Rawl Tapped To Lead S.C. Chamber
POTENTIALLY POSITIVE SHIFT AT THE TOP OF POWERFUL STATE BUSINESS ORGANIZATION
FITSNews - July 1, 2008 - One of South Carolina’s most influential organizations has a new leader today, as State House veteran and former Chief Operating Officer Otis Rawl has assumed the reins over at the S.C. Chamber of Commerce.
We’ve been among the Chamber’s most vocal critics in recent years, owing to the increasingly leftist lean of the organization under outgoing President Hunter Howard. Frankly, we believe the fact that the Chamber has been co-opted by the status quo forces in the S.C. Legislature has neutered its effectiveness as a pro-business lobby.
Whether on taxes, spending or education reform, the Chamber has more often than not geared its efforts toward protecting bureaucrats instead of businesses, entrenched institutions instead of entrepreneurship and “pork as usual” instead of prosperity.
Rawl, however, could be a ray of hope. He’s certainly not afraid to rattle lawmakers’ cages when the need arises, and our experience with him leads us to believe that he will be far more receptive to legitimate pro-business interests than his predecessor ever was. Time will tell, but we view this as a positive development for the chamber, and hopefully a sign that it will soon begin to advance the sort of sound fiscal policy needed to improve our state’s abysmal competitive position.
Comments
By Truth Seeker on July 1st, 2008 at 5:56 pm
as stated before several times and now confirmed, Sic Willie is working for the Chamber…Rawl’s name is mud under the dome, from his questionable days at Public Safety ala Boykin Rose, to his days @ Revenue…not sure this is a step in the right direction for the Chamber
By fitsnews on July 1st, 2008 at 6:01 pm
TS-
Really? We’re adding the SC Chamber to Sic’s list of clients? Just yesterday he was being accused of working for the Obama campaign.
Guess we should add them to John McCain, Gov. Mark Sanford, SC Club for Growth, SCRG, Reform SC and Carolinians for Change, we presume?
Damn … no wonder he’s a kabillionaire.
-FITSNews
By Jimmy Byrnes on July 1st, 2008 at 7:36 pm
It’s most unfortunate what has become of the SCCOC. An organization which once wielded significant influence has been reduced to an “also ran”. The group which once boasted the likes of Bob Royall, Hootie Johnson, Gayle Avert, Lawrence Gressette, John Warren and others has been stripped of its power. A Rawl regime is not the answer and it will be further reduced to a mere blip. Add to that the mishaps of BIPEC and the downright “loonyness” of the SC Policy Coucil and the once powerful business community is totally rudderless. Word of advice—-stay out of contested primaries R and D.