Editorials from across South Carolina: tariffs, nuclear fiasco

McMaster must protect jobs

Gov. Henry McMaster must use his relationship with President Donald Trump to protect South Carolina jobs.

The governor has been unfortunately silent in the wake of Trump’s proposed tariffs, which could imperil jobs across the state.…

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates that South Carolina will be one of states hardest hit by the consequences of these trade actions.

The Chamber notes that more than half a million jobs in the Palmetto State are supported by international trade, and more than $3 billion in state exports are threatened by the new tariffs.

The threat extends beyond the automobile industry. The Chamber lists South Carolina-made refrigerators, handkerchiefs and lawn mowers exported to Canada as products that will be affected.

Local officials and business leaders see the danger in the proposed tariffs. McMaster is overdue to add his voice to those calling for more caution in starting “trade wars” and endangering local jobs.

In his campaign for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, McMaster portrayed himself as a close friend and ally of the president. Trump even came to South Carolina to campaign for McMaster the day before the primary runoff.

South Carolinians need this friendship to mean more than a campaign rally. McMaster needs to intercede on behalf of South Carolinians who could lose their jobs because of the president’s policies.

Republican primary voters supported McMaster’s claim that the state wanted a governor who stood with the president on his policies. But now those policies pose a very real danger to the economic health of the state and its citizens. It’s time for McMaster to show that his primary allegiance is to the people of this state and that he can use his pull with the president to change the administration’s plans.

Better than nothing?

It took the entire legislative session plus overtime for the General Assembly to take action regarding the failed SCANA/Santee Cooper nuclear project, but lawmakers finally got together on a response.

They now can tell constituents they have “done something” about the matter, notably voting to mandate a temporary end to the monthly charge SCANA Corp. subsidiary S.C. Electric & Gas Co. has been levying on ratepayers for the defunct nuclear endeavor in Fairfield County.…

If the state loses in a court challenge to the rate-cutting actions, taxpayers could be on the hook for refunding money to SCANA.

And should the Dominion deal fall through, the possibility of SCANA bankruptcy remains. Should that occur, a federal judge would get authority over fiscal matters, with the jurist’s primary obligation not being to ratepayers.

Lawmakers have acted as they said they would in an election year, though an impasse in Columbia in this instance would have been better. They have further complicated a complicated matter and taken too many risks in the process.