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Comment Archives: Stories: News+Opinion: Features
Re: “Charleston County considering a switch to paper ballots”
I've seen scanned paper ballots used in Florida, where they gave up on the touch screen machines after some very questionable election. People marked them in simple, card board table top booths, so time wasn't a huge issue. Then they were scanned. Valid votes got tabulated and dropped into a safe at the bottom of the scanner. Ones with problems like casting two votes for one office were kicked back and the voter got to try again with a new paper ballot. Whatever happened, all the hand marked ballots were locked up and safe for recount. Our touch screen machines aren't secure and can't be verified. There is absolutely no way to know what voters were ever cast on these machines in any reliable way. That realization is creeping through the SC political system despite the hostility of elected officials and both political parties. Republicans win on these machines, so they're OK with them. Democrats are afraid if people understand what is really going on that they'll stop bothering to vote. Increasing numbers of people don't bother to vote. South Carolina keeps them because we're cheap and because doubt in the mind of voters reduces turnout in disfavored groups.
Re: “Charleston County considering a switch to paper ballots”
There are no good voting methods. Let's not do it anymore.
Re: “City Council considers requiring bar security to patrol sidewalks, parking lots”
Joel... you wrote, "I am highly college educated." I think you have just made Foodmancing's point for them. Well said sir!
Re: “Mr. Sanford goes (back) to Washington”
Colbert Busch was supported by the unions that wanted to kill Boeing in the Charleston area. That alone should be enough to see that she didn't have the best interests of Charleston in mind. The district is largely conservative, especially in the fiscal sense and, all of his other faults not withstanding, that is the way that Sanford has always voted. ECB was evasive and vague about her positions so voters had to extrapolate her beliefs based on her supporters and donors such as the union support mentioned above. She had a very orchestrated campaign that largely only went to 'safe' situations. Like/agree with him or not, Sanford campaigned everywhere he could. Also, a bunch of her supporters were obviously not very informed as they thought they should be able to vote for her even though they did not live in her district. As for gerrymandering, it happens in every state, red or blue, and is done to benefit the party that was in power at the time redistricting happens. That is how I have the joy of being stuck in Jim Clyburn's district, arguably one of the worst Congressmen ever.
Re: “Charleston County considering a switch to paper ballots”
If you saw what happens to paper ballots (now absentee and provisional), you wouldn't want them. First, the Board of Elections throws out batches of them for minor flaws (I remember a case in which an elderly couple voted, and the wife witnessed both ballots. Hers was thrown out.) Then they are run through an old optical scanner which tears up at least one in 10 of them. Each damaged ballot is given to two election workers who painstakingly transfer the votes on it to a clean ballot, which is run through the machine (and perhaps torn up again).
Re: “Mr. Sanford goes (back) to Washington”
This district -- and all of the state -- was very carefully gerrymandered in 2011. This time, the GOP not only took out most Black folks, but also most Democrats -- for instance, Clyburn's district now includes the west side of the peninsula all the way down to Broad, because it's College of Charleston territory. There's not much that can be done about that. And your post says it -- "a rare vote to a Democrat." Colbert Busch was a strong conservative Democrat and a businesswoman. What is your definition of "stronger candidate"?
Re: “City Council considers requiring bar security to patrol sidewalks, parking lots”
In this article, Boston, from the Rec Room, rightly states that bars pay higher taxes because its already recognized that we're more of a burden on city services. I think we pay like 1000% more for our business license than a similarly sized law office. What no one has mentioned yet is: 1). Liability insurance rates skyrocket when bars employ bouncers, I mean security personnel, because ins. co.s know that it leads to more lawsuits. 2). We are still gonna call the cops, only now we'll have more incidents, so we'll call even more. 3). Affected communities can already persue remedy against offending businesses: noise, nuisance, drug, and pandering laws are already on the books, and responsible business owners stay on good terms with their neighbors and avoid getting sued/arrested. Irresponsible business owners can be forced out. 4). There will be no geographical boundaries to this law. While it's aimed at upper King, it will apply equally to freestanding buildings in industrial zones and suburban shopping malls.
The city already has an arsenal of tools to affect change. Like the gun lobby says: "Let's start enforcing existing laws before we rush to write new ones".
Mike Kulick
Voodoo Tiki Bar & Lounge
The Tattooed Moose
Re: “Mr. Sanford goes (back) to Washington”
It seems some 40 to 60 people in the Charleston area actually read these articles on-line. Perhaps some of them can explain to me why the likes of Mark Sanford gets elected to represent this district despite his apparent theft of public resources; his dereliction of duty as Governor; and his failure to keep an oath of fidelity made before God. Have I missed something here or would he not have served jail time in the private sector. As an independent I would have thrown a rare vote to a Democrat this time had they fielded a stronger candidate. Just what it is that 77,000 voters see in Sanford that escapes me?
Re: “City Council considers requiring bar security to patrol sidewalks, parking lots”
I think Ima means there are pitfalls to sort-of empowering civilians to do police business... pitfalls like unarmed motherf*ckers gettin' shot over, let's say, a misunderstanding.
Of course, that happens with regular police, too.
