The latest on the S.C. state budget

Last Tuesday, the Senate voted 29-14 to non-concur with the House amendments to the FY 2010-11 General Appropriations bill, H.4657, sending it to a conference committee. Conferees were Senators Hugh Leatherman (Florence Co.), John Land (Clarendon Co.), Mike Fair (Greenville Co.), and Representatives Dan Cooper (Anderson Co.), Bill Clyburn (Aiken Co.), and Kenny Bingham (Lexington Co.) They reached consensus late yesterday afternoon and will report the budget compromise back to their respective bodies next week.

As reported last week, contention between the two bodies was over the source of funding for the court system, highway patrol and natural resources – health care. Much of the wheeling and dealing took place behind closed doors and by Thursday afternoon, the House conferees entered the committee hearing looking tired. The Senate restored all but $700,000 of the $8,300,000 in cuts to health care services the House used to fund the Judicial system (court), DNR and DPS. Below are the details of what services were restored or eliminated.

Funding levels restored to health care services under DHHS:

• Kidney Disease Prevention - KEEP $1,000,000
• Rural Hospital Grants $300,000
• Federally Qualified Health Centers $200,000
• Prescription Assistance Welvista ($5k) and Free Medical Clinics ($1k) $600,000 total
• Cap Enrollment of SCHIP Standalone Program $1,700,000
• Hard cap of 3 prescriptions $5,700,000 (4 soft cap, 4 with override)

Funding levels restored to health care services under DHEC:

• Rape Crisis Centers $100,000
• ADAP Program Annualization FY2009-12 n/r funding $2,000,000
• HIV Prevention – Faith Based $200,000
• Best Chance Network $1,000,000
• Colorectal Cancer Screening $1,000,000
• Hemophilia $100,000
• Trauma Centers $800,000
• ADAP Program Elimination $2,200,000

Conferees settled on the following provisos of note: not exclusive

• 22.48 Budgetary flexibility (if Part IV funds not realized)
• 80A.55 State Health Plan - Obesity Treatment Pilot Program
• 80C.2 Abortion funding in the cases of rape, incest, or risk of mother
• 90.18 Healthcare maintenance of effort
• PART IV Enhanced FMAP – except trauma language to prioritize levels of designation

Allocation of U.S. 2009 Taxes

Just so you know the truth. Here's more. The first numerical column represents billions in dollars in 2009 and second shows the 2009 percent of the federal funds budget.

Source: Budget Chart: President Bush's FY 09 Budget Proposal, Friends Committee on National Legislation, February 15, 2008
Current Military Spending	742	30.9%
Cost of Past Wars	324	13.5%
Total military percent		44.4%
Health care	472	19.7%
Responses to Poverty	284	11.8%
Interest on Non-Military Share of Federal Debt	261	10.9%
Government Operations	166	7%
Education and jobs	52	2.2%
Science, Energy, & Environment	60	2.5%
Non-Military International Programs	37	1.5%

Four Republican Congressmen Do Not Want Us to COMPETE

All four Republican congressmen in S.C. voted against H.R. 5116: the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010.

Yes, Republicans do not want us to compete. Screw science.

The $96 billion legislation increases investments in science, research and training, and advocates have hailed it as a commitment to an “innovation agenda” in Congress. Our Republican congressmen, however, have a different agenda.

Gresham Barrett wants to be our governor. His recent vote doesn't support what he preaches, though. Let it be known he does not want innovation to be part of S.C.

Henry Brown is retiring. Start the wildfire, no pun intended. His no votes really spell disaster for S.C. With 11 GOP candidates wanting to replace him, we could be in for more of the same - which is bad news for the 1st District.

Stick behind the 'anti-incumbent ' message

People across the country have been saying it for years. A saying that gets spoken and written during each and every election cycle. Well, it looks like this year could just be more than just a saying.

We have seen incumbents of both Parties get the boot thus far nationally. However, I am more interested in seeing whether or not people live up to the phrase in this state. Let's all take note of this, shall we?

This state has been decimated by GOP rule for decades. Our state house has been dominated by GOP rule. Our two U.S. senators wear the elephant emblem.

Will the people of South Carolina stick behind the anti-incumbent message and vote out those who have been in power, creating a monopoly?

I think not.

I am optimistic, however, I think the people of this state love the failures their Party has created. If not, then they are too brainwashed by Republican ideology that has the electorate fearing gays, the loss of guns and the seizing of religion.

Family values? Forget about it. If people here were willing to vote differently, our governor would have been enough incentive.

Budget cuts? No. That's not enough. People are too convinced by the GOP that we spend too much, and are "taxed enough already" when figures and stats prove otherwise.

Free markets? The GOP has done a grand job convincing people they are better off on their own without the government. However, consider an event off our coast similar to the Gulf Coast's. Would the people of this state change their tune then? Would they want the government to help them or chance it by allowing a company to dominate all the decisions?

Let me remind those of South Carolina that the "incumbent" Party has been Republican. Been so for decades. There has been multiple times for living up to the message of "throwing the bums out" of office. Hasn't happened.

Unless the electorate sees the Democratic Party in South Carolina as an attractive change from the norm, then we'll suffer for more years after Election Day 2010.

I really hope people here in this state see what is happening around them. I hope they know people affected by these budget cuts. I hope they know a few people unemployed and how important benefits are (especially when Gov. Sanford - Republican - played politics with them).

This Memorial Day is a time to remember our veterans for their sacrifices given to this country so the people living in it may enjoy the freedoms of today. I also say it's a time to remember what the GOP has done yearly to this state, its people and the agencies of government meant to help them.

Stick to the message, people.

Vote the incumbents of this state out of office. Allow a different Party a chance to show you what can be done for its people. The GOP has had a monopoly for way too long.

Throw the bums out.

Jane Dyer participating in Pickens Memorial Day event

Jane Dyer will be participating in the Pickens Memorial Day event at 10:00 am, this Monday, May 31. Three Upstate groups -- American Legion, Fleet Reserve Association and Knights of Columbus -- have joined together to hold this annual event at Sunrise Cemetery (East Cedar Rock Street in Pickens).

There will be a guest speaker and remarks by elected officials as well as the raising of a new flag.

The 30-minute event will be followed by a reception at the American Legion Hut on Haygood St.

The public is invited to attend.

Why is S.C in the shape its in?

Why do you think?

Do you think the federal government has put us in disarray? We sure do hear a lot about how we're "taxed enough already" and how government spends too much. I wonder why we don't hear the same about the huge budget cuts from multiple state agencies? Why do I not hear about how we have a state income tax rate that tops out in the single digits? Why do we not hear about the Act 388 screw-up?

Why do you think?

Do you think the Democratic legislators - the minority party in the state for decades - have pushed a "liberal" agenda? We hear a lot about how the "tax-and-spend" Dems just go out of control.

Well, taxing and spending equates to bringing in revenue and spending what you have. These Republicans know nothing about that. They don't know how to balance a budget and they sure don't know how to fund state agencies the people of this state depend on.

