Oh, boy. If you didn’t think the back-and-forth in Washington of this exchange: “You think you know better than everyone! Keep your big government hands out of health care,” versus, “Oh, you mean, ‘Keep your socialist hands off my Medicare,’” was not coming to our state government, you picked wrong. Rep. Tim Scott, who is in the Republican primary for lieutenant governor, is certainly going to be grabbing himself some headlines come January.
Scott sponsored the following bills:
H. 4171: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 38-71-15 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IF PROVISIONS OF FEDERAL LAW MANDATE THAT ALL CITIZENS WITH CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS PURCHASE OR SECURE HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE THROUGH A RANGE OF OPTIONS ONE OF WHICH IS TO PURCHASE OR SECURE HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE THROUGH A PUBLIC PLAN UNDERWRITTEN IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND THE PUBLIC PLAN PERMITS STATES TO “OPT OUT” OF THIS PUBLIC OPTION, THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA HERBY “OPTS OUT” AND DECLINES TO HAVE THIS PUBLIC PLAN OPTION APPLY TO OR BE AVAILABLE TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS STATE.
Yes, that’s exactly what it looks like — it makes sure that the Palmetto State opts out of a health care bill that has yet to pass the U.S. Senate. We just love preemption in this state, from seceding under the thought President Abraham Lincoln would have eliminated slavery (which is doubtful, in retrospect), all the way to the last session when Rep. Eric Bedingfield went both barrels with a bill and a constitutional amendment to prevent South Carolina from being involved in a federal card-check law. Come to think of it, this bill has a constitutional amendment filed with it, too.
H. 4181: A JOINT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE I OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO THE DECLARATION OF RIGHTS, SO AS TO ADD A NEW SECTION PRESERVING THE FREEDOM OF SOUTH CAROLINIANS WITH RESPECT TO THE PROVIDING OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES, BY PROHIBITING ANY LAW, REGULATION, OR RULE TO COMPEL AN INDIVIDUAL, EMPLOYER, OR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER TO PARTICIPATE IN A HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, BY ALLOWING INDIVIDUALS AND EMPLOYERS TO PAY DIRECTLY FOR LAWFUL HEALTH CARE SERVICES WITHOUT PENALTIES OR FINES FOR THESE DIRECT PAYMENTS, BY PROVIDING THAT THE PURCHASE OR SALE OF HEALTH INSURANCE IN PRIVATE HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS MUST NOT BE PROHIBITED BY LAW, REGULATION, OR RULE, BY PROVIDING THOSE INCENTIVES IN WHICH THE RIGHTS PROVIDED BY THIS SECTION DO NOT APPLY, AND TO PROVIDE APPROPRIATE DEFINITIONS.
The bill probably has a better chance of passing than the constitutional amendment, but whether either make it to the Governor’s desk, eh, no guarantee on that one. There will be more than significant support among Republican members, but we suspect there will be intense Democratic opposition. Of course, a win for the Dems will probably add to up a delaying action just to make sure there are no final votes or conference committees or the like.
Speaking of Democrats, Rep. Boyd Brown has a bill in the hopper, to incentivise doctors to take their practice to rural areas.
H. 4195: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING ARTICLE 8 TO CHAPTER 111, TITLE 59 TO ENACT THE “SOUTH CAROLINA RURAL PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM” SO AS TO CREATE A LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM FOR LICENSED PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS WHO PRACTICE IN RURAL AREAS WITHIN THE STATE, TO PROVIDE FOR A PROGRAM ADVISORY BOARD, TO PROVIDE CRITERIA BY WHICH PHYSICIANS MAY BE SELECTED, TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR NONCOMPLIANCE WITH THE PROGRAM, TO PROVIDE FOR THE APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS FOR THE PROGRAM, AND TO DEFINE CERTAIN TERMS.
As well, a number of legislators came to fashion a bipartisan bill to address a recent controversy coming out of Congressional votes on amendments to health care legislation.
H. 4198: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 38-57-115 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNFAIR DISCRIMINATION FOR AN INSURER TO DENY, REFUSE TO ISSUE OR RENEW, CANCEL, RESTRICT OR EXCLUDE COVERAGE, DENY A CLAIM OR LIMIT PAYMENTS, OR ADD A PREMIUM DIFFERENTIAL TO A POLICY OR CERTIFICATE OF COVERAGE ON THE BASIS THAT AN APPLICANT OR INSURED HAS BEEN OR IS PERCEIVED TO HAVE BEEN ABUSED OR MAY BE A SUBJECT OF ABUSE AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES, INCLUDING FINES UP TO TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
This bill’s primary sponsor is Rep. Shannon Erickson, and she’s joined by Reps. Joan Brady, Gilda Cobb-Hunter, Jenny Horne, Rita Allison, Anne Peterson Hutto, Bill Herbkersman and Murrell Smith. As of right now, it’s completely legal for an insurance company to deny you coverage because of previous or current domestic violence. There’s no national law governing this, because, as has been blatantly obvious for some time, insurance regulations are largely left up to the states. So, in case a bill such language in it doesn’t pass in Congress, this legislation is to make sure it happens here.
