As Republicans unite behind their presidential nominee, and Democrats remain split between two candidates, the question remains who among this trio of senators can truly make government work?
Drawing from his half-century of political experience, former South Carolina governor and U.S. Sen. Ernest F. "Fritz" Hollings has crafted a handbook for democracy in the 21st century. His political memoir, "Making Government Work," serves as a compendium of lessons from a tested agent of change; an instructive guide to the fortitude, compassion and stewardship needed by successful public servants; and a call to action for those who would lead well and those who would be well led to make government work again for all Americans.
Taking as his motto "performance is better than promise," Hollings showed in his political career the potential of the elected and the electorate to use government for the good of all. As S.C.'s governor in the early 1960s, Hollings oversaw the social transition of the state into the civil rights era and from an agriculture-based economy to an industry-based system with international partnerships. In the U.S. Senate from 1966 to 2005, he shepherded new policies to address hunger, environmental conservation, energy consumption, communications, international trade, campaign finance, the federal budget, space exploration and national defense.
"There is no education in the second kick of a mule," Hollings has said on the value of learning from past mistakes instead of repeating them. To that end, he shares the triumphs and trials of his career so that all might learn how government has -- and could once more -- work as it should.
Confrontational toward the issues, institutions and individuals he cites as responsible for knocking government off course, Hollings lays out his deep commitment to correcting our broken system of government, strengthening regulations on trade, countering dependence on campaign contributions and enhancing communications and education programs to compete better in an information-driven global marketplace.
Through this thinking, Hollings seeks to reinvigorate a floundering system and actively call people and ideas back into the service of America's future. The central question at stake during the upcoming presidential election is: Who can best make government work? Hollings's book is a reminder that "government has worked before, and we can make it work again."
Hollings has served the public as a South Carolina legislator (1949-1954), lieutenant governor (1955-1959), governor (1959-1963), U.S. senator (1966-2005) and U.S. presidential candidate (1983-1984). Throughout his career, he has focused on putting government on a sound financial basis and promoting economic development to create opportunities.
Recognized as a policy expert on the budget, telecommunications, the environment, defense, trade and space, he is the author of the Coastal Zone Management Act (1972), the Ocean Dumping Act (1972) and the Automobile Fuel Economy Act (1975) and coauthor of the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Deficit Reduction Act (1985). Hollings led in the creation of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children in 1972 and passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
"Making Government Work" is researched and written with the assistance of Kirk Victor, who covers the U.S. Senate for the National Journal and was part of a reporting team that won a National Headliner Award in 2005 for coverage of Congress.
"Making Government Work" (256 pages, $29.95, hardcover) will be published June 10 by The University of South Carolina Press. For more information, visit www.sc.edu/uscpress.
Special to The T&D