© 2003, Rotary Club of Charleston

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

Club secretary:
Carroll Schweers
chasrot@comcast.net

Graham recounts first year in Senate
Tells Rotarians of the issues already faced, those lying ahead

DEC. 9, 2003 - Senator Lindsey Graham was the guest speaker at this week's meeting and shared with Rotarians some of the issues faced of his first year in the United States Senate and to be expected in the coming years.

Graham spoke first and foremost about his desire to help the Charleston area with the next round of BRAC (military base realignment and closure). He said he is "extremely optimistic" that the military operations in Charleston will not only survive the next round of BRAC but will continue to grow. He gave many examples of how the military operations in Charleston are unmatched anywhere else in the world. According to Graham, for example, "There is no other air force base in the world doing more for Operation Iraqi Freedom than Charleston." Graham said that he will continue to tout the successes experienced by the military due to Charleston-based personnel and said "consider me a partner" in the fight to keep local military operations thriving.

He believes that the military does need to be redesigned, however. According to Graham, Cold War practices do not work in the war on terrorism, and combat infantry personnel do not make good rebuilders and policemen. Too many reservists are being called in who have special training. Graham is pushing to hire more military personnel and to decrease our dependence on reservists.

Among other topics, Graham also discussed recent tax cuts and proposals, such as a cut in the capital gains tax and the plan to eradicate death taxes as of 2009. He said that tax cuts grow the economy, which benefits everyone. He agreed that the Republicans need to do better to control non-defense spending.

Graham was elected to the Senate during November 2002 after having served as a Representative in both the South Carolina and United States House of Representatives. He said that the legendary Strom Thurmond, whom he replaced in the Senate seat, was a "tough act to follow" and noted that Thurmond began serving in the Senate in 1954 - a year before Graham was even born.

In other business:

Bill Scarborough gave the invocation and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance, and Ed Vaughan welcomed our guests and visiting Rotarians. Barry Gleim offered Health and Happiness. Bill Eaton spoke about the Giving Tree, and Anita Zucker introduced the guest speaker, Lindsey Graham.