As the days wind toward the opening of the session, there will likely be more heath care related bills coming down the pike.
As the House and Senate reconvened for the second day of the extended session on Wednesday, everything calmed down until the Boeing announcement came down.
johnroconnor: Spotted: House reading clerk Bubba Cromer wearing an alien mask at the desk.
ZacherMediaPR: John O’Connor, reporting the real news… RT @johnroconnor: Spotted: House reading clerk Bubba Cromer wearing an alien mask at the desk.
johnroconnor: @ZacherMediaPR well if the House isn’t going to make any news, someone has to
yvonnewenger: Statehouse is in a holding pattern … Boeing news could come at any time.
NathanBallentin: patience is a virtue
johnroconnor: Speaker Harrell, Sens. McConnell and Leatherman and Nexsen Pruett attys meeting in McConnell’s office now
RepAlanClemmons: Private meeting in State House. Attending: Speaker Harrell, Sen McConnell, Sen Leatherman, Billy Wilkins, and unknown others. #sctweets
RepAlanClemmons: RT @JenniferDale: RT @WMBFmegmiller: Reports: Boeing calls emergency meeting for 787 employees in Everett
RepAlanClemmons: Two unknown gentlemen just left the private statehouse meeting and went to Gov Sanford’s office.
dphamilton: SC House now considering economic development incentive package for “major economic development.” Passes by a vote of 106-0.
sendavidthomas: BREAKING NEWS via WYFF 4: Boeing to locate plant in North Charleston. Bringing 12,000 jobs
senatortomdavis: Official BEA state revenue impact of Boeing incentive package: http://bit.ly/2uFQu7 Voting on final passage of bill in about ten minutes.
RepAlanClemmons: Swarm of ladybugs just landed on the Statehouse. Good luck sign? http://twitpic.com/nazmc
johnroconnor: Seattle, Wash., just sent us e-mail. Boeing is coming to North Charleston. #chsbrkg #sc #chsnews (via @CRBJ)
shanemassey: Boeing announces that it is coming to SC! Huge win for SC!
wesleydonehue: Standing ovation in senate. This is amazing.
shanemassey: Boeing to build 787s in N. Charleston. Expected 4,000 spin off jobs throughout state. Big day for SC.
RepBoydBrown: Boeing bringing thousands of jobs to SC. Harrell: “SC is back in business”
RepAlanClemmons: Rep Jeff Duncan sporting Boeing lapel pin to commorate today’s big announcement. #sctweets
vincentsheheen: Great news from Boeing today … Just a precursor of what we can achieve with a vision and hard work!
Grooms4SCGov: Senator Grooms helps lay groundwork to bring Boeing to Charleston – More SC Jobs: http://bit.ly/1FkACK #sctweets #tcot #scgop
AntonJGunn: Yesterday and today were my two proudest days as a House Member. Helped unemployed South Carolinians and created 3,800 direct jobs! Yay!
votetimscott: Boeing is coming to N Chas!!! I started working on this project as Chair of county council & now seeing it fly in more jobs to our community
SenJohnLand: Great Day for South Carolina.
RepBoydBrown: Governor, Commerce thank General Assembly for landing Boeing in South Carolina
RepAlanClemmons: Senators Leatherman & McConnell, the main negotiators, bask in afterglow of SC Boeing announcement. #sctweets http://twitpic.com/nb63a
SamPJohnson: elated that General Assembly exteneded Unemployment Benefits and played vital role in Boeing to SC! About time they did something! #sctweets
ZacherMediaPR: Seattle Times: “I bet 25 years ago in Detroit, they thought nobody in the South could figure out how to build cars.” http://bit.ly/3hHfar
VoteConnor: thrilled for what Boeing brings to our states economic future!
Then, by way of Rep. James Smith, comes this cell phone picture of the vote board in the House:
As the House and Senate reconvened for the extended session on Tuesday, the politico tweets started back up.
