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From Soup to Nuts
Author: BobR    Date: 10/19/2012 12:32:16

There is a certain inherent phoniness in political campaigns. Incumbents try to sell the highpoints of their records and hide the mistakes. Newcomers try to show they are ready to compete on the Big Stage. The rich and the powerful try to show they are just "regular folk" by staging "photo ops" in factories, diners, schools, and public parks.

Romney has been trying extra hard, and mostly failing. He accused a person of bringing "7/11" cookies that were purchased from a venerable local baker. He bought "stuff" at a hardware store he had no intention of using. Sometimes, though, it's just a matter of unfortunate timing:

http://towleroad.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c730253ef017d3c959dd2970c-pi


or someone posing in the pic that may not be a supporter:

http://i.huffpost.com/gen/798270/thumbs/o-CAPTION-THIS-570.jpg


It's certainly disruptive to have a campaign stop by to grin for the camera. It interrupts your work day, and may put the employee in a bind. What if they don't support the candidate? It seems unAmerican, but there are certainly cases where a worker's job depends on them showing up and smiling for the camera:
When Romney stopped by Century Mill earlier this month, the facility was shut down for the day on the basis of "safety and security," resulting in non-salaried employees not being given a paid shift and all staffers being asked to attend the event. To what degree they were pressured, though, depends on whom you ask.

"Yes, we were in fact told that the Romney event was mandatory and would be without pay, that the hours spent there would need to be made up my non-salaried employees outside of regular working hours, with the only other option being to take a pay cut for the equivalent time," the employees tell WWVA talk show host David Blomquist. "Yes, letters have gone around with lists of names of employees who have not attended or donated to political events."

THAT's one way to gain support from the "regular folks"...

So it's certainly bad enough when working people who can barely get by are sacrificing personal time and/or money so a politician can have a staged campaign moment. What about those that are destitute and starving? That is a real problem due to a clumsy clueless selfish photo op that Paul Ryan inflicted upon a soup kitchen in Youngstown, OH:
Brian J. Antal, president of the Mahoning County St. Vincent De Paul Society, said that he was not contacted by the Romney campaign ahead of the Saturday morning visit by Ryan, who stopped by the soup kitchen after a town hall at Youngstown State University.
[...]
Ryan had stopped by the soup kitchen for about 15 minutes on his way to the airport after his Saturday morning town hall in Youngstown. By the time he arrived, the food had already been served, the patrons had left, and the hall had been cleaned.

Upon entering the soup kitchen, Ryan, his wife and three young children greeted and thanked several volunteers, then donned white aprons and offered to clean some dishes. Photographers snapped photos and TV cameras shot footage of Ryan and his family washing pots and pans that did not appear to be dirty.

The head of the facility was not pleased. As he noted:
The head of a northeast Ohio charity says that the Romney campaign last week “ramrodded their way” into the group’s Youngstown soup kitchen so that GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan could get his picture taken washing dishes in the dining hall.
[...]
“We’re a faith-based organization; we are apolitical because the majority of our funding is from private donations,” Antal said in a phone interview Monday afternoon. “It’s strictly in our bylaws not to do it. They showed up there, and they did not have permission. They got one of the volunteers to open up the doors.”
[...]
He noted that the soup kitchen relies on funding from private individuals who might reconsider their support if it appears that the charity is favoring one political candidate over another.

“I can’t afford to lose funding from these private individuals,” he said. “If this was the Democrats, I’d have the same exact problem.”

It appears that his fears were not unfounded:
In the wake of Rep. Paul Ryan's embarrassing soup kitchen photo-op last week, the organization that runs the facility tells The Huffington Post that donors have begun pulling their money out of the Youngstown, Ohio charity.

Ryan may have suffered a few late-night jokes, but the fallout for the soup kitchen appears to be far more bruising. Brian J. Antal, president of the Mahoning County St. Vincent De Paul Society, confirmed that donors have begun an exodus in protest over Ryan's embarrassment. The monetary losses have been big. "It appears to be a substantial amount," Antal said. "You can rest assured there has been a substantial backlash."

