S.C. State senator and 2010 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Vincent Sheheen has joined others in calling for Sanford's resignation.
"As a husband and the father of three young sons, I am truly saddened about the challenges facing the Sanfords, and I wish them God’s blessings. Let me be clear: the Governor’s private failings are not the issue. But his failure in his public office and the repercussions affect us all,” Sheheen said.
“Every elected official holds a public trust,” Sheheen continued. “The Governor’s actions constitute a serious breach of that trust. If Governor Sanford were an employee in the private sector, I have no doubt he would have been fired by now. If he were a cabinet head working for this very Governor, he would have been forced to resign already.”
"The governor’s office is a place for leadership, not a forum for self-healing," Sheheen said. "I believe Governor Sanford should take the only action that will allow South Carolina to move forward. He should resign his office. "
I have this to add:
For every single day Gov. Sanford stays in office, I urge people to donate $10 to Sheheen's efforts to become our next governor. I totally stand behind Sheheen and would like others to do so as well.
Senate: Nomination of Harold Hongju Koh to be Legal Adviser of the Department of State
House: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010
House: Department of Defense Authorization, FY 2010
House: Department of Interior and Related Agencies Appropriation, 2010
House: American Clean Energy and Security Act
Editor's Note: Congress is now in recess for the 4th of July holiday. The Senate will return on Monday, July 6. The House will return on Tuesday, July 7.
Department of Defense Authorization, FY 2010 - Vote Passed (389-22, 1 Present, 21 Not Voting) The House approved this bill to authorize funding for military activities and prescribe military personnel strengths in Fiscal Year 2010. Rep. Henry Brown Jr. voted YES......send e-mail or see bio
Department of Interior and Related Agencies Appropriation, 2010 - Vote Passed (254-173, 6 Not Voting) The House passed this bill funding the Department of Interior, Environmental Protection Agency and related agencies for Fiscal Year 2010. Rep. Henry Brown Jr. voted NO......send e-mail or see bio
American Clean Energy and Security Act - Vote Passed (219-212, 3 Not Voting) This climate and energy bill, which includes a cap-and-trade program, was passed by the House on Friday. Rep. Henry Brown Jr. voted NO......send e-mail or see bio
Tomorrow is the final day before our next financial report deadline. The results of this report will be used by others to gauge our campaign.
We have a real opportunity to take back our state and to begin the journey of rebuilding our government, improving our economy, reforming education, and making healthcare affordable for all South Carolinians.
Your contribution, received before midnight tomorrow, will not only help this campaign afford the resources needed to move forward - it will show people across the state that we can win this election.
Help me finish the quarter with a strong showing by making a contribution to my campaign. Your donation, no matter how large or small, will go a long way towards getting South Carolina moving again.
South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint, the GOPher's darling of neoconservatism, has always been weird when it comes to his "freedom" tagging of policies. Like he's the one who decides, he attaches freedom to everything GOP and makes everything else "unAmerican" for others to spit on. Let's look at some examples, shall we?
DeMint even sends out e-mails to supporters entitled "Freedom Alerts" in attempts to paint the Democratic Party and President Obama as anti-freedom.
To win back the trust of the American people, we must be a "big tent" party. But big tents need strong poles, and the strongest pole of our party -- the organizing principle and the crucial alternative to the Democrats -- must be freedom. The federal government is too big, takes too much of our money, and makes too many of our decisions. If Republicans can't agree on that, elections are the least of our problems.
If the American people want a European-style social democracy, the Democratic Party will give it to them. We can't win a bidding war with Democrats.
Seriously? This guy is an idiot. If you want to be a "big-tent party" in regard to accepting various people of various backgrounds and political views, then GOPhers such as you need to drop the rhetoric against Democratic people by suggesting they are against freedom. If I am correct, your party, Jim, not ours, supports some of the most anti-freedom policies this country has a law or supports for passage: Gay rights, affirmative action, Employee Free Choice, abortion and health care to name a few examples, Jim.