RepAlanClemmons: I’m in Columbia for start of special session. In addition to enabling unemployment comp benefit extension we may have surprises. #sctweets
RepBoydBrown: wrapping up some work, then heading to Columbia for special session
shanemassey: back in Columbia for special legislative session
LtGovAndreBauer: Special session @ noon, staff meeting, and then meeting with SC business leaders.
RepAlanClemmons: Sure works for me! RT @SCREALTORS: @RepAlanClemmons How about Point of Sale reform? That would be a nice surprise!
RepAlanClemmons: Absolutely! RT @Noodles4Nothing: @RepAlanClemmons Plz #help #unemployed workers in #America http://bit.ly/UNQeR
taftmatney: It’s a cold drive to Columbia. I can’t help wondering if we’ll feel a temperature change from any fireworks at the Statehouse today.
stevebenjaminsc: visiting with the General Assembly as they convene to address the issue of Unemployment Benefits
SpeakerHarrell: Headed over to State House to convene the SC House so we can make unemployment benefits fix
SpeakerHarrell: Again, our having to be in session today stresses the need for ESC Reform
johnroconnor: House minority leader Harry Ott asked colleagues to vote against changes to sine die and Eco devo legislation today
EBedingfield: Whips meeting over and I am now in the State House awaiting the drop of the gavel.
johnroconnor: Rep. Ott backs off previous statement, says House Dems will vote for any bill needed to bring jobs to S.C.
henrymcmaster: General Assembly’s emergency session underscores need for new era of cooperative leadership in Columbia http://bit.ly/2QKtY4 #sctweets
AntonJGunn: The House is now in session, “emergency session” that is. I’m ready to help our state. Let’s see who else is ready.
annephutto: Back on the House floor for our emergency session. Getting the unemployment compensation issue resolved — absolutely necessary for SC.
gregfoster_sc: House coming back from break now that unemployment bill set for special order…now the real work begins.
SCHouseGOP: Bill to extend unemployment benefits set for special order. House set to come back into session in 5.. 4.. 3.. 2..
johnroconnor: Text of Rep. Greg Delleney‘s Sanford impeachment resolution: http://bit.ly/14RhWX
SCHouseGOP: House Majority Leader Bingham is explaining the unemployment insurance amendment on the floor: http://bit.ly/3tzMmn
AntonJGunn: Amendment to help unemployed workers in South Carolina was adopted 113-0!
SCHouseGOP: The South Carolina House approves the extension of federal unemployment benefits, 113-0.
NathanBallentin: focus so far has been on unemployment and economic developlment. Rep. Greg Delleney to introduce impeachment resolution momentarily
johnroconnor: Rep. Delleney arguing impeachment resolution can be introduced at any time
dphamilton: Historic moment: Rep. Greg Dellaney files impeachment resolution of Gov. Sanford. http://twitpic.com/n5zjg
SCHouseGOP: Glad to see so many members of the press at the back of the chamber while the House debates extending federal unemployment benefits.
annephutto: Unemployment bill was unanimously given second reading. Now we’re onto Delleney’s resolution.
johnroconnor: Rep. McLeod, a Dem, argues resolution violates sine die rules. “Good name of the SC House is at stake.”
alexstroman: Are Democrats really prepared to support not bringing up this Resolution? @johnroconnor
johnroconnor: Rep. Cobb-Hunter (D) argues against allowing impeachment resolution. “it is clear what the rules say…the time for that will come.”
JKuenzie: Gilda: Avoid “kangaroo court” on impeachment issue. Harrell: Rules prohibit introduction of impeachment measure.
RichlandCoDems: hoping that the General Assembly can address the Unemployment Benefits to help the unemployed here in Richland Co. and the state #sctweets
EBedingfield: Speaker rules Rep. Delleney’s impeachment resolution out of order.
mattheusmei: wow Gilda saves the luv Gov from impeachment today
dphamilton: @mattheusmei there was/is no vote…ruled out of order during this special session. He will have to file it later.
mattheusmei: @dphamilton so you’re undecided on how you will vote?
SCHouseGOP: House will return to session at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
PhilBaileySC: http://twitpic.com/n62gn – Sen. Hutto has added the Argentine flag to his Senate desk collection.
SamPJohnson: surprised that the House could actually take care of business today. If this happened earlier this year we wouldn’t be here now #sctweets
HughKLeatherman: We just passed historic legislation for economic development in our state. We will continue to create jobs during these very tough times.
While the AP is nailing Gov. Mark Sanford to the wall with facts (something he hasn’t been too friendly with over the years), his lame duck session of the General Assembly next year may be shorter than expected. House Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Harrison said Thursday that articles of impeachment may well come out of his committee when the legislature reconvenes.
