The layman could look and see that the 50-cent increase in the cigarette tax passed both the House and Senate, and think that it’s a for-sure thing. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. One major stumbling block is that squawking lame duck, Gov. Mark Sanford. Sanford’s talked a good game about raising the cigarette tax, but he’s always been against whatever had a decent chance of becoming law.

Then there’s the specifics of the bill itself. Coming out of the Senate, it was 20 cents more than the original proposal by the House Republicans. In The State last Thursday, Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell said, “At 30 cents, the House was very likely to override a veto. I’m not so sure at 50 cents.”

We’re of a similar mind on it. Rep. Gary Simrill also said that a 50-cent increase wouldn’t survive. And then there’s the money to go to infrastructure along the I-95 corridor. The inclusion of this to the bill was key to getting Democratic support in the Senate, and getting the bill passed with a better than two-thirds majority. Unsurprisingly, the House took that bit out of the bill.

So, here we are, back at the beginning. From the way we look at it, there’s no way the Senate can get enough votes to override the veto without the I-95 corridor funding. And there’s no way the House can vote to override with the tax increase at 50 cents and with the I-95 funding. And Sanford will veto regardless.

Unless legislators pull out some serious compromise vibes, the General Assembly will be returning to this issue next year.

During the extended session, Rep. Greg Delleney attempted to introduce his resolution to impeach Gov. Mark Sanford. After extensive discussion, Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell ruled that the bill was out of order at the time but instead should be put on the table for prefiling. So, here we are.

H. 4168: A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE THAT PURSUANT TO ARTICLE XV, SECTION 1, OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, THE GOVERNOR OF SOUTH CAROLINA, THE HONORABLE MARSHALL C. SANFORD, JR., IS IMPEACHED FOR SERIOUS MISCONDUCT IN OFFICE.

The bill officially went up today and was referred to the House Judiciary Committee. The cosponsors for the bill are Reps. Mike Pitts, Keith Kelly, and Gary Simrill. As of right now, it looks like desire for impeachment is slowing after it reached a fever pitch in August and September.

Harrell released the following after the bill was filed:

As we have consistently said before, the House should not take any official action until it receives the Ethics Commission’s investigative report so that we can address this issue knowing all the facts. Since, by Court order, the investigative report will be a public document once Governor Sanford receives it, I expect the committee to have access to that report.

Unless the investigation contains new information about serious crimes or serious misconduct by the governor, in my opinion, the information we have to date does not rise to a level to remove him from office. The Ethics Commission’s investigation will be used as the basis to determine whether or not the Governor’s actions rise to that level.

The Judiciary Committee will conduct its work in a deliberative manner. It is important that we take the Governor’s actions seriously and fully investigate this issue, but it is also important that we do this in a timely manner so that our state can move forward.

We don’t know what’s up recently with S.C. legislators breaking stories to the national media instead of local outlets, but it happened again on Thursday with Rep. Gary Simrill dropping the news to The Washington Times that plans are in the works to convene a special session for the express purpose of dealing with the impeachment of Gov. Mark Sanford.

That move would, if the House really wants to do this, make the most sense. After all, it would get the impeachment mess out of the way before the start of the 2010 session, which would then allow legislators to tackle the myriad of issues that afflict our state without the time-consuming problem of finally holding the Governor accountable. Simrill told the Times that two representatives are drawing up articles of impeachments.

GOP lawmakers will use a regularly scheduled annual retreat this weekend to discuss the fate of the governor, whose extramarital affair with an Argentine woman sparked an international scandal earlier this summer. Mr. Sanford has rejected calls to step down voluntarily, included one issued Wednesday by his own Republican lieutenant governor.

House Majority Leader Kenny Bingham, speaking to CNN, said the situation is still a little up in the air, “I believe that a majority of the House Republicans are very, very, very concerned. This is a gray area where we’re at today. I don’t think it’s over the top, and every one supports impeaching the governor, but at the same time, we can’t just dismiss it.”

