Harrell: House Supports Roll-Call Voting
Recently, the S.C. Policy Council released a report on roll-call voting by the General Assembly. I have always been a supporter of the Policy Council and have relied on its research on countless issues. There is even a quote from me on the Policy Council Web site stating how much I rely on its work. However, the research done on roll-call voting was not at all up to the quality of work expected when the Policy Council’s name is on a document.
The report clearly states: “Total House Roll Call Votes — 62.” However, the House actually took 443 roll-call votes in 2008 — an average of seven for every day we were in session. The 443 number is easy to verify. Every vote can be found online on the General Assembly’s Web site. This information has been readily accessible online since 2001.
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Raid on plant exposes price of illegal immigration
Illegal immigration carries a terrible price. It mocks the rule of law upon which this nation was founded, it punishes those who play by the rules, and it ultimately creates suffering among those who knowingly or carelessly participate in the underground system.
A raid last week at the House of Raeford’s Columbia Farms poultry plant in Greenville resulted in the “administrative arrest” of about 330 workers believed to be in the country illegally. Most people don’t take satisfaction in seeing hundreds of hardworking people rounded up and detained until their fates are resolved — except perhaps those Americans who dislike immigrants as much as they deplore illegal immigration.
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Lawmakers must look at entire taxing system
Reasons abound for lawmakers to revisit the state’s 2-year-old property tax reform legislation. But they shouldn’t approach the issue piecemeal. That’s what got us in this predicament in the first place.
Point of sale reassessments, which are kicking in for the 2008 tax bills, are the latest complaint lightning rod. New market-value assessments come into play now when property changes hands or is extensively renovated.
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Editorial; P&C: Follow Sanford Fiscal Fix
Last week’s news for state government was even worse than expected, with a budget shortfall now estimated at $415 million. As the Legislature works on a solution in preparation for a special session, it should follow the governor’s lead.
Even those legislators who have routinely opposed Gov. Mark Sanford’s efforts for budget frugality would be hard pressed to deny that he has better credentials as a fiscal hawk than anyone in the General Assembly. Too bad the Legislature has generally ignored his efforts to curtail state spending during his years in office.
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GN, editorial: Economic Questions Left Unanswered
With the looming $700 billion bailout of the financial industry, the next president is likely to have his hands tied in trying to reduce the federal budget deficit or prevent the approaching fiscal calamity in the Social Security and Medicare programs. Even before the bailout, however, neither John McCain nor Barack Obama offered detailed ideas for getting the federal government’s fiscal house in order.
Neither candidate is talking about the tough choices necessary to bring the federal budget back into balance while ensuring the long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare.
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The State, editorial: In Time of Crisis, Our Leaders Fail Us
ON MONDAY, WE SAW that our nation is suffering from a shortage more profound than the looming collapse of credit — a leadership deficit.
The president can’t lead, and it seems painfully obvious that he knows it. As for Congress — after “leaders” worked across party lines for several days, we were treated to appallingly petty displays of partisanship before, during and after the 228-205 House vote against the rescue plan.
While sincere people had valid objections to the plan put forward by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, its rejection on Monday helped crystallize the fact that however flawed it was, there was one worse option: not passing it.