National Lessons from State Health Reform: The Massachusetts Case Study

National Lessons from State Health Reform: The Massachusetts Case Study from New Words on Vimeo.



National Lessons from State Health Reform: The Massachusetts Case Study - Part 3 from New Words on Vimeo.

http://guaranteedhealthcare4all.org/

Americans won't take NO for an answer

South Carolina moves even further back to the past

(Photo courtesy of The State)

The South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus got it right when they walked out on the bill requiring voters to show a photo ID at polling places.

The GOPher-controlled state house passed the bill, 65-14, that requires a valid S.C. driver's license, military ID or state-issued photo ID approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles be presented in order to vote.

"About 30 members of the Legislative Black Caucus and other House Democrats staged the walkout as debate moved into its fourth hour and it became clear the bill would pass."

How did the GOPhers respond? Let's look at a statement by House Speaker Bobby Harrell:

“A picture ID is required to do just about anything in our society, except to vote.”

What a ridiculous comment to make. I am not required to show a photo ID when I buy groceries or purchase gasoline. I don't have to show a photo ID to walk in a state park. I am not fumbling into my wallet looking for a photo ID to allow my children visit a playground.

How about GOPher state rep. Mike Pitts:

“Then I wouldn’t get so many uneducated questions about what we’re doing down here. I see (the bill) as security, to be able to identify that the person is who they say they are.”

GOPher state Rep. Alan Clemmons said just about the same thing. If this a strong worry, then let's recall all of our elections because fraud could have played a part then. So, why allow them to stand if there is suspicion? It has nothing to do with fraud because there was none in the 2008 election. It has something to do with keeping voter turnout down and not seeing any better than the general election.

"Republicans struck down 23 amendments Democrats offered, including ones to allow recent utility bills and work ID cards as identification, and another to exempt the elderly and disabled from the ID requirement."

It really looks like to me these GOPhers are hurt by the general election and can't live with the fact President Barack Obama was elected by a big majority, winning the popular vote as well.

Are we doomed to the past again? Does that saying about the past repeating itself look realistic?

I say yes. Including the actions of GOPher Gov. Mark Sanford, it looks like the Confederacy of anew.

If not, then why would the GOPhers allow this...

"The bill, scheduled to receive final House approval today before heading to the Senate, would cost the state Transportation Department nearly $1 million. Waiving the fee could cost the Transportation Department’s highway fund more than $700,000 a year. That fund pays to resurface state roads."

Democratic state Rep. Bakari Sellers says, "In these times, they’re taking away money from an economic development fund. It doesn't make sense.”

I agree 100 percent. They talk about saving money and not taking away from needs, but actions speak louder than words. Do I hold faith that this state will see this?

No.

'High Quality Education ' supported in federal budget

In the "A New Era of Responsibility" FY2010 federal budget, high quality education is pushed to the front:

We know that the key to success in the 21st
Century lies in investing in our people—in giving
the chance to get a world-class education
from cradle to career. Economists from across the
spectrum agree that in this digital age, a highly
educated and skilled workforce is critical not only
to individual opportunity, but also to the overall
success of our economy. The more people we educate
to the highest standards possible, the better
off all of us will be. yet too many children are
not getting the world-class education that they
deserve and that they need to thrive in this information-
age economy.

If all our young children are not able to go to
a high-quality school with modern facilities and
great teachers and if older students are unable
to afford to go to college and stay there until
graduation, there is no way that our economy will
be able to expand opportunity, strengthen the
middle class, and compete in a global economy.

Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care

This conference was today, and while I do not have the details, I hear it went really well. This is an effort to push for support of H.R. 676. Below is a brief description of what the LCGHC is:

"The Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care (LCGHC) is the national alliance for single payer healthcare reform–publicly funded, privately delivered healthcare for all. We are a coalition of groups promoting comprehensive reform legislation to guarantee health care for all Americans as a basic human right. Despite spending twice as much as other industrialized nations, our mostly private health insurance system performs poorly. One third of every health care dollar spent pays for something other than healthcare–paperwork, profit and other administrative costs of private insurance that have little to do with addressing disease or injury. Poor health and poor healthcare hold down the U.S. economy and reduce productivity and further weaken the nation’s economy. A guaranteed health care program patterned after Medicare can provide coverage for all, while at the same time saving close to $300 billion per year."

Click the graphic to visit the site for lots of information and reports/documents.

After Capitol visit, teen returns to S.C. with national news media in her wake

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 25, 2009

After Capitol visit, teen returns to S.C.
with national news media in her wake

COLUMBIA – The effect was immediate. As soon as she walked into
Washington’s Reagan National Airport today, South Carolina teenager
Ty’Sheoma Bethea started drawing stares and comments: “That’s her!
That’s her!” The same thing happened two hours later when she
walked through Columbia Metro Airport after the short flight home.

Yesterday the 14-year-old was an unassuming student at J.V. Martin High
School in Dillon District 2. But after being spotlighted last night in
President Barack Obama’s first speech to a joint session of Congress,
she become an instant celebrity with requests to appear on national TV
talk shows.

Ty’Sheoma was invited to join the First Family for the address to
Congress after she sent a letter to Washington seeking help for her
school, which is located in South Carolina’s rural “Corridor of
Shame.” Her letter – written on a computer at the Dillon public
library – came after the President mentioned J.V. Martin in his first
press conference earlier this month as a symbol of inadequate schools
that would be helped by the federal economic stimulus plan.

On Tuesday night, Ty’Sheoma and her mother, Dina, sat with First Lady
Michelle Obama during the president’s address. Near the end of the
speech, the president pointed her out in the gallery.

“I think about Ty’Sheoma Bethea, the young girl from that school I
visited in Dillon, South Carolina – a place where the ceilings leak,
the paint peels off the walls, and they have to stop teaching six times
a day because the train barrels by their classroom,” Obama told House
and Senate members. “She has been told that her school is hopeless,
but the other day after class she went to the public library and typed
up a letter to the people sitting in this room. She even asked her
principal for the money to buy a stamp.

