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We don't need another rubber stamp in Washington

by John Wagner, a REP member in South Carolina
published in the Greenville (SC) News on December 3, 2004

Jim DeMint has won a convincing victory in his recent run for the U.S. Senate. As the news media has repeatedly noted, this election centered on the issue of values, and Mr. DeMint's strong support of President Bush on moral issues and the war on terror gained him significant voter support around the state. Nearly all Republicans stand united on these issues and we look forward to supporting his work in Washington as he addresses these concerns.

However, some of the news media have also referred to the election results as representing a mandate in support of the so-called "Republican Agenda," which has been portrayed as "anything the president wants." It is important that everyone realizes that the Republican Party is now a "big tent" party and some of the president's proposals and priorities may not accurately reflect the needs or the desires of South Carolinians.

There are many good Republicans in South Carolina who oppose some of President Bush's domestic initiatives. We urge Sen.-elect DeMint to consider these issues very carefully as they arise, in light of their impact on South Carolina, and not just be a rubber-stamp for legislative action because the president supports it. I will mention just two areas of major concern.

President Bush's environmental policies over the last four years have consistently promoted the narrow interests of political leaders in the Western states, and their logging and mining industries, over a more balanced approach to environmental stewardship that is desperately needed in South Carolina and other over-developed Eastern states. The recent attempt of the administration to change the Roadless Area Conservation rules in our National Forests is a prime example.

The Roadless Rule provides protection to wilderness areas from road building and logging and was signed into law in 2001 following comments and support from millions of Americans. Upstate South Carolina is fortunate to have the Jocassee Gorges area, the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River, and many other unspoiled wild areas in our National Forests close by as resources for recreation and tourism. A repeal of the Roadless Rule would threaten many of these important areas and perhaps result in their loss to future generations. Western states may have a different view, but here in South Carolina we have precious little wilderness forest left and many Republicans want to be sure we retain as much of it as we can.

When environmental legislation comes before the Senate, it is important that both our senators remember that conservation is conservative. A first order of business in the next Congress should be to replace Interior Secretary Gale Norton with an environmentally friendly Republican who will focus on stewardship of our public lands instead of exploitation.

Another issue of importance to the Upstate of South Carolina is the establishment of high-speed rail service between Atlanta, Charlotte and the Northeast. Anyone who has driven I-85 recently should recognize that traffic gridlock is only a few years away if it has not already arrived.

A high-speed passenger rail system makes good sense both for business travel and personal use. Most people know it is much more expensive to fly out of Greenville-Spartanburg than Atlanta. I have to travel frequently on business, and by taking the train from Clemson to Atlanta, and flying out of Hartsfield International Airport, I save Clemson University many hundreds of dollars per year on travel expenses.

Congress has already authorized the Washington, D.C.-Charlotte-Atlanta corridor as a prime candidate for the development of high-speed rail, but President Bush consistently opposes all funding for passenger rail. The current Amtrak service has plenty of flaws and certainly could be improved, but the administration's budget requests continually recommend a "shut-down" level of funding for Amtrak that would eliminate most long-distance trains, including those in South Carolina. We can't move towards high-speed rail by shutting down the only service we currently have.

Congress spends billions and billions of dollars annually on subsidies to highways and aviation. Why the president is unwilling to grant rail passenger service the same benefit is unfathomable to many of us.

Let me congratulate Sen.-elect DeMint on his recent victory and remind all Republican leaders that it is in South Carolina's best interests for lawmakers to always investigate fully all of the opinions and options when considering legislation being pushed by the administration. Not just Republicans, but all the citizens of South Carolina need representatives in Washington who are looking out for us instead of just rubber-stamping any proposal that may have the president's seal of approval.