To make matters worse:
Ryan supporters have now targeted Antal and his soup kitchen, Antal said, including making hundreds of angry phone calls. Some members of Antal's volunteer staff have had to endure the barrage as well, he said. "The sad part is a lot of [the callers] want to hide behind anonymity," he said, adding that if someone leaves their name and number he has tried to return their call. In addition to phone calls, people have posted a few choice words on the charity's Facebook wall, including statements like "I hope you lose your tax [sic] emempt status," Anyone who is thinking about donations to you should think twice" and "Shame on you Brian Antal!"

All it takes in this hyper-partisan political season is for a polarizing candidate to barge into a business and have that business complain, and within a week it becomes a disaster.

There are some that might say that Ryan wasn't just staging a photo op, that he really does care about the homeless and the poor. He certainly talks a good game. But you know what they say about words versus actions:
Rep. Paul Ryan's awkward visit last week to a Youngstown, Ohio, soup kitchen made national headlines and has been the butt of late-night jokes. The head of the charity that runs the soup kitchen complained to The Washington Post that Ryan and Co. "ramrodded their way" in for an unauthorized photo-op.

Ryan's surprise visit was an even bigger shock to people who run organizations dedicated to serving the needy back in his Wisconsin congressional district. The Huffington Post called soup kitchens, shelters and used-clothing donation box organizers throughout Ryan's district and turned up precisely one Ryan sighting -- and that was of his wife, shopping for clothes at a thrift store.
[...]
Ryan, despite more than 13 years in Congress, appears to be very much a stranger to those charities. None of the food pantry or shelter workers interviewed by The Huffington Post could recall Ryan having visited; a few others would not discuss the congressman. It's possible that charities supported by Ryan were overlooked, or that the volunteers' memories aren't perfect. But none of the facilities reached for comment said Ryan has ever set foot in their establishments.

The only time Ryan cares about the needy is when he needs them to promote his campaign. It should come as no surprise, though - it's part of his Ayn Randian philosophy. It does tell us a lot too about what sort of president he would be, should he end up being one heartbeat away from the presidency. Selfishness is not a virtue.
 

60 comments (Latest Comment: 10/19/2012 20:26:07 by TriSec)
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Comment by Mondobubba on 10/19/2012 12:58:46
Hey I heard Queen Ann say that being a Mormon missionary is the same as serving in the military.

Comment by BobR on 10/19/2012 13:01:28
blog is up


Comment by Raine on 10/19/2012 13:07:20
Great blog today, Bobber. I feel very badly for Mr. Antal.

Comment by TriSec on 10/19/2012 13:10:47
Morning, comrades.

I've actually been in the "employee" position in a past life. Longtime readers of this blog know I used to work for 'President' Bush's cousin.

Over my years at that shop, we had a small but steady stream of local and some national "R" politicos touring the place. I met Kerry Healey, Charlie Baker, and a few other, lesser lights from Mr. Bush's administration that I've since forgotten.

Never was I anything less than correct and professional, but as the blog's Protocol Droid, you would expect nothing less, right?

However, I understand that there are many out there that would be miffed by an opposition visit, and wouldn't be afraid to show it.



Comment by BobR on 10/19/2012 13:12:18
Quote by TriSec:
Morning, comrades.

I've actually been in the "employee" position in a past life. Longtime readers of this blog know I used to work for 'President' Bush's cousin.

Over my years at that shop, we had a small but steady stream of local and some national "R" politicos touring the place. I met Kerry Healey, Charlie Baker, and a few other, lesser lights from Mr. Bush's administration that I've since forgotten.

Never was I anything less than correct and professional, but as the blog's Protocol Droid, you would expect nothing less, right?

However, I understand that there are many out there that would be miffed by an opposition visit, and wouldn't be afraid to show it.

The problem isn't being miffed so much as being economically screwed.

Comment by trojanrabbit on 10/19/2012 13:17:37
Quote by Mondobubba:
Hey I heard Queen Ann say that being a Mormon missionary is the same as serving in the military.


I think to her it's more important.

(very difficult to type with a useless index finger)
Went to change Lucky's bandage this morning, which involved reaching for him under my desk, and in the process of cutting the old bandage off succeeded in cutting a bit of my finger. Didn't realize it until I looked at it a minute later and noticed the finger covered in blood. . Was more concerned about not cutting him.