Last week, Rep. Boyd Brown said there was a bipartisan consensus on the committee to pool together enough votes to send the legislation to the floor. At that time, Harrison said he hadn’t spoken to committee members yet, but told CNN, “If things are going to continue to dribble out every week with new allegations of misuse of state property, it may reach the point of impeachment pretty quickly.”
Brown added, “The Republicans are on this as much as Democrats. This thing’s going to get nasty come January if he doesn’t clear his name between now and then or resign.”
At the time, Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell said the best course of action would be to wait until the end of an investigation by the State Ethics Commission to consider the findings and determine what to do next. However, unless the Governor waives confidentiality, we won’t know if there is an investigation or not.
This week, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mullins McLeod launched an online petition to suggest to Sanford that he should resign. While comments have gone back and forth saying it was just a way to bolster his email list, McLeod upped the ante Friday saying that he would hand-deliver the petition to the Governor in person.
“I launched a petition calling for Governor Sanford’s resignation because I believed he could no longer lead the state. Today’s news confirms it. He has misused his office, misused tax payer money, and now we learn he has been taking valuable gifts under the table. It appears he’s committed a serious crime. For the good of this state, Governor Sanford should resign immediately,” McLeod said in an emailed statement.
Sometimes we wish the United States had the same laws on gambling as the United Kingdom. Heading down to the local betting hut to watch the odds on what date Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer moves on up to the top spot before Election Day would be fun.
CNN is running with an exclusive reporting that Rep. Boyd Brown is saying there is bipartisan support in the S.C. House to begin impeachment proceedings against Gov. Mark Sanford. House Judiciary Committee member Rep. Greg Delleney said he would support it, and Brown expressed that senior Republicans told him there are enough votes on their side to get impeachment measures out of committee and onto the floor.
Brown met with Sanford privately for about 30 minutes on Thursday morning to discuss economic-development issues. During that meeting, Brown said he told the governor he should ask for a grand jury investigation into his use of state finances to clear his name. If not, he told Sanford, Republicans and Democrats in the House are prepared to impeach him.
“He didn’t like the sound of that,” Brown said, “but he understood that would be an option.”
The power of impeachment in South Carolina, according to the state constitution, is reserved for “cases of serious crimes or serious misconduct in office.” Impeachment requires a two-thirds vote in the House followed by a two thirds vote in the Senate.
This announcement comes on the heels of Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell saying that the Senate is the wrong place for an investigation of the Governor, with the report from Sen. David Thomas showing that Sanford broke state law in regards to his upgrades on international travel.
“In plain terms,” McConnell wrote in a letter to Thomas, quoted in The State, “investigative hearings by the Senate open the institution to the charge the jury pool has been compromised.” He then suggested that the House and the State Ethics Commission would be the places to go.
With the renewed interest in Sanford’s use of state planes, the impeachment talk that had died down to a whisper is now back at a gale-force roar.
UPDATE: The House Republican Caucus has issued a statement on the recent events.
“Now that new allegations have surfaced related to the Governor’s commercial travel and his use of state airplanes, a thorough investigation needs to be conducted to determine whether any laws have been broken,” House Majority Leader Kenny Bingham said in the statement. “The State Ethics Commission, rather than the House or the Senate, is the appropriate place to deal with potential violations of ethics law, and Atty. Gen. McMaster made the right decision in calling on the Ethics Commission to conduct this investigation.
He continued, “Gov. Sanford’s inappropriate behavior has prompted the need for special attention to be paid to his use of state funds and state resources to support his travel. And it is very important for all the facts to be on the table. No one is above the law.”
Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell has also addressed the issue:
Until very recently, Governor Sanford’s disappointing actions have been just that, disappointing. But now, real tangible evidence has come to light that suggests that several serious ethical – and possibly illegal – acts may have been committed by Governor Sanford.
These are serious claims, and we must handle them in the most professional manner possible. We must not allow grandstanding or politically motivated maneuvers.
Instead of multiple separate investigations taking place, one report issued by an impartial body – such as the State Ethics Commission – should be the basis the House uses to take appropriate actions. That is why I support Attorney General McMaster, and the many others, in their call for a full investigation into this matter by the State Ethics Commission.
After an Ethics Commission investigation, the House can determine the appropriate course of action. This action might include censuring the governor, accepting an impeachment resolution or determining that no further action is necessary. In the impeachment process, the House decides only if there is sufficient evidence that serious crimes or misconduct has occurred, and by a two thirds vote, can only issue charges. It would then be the Senate’s responsibility to try the case.
This is a difficult time for our state, and it is important that this matter be handled appropriately.