“The letter asks us for help, and says, ‘We are just students
trying to become lawyers, doctors, congressmen like yourself and one day
president, so we can make a change to not just the state of South
Carolina but also the world. We are not quitters.’ ”

Today Ty’Sheoma appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning, America” in a
taped interview from Washington. South Carolina TV crews met her at
Columbia Metro Airport upon her return, and other interviews followed
with CNN, Inside Edition and the CBS Evening News.

Back home in Dillon, students at J.V. Martin welcomed her home during
an afternoon assembly at the school that also drew crowds of news
reporters.

Children vital in health care reform

The numbers are depressing and alarming. In the United States, we have nearly nine million children without health insurance and about 13 million living in poverty. In this Every Child Matters report, it also states that almost 14 million children are without proper supervision after school while parents work.

Every Child Matters has also updated their Homeland Insecurity report to reflect on trends up to 2009.

"One result of declining rates of spending on children is that the well-being of children in the United States ranks a poor 20th among 21 rich democracies according to a recent UNICEF report."

Very sad.

I invite you all to read these reports, write your congressmen and senators and President Obama and tell them all we get it and now, it's up to you all to do something about it!

Obama: My address to Congress

Last night, I addressed a joint session of Congress for the first time.

To confront the serious economic challenges our nation faces, I called for a new era of responsibility and cooperation. We need to look beyond short term political calculations and make vital investments in health care, energy, and education that will make America stronger and more prosperous well into the future.

Watch a few highlights from my address and share it with your friends now:

A little more than a month into my administration, we've already taken bold steps to address our urgent economic problems.

Through the Recovery Act, the Stability Plan, and the Housing Plan, we're taking the immediate necessary measures to halt our economic downturn and provide much-needed assistance to working people and their families.

But to set our country on a new course of stability and prosperity, we must reject the old ways of doing business in Washington. We can no longer tolerate fiscal deficits and runaway spending while deferring the consequences to future generations.

That's why I pledged last night to cut our deficit in half by the end of my term. Achieving that goal will require making sacrifices and hard decisions, as well as an honest budgeting process that is straight with taxpayers about where their dollars are going.

Watch some key moments from my address now:

http://my.barackobama.com/presidentialaddress

Central to this plan will be a renewed commitment to honesty and transparency in government. Restoring our country's economic health will only happen when ordinary citizens are given the opportunity to hold their representatives fully accountable for the decisions they make.

I look forward to continuing to work with you as we bring about the change you made possible.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

Georgetown County School District could get $4.5 million

It now looks like the Georgetown County School District may be on track to receive about $4.5 million in stimulus funds. Here's more...

"COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A federal analysis shows South Carolina's 85 school districts may receive some $300 million in stimulus money for schools with large numbers of poor children and students with disabilities."

Going Up the River of Shame: The Struggle for Education Justice In South Carolina

By Thomas E. Truitt

http://www.authorhouse.com/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=58080

We are awaiting for the final verdict from the SC Supreme Court decision in Abbeville vs. South Carolina case that is the basis for the Corridor of Shame. Tom Truitt, our Goodbye Minimally Adequate Steering Committee Co-Chairman, has just finished up his book that tells the story and history of this important case. If you are interested, take a look at the link above and purchase a copy. It will definitely help in understanding how we got to Goodbye Minimally Adequate.

Media forgets Bush, 2001

Let's face it. The GOPhers want President Obama and the American people to fail. It now seems the media, at least some, want them to fail as well - or at least forget the past.

What about 2001? When GOPher Bush was elected, he went on vacation after six months in office. He finished his two terms as the vacation president, or close to it, by logging 879 vacation days. Some say he beat Reagan's record. Some even say it showed a poor work ethic.

In the six months prior of his first term, he accomplished... The Backward Spiral. Most importantly, the trillions in tax cuts - designed for the rich.

So, the GOPhers ran away from responsibility for their GOPher president causing this mess when election time came around.

In turn, they have become the party of NO votes, running from responsibility again.

The media forgets this when they say President Obama lacks leadership and the know-how to make Washington work. If selling out is included, then I am glad he doesn't know how to do that.

I am proud of my president and my Democratic leadership. The GOPhers have yet to recover from their losses and are on track to never regain from it with the political posturing seen now.

Sanford full of rejections, isn't he?

The latest coming from Politico.com's Glenn Thrush states Gov. Mark Sanford is still defiant over the stimulus money, even going as far to say he's not excepting certain monies.

"South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, who says he'll reject federal unemployment cash and funding for green buildings in the stimulus, is taking a victory lap at the Republican Governor's Association dinner tonight, Politico's Charles Mahtesian reports.

"I think Republican governors are doing what should have been done by the United States Congress," said Sanford, speaking to a crowd that included 16 of 22 GOP governors -- but not ardently pro-stimulus Arnold."

Seeing all of this, I want to remind people of what our esteemed GOPher governor did in his years as congressman. Let's review, shall we?

In 2000, before Hurricane Katrina, our then-congressman Sanford voted on a bill known as the Water Resources Development Act. This public law provided funds needed to impove certain areas of our ecosystem across the country.

Approval of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) as a framework and guide for modifications to the Central and Southern Florida Project needed to restore the south Florida ecosystem and to provide for the other water-related needs of the region

Authorization to construct four pilot projects (two pilot projects already authorized in WRDA 99)

Authorization to construct ten initial projects needed to provide, in the short term, system-wide water quality and flow distribution benefits as well as an adaptive assessment and monitoring program

Authorization for a Programmatic Authority to implement small restoration projects (less than $25 million)

Even the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers touted the act signing a success, bringing in billions of dollars for needed projects and providing numerous jobs across the country while saving others.

It had strong bipartisian support. But there were two GOPhers against this... Can you guess one of them?

That's right... Congressman Mark Sanford. He's no stranger to sticking it to the little guys and finding ways to keep people jobless.

Keep voting in people like this, S.C. It makes us look SOOOOOOOOO good to the rest of the nation.

