Editorials from across South Carolina: gerrymandering, John Drummond, child-support computer system

Gerrymandered districts

(S.C.) legislative districts have been redrawn as safe seats for one party or the other, a circumstance that typically benefits incumbents.

A group of Arizona voters got so disgusted with a similar situation in the congressional redistricting by their state legislature that they called for an election via voter initiative, and passed that responsibility to a citizen’s panel.

__________

Few competitive races for SC voters in November

__________

This year the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the validity of that vote. Writing for the majority of the court, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg quoted James Madison in the Federalist:

“The people of Arizona turned to the initiative to curb the practice of gerrymandering, and, thereby, to ensure that Members of Congress would have ‘an habitual recollection of their dependence on the people.’”

She added that the voters sought to restore a central principle of American government, again quoting Mr. Madison’s admonition “that the voters should choose their representatives, not the other way around.”

Such a system — or at least such an enlightened principle of redistricting — should be considered for South Carolina’s Legislature.

Districts should be drawn to serve state residents by providing contiguity and compactness in districts.

The redistricting process shouldn’t result in gerrymandered ink blots drawn to benefit any party — or any incumbent.

John Drummond

Military hero. Statesman.

Those words are often used to sum up the life of someone in the military or politics who has passed on. Not everyone earns those words, though.

__________

SC Sen. John Drummond remembered as statesman, patriot of bygone era

__________

State Sen. John Drummond of Ninety Six, however, embodies these terms.

Drummond, who would have turned 97 on Sept. 29, died (Sept. 3) in the home he shared with his beloved wife, Holly, who died in 1999.…

Drummond fought for what he believed was best for his constituents back home, as well as for his entire state. He was not contrary, he was not arbitrary. He was, however, a forceful presence.

Yes, the man who was short in stature did loom large beneath the Statehouse dome and passionately filibuster for what he believed was right. But he remained the consummate statesman who defined “the art of the deal” long before it became a book title. He recognized the need for reaching across the aisle, a cliche that needs to be brought back into genuine practice in today’s political circles. He understood that compromise was necessary to forward motion in the Statehouse. In short, John Drummond knew that finding a common or middle ground mattered more than party politics. It was public service, not being a Democrat (as he was) or a Republican, that motivated the man.

Child-support system

South Carolina is alone among all 50 states in that it does not have a computer system to track child support payments.…

Congress set a deadline in 1997 for states to have their systems up and running. South Carolina has been paying fines to Washington since then, $145 million in fines. Much of that has been paid by the companies the state has hired to develop the system, and state officials blame those companies for the delay in implementing a computer system.

__________

Mother says SC child support system hurts 1,000s of families

__________

But that’s not good enough.

A computer project that is 20 years behind isn’t incomplete because you chose the wrong vendor, or even a succession of wrong vendors. Sooner or later, you have to admit that the problem might be your own.

The state’s failure to develop this system has enabled irresponsible adults to ignore their obligation to their children and push that financial burden onto their mothers and onto the taxpayers.

This story was originally published September 12, 2016 at 4:36 PM with the headline "Editorials from across South Carolina: gerrymandering, John Drummond, child-support computer system."