Connecting the Dots

This week I took a bit of a pause on my political writing and just permitted time to read what others were writing and discussing. Part of this was to highlight some aspects of South Carolina and "connect some dots."

On Monday Karen Owens, President of the Silver Crescent Coalition, wrote an Op-Ed in The State stressing the need for the Palmetto State to improve education, especially towards manufacturing. By Thursday, Noelle Phillips wrote an article address the future jobs that South Carolina should be striving towards jobs needed in the future. In addition, she provides a quote from USC President Harris Pastides:

"Ladies and gentlemen, we're all waiting for a rebound, an economic rebound," Pastides said. "When it comes, we need to have an educated work force, a technically trained work force."

So who leads the charge on this educated trained workforce? Some would say those involved in education, such as the state's technical colleges and universities. That is partially true.

But I gleaned on interesting insight that worker training is needed on all levels, especially those with little education and must acquire the necessary skills. This percentage represents a sizable portion of the state's workforce and the ones likely to experience unemployment first.

So who is responsible for this workforce training? Governor Mark Sanford. Where can one find the leader in this workforce training? At Governor Sanford's Department of Commerce.

Then what is Sanford doing? He and the Department of Commerce are instead attacking the state's Employment Security Commission over the unemployment numbers and the access to confidential data.

Instead of solving the problem, it appears the governor is using "smoke & mirrors" to deflect criticism from his poor management. Including the poor management he has conducted with the Department of Social Services, the debate around SLED, and now the state's high unemployment rates.

It appears that the buck does not stop at Sanford's desk. Instead, it goes wherever he points his little finger.

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