You say you can't win a "bidding war" with Democratic legislators. You aren't even willing to compromise or talk to the other side, Senator. Let's look at your voting record to prove this:
So, that's about 90 percent of the time. Numbers don't lie. How about some key votes Democrats could have used you on to support "freedom" for Americans:
1/29/09
Vote 31: H R 2: H.R. 2 as Amended; Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 -- You voted NO
1/22/09
Vote 14: S 181: S. 181; Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009
-- You voted No
8/2/07
Vote 307: H R 976: In this 68 to 31 vote the Senate passed an expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. The bill also passed the House by a vote of 265 to 159. The bill increases total funding for the program to $60 billion over the next five years and provides health insurance for 9 million currently uninsured American children. -- You voted No
All NAYS, Senator. You neglect to support freedom for women to have equal pay for jobs done by men and freedom for children to have acceptable health insurance. Good start towards liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Now, let's look at health care for America. You've, along with the GOP, constantly run down the White House for wanting to cover all Americans with single payer, so that was pretty much scrapped. Then, you and your party run the gauntlet of fear towards a public option for health care. What are you all afraid of? Losing money that funds your coffers for elections? I think so.
I guess this money is more important than saving money for Americans and providing care for those uninsured and underinsured.
Industry
Total
Indivs
PACs
Lawyers/Law Firms
$281,613
$203,864
$77,749
Retired
$271,840
$271,840
$0
Health Professionals
$226,662
$128,662
$98,000
Republican/Conservative
$218,917
$201,450
$17,467
Insurance
$208,952
$44,784
$164,168
That's a lot of money to give up in regards to getting no money in return for taking care of Americans who need drastic health care reform. Here are some facts I think might interest you:
SOUTH CAROLINIANS CAN’T AFFORD THE STATUS QUO
Roughly 2.5 million people in South Carolina get health insurance on the job1, where family premiums average $12,676, about the annual earning of a full-time minimum wage job.2
Since 2000 alone, average family premiums have increased by 92 percent in South Carolina.3
Household budgets are strained by high costs: 28 percent of middle-income South Carolina families spend more than 10 percent of their income on health care.4
High costs block access to care: 15 percent of people in South Carolina report not visiting a doctor due to high costs.5
South Carolina businesses and families shoulder a hidden health tax of roughly $600 per year on premiums as a direct result of subsidizing the costs of the uninsured.6
AFFORDABLE HEALTH COVERAGE IS INCREASINGLY OUT OF REACH IN SOUTH CAROLINA
16 percent of people in South Carolina are uninsured, and 73 percent of them are in families with at least one full-time worker.7
The percent of South Carolinians with employer coverage is declining: from 65 to 57 percent between 2000 and 2007.8
Much of the decline is among workers in small businesses. While small businesses make up 72 percent of South Carolina businesses,9 only 33 percent of them offered health coverage benefits in 2006 -- down 7 percent since 2000.10
Choice of health insurance is limited in South Carolina. Blue Cross Blue Shield SC alone constitutes 66 percent of the health insurance market share in South Carolina, with the top two insurance providers accounting for 75 percent.11
Choice is even more limited for people with pre-existing conditions. In South Carolina, premiums can vary based on demographic factors and health status, and coverage can exclude pre-existing conditions or even be denied completely.
I know you've seen all of this, haven't you? If so, then why have you come out with this junk:
Provides Americans without employer-based health insurance with vouchers of $2000 for individuals and $5000 for families to purchase health insurance.
You've got to be kidding me... Have you been talking to Howie Rich, Mark Sanford, Club for Growth and other libertarians? Vouchers? People are still going to have to pay, Jim. But the most laughable item is the way you'll fund the vouchers: TARP money. Andrew Leonard at Salon.com explains more.
How, you might wonder, could the U.S. government offer a $5000 health care voucher to every uninsured American family without adding a dime to the deficit? The answer is brilliant: Pay for the program with TARP money! Yes, "The Health Care Freedom Plan" is paid for by requiring banks to pay back all their TARP money within five years, and then use that money for the vouchers.
Frankly, I am in awe. Nothing will be added to the deficit because we will be re-using money that was added to the deficit last September.