If the green light is given to a special session, we could be in for an interesting fall.

The path to the resignation of President Richard Nixon has an indelible place in pop culture as a loose template of how an elected official steps down after gradual and sustained scandal. One of the key moments was when a group of Nixon allies in the Congress went to him and said the votes were there for impeachment, and he should step down.

For good and ill, Gov. Mark Sanford is no Richard Nixon. For one, Nixon was more wily and cutthroat about pure politics than Sanford could ever hope to be, from his botched relations with the General Assembly to his half-assed (yet fully-funded) attempt to take out legislators on his enemies list. So, it came to pass on Tuesday that two legislators friendly to the Governor, Rep. Nathan Ballentine and Rep. Gary Simrill, went to him to lay out the situation in the House ahead of the House Republican Caucus‘ closed-door retreat in Myrtle Beach.

As it stands, the House Judiciary Committee looks to be ready to draw up and submit articles of impeachment when the General Assembly returns for the 2010 session. Rep. Jim Harrison, chairman of the committee, has said there could be the votes in the committee for impeachment, and “wouldn’t be surprised” to see such a bill. Almost two weeks ago, Rep. Boyd Brown said there was bipartisan support for impeachment, and Rep. Greg Delleney, another member of the committee, said he supported it, as well.

According to a story by CNN, Ballentine said he told Sanford that “the writing is on the wall.” The Governor’s Office, still seeming to operate in a bubble of denial and a reality of its own creation, sent out new spokesman Ben Fox to run this line, “We wouldn’t presume to guess what political detractors or foes, or for that matter the House Judiciary Committee, may or may not decide to do this next year, but we do know that there are real issues facing South Carolina tied to economic development, job creation, restructuring and spending — and we’re committed to working on these with the Legislature over the weeks and months ahead.”

From what we’ve heard, another shoe is about to drop on Sanford. We’ll be watching out for that. But, Sanford better start listening, because it’s increasingly looking like he will be out of office before January 2011. It’s just up to him as to whether he gets impeached and convicted or steps down on his own.

Monday’s budget debate included the longest House session of the year, so far. And, it was tweeted.

dphamilton: starting budget week in the SC House today…hang on to your wallets!

EBedingfield: Well, at least we are moving slowly thru this budget mess.

SCLegislator: The pigeons were more interesting than this.

SCHouseDems: Democrats budget agenda: job creation, public education, healthcare. We oppose GOP tax increase on local government under any circumstance.

AshleySHunter: listening to the House pass over every section of the budget. we will be here forever.

SCHouseDems: GOP leader Rep. Kenny Bingham introduces a new ‘fee’ collected by the Dept. of Insurance to increase revenue = Another tax increase by GOP.

AntonJGunn: In the middle of budget process and it feels like I’m in a Seder. They are “passing over” every section of the budget.

SCLegislator: @NathanBallentin The best part of this Twitting is not having to pay attention. (Can you see me waving at you?)

thadviers: at caucus luncheon sitting with the right wing conspiracy members Haley, ballentine, beningfield, Pitts and a few others.

RepJamesSmith: is working hard to make sure the State Appropriations Bill focuses on Jobs Education and Healthcare.

EBedingfield: Here we go again on the budget.

EBedingfield: Why would anyone want to take monies away from abstinence education in SC?

paigecoop: @EBedingfield Because it has been shown that abstinence programs aren’t effective

paigecoop: @EBedingfield. Prime example Sarah Palin’s little princess Bristol

tdkelly: @EBedingfield hmm, let me see. Maybe so that money could go to something that’s actually proven effective?

JoeyMillwood: Question whether or not to take stimulus money on the board in an amendment. Any input?

JoeyMillwood: Stimulus money will be used.

