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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2014
N.G. Osteen 1843-1936 The Watchman and Southron
H.G. Osteen 1870-1955 Founder, The Item
THE SUMTER ITEM H.D. Osteen 1904-1987 The Item
Margaret W. Osteen 1908-1996 The Item Hubert D. Osteen Jr. Chairman & Editor-in-Chief Graham Osteen Co-President Kyle Osteen Co-President Jack Osteen Editor and Publisher Larry Miller CEO Rick Carpenter Managing Editor
20 N. Magnolia St., Sumter, South Carolina 29150 • Founded October 15, 1894
COMMENTARY
Lucas focuses on being ‘inclusive’ House speaker
L
ook for a different kind of leadership when Hartsville Rep. Jay Lucas becomes the new speaker of the S.C. House of Representatives on Tuesday. The election of Lucas, first sworn in as a legislator from the Pee Dee in 1998, is a foregone conclusion after two GOP key rivals dropped out of the race during the summer following state corruption charges — and then a plea deal — that brought down ex-Speaker Bobby Harrell of Charleston. Since then, Lucas, who became the No. 2 official in the House when elected speaker pro tempore in 2010, has offered some peeks into the kind of leader he’ll be. First, he’s appointed special committees to look for new and viAndy tally imporBrack tant solutions into transportation infrastructure funding and ethics reform. Second, he committed to limiting the speaker’s power through term limits and other rule reforms. But until now, he hasn’t spoken much about how he will be a different leader. “I can do that in one word,” Lucas told Statehouse Report in an exclusive interview. “Inclusive. I think it’s extremely important for where we are at this point in the state’s history. “The speaker of the House has a great deal of power” the 57-year-old Republican lawyer added. “I’ve heard from the members that they want to be involved in the process more than they have been in the past.” Since he appointed new ad hoc committees to deal with pressing, top issues, there’s been a new enthusiasm among House members for taking on tough problems, Lucas said. “There’s a new enthusiasm around here,” he said. “That’s how I want to make it different. I want members to feel like we’re making a difference.”
TRANSPORTATION AND ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE South Carolina, which has more than $40 billion in road needs over the next 25 years, has to figure out a way to “give our citizens a road system they can be proud of,” Lucas said. Failing to invest more in roads will hurt economic recruitment, he said. “When I talk to the Manufacturers’ Alliance and the other industries, they tell me that the two most important issues we have as a state in luring industry to South Carolina is workforce (development) and our roads. These are the two issues we
need to concentrate on in the early part of the session.” The 42,000 miles of state roads, which LUCAS Lucas said was the fourth largest state network in the country, creates loads of challenges. Before a political fix, however, a practical fix for road funding is required. “Before we put additional revenue into the system, I think we have to fix the current system and fund it second,” Lucas said, adding that any fix would have to involve cities, counties, the Senate and Gov. Nikki Haley. “We’re trying to build consensus on the issue and that, quite frankly, is why we haven’t progressed on that issue so far.”
ETHICS AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM The House expects to have a package of 18 to 22 ethicsrelated bills pre-filed by Dec. 18, Lucas said. Trying to put all ethics measures in one big bill, as done in the past, created a dynamic for the bill to die under its own weight, he said. Splitting reforms into distinct pieces is more transparent, which citizens will trust more. “It’s not likely something will get slipped in,” the Hartsville attorney said. “We want to create a system where members aren’t investigating themselves.” On tap: Constitutional definitions of campaign committee and income disclosure provisions, particularly of members who do business with state and federal sources.
EDUCATION With a recent state Supreme Court decision looming over the legislature to require more equitable funding for poor schools, the General Assembly is going to have to do something to pump more resources into education. While it will take some time to figure out what to do, a comprehensive approach is key to prepare South Carolinians for jobs through better education and workforce development, he said. “I really and truly believe we owe every child in this state a 21st century education,” Lucas said. “It’s not a legal obligation that we provide children with this type of education. It’s a moral obligation.” Jay Lucas is set to begin as speaker as major challenges grip the Palmetto State. But his brand of inclusive, thoughtful leadership is sorely needed. Let’s wish him well. Andy Brack is editor and publisher of Statehouse Report. He can be reached at brack@statehousereport.com.
HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? Send your letter to letters@theitem. com, drop it off at The Sumter Item office, 20 N. Magnolia St., or mail it to The Sumter Item, P.O. Box 1677, Sumter, SC 29151, along with the writer’s full name, address and telephone number (for verification purposes only). Letters that exceed 350 words will be cut accordingly in the print edition, but available in their entirety at www.theitem.com/opinion/letters_to_editor.