So what happens when TARP runs out? How would succeeding allocations of vouchers be funded? There's not a whisper of an answer to that question in the DeMint press release or summary.
I'm telling you... The senator has lost it. Really.
A few weeks ago, President Obama asked you to share your personal story about how the health care crisis has affected you and the ones you love. Hundreds of thousands of stories poured in from every corner of the country. The President and I have read through many of them ourselves -- and now I'm encouraging you to do so as well.
And after you do, please forward this note on to as many people as you can.
For folks who don't yet understand why health care reform is such an urgent priority, these stories make the case far better than any statistics ever could.
For those who support health care reform but haven't yet found the time to join our campaign, these stories provide more motivation than any speech any politician could ever give.
So please read these stories, pass this note on to everyone in your address book, and help us show everyone in America why fixing our broken health care system is a necessity that just can't wait:
Thank you for contacting me regarding our nation's health care challenges. I appreciate hearing your thoughts about this important issue facing our country. Like you, I feel that Americans should have access to the best care possible by the best doctors without having to pay an arm and a leg. While America offers the most extensive health care in the world, there are too many who simply cannot afford to stay healthy and those who can must dig deeper into their pockets every day to pay for it. There is clearly a health care crisis in this country, and I want you to know that I am doing everything I can to find a remedy.
I am glad you recognize there is a health care crisis in our country, Congressman. But what are really going to do about it? I am sure you're not ready to offend the health care professionals who donated to your campaign in 2008 and are now trickling money in towards 2010. Surely, you won't have to dig deep into your pockets for health care coverage.
I am firmly committed to working with all parties to find solutions that provide genuine access to affordable, quality health care for every American. The time has come for reforms that will create a balanced, common sense approach guaranteeing that Americans receive the care they deserve while protecting the sacred doctor-patient relationship. Now is not the time to play politics with health care. I pledge to you that I will continue to reach out to both Republicans and Democrats to achieve what matters most: more affordable, more accessible, more patient-centered health care.
Really? You vote92.5 percent with your own party. Hardly a bipartisan worker, are you? If you are going to work to find solutions, you need to work with the party in power, not vote against them all the time. The framing you are using to fear people into thinking the government will tell you what doctor to see is truly embarrassing. Why? Do you get paid to sell this. According to your donations, you do. I just want an answer from you.
Playing politics with health care? Come on, Henry. Your party is doing just that. If you say you're going to reach out, then do it. You have yet to.
Part of that patient-centered approach must come from a new focus on wellness, prevention, and early detection. Today, we have a system that rewards insurance companies for insuring people who are healthy, and then we penalize companies that insure people who are sick. In fact, five preventable diseases account for 75% of all health care spending in this country. If these diseases were detected at an earlier stage, patients would have a better chance of survival and would not always require more expensive and risky measures later on. The value of wellness and prevention is generally known to doctors, who have been preaching its virtues for decades. But Washington politicians and bureaucrats have stood between these doctors, who know your health best, and you by standing in the way of preventative health measures.
The same system you and your party wants to keep at the table. I am a single-payer advocate. I can live with public option, but to have you sit here and tell Americans about what the insurance companies get rewarded and penalized with shows who you really care about. The insurance companies, of course. The system you talk about is a system you have had power to change, but haven't.
Preventive maintenance is what you are talking about. Not everyone can afford weekly or monthly trips to their doctor, especially the more than 46 million people uninsured. What are you going to do about them? In order to get them in the door, we need a public option that is affordable. Better yet, give us single payer.
Yes, you have stood in between me and my doctor. Caring more about the industry itself rather than the patients.
And as far as children go, you need not talk. You voted against SCHIP. The bill increases total funding for the program to $60 billion over the next five years and provides health insurance for 9 million currently uninsured American children. Talk about hypocrisy.