Sandy Island Memorial Fund

Read the story for more...

February 21, 2009

ANNOUNCEMENT

Re: Sandy Island Memorial Fund

The New Bethel Baptist Church of Sandy Island is accepting donations to assist the families of the recent Sandy Island boating tragedy claiming the lives of three church members: 47 year old Lou Ann Robinson, her 19 year old daughter Shaquatia Robinson and a cousin, 17 year old Rishard Pyatt. Shaquatia’s 9 month old son, Zyair, remains in critical condition at MUSC. The Church will act as recipients on behalf of the monetary needs of the bereaved families. Your consideration of a donation and your prayers are gratefully appreciated.

Donations may be made to:

New Bethel Baptist Church

Attn: Sandy Island Memorial Fund

19 Sandy Island Landing

Pawleys Island, SC 29585

Hola, Peppermint Patties!

Get this...

Hershey's has announced it is closing its Peppermint Patties factory in Reading, PA, in favor of sending jobs to Mexico. Here's a little history on the company.

"Founded in the 1920s, the York Cone Company manufactured ice cream cones and waffles plus selected confectionery items in York, Pennsylvania. In 1940, YORK peppermint patties were introduced locally. Shortly thereafter, demand became so great that all other product lines were discontinued.

YORK peppermint patties were distributed only in the Northeast, Ohio, Indiana and Florida, and no consumer advertising was used until Peter Paul acquired the York Cone Company in July 1972. Production was expanded, and in 1975, the brand was launched nationally. In 1988, Hershey Foods Corporation acquired YORK peppermint patties as part of its purchase of Cadbury Schweppes' United States confectionery operations."

All of that... Gone. After 23 years in Reading , 300 jobs now go into the lost column in favor of cheaper labor and more profits.

"The nation's largest candy manufacturer said two years ago the plant would close as part of a wider move by Hershey to eliminate 1,500 jobs and one-third of its existing production lines, shifting more manufacturing to contractors in the U.S."

They didn't eliminate them, they just moved down South for cheaper labor. There were other options on the table.

What a terrible loss.

GOPher chairman has nothing better to do these days

In yet another paper-wasting and Internet junk mail press release, GOPher Chair Tom Swatzel makes support for the Employee Free Choice Act a bad thing - even seeing where 73 percent of adults favor the legislation.

"(State Rep. Vida) Miller voted against a state House Resolution that expressed lawmakers' opposition to a proposed change in federal law that would eliminate the right of workers to have a secret ballot. The resolution opposing so-called "card check" legislation- under which a worker's vote on whether to unionize a workplace would be made public- passed the House Thursday 72 to 33, with only Democrats including Miller refusing to go on record opposing the union-backed scheme."

So, standing up for workers in this state against a GOPher's attack to try and thwart a bill at the federal level before it's even been voted on is a bad thing. It's bad enough to have state GOPhers cut tax upon tax to the point we have a massive deficit and look to the U.S. Congress to help out because of their mistakes.

I applaud Vida and all her Democratic state legislators who support the EFCA and voted against the resolution - with slanted stats - proposed in the state house.

The Center for American Progress Action Fund says unions are good for the economy:

"Unions paved the way to the middle class for millions of American workers and pioneered benefits such as paid health care and pensions along the way. Even today, union workers earn significantly more on average than their non-union counterparts, and union employers are more likely to provide benefits. And non-union workers—particularly in highly unionized industries—receive financial benefits from employers who increase wages to match what unions would win in order to avoid unionization. Unfortunately, declining unionization rates mean that workers are less likely to receive good wages and be rewarded for their increases in productivity. The Employee Free Choice Act, which is likely to be one of the most important issues debated by the 111th Congress, holds the promise of boosting unionization rates and improving millions of Americans’ economic standing and workplace conditions."

But GOPhers do not get it, especially in this state. That is a shameful fact in which I am embarrassed over.

They also don't get the facts that overwhelmingly prove the critics wrong.

Thank God for Jim Clyburn

I said it. Whether you believe or not, I am personally thanking God for our congressman - Jim Clyburn. I am thanking God for Clyburn and his amendment to bypass certain GOPher governors who want to turn the stimulus down for their states. Our very own Gov. Mark Sanford is one of them.

A true GOPher indeed.

"A spokesman said Sanford, the new head of the Republican Governors Association, is looking at the stimulus bill to figure out how much of it he can control. 'We're going through a 1,200-page bill to determine what our options are,' spokesman Joel Sawyer said. "From there, we'll make decisions.'"

What decisions are there to make? Can you not see the deficit looming over the state capitol? How about the millions and millions cut from public education and Medicaid?

Our S.C. governor chooses to play politics because he has future aspirations, I assume. The result - hundreds of thousands remain jobless and that could jump higher. These people are S.C. natives. Sanford really doesn't care about them, I guess. If he did, he'd stop this nonsense of turning his nose up the federal money that can provide 55,000 jobs to S.C. and resuce us from the miserable tax cuts that put us in the red.

Georgetown Politics 101

I have founded Georgetown Politics 101. The message board is similar to CitizensReport.com.

I am encouraging all people to use this board to share views, rants, etc. under real names. If
you do not feel comfortable, then you may post anonymously.

I hope having a Dem-friendly moderator will now allow people to share their opinions.

If I see no use in a month, I'll delete it. So, please... This is your tool to communicate to the people.

To post, you have to join. You can do so at the top of the board. Here's the address:

http://georgetownpolitics101.aimoo.com/

MegaVote - 2/18/09

Recent Congressional Votes - Senate: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 House: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Editor's Note: The Senate and House are in recess until Monday, February 23, 2009.

Recent Senate Votes

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - Vote Agreed to (60-38, 1 Not Voting) The Senate agreed to the conference report of this stimulus bill, sending it to the President. Sen. Lindsey Graham voted NO......send e-mail or see bio Sen. Jim DeMint voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Recent House Votes

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - Vote Passed (246-183, 1 Present, 3 Not Voting) The House gave final approval to this stimulus bill. Rep. Henry Brown Jr. voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Thank you for putting jobs first, President Obama

Call for Universal Internet for all South Carolinians

"On April 15, South Carolina has to present a plan for the use of the state’s educational broadcasting capability that will be “excess capacity” due to the switch to digital broadcasting.

