Bowen vs. Dobbins (by Art Kaldas)
I didn’t make last nights debate between Rep. Don Bowen and Democrat challenger Tom Dobbins. Here is a summary by guest blooger Art Kaldas:
Senator,
Thank you for allowing me to post my comments.
Approximately 100 residents attended a debate between Don Bowen and challenger Tom Dobbins for SC House of Representative District 8. The debate was held at Anderson County Main Library on October 2, 2008.
Although the debate atmosphere was friendly and civil, it revealed contrasting differences between the two candidates, along with surprising agreements. Based on the debate and some comments made after the debate, the candidates’ views can be summarized as follows:
• TD: We need to understand what the people need and base our efforts on meeting their needs. We need to develop relationships and work as a team.
• DB: I have 4.5 years of experience in building relationships. I have worked with Democrats and Republican. I even asked the Black Caucus if they would allow a white boy to join, and they told me that you are the only white boy we would accept.
• TD: We need to restructure the tax system. At the present time, taxes are unfairly collected. Middle class, the working poor, and small businesses are unfairly taxed.
• DB: Don’t put any new taxes on people. In these difficult economic times, the last thing we need is add more taxes.
• TD: In order to attract more jobs, we need to properly train our young people for high tech industries.
• DB: If we just train our young people for high tech jobs, our young people will leave us, in search of these jobs. We need to use our greatest asset, Hartwell Lake, to create new jobs.
• TD: The Once Cent Sales Tax Project for Anderson County is a great concept. However, too many pit projects have been added to the list. I will not support the Project in its present form.
• DB: If economic times were better, I would have supported the Once Cent Sales Tax Project for Anderson County. However, this is not the time. In addition, all these pork barrel projects attached to it make it unacceptable.
• TD: We need to give each school district an adequate amount of money, and we need to step out of the way and let them do their jobs.
• DB: I am committed to improving education in South Carolina. I even meet regularly with Secretary of Education, Jim Rex, although he is a Democrat.
October 3rd, 2008 at 9:03 am
Re: “If we just train our young people for high tech jobs, our young people will leave us, in search of these jobs.”
We have a serious culturial problem when it comes to education. It is horrifying that someone running for the Legislature would actually say if we education our children they will leave us. This is one of those deflating comments that makes it easy to believe that all our efforts to move South Carolina forward are just futile because the culture is broken.
October 3rd, 2008 at 12:27 pm
John Warner,
Mr. Don Bowen’s statement concerning educated young people will leave us in search of high tech jobs was puzzling at best. However, his personal history indicates that he highly values education. Mr. Bowen grew up in a family with little education and money, but he was able to climb the corporate ladder through solid education in marketing.
On the education issue, Dr. Tom Dobbins has the clear advantage through his extensive teaching career and his role on the Anderson County School District 4 Board of Trustees.
October 7th, 2008 at 7:30 am
Re: DB: “If we just train our young people for high tech jobs, our young people will leave us, in search of these jobs. We need to use our greatest asset, Hartwell Lake, to create new jobs.”
I someoene takes Mr. Bowens statement out of context, it would certainly indicate he was an ignorant fool. However, the simple word in the following sentetnce “JUST” is what makes his statement arguable, and perahps, true.
Clearly, the dynamics are quite complex; and,if we do not create an economic environment where good high-tech high-value jobs, careers & businesses are, and can be, created, the well educated will CERTAINLT LEAVE for greener pastures.
Worse to consider, what if state taxes, talent & energies are only effectively used to create excellent colleges and universities at the expense of dynamic primary & secondary schools (the status quo)
Yes of course, the lucky children of the South Carolina’s richer/elite school districts AND those from out-of-state will flourish from our great college & university system (read: massively subsidized), but the drag of all those “CHILDREN LEFT BEHIND” in our state will serve to entrench the 19th century poverty & backwardness of the state at large.
October 7th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Vaughn Loeffler,
Very often, people look for one magical solution for all our problems, as just education or just infrastructure. However, I agree with your view that solutions to complicated problems have to be comprehensive and well planned. We need to tackle economic development issues from all angles.