Politicians and bureaucrats have also done their best to maintain the waste, fraud and abuse inherent in the current system. Whether it's insurance companies forcing doctors to use more expensive tests or the practice of defensive medicine, which compels doctors to conduct unnecessary tests to ensure that they don't get sued, today's system is full of waste and mismanagement. It is estimated that 30 to 40 cents of every health care dollar is simply covering waste. All of this drives up the cost of health care, making it more expensive for those that have it, and putting coverage out of reach for many Americans.
More coding. Enough with this. I want real answers. If waste is what you are talking about, then call for the removal of insurance companies from the table in dealing with health care for Americans. Furthermore, give us the public option being called for, or support H.R. 676.
You've supported the waste, Henry. Here it is:
Instead of making these and other patient-centered reforms, some in Congress are advocating for a Washington-centered system that would standardize care by taking decisions about your health out of the hands of you and your doctor and giving them to a committee of bureaucrats and politicians. I believe that nobody in the government should be telling you that you can't get a medication that's going to help prolong your life or that your child can't see their doctor when they are sick; yet in countries where the focus has been taken off of the patient and put onto a "one-size-fits-all" system that takes choices out of the hands of you and your doctor, that is exactly what happens. We must never get to that point.
Patient-centered reforms, Washington-centered reforms... Is Freedom Works giving you talking points? More than 70 percent, 76 percent actually, of people support public option. That, to me, sounds like patient-centered reforms, as you say.
That's real people, Henry. Are you against the majority of Americans, as usual? Henry, you voted to tell parents they can't take their children to the doctor. And then you say we must never get to the point of taking care of all Americans with a public option. How pathetic. Look at what this country does for their people. Your party always mentions Canada and Great Britain as poor examples (because of the familiarity), but you all never mention Finland. I wonder why?
I don't want Americans forced into the position where they may potentially have to wait weeks for tests and months for treatments they need, if they can get them at all. I cannot stand for a system that would deny us the ability to take care of our families unless we have the approval of Washington. Coastal South Carolina is blessed with some of the best medical facilities and best doctors in the nation, and no government bureaucrat or regulation should stand in the way of you getting that quality care you need, when you need it.
Nobody would have to wait weeks for tests or months for treatments... Wait, we already DO wait. I do. I can't ever walk into a doctor's office and get seen by choice of doctor immediately. Sounds to me you can't stand for the people who need drastic change in health care now!
Insurance companies already stand in the way of great care because refuse people with preexisting conditions. Look.
As Congress embarks on efforts to improve our nation's health care, please be assured that I will stand for patient-centered care and against the kind of "one-size fits all" care that comes when the government intrudes between you and your doctor. To get regular updates from my office sent to you by e-mail, please visit http://brown.house.gov/updates. I am honored to serve you in Congress, and I look forward to hearing from you on other matters of interest or concern.
The House of Representatives has just passed H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES), by a vote of 219-212. For the first time ever, America has a comprehensive clean energy and global warming bill with the potential to transform our economy by creating clean energy jobs, improving our national security, and protecting our planet from global warming pollution.
LCV was in the fight of our lives to secure passage of the bill. This historic victory for the environment could not have happened without LCV supporters like you.
Big Oil and its cronies launched an opposition campaign that was tough, well-funded, and relentless. Thanks to more than 70,000 calls and over 60,000 emails to your Representatives, as well as generous financial support for our intensive national grassroots and lobbying campaign, we were able to stand up to the corporate and special interests who tried to sabotage this bill at every turn.
This vote is the single most important environmental vote these Representatives have taken in their careers. We applaud those members who voted on the right side of history and recognized that a safer, healthier planet and a new energy economy hang in the balance. And we will hold accountable those who sided with business-as-usual special interests and tried to kill this critical legislation.
Now that the House has passed this historic bill, it is on to the Senate. Everything we are hearing on the Hill tells us that Big Oil will continue to spread their lies in order to sabotage our chances to transition to a clean energy future. The fight will not be easy, but I assure you, LCV will be doing everything in our power to see this legislation becomes law.
The stakes could not be higher, but with your support and with the resources and experience we've gained from over 40 years in Washington, we will not give up. The future of the planet hangs in the balance, and we cannot afford to let up now.
