© 2003, Rotary Club of Charleston

P.O. Box 21029
Charleston, SC 29413-1029

Club secretary:
Carroll Schweers
chasrot@comcast.net

Late entrant to senatorial race addresses club
Former Gov. Beasley campaigns for votes

APRIL 13, 2004 - Former Governor David Beasley, a conservative Republican from the Pee Dee, spoke to Rotarians about his late-start run for U.S. Senate.

Beasley said that "life's just been great," but said he decided in recent months that he wanted and needed to get back into political life because of the issues facing his family and other Americans today - namely "crises in economics and national security." Stressing his accomplishments as Governor, he said he believes he can add tremendous value on these issues if elected to the Senate.

With respect to economics, he focused his talk on the loss of American jobs to oversees workers and discussed how South Carolinians, in particular, have been very hard hit by the phenomenon. He said we have lost more jobs in this country in the last few years than any other time since the Great Depression. He strongly supports free trade but says that the current situation is not free trade, rather it is "predatory trade practices" by China and other nations. He said, "China is cheating, and we are letting it happen." He wants to be much more aggressive on trade policy, including creating a position of Assistant United States Attorney tasked solely with enforcing free trade agreements and other related laws.

On national security, Beasley said he believes in standing tough and tracking down and punishing terrorists. He supports better intelligence gathering, stronger security at our borders, and better resources for our troops. He commended the Charleston Port's "vital" role in getting supplies to troops in Iraq.

Beasley also supports tort reform because tort claims are "out of hand" today, and he criticized activist judges who are "trying to write law from the bench." He supports a Constitutional amendment "to protect the sanctity of marriage" and to permit the continued use of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools.

In other business…

Craig Bennett gave the invocation and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance, and Ed Vaughan welcomed our guests and visiting Rotarians. Conrad Zimmerman offered Health and Happiness. Mark Smith invited Rotarians to join him on the water missions project to Ecuador. Brant Woodward announced details about the Relay for Life. Anita Zucker inducted our two newest members, Richard Gershon and Bill Dronen. Finally, Sam Lyons introduced our speaker, Senatorial candidate, David Beasley.

-- Amy Jenkins