The Power List Is Coming …
As 2009 fades into 2010, we have one unfinished – and highly-anticipated – item of business to take care of here at FITS.
Every year, we release what’s known as the “Palmetto Power 100,” a compilation of South Carolina’s most influential politicos – along with our reasons for assigning them with a certain numerical position.
We’ve typically published this list during the summer (toward the end of August, in fact), but this year the prodigious fallout from Mark Sanford’s “I Was Hiking The Appalachian Trail” scandal was still cascading across the state’s political landscape at the time.
Accordingly, we decided to postpone the release of our list until the end of the year, when (more of) the radioactive dust had settled.
Perhaps not surprisingly, this new deadline is now running up against our founding editor’s legendary procrastination – as well as his upcoming trip to Birmingham, Alabama to watch the University of South Carolina play Connecticut (a basketball school) in the, um, Papajohns.com “Bowl.”
Which is a football game, believe it or not.
Still, the postponement has had at least one net positive … as this year’s list has been expanded to include what we’re sure will be a humorous “dishonorable mentions” section.
What’s a “dishonorable mention,” you ask? Well, it’s someone who thinks they’re important … but really aren’t (like our founding editor, for example).
Anyway, another net positive of waiting till the end of the year to release our list is that it gives our growing audience of new readers another opportunity to weigh in on who they think should be included … or “uncluded,” as they case may be.
With that in mind, you can submit your thoughts on our contact page, send them via email or type them into our comments section below … and yes, like everything else we receive here at FITS, your input will be kept confidential.
For some frame of reference, here are links to last year’s lists (Part I and Part II) as well as our honorable mentions.
We’ll be publishing the new list as our final post of 2009 (on New Year’s Eve) … so stay tuned!
Comments
By oh bro on December 27th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Sick William get over yourself! You are not that important and no one cares about your list, stupid.
By southernmapart on December 27th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Here in the Upstate, we love the list! It’s the only way we know who’s who around the state. I’ll be checking in New Year’s Day.
By southernmapart on December 27th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
btw, Jenny Sanford should be on the list.
By Mab on December 27th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
We love the list, Sic One! How else would we learn what really goes on in the inner circle of our fine state?
By Ron on December 27th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
Hello Will,
I can’t imagine who “oh bro” might be unless possibly the speaker, the pres pro tem or chairman of finance. Oh possibly the treas but probably one of these four omnipotent ones who look upon fitsnews as just “a lowly and unimportant blog”. In their dreams LOL. Will, many of us hope you’ll continue “calling it like you see them”. You obviously have many very credible insider sources in and around Columbia which has proven your worth and credibility, and numerous of our ethically challenged lawmakers just “can’t handle the truth”!!
Again, please “continue to march” Will. We the People of SC are behind you friend.
By Ynot on December 28th, 2009 at 7:27 am
yep Sic, we ARE behind you.
type on
By Toyota Kawaski on December 28th, 2009 at 8:24 am
keep your ass home from the bowl game Not even Eric Hyman wants you there
By fitsnews on December 28th, 2009 at 9:05 am
TK-
Eric Hyman will take what we give him … and like it.
-FITS
P.S. – Bowl revenue speaking, that is.
By Michael S. Smith II on December 28th, 2009 at 9:30 am
I’m betting the Top 10 looks something like …
1. Maria Belen Chapur
2. U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson
3. U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint
4. Jenny Sanford, Soon-To-Be Former First Lady, S.C./Future Godmother, S.C.GOP
(aka The Former Brains Behind the Sanford Administration;
One of Few Admin Members Who Had the Good Sense to Jump From a Sinking Ship)
5. Gov. Mark Sanford
6. Maria’s Jealous, Anonymous Ex
(The Guy Who Sent The Sanford-Chapur E-Affair Chronicles to The State Newspaper)
7. Editors and Publisher, The State Newspaper
(Who Suppressed Information Pointing to Sanford’s Affair with Maria Belen Chapur)
8.1. Gina Smith, The State Newspaper (A+ Reporting on Sanford Debacle)
8.2. John O’Connor, The State Newspaper (A Reporting on Sanford Debacle)
8.3. Yvonne Wenger, The Post and Courier (A Reporting on Sanford Debacle)
8.4 Jim Davenport, Correspondent, Associated Press S.C. (A Reporting on Sanford Debacle)
9.1. Bobby Harrell, Speaker, S.C. House of Representatives
(aka #1 Defender of Sanford’s Throne)
9.2. Jim Harrison, Chair, S.C. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee
(aka #2 Defender of Sanford’s Throne)
9.3. Henry “CraigsList Crusader” McMaster, Attorney General, S.C.
(aka #3 Defender of Sanford’s Throne)
9.3. Editors and Publisher, The State Newspaper
(aka #s 4, 5, and so on, Defenders of Sanford’s Throne)
10.1. The “Kangaroo Court”
10.2. Todd Rutherford, Member, S.C. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee (aka One Bad Mothuh …)
Top 5 Dishonorable Mentions:
1. Gov. Mark Sanford
2. U.S. Sen. Lindsey “Crap on Trade” Graham
3. S.C. Rep. Bobby Harrell
4. Will “Sic” Folks
5.1. Jeffrey “I Gotta Get Paid!” Sewell, Co-Administrator, SCHotline.com
5.2. Michael S. Smith II, Contributing Editor, SCHotline.com
By . on December 28th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
dishonorable mention:
Harris Pastides, president of the University of South Carolina, for being asleep at the wheel while corrept developers and his direct report, John Parks, attempted to bilk the University; and continued failure of leadership by allowing the university to rot from within.
USC Board of Trustees; with a average of 17 years on the Board, it is time for a shakeup and start listening to the faculty and students and not the Osborne higer admin crowd. Get the university back to its mission or get out.
Bill Mahoney, CEO SCRA, for pretending that SCRA is anything more that a federal funds beltway bandit contract organization supported by Bobby Harrel and the state.
Neil McClean, Engenuity, an organization past its time supported by Bob Coble and the hydrogen city. Time to get off the city, state and federal gravy train and get over your self importance.