As the year in the Senate comes to a close, I must admit that this was the most worthless session in my 5 years of service. Most of the debate this year was about the Governor and the $700 million stimulus money. Unfortunately, many very important pieces of legislation were left on the vine. H. 3418 (voter id), H. 3272 (point-of-sale), H. 3245 (abortion 24-hour waiting period), and H. 3222 (free union election) would be the most important imo. Remember we are in the middle of a 2 year session, so these bills do have a chance next year.
In Columbia, the blame game is always in play, but this year I’m amazed how much blame is being cast to a first year freshman, Sen. Lee Bright. Bright is the sponsor of S. 424, also known as the Sovereignty Resolution or the 10th Amendment Resolution.
Many are suggesting that the lack of work done this year are all his fault because of his bill. Ya’ll know the power structure in the Senate is all about seniority. Ya’ll know a freshman couldn’t hold up the Senate if he tried. Here’s an article in the Spartanburg Herald, fitsnews here and here, and the wolfreport here and here. C’mon we know the deal. Issues that fall down conservative-liberal lines end up roughly @ 34-12. Democrats were successful in using S. 424 as a shield to the above bills, yet those in power are insistent on blaming a backbencher.
Here’s a few facts about S. 424.
Senator Bright filed S. 424, on February 12th with 25 co-sponsors: S. Martin, Alexander, Campbell, Fair, Knotts, Cromer, Mulvaney, Verdin, L. Martin, Shoopman, Rose, McConnell, Thomas, Cleary, Courson, Coleman, Davis, Reese, Campsen, Grooms, Ryberg, Peeler, O’Dell, Bryant and Massey
S. 424 received a favorable report from the Judiciary Committee on March 11th with a minority report. A minority report is a major blow to a bill unless the Senate places the bill on “special order”. The Senate gave S. 424 special order status on April 14th. We have 3 special order slots. Two of the slots require 31 votes of the full Senate and one slot requires approval of the Rules Committee (chairman Larry Martin, R-Pickens).
I can’t remember getting to S. 424 on the floor except for a few days. And I can’t remember the debate of S. 424 ever going much over an hour. On May 19th Sen. Brad Hutto was speaking on the bill at length and a cloture motion (ends a filibuster and forces a vote) was made, yet the motion failed.
How is it Bright’s fault when he voted in favor of this cloture vote? Here’s the roll call vote on the cloture: ayes: Alexander, Bright, Bryant, Campbell, Campsen, Cleary, Courson, Cromer, Davis, Fair, Grooms, Hayes, Martin, L., Martin, S., Massey, Mulvaney, Peeler, Rose, Ryberg, Shoopman, Thomas, Verdin nays: Anderson, Coleman, Elliott, Ford, Hutto, Jackson, Knotts, Land, Leventis, Lourie, Malloy, Matthews, McConnell, McGill, Nicholson, O’Dell, Pinckney, Reese, Scott, Setzler, Sheheen, Williams
How is it Bright’s fault when the Rules Committee special order slot was never used all year for any other bill?
How is it Bright’s fault when H. 3301 (pay day lending) was on special order for the same time? Many hours was spend on debating H. 3301, which by the way, is another big brother bill to protect you. (hope it gets a veto)
How is it Bright’s fault when he is responsible for forcing a vote on H. 3245 (abortion 24-hour waiting period)? Remember decorum won over this one.
Funny how the only time power is distributed in Columbia is when scapegoats are being sought. If I’m missing something, let me know.
Why in the world would S.424 go on special order status?! It’s just a letter to Congress, and Sen. Bright still hasn’t figured out what to put in the letter! According to the Senate Journal for May 19, “Senator BRIGHT proposed the following Amendment No. 6 (424R002.LB), which was adopted: Amend the resolution [S.424], as and if amended, by striking it in its entirety and inserting….”
Sen. Bright’s confusion has led to other amendments to the resolution, and now the resolution S.424 is extremely confusing and has several mistakes including principals instead of principles. In my opinion, the resolution should simply say, “SC reaffirms the 10th Amendment to the US Constitution.” Simple is better, especially for a letter.
