done, but that happens.  A note to a few members of the Pee Dee: The 7th District is the Pee Dee AND Grand Strand.. On a few occasions we heard it mentioned as the 'Pee Dee District'.  When you do that, you twist that knife of division a bit more each time you say it...

We did have a few statewide elected officials attend and speak at the convention, led by Governor Nikki Haley. We didn't really see any signs of the book signing mentioned ahead of time, but she gave a good opening speech.  Haley highlighted the major topics affecting South Carolina: unemployment, Boeing, Voter ID, immigration reform, replacing the Budget and Control Board, and of course, beating Barack Obama... 



SC Education Superintendent Mick Zais spoke next, and was nice and brief.  We'd never seen him before, and we were tipped that he has a tendency to be a bit, uhh, loquacious.  But, he limited it to discussing Charter Schools and the Teacher Protection Act.  Another observation: he's taller than he looks in pictures, not that it's important, but funny things hit you on the trail sometimes...


We apologize for the lack on pictures from inside the auditorium.  Not being a delegate, we sat in the very last row, which doesn't lead to good pics.  Also, when the Governor's security is there, getting too close isn't a good idea. In the light of the Secret Service scandal, we're sure these guys are doing their jobs t the max right now...


Another note: the delegate turnout was very good - 116 of the 125 delegates came or had alternates. However, we think the $15 cover for visitors backfired a bit.  Aside from the three Horsemen, we didn't see too many non-delegates there.  Only political junkies like us would pay to go here... Also, the lack of elected officials aside from Haley and Zais stunned us a bit.  The only other current office holders there were Clemmons, Phillip Lowe and Florence County Sheriff Kenney Boone.  There is still a disconnect between those holding office and the party itself, and that needs to be addressed in the future...


Now, onto the main purpose of the convention - electing officials.  Tom Grimes, Carol Padgett and Elijah Jones all gave good speeches. It's kind of a formality, because, as Jerry Rovner put it, most delegates made their minds up.  The Vice-Chair was a much harder to read race.  Brad Richardson did attend the convention, just a day after being hospitalized, thanks to the wheelchair and the effort of his girlfriend.  Brad is a real trooper, and it was great to see him feeling better.  Tommy Phillips gave a decent speech as well, although he got a slightly tepid applause compared to the others. It's clear that Tommy still has a couple fences to mend from the 2008 race.  Jerry Rovner had possibly the funniest moment of the day.

 A pretty tall guy, Rovner went to take the mic of the podium - and proceeded to rip the whole damn thing off the stand!  For those of you who might have heard 'Now THAT'S a strong candidate' from the back.... that was me!  Rovner's resume was strong, and our first thought was that if he had gone to more counties and given those qualifications, he'd win in a cakewalk.  It turns out, he didn't need to...


   During the lunch break ( I liked my double chocolate chip cookie and chips, but my sandwich was too small), the votes were tallied, and Rovner won handily, with 60 votes to 27 for Phillips and 24 for Richardson...  Horry County's Cleo Steele won the Secretary's position in absentia by acclimation...The Chairman race was a total shock to all three camps.  Yes, we got one thing wrong yesterday - the Horry delegation did not vote fully as a block, and it changed the path of the second vote completely.  Our expectation was that Horry and Georgetown would vote en masse for Padgett, and whichever between Grimes and Jones finish third would drop out.  Instead, 15 votes from Horry went for Jones, which allowed Jones to finish first with 49, Grimes second with 34, and Padgett a stunning third with 31.. My guess is Elijah was rewarded by Alan Clemmons and some others for his work during the districting process. In one way, it was better he did, because if Padgett got those votes, both Jones and Grimes would have 34... and who would back out then. Oh crap, now what?

Suddenly, the whole second vote was a free for all... Horry County was now what it wasn't in the first vote - the Kingmaker.  Or so it seemed... Tom went to Johnnie Bellamy, and she delivered close to all the non-Jones votes to Grimes.  25 of the 29 delegates went to Tommy, making the new Horry total 25-19 Grimes, and it seemed like a second round comeback was complete.  But, in hindsight, we made a major tactical error.



     What we did was go all-out at Horry County, and turn that 15 vote deficit into a 6 vote win.  But what we should have done was send two guys out - one to Horry, and one to Georgetown.  We didn't, and Georgetown went for Elijah Jones 12-0.. Adjusting for a few delegates who left after the first vote, Elijah pulled out a 58-54 second vote squeaker - and we now had a new Chairman..


   From that point, we'll be honest: we stopped paying much attention... SCGOP Chairman Chad Connelly arrived and spoke briefly, then they allowed the Congressional candidates in attendance - Bauer, Jay Jordan, Randal Wallace, Tom Rice, Chad Prosser and Katherine Jenerette - to speak.  Renee Culler, Dick Withington and Jim Mader did not attend... Then to close, Elijah Jones gave his acceptance speech, and the convention was over.


    It was a long day, and the physical toll it took on me got me worried.  Obviously, I not fully back to health.  I never looked to redfaced and exhausted in my life, so I went home, and skipped Jay Jordan's BBQ... The good thing was that with the new District, it instilled a feeling of reconciliation amongst a lot of us.  The winners were humble and the losers didn't cry.  I think we stunned a lot of people by nearly pulling this thing off.  Taking this race to a four vote second round loss - without winning a single vote in your home county - showed we have a lot of friends.  We made some new ones, and patched some old ones as well.  Heck, I even got a couple new Facebook requests!  How long it lasts remains to be seen, but that is the real value of the conventions: not to select leaders, but to reacquaint with party members, and make new ones.  Heck, we might even have a new Horsemen or two joining the club.. You've been warned!   Congrats to Elijah, Jerry , Cleo, and to National Delegates Jim Jerow and Alan Clemmons...


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