For decades now, the GOP has held onto power. That power gets abused. In return, the GOP gets rewarded with new terms because they hide what they really do and con you with fear. They scare you into believing the state Dems have some sort of absolute power to ruin your way of life.

Really.

They pull the curtain on their years destruction. Yeah, nothing to see here. Keep moving.

Why do you think we're in the shape we are? Because of Democrats? Because of the federal government?

No.

People, realize that GOP support = a continuance of failure for the people of S.C. They have caused our mess. If you vote for them, you'll reward their abuse and further the mess we are in.

The state and its people deserve better.

Ashley Cooper shares his thoughts on Memorial Day

Memorial Day is much more than a long holiday weekend, it's a solemn reminder of the hundreds of thousands of American men and women who have given their lives to preserve the freedom we hold so dear.

William Cooper serving in Korea

I hope you will be joining me on Monday in giving thanks to all of those who have served before and praying for the safe return of those who are still in combat overseas.

We need to do everything we can to ensure that, when those soldiers are safely back at home and their service is done, they have every opportunity to enjoy the American dream they have been fighting to protect.

When my father returned home to South Carolina from his service in the Korean War, he came back to an America that was full of promise and possibility. He worked hard, and along with my grandfather, started a business that is still thriving over fifty years later.

Most of the men and women in our armed forces are not career soldiers, and we need to ensure that when today's soldiers come home, they have the tools they need to succeed: education, access to quality health care, and employment opportunities.

From the early days of the Revolutionary War, South Carolina's sons and daughters have always stepped up to the challenge to defend our way of life, and far too many of them have paid the ultimate price. Memorial Day is an opportunity to not only reflect on what has been sacrificed, but also to look forward and make the most of the freedom those fallen soldiers were fighting for.

Thank you and please have a safe and happy holiday weekend.

KEEP THE PRESSURE ON!

This week, Congress received more than 20,000 calls from educators, parents, and concerned citizens about the urgent need to keep educators working and students learning. But the fight continues.

Congress will be in recess the week of May 31. When it returns, the House Appropriations Committee is poised to act on a bill that includes $23 billion in emergency funding to help save the jobs of hundreds of thousands of educators.

We need your help to keep build support and keep the pressure on:

• Contact Members of Congress back home. Members of Congress will be returning home for the Memorial Day recess. Call the local district office and let your Representative know how important an education jobs fund is to your school and your community. Check the Member’s website to see if he/she is holding a town hall meeting where you can speak up for education and kids.

• Keep the calls coming! You can still call 1-866-608-6355 to contact your Representative in Congress. You will hear talking points and will be connected to the United States Capitol Switchboard — ask for your House Member. Tell your Representative that public education faces a budget catastrophe and that he/she should support including funding to save education jobs in the emergency funding bill (known as the “emergency supplemental” funding bill).

To keep up on the latest and support the effort:

• E-mail your Members of Congress to support funding to save education jobs in the emergency supplemental appropriations bill.

• Check out NEA’s new TV commercial, playing across the nation this week and calling for an education jobs package. Visit Education Votes, where you will find more tools to help you spread the word — television and radio ads, print ads, and audio news releases.
  
  
• Become a “fan” of Speak up for Education and Kids on Facebook — a community of educators and concerned citizens – now more than 16,000 strong — who believe our nation has a responsibility to invest in education and avoid the short-sighted cuts that could deprive our students of the bright futures they deserve.

• Share your story. Is your job in jeopardy? Have you already received a “pink slip?” Tell us what is happening in your school and how it will impact your students.

• Read what your colleagues across the country are saying about layoffs in their schools.

The S.C. mess we live in, created by the GOP

Our entry signs into South Carolina ought to read something like this:

Welcome to South Carolina: Where the GOP ruins the local people so you can have a good time.

Yes, the GOP-created mess in South Carolina is theirs and theirs alone. The facts are plain and simple. They have controlled - dominated - our political process for decades. They have had complete rule over all lawmaking decisions. They have even turned many Democratic lawmakers into DINOs. Their stink is on just about everything.

Even with the affair sagas, the GOP seems to want No.1 in the category. Not surprising, however, is they are willing to drag the people of this fine state right along through it. Like, it's not enough that we have to endure the massive budget cuts of our state agencies in favor a couple tax holidays and huge tax cuts that almost kill our revenue intake.

Nooo... It's not enough. Now, we have to live through soap operas - elections - directed by the GOP itself. It seems they are soooooooooooooo confident in your vote, they couldn't care less about how they live their lives. Hypocrisy runs wild and people here still buy into it.

Don't worry. After you walk out of that booth and you've cast your GOP vote, you're gonna forget all about reality and fall back into the so-called dream world these Republicans protect you with.

However, a minority of this state - who actually get the picture and look past social issues and vote for their families i.e. jobs, security and income - vote for change. They vote to replace decades of domination with change.

The Dems in the state have seen three polls, polls that show them carrying the highest percentage of uncertainty.

Yes, the GOP-created mess we live in. If people don't go out and vote for their wallets, their livelihoods, and jobs, then you can break out the spray paint and add those phrases to all our entry signs into the state.

SCPFFA endorses Robert Burton

Mike Parrotta, President of South Carolina Professional Firefighters Association has stated, "I am pleased that our Locals from Charleston to Myrtle Beach in the 1st Congressional district are in full support of Robert Burton for US Congress. As the public trust of firefighters is always high I know that the citizens of the 1st district look to us, as to who we feel would do the best job in Washington D.C..The SC Professional Firefighters of the 1st district will help in this important election to get our families , co-workers and neighbors to elect the only person qualify for US Congress, Robert Burton."

Col. Robert Burton said, "My family has many ties to the firefighters here in South Carolina and I am proud of my association with them. These fine women and men put their lives in harms way everyday and I am certainly grateful for their efforts and sacrifices."

The SC Firefighters recognize that leadership and concern for our constituents is vital to our representation in Congress and believe that Col. Robert Burton is just the person to lead us.

Statehouse Report poll shows Haley, Sheheen in lead

A Statehouse Report poll released today shows Republican Nikki Haley and Democrat Vincent Sheheen winning their respective primaries. However, this is the third poll in a row that has a high undecided percentage for the Democratic candidates.

In the Democratic race, state Sen. Vincent Sheheen of Kershaw garnered 26.3 percent, followed by state Superintendent of Education Jim Rex at 17.2 percent. State Sen. Robert Ford of Charleston was in last at 12.4 percent. It could be argued that “nobody” is well in the lead in this primary race as 44.2 percent of those who said they would vote in the Democratic primary responded that didn’t know who they’d vote for.

• Read a news release about the poll
• Full poll results

Carl Anderson, Ted Brown talk jobs, education and I-73

The Georgetown Times published Friday a questionnaire between the two Democratic candidates for House seat 103. This will be the deciding election since there are no Republicans running for the seat.

Incumbent Carl Anderson faces former legislator Ted Brown. No disrespect to Anderson, but I see Ted's answers as a breath of fresh air. I believe Anderson's district will also.