Re: “City Council considers requiring bar security to patrol sidewalks, parking lots”
*Trayvon Martin.
Anyway: Huh?
Re: “City Council considers requiring bar security to patrol sidewalks, parking lots”
Can somebody say Travan Martin?
Re: “City Council considers requiring bar security to patrol sidewalks, parking lots”
Who gives them the right to make people leave that part of the sidewalk, anyway? Isn't that public property?
Re: “City Council considers requiring bar security to patrol sidewalks, parking lots”
Maybe they could use the (ooh, la la!) cabaret taxes to pay for a restroom trailer or 4-pack of porta-potties to park on Ann Street from, say 8pm-3am every Friday and Saturday, instead of adding nebulous duties for private security to patrol public streets. You could fit them in one parking spot, and cut down on the mentioned public urination problem. I of course don't remember EVER peeing in public back in my salad days of youth, no siree, Bob, but these young whippersnappers with their Red Bull and Jaeger-bombs have all that diuretic impact to deal with that us humble brew-swillers didn't.
Re: “City Council considers requiring bar security to patrol sidewalks, parking lots”
Foodmancing, Thanks for stereotyping all door guys and bouncers. I work as a bouncer at a high frequency bar on King Street a few times a month for some extra income and because I do other business with the bar. I am highly college educated, have a normal size neck, and while I have been called many things in my life, 'goon' is not one of them.
Further, the other bouncers I work with are like me...have big boy jobs, families, and are upstanding members of the community. All of us have high education. In interest of being honest, one of our guys necks is a bit fat...however he would never be considered a 'goon.'
Oh, and $50 a night wouldn't get me off my couch.
Re: “City Council considers requiring bar security to patrol sidewalks, parking lots”
Because there has never been a 'no-neck goon' cop. They all have masters degrees, eh foodmancing? derp. But I agree, it is a bad idea. If the city wants bouncers to police the streets, then they need to pay them to, not the bar owners.
Re: “City Council considers requiring bar security to patrol sidewalks, parking lots”
Because its a great idea to turn over enforcing order on the public sidewalks to a no-neck goon who dropped out of HS making $50 a night. Yea, no way that goes bad.
Re: “New lofts in East Central could fill in the cracks of development”
Hasn't the CP heard that the skate park will NOT be located under SCDOT roadways. I applaud the risk of the developers building in this location, but really it is inevitable...Small retail is being pushed out of Upper King St, upstart bars & restaurants who cannot afford to run with the big dogs on King are pushing into the surrounding residential neighborhoods to the West(Cannonborough-Elliotborough), diminishing livability. This makes long time residents, especially families(read 'homeowners' not renters) want to move and rent their homes to the multitude of college students sporting Daddy's checkbook. Charleston ain't quaint anymore. Too bad the City doesn't value recently turned neighborhoods and the residents that changed them. Instead they pursue a more profitable tax base regardless of what residents want. Make business' happy. Make tourists happy. Ignore your own residents. Thanks Joe.
Re: “New lofts in East Central could fill in the cracks of development”
It's a shame they are covering the exterior in red brick rather than keeping the cool-grey look though. Downtown Charleston needs more "modern" buildings (like Cool Below) which utilize more concrete, steel and glass. Also, lost in any of these discussions about new developments is the lack of LEED certification requirements. If the City of Charleston really wants to promote sustainable living (which I am skeptical of, in spite of all the talk about local food and bike/pedestrian friendly streetscapes), then Tim Keane and the Planning Department need to require all new hotels and apartments achieve certain design standards. It's no secret that buildings are one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions, and with all the "green" options available today, why would the City accept anything less than the Gold standard? Growth is coming no matter what and the City is clearly willing to allow developers to reap big profits (while placing even larger burdens on the local infrastructure), so the least we can expect is for these projects to be well planned and forward thinking.
Re: “New lofts in East Central could fill in the cracks of development”
The area may be industrial and raw but I really value the gritty vibe because
its so different from the ubermanicured primness found on the lower
peninsula. Its nice to see the gradual and organic change. And I hope
a balance can be struck that respects the socioeconomic diversity of the
neighborhood for the future.
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Oak Steakhouse
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Craftsmen Kitchen and Tap House
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Charleston Bakery
Web site advertising, sign on door, and telephone message says hours are 7 AM to… -Jim McKelvey
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Chopsticks House
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Phuong Restaurant
Yes! -Paul Cheney
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Rezoning the Sergeant Jasper apartment building will have a big effect on what replaces it
Up or Out?
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Mark Sanford rises from the dead
Rep. Lazarus
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Blotter: Open Container-ita
Beware of West Ashley tailgaters
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Stegelin: Who should patrol late-night King St.?
It's 2a.m., do you know who's watching your sidewalk?
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The Film Incentive Bill hurts you and me
TV Casualties
Re: “Charleston County considering a switch to paper ballots”
There is no reason that the electronic voting machines could not be programmed to create a printed copy of the ballot submitted, which then could be verified by the voter and dropped into a sealed box. If there were any questions about the electronic results, the printed ballots, all of which should be readable since they were printed by the machine, could be counted by hand. I think all election jurisdictions need to make this a requirement for the vendors of the electronic machines.