Republicans Fight over Economic Development?

It's being/been cross posted at IJ:

On the front page of yesterday's Upstate Newspaper, it commented on the upcoming gubernatorial race and the Republican candidates likely to run - U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett, Attorney General Henry McMaster and Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer. The key issue for the new governor: Economic Development.

A statement focuses on the following:

I think economic development -- the economy -- is the most important issue facing South Carolina for the next two decades," Harrell said. "And everything else we do has to go through the filter of does this grow the average income in the state, does this help with unemployment rate in the state, does this help deal with those issues in a positive way. And all three [of the Republican candidates] have told me that they agree with that and they'll work very hard in that regard.

If economic development is the primary issue, then why do many perceive that Governor Sanford is failing to address the issue of economic development?

I ask this question for a reason.

In the latest SC Biz magazine (the state's "official business" magazine), there is a section entitled, "Who's Who in Economic Development 2008." It lists all of the key players within the state of South Carolina except some of the following:

-Governor Mark Sanford

-Sanford's Secretary of Commerce Joe E. Tayor

-Any of the staff located at the Department of Commerce.

Interesting? Maybe. Especially the mission of Sanford's Department of Commerce:

The South Carolina Department of Commerce works to promote economic opportunity for individuals and businesses. As South Carolina’s leading economic development agent, the Department of Commerce works to recruit new businesses and help existing businesses grow.

If the Republican camps are unable to work together, then…………...

*Interesting observation: For someone who mentions "economic development" 111 times in his 2009-2010 Executive Budget, his not getting mentioned once in the SC Biz Mag's article entitled, "SC's Who's Who in Economic Development" proves that just because you say it over and over again doesn't make it any more real or true. Is Sanford a Governor prone to flights of fancy about his own place in the world and what he can and should do?

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