Let's look at their answers concerning public education. First, we have Anderson:

Being in the Minority Party that counts being 73 Republicans and 51 Democrats makes it virtually impossible to effectively pass significant legislation that would facilitate any change in the funding mechanism that the State has in place for Public Education.

Carl, with that mentality, it seems you'll just sit and wait until the roles are reversed. No, you work on changing minds in the state house. Draft bills that put them on the spot and stand behind our public education system. Voting against their measures is honorable, but it's more honorable to force their card.

Brown, on the other hand, offers what I have been arguing for quite a while.

I strongly encourage our state legislature to revisit the statute of Act 388 and make the right decision to strengthen our education system. Along with this, I propose shifting more lottery money to fund kindergarten to 12th grade education, and making I-95 a toll road (SC residents would be exempt) to raise more funds for our state.

Ted, I am with you 100 percent on revisiting Act 388. I would like to hear you support repealing the act, too. I also like your proposal for the lottery shift and the I-95 toll, but do not know whether it would happen fast enough to revitalize our public education system. Reforming our whole tax system would be a faster option, I believe.

Brown is also the only one to mention anything about dredging the port to bring more jobs to the county.

The dredging of the Georgetown Port is the most needed thing presently to attract new business and industry. I will work with federal, state, and local government and business leaders to get the Port dredged to appropriate depth. Along with that, our state legislature and Department of Commerce must assist us in creating the necessary competitive incentives for new business and industry to come to our area.

Voters have two good choices for this seat, but only one can win.

U.S. House votes to waste taxpayer money on alternate jet engine

In a turn of events, the U.S. House voted to keep funding for an alternate engine for the F-35 program. Earlier Thursday, a Senate panel cut funding for the engine. So, the resounding victory is cut short.

The House Armed Services Committee included $485 million for the development of the GE-Rolls Royce engine in its version of the 2011 defense authorization bill. More than a dozen lawmakers, including Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), John Larson (D-Conn.) and Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) sponsored an amendment to strike the funding and allocate the money toward paying down the national debt.

Paying down the debt? That's sounds good an all, but there are more important things this country needs money for. The debt is going to be there irregardless until we get out of the wars we are in.

The Senate last year successfully stripped funding for the engine from its defense authorization bill. This year, the Senate Armed Services Committee opted not to add funding for the second engine — effectively making the issue an item of negotiation between the House and the Senate for the final defense authorization bill sent to Obama. In what could be a telling vote for the appropriators in the House, Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) on Thursday voted against the second engine. Dicks voted to strip the funding out of the defense authorization bill.

Funds for secondary jet engine cut by Senate panel

Another resounding victory for President Obama and the taxpayers of this country. A U.S. Senate panel decided today to leave out funding for a secondary F-35 Joint Strike Fighter engine.

The Senate committee’s exclusion of funding authorization for the second engine is a partial victory for the White House and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, who has threatened to recommend a veto over the engine. The House Armed Services Committee included $485 million for the GE-Rolls Royce engine and at press time the House was scheduled to vote on an amendment seeking to scrap the funding from the House’s 2011 defense authorization bill.

What I find amazing is Republicans tell us Americans that we have no money for anything domestic, but we hardly hear about the millions sought to build jet engines - especially when we already have one dubbed as primary.

Waste of money? Yes. If the GOP believe in a free market, then allow GE and Rolls Royce to build their engine without taxpayer money. It is what they say right? No government intervention?

There's more to it, however, as described in this video:

Gubernatorial Debate Tickets Available

SC Democratic Party Primary

Gubernatorial Debate

Sponsored by WBTW, Coastal Carolina University and

The Florence Morning News

Thursday, June 3, 2010

7 PM

Wheelwright Auditorium

on the Campus of

Coastal Carolina University.

This is a free event but a ticket is necessary. A limited number of tickets will be available at the Horry County Democratic Party Headquarters, 900 4^th Avenue, Suite A, in downtown Conway from 2 pm to 6 pm on Saturday. The office phone is 488-4237.

Directions to the Office.

From Myrtle Beach area: Come into Conway on Main Street. Turn right onto 4th Avenue (Hwy. 905). Travel one short block and look for the white building on the left. HCDP sign is on the corner. We are in the white building but or office faces Kingston Street.

From Loris, Aynor, etc. Travel down Main Street and turn left onto 4^th Avenue (Hwy. 905). Travel one short block and look for the white building on the left. Our sign is on the corner. The office faces Kingston Street.

If you have any questions: Horry County Dems

Having a hard time believing Henry McMaster is '100 percent' pro-life

Republican gubernatorial candidate Henry McMaster has been advertising on liberal websites for a long time now. His latest web ad is a little surprising, however.

It says he's "100 percent pro-life" as claimed by a GOP-favored group. I beg to differ. Now, if he is using the social issue that appeals to the GOP base each and every election, then he's what the group states. But, if he's actually compassionate to life here already, he's a dismal failure.

Using his attorney general position, McMaster has been against the lives of the poor, uninsured and unemployed.

He piddled around with the federal stimulus stand-off between Gov. Sanford and the U.S. Government. He did, however, say a lawsuit brought by a S.C. student to force Gov. Sanford to accept $700 million in stimulus funds was "premature." Hmm... I guess lives of public school students and teachers take a back seat.

He was more "cocky" with the national health care law. He took it upon himself to waste taxpayer money to fight against providing people in his state with more affordable health care and expanded rights to that health care, where Majority Whip James Clyburn said the bill was modern-day civil rights. However, McMaster was "protecting our way of life" from the federal government.

What is our way of life, Henry? Is it being a member of an all-white country club? That's not my life. I would make an educated guess that it's not a majority of the lives in S.C. either.

Henry McMaster is not pro life. The lives in South Carolina have been hampered by McMaster and his posturing. Fighting the health care reform law is proof that he cared nothing about the uninsured in this state. (More recent states right here.)

• 19.4% of South Carolinians are uninsured.
  
• 21% of South Carolinians under age 65 are uninsured.
  
• 60% of the uninsured are hard working citizens.
  
• 74% of the uninsured list affordability as the reason they have not purchased health insurance.
  
• 36% of the uninsured who are eligible for their employer's health insurance plan listed affordability as the reason they were not enrolled in the plan.

How about the lives of the uninsured children you were going to fight against, Henry? About 132,000 children are uninsured in South Carolina, and the number is growing.

• More than one in nine children in South Carolina is uninsured (12.2 percent of South Carolina’s children). (Table 1)
• South Carolina ranks 13th in the nation for the percentage of children in the state without health insurance.
• The number of uninsured children in South Carolina increased by 29,400 (28.7 percent) between the three-year period 2003-2005 and the three-year period 2005-2007, and is likely to continue to grow due to the financial crisis.

Henry McMaster has a record of fighting against the betterment of the lives in S.C. I hope this helps you see that he's hardly "100 percent" for life.

Markey: Flow Rate Report Shines Light on BP’s Financial Liability, True Size of Spill

From the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming:

May 27, 2010 – Following the release of a report on the flow rate of the oil spill by a technical team assembled by the Obama administration, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today continued to raise questions about BP’s potential motivations to low-ball the flow rate and size of the spill, and released new documents showing BP knew the spill could have been much bigger than they claimed.