Because South Carolina is the only state that owns all the educational broadcasting licenses, we have the unique opportunity to be the first state to provide free wireless Internet to all citizens. The 67 licenses owned by SC ETV — and the taxpayer-funded infrastructure — are paid for, so the capability for statewide, free Internet is in hand.

Universal access to the Internet would be the single most significant thing we could do, at no cost to taxpayers, to improve educational, health care and employment opportunities for all South Carolinians; regardless of income or geographic location. Over 250,000 SC school children qualify for free lunches. Many of them also don’t have Internet access, or the skills and tools to take advantage of being online. Many rural communities don’t have Internet access."

GOPher... The New Slang Word

What is a gopher? An annoying little animal that digs deep in the ground and pops up when
the coast is clear to cause destruction and torment people. They are referred to as rodents.

Our Republicans of today fit this description perfectly. They dig deep and remain unseen on key issues - the stimulus for one - then come out and torment people when the coast is clear. They then show rodent-like features by clasping hands and gritting teeth with hopes our economy fails so they can have a 2010 and 2012 issue.

I decided in 2008 that I would refer to the GOP and its members as GOPhers. Until they show the backbone needed to help this country - instead of standing back and waiting for it to fail so they can claim a so-called victory - I will continue using the moniker and I ask all BlueBloggers to use it as well. Some are already using it.

If they feel it's O.K. to slam us - for being "socialists", "tax monsters", etc. - then we need to stand behind what our elected Dems do: Work that benefits all people of all beliefs and all colors.

South Carolina moves further in protecting teachers from student attacks

Last week, the state Senate unanimously approved a proposal aimed at protecting teachers and other school employees from student attacks. Since corporal punishment is frowned upon as a deterrent, disruptive students of today basically have no fear of the system, in my opinion. I stand in the minority in the Democratic Party in wanting corporal punishment reinstated to the highest degree and used regularly in disciplinary formulas.

"Students who seriously injure a teacher on school grounds or at a school-sponsored event would be guilty of a felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000."

The bill has been sent to the House. I see this as a move towards providing teeth into consequences of harming a school employee.

This bill (S.157), known as the Teacher Protection Act, also allows assaulted teachers to sue a convicted student.

GOPhers at it again...

The GOPhers are at it again. Here's the latest letter excerpt from the Georgetown Times:

"I am all for privatization of our education system. Let's hire an education based company to come in and run it! Get the politicians out of the school system and let our taxes pay for positive results! I'll bet the teachers would love to teach without all of the government hitches." -- Bill Hills

Hmmm... My response:

Mr. Hills, I see the facts you choose to use. The fact is people like you want to see our public education system fail because its not about making people profits - as in private schools. People like you also want to see it deregulated because teaching everything doesn't equate with what "slanted" teaching produces.

I am also happy to see you show your true colors, relating a business to schools and comparing students to defective products. Speak up, Mr. Hills! If not the children, then you are deeming half of public school teachers to be defective as well. Shame on you.

You also keep mentioning unions, as if you're confused with who I am.

This is not about unions, Mr. Hills. It is about selling out our effective and positive public education for misleading and unregulated teaching, funded with the same tax dollars set aside for public education.

I trust the majority of people take offense with you labeling 50 percent of our children defective.

Good day Mr. Hills.

Rep. Miller answers critic over payday regulations bill

In today's Georgetown Times, Stewart Roberts of Georgetown writes a scathing column criticizing State Rep. Vida Miller's acceptance of campaign donations from a payday lender.

"I'm troubled that Miller would accept a campaign contribution from an industry that preys on low income families and vulnerable senior citizens in Georgetown and Charleston counties, and then co-sponsor sham legislation under the guise of further regulating payday lending that The State newspaper says 'simply does the industry's bidding.'"

Let us not forget the House in South Carolina is controlled by GOPhers.

Here's Miller's response:

Yesterday the SC House of Representatives passed legislation that many say will regulate the payday lending industry in South Carolina. The bill which was authored by Speaker Bobby Harrell (R), Charleston was supported by both Democrats and Republicans including Rep. David Mack (D) Charleston, former Chairman of the SC House Legislative Black Caucus.

The new regulations passed by the House, which will now go to the Senate, include the following measures.

• Loans are unsecured and limited to a maximum of $600.00.
• Lenders can charge up to $15.00 for each $100.00 loan.
• Loans are limited to one at a time with borrowers entered into a statewide database which will be monitored.
• Borrowers will be allowed no-cost extensions if settled within 2 weeks.
• If loan is not paid, no additional charges can be added and borrower can not receive another loan until original balance is paid.

Rep. Bill Sandifer (R) Oconee who along with Rep. David Mack stated this bill contains “a great deal of consumer protection and without regulation – the potential for abuses would have continued.”

I, along with my colleague from Georgetown County, Rep. Carl Anderson (D) supported the stricter measures. We will wait to see what the Senate does with the legislation before sending it back to the House.

While I have never supported the industry’s abuse of vulnerable citizens, it is very unfortunate that in today’s economy that major lending institutions no longer provide small loans to citizens needing emergency financial assistance on a short term basis. We were faced with the choice of stricter regulations or the continuance of abuse and over charging as efforts to completely ban the industry have been defeated.

In reference to statements made in a recent article by Mr. Stewart Roberts regarding this legislation are inaccurate:

1. The bill introduced was not my legislation, while I along with many Democrats co-sponsored, as this was our only chance this session to start the process of stricter regulations and consumer protection.
2. While much has been said regarding a $500.00 campaign contribution from Title Max, this amount pales in comparison to what was donated to leading Republicans and their Political Action Committees by payday lending institutions. Two of these PAC’s contributed the maximum of $1,000.00 each to the Kelso campaign.
3. The majority of the Democratic Caucus and the House Legislative Black Caucus supported the measures in the bill.

