Rep. Nikki Haley has made her time in the House by bullshitting her constituents, who apparently haven’t been paying close enough attention or been getting involved enough to call her on her hypocrisy. Of course, her buds (Will Folks, the S.C. Policy Council, [because his boss heads SCPC] Adam Fogle, the S.C. Club for Growth, &c.) won’t do anything to show what a shit campaign she’s running for governor.

If Haley had decided to bide her time in the House, she probably wouldn’t be caught in so many traps. But, she creates them for herself and then steps into them and acts like nobody will pay attention. That’s too bad, because the House leadership is done with her crap. When you get called out in public by the leadership of your own party, that could be a clue that you don’t know what they hell you’re doing.

Tuesday, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Dan Cooper, decided he had enough and called a spade a spade.

For months I have held my tongue while Rep. Nikki Haley traveled the state touting her “opposition” to taking federal stimulus dollars, but after reading her Feb. 12 guest column in this paper I felt compelled to set the record straight. Here are the facts:

While the majority of state legislators opposed President Barack Obama’s stimulus plan on principle, we realized that if South Carolina did not accept the federal funds then the hard-earned tax dollars of the families we represent would be spent in other places, like New Jersey and California. In other words, we would be paying the price and getting nothing in return.

Rep. Haley knew that. This legislation was thoroughly discussed, and the issues were very clear. On March 9, Rep. Haley joined 107 other legislators voting for an amendment to the budget bill to accept the stimulus money. The very next day, she voted for the budget bill that included the stimulus money. On the third and final reading of the bill, it passed overwhelmingly with a voice vote.

It was only two weeks after she announced her candidacy for governor that Nikki Haley changed her tune on the stimulus. She then began to publicly question everyone else who had joined her on multiple occasions in voting to accept these federal funds. And despite all of her double talk, the truth is Nikki Haley’s rhetoric just doesn’t match her record.

Haley has taken steps in recent years to get in tight with the Sanford cabal. Now that organization is falling apart, she’s up the creek. It should be a lesson to others who sell out for for out-of-state dollars and perceived influence. Put your constituents and your district first — not political pals.

Well, how about that? Rep. Nikki Haley, dubbed, “Ms. Transparency,” can’t come up with her disclosure report by the deadline. You’d think that a person who’s practically gotten “transparency” tattooed on her forehead would have her finances in line to the point that she could go live with her contributors and expenses by Sunday night/Monday morning. Apparently, it doesn’t look that way.

With Sen. Larry Grooms departing the race, that leaves Haley in last place behind U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett, Atty. Gen. Henry McMaster and Lt. Gov. André Bauer (whose disclosure is anticipated to put him in third). Like Grooms, it’s only a matter of time until she’ll have to abandon her ill-considered bid for the state’s highest office. Why she made this run this cycle is beyond us.

After all, for as often as Republicans want to take the sledgehammer to the establishment, in this state the GOP is the establishment. And if you’ve paid attention to the presidential primaries in this state, the voters tend to go with the establishment candidate — as in recently, U.S. Sen. John McCain (2008) and former President George W. Bush (2000). Experience and backing are trusted as the arbiters, more often than not.

If you can’t even live up to your own hype, that doesn’t help any.

Speaking of which, her allies at the S.C. Policy Council finally went live with their “news” site, The Nerve. That organization tubthumps for transparency, as well, but won’t allow the public to view its donors and expenses, unlike the elected officials it criticizes. What a surprise.

If you believe the effluent regularly produced by Will Folks‘ bile duct, you would think that the S.C. Policy Council is doing something new and inventive. After all, they hired Eric Ward from the Free Times and Rick Brundrett of The State. We suppose these guys don’t mind trading in their ethics for an organization that laughingly calls itself “non-partisan.” OK, maybe just “Sanfordite Republican,” and not non-ideological. And the organization will lose a hell of a lot of influence when Gov. Mark Sanford rides off into the sunset, if not already.

You see, the Policy Council’s shill at FITSNews is making a big deal out of some new Web site that the SCPC is starting up.

In what could become some heady competition for Palmetto State media outlets (including FITS), the S.C. Policy Council is on the verge of launching a new “citizen reporter” website – perhaps as soon as next week.

Reportedly dubbed The Nerve (or something to do with nerves), the top secret project will provide original content from Policy Council writers as well as contributing writers from all corners of the state, sources tell FITS.