The report, conducted by the National Incident Command’s Flow Rate Technical Group, found that the spill was likely between 12,000 and 19,000 barrels a day, far above the 1,000-5,000 barrels a day BP estimated for most of the spill’s duration. Rep. Markey has engaged with numerous independent scientists on this issue who claimed the spill was much larger than BP’s estimates.

“Now we know what we always knew—this spill is much larger than BP has claimed,” said Rep. Markey, who chairs the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the Energy and Environment Subcommittee in the Energy and Commerce Committee. “What’s clear is that BP has had an interest in low-balling the size of their accident, since every barrel spilled increases how much they could be fined by the government.”

Yesterday Rep. Markey pressed this point with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, citing documents he obtained from BP that showed BP knew as early as a week after the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon rig that the spill could have been much higher than their initial estimate of 1,000 barrels. Secretary Salazar agreed with Rep. Markey that BP could have a financial interest in underestimating the size of the spill.

The documents can be found HERE and HERE.

One document, dated April 27, shows that BP’s high estimate for the daily rate of the spill was 14,266 barrels per day, well within the midrange of today’s technical group report. Yet one day later, BP was asserting to the public that the spill was only 1,000 barrels a day – their low estimate for the size of the spill.

The implications for BP’s financial liability are directly tied to the size of the spill. Under current law -- the Clean Water Act as amended by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, following the Exxon Valdez disaster -- a company that spills oil is subject to fines up to $1,000 per barrel, or up to $3,000 per barrel in the case of gross negligence.

For BP, the difference between an estimate of 1,000 barrels per day and one of 14,000 barrels a day could really be the difference between $5 to $15 million per day in fines versus $14 to $42 million per day. That means, at the end of yesterday, the 37th day of the spill, the difference could potentially be between $37 million in fines or $1.5 billion in fines, according to BP’s own estimates from the documents.

According to the range reached by the technical group today, BP could be subject to between $444 million and $2.1 billion in potential fines for the oil spilled thus far.

“BP has to stop protecting their liability and start dealing with the reality of the size of this spill,” said Rep. Markey. “Knowing the size of the spill is vital to all facets of this spill, from response to recovery to accountability.”

DFA: A language that BP will understand

It's been over a month and the oil catastrophe caused by British Petroleum in the Gulf isn't even close to being contained, much less cleaned up. To make it worse, even as we await the results of the latest attempt to stop the flow of oil gushing from the well, BP continues to not allow anyone other than themselves the ability and access to fully investigate the extent of the problems.

Why won't BP share the full information needed to assist in the emergency response and complete understanding of the severity of the disaster? Because, as it stands right now, they have a lot of incentive to never let us know the full truth. It's likely the smaller the official estimates of how much has spilled, the lower BP's liability could be when it comes time to pay for cleaning it up.

Clearly, BP's bottom line is more important to them than stopping and cleaning up the damage they've caused. Enough is enough. It's time to speak to BP in a language they will understand.

Pledge to buy your gas from anyone but BP until the disaster is cleaned-up.

PLEDGE NOW -- AND WE'LL RUSH YOU A "BOYCOTT BP" BUMPER STICKER RIGHT AWAY

As you can imagine, BP is extremely sensitive to public pressure right now. So when you join the campaign, we'll ask you how much money per week you spend on gas so we can alert the media and BP of the financial impact as it grows each day. And of course, we'll also share this information with candidates who understand the enormous extent of this environmental disaster and will work to support our efforts.

A large-scale Boycott Campaign targeted specifically at making sure BP does everything they can -- as fast as they can -- is the perfect way for us to create economic pressure they understand.

By taking matters into our own hands, we're not waiting around hoping for BP to do the right thing or for Washington to take action. We're doing something right now -- as individuals -- that has an immediate impact on BP's bottom line.

And the longer they take to get the job done, the bigger the impact of our campaign.

JOIN THE CAMPAIGN -- AND GET YOUR BUMPER STICKER NOW

This is too serious and too big to sit around and just let it continue to happen. It's up to us to take every action we can to have an impact.

Thank you for everything you do,

-Jim

Jim Dean, Chair
Democracy for America

Vincent Sheheen's new ad - 'Moving'

Matthew Richardson on the issues

Matthew Richardson for Attorney General:

South Carolina needs an Attorney General who is both TOUGH and FAIR. Tough in enforcing our laws, and Fair in defending the rights of all South Carolinians.

We need an Attorney General who is Tough and Fair in KEEPING SOUTH CAROLINA SAFE:

 Tough on anyone who abuses or tries to scam our seniors, and Fair by defending those who honestly devote their lives to caring for our most vulnerable; Tough on any who would prey on our children, particularly sexual predators; and Fair by defending hard-working parents and families who just want a chance for their children to live the American Dream; Tough on violent criminals by delivering swift and severe justice, including the death penalty, and Fair to the taxpayers by working to transform non-violent offenders into law-abiding citizens; Tough on those who hire illegal immigrants instead of hard-working South Carolinians, and Fair to every business that competes honestly and fairly in South Carolina.

We need an Attorney General who is Tough and Fair in FIGHTING FRAUD AND CORRUPTION IN GOVERNMENT: 

Tough on corruption in state and local government, and Fair to those who serve us honestly without regard to personal interests or political persuasion; Tough on those who commit fraud against taxpayers and consumers, and Fair by prosecuting only those that really deserve it and by not filing political lawsuits.

We need an Attorney General who is Tough and Fair in PROTECTING OUR NATURAL RESOURCES: Tough in preserving the natural beauty and resources with which God has blessed us, and Fair in making our resources available for economic development, farming, forestry, recreation, tourism, hunting, and fishing. Tough in prosecuting environmental crimes, and Fair to workers trying to make an honest living and the businesses that employ them. We need an Attorney General who is Tough and Fair. And that is just what Matthew will be.

Polling data proves people here don't pay attention to key issues

The polling data released that says Republicans are favored to win shows that people here relate favorable and unfavorable to different issues - not the ones key to people's livelihood.

It seems to me that if people think favorably of Republicans here in S.C., then they enjoy the huge budget cuts, the lack of revenue to run the state and the comical affairs that come with the GOP elected folk. They must also enjoy the three G's that are continually spread, not knowing that it's all about fear.

More so than that, the Democrats - who seem to be saving their attack for the general election - are massively hurt because the "not sure" category is in the 60's. I suppose name recognition doesn't really matter or they think a huge bombardment of ads and fliers are going to win it.

Republicans have already won the social-issue game with people. It's why so many do not fall into the "not sure" category. They have some sort of basis to formulate their view on. However, our state Dems need to be more effective in getting their message out.

One Democratic candidate for a different office has been offered free space here multiple times to share their views with an audience, but I have been told they are "extremely busy" to do so.

Both Vincent Sheheen and Jim Rex understand the importance of social media. However, I believe they should use it more to promote the goals and issues that affect the state's people instead of trying to out gain the other with the amount of friends they have.

If I see an issue on their website, I do my best to share it with all those I can. I, however, do not work on their campaign.