MoveOn.org annoits Justin Ruben as Executive Director

In a press release, 8-year Executive Director Eli Pariser moves to Board President and Organizing Director Justin Ruben steps up to lead MoveOn.org.

A letter sent out to members of the advocacy group by Pariser thanks them for their support and wants continuation of the efforts put forth during the 2008 general election.

"I remember all that and I know that none of the opportunities we have now—the chance to win universal health care, a transformed clean-energy economy, an economic system that works for everyone—would even be on the table if it weren't for you. So thank you. Working for you has been the greatest honor of my life.

And of course the work goes on. It must go on. To let up now, to leave it all to Barack would be to miss the main lesson of these last eight years: that if you want change, you can't wait for Washington or any one leader to deliver it—that we have to go out and make it happen ourselves.

So please join me in welcoming Justin. Justin's someone who has lived and breathed organizing—online and off—for the last thirteen years. Like our new President, Justin got his start as a community organizer, and he's as smart, creative, and visionary as anyone I know. Click here to learn more about him:

http://pol.moveon.org/justin_bio.html?id=15546-9315970-JTurWex&t=1"

Georgetown County Council passes impact fees

From the Georgetown Times:

"7:07 p.m. - The motion to approve the fees passed with the stipulation that collection will not begin until June 1. Councilman Ron Charlton tried to convince council to defer the vote until meetings can be held with builders but his motion did not receive a second. Councilman Glen O’Connell made the motion to approve the fees. The second came from Councilwoman Lillie Jean Johnson."

For more, please visit the Georgetown Times web site, hyperlinked above.

Information on impact fees:

http://www-agecon.ag.ohio-state.edu/programs/Swank/pdfs/dif.pdf
http://www.cacities.org/resource_files/23040.Peter%20Brown%20Paper%20on%20Fees.pdf
http://www.ci.fremont.ca.us/Construction/Fees/DevImpactFee1.htm
http://www.impactfees.com/publications%20pdf/2008_survey.pdf

Goodbye Minimally Adequate

Are you tired of South Carolina ranking last in so many important education standards? Are you willing to help move our state to a quality education for our children?

As established by the South Carolina Supreme Court in 1999, our state’s commitment to its children is to provide them the opportunity for a “minimally adequate” education. This court ruling has been embraced by the General Assembly as the standard for our educational system. As long as this phrase defines the level of South Carolina’s commitment to its public schools, our state’s children will never benefit from the power of high quality education.

You can let our state leaders know that we want a higher standard for the education of our children by simply signing a petition. The petition asks the General Assembly to allow the public to vote to amend South Carolina’s outdated 1895 Constitution so that it requires the state to maintain and support a system of “high quality education” rather than a “minimally adequate education.”

We invite you to join us and tens of thousands of South Carolinians who have already signed the Goodbye Minimally Adequate Petition. You can quickly learn about and sign the petition online by going to www.goodbyeminimallyadequate.com . Because this petition campaign is seeking to collect one million signatures, you can help by forwarding this e-mail to your colleagues and friends.

If you have questions, suggestions, or concerns, please visit www.goodbyeminimallyadequate.com. Thank you for your support.

What does future hold - $190 million more in cuts for S.C.

The good news - The U.S. Senate passed the $838 billion stimulus plan with a 61-37 vote. The bad news - this state keeps on cutting, cutting and cutting money from its budget.

"House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Cooper, R-Piedmont, said he plans to cut a minimum of $410 million from agency's current budget as his committee drafts its version of a spending plan."

Today, we learn that about $190 million is being slashed from estimated revenue. Agencies hit the hardest - public education, health care and the Department of Corrections - will now suffer even more job losses and cuts to programs.

Public schools take in about a third of the money and, as it stands now, will lose the most out of this round of cuts.

"Education Department spokesman Jim Foster said school districts around the state are trying to scrape by on reserves to avoid eliminating teaching positions. 'Crunch time will come when districts have exhausted their reserve funds and when they've cut their operational budgets to the point where there's nothing left to cut but salaries,' Foster said."

Jim, I believe "crunch time" has already come. It's what these GOPhers want. Makes their voucher "bailout" program look golden.

Thanks to Gov. Mark Sanford and the rest of the "bought" legislature, tax income revenues have fallen by more than $31 million - that's 15 percent, people. It's down a further 4.6 percent since the summer of last year.

How much is it going to take to wake up the blind? Tax cuts have gotten us into this situation. These GOPhers do not like a surplus of any kind. So, they cut. Then when hard times hit, they blame the Democratic legislators - the minority in S.C. - for wasteful spending.

How about I blame these GOPhers for wasteful cutting. We'd be in a prime position right now if we'd have had a governor and a legislature that truly was conservative and saved for a rainy day. Instead, GOPhers dig into the money and cut the taxes that provide the funds for the agencies of our state.

"The Board of Economic Advisors had initially expected $6.3 billion in state revenue for the upcoming fiscal year. But that was too optimistic after a sluggish Christmas for retailers and an even worse January as income tax collections fell sharply."

So, these leaders of ours expected sales taxes to make up for other core taxes. How'd that work out?

"With South Carolina's unemployment rate at 9.5 percent, the nation's third-highest, income and sales tax collections aren't expected to improve anytime soon. More midyear budget cuts could be on the way, too. The board said it would wait to decide on whether to trigger those next month."