Michael, S. 424 was placed on special order on 04.14.09. Here’s the vote:AYES: Alexander, Bright, Bryant, Campbell, Campsen, Cleary, Courson, Cromer, Davis, Elliott, Fair, Grooms, Hayes, Hutto, Jackson, Land, Leatherman, Martin, L., Martin, S., Massey, Matthews, McConnell, McGill, Mulvaney, Nicholson, O’Dell, Peeler, Reese, Rose, Ryberg, Scott, Setzler, Shoopman, Thomas, Williams; NAYS: Anderson, Leventis, Lourie, Malloy, Sheheen
Recent history has shown us that there are POWERFUL freshmen politicians.
Sen. Bryant, we just elected a junior (US) Senator to be POTUS and another to be the Sec. Def.
I assume Bright is a rising star in your party if the majority leader decided to address him publicly and by name. Is Peeler threatend by him?
The alternative solution is that the SC Republican party is so fractured that the majority leader cannot effectively lead. (Too many indians, no chief.) Is Bright just a scapegoat?
How deep is the pro-Sanford / anti-Sanford divide?
My god, Bryanty, you are stupid. Can you think of a greater waste of time than sending the federal government notice that you intend to follow the constitution and you expect them to do the same? THEY ALREADY ARE, you idiot. If they aren’t you can sue. We have courts. GET BACK TO WORK! Man, if you reported to me I’d send you down the unhappy road in a minute.
Why do you need to identify yourself as “Jew”?
S 424 is a a great example of why politicians are held in such low regard. It is nothing but an empty, symbolic gesture aimed at soothing the damaged self-esteem of a neutered party. It has obviously been a huge distraction and gummed up the works in the Senate at a time when the house is on fire. Heck of a job, guys!
Ron, how do you figure it “gummed up the works?”
Unfortunately, the Federal Government has been trampling on the Constitution for years. The trouble is that the states have put up with it and said nothing. Now, we’ve had enough.
It is true that we can sue, but it’s not a bad idea to give notice that we’ll be taking this Constitution thing more seriously from now on. Anyone who knows anything about the history of war knows that a summons to surrender before an attack is standard procedure. You can find a lot of political analogies between warfare and politics, probably because politics is an war between ideologies.
A resolution from the state legislature sends a strong message, and the process of passing it serves to help the citizens coalesce around the idea. It’s very unfortunate that most of the SC politicians are paying more attention to the dollar signs in their eyes and the power struggle in the Capitol than the ever-encroaching Feds on our state affairs. I hope they wake up before it’s too late.
Summons to surrender? Warfare with the federal government? Do you have any idea just how STUPID that is? Do you know what an empty waste of time that is? GROW UP! GET BACK TO WORK! Quit crying like babies and DO WHAT YOU”RE PAID FOR! Find a pothole and fill it. Write a contract to give your brother’s construction company a state contract. But, DO SOMETHING MEANINGFUL!
Man, you’re a whack job. And, why, again, do need to identify yourself as “Jew?”
Notice what I said, that there are *analogies* that you can draw between warfare and politics because politics is a battle of ideologies. Of course, we’re not wanting to go to war with the Federal Government!
The point I was trying to make is that if we just start suing the Feds for intervening unconstitutionally in state affairs, we’re going to have a fight on our hands. And it’s the right thing to do to point out the problem and give them a chance to back off first. They probably won’t, but that’s okay. It’s still a good idea, and it gives those of us who are concerned about that problem a chance to find out and let our Legislators know that we’re behind them.
Goofballs 101
Seven Surefire Steps to become a political goofball!
1. Do not ever read anything that makes you think. If you do any reading, only skim. NEVER read anything in its entirety, or engage your brain while reading.
2. Always respond based on how you feel, or the impression you got from skimming. Remember, context and facts don’t matter.
3. Anybody you disagree with is stupid, so just call them as many names as you can think of. If you post them in all caps, that really gets ‘em!
4. In the rare occasion that you need facts, always get them from the TV or the newspaper.
5. Don’t worry about logic, just remember, its your opinion that counts.
6. If all else fails, just blame the environment, the Republicans or George W. Bush.
7. Always remember, the earth is green jello, and the higher they fly, the much.
Hannah,
it sounds like you want to secede?
No, I don’t at all. That thought is abhorrent to me. I do, however, want the Federal government to function the way the Framers intended. There’s nothing wrong with the Federal government except the people who run it, and our real solution is going to be replacing most of them.
Until that can happen, there are other things that we can do, and I thought that this resolution - simply reaffirming the 10th Amendment - is a great idea on several counts.
Ron, it sounds like you’ve been reading GB 101!
Priscilla,
please expound. Which number of GB 101 are you referring to, young lady?