Note to paid staffers: Instead of ignoring the blogs and people that are in your base and kiss up to the mainstream media, you all should be thanking those who print full press releases and do not charge for advertising.

It might help shrink the "not sure" category.

New poll says Republicans are favored in S.C.

No surprise here. People love being suckered. Maybe the Dems will ramp it up and show people there's a difference in the S.C. way of life. Here's a new poll showing that people would accept more of the same. A points of interest: Look at the age demographic of the polling, and the number of people who say they're independent.

Raleigh, N.C. – The Republican candidates have the upper hand for keeping the South Carolina Governor’s office in their party’s control this fall, although the margins are not overwhelming.

The strongest GOP candidate, at least until Monday, was Nikki Haley. She led Vincent Sheheen 44-34 and Jim Rex 45-36 in hypothetical contests. In both cases she held a solid advantage with independents and was able to win more crossover support from Democrats than her opponents were from Republicans.

The GOP will also start out ahead for the general election if the party nominee ends up being either Henry McMaster or Gresham Barrett. McMaster leads Sheheen 43-36 and Rex 42-36, while Barrett leads Sheheen 43-33 and Rex 38-36.

The best hope for Democrats will be if Andre Bauer can somehow finagle the
nomination. Rex leads him 40-38 in a head to head while Sheheen ties him at 38.

None of the candidates, with the exception of Bauer, are particularly well known at this point. For him being well known is a bad thing. 50% of voters have an unfavorable opinion of him to 21% with a positive one. A majority of voters have no opinion one way or the other about Barrett, Rex, and Sheheen and a plurality don’t have one about Haley or McMaster.

“The state of this race right now is pretty similar to how the Gubernatorial contest played out in 2002 and 2006,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “The Republicans have an advantage but not an overwhelming one. The GOP is certainly favored but it has the potential to be a competitive race if the Democrats get some breaks.”

PPP surveyed 1,255 South Carolina voters, with a margin of error of +/-2.8%, from May 22nd to 23rd. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.

What's wrong with this picture?

You'd think that a proposal to make mega-rich hedge fund managers pay at least as much in taxes as, say, teachers or police officers would be a no-brainer, right?

But, with Wall Street executives going ballistic, even some Democrats are getting nervous about closing the "hedge fund loophole" that lets these wealthy investors—many of whom are big campaign contributors—pay less in taxes than the rest of us.

Call Congress:

After you call, let us know how it went using the form on this page.

• Senator Jim DeMint: 202-224-6121
• Senator Lindsey Graham: 202-224-5972
• Congressman Henry Brown: 202-225-3176

Tell them that:

• Billionaire hedge fund managers shouldn't pay lower taxes than average Americans
• It's time to close this tax loophole once and for all
• The super-rich have to pay their fair share and stop squeezing the middle class

South Carolina goes national... Again, for same reason

While this state becomes the national spit bucket again, and for the same reason as Gov. Mark Sanford, the people are left here to fend for themselves - as the GOP would like it. However, I have begun thinking that maybe the people of this state love the attention.

Does this state favor a rumor-mill, gossip-filled mentality that inhibits them from growing? I am beginning to think so. It's about the only time people here get really motivated to get involved in politics. People here just love rumors, hearsay and gossip.

Well, I have some gossip for those gossip folks. Have you all heard about the GOP of this state? How they profess so much in having faith and values, but practice neither - until election time, the time you're supposed to buy into them? How about the one where state GOP lawmakers think it's so good to but used-up school buses to transport our children? They did have a part in ruining our budget with decreased revenue.

I could go on and on. But I would rather dignify the gossip as fact, because sadly, it is true.

What is it with my fellow people of South Carolina? Do they love to sit in ridicule and neglect? Do they enjoy having state GOP lawmakers - been in power for decades - dismantle government to the point where all you pay for is their salaries?

Our public education system has been bombarded so much that we have had to travel to Kentucky - not the first time in doing this - to an auction to by used school buses because we're too poor to buy new ones. I mean, why isn't that national news around here? Why are parents not up in arms about this?

I suppose they enjoy being the pin cushion.

The polls open June 6th for both Parties. For those of you who have GOP signs in your yard, I have to ask you right here and now whether you enjoy being part of the joke. Do you love going to the polls and wasting your vote on people who say one thing to you to get you there, but vote and practice something different? It's called being a hypocrite and you GOP supporters keep giving them power.

This isn't about rhetoric. It's about the truth. This state has been dominated by GOP policy and rule for decades, my friends. Nothing. NOTHING has been done to dramatically help this state. Even right-wing extremist Gov. Rick Perry can balance Texas' budget - with the help of the federal stimulus. Our governor just lies and cheats and will leave us with deficits. Plus, a budget that guts almost every government agency in the state.

The people of this state must enjoy the pain, I guess. I guess that's why people of a Democratic, progressive nature remain the minority here. The people don't want to move up in the nation. They don't want to shed the embarrassment of our GOP political people. No, they must love it because they - the GOP -use the three G's: God, Gays and Guns.

In ending this, I want to spread more gossip. I heard that the GOP's three G's aren't doing a damn thing for the majority of people in this state. Have you?

NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY TO SAVE EDUCATOR JOBS AND KEEP STUDENTS LEARNING, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26

Next Wednesday, May 26, the National Education Association will launch our National Speak Up for Education & Kids Campaign – beginning with a National Call-in Day.

TAKE ACTION:

• On Wednesday May 26th, call 1-866-608-6355 to contact your Representative in Congress.
• You will hear talking points and will be connected to the United States Capitol Switchboard – ask for your House Member.
• Tell your Representative that public education faces a budget catastrophe and that he/she should support including funding to save education jobs in the emergency funding bill (known as the “emergency supplemental” funding bill).

With 300,000 education layoffs expected, our students are the ones who will suffer – with overcrowded classrooms; shortened school days and weeks; and less individual attention and help from counselors, nurses, teachers, and support professionals. How can our students succeed with less time in the classroom, fewer instructors, and fewer supports?

Thousands of your colleagues are receiving pink slips every day. Layoffs of this many educators will also drive the national unemployment rates up even more. This would be a disaster in states that are already cash-strapped and even more of a disaster for the students we serve.

Please Speak Up!!

Pee Dee Debate Watch Party for Dems Wednesday

RSVP Today!

For more information, contact Lindsey Maxwell at Lmaxwell@scdp.org
or call 803-799-7798.

This makes it even more obvious that GOP cares nothing about public education

YEAH!!! We - as a state - go to a Kentucky auction to buy used-up school buses to transport our more than 350,000 students to school. Feel like the GOP cares about public education now?

After years of debate, the Legislature approved a plan in 2007 to replace the fleet every 15 years. But no money has been set aside to purchase buses for two years.

Buying buses that average 18 years old is obviously not ideal, said Superintendent Jim Rex. But he noted the buses were really cheap, with the winning bids at auction between $2,864 and $4,500 each, and the purchase allows the state to get buses off the road that are 26 or 27 years old and average 450,000 miles each.

