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“HAPPY BIRTHDAY GOVERNOR EDWARDS” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Energy was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1444-E1445 on June 28, 2007.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GOVERNOR EDWARDS
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HON. JOE WILSON
of south carolina
in the house of representatives
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, Sunday marked the 80th birthday of James Burroughs Edwards of Mount Pleasant, SC, who was instrumental in the Reagan Revolution which transformed the political system of South Carolina.
I learned firsthand his competence and integrity when I served as his assistant to organize the Charleston County Republican Party in 1964, when he selected me for the State Development Board in 1975, when he appointed me Congressional District chair for Gov. Ronald Reagan for President in 1976, and when he asked me to serve as Deputy General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Energy in 1981.
I will always be grateful for the positive impact he has had for me, my family, and our region. This appreciation is evidenced by a birthday tribute by Ron Brinson published June 24 in the Post and Courier, of Charleston, SC.
Former Governor Should Write a Book That Defines His Legacy
(By Ron Brinson)
So I'm biased, but the facts speak for themselves. Jim Edwards was a darn good governor and is a genuine public leader with a knack for aligning principles and intellect to the congeniality of a very nice man.
Edwards celebrates his 80th birthday today, and, Governor, I have a suggestion, sort of a reverse birthday gift--write us a book. Your career and personal life include notable public achievements. It's a story that offers life-lesson insights about political patriotism and the values of civility. Your memoirs could provide inspiration and encouragement to others who might consider the path you took to public service. It would define your legacy and serve to control the rascals of revisionism in future generations. And if you write it in your usual communicative style, it will be an entertaining read about important stuff with many humorous anecdotes. Please don't leave out the stories about the rock barges and bootleggers.
Jim Edwards could write several interesting books that would link his Depression-era childhood, his World War II service as a merchant seaman, his high-achieving college and medical school days, a thriving oral surgery practice, and then a public service career that included some unusual stops and challenges. And, as he would quickly point out, along the way he ``married well,'' and he and Ann Darlington Edwards built a home, restored another and nurtured a comfortable family life with their two children.
Edwards assumed personal risks and economic sacrifices when he answered the call of the political stage, and failure at any point would have squandered his sacrifice. In practice, his affability and humanism bracketed a huge intellect and driving determination to accomplish the right objectives the right ways. In political life, Jim Edwards didn't always win, but folks who disagreed with him often walked away wondering why.
In the late sixties, he carved time from his busy Charleston practice for leadership roles in the resurging South Carolina Republican Party. He was elected to the state Senate, then in a quirky stream of political drama in 1974, he became South Carolina's first Republican governor since Reconstruction. In 1981, he became U.S. Secretary of Energy and did some heavy lifting--and took some political body blows from The Washington Post--directing President Reagan's ill-fated idea to eliminate the Department of Energy. In 1982, he returned to Charleston and began a 17-year tenure as president of the Medical University of South Carolina.
An important chapter in the Edwards book would be his answer to the question, what motivates a highly successful surgeon approaching middle age and with a growing family toward the political arena? Political scientists would be interested and future generations would find his motivations relevant and inspirational.
Think about just a few of the possible chapter topics in the Edwards political career.
An oral surgeon and raw rookie state senator, he defeated Gen. William Westmoreland in 1974 for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. The drama was only beginning. State Democrats figured Edwards was simply the next token general election candidate. Only 35,000 South Carolinians had voted in the 1974 GOP primary; 341,000 cast ballots in the Democratic primary runoff that nominated Charles ``Pug'' Ravenel.
After residency challenges eliminated Ravenel, Dr. Edwards polled 266,100 votes and defeated Rep. William Jennings Bryan Dorn by three percentage points. In a swirl of political theater, Dr. Edwards suddenly became Gov. Edwards. Would Jim Edwards have defeated Ravenel? It's hard to say, but Dr. Edwards polled 79,000 more votes in the general election than Ravenel did when he defeated Dorn in the Democratic runoff.
As governor, Edwards and the small handful of Republicans serving in the General Assembly got along well with the Democrats who controlled the legislative process. Maybe they had no choice, but there was a nurtured mutual respect and civility even when their many disagreements were aired. In contrast, these days, it seems, Republicans who control just about every part of state government often have trouble getting along with themselves.
In 1975, Gov. Edwards vetoed appropriations for 1,600 new state jobs. Many agencies through their heads and their boards lobbied strongly. The veto was overridden. The nice-man governor struck back and with the support of Democratic Sens. Marion Gressette and Rembert Dennis, and the Budget and Control Board, Edwards pushed legislation that would prohibit state employees to lobby the legislature.
Edwards' marketing performance as governor has been grossly under-appreciated. There were many successes, including attracting the Bosch and Michelin operations to South Carolina. Many believe these two industrial giants provided the threshold for the BMW plant in Greer.
In 1980, Edwards supported Texan John Connelly for president, then ended up in President Reagan's Cabinet. It seems like the citizen politician had turned master politician. How did that happen? And was Reagan serious about abolishing the Energy Department, and was Budget Director David Stockman really as officious and bull-headed as many working in Washington back then thought?
At MUSC from 1982-1999, Edwards presided over dramatic growth. The school's budget increased from $148.3 million to
$845.6 million. Dr. Edwards emphasized the school's enterprise operations and the state subsidy dropped from 45 percent in 1982 to 15 percent in 1999. The school's image soared and grant support increased nine-fold. The MUSC Health Services Foundation assets grew from $6.8 million to $152 million. That's impressive management in the dynamic universe of health care.
These days Jim Edwards promotes Mitt Romney's presidential campaign and tends to a variety of civic activities. Occasionally, he works from a MUSC office area shared with former Sen. Fritz Hollings. Imagine the fly-on-the-wall entertainment when the governor and senator share their experiences.
All that and more would make an excellent book, Governor, and maybe even a good movie. Too bad John Wayne is not available as leading man. But you should be sure to include a mini-chapter about the night you and Mrs. Edwards dined with the Duke. Remember? He didn't eat his asparagus.
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