You would have thought they planned it. Earlier Monday, Sen. Vince Sheheen and Rep. Boyd Brown announced, separately, they would like further investigation of Gov. Mark Sanford‘s travel issues and use of state money for travel that may have been illegal according to state law. That afternoon, Sen. David Thomas said Sanford’s travel upgrades weren’t kosher.
Sheheen, who is running for the Democratic nomination for governor, was first out of the gate with a 10 a.m. release calling for an investigation of Sanford’s use of state planes by the Senate Transportation Committee. According to an Associated Press analysis of records the Governor’s Office was forced to give up, Sanford flew on state planes more than former Govs. David Beasley or Jim Hodges. Also, it appeared that he might have violated state law by using the planes for a number of flights related to personal and political events.
“I’ve spent much of my time in public office working to reform the way our state government conducts business,” Sheheen said in a statement. “Blatant abuse of the system and waste of taxpayer dollars should never be allowed to go unchecked -– particularly at a time when our public schools are desperate for every dollar they can get. As a member of the Senate Transportation Committee, I am calling for an immediate investigation into this serious issue. If Gov. Sanford is found to have indeed used state aircraft for personal and political travel, I will seek to ensure that he repays every penny owed to the taxpayers of this state.”
Sheheen had called for Sanford’s resignation after the late June-early July daily series of self-destruction that was heard from the Governor’s Mansion. Rep. Boyd Brown, who had twice previously issued letters to gubernatorial candidate Atty. Gen. Henry McMaster to look into Sanford’s behavior, prodded McMaster again.
In the letter, Brown admonished McMaster for not doing his due diligence in his office — obviously the A.G. had water to complain about or naughty Internet ads to worry about — and said that if McMaster couldn’t do his job he should resign in order to concentrate on his gubernatorial effort.
But, at the end of the business day the biggest news came from Sen. David Thomas, who held a hearing on Sanford’s travel before. Thomas said that as a result of that hearing, he’s going to provide evidence to other legislators proving that Sanford broke state law by opting for high-class travel to international destinations instead of trying to save taxpayer dollars by opting for the least expensive option available.
Thomas, who is running for the GOP nomination for S.C.’s Fourth Congressional District, will probably have something to say about the latest revelations, as well.
UPDATE: And he did, to CNN.
“If I were in the House, the answer would be yes, I would be involved in the beginning of the impeachment process,” Thomas said. “I think there is enough data right now to take seriously a move toward impeachment. Is that sufficient for impeachment? That I don’t know.”
State legislators are not being content with letting Gov. Mark Sanford return to Columbia after his disappearance and tearful confession of an extramarital affair. Currently, Sen. Jake Knotts and Rep. Boyd Brown are both angling for an investigation of the Governor’s Office to look into allegations of wrongdoing.
Knotts wants the State Law Enforcement Division to figure out if Sanford broke any laws when it comes to the entirety of the case, including the Governor’s absconding with one of his SLED security detail’s SUVs. The Lexington County senator, who called Sanford “out of control” at a press conference on Friday, said earlier that anyone who wasn’t authorized to drive a SLED vehicle who did, “would go to jail.”
Right now, SLED chief Reggie Lloyd doesn’t see anything worth investigating
“And at this point, we don’t see any criminal need to be investigated,” he said to The Post & Courier. “Unless someone brought us some fact to suggest there had been a misuse of public funds, we would see no need to look into something like that.”
In other developments, Brown sent a letter to Atty. Gen. Henry McMaster to ask that a grand jury be called to “investigate the possible misuse of state property, finances, abuse of power, and the negligence of duties in the Office of the Governor.”
UPDATE: Just after 5 p.m. Friday afternoon, McMaster released a statement regarding the calls for investigations:
I have confidence in the professionalism and objectivity of SLED. If there is anything we don’t know, or if there is any credible evidence that any laws have been broken, then appropriate action should be taken.
At this point, none of the facts appear to be in dispute. The Governor has freely admitted everything he has been accused of. Clearly, his actions were personally and professionally unwise and inappropriate.
However, criminal investigations should never be politically inspired. I hope all sides will resist attempting to use the investigative and prosecutorial powers of law enforcement for political purposes. Mixing politics and law enforcement is never a good idea.
Mixing politics and law enforcement? That seems like what the attorney general’s office is all about.
“As South Carolinians, we have a rich heritage. We are the sum total of generations of growing, yearning, of planning and failing, of building and destroying and building again. Whether we like it or not, within each of us, if we look back far enough, is the entire history of America. We contain the potential, the energy, the dreams of all who have gone before us; and if we are to discover our own unique role on earth we must look back at those dreams and try to understand why they failed and how they succeeded, so that we may dream more clearly and act more nobly in our own lives. That is our great responsibility to our history and to our future.”
