Thursday's Letters to the Editor

Keep momentum from Boeing going

With certainty, all South Carolinians are thankful that government and business leaders throughout the Palmetto State inked this magnificent Boeing decision. This sweet victory proves that South Carolina workers and workplaces are a prosperous solution for many international corporations exacerbated by labor unions. Interestingly, news reports pointed out the critical relationships that both Mark and Jenny Sanford developed over time with key Boeing executives in Chicago, among others.

While the obvious loser is yet another Northern labor union -refusing to work right when Boeing and its stakeholders needed production work the most - South Carolina cannot sit back and rest on its laurels. Hubris after companies come here has faded to sorrow. Air Tran Airways is a recent case in point.

My question to every S.C. employee, executive, CEO, banker - and election-seeking politician - is this: What are the next two, three or four Boeing-like deals on South Carolina's radar screen?

Every S.C. college student, business executive, government leader and economic development commission must continually venture out beyond state borders to aggressively develop new pipelines of key corporate relationships, to solidify fresh investments and create new jobs here.

Multinational corporations pushed to near-fatal financial disaster by labor unions are now perfect prospects for South Carolina's harder-working corporate and manufacturing environment. Let's find a few more, and keep the momentum going.

BARON C. HANSON

Charleston

South Carolinians backing Sen. Graham

The State ran an article on Sunday about Sen. Lindsey Graham's willingness to take a lead on addressing the nation's serious energy challenges. The article was an inside-the-Beltway analysis titled "Climate change bill: Graham out in the cold."

Well, maybe he is out in the cold with right-wing ideologues and talking heads in Washington, but it is not the case in South Carolina.

In Sen. Graham's home state, there has been an outpouring of support for his moderate, balanced approach to addressing national security and our damaging reliance on petrodictator oil from unfriendly parts of the world. Numerous guest columns, letters to the editor and editorials in newspapers around the state confirm this fact.

In addition, there has been a series of TV and radio advertisements supporting the senator on his stand. And a recent full-page advertisement appeared in daily papers thanking Sen. Graham. It was signed by more than 100 citizens from around the state, including mayors, business and utility leaders and conservationists. The strong support is coming from Republicans, Democrats and independents.

BEN GREGG

Executive Director

S.C. Wildlife Federation

Columbia

We tap dance as terrorists kill

Thirteen Americans are dead and nearly 30 more wounded as the result of another terrorist attack by a Muslim jihadist, and meanwhile we are still tap dancing to the political correctness tune so as to not offend anyone. Of course, I am sure these types of tragedies will soon end due to the foreign policy of our president, which is to apologize to the world for America's shortcomings. Lord, please let us wake up before it's too late.

God Bless our military.

JAMES MAXWELL

Columbia

Obama's charm could cause U.S. harm

One of the most important talents for success in politics is the ability to make utter nonsense sound not only plausible but inspiring.

President Barack Obama has that talent. We will be lucky if we escape the catastrophes into which other countries have been led by leaders with that same charismatic talent.

DON MILLER

Elgin

Jobs commission failing S.C.'s people

I have never been unemployed, but I have a very close relationship with someone who is - a single mother who has been without a job for more than a year.

I have read and heard about mismanagement and shoddy operations at the Employment Security Commission. Twice this year the commission has sent duplicate checks to people. Once should have been enough to correct the problem.

The commission dropped the ball in letting the Legislature know it needed to extend benefits to receive federal emergency aid. The Legislature convened for an emergency session to get that emergency aid to the people who lost their benefits. That was two weeks ago. The people who lost their benefits have had no income for almost a month.

There is no excuse for such foot-dragging by the commission. I bet the commission would move a little faster and more efficiently if the director's family were looking for a home and begging for food like many of the unassuming victims of the commission's mismanagement.

Even though I am mostly conservative in my political beliefs, if it were in my power to provide food and shelter for the people who can't find work, I certainly would do a better job than our Employment Security Commission.

MARTY HARRIS

Pelion

This story was originally published November 12, 2009 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Thursday's Letters to the Editor."