Charleston City Paper | D.A. Smith

South Carolina Congressman Blames Minorities for Banking Crisisnew

Although last Wednesday's debate between Rep. Henry Brown and his Democratic challenger Linda Ketner lacked the sparks of their previous encounter, the face-off was notable for how Brown blamed poor minorities for the financial crisis.

Charleston City Paper | D.A. Smith | 10-30-2008 | Economy

Tags: 2008 downballot elections, race relations, South Carolina, Linda Ketner, economic issues, Henry Brown, Community Reinvestment Act

How Deregulation Led to the Current Bank Collapsenew

In 2000, Sen. Phil Gramm attached a rider to an appropriations bill to deregulate derivatives trading and other complicated financial instruments like collateral debt obligations. This was the effective nail in the coffin for the FDR-era Glass-Steagall Act, which was created to prevent a repeat of the crash of 1929.

Charleston City Paper | D.A. Smith | 10-09-2008 | Economy

Tags: Wall Street, deregulation, credit crisis, economic issues, Phil Gramm, Great Depression, Glass-Steagall Act

Sexism on a Stick: Conventions Prove that Women are the New Blacknew

I've had a blast watching how both Republicans and Democrats come together and act like they really give a rat's ass about the status of women in this country. I'm at a loss as to which party's ploy is more cynical: Barack Obama and his adoption of the "equal pay for equal work" mantra or John McCain and his choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.

Charleston City Paper | D.A. Smith | 09-11-2008 | Commentary

Tags: 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, women's issues, Sarah Palin

Republicans, Democrats Trade Barbs Over Energy Independencenew

The war on terror. The war on drugs. Welfare reform. Family values. Remember those? Every single one was a signature issue of a general election campaign designed to distract the voting public from critical challenges facing the US. This year it's energy independence. Woo-hoo!

Charleston City Paper | D.A. Smith | 08-13-2008 | Commentary

Tags: oil, gas prices, fuel costs, election-year politics, energy independence

National Democrats Abandon South Carolinanew

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has announced that not a single South Carolinian candidate will receive "financial, communications, and strategic support" from the DCCC as part of the group's Red to Blue campaign. Not one.

Charleston City Paper | D.A. Smith | 06-25-2008 | Commentary

Tags: 2008 downballot elections, South Carolina, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

S.C. Senate Committee Approves Ten Commandments Billnew

The state's Senate Judiciary Committee voted 18-1 in favor of a bill that would allow the Ten Commandments to be displayed in schools and courthouses insofar as such an exhibit contains other relevant historical documents. Sigh. Not again.

Charleston City Paper | D.A. Smith | 05-14-2008 | Religion

Tags: religion, public schools, South Carolina, church and state, Ten Commandments

South Carolina's Racist History Should Not Be Sanitizednew

Tearing down statues of white supremacists isn't the answer. Assembling an accurate record, no matter how ugly, violent and bloody, and letting people reach their own conclusions -- that's how we'll learn rather than being spoon-fed a sanitized version of the past.

Charleston City Paper | D.A. Smith | 04-23-2008 | Race & Class

Tags: racism, history, race relations, South Carolina, Benjamin Ryan Tillman, Jim Crow

The Return of South Carolina's Nativistsnew

Glenn McConnell introduced legislation calling for a U.S. Constitutional Convention to make illegal immigration even more illegal. He also submitted a bill that would make English the official language of South Carolina and require all state and civic publications be made manifest in English alone.

Charleston City Paper | D.A. Smith | 01-16-2008 | Commentary

Tags: illegal, immigrant