LinBennett: @JoeyMillwood My understanding 95% by-passes SC leg anyway and goes straight to munis and counties? Is that the case? #sctweets #tcot

JoeyMillwood: There were nine of us that voted against stimulus.

dphamilton: Vote for SC to accept “budget stabilization” federal stimulus money passes 108-8. Puts off for tomorrow what should be done today.

gcoats84: @JoeyMillwood wow, keep up the good work, please tell me it was a roll call vote

annephutto: back on the floor for the budget debate

JoeyMillwood: @gcoats Thanks man. It was a roll call.

JoeyMillwood: @dphamilton. I can’t count. Eight voted against taking stimulus dollars.

johnroconnor: S.C. Budget update: About 200 amendments have been drafted, not all on the desk. May not be as long a week as many thought.

EBedingfield: I was one of 8 who voted agianst the Obama debt.

johnroconnor: Just two amendments in K-12 education section of budget. This will be a short week.

KrisCrawford: The attempt to vote against the stimulus money before taking the stimulus money failed. Only 8 voted against taking the money.

KrisCrawford: going to be a long week it looks like. The AV component of ammendment presentatiions seems to be catching on.

tdkelly: @EBedingfield gosh I hope none of that tainted money gets spent in your district.

JoeyMillwood: @gcoats84 I also said thanks earlier for the support.

ccslick: Kudos to u 8 4 being responsible! @ebedingfield, @dphamilton, G.Smith, Nanney, @thadviers, Stewart, @nathanballentin, @joeymillwood

johnroconnor: The John De La Howe school does not get $600k for a new roof. 60-56 tabled.

johnroconnor: Rep. Harry Ott argues budget violates federal stimulus rules because it does not roll back EIA formula cuts from current budget.

SCHouseDems: GOP Rep Millwood Smith Ballentine Bedingfield Hamilton Viers Stewart Nanney vote against accepting Stimulus money. Bet theyll spend it tho!

ccslick: @SCHouseDems They voted against it on principle. I am very proud of their votes and for standing up for what they believe in and know to

johnroconnor: Rep. Dan Cooper says S.C. education spending exceeds federal stimulus spending requirements by .6 percentage points.

johnroconnor: John De La Howe school receives $270k for roof repairs.

AntonJGunn: is looking for earmarks in the state budget. Found some already.

JoeyMillwood: @antonjgunn The Obama camp knows nothing about earmarks, correct?

dphamilton: @AntonJGunn spill those earmarks, lets expose them.

johnroconnor: No amendments in Medicaid section of budget. Done with USC system, higher ed as well. Moving right along.

JoeyMillwood: House plowing through the budget.

adampiper: @JoeyMillwood I think y’all are using a ben tillman era mule powered plow for the budget instead of one of those john deere kinds.

dphamilton: amendments to the budget offered by Democrats today already total over $67 million and counting.

thadviers: i have 5 amds for budget. all are taxpayer friendly that cuts government.

johnroconnor: Rep. Hosey 0 for $42 million on Allendale/Barnwell budget requests. Just gave the “ain’t too proud to beg” speech. #sctweets

adampiper: Democrats trying to turn State Budget into a sluggish spending spree – some things are the same in SC and DC. #sctweets

yvonnewenger: Rep. Wendell Gilliard, D-Charleston, tries to get $250,000 in budget amendment for Charles Webb Center’s developmentally disabled children.

adampiper: @dphamilton – great question on the floor regarding all children matter – born and unborn. #sctweets

dphamilton: An article about one of the reasons I voted to not take the federal stimulus in SC: http://bit.ly/fXgbk

johnroconnor: House refuses to reduce funding for abstinence-based sex ed programs. #sctweets

dphamilton: word on the House floor is that we’ll be in tonight until 10:00 PM. Glad I brought some snacks.

AntonJGunn: @dphamilton Yes these amendments are changes to the budget bot NOT ONE of them is a “tax increase” or a “fee increase”. Don’t confuse people

johnroconnor: Transparency advocates are not requesting roll call votes on budget sections, though they wanted one for each of 90 sections. #sctweets

AshleySHunter: just found out budget is going till 10 pm. nooooo…. but on a bright note, abstinence works when you are abstinent.