– Retired Judge Alex M. Sanders to the University South Caroliniana Society
I think my good friend, and South Carolina’s good friend, Alex Sanders was on to something when he spoke those words to the University South Caroliniana Society, a group of people dedicated to preserving history in South Carolina. You see, as Judge Sanders points out, we’ve found ourselves in positions like this before here in the Palmetto State, and because we have been through this scenario time and time again, we will find ourselves rising from the ashes once more.
Just scrolling down the list, we’ve had our fair share of national attention over the decades, including a ruffle between the years of 1860-1865, and more than likely this won’t be the last time we are dragged into the national spotlight. However, we need to pick our collective selves up, and move forward.
On Thursday, I was asked the question of whether or not Gov. Mark Sanford should resign from the highest post in South Carolina. While many political observers thought I have been licking my chops for a moment like this since arriving in Columbia, especially having worked on the Moore for Governor campaign against Sanford in 2006, I refuse to place myself in the ditch Mark Sanford currently finds himself laying in. After all, we have bigger fish to fry in this state, and the biggest of those fish is job creation.
Our economy is in the tank, due in large part to the ever failing Commerce Department under the leadership of Joe Taylor and the Governor. Opportunity after opportunity has slipped through the fingers of Commerce, and whether the Governor stays or goes, the needs of our state should be reexamined and Mr. Taylor and his top advisors must be handed the pink slip. Their lack of initiative and leadership has been one colossal failure for too long, and our people cannot continue to suffer from Taylor & Company’s mess.
With the nation’s third highest unemployment rate, the last thing that South Carolina needed was a distraction like the one we were hit with this past week. Now, Gov. Sanford needs to step back and examine for himself, whether or not he can juggle the duties of fatherhood and marriage with the duties of leading South Carolina out of the woods on economic development. Right now, we need an effective leader, one who is going to hold the Commerce Department and all agencies tied to the Governor’s Office accountable. We cannot afford to have any more diversions away from creating much needed jobs in the Palmetto State. Therefore, instead of calling on Mark Sanford to resign, I am asking him to determine if he thinks he is best suited for the job of leading our state for the next eighteen months. The past six years are not a good indication that he is suited for the job.
Most South Carolina political observers had started the clock: when will Gov. Mark Sanford capitulate on the stimulus? He already did his speak loudly and carry no stick strategy with the Employment Security Commission issue, and it appears the same could be happening concerning S.C.’s $700 million in budget stabilization dollars.
Gov. Mark Sanford today will comply with a crucial stimulus deadline and become the last governor in the nation to seek millions of dollars in federal economic-recovery funds for his state, aides said late Thursday.
But Sanford will continue contesting $700 million in education and law enforcement money for South Carolina that he wants to spend on debt. Sanford’s eleventh-hour move to meet today’s midnight deadline buys time for a possible compromise with lawmakers over how to spend the money, as the state’s schools chief warned Thursday of mass teacher layoffs and SLED Chief Reggie Lloyd warned of draconian cuts without the stimulus.
Earlier Thursday, Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell addressed Sanford’s tap dance around the stimulus money.
“We adamantly opposed this so-called stimulus bill when it was proposed,” Harrell said in a statement. “However, we realize –– as do most of our state’s citizens –– that because this plan became law South Carolinians will have to repay this money whether we accept it or not. That is why it is so difficult to understand the Governor’s rationale for requesting millions in energy efficiency money while rejecting money for teachers and law enforcement officers.”
Senate Finance chairman Hugh Leatherman, who has already sat across from Sanford and debated the issue this week, is not happy with the Governor’s actions, either.
“There should be no confusion,” Leatherman said to McClatchy. “Given the current condition of our revenue collections, programs will be slashed, reductions in forces will occur, and services that our citizens have previously enjoyed will no longer be offered.”
Needless to say, Democrats are certainly not going along with Sanford’s plan.
“[Gubernatorial spokesman] Joel Sawyer and Mark Sanford must have checked the latest poll numbers, since everything they do has political reasoning behind it,” Rep. Boyd Brown said. “Once again, Mark Sanford is behind the 8–ball with the people of South Carolina. Given the fact that this will not play well with the Cato Institute and the Club for Growth, he can kiss his presidential hopes goodbye.”
One thing is for certain, though. The battle over S.C.’s stimulus funds is not even close to being over.
