South Carolina's Democrats
by Akil Qordia

South Carolina is one of the first thirteen states that were created right after the independence, and now stands proud as one of America's great success stories. Not long ago, this state was underdeveloped. It was one of the poorest states in the nation, with income levels less than half the national average and with high levels of illiteracy and disease. Located in Southeast of the United States between North Carolina and Georgia, it reaches an area of 32,007 square miles with a population 3,700,000. Its capital is Columbia with a population of 100.000 residents. The population is as diverse as any other part of the country. Approximately, two-thirds are white, little less than one-third are black and the rest is Native Americans, Asians, Hispanics etc. South Carolina has a chilling history of slavery and racial segregation against blacks, but ever since 1964 with the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act in 1965, legal segregation ended and allowed blacks to vote. Today, this state has reached some of the leading statistics in the nation. Income per capita are over $20,000 a year which is near national level, health standards are as good as the rest of the nation, and educational achievement in many ways exceeds the national average. The poverty level is somewhat below 15.5%. Economically and culturally, South Carolina is now part of a booming South Atlantic region from Maryland to Florida. Devastated from year to year by hurricanes hitting its shores, South Carolinians have found the courage and power to recover magnificently without much of federal government assistance. This report is dedicated to South Carolina's Democratic Party, which now more than ever is committed to serve not only to a few privileged ones but all South Carolinians.             As any other state party in the country, South Carolina's Democratic Party has its own platform where its members have framed their political goals. Even though some of their views over certain issues may not match with the National Democratic Party's platform, in the majority of issues they are pursuing the same path as the National Democratic Party. In regard to foreign policy they do not have anything specific written most likely, they agree with the National Democratic Party's views.             In their platform, they state that the family is the basic building block of society. Therefore, they believe that family issues and concerns should become a priority at all levels of government and consider it, as its own responsibility to seek solutions to the problems of teen pregnancy, infant mortality, child abuse, domestic abuse and the problems for the elderly. They firmly believe in the reproductive rights for all citizens and on supporting the laws that protect them.              In regard to social policy, they have firm views on certain issues. They want education to be available to all citizens. Their goal is to see all South Carolinians have a basic and undeniable right to a meaningful education. They believe that only education can ensure the full economic, cultural and intellectual development for all citizens. Therefore, public education must remain among state government's highest priorities. They also strongly support ideas such as that all citizens must be given an opportunity for vocational job skills and training, a voucher free system for public education, and the dropout rate from public schools must be reduced. Health care must be available and affordable to all citizens. They want the criminal justice system to adhere to the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, firm action against drugs and crime so that all South Carolinians can have security in their homes and on the streets.             In regard to equal rights and opportunity, they believe in racial and gender equality that consequently will provide educational and employment opportunities, equal pay for equal work, safe homes and work environments for all South Carolinians. In regard to the economy, they claim that since South Carolina has been blessed with a beautiful environment, it must be preserved for future generations. When the recruitment of new industry takes place must take into account environmental cleanliness, fair labor practices and advance technology must be encouraged. They support economic investment for long-term quality growth, safe working environment combined with the support of existing industries and assistance to small and minority businesses. They firmly support efforts to prevent South Carolina from being a dumping ground or productive source for materials that raise legitimate safety, health and environmental problems.             They also believe that the state government should be open to all the people and to their concerns regardless of their socioeconomic status. They want a government that is accountable to the people, led by individuals committed not only to their own interests but to public service, and not to serve only to big businesses but also the entrepreneurs especially, minority ones.              At the present time the governor of South Carolina is Jim Hodges, a Democrat, who as a successful businessman seem to be the right choice for the South Carolinians to lead them into the 21st century. Below is a description of his State to State Address speech on January 20, 1999. In this speech he addressed some of the most important issues in the state but the most important one was about the children education, health and opportunities. Some other issues he addressed were: improving education, reducing drugs and crime, lower taxes for senior citizens and improving the environment.             Regarding children's education he claims that the success can be achieved only when the parents are just as responsible as the government and the teachers on educating their children. So, to improve education he proposed a state lottery committed to it constitutionally. This lottery will not cover only children's needs, but also students of all ages and will improve the quality of school services with the latest technology to prepare them for the 21st century. He also addressed the issue of children's health. He said that South Carolina has fallen behind with very disturbing statistics: forty-seventh in infant mortality, forty-fifth for children living in poverty and forty-eighth in child's health and welfare. He also called for crime-prevention programs and tough measures on controlling drug use such as establishing drug courts statewide. Regarding senior citizens, he called for lower taxes, wiping out income taxes on retirement income and raising the income tax exemption for them to $20,000. Finally, he emphasized that every region should handle its own waste, criticized the idea that South Carolina pulled out from the Southeast Compact for Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management and announced that efforts to join back were under way.             So, the members of South Carolina's Democratic Party are totally committed to improve the lives of all South Carolinians and turn this state into one of the leading states in the country as they move toward the 21st Century. They want all South Carolinians to have a meaningful education and health care, strong economy, less crimes, clean environment, which will consequently improve their lives, especially the children. All in all they are committed excellence and success.