JoeyMillwood: Dems keep putting up amendments that want to spend money, money, money!

JoeyMillwood: Rep. John King’s amendment the latest to fail.

AntonJGunn: @JoeyMillwood There you go again twisting the truth. It wasn’t Dems that voted to spend $350 million of the recovery package in W&Ms.

SCLegislator: @AntonJGunn Til 10:00??? Why didn’t anybody tell me that?

JoeyMillwood: @antonjgunn It was the Dems and I voted against the stimulus, my good man.

JoeyMillwood: Dems keep asking for more money and more money.

AntonJGunn: @JoeyMillwood Yeah I know you voted against the recovery but this entire proposed budget before amendments was a GOP bill. All $5.6B of it.

JoeyMillwood: @dphamilton @ebedingfield @thadviers @nathanballentin I don’t think @antongunn realizes that the majority of the Twitter caucus stood firm.

adampiper: #sctweets – Bill Sandifer exchange re: Mark Sanford might be today’s highlight: GOP St. Rep. has not talked w. GOP Gov in 18 mos.

ShannonErickson: Amndmt #170, now-rolling along! Special thanks to Rep. Joan Brady for the red/white/blue cookies-note says “let’s not fight over the crumbs”

JoeyMillwood: @antonjgunn We’ll never get there with Dems trying to spend all the taxpayer dollars.

AntonJGunn: @JoeyMillwood I know what you did, but I am watching to see if you’ll vote against the final budget w/ the recovery money in it. :-) Scared?

AshleySHunter: maybe the twitter reps can ask them to cut the air back. i know there is a lot of hot air down there, but its freezing in the gallery!!!

adampiper: Gary Simril asks #schouse to help @HenryMcMaster fight the water wars. #sctweets

adampiper: @JoeyMillwood @dphamilton @ebedingfield @thadviers @nathanballentin @antongun- Please help @HenryMcMaster w. the Water Wars #sctweets

SCLegislator: Some of my colleagues need to trim ear hair.

JoeyMillwood: Rep. Hosey just pulled down lots of amendments to applause.

adampiper: @NathanBallentin Thanks for helping give @HenryMcMaster a supersoaker to blast NC in the water war.

AntonJGunn: @adampiper You know I meant “can”! “Yes We Can” protect our water supply. I got your back on this!

thadviers: hanging with rutherford, Thompson and Lowe in the anti-lobby of the statehouse.

adampiper: @thadviers is that the anti-lobby or the ante-lobby

JoeyMillwood: Reps. Ott and Kennedy trying to put on a show on the house floor. The Dems end up talking to each other more than republicans.

adampiper: SC Reps and Kennedy should move their sideshow to the lobby and let the House take up real business #sctweets

adampiper: @ebedingfield – can you ask Mr. Ott if he has a fancy GPS unit – since he accused only the Rich Republicans of having one

EBedingfield: Part 1B’s of the SC Budget. The where and how!

johnroconnor: House finished with first section of budget. About 1/3 through, according to no. of amendments. #sctweets

annephutto: Rep. James Smith fighting for National Board Certified Teachers – go Rep. Smith

RepJamesSmith: is pleased the House took bi-partisan action and restored National Board Teacher Certification.

AshleySHunter: according to bakari sellers- sanford has read one book- the earth is flat.

AntonJGunn: its 7:16pm and we are just starting to get to the meat of how your tax dollars will be spent.

JoeyMillwood: @antonjgunn Your computer time is wrong. It’s actually 8:18.

AntonJGunn: @JonJon66 @JoeyMillwood yes my state government computer is so old that it doesn’t keep up with the time changes.

JoeyMillwood: Still going on the budget. Debating education now. Rep. Ott is talking about redistribution of wealth within a school district.

dphamilton: finally a Democrat admits they are for redistribution, thank you Rep. Ott. “I’ll be blunt, this is about redistribution.” –Rep. Harry Ott

AntonJGunn: @JoeyMillwood “waving my finger at you” – there is no conversation about “redistribution of wealth”. He’s talking about backpacking funding.