Yes, people like Tom Swatzel locally and Gov. Mark Sanford, Nikki Haley and the rest of the GOP statewide would rather you thin-bone it. Good looking out for the majority of people who rely on public education in the state, GOP!

Parents, do you get the picture now? Do you see that the GOP domination of this state and its ideals and principles have only served to screw you and benefit them - look who's stayed in power all these years.

The replaced buses will now take their place at the back of lots to be cannibalized for parts to service other old buses, for which parts are hard to find. The agency plans to buy 45 additional used buses before school starts in August.

After the 1984- and 1985-model buses are retired, the state's oldest operating school buses - 149 of them - will date to 1986, Tudor said.

Good to see we are moving up, thanks to those stingy Republicans. Talk about making advances.

Video: SCGOP Why Don't We Get Drunk and Screw?

DeMint in trouble? A poll says yes

Released by Vic Rawl's Campaign:

A new SCIndex/Crantford poll released today shows well-funded incumbent Jim DeMint is far more vulnerable to challenger Vic Rawl than expected. The poll showed DeMint’s lead at only seven points, despite DeMint’s great advantage in name recognition.

The poll, conducted last week among 438 voters likely to vote in November’s general election, has DeMint leading only 50-43 against Rawl, a retired Circuit Court judge and state legislator. Less than half of those surveyed said they were likely to vote for DeMint’s re-election, a result the poll called “well below the marks of a strong incumbent.”

Rawl spokesman Walter Ludwig said that the poll was not surprising. “South Carolinians know that despite his show-pony turns on cable news, Jim DeMint has not delivered for them. This poll shows that voters are uneasy about DeMint’s radical stands, and are hungry for common sense from Judge Rawl,” he said.

The full polling memo is available at http://scindex.blogspot.com/.

South Carolina Dems call out Jim's 'DeMinted Deputies'

Jim DeMint is willing to do anything or endorse anybody to accumulate power. And it's bad, bad news for South Carolina. He's endorsed candidates who take contributions from neo-Nazis, think 9/11 was an inside job, or don't believe the federal government doesn't have the authority to protect us from drug dealers. South Carolina deserves better than a man blinded by ambition. That's why we dedicated DemintedDeputies.com to exposing DeMint and the radical views of his allies, and why South Carolina Republicans need to be running away from him as fast as their legs will carry them.

It's time for leadership, not blind ambition. Jim DeMint will sell out every one of our values if it means he gets more power. It's up to us to stop him. We're working harder, smarter, tougher, than we ever have before. It's time for Jim DeMint to represent South Carolina, not his own ambition. Stand with us.

It's 2010. We can change things.

Jay Parmley
Executive Director
South Carolina Democratic Party

A look at state budget cuts to health care services

Funding cuts to S.C. health care services.

Federally Qualified Health Centers $400K

Kidney Disease Prevention $200K

Rural Hospital Grants $1M

Welvista and Free Medical Clinics $850K

Smoking Cessation $1.7M

ADAP Annualization $2.4M

ADAP Program Elimination $2.2M

HIV Prevention – Faith Based $1M

Best Chance Network $2M

Colorectal Cancer Screening $2M

Trauma Centers $1M

GAPS Program $2.7M

Increasing state income tax rate, developing a top rate can be done

The state of South Carolina taxes a person making $30,000 at the same rate a person makes $500,000. That's seven percent. Let's do the math.

A person making $30,000 would pay about $2,100 in state income taxes while a person making $500,000 pays $35,000. Sure, there are deductions at the federal level that carry over to state taxes when you file, but think of the revenue not generated by the state with the same rate on higher incomes. The more rich you are, the better you get off with not paying a fair share.

For all those people wanting a "fair tax" as Boortz calls for, you see the destruction done by one right now in our own state. We basically operate under a flat tax today - which is killing government agencies.

A little history lesson teaches us that in a time of need, this country developed a tax revenue system to pay for what it needed as it went.

I refer you to 1916 with the passage of the 1916 Revenue Act. This act raised the lowest tax rate - one percent - to two percent and raised the top rate to 15 percent on taxpayers with incomes in excess of $1.5 million.

Now, why can't this state impose a similar system. What's wrong with having a top rate of 13 percent on taxpayers who make $1 million or more in the state of South Carolina.

With our heavily cut budget, revenue from a revamped income tax system would have helped greatly.

The seven percent tax rate should increase - with respects to incomes - gradually until it reaches 13 percent at $1 million.

This state has taxed cigarettes at the lowest rate for years, now having been brought into the light a little by raising it 50 cents. What will it take for our state legislators to realize it takes money to support the agencies our government provides. Either that or they just want government to serve them and that's all. Do the lawmakers just want taxpayers to pay for their salaries while they cut government to death?

You may ask why I use the 1916 Revenue Act as an example. The measure was specifically designed to pay for a war - World War I. Yes, in that day and age, we payed for the wars we got ourselves into.

Now, apply the restructured tax system for income and use it to generate revenue for public education. When the need is satisfied, I am sure there are other agencies that could use the funds from such a revamped sate income tax system.

MegaVote for SC 1st Congressional District - 5/24/10

Recent Congressional Votes Senate: Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act House: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass; America COMPETES Reauthorization Act Upcoming Congressional Bills Senate: Supplemental Appropriations bill House: American Workers, State and Business Relief Act House: Defense Authorization Act, FY2011 House: America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010

Recent Senate Votes

Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act - Vote Passed (59-39, 2 Not Voting) The Senate passed this bill that would overhaul the nation's financial regulatory system. The bill must now be reconciled with the House version. 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

Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass; America COMPETES Reauthorization Act - Vote Failed (261-148, 22 Not Voting) The House fell short of the 273 votes needed under suspension rules to pass this bill that would reauthorize science research programs. Republicans argue too many of the $48 billion bill’s programs are duplicative while Democrats argue the bill will increase economic competitiveness. Rep. Henry Brown Jr. voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Upcoming Votes

Supplemental Appropriations bill - H.R.4899 The Senate is expected to spend most of the week working on this supplemental spending bill. American Workers, State and Business Relief Act - H.R.4213 The House is scheduled to take up this bill to extend certain tax cuts and benefits extensions that are set to expire soon. Defense Authorization Act, FY2011 - H.R.5136 The House is also scheduled to work on this $760 billion measure authorizing defense spending for the upcoming fiscal year. America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 - The House may also vote for the third time on this bill that would reauthorize science research programs.

Buying cheaper steel hurts Americans

A report by Steel Guru says Chinese steel output may reach 640 million tons in 2010. How about that, people. American companies buying cheap steel at the expense of lost American jobs. You know what they say, don't you? When you buy cheap, you get cheap. It's the truth.

China imports and exports of steel materials in the first four months surged. Imports and exports stood at 5.61 million tonnes and 13.02 million tonnes respectively...

Supreme Court Should Strike Down Arizona Subsidy For Religious Schools, Says Americans United

The Supreme Court should strike down an Arizona tax-credit scheme that funds private religious education, according to Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

The high court announced today that it will rule on an Arizona program that gives taxpayers a 100 percent credit for donations to school voucher organizations that pay for tuition at religious and other private schools. Most of the money has ended up subsidizing religious education.

