On Thursday, South Carolina Republican Governor Nikki Haley met with president-elect Donald Trump, reportedly in consideration as secretary of state. When I saw this news my heart dropped in horror.
In the past, I have called Gov. Haley ‘the Republicans version of Barack Obama.’ I was slightly mistaken. She is more like Hillary Clinton.
Should Trump choose this governor to serve in his cabinet, it would take every bit of restraint for me to accept it. After all, my philosophy is that we shouldn't second-guess his choices and should instead reserve judgment for at least three to six months into his presidency.
That said, he hasn't picked Gov. Haley yet. So, I feel it's necessary to enlighten you.
Picking Haley would not "drain the swamp." She is ‘quintessential-swamp.’ It is well documented that Haley was conducting lobbying efforts on the South Carolina house floor while she was an elected state house member. She was caught using the state airplane, automobiles and other resources for her own personal and political benefit. She escaped with a measly fine.
What makes her like Clinton? She's very clever at speaking in half-truths, avoiding the media for months only to finally speak to friendly-media about national issues instead of her statewide failures. On dozens of occasions she has avoided local South Carolina-based newspapers, television and radio stations in favor of Fox News where they ask her questions irrelevant to her local record. As a result, she has deluded conservatives into believing she is a champion for them.
She raised $15,000 at a Georgia fundraiser thirteen days before the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control approved dredging the Savannah harbor. Effectively, for a pittance, she ‘sold-out’ the workers of her state (and their port) in favor of a small campaign donation.
Perhaps my comparison of Haley to Clinton is a stretch. At least Clinton was able to sell access to the government for millions of dollars instead of a few thousand.
Haley has been caught using her Indian heritage on applications and forms when it was beneficial. However, at times, she indicated that she is white. While her race or heritage is irrelevant, the ability to tell the truth is. She is perhaps a ‘conservative version’ of Rachel Dolezal (the Spokane, WA NACCP chapter-president who claimed she was black even though she was white).
During this election, Haley dismissed Trump as not 'presidential' and unfit to lead. The latest of these bashes occurred on October 20, 2016 when she responded to Trump's accusation that ‘the elections are rigged’ by saying he is 'irresponsible.'
Haley has been running for national office or a national appointment since she was first elected governor in 2010. She's taken full credit for the growth in South Carolina jobs that is largely the result of her predecessor, former Gov. Mark Sanford.
Haley and her staff have been caught on numerous occasions peddling bogus job numbers. In one instance, counting her ‘welfare-to-work’ program, she stated that 20,000 people on welfare in South Carolina have been put back to work. Much like a ‘Clinton half-truth’ this number gained a lot of attention. While working on a South Carolina radio station in 2014, I investigated this number only to find that thousands of these workers were given only temporary jobs and then returned back to the welfare rolls. If this wasn't a mountain of lies it was at least disingenuous.
Many of Haley’s appointments as governor have been a disaster. During a a rare and devastating snowstorm, her Department of Transportation chief was caught driving under the influence simultaneously while thousands of South Carolinians were stranded with iced and closed roads.
In a devastating turn of events, her Department of Social Services director, Lillian Koller, was forced to resign after children in her department's care were killed by abusive parents or family members. Koller and Haley now face a class-action lawsuit as a result of this disaster.
The pinnacle of this ‘death-story’ occurred when Robert Guinyard, a four-year-old autistic boy was beaten to death in Richland County, South Carolina in July 2013. Guinyard’s aunt had warned Haley and Kohler's Department of Social Services sixteen times of the boy’s impending doom.
In response to this bombshell, Haley attempted to ‘cover-up’ the deeply rooted problems in the department by calling its director, Koller, 'a rock star.' Two weeks later the 'rock star' was forced to resign.
Haley is known for her ‘cover-ups.’ In 2012, it was discovered that 3.6 million South Carolina tax returns were hacked. Instead of warning her citizens of this problem, she denied or ignored the rumor for more than two weeks (hoping it would be hidden because of her upcoming re-election bid). With mounting pressure from the media, she eventually was forced to reveal the truth and spend tens-of-millions of dollars in taxpayer money buying everyone in South Carolina identity-theft protection services.
When something goes wrong, Haley hides. Can you imagine her as secretary of state? If Donald Trump wants another secretary Clinton, then Gov. Haley is an appropriate choice.
Hopefully this ‘consideration’ is nothing more than indulgence of the South Carolina Lieut. Gov. Henry McMaster. McMaster has been a staunch supporter and loyalist of Trump from the beginning. If Haley were appointed to a post in the Trump administration, McMaster would become governor. He's wanted that role for years. He’s a good man but Haley is not good for us.
One of my radio listeners probably has the best idea. We should take politicians like Haley and offer them ambassador posts in foreign countries so that we don't have to hear from them in our country any longer.
In his words, "all potential nuisances will be sent overseas.” Trump should be cautioned not to send these ‘undesirables’ to countries where relationships are critical. They may fail us abroad as they have at home.