Ernest Hollings
Ernest "Fritz" Hollings was a prominent American politician from South Carolina, known for his long tenure as a Democratic senator and his commitment to various social and economic issues. Born on January 1, 1922, he grew up in Charleston, South Carolina, and served in the U.S. Army during World War II before pursuing a law degree. Hollings began his political career at a young age, becoming the youngest governor in South Carolina's history at thirty-six, where he focused on economic revitalization and educational reform. His subsequent years in the U.S. Senate saw him advocate for environmental protection, social programs for the disadvantaged, and advancements in technology and telecommunications.
Hollings was also known for his independent political stance, which was evident during his unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984. Throughout his career, he championed legislation aimed at improving the job market and managing the growth of technology while expressing concerns about national deficits. After retiring from the Senate in 2004, he continued to contribute to public discourse through writing and education until his passing on April 6, 2019. Hollings’ legacy includes his work on various impactful laws and his dedication to public service, marking him as a significant figure in American politics.
Ernest Hollings
- Born: January 1, 1922
- Died: April 6, 2019
Ernest Fritz Hollings served as a member of the Democratic Party, but his tendency toward political independence was widely recognized and discussed. He consistently fought for the issues of greatest personal concern to himself over his long career as a senator from South Carolina, especially the environment, trade and commerce, and technology.
Childhood and Education
Ernest "Fritz" Hollings, was born on January 1, 1922. He was raised along with four brothers and sisters in Charleston, South Carolina. After high school, Hollings attended the Citadel, a rigorous academic and military institute in Charleston, South Carolina, and graduated in 1942. Accepting a commission in the United States Army, he fought in North Africa and Europe during World War II.
Upon completing his military service, Hollings attended law school at the University of South Carolina, and earned a degree in 1947.
Early Political Career
Hollings entered his first public office at the age of twenty-six, serving as a representative in the South Carolina legislature until 1955. That year, he was elected lieutenant governor, and in 1958, he won election to the South Carolina governor's office. He was only thirty-six years old, and the youngest governor in the state's history until that time.
Hollings is generally credited with helping to re-energize South Carolina's faltering economy during his governorship. He reduced the state's debt, and established technical colleges that led to a more highly trained workforce. His emphasis on technology and its advancement was an issue on which he would continue to concentrate through the turn of the century.
In the US Senate
Hollings was elected to the US Senate in 1966. In his first several terms as senator, he worked to create social programs for the poor in South Carolina. His work on social issues led to the publication of his book The Case Against Hunger: A Demand for a National Policy in 1970.
Senator Hollings also supported legislation to protect and improve the environment. The National Coastal Zone Act, the Marina Mammal Act, the Fishery Conservation and Management Act, and the Oceans Act were among the measures that passed during his tenure in the Senate.
In 1984, Hollings attempted to obtain the Democratic nomination for president. His platform included plans for improving the US job market and limiting the international arms race. He warned against a rising deficit under the Ronald Reagan administration, and desired a freeze on government spending. However, Hollings was never considered a viable candidate in the election, and the party nominated Walter Mondale as its candidate for the general election.
In 1999, in a statement during the Bill Clinton impeachment hearings, Senator Hollings explained his vote against impeaching the president. He said that although he believed the president had behaved inappropriately, Clinton's action never endangered the country.
Technology and Foreign Trade
Throughout the 1990s, Hollings devoted a large portion of his attention to the future of technology for South Carolina and the nation. In 1992, he helped pass a cable television regulation law, though he also helped to reverse its effects in 1996, when the industry was deregulated in order to promote competitive pricing. That same year, he sponsored the Telecommunications Act, which forbade the formation of monopolies in the communication industry.
In 2001, Senator Hollings sponsored a bill designed to give the government the power to schedule television shows with violent content around prime viewing hours for children. The next year, he introduced the Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act, which would require that all digital equipment (PCs, cameras, cell phones, etc.) be equipped with safeguards to prevent the duplication of copyrighted material. In addition, Hollings sponsored the 2002 Online Personal Privacy Act, which the Senate Commerce Committee approved in May of that year. This act limits internet companies in their use of personal data collected from consumers.
Senator Hollings served on the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee each term of his Senate career. He was also the longest-serving member of the Senate Budget Committee. Hollings decided not to run for reelection in 2004. An undergraduate scholarship granted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was created in his honor the next year.
In the years following his departure from the Senate, Hollings spent time writing for local publications as well as for HuffPost and occassionally teaching. In 2008, along with Kirk Victor, he published Making Government Work. He died at his home in Isle of Palms, South Carolina, on April 6, 2019, at the age of ninety-seven.
Bibliography
"About the Honorable Senator Ernest F. Hollings." National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, www.noaa.gov/office-education/hollings-scholarship/about-senator-hollings. Accessed 28 Sept. 2020.
McFadden, Robert D. "Ernest Hollings, 97, a South Carolina Senator Who Evolved, Is Dead." The New York Times, 6 Apr. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/04/06/obituaries/ernest-hollings-dead.html. Accessed 28 Sept. 2020.
Schecter, Jerrold. "Ernest F. 'Fritz' Hollings, Longtime Senator from South Carolina, Dies at 97." The Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/ernest-f-fritz-hollings-longtime-senator-from-south-carolina-dies-at-97/2019/04/06/45deaba8-5876-11e9-814f-e2f46684196e‗story.html. Accessed 28 Sept. 2020.