“Arizona’s convoluted scheme is a backdoor way of subsidizing religious education,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. “I hope the high court sees through it.”

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the program last year, holding that it violates the separation of church and state.

In 2002, the Supreme Court upheld a Cleveland voucher plan that funded mostly private religious schools. The court held that vouchers were one option among many available to parents. Critics say the Arizona plan is different because it funds mostly sectarian schools and does not create real choice in education.

The case is Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization v. Winn.

Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.

What do you think your state income tax rate is?

It's an interesting question to ask since all the tea criers want to be taxed less already - because it's enough and all that.

Well, in continuing with what needs to be looked at - our state tax system - the Center for a Better South proposes we should modernize our income tax structure by adjusting brackets and should consider creating a new top rate to provide progressive balance. Income tax brackets in Southern states are so outdated that they’re much like a flat tax system, especially in S.C.

For singles in 2005, if you made less than $2,530, you paid only 2.5 percent in state income taxes. If you made $12,650, you paid seven percent in state income taxes. Now, here is where it becomes unfair. Any single person who made more than $12,650 paid state income taxes at seven percent. Yep, that's right. Seven percent was the max.

It still is, but the income has fluctuated (2009 figures, singles).

• If your income range is between $0 and $2,630, tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 0%.
• If your income range is between $2,631 and $5,260, tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 3%.
• If your income range is between $5,261 and $7,890, tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 4%.
• If your income range is between $7,891 and $10,520, tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 5%.
• If your income range is between $10,521 and $13,150, tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 6%.
• If your income range is $13,151 and over, tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 7%.

In other words, the rich pay a state income tax at a rate the poor, middle class pay.

If South Carolina wants to recapture the progressive structural benefits provided in the early days of the income tax, they need to change the brackets to reflect modern wages. And they should consider adding a new top rate to protect revenues and make the tax system even more progressive.

If you want to see South Carolina's report card, according to the Center, it's right here. Here's the whole plan on reforming the state income tax to benefit the whole.

Vincent Sheheen on family values

SC Prog Blog says speak up before budget cuts kill critical programs

By South Carolina Progressive Blog

Last week the S.C. House of Representatives adopted amendments to the state budget bill that eviscerated health and human services for low-income South Carolinians in order to plug a $20 million hole in the judiciary’s budget.

Instead of considering other logical revenue sources, they balanced the budget at the hard expense of the working poor and children. They gutted programs to come up with $24.3 million for the judiciary and $22.5 million for the Department of Public Safety.

This amendment includes:

• Capping enrollment in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), leaving 70,000 to 100,000 eligible children without health insurance;
• Cutting funds to the Department of Social Services that assist low-income households with children;
• Limiting Medicaid patients to 3 drug prescriptions per month, down from at least 4 and up to 10 prescriptions, forcing the seriously ill to make potentially life-threatening medical decisions where they must treat one ailment at the expense of others;
• Cutting prevention programs for kidney disease, HIV, breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer, and funding for AIDS treatment programs; and
• Cutting grants to rural hospitals and funding to trauma centers.

Please contact your Senator today and ask him to vote to non-concur with the House amendments. (You can locate your Senator by going here.)

While cutting these life-saving programs, the House found $240,000 to fund beach re-nourishment and $3 million, the exact amount cut from CHIP, to add to the House of Representatives operations budget.

One obvious and just way to raise revenue would be to increase the sales tax on luxury vehicles. At present, a person purchasing a yacht, a jet, or a luxury car in South Carolina pays the same $300 sales tax as the person buying the cheapest car on the lot so that he or she can get to work and support a family. Such a tax could bring South Carolina more than $100 million per year to fund basic services.

It is past time for our legislators to consider other revenue options, rather than continuing to cut essential programs for our state’s most vulnerable population. There is no reason we should have to choose between public safety, a strong judiciary and caring for our neighbors in times of need.

This blog was created for members and friends of the South Carolina Progressive Network to promote and advance the good work they are doing in communities across the state. We want to connect organizations and individuals of like mind to maximize collective power, and we are working to grow the grass roots to change government and social policy from the ground up.

Rep. Alan Grayson Introduces the War Is Making You Poor Act

Grayson’s bill, which is currently being co-sponsored by Reps. Ron Paul (R-TX), Walter Jones (R-NC), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) Barbara Lee (D-CA), John Conyers (D-MI), and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), would also cut the federal deficit by $15.9 billion. “There is no longer any need to go beyond the exorbitant base defense budget,” Grayson said. “It is not necessary. Enough is enough.”

Nikki Haley's 'affair' is the latest in state GOP embarrassment

The alleged affair between a GOP blogger and state Rep. Nikki Haley is the latest blunder for an already embarrassed S.C. GOP.

But who cares?

When Gov. Mark Sanford admitted to his affair, after secretly running away from the state for a few days to "hike" a trail, people slowly took him back in, and embraced his ex-wife. Furthermore, the state never held him accountable for his actions.

Does GOP=affair in this state? Seems so. People are too afraid to vote against it though.

The Republican Party candidates already have ads on television proclaiming their faith and values. Well, if their faith leads them astray and their values similar to Gov. Sanford's, then you can keep them. They are lying to your face for a vote.

The affairs they haven't involved themselves in are yours. How about the unemployed? Gov. Sanford was too busy holding up checks to the unemployed multiple times while claiming he's a faithful person. How about the less insured. State Republicans cut drastically the funding to services for such people. Where's their God and values?

Let's face it, people. You've been conned. You will continue to be if you regularly vote for a Party that wears God on their sleeve so much that the shirt becomes too much to wear and begins to droop.

I am a practicing Christian. I attend church frequently. However, I do not wear religion on my shirt nor do I profess it in television ads to get people to vote for me.

I tend to expose people for not doing their job for the whole of the state. The state GOP has had decades of rule and has failed you people here. When will it become a necessity to vote for your wallet over social issues - where Republicans have their skeletons.

These Republicans have embarrassed the state, its people and will continue to do so when you blindly vote for them, on the pure assumption of their stances on social issues. God forbid you take a chance on a person who hasn't been in power for decades.

Take this in mind: Do you like to have your intelligence insulted? Well, the Republicans of this state don't mind doing that. They feel that if they throw a few bones out to you i.e. their stances on God, gays and guns, then you'll be so ready to vote for them - screw the more important issues the people of this state faces.

I, however, do not fall for the lies and hypocrisies of the state GOP. They have had their chance. The result? Epic failure.

Ask a teacher. Ask a veteran. Ask a person out of a job. Ask the majority of this state and they'll tell you more needs to be done. Alas, they can't get over the social issues hump.

Thanks to Will Folks and Nikki Haley, maybe people will finally see what embarrassment really means to the state of South Carolina.

Frankly, I am sick and tired of it.

Nikki Haley caught up in 'affair' mess

What's new for the GOP here in S.C. these days? Nothing, if you hear of affairs. Yes, they gonna let the "chips fall" where they need to. FITSNews Blogger and former Mark Sanford aide Will Folks admits to an affair with then-married state Rep. Nikki Haley.