What this clown doesn’t tell you, and what he knows, is that the plan to hire formerly legitimate reporters and start such operations has been in effect since at least 2007, if not before. And it’s not just South Carolina. Every member of the State Policy Network, which is tied at the hip with robber baron Howard Rich, is doing exactly the same thing. It’s a national effort. Because some reporters are so broke and scared of losing their jobs, they’re willing to do what it takes to pay the mortgage, get insurance and put food on the table.

What sucks for those guys is that they have to make peace with that Faustian bargain, and realize their work — and your labor is one of your most important actions — is actively going against their self-interests. But that’s how the journalism industry crumbles.

A while back, we were told that all sorts of hell was going down at the S.C. Policy Council, because allegedly SCPC head Ashley Landess wouldn’t back a report taking Gov. Mark Sanford to task for his abuse of state planes. It’s finally come to a head, as we were told SCPC spokesman Bryan Cox left because of the issue.

The whole situation is pretty interesting, considering that the Policy Council chairman is none other than Rick Quinn. That naturally drags Atty. Gen. Henry McMaster into the mess, which could reflect badly on his gubernatorial ambitions. After all, what’s up with an organization that his political consultant is running pulling punches about Sanford?

Come on, Rick — ‘fess up. Why are you protecting America’s most-despised governor?

Rumors are flying in River City about internal problems at S.C. Policy Council. The state’s leading conservative think tank, and close ally of Gov. Mark Sanford, is having problems as to how to respond to Sanford’s extensive use of business class travel on the taxpayers’ dime. If it were any other elected official, it’s easy to assume that the SCPC would be out front with a report detailing the abuse of state money so that official could fly in luxury.

Supposedly, some staffers have “gone rogue” and put together a paper detailing exactly that. It’s to their credit that they stuck to their guns for what the organization was created to do — point out misspending of state revenue.

Sources close to the situation have told Wolfe Reports that Policy Council president Ashley Landess refuses to release the report. If she doesn’t, the insinuation is that several staff members are willing to quit in protest.

We will bring more information about this state of affairs as it becomes more clear.

Former House Majority Leader and political consultant Rick Quinn went shopping for a new House district, and found one, running for Rep. Ted Pitts‘ district in Lexington County. Pitts is vacating the seat to run for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor.

The last time Quinn was an elected official, he represented my old stomping grounds, House District 71. Quinn held the seat for 16 years. But, in 2004, the relatively unknown Nathan Ballentine out-worked, out-hustled and in general simply beat Quinn like a drum, taking the seat 51.3 percent to 48.6. At the time, the S.C. Democratic Party danced on Quinn’s grave by saying, “Mark Sanford’s best friend in the legislature just got beat. Tonight’s upset shows that voters are sick of a do-nothing Republican governor and his do-nothing legislature, and are eager for change.”

Word is, since Quinn is currently the chairman of the S.C. Policy Council, he will be running as an SCPC-style candidate, in the Sanford mold, which is a little outside his normal situation when he was in the House. His primary opposition thus far is Danny Frazier, a town councilman for Lexington and entrepreneur with Frazier-Taylor LLC, and Gary Taylor, who by our scouring of the series of tubes seems to be working with Mungo real estate firm Sovereign Homes (but, we could be very wrong — confirm or correct in the comments).

Some people, they have egos that are a little too big. Quinn’s is pushing him to get back into elective office. But, he didn’t seem to consider the sledgehammer of oppo that will be coming down on his campaign, from the get-go. It will be fun, though. And, it will be even better if (pleaseohpleaseohpleaseohplease) former The State editorial page editor Brad Warthen gets into the mix.

It all comes down to Wednesday, as S. 520, this session’s quixotic attempt at getting a private school choice law passed in South Carolina goes to the full Senate Education Committee.

Earlier, the bill was given a 6-4 unfavorable report out of subcommittee, which, for those not bobbing for campaign contributions, was thought to be the most likely outcome.

Time and time again during Gov. Mark Sanford’s tenure, we have seen him and his out-of-state-funded proxies doing their usual, which is using their massive amounts of money to make their disproportionately-vocal minority look like a majority.

Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. The school choice lobby managed to pick off one idiosyncratic Democrat, but they cannot even secure a majority of Republican legislators for the plan.

Day after day, South Carolinians for Responsible Government, S.C. Club for Growth, S.C. Policy Council and a number of Sanford shell groups have been banging the drum on this issue. They are fueled by large grants and donations from foundations run by super-wealthy people (so far on the edge that they make John Birchers look sane) and other fellow-travelers from the Lowcountry and across the country.