MegaVote - 2/10/09

Recent Congressional Votes - Senate: Confirmation of Eric H. Holder, Jr. to be Attorney General House: Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 House: DTV Delay Act Upcoming Congressional Bills - Senate: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 House: Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009

Recent Senate Votes

Confirmation of Eric H. Holder, Jr. to be Attorney General - Vote Confirmed (75-21, 3 Not Voting) The Senate confirmed Eric Holder to be Attorney General. Sen. Lindsey Graham voted YES......send e-mail or see bio Sen. Jim DeMint voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Recent House Votes

Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 - Vote Passed (290-135, 8 Not Voting) The House gave final approval to this bill that reauthorizes and expands the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Rep. Henry Brown Jr. voted NO......send e-mail or see bio DTV Delay Act - Vote Passed (264-158, 10 Not Voting) The House passed this bill that will delay the transition to digital television signals until June 12. Rep. Henry Brown Jr. voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Upcoming Votes

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - H.R.1 The Senate is scheduled to continue its work on this economic stimulus bill. Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 - S.22 The House is scheduled to vote on this legislation related to public lands, national parks, and water development.

Corridor of Shame screening in Georgetown

Press Release: Corridor of Shame screening in Georgetown


A "Corridor of Shame: the neglect of South Carolina's rural schools" screening is scheduled for March 9, 2009, at 3:00 p.m. in Georgetown. The screening will take place at the Georgetown County Library in the conference room. The library is located at 405 Cleland Street. Special guests will be in attendance and will include the film's director/producer Bud Ferillo, S.C. State Rep. James Smith and former Georgetown County Dems chair Jamie Sanderson. Others are expected to appear.

The documentary, which premiered at the Columbia Museum of Art on April 3, 2005, has continued to exceed its original expectations to serve as an educational tool and to stimulate philanthropic, church and community support for the rural school districts of South Carolina and build public support for long term changes in the state's method of funding public education. In fact, the film has inspired hundreds of acts of generosity from private groups all across the state, including the "adoption" of some rural schools and the collection of funds, books, computers and materials to be used in Corridor schools.

Corridor of Shame: the neglect of South Carolina's rural schools has received international and national media coverage on the BBC, NPR, CNN and CBS television networks and has been the subject of print media coverage across the nation.

The documentary received six national awards for documentaries in 2005, including "Best of Festival" at the 2005 Berkeley (California) Video and Film Festival.

Bud Ferillo, producer and director, says the "Corridor of Shame is a call to action. It is a prize winning 57 minute report of the heroic struggle of 36 poor, rural school districts in South Carolina over state funding to educate their children. They are, in fact, fighting Pitchfork Ben Tillman's 1895 constitution which repealed the more progressive Reconstruction constitution, installed Jim Crow massive voting discrimination and established separate, unequal and inadequate public schools. South Carolina deserves a future far better than her sordid past."

Former Georgetown County Democratic Party Chair Jamie Sanderson says, "this documentary needs to be shown all over the state and people need to come out and see what devastating conditions rural schools are in where our children go to learn, eat and play. We have a chance to stand up to the poor treatment of our teachers and children and demand our state take an active role in properly funding and maintaining ALL of our state's public schools.Our children's future depends on the actions of today." Mr. Sanderson is also a member of the Goodbye Minimally Adequate statewide steering committee.

Sanford fails S.C. with horrid stimulus stance

In familiar tones from plenty years past, our esteemed Governor Mark Sanford is boldly telling President Obama to keep his stimulus money, we'll suffer and fail on our own. Sanford even goes on to say we are moving to a "savior-based" economy. In other words, free market solutions will fix everything and if it's not free market, it will not work.

For a governor to stand behind "creative destruction" and let small businesses, big businesses, manufacturing and retail close shop and move out like the textile miles is truly sad. Sanford says it'll be painful. That's not even the word for it, Mark. It'll will be devastating and unrepairable.

Let me ask you this: Have the textile mills come back? No.

Your stance and theory are dead wrong for this state and all you are doing is pandering towards your political future. I am ashamed of you for being my governor. To tell the national people of today that you favor politics and points of yesteryears makes me downright sick to my stomach.

Hundreds of thousands out of jobs in this state have already be hurt by your meddling and you want to further the torment? Shame on you.

Governor, if you can't stand government so much then why do you work for it. Why do you accept a paycheck for the services you were elected to provide ALL South Carolinians? Hypercritical maybe? I know if I didn't like government as much as you do, I'd stay away from it.

Governor Sanford and his GOPher party in this state has run the show for decades. People, when are you going to wake up from the dream world and realize this state is almost last in everything and it soon will be with politics like this booming over national airwaves. The time has come to stop being passive in society and letting these tyrants run over us with their pitiful politics. We must stand up for our state - the one we live in today - and forget the past, move forward and better ourselves for the future. Our children and their children depend on it.

The time is now... And it's running out fast.

S.C. Dept. of Education's Jim Foster educates SCRG

In today's Sun News, Jim Foster - director of communications for the S.C. Department of Education - made me proud with his column.

Foster provides clear truth in the face of lies and rhetoric provided by SCRG about the "failure" of public education.

"SCRG claims that state funding for public schools has been cut by a mere 4 percent this fiscal year, but that is inaccurate. General Fund allocations to local school districts have been cut by 10 percent so far this year, and Education Improvement Act funds for local districts have been reduced by 13 percent. The S.C. Department of Education's budget has been cut by 20 percent. All of these statistics are publicly available, and the math is simple and clear."

Sun News favors Sanford control over ESC

It's early 2009. Unemployment numbers in South Carolina reach into the hundreds of thousands. The South Carolina Employment Security Commission reveals to Governor Mark Sanford that it's in desperate need of a federal loan to keep paying out jobless benefits... Not once, but twice.

Gov. Sanford played politics with jobless benefits, causing people to wait for their checks and wondering where the money will come from to pay for food, gasoline and house payments.

In an effort to "stop" this from happening again, state legislators drafted up H. 3442 and basically want to put the governor in charge of the same agency he's willing to disband by firing all the directors.

The Sun News has an editorial on this and favors the move. I disagree.

"The folks in both camps were aware - or should have been aware - that the fund was in trouble. They were aware - or should have been aware - that legislative "reforms" in 1999, which resulted in reduced trust fund payments for S.C. employers, set the fund on course toward zero balance. It reached that "goal" last month, just as the recession hoovered up tens of thousands of S.C. jobs."