Thursday, the House spent roughly six hours debating Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell’s bill on requiring S.C. voters to show a photo ID when they vote. The debate broke down along party lines, as debates tend to do in the post-Clinton/Gingrich era, and this was borne out in the tweets.
dphamilton: SC House now debating Voter ID bill…Democrats opposed to having a photo ID in order to vote.
SCHouseDems: Democrats put up 19 amendments to Voter ID bill, going to be here a while. With no cases of voter fraud, GOP wants to suppress voters in sc.
Snead101: @SCHouseDems If Voter ID doesn’t work, maybe they could resurrect the poll tax
annephutto: Voter ID bill being argued. Bakari arguing fiscal impact to the Repubs
dphamilton: Dems using fiscal argument against voter id…I’m sure its a challenge for them to keep a straight face as they talk.
LachlanMcIntosh: SC GOP: proud to carry on the traditions of the old South, like preventing poor people from voting.
laurinmanning: @PhilBaileySC We’ve gotta stop all that voter fraud! (Nevermind that there’s no evidence of any.) Preemptive lawmaking! Great public policy.
AntonJGunn: Watching Chris Hart lay the wood once again on the WMD Bills. Weapons of Mass Distraction from SC’s jobless rate.
LachlanMcIntosh: SC GOP: Partying like its 1899
PhilBaileySC: Do the SC GOP craft their agendas during games of Dungeons and Dragons? Solving fantasy problems in a fantasy world.
boydbrown: after pushing the agenda they have this week, the GOP needs to suppress as many voters as possible… still not discussing jobs in SC
dphamilton: @boydbrown if ya’ll would quit filibustering we could get to other things. BTW, when was the last time govt created a self-sustaining job?
boydbrown: @dphamilton we’re talking incentives to lure industry to the State, something our neighbors do
dphamilton: SC House Dems love to talk about us wasting time on the House floor yet they are the ones monopolizing the House floor all day.
boydbrown: @dphamilton we have to speak up against this junk, or else y’all will continue to set our state back to 1890 standards
Snead101: @dphamilton You’d prefer elected officials simply lay down whenever they disagree with legislation?
mattheusmei: Clemmons is a whiner
AntonJGunn: I am so glad the Justice Department strike down this embarrassing bill we are debating.
dphamilton: @Snead101 no, but don’t claim that argument if you are the group purposefully using the time to filibuster
AntonJGunn: Since SC hasn’t played fair in its elections since 1964 the Justice Dept has to babysit our election laws. This VoterID bill won’t pass pre-
mattheusmei: Thanks @AntonJGunn for just proving that the folks on the other side of the aisle are out of touch with their constituents though not Rush.
boydbrown: making sure all the GOP members show us their ID before they vote on this bill
annephutto: won’t the Voter ID bill just waste state resources when the Justice Department steps in?
annephutto: the voters of James Island and Folly Beach know that voter fraud is not a problem in this state
boydbrown: Ken Kennedy: “We’re going to look at Missouri’s voter ID bill. Home of John Ashcroft… What a guy… What a guy… What a statesman.”
dphamilton: @boydbrown that’s the quote of the day so far.
Snead101: ! Rep. Kennedy tells us how he really feels #sctweets
JoeyMillwood: Now Dems are speaking against their own amendments to keep us here.
Snead101: Rep. Hart may be confusing some GOPhers. I can hear @Joeymillwood now “Hey, this guy gets it!” #sctweets
mattheusmei: Go Rutherford Go, Dems leave the Chamber balk! BALK BALK BALK
EBedingfield: This is now getting stupid. Rep. Todd Rutherford is not doing himself justice with this point!
mattheusmei: The Minority should abandon the Chamber, this is sad and a legislative farce.
mattheusmei: @Ebedingfield he’s making a valid point though, the point of debate is to make points and arguments to change minds not to speak to a wall.
Snead101: Rep Weeks doesn’t get it – South Carolina doesnt care how other states do it, we just want it dumb #sctweets
mattheusmei: @Snead101 which is why the minority party as a show of defiance should abandon the chamber. Collectively walk out as a sign of disdain.
Snead101: @mattheusmei would require that thing commonly referred to as “leadership”
mattheusmei: @Snead101 Rep. Kennedy or Rutherford should lead the charge out of the chamber, or better yet – Cobb-Hunter.
Snead101: Common Sense Amendment to Voter ID Bill – Chance for Success? Slim to none #sctweets
mattheusmei: a decent amendment to an otherwise wretched piece of legislation, and once again folks of white privelege vote it down. #sctweets
Snead101: Rep. Kennedy is stealing my idea, re: Poll Tax #sctweets
mattheusmei: Tod Rutherford speaks Truth to Power and it falls on deaf ears in SC – go figure. #sctweets
SCHouseDems: Is this 2009 or 1959? Voter suppression is not what the people of SC expect from their lawmakers. We should encourage voting, not deter.
