COLUMBIA -- If there was one winner from Sunday’s debate between the two major-party candidates for South Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District, it was probably the U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site.
During an SCETV debate Sunday, both Republican Rep. Joe Wilson and Democratic challenger Rob Miller agreed the facility should be used for recycling and reprocessing nuclear waste, and that it should play a role in moving South Carolina toward clean, renewable energy.
“The Savannah River Site is such a prime location for us to really create our own version of a research triangle here in South Carolina, working with Georgia,” said Miller.
“We can create an environment that will, with the extension of research and development credits moving forward, really provide an environment with dynamic study and research -- whether it be hydrogen, whether it be biomass and nuclear technology. ... We just need to be out there fighting for it every day.”
Wilson said the facility is a safe place around which people raise families and retire.
“We’re very fortunate to have it here in South Carolina,” said the Republican lawmaker.
“I also see it as a place where we could actually build nuclear reactors to provide commercial power to the people of South Carolina and throughout the Southeast. So I see a great future for the Savannah River Site.”
The rivals parted ways on offshore drilling -- sticking to their positions from the 2008 race when they faced one another and Wilson defeated Miller 54-56 percent.
Miller calling drilling for oil and natural gas a states’ issue and said industry incentives should be used instead to shift South Carolina away from fossil fuels and reduce the country’s dependency on hostile nations like Iran.
In contrast, Wilson advocated for offshore drilling from South Carolina coast in order to apply royalties toward beach renourishment projects at Beaufort County’s Hunting Island State Park, adding that any drilling operations should have safeguards to protect against crises like the Gulf oil spill.
“There should be multiple cutoff valves that are remotely controlled in the event of any bizarre circumstance,” said Wilson.
Both candidates eagerly shot down a divisive proposal to limit greenhouse gases called “cap and trade,” which called for requiring companies to buy and sell permits to pollute. The proposal had become a lightening rod among conservatives who warned it would increase energy rates. Federal lawmakers and energy leaders have pronounced the idea dead.
Also during the one-hour debate, Wilson invoked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s name repeatedly in an effort to link Miller to the chamber’s top Democrat, while Miller tried to cast Wilson as a Washington insider, reminding voters that the congressman rented an SUV at taxpayers’ expense.
Miller also attacked Wilson for his support of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), the bailout of the banking industry, and a series of bloated federal budgets. Wilson responded by defending his actions and arguing that he took each in the best interest of the country.
The 2nd Congressional District includes the Midlands, the eastern portion of Aiken County, and the counties bordering Georgia all the way to and including Beaufort County.
Wilson, an attorney and former state lawmaker who served 31 years in the Army Reserve and National Guard, was elected to Congress in 2001. Miller is a businessman and a retired Marine, has been deployed to Albania, Djibouti, Liberia, Yugoslavia and twice to Iraq.
Wilson drew instant fame in September of last year for yelling “You lie!” at President Obama during the president’s speech before a joint session of Congress.
This year the other candidates in the race are Marc Beaman of the Constitution Party, and Libertarian Eddie McCain.
To watch the SCETV debate, go to http://www.scetv.org/election/
Reach Sarita Chourey at sarita.chourey@morris.com or (803) 727-4257
Both of these guys will find themselves deep in the swamp of dumping radioactive wastr in South Caroilina by their support of reprocessing, which is being pushed by special interests to enriched themselves while leaving a mess for the rest of us to deal with.
Wow. I was intending to vote for Miller, but his support of giving money to the failed nuclear industry and his strong support for maintaining a bloated military spending, I don't know.
With his support for our tax dollars going to weapons manufacturers, mercenaries like Blackwater, and corporations that feed off government subsidies it looks like we have no choice after all. It is just one big-business political party with two candidates.
There is a choice, though, in the senate race. There are two parties, the I-love-big-business party and Tom Clements of the Green Party.
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