“Politics: A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.” Ambrose Bierce
As one might expect, recent posts have gotten quite a bit of attention, almost all positive and supportive.
Almost.
There has been a comment or two on the While I Breathe Facebook page that, although intended to be derogatory, actually provide an opportunity to address an important point about my recent articles here. The two comments below are from the same individual, whose name I will not include so as to spare her/him.
• Funny you never called it out while still in office.
My response: “I was in the Senate to serve my constituents. Had I spoken up, the very powerful people in charge would have ended every effort I attempted and removed me from important positions from which I could work change. I tried to address individuals on a personal basis, but was rejected.”
Please understand , my “silence” while a member of the state Senate was not at all compliance with or acceptance of what I (and most others) consider bad behaviors. I saw and heard and heard about things that happen in a lot of workplaces. Did I see actions or hear things that could be characterized as unsavory, immoral, inappropriate, lewd, unseemly and/or unbecoming a public, elected officials?
Absolutely!
Were any of these actions illegal? Well, some of them broke the laws of the Ten Commandments, but not necessarily those of the South Carolina Code of Laws. What makes this conduct particularly egregious is by whom it is committed and the places and circumstances and potential consequences.
Why I didn’t speak up publicly while still in the Senate is simple as it is unfortunate. As mentioned above, I would have not only been shut down, I would have been shut out. The Good ‘Ol Boys would have done the political equivalent of having me swim with the fishes. My gender already made me an outsider though I overcame that disadvantage and was able to claw my way to some respect and support in the Chamber. Had I exposed the skeletons while still in the Senate, I would have become a pariah. Traditions and established protocols would have been altered or ignored regarding seniority, committee assignments and every other tool I needed to serve my constituents in particular and the state as a whole.
What should I have done? What could I have done that might have made a difference? What served the greater good? This I will say without hesitation or reservation; had there been clear, evidentiary ethics violations, I would have reported them. And, certainly if I observed illegal activities, I would have contacted SLED and the Attorney General.
As but one Senator out of 46 and 124 members of the House, I battled to lower taxes fix roads and stand for life. Those fights were often against interests not best for the state, but favored legislators and their “special” constituents – a common force in politics.
I’m gratified to have saved taxpayers a lot of money. More importantly, lives, too, were spared because of my efforts and I did so while being faithful to my principles and the character of the District residents I so proudly represented.
WHILE I BREATHE 