News Letter
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Reform – Round Two
With the goal of making South Carolina the Freest State in the Nation, grass roots organizations throughout the State had to first identify the barriers to freedom that exist in South Carolina.
The number one barrier to freedom was secrecy.
That was the reason South Carolinians demanded on-the-record voting from our legislators last year.
The legislators did not want to give up their cloak of secrecy and fought to keep the status quo of voice voting whereby they could vote one way and tell their constituents they voted another.
The second barrier to freedom identified is centralized power.
Our Founders understood that in order to maintain liberty, governmental power had to be diffused or separated.
Once power becomes centralized, corruption becomes rampant and there will be no one to bring it under control.
This is the reason South Carolinians have demanded this year to reform South Carolina’s government.
Like last year, we didn’t expect it to be easy. However, after Speaker of the South Carolina House Bobby Harrell was victorious on his “Drive for 75” Republicans in the House, we were hopeful that he could deliver on promises made to bring real reform.
Well, maybe he needed 76 Republicans to bring real reform.
H-3066 was the bill to restructure and reform South Carolina government.
It was anemic in it creation and did very little to actually diffuse power in Columbia.
Then when it reached the Senate, it was made even worse when the queen of transparency Governor Nikki Haley negotiated with Senate leadership to keep things mostly like there were.
She apparently didn’t want the responsibility that comes with separation of power.
If you have ever wondered how South Carolina created the largest budget in State history during the worst economy of our lifetime; centralized power is how it happened.
If you ever wondered why South Carolina is ranked 49th in education; centralized power is how it happened.
If you ever asked why South Carolina has one of the highest income tax rates in the nation; centralized power is how it happened.
If you ever asked why South Carolina must give away tax payer money to attract new large business; centralized power is how it happened.
If you ever asked why South Carolina continues to go deeper and deeper into debt; centralized power is how it happened.
The citizens of South Carolina deserve and demanded real reform and restructuring of our State government.
We clearly stated that we want to diffuse the power in Columbia.
We didn’t just tell the legislators what we wanted; we gave them a written plan to make South Carolina the Freest State in the Nation.
What we asked for vs. what we got
Citizens asked for legislators to publicly debate and vote on every bond they authorized, thus making them responsible for the debt our state incurs.
We got, the Senate created a new hybrid board (just like the Budget and Control Board) to split the authority to authorize state debt; continuing to shirk their responsibility for indebting taxpayers.
Citizens asked for legislators to come back into session and make responsible cuts in the event of a revenue shortfall in mid-year. Citizens wanted lawmakers to face the public for their choices and be held accountable.
We got, lawmakers gave themselves the option to do nothing and allow an unelected, unaccountable state employee the authority to make mid-year budget cuts.
Citizens asked for lawmakers to mandate regular objective and public audits of all state agencies by the Legislative Audit Council on a schedule that is independently determined – not a schedule set by politicians.
We got, The Senate broadened its power through legislative “investigative committees” – which have the authority to question and depose not only state employees, but private citizens if they deem them to have relevant information.
In addition, decisions regarding which agencies are “investigated” are left up to legislative leaders – the same ones who control most of state government already.
The public cannot be confident these politicians will investigate the agencies they control the same way they would the agencies the governor controls.
Citizens asked that the responsibility for issuing state contracts lie with one person whom the citizens of South Carolina could hold accountable if there was any wrongdoing or negligence in the process.
We got, The Senate created a mixed system of doling out state contracts.
One third of state contracts being given out by the Department of Administration and the other two thirds by a three person panel, allowing politicians to avoid the full responsibility.
Citizens asked for the chairman of the Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) to be appointed by the governor with advice and consent of the senate.
We got, the Senate created a BEA chairman who reports not only to the governor, but also directly to legislative leaders that are not elected statewide and who write the state’s budget based off the BEA’s forecast.
This is not about what our Governor or Senate President or House Speaker wants; it’s about what is right for South Carolina. However, we know that nothing in our State happens without the support of the leadership of the Legislature and the Governor.
Let me summarize with this: we know that centralized power is a barrier to freedom and we know Columbia has created for them a system of centralized power.
We feel the result of the centralized power every day with high income taxes, an economic system whereby jobs are created only when special breaks are provided to a few, an education system that is significantly below national averages, and one of the highest sales taxes in the nation.
If you desire your children to live in the freest State in the Nation please contact your Representative, the Speaker of the South Carolina House and the Governor today.
Let them know you want to diffuse the centralized power in Columbia.
Let them know you will not settle for half hearted reform measures that only allow them to have campaign talking points without real reform for the tax payers.
Tell them to amend H-3066 to implement the reform outlined above.
Let them know you are watching and you will remember their vote on reforming the centralized power in our State.
The choice is yours, status quo, or real reform. Contact them today!
Find your Representative Here
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Contact the Governor Here
Please visit www.rinohunt.net and join a truly conservative organization that is working to resist socialism, rebuild conservative government and restore our Constitution. Please send this newsletter to your friends and family to help spread the word. RINO season is here.
Sincerely,
Harry Kibler
Founder, RINO HUNT
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