Stop the politicking

Gov. Mark Sanford's resignation would be a win-win situation for Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, who has promised not to join the Republican throng for governor in the 2010 election if Sanford steps aside. Bauer would get what amounts to a trial period as governor if he steps in for the last 16 months of Sanford's term.

And at the young age of 40, Bauer has plenty of time to mount a gubernatorial campaign four or even eight years into the future. ...

Sanford has been ineffective in many of his high-profile priorities, continuing to push public funding for private education and elimination of the state's income tax at a time when we need all the revenue we can get, after lawmakers so carelessly ditched the property tax as stable funding for education.

But here's the bottom line. No matter what you think of Sanford's personal behavior (and we found it both astonishing and foolish), continued talks about impeachment before the results of an ethics investigation are released is a waste of both time and money. ...

If the ethics investigation finds cause, we can take it from there. Otherwise, lawmakers and state officials should stop the politicking and get back to the business of South Carolina.

As should the governor.

Anderson Independent-Mail

These are sad statistics

Think of the tragedy of two children dying in a mobile home fire in North Charleston. Now multiply that by 150. The U.S. Fire Administration estimates that fires in manufactured homes claim the lives of more than 300 Americans a year, and injure another 700.

These are sad statistics, which S.C. Rep. Chip Limehouse, R-Charleston, hopes to mitigate. He is pushing legislation that would require older mobile homes sold in South Carolina to be equipped with two working smoke alarms. ...

Mr. Limehouse has the support of the Manufactured Housing Institute of South Carolina and local fire officials. He also notes that the statewide program would be inexpensive to operate.

Locally, some fire departments offer to help people who can't install smoke detectors by themselves. The North Charleston Fire Department provided free smoke alarm batteries earlier this year. Folly Beach allotted $500 to buy smoke detectors for residents who couldn't afford them.

Mr. Limehouse's bill deserves support. But please don't wait until the Legislature takes it up next year.

If you have smoke alarms, check the batteries. If you don't have smoke alarms, install some. It is an easy step that might prevent tragedy.

The (Charleston) Post and Courier