AntonJGunn: Backpacking is a positon that is supported by the Ed Finance Study Committee and the SC Policy Council.

JoeyMillwood: @antonjgunn Rep. Ott said the he was talking about “redistribution.” What are you upset about? That’s all Obama talks about.

rpagesc: @dphamilton Are they spreading the wealth around? It scares me when you all are in session late in the evening.

AntonJGunn: @JoeyMillwood That’s not all that Obama talks about. Never heard him use the word. If you vote for the budget you support redistribution too

PhilBaileySC: @JoeyMillwood Will you be voting for final passage with all that stimulus money?

AntonJGunn: I need to bring a dictionary to the House floor. There is so much selective language usage in here.

JoeyMillwood: @antonjgunn No…He just passes the biggest spending bill in history.

PhilBaileySC: @JoeyMillwood Joey, please vote for it so I can pass your recorded vote onto the Club For Growth (aka your campaign funders)

dphamilton: @rpagesc don’t worry, we took extra vitamins today and we’re keeping a vigilant eye on things…they’re trying to increase weighting

WolfeReports: When Kennedy gets worked up, you just have to watch. Better than television.

dphamilton: @rpagesc they have an amendment to add on a weighting for poverty in EFA funding.

AntonJGunn: @JoeyMillwood No he didn’t. Congress did that. Reflect on your High School government class. Congress passes, Presidents sign on veto.

dphamilton: @WolfeReports it is if you have a mute button….don’t know if it comes across on TV/web but he is very loud in the Chamber.

johnroconnor: S.C. Budget debate is now on adding more funding for poorer school students.

AntonJGunn: @JoeyMillwood By the way, its still less than what the previous administration spent on wars in other countries.

JoeyMillwood: @antonjgunn Oh excuse me.Obama and the Democrats in Congress passed the biggest mistake in U.S. Gov’t history. You’re making it easy for me.

dphamilton: alright, @JoeyMillwood & @AntonJGunn, break it up fellas.

johnroconnor: Someone’s got Thursday basketball tix if we’re debating school funding formulas at 9 p.m. Monday of budget week.

AntonJGunn: @JoeyMillwood Nope. The biggest mistake was Iraq. That mistake has cost us lives and money.

SCHouseDems: @shannonerickson Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran- Rob Miller- is watching these budget votes…

paigecoop: @dphamilton Please don’t break it up, some of us at home are enjoying the @JoeyMillwood VS @AntonJGunn prize fight.

JoeyMillwood: @antonjgunn I guess if you don’t think the rest of the world deserves democracy and freedom from a terrible dictator, you may be right.

JoeyMillwood: @antonjgunn What would Jack Bauer Do?

WolfeReports: @JoeyMillwood That is a very simplistic argument. We coddle dictators all the time, when it serves national interests.

WolfeReports: One more hour left in debate? Should order pizza, mix a drink and celebrate.

PhilBaileySC: @ashmanini It’s cool. @JoeyMillwood is too busy “growing government” right now. He could be very “stimulated” so look out.

AshleySHunter: wants to go home!

ashmanini: @philbaileysc LoL. I am enjoing the lively debate on twitter

AntonJGunn: @JoeyMillwood No I think everyone deserves freedom and democracy. I don’t agree that’s what they have in Iraq.

JoeyMillwood: @antonjgunn That will definitely be true when Pres. Obama withdraws our troops.

AntonJGunn: @JoeyMillwood Oh yeah, Bauer would not invade Iraq. He would defend and protect Americans on U.S. soil.

dphamilton: @AntonJGunn & @JoeyMillwood — Just to clarify guys, Jack Bauer is a fictional character.

PhilBaileySC: SC House GOP members to Dem House member’s questions: “I can answer your questions with bullshit and the amendment will still pass.”