I assume the Sun News thinks transparency just flows like water in the S.C. capital these days. I also assume the mention of the tax cuts causing this was done on purpose. Labeling the cause as "reforms" does not give the full answer. I will.

The state collects money from business for the unemployment fund by taxing businesses based on their payrolls and wages. The taxes were lowered in 1999 when reduced assessments sailed through the Legislature because businesses and lawmakers thought the trust fund had grown too large.

Tax increases would be necessary to solve the problem. Even the S.C. Chamber of Commerce and the S.C. Small Business Chamber of Commerce say that increased taxation may be necessary.

"A fiscally sound unemployment fund is important for the state. Businesses deserve to know that the fund is being administered in accordance with agreed upon rules and regulations. Businesses are not opposed to supporting the fund with adequate taxes."

Who pushed those tax cuts anyway? Why, it was Governor Mark Sanford. So, do not look for the governor to push for the tax increases needed to fix the problem he, his Republican majority and his agenda caused. I guess Sanford's robust economy wasn't so robust.

Putting a governor who has failed the jobless in this state with his petty politics and his future goals in charge of the ESC would be WRONG thing to do - even when he says he's not going to look at all options available.

Bad decision all around. If accountability is what's needed, then provide it. But, do not put a person in charge who has no accountability to the people its services help in dismal times.

What Obama's stimulus plan means to South Carolina

What the Federal Stimulus Proposal Would Mean for Children in South Carolina:

The economic stimulus proposal being debated in the United States Congress and supported by the Obama Administration would provide significant investment in the health, education, and safety of America’s children. It also provides significant support to their parents and grandparents. Highlights include:

• $732,500,000 in relief for South Carolina’s Medicaid costs. Medicaid provides health care coverage for low-income children and seniors.
• $552,700,000 in relief to the state of South Carolina to prevent cuts to programs for school-aged children.
• $194,500,000 for the Title I academic achievement of the disadvantaged program.
• $208,400,000 services to children with disabilities in Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funding.
• $207,100,000 for school modernization in South Carolina’s schools.
• $383,000,000 in food stamps for 637,000 South Carolina men, women, and children.
• $60,300,000 in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for 105,700 adults and children.
• $15,900,000 in emergency shelter grants for 3,900 households.
• 221,000 South Carolina children will benefit from the child tax credit provisions of the legislation.
• $36,316,258 in Emergency Child Care and Development Block Grant funds to provide child care to 8,750 South Carolina children.

Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

For more information on how to get involved with helping children, please visit Every Child Matters.

UPDATE: The Democratic Policy Committee has also detailed how the stimulus package would affect South Carolina in a report.

South Carolina scores very low on gun laws

According to The Brady Campaign's annual state scorecard on gun laws, South Carolina gets a dismal review. What's to expect when you actually have a tax-free gun day in this state.

The 2008 report has all 50 states and rates them from highest to lowest. Out of 100 points possible, S.C. gets a grand total of... 9.

What's really discouraging is South Carolina's the section of Child Safety. It is... 0.

So, buying guns tax free is more important than protecting children from those same guns. I hope the deciders can live with that.

Vouchers represent abandonment of public education

Published in the Georgetown Times - 2/4/09:

In these past weeks, I have enjoyed letters to the Georgetown Times in reference to my column. However, the readers seem to be at a sticking point -- using fear, scare tactics and usual politics. Seeing this, I feel the need to expand on what I have written and explain in detail that school vouchers to private schools funded with taxpayer money is an abandonment of public education.

Private school vouchers are touted to be the savior of a "failing" public education system. Proponents argue this scheme will help low-income families provide their children with the best education possible. Providing a tax credit to families to send their children to a private school will allow for better opportunities and higher standards, they say. They are flat wrong.

The history of school vouchers goes back to the 1960s. They were used after school integration by some Southern states to prolong segregation. In a few instances, public schools were closed outright and vouchers were issued to parents. The vouchers, in many cases, were only good at privately segregated schools, known as segregation academies.

In my opinion, it seems those days are being relived with the school choice schemes today. The standards of public education today far surpass any standards held by private schools because there is accountability and regulation, along with certifications and guidelines.

Integration has made public schools diverse and we are better for it. I, for one, am not about regression. I choose progression.

The first installment of school choice failed in 2006. The bill voted down on the House floor would have provided for a $4,500 voucher to low-income children to escape public education, deemed "failing" by Republicans in this state. Howard Rich and friends spent hundreds of thousands for this fight to take place. It took a courageous Democratic House member, James Smith of Richland County, who was near departure for war in Afghanistan to come back and turn the tide. This was a huge blow to Rich's "bought" Legislature and governor.

I will now apply that voucher to a private school's tuition. According to a 2007 Digest of Education Statistics report, the average tuition for a private school is $6,600 -- elementary is $5,049 and secondary is $8,412. That $4,500 doesn't look like a voucher to me. It's more like a discount. The reality is low-income families are stuck with a bill for tuition, books, food and uniforms. I do not think families struggling to pay for a home, put food on a table and providing insurance can afford to take a risk like this. Discounts are provided for lots of things we purchase in life and they do not hide behind the word voucher.

For those of who thought you were getting a free ride with this scheme, think again.

What proponents of vouchers won't tell you is that you already have cheap and effective public education for all. For those low-income families who cannot afford to send their children to a private school, their tax dollars are being used to send children to a school that some parents can already afford. They also won't tell you that in order to go to these private schools, you'll still have to be bused in if you live miles and miles away from one. A two-parent, low-income working system cannot afford to travel back and forth everyday to a private school, with work in between. And from what I can tell, there it no daycare voucher either. So, more cost on a low-income family.

Now, let's analyze the $4,500 voucher in respects to public education funds. If you have 50 children receiving vouchers provided by taxpayers, that's $225,000 taken away from public education funding.

The more vouchers, the less funding. When you erase the rhetoric, the numbers do not lie. All I see is supporters throwing money at private schools without a plan to fix public education while yelling all we do is throw money at public education. Paying attention to detail, the S.C. budget has cut millions from public schools. Where's the money? You can thank those Act 388 tax cuts.