Anyway

In a Fark.com thread last night, a person started a fund for the soup kitchen and was over $2000 in a few minutes. And now they have a

facebook page.

If Ryan really cared about the needy I suppose he could donate there.

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2012 13:29:30
Quote by Mondobubba:
Hey I heard Queen Ann say that being a Mormon missionary is the same as serving in the military.
Here is what really miffed me:
"So, you know, we find different ways of serving,"she added."And my husband and my five boys did serve missions, did not serve in the military."


Yeah, It's JUST like this:







 http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.389695!/img/httpImage/image.jpg


Comment by TriSec on 10/19/2012 13:36:22
I did not serve.

Many of my elder relatives did, including Papa Trisec (US Army, late 1950s) and an elder uncle with WWII Filipino service buried at Arlington.

As author of Ask a Vet, you know my position on this, and on those that would mock, undercut, disparage, or otherwise disrespect any American person in uniform.

I also take a good deal of pride being on the "other side of the coin". A handful of my Scout alumni have gone on to military service and careers...and the things we taught them can only help.



Comment by Raine on 10/19/2012 13:53:28
Comment by Raine on 10/19/2012 13:57:40
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/524875_549553331737020_96975296_n.jpg


Comment by Raine on 10/19/2012 14:15:56
Fromthe article:
“He is not receiving artificial respiration and is not connected to tubes, as some have said. What’s probably true is that Castro is being fed through nasogastric tubes,” Marquina said.

He said that the death of patients with this type of clinical picture is generally caused by respiratory complications and irreversible infections.

According to Marquina, the decline in Castro’s health compelled Chávez to fly to Havana on Tuesday, to inquire about his ally’s condition.
It appears that Chávez is well enough to fly.


Comment by Mondobubba on 10/19/2012 14:24:49



Good to know. There was a great tweet from Ricky Gervais about this and Baumgartner. Something to the effect of "religion, while you were shoot a girl in the face, I was having a man sky dive from space, Science."

Comment by TriSec on 10/19/2012 14:25:10
Come on damn it! Come on!!!



https://glazersspace.wikispaces.com/file/view/Cuba_flag.gif/113134253/Cuba_flag.gif


LIBERTAD!


Comment by Scoopster on 10/19/2012 14:27:59
Mornin' all & Happy Fridee!!

Off to Boston in a few minutes.. need to visit one of our salespeople & fix her networking setup.

Comment by Mondobubba on 10/19/2012 14:32:29
Quote by TriSec:
I did not serve.

Many of my elder relatives did, including Papa Trisec (US Army, late 1950s) and an elder uncle with WWII Filipino service buried at Arlington.

As author of Ask a Vet, you know my position on this, and on those that would mock, undercut, disparage, or otherwise disrespect any American person in uniform.

I also take a good deal of pride being on the "other side of the coin". A handful of my Scout alumni have gone on to military service and careers...and the things we taught them can only help.




Neither did I.

Through my travels in the SCA, I got know and make friends with many men who were serving in almost all the branches of the service. Hell on of them is now working as a private security guy in Afganistan. When the 1st Gulf War got started I saw dozens of these guys (yes they were all guys) have to drop what they were doing (vacation, Pennsic, huge SCA event), get back to Fort Bragg or where ever they were stationed because they were called to work. They didn't complain, the did what they had to do. Comparing those men to missionaries really pisses me off. How many Mormon missionaries have died trying to convert people?

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2012 14:32:47
Comment by wickedpam on 10/19/2012 14:34:52
Morning

Finally finished cleaning up someone else's mess from last night!

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2012 14:36:17
Quote by wickedpam:
Morning

Finally finished cleaning up someone else's mess from last night!
Oh my!

You must be so happy this morning.


Comment by Raine on 10/19/2012 14:44:09
SHIT!





Vermont's Killington ski resort says it's going to power one of its lifts this season with electricity generated from methane gas recovered from cow manure.


Comment by wickedpam on 10/19/2012 14:47:12
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Morning

Finally finished cleaning up someone else's mess from last night!
Oh my!