It seems, however, that a couple dozen foundations and a couple hundred high-rollers do not a majority make, especially when they couldn’t accomplish Sanford’s attempted coup on the General Assembly last year.

The need to commit to comprehensive reforms in South Carolina schools has been around practically since the beginning of public education in this state. Like other parts of the South, educating the less-well off (first whites, then both whites and blacks) was never a big priority for the people in power.

Now, here we are, with a lobby of political operatives with deep pockets who would rather eschew the past and nuance and try to put a bumper sticker slogan into legislation.

Hence, why even legislators who may be predisposed to support a version of private school choice will not back a bill like S. 520. Sometimes, with a bill, it isn’t what the bill says, it’s who is pushing it. And, when you can’t trust the motivations of the lobby backing the bill, it’s pretty damn hard to press the “yea” button.

For six years, Gov. Mark Sanford has done all he can to alienate himself from his own party, poison the political atmosphere (which should have been impossible) and show how not to lead.

He also heralded the front line presence of South Carolinians for Responsible Government, S.C. Club for Growth, S.C. Policy Council and a myriad of Sanford shell groups.

Until former State Treasurer Thomas Ravenel’s cocaine bust, he was the obvious heir apparent for this small, but well-funded and vocal, lobby. Hell, Ravenel was even best buds with Mallory Factor.

But, here we are, with three major candidates for governor, none of which is an easy fit with Howard Rich’s heimwehren. If last year is any indicator, even with a coordinated attack, these groups had to rely on one man, some mistakes, and pure political skullduggery on one particular race, to get just a few key people elected to the General Assembly.

And, some of those guys might as well make plans to go back to the day job full time as of the next cycle.

Still, this lobby cannot do what they like, the Governor is acting like a spoiled child, and the leadership in the House and the Senate is just a little hostile.

Right now, all Team Sanford has to bet on is Karen Floyd, one of theirs. She will be the next chairman of the S.C. Republican Party. But, as has been said, she was the only statewide Republican to lose in 2006 and still has tens of thousands of dollars in campaign debt to pay off.

Unless Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer’s involvement with Floyd’s firm is him tipping his cards to Project Mayhem, Sanford’s stormtroopers are going to be even more marginalized than they are already.

When Gov. Mark Sanford wants to get his wonk on with the media, he calls a news conference over at the S.C. Policy Council, which, like recently, commissions research projects that back up whatever idea the Governor is marketing on that particular day.

That is why it seems odd that they have not put the leash on research associate Justin Evans, who earlier this year caused a brouhaha with a mention on his Facebook profile that read, “Voting politicians out of office is a short term fix….indicting them is much more permanent.”

This time, it was an extended argument, which one Palmetto State insider called “a Policy Council manifesto.” Needless to say, if some S.C. politicos did not know where they stood with the SCPC before, the writing is now clearly on the wall. The note, with caps, conflating totalitarian fascism with totalitarian communism and lumping in General Assembly leaders with genocidal maniacs, is below.

Dear Elected Officials:

We are watching. That’s right. Us young folk whom you used to count on voting how our parents voted are wtching and paying attention……watching YOU.

Sadly, most of us are DISGUSTED with what we see. The majority of you are COWARDS. The politics of fear was the politics of Hitler and Stalin……not good company to be in. Let me explain.

Governor Mark Sanford and Senator Jim DeMint are the ONLY individuals holding high office standing up for what is right for this state…..thats right. Let’s recap….

Senator Lindsey Graham out earmarked the 3rd highest ranking Democrat in the US Congress in the budget being debated right now……that is NOT leadership. We do not buy your BS arguments of “if we dont spend it someone else will”……give me truth Senator…..not a handout.

The stimulus debate is the biggest philosophical debate hitting possibly in our lifetime…..and MOST of our elected officials lack the capacity of understanding the issue at hand.

The argument that “if we dont take it and spend it, someone else will” and “if we dont take it then millions of South Carolinians will lose their jobs” and “I already have to pay for it so why wouldnt I support taking it” are all political copouts peddled by cowards who either do not understand the issue at all or simply dont want to actually do their job and learn about it.

It is really easy to sit there and say the above things….makes people scared…..rallies folks…..makes these politician types think that they are doing the right thing.

Well guys allow me to explain this oh so complex issue that the majority of you refuse to contemplate.

South Carolina is set to recieve nearly $8 billion dollars from the Federal Government…..all of which have strings attached……most of which we have NO SAY in.

What is up for debate is $700 million in “budget stabilization funds.”…..i.e…a do-over for legislators who cant think themselves out of a box and love to spend themselves into them.

