Our entire country is trouble. I don’t think that is ANY surprise to anyone who actually reads the paper or watches the news. We live in an unsustainable civilization. We’ve hinged our lives on unsustainable systems built on finite resources—oil, clean air and water, agricultural land, safe food, etc… And we, the American people, have allowed ourselves to be played in a political game that has become detrimental to our own well being and allowed these resources to go unprotected. When will we wake up?  Sometimes I wonder if we ever will.

So it was no surprise to me on Friday to hear from a friend of mine who just happens to be in the SC House of Representatives that, “yeah, this time next year, I predict public school buses won’t even be running in SC.” This same friend told me months ago about how financially broke our state is and that we are in REAL trouble.

Again, no surprise to anyone to paying attention. We have a majority of yahoos in Columbia fighting over ridiculous, stupid crap. So, I’ve been expecting this for some time now.

People were all upset last week when the news came that our state legislature had cut funding to the disabled. Ohh. People were so up in arms. And I don’t blame them. It is disappointing to hear. The disabled shouldn’t have funding cut. But, really y’all…REALLY? Who is surprised???? This is just the beginning. Our state has NO money. Zero. And why in the world would you EVER think that those yahoos leading in Columbia would protect the funding for disabled people first?

We have the circus in Columbia STILL trying to cut taxes in an effort to make a small percentage of the people happy with “lower taxes” instead of simply focusing on what is important to make our state function properly. Of course they are going to cut the disabled first. Next it will be the people who ride the public school bus. Who next? Just wait…the people who think cutting is good…will get theirs. It is just a matter of time before the social program they support gets the hell cut out of it. Its one thing when it’s something they don’t care about…it’s a whole different story when it’s something that affects ME. (Lane Filler did a great piece on just that today).  The reality is…a lot of us depend on ‘social programs’ be it public schools, medicare, or welfare, so the next year will be rough.  

So, fasten your seatbelt. It’s only going to get worse.

And you shouldn’t be surprised. This is what happens when we elect self-centered, not-so-bright people to run our state who claim to be conservative yet piss money into wind day after day. This is what happens when year after year the state electorate is played like violins by political consulting companies who spend millions to sway a portion of the public over issues like a candidate’s choice of a God or how one spends their free time instead of focusing on how this person might bring change or leadership to SC.

Why? Because whoever is paying these consulting firms to MOLD candidates stand to lose money if the public is truly informed about the issues at hand. And God forbid these people lose money. So it’s anything for a win. And when you can’t win on the issues…you destroy the opposition’s credibility on stuff that doesn't really matter and you can do that when the people aren’t smart enough to figure out that you are playing them on that.

So, if you aren’t looking and understanding the motives of who you are voting for…you are being played people…

Anyhoo, do y’all know how many good candidates we lose because of that bull crap? A LOT. Anyone with a lick of sense should know it doesn’t matter if you claim to love God or go to church. Or if you love unborn fetuses. Or if you support gay marriages. It is sad that people haven't figured out that some politicians will say what they think the masses want to hear. But, what is even more sad is that folks don't realize that those are not issues that strong leaders are built on, but, unfortunately, people in this state vote on those ridiculous reasons and because of them…our public school buses will stop running. Well, because of them and the selfish people who are using them for political gain.

People ask me why I don’t run for political office…really? The same reason lots of good people won't reason for office…because some group of ‘consultants’ will spend thousands and thousands of dollars to tell the rest of the state that I like gay people. Or that I don’t go to church. Or that I’m pro-choice. Or that I drink beer with friends and I’m a girl!!! A girl who drinks beer. Gasp. Maybe I wear my shirt too low cut and show a boob here or there. Who knows. Tons of ridiculous stuff that will never trump the fact that I love this place so much and want to work with other South Carolinians to figure out ways to move it forward in a self-sufficient way. A way in which our people, all of us, can succeed in the simplest way possible to provide for ourselves and our families. Focus on education and taking care of ourselves and reduce our individual stresses on the major systems that run our society.

But, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. People like me are labeled fringe. People like me might just shed light on the corruption that has plagued this state for so long. Someone out there might just lose a little bit of money so we can’t dare educate the populous and hope that the people will wake up, take more personal responsibility and create positive change for themselves which in turn will benefit all of society.

That’s why they don’t take me on for the ISSUES. Instead, they attempt to tear down who I am. It’s all they have. They know if they try to go toe-to-toe on the issues…I’ll gladly stare them down. So instead…they attack my person.

Luckily, they only make me stronger when they do but that's me. Some simply give up. I only hope people start to realize that is what they do to people because this is not good for our state.

Regardless, I’ll keep fighting the good fight and keep carrying the torch. We have to start working together…one by one…to reach out to people on the ISSUES. I’m all for people making up their own minds. What I’m against is people being sheep. People have followed for TOO long in SC. It is time send that mill village mentality packing. We don’t need someone else making decisions for us. We don’t need someone else telling us what to do or what is GOOD for us.

Enough already. Think for yourself SC. Either that or keep kissing things like funding for the disabled and public school buses goodbye. Because that is where we are headed if we don’t start thinking and electing officials accordingly. It is going to get really bad before it gets better but its best if we start digging ourselves out now. There’s a ton of waste out there but there is a lot of good coming from the social programs that are out there.

This business of running our state to benefit a few must stop. But it won’t stop until we get smart.

So, get smart…starting TODAY. SC can be what we want it to be or it will go down being a joke on the Jon Stewart show.

SC deserves better from us that that.

:) t