AntonJGunn: I dare anyone to show me any proof of voter fraud that warrants this legislation.
notverybright: Sometimes, like today, I emerge from my self-imposed exile from SC politics and am reminded why I abandoned the good fight. Ugh. #sctweets
dphamilton: @twitterdoug really? you don’t think its a problem anyone could take a registration card w/ no picture on it and use it?
Snead101: Strong words by Rep. Williams, OIF veteran, falls on deaf ears in SC House
EBedingfield: We are a long way down the road on Voter ID requirements. Let’s get to the Stop sign.
Snead101: @EBedingfield I agree and look forward to you voting to stop this attempt to suppress votes
annephutto: I like this next amendment — why should it be okay to mislead people about the time and place of the election? Go Bakari, go!
EBedingfield: @Snead101 I would not dare suppress a voter. However, I would ask people to be truthful and open in identifing themselves.
Snead101: @EBedingfield Fair and noble, but that can be accomplished without adding an extra burden on voters
notverybright: @EBedingfield The SC Repub. playbook is so tired: Pretend to be about some other thing because real motivation would make decent people gag.
JoeyMillwood: @tedpitts speaking on Voter ID bill on House floor.
Snead101: Rep. Neal: “South Carolina’s leadership has not changed.” A “problem state for voting rights.” #sctweets
StewartMoore: black caucus is walking out soon.
ShannonErickson: Voter ID bill close to final vote.Debate all over the map. Bill calls for SC ID & protects voter identity- SC to provide ID free of charge.
annephutto: Voting rights are a serioius issue for all of us. Really, people need to stop snickering.
SCHouseDems: House democrats walk out on voter id bill in protest. Press conference in lobby.
Snead101: In short, we should be working to make it EASIER to vote, not HARDER #sctweets
mattheusmei: I think the Minority is going to abandon the Chamber. Good for them.
mattheusmei: GO DEMS GO!!! GOOD JOB!!! ABANDON THIS FARCE OF A LEGISLATURE!
mattheusmei: YAY FOR THE BLACK CAUCUS, STANDING UP FOR SOUTH CAROLINA’S CITIZENS!
dphamilton: apparently the Black Caucus staged a walkout on Voter ID bill…unfortunately choosing to play politics instead of making policy.
Snead101: @dphamilton After being shut out of the process, what choice was left?
mattheusmei: @dphamilton it’s the only thing they could do, you guys weren’t open to a real debate, you were going to have your way or no way.
dphamilton: @Snead101 Shut out? Shut out? Are you kidding me? We heard nothing but their arguments for 5 hours today & 3 hours in committe.
Snead101: @dphamilton “heard” Didn’t give it any consideration, just “heard” Turning a deaf ear doesn’t help create policy
dphamilton: @twitterdoug zero, my point exactly…its currently impossible to prove voter fraud.
dphamilton: @mattheusmei nah, they can state their point like they have for 5 hours today & vote. That is representative democracy.
dphamilton: @Snead101 kinda like whats going on in the US House right now?
mattheusmei: @dphamilton, but you didn’t debate, you let them speak while not listening, and then you just said “No” you didn’t explain yoruself.
dphamilton: @mattheusmei I made my points in committee…don’t want to drag this out any more, I’m not going to change any votes so I used my vote.
Snead101: @dphamilton touché – But the difference is in this case the minority is RIGHT ;)
ShannonErickson: Opponents say disabled & elderly won’t have ID, but the folks I know already have them b/c medical treatment & pharmacies require it.
mattheusmei: @dphamilton. yes you have your vote. but in this instance you are wrong.
dphamilton: @twitterdoug please don’t speak for me, it is not…take a look at Georgia & Indiana who have similar laws. GA Dem vote went up 6.7%
Snead101: I really don’t see the connection between cashing a check, picking up an Rx and exercising the fundamental practice of our Republic #sct …
ShannonErickson: My mom-Jane Smith-nursing home resident- had wallet (voter card) stolen/misplaced first week there. I wonder if it was used to vote?
douglasford: House votes 65 – 14 in favor of giving 2nd reading on Voter ID.
Snead101: South Carolina House approves 2nd Reading of Voter ID Requirement #sctweets
laurinmanning: @Ragley Thanks to GOP leadership for taking us back to poll tax days. Wasn’t a single reported instance of voter fraud in SC in ’08!
mattheusmei: the inscription above SCHouse Chamber should read: Abandon hope all ye who enter, save the white Republican majority