You must be so happy this morning.


thrilled - especially since the person should not have be doing this in the first place but they are trying to give her "busy work". So instead of just giving me the sell sheets to do for the meeting to begin with so I had all day yesterday to work on them I got them last night at 4. They looked like crap, I can't let the reps take those out to the market or the supplier to see them, so I had to fix 8 sheets with graphics and pricing. I know it's not hard to do but its just details that take up time! UGH!

*rant over*


Comment by Mondobubba on 10/19/2012 14:50:14
A follow up to my previous post. Fast forward to June 91. One of the many wives of of member of the 82nd Airborne introduced me to her husband as one the people who was responsible keeping her sane while he was deployed. I was so very flattered.

Comment by Mondobubba on 10/19/2012 14:53:10
Quote by Raine:
SHIT!





Vermont's Killington ski resort says it's going to power one of its lifts this season with electricity generated from methane gas recovered from cow manure.



Yes, it is

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2012 15:16:47
Anyone know where I Can watch yesterday's the View online?

Comment by wickedpam on 10/19/2012 15:18:29
Quote by Raine:
Anyone know where I Can watch yesterday's the View online?



try Hulu

Comment by Will in Chicago on 10/19/2012 15:19:39
BobR, thanks for a great blog. I fear that Romney and Ryan seem to have a very strange connection with people outside their social class. Indeed, it seems that they treat others as objects to be used for political advancement.

As for myself, I am still hoping to hear back on a second interview. I will likely e-mail an assistant principal later today.

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2012 15:21:18
Comment by Raine on 10/19/2012 15:26:33
Quote by Raine:
I found it!
# minutes in, and I am pausing until after Momma.

Confirmed: Josh the son is in the audience.


Comment by Raine on 10/19/2012 15:34:21
Holy shmoly. Seriously, Mondo and everyone, this interview is worth watching -- there is far more there than that callous comment.



Comment by Mondobubba on 10/19/2012 15:36:02
Quote by Raine:
Holy shmoly. Seriously, Mondo and everyone, this interview is worth watching -- there is far more there than that callous comment.




What am I missing here?

Comment by livingonli on 10/19/2012 15:44:57
Good morning, everyone. A crappy, rainy day here while I ponder where I will move. My current roommate is going to Boston this weekend to visit her daughter than heading back to Carolina to find a few leads (She's looking at Myrtle Beach) while I stay and take care of the cat since it looks like the move out will now be closer to the end of the month (Hopefully when I take real vacation). I guess once I make my decision, at least everything should fall into place and I will just have to do one move at the end of the month.

Comment by wickedpam on 10/19/2012 15:48:54
Quote by livingonli:
Good morning, everyone. A crappy, rainy day here while I ponder where I will move. My current roommate is going to Boston this weekend to visit her daughter than heading back to Carolina to find a few leads (She's looking at Myrtle Beach) while I stay and take care of the cat since it looks like the move out will now be closer to the end of the month (Hopefully when I take real vacation). I guess once I make my decision, at least everything should fall into place and I will just have to do one move at the end of the month.



Myrtle Beach? I thought she wanted NC? Tell her Wilmington is really nice - loved it when I lived there

Comment by Mondobubba on 10/19/2012 15:58:07
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by livingonli:
Good morning, everyone. A crappy, rainy day here while I ponder where I will move. My current roommate is going to Boston this weekend to visit her daughter than heading back to Carolina to find a few leads (She's looking at Myrtle Beach) while I stay and take care of the cat since it looks like the move out will now be closer to the end of the month (Hopefully when I take real vacation). I guess once I make my decision, at least everything should fall into place and I will just have to do one move at the end of the month.



Myrtle Beach? I thought she wanted NC? Tell her Wilmington is really nice - loved it when I lived there



Myrtle Beach aka the Redneck Riviera?

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2012 15:58:32
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Holy shmoly. Seriously, Mondo and everyone, this interview is worth watching -- there is far more there than that callous comment.




What am I missing here?
Ann Romney's appearance on The View. I posted the link a little while ago.