Get up-to-the-minute information on the progress of this bill by visiting www.lcv.org regularly. We will keep you up to speed on developments as they happen.
Thank you for your support of LCV, for the messages you send to your leaders, and for all that you do for our planet.
Sincerely,
Gene Karpinski President League of Conservation Voters
Like you, I was shocked by Mark Sanford's announcement this afternoon. I think that this is a time for the Governor to handle personal family matters, and I ask that his family's privacy be respected. My thoughts and prayers are with Jenny Sanford and the boys.
This is an unfortunate distraction for our state, and we cannot afford to lose sight of the problems that desperately need to be addressed in South Carolina. I am maintaining my focus on the important issues facing our state, like job creation and improving public education.
Thank you so much for your ongoing support. I look forward to working with you in the coming months to bring much needed change to our great state.
For this column, I am going to entertain Mr. Tom Slagsvol’s letter to the editor in response to me in regards of the stimulus funds. I cannot allow the truth to be trampled on in such a deceptive way.
Mr. Slagsvol makes the comments of “big government controlling and spending more money” and asks where “where we will get another $700 million?” I can answer both, Tom.
If the Republican-controlled state would roll back the tax cuts that are needed to fund programs and systems in this state, we’d not need stimulus money to begin with. For example, the progressive nature of the income tax in this state has always been frowned upon, and in result, our income tax revenues have decreased 38.6 percent, making us No.2 in the nation with decreasing revenues. That’s a lot of money that could have been used for short-funded programs.
Unfortunately, money is needed to be spent to get us out of the mess we are in. What I can’t understand is why there was no outrage in money being sent in billions to a war of choice where our own country could have used it to prevent the shortfalls we face now. Only now that it’s domestic – spending on our own people – do the Republicans have a problem.
You’re right we have to change the way we tax and spend, Tom. We can’t tax the populist more than the rich and expect great returns and we can’t spend when we do not have the tax revenue to back up what we spend. Eight years of Bush and decades of Republican control have ruined our situation. Their “individualist” stance and lesser taxes mean we have to borrow and spend, for now. They have set the field for that.
And Tom, I think you are confused with what state you live in. Liberals do not run this state. They are not the ones in control who’ve said layoffs are imminent in law enforcement and public education. The Republican-controlled legislature and governorship dictated that. If liberals ran this state, you’d not worry about public education or law enforcement. They’d all have their jobs because their services would be funded appropriately.
And as far as your “high taxes” comment, you must be delusional. You received a tax cut this yearfrom President Obama. You’ve enjoyed property tax cuts as well. This state lives in cuts – even cutting jobs, services and stability.
Now, I’ll answer your question about low income families having “choice” to “escape failing government schools.”
First, the states control their public education systems. They have little involvement from the national level. If you want to say public schools are a failure, you need to look at the Republicans in this state. The school system is not a failure; the Republican leaders failed the public schools.
The parents in South Carolina have public school choice. They can choose a public school to send their children to. When you involve private schools and tax-payer funded vouchers, it’s not choice. It’s a rip-off.
Let’s say you send a child to a private school that has tuition of $350 a month. For 12 months, that’s $4200 a year. In state Senator Robert Ford’s failed school voucher bill this year, parents of students zoned for failing public schools would get a tax credit equal to 75 percent of private tuition or the state’s per-pupil spending, whichever is less.
Again, Tom, this is not choice. A voucher in this state is not a voucher in regards to education. It’s a discount. And stores have discounts on all types of products, but it doesn’t mean all people can then afford them. Parents still have to pay.
But choice does exist with the more fortunate. They can send their child to a private school if they can afford it. The problem I see is the Republicans want a back door to allow the state government to give back to parents, rich parents. In laymen’s terms, another rich-class tax cut.
If Gov. Sanford truly wanted children and parents to have choice, he’d make the voucher a real voucher, providing 100 percent of the tuition cost up front.
The governor of this state sends his children to private school as well, Tom. Almost all politicians do so. President Obama and former president Bill Clinton didn’t want the taxpayers to fund their children’s education in private schools. We should heed their stance.