The truth in this case is what it is. Several years ago, prior to my marriage, I had an inappropriate physical relationship with Nikki.

And Nikki Haley's statement?

“I have been 100% faithful to my husband throughout our 13 years of marriage. This claim against me is categorically and totally false.”

South Carolina should broaden the sales tax base

Each year when the state of South Carolina enacts its sales tax holidays the state loses millions that could help state services. We should abolish sales tax holidays and review sales tax exemptions to eliminate those that don't meet contemporary economic needs.

This state loses millions of dollars every year through special tax breaks, exemptions and holidays. We also miss opportunities to boost fairness by failing to tax more services as our economy transforms i.e. internet sales.

Tax experts consider sales tax holidays as gimmicks. Well, I also feel the same. It hardly benefits the poor to middle class. Why? Because the upper class share in the same tax-free holiday. And, after the three or four days of it, taxpayers are left with a regressive tax.

Sales tax holidays cost the state $5.2 million in 2006. In a year where we've cut millions and millions from state services i.e. public education, why would we cut even more with a sales tax holiday.

Rather than providing a multitude of exemptions and special breaks, states should seek to modernize their sales tax system by creating as broad of a sales tax base and as low of a sales tax rate as possible. A broader base and lower rate will provide meaningful tax reform by improving the fairness and administrative ease of the sales tax without lowering state revenues.

Here's more on why we need to expand our sales tax base, abolish sales tax holidays and make our sales tax fairer to help working families.

Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws conclude meeting

The Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws completed its meeting today. Below are attached the draft rules discussed yesterday and today.

Delegate Selection Rules - proposed draft - for 2012

True cost of jobs bill far lower than price tag implies, says EPI report

Members of Congress have often raised concerns about budget deficits to block
aggressive job creation legislation. These concerns are entirely misplaced for a number of reasons, including the fact that the prime contributor to today’s large deficits is the weak economy. Making matters worse, lawmakers tend to use incomplete accounting when debating the deficit impacts of job creation legislation, as a new Economic Policy Institute memorandum explains.

The memorandum shows how the $75 billion price tag of a major job creation bill, the Local Jobs for America Act (LJAA, H.R. 4812), introduced by Rep. George Miller, greatly overstates the legislation’s actual effect on the budget deficit. Because the LJAA would preserve and create jobs in local communities around the country, including jobs for teachers and public safety personnel that are slated to be cut due to budget constraints, it would lead to higher income and payroll tax receipts as well as reductions in spending for safety net programs like unemployment insurance. These effects would offset an estimated $39 billion of the bill’s $75 billion in outlays.

Using the LJAA as an example, the memo illustrates how, so long as there is
high unemployment, legislation that boosts job growth will be partially self-financing and will have net impacts on the federal budget deficit that are quite a bit lower than the headline price tag.

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Chris Kromm says Rand Paul's views are no surprise

By Chris Kromm -- Facing South

How fast things can change. Just two days ago, Tea Party favorite Rand Paul was celebrating his stunning victory in Kentucky's primary to run as the GOP's candidate for U.S. Senate.

Now Rand is fending off questions about why, in two successive media interviews, he suggested that the Civil Rights Act went too far in telling private businesses in the South that they couldn't discriminate on the basis of race.

Both triumphant Democrats and dismayed Republicans have seized on Paul's statements as a typical scandal, responding with mixtures of shock and outrage.

But are Paul's statements and sentiments really all that surprising?

True, there's a certain disconnect when on the 50th anniversary of the famous civil rights sit-ins in places like Greensboro, North Carolina and Nashville, Tennessee -- protests which challenged the ability of owners of privately-owned public accommodations -- leading Congressional candidate argues such discrimination amounts to "free speech."

But the idea that the Civil Rights Act overstepped in its pursuit of guaranteeing racial equality in the South is hardly an alien idea to political right. In fact, in certain conservative circles -- especially the anti-government, libertarian wing Rand Paul represents -- it's practically an article of faith.

Consider Ronald Reagan, now part of the pantheon of Republican and conservative heroes. Reagan got his start in national politics stumping for Barry Goldwater, whose fierce anti-government views led him to view the Civil Rights Act as an attack on "the Southern way of life."

When Reagan made his own run for the presidency in 1976, he positioned himself as Goldwater's heir, picking up his first primary win in North Carolina on a platform stoking resentment of government intrusion in the South. In 1980, the Californian consciously launched his campaign in Philadelphia, Mississippi -- just miles from where three civil rights activists were killed in the 1960s.

Like Rand, Reagan insisted his views were anti-government and not pro-discrimination -- ignoring, of course, that in practical terms, opposing federal civil rights standards would ensure that discrimination persisted. As NPR noted in a 2004 retrospective:

Today it is hard to believe that Reagan had such success using the Civil Rights Act as a whipping boy. The Civil Rights Act is now so widely accepted that it doesn't attract controversy in any region of the country -- including the South.

But Reagan's campaign was only one sign that acceptance of the Civil Rights Act wasn't -- and isn't -- as broad and deep as many believe.

Another group which still rails against federal intrusions into the South like the Civil Rights Act is the Council of Conservative Citizens, a descendant of the segregationist White Citizen's Councils of the Jim Crow era.

The CCC opposes inter-racial marriage, hates non-white immigration (legal or not), and openly praises racist-nationalist groups in Europe -- the true source of U.S. culture -- like the neo-fascist British National Party.

But it's hardly an obscure sect in U.S. and Southern politics. Dozens of mainstream politicians, almost all of them Republicans, have spoken at, endorsed or otherwise been involved in CCC activities. These include:

* Gov. Haley Barbour (R) of Mississippi
* Former Sen. Trent Lott (R) of Mississippi
* Former Rep. Bob Barr (R) of Georgia
* Dozens of state lawmakers in Florida and Mississippi

While slightly more open about their hostility to people of non-European heritage, the Council's distasteful positions are largely couched in the same libertarian language as Rand's: anti-Washington, pro-state's rights.

Consider even Rand Paul's father, the libertarian maverick Rep. Ron Paul (R) of Texas. On the 40th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, Rep. Paul rose to speak in Congress with a speech titled "The Trouble with Imposed Integration."

Based on his libertarian views, Rep. Paul blasted the Civil Rights Act as an "expansion of federal power was based on an erroneous interpretation of the congressional power to regulate interstate commerce" that "violated the Constitution and reduced individual liberty."

Such views, a natural outgrowth of the elder Paul's staunch anti-government ideology, didn't cause a media flap or raise questions about Paul's qualifications to hold office. Neither did the revelation in 2008 that, in the 1990s, Rep. Paul sent fundraising appeals bashing African-Americans and gays -- a signal that his animosity to civil rights may be about more than opposition to "big government."

Today, candidate Rand Paul -- the latest incarnation of this philosophy -- backtracked from his earlier position, saying he supported the public accommodations provisions of the Civil Rights Act after all, and that this chapter of U.S. history was "settled."

Clearly, in Southern politics and beyond, that's far from the case.