Comment by TriSec on 10/19/2012 15:58:55
National Council's response to "The Troubles"


(IRVING, TX—October 18, 2012)—The Boy Scouts of America issued the following response to a news conference hosted by two Portland-based attorneys regarding the attorneys’ release of the BSA’s ineligible volunteer files from 1965 to 1985.

Scouting’s Response to Files Released by Plaintiff’s Attorneys

“Nothing is more important than the safety of our Scouts. There have been instances where people misused their positions in Scouting to abuse children, and in certain cases, our response to these incidents and our efforts to protect youth were plainly insufficient, inappropriate, or wrong. Where those involved in Scouting failed to protect, or worse, inflicted and sincere apologies to victims and their families.”

“We have always cooperated fully with any requests from law enforcement and welcome any additional examination by authorities of Scouting policies, training, and files to learn from our longstanding Youth Protection efforts. In fact, next month in Atlanta, the BSA is hosting a Youth Protection Symposium in cooperation with other youth-serving organizations where nationally recognized third-party experts will discuss and share best practices.”


More at the link.

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2012 16:04:08
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by livingonli:
Good morning, everyone. A crappy, rainy day here while I ponder where I will move. My current roommate is going to Boston this weekend to visit her daughter than heading back to Carolina to find a few leads (She's looking at Myrtle Beach) while I stay and take care of the cat since it looks like the move out will now be closer to the end of the month (Hopefully when I take real vacation). I guess once I make my decision, at least everything should fall into place and I will just have to do one move at the end of the month.



Myrtle Beach? I thought she wanted NC? Tell her Wilmington is really nice - loved it when I lived there



Myrtle Beach aka the Redneck Riviera?
WAIT.

Redneck Riviera? I thought that was Flori-Bama?


Comment by wickedpam on 10/19/2012 16:05:09
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by livingonli:
Good morning, everyone. A crappy, rainy day here while I ponder where I will move. My current roommate is going to Boston this weekend to visit her daughter than heading back to Carolina to find a few leads (She's looking at Myrtle Beach) while I stay and take care of the cat since it looks like the move out will now be closer to the end of the month (Hopefully when I take real vacation). I guess once I make my decision, at least everything should fall into place and I will just have to do one move at the end of the month.



Myrtle Beach? I thought she wanted NC? Tell her Wilmington is really nice - loved it when I lived there



Myrtle Beach aka the Redneck Riviera?
WAIT.

Redneck Riviera? I thought that was Flori-Bama?


I kinda like to call it Redneck Heaven


Comment by TriSec on 10/19/2012 16:07:32
Oh, and since "Yankee Elimination Day" is a minor New England holiday...




Comment by Raine on 10/19/2012 16:07:46
We need to get our Redneck geography straight... credibility is important.

Comment by BobR on 10/19/2012 16:08:12
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by livingonli:
Good morning, everyone. A crappy, rainy day here while I ponder where I will move. My current roommate is going to Boston this weekend to visit her daughter than heading back to Carolina to find a few leads (She's looking at Myrtle Beach) while I stay and take care of the cat since it looks like the move out will now be closer to the end of the month (Hopefully when I take real vacation). I guess once I make my decision, at least everything should fall into place and I will just have to do one move at the end of the month.


Myrtle Beach? I thought she wanted NC? Tell her Wilmington is really nice - loved it when I lived there


Myrtle Beach aka the Redneck Riviera?

Panama City Beach to Mobile is the Redneck Riviera. Coastal SC is Low Country

Comment by Raine on 10/19/2012 16:08:38
Quote by TriSec:
Oh, and since "Yankee Elimination Day" is a minor New England holiday...


So how 'bout those Pats?

Comment by TriSec on 10/19/2012 16:19:25
Quote by Raine:
So how 'bout those Pats?


Barking up the wrong tree, m'lady. *pinkhat, fair weather, etc.*

The Celtics thrashed Brooklyn last night, though.



Comment by livingonli on 10/19/2012 16:21:26
Quote by TriSec:
Quote by Raine:
So how 'bout those Pats?


Barking up the wrong tree, m'lady. *pinkhat, fair weather, etc.*

The Celtics thrashed Brooklyn last night, though.