And then we have the attacks from Mr. Slagsvol. In referring to me as a “union boss” and wanting to have a “government monopoly.” Huh? Come on, Tom. This is more serious than political coding to jab at me. I wrote the column you responded to with fact. This just demeans your whole response. Obviously, you’re even confused with who I am.
And as far as you commenting about a statewide group wanting to change our state constitution to allow for a high-quality education, you’ve basically summed up what a majority of this state really think about its children and the public education system. It’s the same thinking that lead to the language in the constitution now.
Thanks for responding, but I suggest you to get to know your state better than you do in regards to political leadership.
People are outraged that Senate Democrats are lining up against a public health insurance option supported by 76% of Americans -- all while taking $80 million of health and insurance industry money.
So we decided to do something about it. We made a TV ad calling them out. And now we're inviting you (and your friends) to put your name in the ad before we air it in Washington DC!
This ad will air on CNN, MSNBC, The Daily Show, and other places that these senators and their staffers will be sure to notice. We'll continually rotate new names in. Please help this idea grow by passing this email on to anyone you think would like to add their name.
Together, we'll make the Senate listen to the vast majority of Americans who say: "We want the public option!" Thanks for being a bold progressive.
--Stephanie Taylor Co-Founder, Progressive Change Campaign Committee
Fed up that Senate Democrats keep opposing a public health insurance option? Add your name to our new TV ad!
House: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010
House: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010
House: Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010
Recent Senate Votes
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009 - Vote Agreed to (91-5, 3 Not Voting) The Senate gave final passage to this $106 billion bill providing funds for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, sending the bill to the President. 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
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009 - Vote Passed (226-202, 6 Not Voting) The House approved this bill funding the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Rep. Henry Brown Jr. voted NO......send e-mail or see bio
Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2010 - Vote Passed (232-178, 23 Not Voting) The House approved this bill to fund the legislative branch, including salaries and expenses of member offices, committee offices, the Capitol Police, the Congressional Budget Office, the Architect of the Capitol and the Library of Congress for Fiscal Year 2010. Rep. Henry Brown Jr. voted NO......send e-mail or see bio
Upcoming Votes
Travel Promotion Act of 2009 - S.1023 The Senate is scheduled to work on this bill that would establish a non-profit corporation to communicate United States entry policies and promote travel to the United States.
Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010 - H.R.2892 The House is scheduled to vote on this bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security for Fiscal Year 2010.
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 - H.R.2647 The House is also scheduled to vote on this bill to authorize funding for military activities and prescribe military personnel strengths in Fiscal Year 2010.
Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 - H.R.___ The House is also likely to work on this bill to fund the Department of Interior, Environmental Protection Agency and related agencies for Fiscal Year 2010.
Last week, I announced United We Serve – a nationwide call to service challenging you and all Americans to volunteer this summer and be part of building a new foundation for America.
And when I say “all,” I mean everyone – young and old, from every background, all across the country. We need individuals, community organizations, corporations, foundations, and our government to be part of this effort.
Today, for the official kick off of United We Serve, members of my administration have fanned out across America to participate in service events and encourage all Americans to join them.
The First Lady is rolling up her sleeves and getting to work too. But before she headed out today, she asked me to share this message with you.
Our nation faces some of the greatest challenges it has in generations and we know it’s going to take a lot of hard work to get us back on track.
While Michelle and I are calling on every American to participate in United We Serve, the call to service doesn’t end this fall. We need to stay involved in our towns and communities for a long time to come. After all, America’s new foundation will be built one neighborhood at a time – and that starts with you.
I’m writing to share a special video of Barack talking about fatherhood, but first I want to share some thoughts of my own.
My father, Frasier Robinson, was the rock of our family. Although he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in his early thirties, he was our provider, our champion and our hero.
He worked tirelessly through good days and bad to make sure my brother and I had every opportunity he didn't -- to go to college and pursue our dreams. His example continues to guide me every day.
Barack didn't have my good fortune -- his father left when he was just two years old. But he has always been determined to give our daughters what he never had, and he values being a good father more than any other accomplishment in his life.
