By Paul Gable
Last October, during her reelection campaign, Gov. Nikki Haley told South Carolinians that she had a secret plan to fix the state’s roads she would announce after the election.
When the election was won, Haley said she couldn’t divulge the road maintenance plan until the New Year, but it would be obvious in her budget.
When Haley’s budget was made public last week, there was no money or plans to fix the state’s roads.
Now we all know Haley has trouble with the truth, but this even outdid the original October Surprise of Richard Nixon.
When the original October Surprise was pulled by Henry Kissinger during Nixon’s 1972 reelection campaign, he claimed he believed peace was at hand (with North Vietnam.) This statement was made eight days before voting even though Nixon was assured of an overwhelming victory over George McGovern.
Kissinger’s statement had no more truth in it than Haley’s but Nixon did have a plan – carpet bomb North Vietnam in the Christmas bombing campaign until it agreed to go back to the peace table.
Haley, obviously, never had any plan to fix the state’s roads, but felt she needed to say she did in order to ensure victory over Democratic candidate Vincent Sheheen. Like Nixon, victory was assured in Haley’s case before her October surprise.
Unfortunately for South Carolina, no planning will be the legacy of Haley’s two terms as governor. After self-aggrandizement, Haley is lost as to what she should do, not only with roads, but also with education, DSS and ethics just to mention a few more areas that need quick attention.
It’s not that “Can’t is not an Option”, it seems “Can’t” is the only option with Haley.
At least Nixon opened relations with Communist China so that 40 years later Myrtle Beach mayor John Rhodes can go there on economic development trips.
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