It's like Brooklyn has anything better than when they were in New Jersey other than the venue. I'm just not sure if the Knicks will be able to get above .500 this season and win more than one playoff game.

Comment by trojanrabbit on 10/19/2012 16:37:55
Quote by Raine:
Quote by TriSec:
Oh, and since "Yankee Elimination Day" is a minor New England holiday...


So how 'bout those Pats?


How about them?

They'll probably win the division handily, then sputter when faced with a good defense in the playoffs while the Pats "secondary" is picked clean. Hoodie apparently has a mental block when it comes to dealing with the "secondary".

The best fix (which has 0 chance of happening) ---- when they won the brain trust was Belichick, Pioli, Weis and Crenell. They haven't won since that was broken up.

What amuses me the most are the idiot Boston sports shows saying that the Yankees are in worse shape than the Sox.

Yes, the Yankees are likely stuck with A-Fraud for 5 more years, Jeter may have problems coming back, the entire team seems to have forgotten how to hit, big ? in Rivera.

But the Sox seem to be going all out to get their hands on a manager who only stayed out of last place because the Sox sucked more, have a DH who is coming off major Achilles issues, a pitching staff in total disarray, and even whinier players than the Yankees. And their best player has Scott Boras as an agent.

Comment by TriSec on 10/19/2012 16:45:22
Bora$$!

Slowly, I turned...



Comment by Mondobubba on 10/19/2012 16:58:56
Quote by TriSec:
Quote by Raine:
So how 'bout those Pats?


Barking up the wrong tree, m'lady. *pinkhat, fair weather, etc.*

The Celtics thrashed Brooklyn last night, though.




Wait what? When did the Nets move to Brooklyn?

Comment by Mondobubba on 10/19/2012 17:00:52
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by livingonli:
Good morning, everyone. A crappy, rainy day here while I ponder where I will move. My current roommate is going to Boston this weekend to visit her daughter than heading back to Carolina to find a few leads (She's looking at Myrtle Beach) while I stay and take care of the cat since it looks like the move out will now be closer to the end of the month (Hopefully when I take real vacation). I guess once I make my decision, at least everything should fall into place and I will just have to do one move at the end of the month.



Myrtle Beach? I thought she wanted NC? Tell her Wilmington is really nice - loved it when I lived there



Myrtle Beach aka the Redneck Riviera?
WAIT.

Redneck Riviera? I thought that was Flori-Bama?



There are two. The Gulf Coast that Bobber mentioned and Dirty Myrtle. The Low Country is the SC coast south of Charleston.

Comment by livingonli on 10/19/2012 17:01:30
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by TriSec:
Quote by Raine:
So how 'bout those Pats?


Barking up the wrong tree, m'lady. *pinkhat, fair weather, etc.*

The Celtics thrashed Brooklyn last night, though.




Wait what? When did the Nets move to Brooklyn?

This season is the first season in Brooklyn. They have the new Barclays arena which they were just waiting for completion. MSG at least says publicly they are not afraid of the competition because of the Garden's long history but they will be vying for things like concerts.

Comment by Mondobubba on 10/19/2012 18:02:37
Well that was an hour of my life I am not getting back.

Comment by BobR on 10/19/2012 19:02:18
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by livingonli:
Good morning, everyone. A crappy, rainy day here while I ponder where I will move. My current roommate is going to Boston this weekend to visit her daughter than heading back to Carolina to find a few leads (She's looking at Myrtle Beach) while I stay and take care of the cat since it looks like the move out will now be closer to the end of the month (Hopefully when I take real vacation). I guess once I make my decision, at least everything should fall into place and I will just have to do one move at the end of the month.



Myrtle Beach? I thought she wanted NC? Tell her Wilmington is really nice - loved it when I lived there



Myrtle Beach aka the Redneck Riviera?
WAIT.

Redneck Riviera? I thought that was Flori-Bama?


There are two. The Gulf Coast that Bobber mentioned and Dirty Myrtle. The Low Country is the SC coast south of Charleston.

I am going to have to disagree. If Myrtle Beach isn't in the Low Country, then it is part of the Grand Strand. I've never heard it referred to as the Redneck Riviera, and I lived in the South for most of my life.