On Friday, Barack brought some men (and a bunch of kids!) to the White House to talk about fatherhood. Check out a video of the event:
We all know the remarkable impact fathers can have in our children's lives. So today, on this 100th anniversary of Father's Day, take a moment to celebrate responsible fatherhood and the men who've had the courage to step up, be there for our families, and provide our children with the guidance, love and support they need to fulfill their dreams.
That's what Republicans are trying to do to the American people with these words: Scare them out of health reform.
Our partners have put together a video of all their fear-mongering tactics. It would almost be funny if it weren't so true. Well, actually, it is pretty funny.
From Newt Gingrich to John Boehner, check out the extremes the right is using to block President Obama's plan to provide quality, affordable health insurance for all by keeping the insurance industry honest and bringing down costs.
Clearly it's not working. A national poll released yesterday found that more than 76 percent of Americans agree that they want the choice between keeping their health care coverage and a public health insurance option that would keep the insurance industry honest.1 The video is a scream, we promise. Click here to watch.
After you watch the video, be sure to send it along to friends. We've got to get the word out about Republican fear-mongering, and we might as well have a little fun in the process!
South Carolina state Rep. Vida Miller recently sent out a update to all her constituents.
She points to key achievements made in the shortened session this year, including a state budget that was passed with no tax increase. I, however, feel there should have been some increase to make up for lost revenue.
I commend Rep. Miller for sending out this update and I've posted here for those to read as well.
Ah, yes. It's Summer time. It's when you go to the beach and play in the ocean, build sandcastles and soak in some rays. But in South Carolina, we are taking in different rays - the ones that show our jobless levels.
The month of May saw an increase in the state's jobless rate, climbing to 12.1 percent. Georgetown County's rate rose half a point to 12.0 percent. That's not factoring the steel mill layoffs expected in July.
But, wait... Tourism! The great big hope! Blah. To those who think tourism is the save-all to our state's economy, you better get your head out of the beach sand.
"To see Horry and Georgetown both increase in May is just amazing," said Don Schunk, a research economist at Coastal Carolina University. "That was unexpected. For them to increase as we head into the summer season is pretty incredible."
Not to me. I knew this was going to be the way for a long time. Even during peak tourism months. Why? Because unlike some people in this state, I pay attention to our national scene as well. I guess that individualist mentality GOPhers have here really does cloud their vision.
It's common sense. People all across the country have lost jobs. A majority of them would not travel even if they wanted to because of the uncertainty. The bike weeks suffered from out-of-state travel as well. This should have been precursors for what was coming this Summer.
The job losses hit manufacturing the hardest. It'll hit hard here in Georgetown as well.
But I suppose that's the norm. These CEOs would rather see industry all but leave - and go overseas for bigger profits - than work to provide, keep and expand jobs in America.
Forty of 46 counties in South Carolina saw jobless rates increase. Governor Sanford must be proud. I ask him to go on MSNBC, FOX and CNN and brag those statistics as well. Along with his stubborn, childish stance on the stimulus funds, he'd make another good argument for president - elect me and I'll erase all jobs for America.
And to the notion of tourism in this state, it really pains me to see leaders think this is going to be our hail-Mary. It's not.
Look around you. If the news stories, the statistics and the lack of tourists doesn't convince you, nothing will. But then again, truth escapes the GOPhers here in South Carolina on a constant basis.
Here's more from the Sun News:
South Carolina's payrolls overall were down by 90,000 jobs, or 4.6 percent, since May 2008, with manufacturing giving up 29,000 jobs.
The loss of manufacturing jobs "does not bode well for the state's chances of an economic recovery in the short-term," said Roosevelt Halley, the commission's executive director.
While the travel and leisure industry gained 7,100 jobs in May, tourism has lost 15,400 jobs in a year.
Well? What now, GOPhers?
It's not hard to see that this state GOPher monopoly cares little about people working. But as long as they are working - in brainwashing you - they are enjoying the suntan.
S.C. State senator and 2010 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Vincent Sheheen has joined others in calling for Sanford's resignation.