Lets take a quick walk down memory lane and think about why the hell we would need “budget stabilization funds.” In 2007, the General Assembly of the state of South Carolina spend a whopping $1.3 BILLION in new revenue…..one time money they chose to spend on crap like pig festivals, bbq ho-downs, elvis impersonators…..etc……all the while Governor Mark Sanford and Senator Jim DeMint were screaming their heads off for the General Assembly to set money aside…..they saw this crisis coming.

But no….the General Assembly did that thing again where they dont want to waste time with facts or figures and just want to make their constituents immediately happy.

I am not the smartest person in the world by any measure…..but I am CERTAIN that I would be much happier with my legislator if he or she would have made policy decisions instead of political decisions, set money aside rather than send me money for my town’s annual festival, so that my tax burden doesn’t go up.

How does this matter with the stimulus debate? WE WOULDNT HAVE A BUDGET SHORTFALL IF THE LEADERSHIP OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE HADN’T PLAYED POLITICS WITH YOUR MONEY. Simple as that.

But we are where we are and now we really need the leadership that has been lacking for the last forever. Governor Sanford and Senator DeMint cannot do this alone.

Where are Lt. Gov Bauer, Atty. Gen. McMaster, and Mr. Barrett on this issue?

This is the biggest issue of the day….of our lifetime…..and these guys are silent.

The politics of fear that the majority of our legislators are peddling is likely scaring these guys into silence…..showing you their lack of political courage. NONE OF THESE GUYS WILL STAND UP FOR LIBERTY AND FREEDOM WHEN THE GREATEST ASSAULT TO THOSE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES IS BEING WAGED.

Its much easier to “go along to get along.”

Mr. Bauer, whether its Congress or Governor that you run for…..you MUST WEIGH IN ON THIS ISSUE.

Mr. McMaster, issuing an opinion on the legality of whether the Governor has authority over the money or not is hardly a policy stance on your part……and we all see that. WHERE ARE YOU?

Mr. Barrett, we can only hope that you learned your lesson after flip-flopping on the bank bailout that you supported…..that decision has proven a success huh? WHERE ARE YOU?

We are supposed to support yall for the highest office in the land as you sit on the sidelines during the biggest issue in history?

House and Senate leadership……QUIT LYING TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS STATE. You can craft a budget that doesnt fire a single teacher or healthcare worker that doesnt take the bailout cash…..but again…..YOU ARE ALL PLAYING POLITICS WITH OUR MONEY….we arent fooled.

Maybe I should extend the politics of fear (Hitler, Stalin, Obama, Leatherman, Cooper, Harrell) a bit further…..socialism.

The more control the federal government has over you, the less control you have over yourself….your business….your life.

Thats the bottom line here….do you support the politics of fear…..the politics of socialism….or do you believe that Liberty and Freedom still mean something to you? to your constituents?

I might not have said this as elloquently as I should, probably full of typos….I spent all of 5 mins. writing this……thats 5 more mins than the majority of your politicians have given this issue.

Like I have said before….America was not founded by the timid or weak. What if, like McMaster, Bauer, and most of House and Senate leadership, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Maddison just said “thanks but we will sit this one out….We dont want to make the King angry.”

Justin

The S.C. Policy Council released a new study today at a news conference featuring Gov. Mark Sanford and several of Sanford’s closest allies in the General Assembly. The study comes along as part of the Governor’s effort to find any way to spend, or not spend, stimulus dollars for their intended purpose.

In his latest tack, Sanford has said that it will be OK with him to take the $700 million over two years, as long as the legislature uses the money to pay down state debt and trims the budget.

The study, which was completed by the firm owned by controversial economist Arthur Laffer, says that South Carolina will lose 34,000 jobs as a result of the consequences of the stimulus package.

But, Sanford, who is already on shaky political ground regarding the stimulus and taking fire from Senate Finance chair Hugh Leatherman and Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell, may have needed to tell his intellectual cohorts at SCPC to seek another economist.

Beside the issues surrounding Laffer’s leadership on supply-side economics, there is the total flub he made on the CNBC show “Kudlow & Company” in August 2006. He bet a penny and his honor on the belief that the housing bubble would not burst and that the economy would not tank in the way it has since 2007.

If Laffer was so egregiously wrong on the main economic problems of our time, his numbers in the study should, at the very least, be looked at with a jaundiced eye. And, the Governor and the Policy Council would have been well-served by not relying on him to justify Sanford’s stimulus stance.