Haley: South Carolina The 'It' State

Gov. Nikki Haley touted South Carolina as the new "it" state during her visit to Greenville County on Tuesday, telling rotarians at her last stop of the day in Greenville that South Carolina was becoming a "shining star" nationally for its accelerating economic development. 

Haley, who toured the GE Energy Turbine Plant in Greenville before speaking to the Greenville Rotary Club at the Poinsett Hotel, said in the latter appearance that the state had forged a reputation as an elite manufacturing center, citing a laundry list of achievements from her still young governorship. 

Among them were the South Carolina's status as the largest manufacturer of tires in the nation, and the largest producer of gas turbines in the world. 

"In South Carolina, we build things," Haley said. 

Haley furthered her boasting about the state's success by citing a recent Wall Street Journal article that focused on South Carolina's growing manufacturing success. 

"Anyone still thinking the U.S. has lost its manufacturing chops hasn't been to this part of the country," the article states. 

"They haven't been to South Carolina," Haley told the audience members at the Poinsett. "South Carolina has quickly become the 'it' state." 

Haley spent much of her time reiterating talking points she'd previously made on other visits throughout the state, for not being serious about tax reform, and calling for them to put aside more than $100 million in the next budget cycle to pay for tax relief once it is passed. 

In a decidedly economic-centered speech, Haley also prided herself on being a "union buster," citing the Boeing controversy as the most pertinent example of free enterprise capitalism's advantages over organized labor. 

"I will continue to be a union buster, because it works," Haley said.