The private school voucher scheme is simply this: It's an effort to abandon public education by all means possible. Instead of correctly identifying the problems and fixing them, supporters of vouchers simply want to run away and use the same taxpayer money to fund them out to private schools. Furthermore, it's an escape measure geared to schools that want to teach what they want to teach with no accountability and no regulation. Proponents feel that since they can't have what they want taught in public education, they will pull them out and place them into private schools on taxpayer dimes.

Mr. Sanderson is a resident of Georgetown and a member of the Goodbye Minimally Adequate statewide steering committee.

MegaVote - 2/4/09

Recent Congressional Votes - Senate: Confirmation of Timothy Geithner to be Secretary of the Treasury Senate: Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 House: Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 House: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Upcoming Congressional Bills - Senate: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Senate: Confirmation of Eric Holder to be Attorney General House: The DTV Delay Act House: Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009

Recent Senate Votes

Confirmation of Timothy Geithner to be Secretary of the Treasury - Vote Confirmed (60-34, 4 Not Voting) The Senate confirmed Timothy Geithner to be Secretary of the Treasury. Sen. Lindsey Graham voted YES......send e-mail or see bio Sen. Jim DeMint voted NO......send e-mail or see bio Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 - Vote Passed (66-32, 1 Not Voting) The Senate voted to reauthorize and expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Sen. Lindsey Graham voted NO......send e-mail or see bio Sen. Jim DeMint voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Recent House Votes

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 - Vote Passed (250-177, 6 Not Voting) The House gave final approval to this wage discrimination measure. Rep. Henry Brown Jr. voted NO......send e-mail or see bio American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - Vote Passed (244-188, 1 Not Voting) The House passed this $819 billion bill providing for additional 2009 fiscal year appropriations. Rep. Henry Brown Jr. voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Upcoming Votes

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - H.R.1 The Senate is scheduled to take up this economic stimulus bill. Confirmation of Eric Holder to be Attorney General - The Senate is expected to vote Monday evening on the nomination of Eric Holder to be attorney general. The DTV Delay Act - S.352 The House will take up this bill delaying the switch from analog to digital television signals. Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 - H.R.2 The House will try to reconcile their SCHIP bill with the Senate bill.

DCCC attacks Henry Brown, others with latest ads

From the DCCC Press:

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), chaired by Congressman Chris Van Hollen, today announced the DCCC is launching a Putting Families First ad and grassroots campaign in 28 targeted Republican districts. The ads focus on the Republicans out of step priorities by putting bank bail outs and building schools in Iraq before the needs of the Americans in the struggling economy. The Putting Families First ads begin airing on Tuesday morning during drive time and will run for a week.

S.C. Congressman Henry Brown, a real GOPher, is among the legislators targeted.

"These are serious times, hard working families are worried about keeping their jobs, health care and homes - they want action, not House Republicans cheering about doing nothing," said Brian Wolff, Executive Director of the DCCC. "Republicans' champagne wishes and caviar dreams simply don't connect with middle class families struggling to make ends meet and furious that their tax dollars are going to bail out banks, build schools in Iraq, or send American jobs overseas. The Putting Families First campaign is only the first step, we will continue to go district by district to hold Republicans who continue to vote in lockstep with party leaders and against the folks in their districts accountable."

For a list of others targeted, please visit this link.

Economic Recovery - Bank Bailout Ad

This is the ad being run in Henry Brown's district, SC-01:

Did you know Congressman Henry Brown voted to bail out big banks, but opposed tax breaks for 95 percent of American workers? Times are tough, tell Brown to put families first.

Letter from Bud Ferillo - Director of 'Corridor of Shame'

I am glad that the issue of funding South Carolina's public schools is receiving healthy discussion in the Georgetown Times and applaud the paper's recent editorial supporting the constitutional amendment to install "high quality education" as South Carolina's public education standard in place of "minimally adequate education."

Our state's public school system has been woefully under funded for decades and the problem has only worsened when the legislature repealed residential property taxes and replaced the declining sales tax as the principal state source for school funding.

Siphoning off scarce tax dollars to fund vouchers or tax credits for families who choose to send their children to private schools is a bad idea to start with and an especially dangerous one in view of the state's diminishing sales tax revenues.

What South Carolina needs is a first class public education system that will equip future generations with the knowledge and skills needed to compete in the global economy. Our nation, as a whole, is falling behind our global economic competitors in providing quality education and we are facing a bleak future because of it.

South Carolina must finally come to grips with its difficult past, like the one shaped in our present state constitution by Governor "Pitchfork" Ben Tillman to create the deplorable system of separate and unequal education. Today's school children are sentenced to schools that have been unequally and inadequately funded from day one.

As our economy improves, we must put public education ahead of all other state responsibilities and insure that our education system aspire to high quality, unless of course you want to settle for "Minimally Adequate" as our state standard and the signpost to our future.

Bud Ferillo
Producer and Director
CORRIDOR OF SHAME

Support Public Education

Dear Public Education Advocate:

Last week was a busy week at the Statehouse for the issue of public school funding. A joint resolution was introduced in the House that would offer school districts in our state much needed flexibility with regards to spending. The Resolution (H 3352) now has 21 sponsors, with 11 being added today, but has yet to be put to the House for a vote. Our school districts need fast action on this resolution to untie their hands and allow them to do what's best for their students during this economic crisis. Please contact your Representative (see link below) and encourage him/her to move ahead quickly with the vote on H 3352 and to vote yes!

State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex also introduced his funding reform plan to the Senate Education Committee last week. Dr. Rex's 11-point plan, Begin in '10 , addresses some of the most crucial and controversial issues involved in public education funding. Though no specific legislation pertaining to the plan has been introduced yet, public education supporters are hopeful there will be bills forthcoming. RISE SC will alert our Advocacy Network when legislation is introduced and action is needed.

Thank you for your continued support of public education!

Best regards,

Rachel

Carrie-Rachel Dean

Executive Director

803.743.5164

www.RiseSC.org

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