JoeyMillwood: @dphamilton Yes…But Bauer is the man. He’s what we should all strive to be. lol.

JoeyMillwood: is tired and happy he didn’t forget his pillow at home.

JoeyMillwood: It looks like we may be winding down.

AntonJGunn: @JoeyMillwood The Millwood Motto: Special Pillows and Special Food makes me Happy.

JoeyMillwood: @antonjgunn hahahaha. For everyone following on sctweets, @antonjgunn and I are friends and agree on Lost and 24 and the greatness they are.

EBedingfield: Binding future GA’s in SC to spend money we won’t have. Is that a good thing? I think not!

dphamilton: @AntonJGunn Ha Ha, now that’s funny.

AntonJGunn: @dphamilton Jack Bauer is real. The House of Representatives is in fantasyland.

PhilBaileySC: Look at @JoeyMillwood spending all that government money. Bravo.

AntonJGunn: Its 10:10pm and we are just now approaching the end of section 1 of 90 sections of the State Budget.

johnroconnor: House wrapping up day’s work. More done on first budget day this year than my previous three sessions. About 40% of amendments.

JoeyMillwood: We have adjourned. Will pick back up at 930 a.m.

For the first time in the decade that payday lending had been legal in South Carolina, a bill is on the fast track to be passed to re-regulate the industry. One of the reasons is the leadership of Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell. When it came down to it, the bill passed by an overwhelming majority — 93-16.

“Regulating the practice and enacting consumer safeguards is the right thing to do,” Harrell said in a statement. “These loans are meant to be short-term financial solutions for unforeseen expenses, capping the loan amount and creating a statewide database to ensure that someone can only have one loan at a time will help prevent individuals from falling into a bottomless cycle of debt.”

But, that doesn’t mean the bill was passed quickly or easily. On Wednesday, the House reconvened at 2 p.m., and the vote did not finish until about 6:46 p.m. Over four and a half hours of debate and gnashing of teeth, considering over 40 amendments to the bill.

Rep. Chris Hart started off consideration of the bill by trying to recommit the bill to committee, followed by continuing the bill to the next session and moving to adjourn the debate. Each motion was roundly defeated.

Then came the amendments. The first one, proposed by the committee, resolved a problem in wording of the bill. Amendments two through 41, though, mostly tried to derail the legislation.

Rep. Alan Clemmons, a typical reliable vote on pro-business legislation, had major issues with the payday lending industry and was the chief sponsor of amendments seven through 22. As the debate went later in the day, he withdrew some amendments, but, more often than not, took the podium to criticize the bill, and watched as amendment after amendment was tabled.

Clemmons methods drew ire from LCI chairman Bill Sandifer, who said that there were several methods to kill a bill, and that among them was a filibuster by amendments.

As the clock neared 6:30 p.m., Rep. Bakari Sellers introduced the final amendment to the bill. An earlier version, Amendment 37, mandated that a payday lending firm must donate 10 cents from every loan to the state Department of Consumer Affairs for financial literacy education. Sellers said the revenue should be around $400,000. Because of a typo, though, Amendment 37, which was agreed to on voice vote, was thrown out.

Sellers introduced a fixed amendment, but Rep. Gary Simrill stepped to the podium and condemned the amendment as a way of growing government by $400,000. He then asked for a roll call vote.

“In times we’re in, do we really need to see government spending grow,” Rep. Nathan Ballentine asked on his blog on Wednesday. “Obviously, we don’t even have enough revenues to cover what current programs we have now. Sure, the revenue for this spending wouldn’t come from tax dollars. But, here’s where we as elected officials have to look down the road instead of just at the next election cycle.

“What do you think would happen once our state got these programs up and running based off the revenue coming in and then the revenue started declining? That’s right. We’d see cuts to the program/employees and/or your tax dollars later being needed to fund a program put in place because of a simple voice vote on the 37th amendment on a bill late one February afternoon.”

Sure enough, the amendment lost with 44 votes for and 60 against. The full bill moves on to its third reading.