NOTABLE & QUOTABLE In “The Science of Hate in College Football,” Ben Cohen writes, “In college football, where fans of opposing teams can’t agree on much of anything, they do share one opinion: There is no such thing as a boring rivalry.” Read it online at www.wsj.com: What is a rivalry? It isn’t the same as ordinary competition. The idea that people act differently in competitive settings dates to a breakthrough study in 1898 by Norman Triplett, a godfather of social psychology, who found that cyclists raced faster when other cyclists were present. But only in the last decade have academics pinpointed what, exactly, makes rivalries worthy of their own study: the extra psychological stakes. “Rivalry is fundamentally related to competition, but it’s competition over time,” said Harvard psychologist Mina Cikara. That, she said, provides an “opportunity for attitudes and emotions to become more polarized and entrenched.” ••• In “Why the Supreme Court should be the biggest issue of the 2016 campaign,” Paul Waldman writes, “Ordinarily, the Supreme Court is brought up almost as an afterthought in presidential campaigns.” Read it online at www.washingtonpost.com: We don’t usually spend a great deal of time talking about what a change in the court is likely to mean. But the next president is highly likely to have the chance to engineer a swing in the court. The consequences for Americans’ lives will probably be more consequential and far-reaching than any other issue the candidates will be arguing about. As much as we’ve debated Supreme Court cases in recent years, we haven’t given much attention to the idea of a shift in the court’s ideology because for so long the court has been essentially the same: divided 5-4, with conservatives having the advantage yet liberals winning the occasional significant victory when a swing justice moves to their side. The last time a new justice was radically different from the outgoing one was when Clarence Thomas replaced Thurgood Marshall — 23 years ago. Whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, there is probably no single issue you
ought to be more concerned about in the 2016 campaign than what the court will look like after the next president gets the opportunity to make an appointment or two. The implications are enormous. It’s not too early to start considering them. ••• In “The Trick to Being More Virtuous,” Arthur Brooks writes, “In experiments, participants who are brought face to face with others’ gratitude or giving behavior are more likely to display those virtues themselves.” Read it online at www.nytimes.com: In 2012, a Marist poll found that a stunning 78 percent of Americans felt frustration over the increasing negativity of our politics. It is safe to assume this percentage has not dropped since then. This frustration comes from the sense that we are victims of the politics and punditry of the times. In truth, demand is far more important than supply: We get more of what we signal we want through our dollars, clicks and votes. If our politics are too often poisonous, it is because, as a society, we are demanding too much poison. If we want to grow in virtue, and experience a healthier, more productive political environment, each of us must demand more virtue. We should ask ourselves: What will my next click say about my desires? Will the next article about politics I read elevate me? Or will it be a pathogen that provides momentary satisfaction from an eloquent insult to my enemies, but ultimately fuels personal bitterness and increases the climate of acrimony in America? Can I pass it by instead and seek personal moral improvement? This is not a call for boring moderation or unprincipled centrism. Liberals should be liberals, and conservatives should be conservatives. But all should be expected to live up to a higher standard of civility than that displayed by TV loudmouths. The next two years are a challenge to our political leaders, yes — but also to us, to demand a climate of moral elevation as opposed to destruction of the other side. Notable & Quotable is compiled by Graham Osteen. Contact him at graham@theitem. com.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR MANY OF US ARE TIRED OF RACE-BAITING RHETORIC I have a few questions I’d like to ask. I’ve heard a few “explanations”’ that made as much sense as having screen doors on a submarine, so I thought I might try to ask the readers: 1. Why is an Hispanic considered a victim if he is killed, but considered a “white Hispanic” if he’s the one doing the killing? 2. Why do people riot when they don’t get the results they wanted, and when the result is proven to be correct, they riot anyway? 3. Why did Michael Brown’s family ask for peaceful demonstrations after the results were announced, then mere seconds after the result was announced, one of those family members screamed “burn this bitch down”? 4. Why did the governor of Missouri “hold back” the National Guard the night of the decision? Speaking for myself (and it looks like a lot of other people, too, based on election results), I am tired of seeing this country headed in the direction it is heading. With people such as Al Sharpton spreading his race-baiting rhetoric to the people in D.C. who are telling us what is best for us, I am
tired of it. And based on what I’m reading in the news, more and more black Americans are getting tired of it. But if you listen to the mainstream media, those black Americans are nothing but “Uncle Toms” or traitors to their race. Really? You might as well say people who threaten to take away our freebies. I know the answers to the above questions, as do a lot of people. And again, I am tired of it. DENNIS E. VICKERS Wedgefield
OLSEN AN EXCELLENT CHOICE TO REPRESENT FIRESIDE FUND The choice of the late Gen. Thomas Olsen to represent the annual Fireside Fund is commended. Tom Olsen served his country for many years with dedication. He always presented a warm handshake. A stranger rapidly became a friend. Retirement from the military service heralded the beginning of a new life of service. He gave many hours to The Tuomey Foundation. He served his church in many areas. He loved and cared for his family. Tom Olsen is an excellent choice. DR. PHIL BRANDT Sumter