“In politics, it’s hard to stand up for principle. But Kevin never fails to stand firm for the conservative cause.” U.S. Senator Jim DeMint
Questions about the event? Please call 864.356.8047

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After a day walking neighborhoods in Powdersville on Saturday, I found most people are frustrated in the Federal Government’s 700 billion blowout. Conservatives are very angry over pork barrel spending, especially for the pork in the “emergency” bill pass last week by Congress. “I’ll never vote for a Republican again except for Jim DeMint” is what I heard over and over. I was able to explain our consistent record of reform on the state level. I also stressed my support for Gov. Mark Sanford’s agenda, making the argument that my record is part of the solution, not the problem.Now, that we face a possible special session to deal with the budget shortfall, my colleagues will be hearing a lot of “told-you-so’s” from me! I look back at the many times I took the floor with amendment after amendment cutting wasteful spending knowing they’d get tabled.

I’ve equated our state’s government like a car stuck in first gear. It is terribly inefficient and moves very slow. You’ve got two choices: 1-keep filling up the tank with gas and drive the car 2-Get the car fixed so it runs better. In South Carolina there are two philosophies: 1-keep pouring more of your tax dollars into an inefficient government, or 2-Fix government and make it more responsive to you the tax payer. Since the beginning, I’ve subscribed to the second philosophy. I hope South Carolinians send true reformers to Columbia in November so we can get the support we need to pass some real reform.

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Senator,

Thank you for allowing me to post my comments.

Approximately 100 residents attended a debate between Don Bowen and challenger Tom Dobbins for SC House of Representative District 8. The debate was held at Anderson County Main Library on October 2, 2008.

Although the debate atmosphere was friendly and civil, it revealed contrasting differences between the two candidates, along with surprising agreements. Based on the debate and some comments made after the debate, the candidates’ views can be summarized as follows:

•     TD: We need to understand what the people need and base our efforts on meeting their needs. We need to develop relationships and work as a team.

•     DB: I have 4.5 years of experience in building relationships. I have worked with Democrats and Republican. I even asked the Black Caucus if they would allow a white boy to join, and they told me that you are the only white boy we would accept.

•     TD: We need to restructure the tax system. At the present time, taxes are unfairly collected. Middle class, the working poor, and small businesses are unfairly taxed.

•     DB: Don’t put any new taxes on people. In these difficult economic times, the last thing we need is add more taxes.

•     TD: In order to attract more jobs, we need to properly train our young people for high tech industries.

•     DB: If we just train our young people for high tech jobs, our young people will leave us, in search of these jobs. We need to use our greatest asset, Hartwell Lake, to create new jobs.

•     TD: The Once Cent Sales Tax Project for Anderson County is a great concept. However, too many pit projects have been added to the list. I will not support the Project in its present form.

•     DB: If economic times were better, I would have supported the Once Cent Sales Tax Project for Anderson County. However, this is not the time. In addition, all these pork barrel projects attached to it make it unacceptable.

•     TD: We need to give each school district an adequate amount of money, and we need to step out of the way and let them do their jobs.

•     DB: I am committed to improving education in South Carolina. I even meet regularly with Secretary of Education, Jim Rex, although he is a Democrat.

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For Immediate Release

October 2, 2008
           

Encourages Colleagues to Make Targeted Cuts
         
Anderson, SC - Senator Kevin Bryant (R-Anderson) released the following statement today concerning the current budget crisis facing the state.
             
Encourages Colleagues to Make Targeted Cuts
         
Anderson, SC - Senator Kevin Bryant (R-Anderson) released the following statement today concerning the current budget crisis facing the state.
             

“Recent reports, by the Board of Economic Advisors (BEA), seem to indicate South Carolina will experience at least a 4% drop in gross revenue collections during the first quarter of the 2008-2009 fiscal year. If this happens it could trigger a return of the General Assembly for a special session to make targeted spending cuts to bring the budget back in balance.  The fact that this is even a possibility is very disappointing and was most likely preventable.
        
“Over the last four years I have consistently advocated a reduction in state spending.  Every year I and likeminded colleagues offer amendment after amendment to eliminate excessive pork-barrel spending and earmarks.
              
“We, as the General Assembly, must start to exercise discretion when it comes to spending. Events like the Irmo Chitlin Strut ($10,000), the Pelion Peanut Festival ($15,000) and the Salley Okra Strut ($20,000) cannot continue to be funded when schools are worried about purchasing fuel for buses.
            
“Each year I have proposed cutting hundreds of millions of dollars in pork-barrel earmarks. Had these cuts been adopted, the state budget would not be in this hysteria.
                 
“Two –years ago there was more than a billion dollar budget surplus and the General Assembly spent it all in one day. I wanted to send that money back to the taxpayer, but instead it went to fund pet projects around the state.
                  
“During this time of financial insecurity, the General Assembly must be willing to follow the leadership of our citizens and make some tough decisions about our spending priorities.”
              
The next scheduled meeting of the BEA is October 8. The BEA is expected to announce the gross revenue collections for the first quarter of the 2008-09 fiscal year. 
        
For more information, please contact Senator Bryant at (864) 202-8394.
              
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Encourages Colleagues to Make Targeted Cuts
         
Anderson, SC - Senator Kevin Bryant (R-Anderson) released the following statement today concerning the current budget crisis facing the state.
             

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In last night’s debate, there were two questions that I couln’t accurately answer. As I’ve always said, I don’t mind answering “I don’t know” to my constituents. After research, the questions and answers are below:
1-Someone questioned my estimate of $10,000 per pupil per year in public education
The average per pupil funding is $4,867 state, $1,097 federal, and $5,516 local. This is an average total funding level of $11,480 excluding revenues of local bond issues. There is a wide range in this average. Interestingly, there is an almost direct reverse proportion of test scores with per pupil spending, yet we must remember that the districts with the highest expenditures tend to be the pooper districts with severe socio-economic issues. Nevertheless, funding isn’t much. I must re-iterate that parental involvement is the key. For all of these figures click here.

2-Someone asked the percentage of the state budget goes to education. Last year $3,815,469,939 was spent on education. That’s $3.8 billion, more than half the budget. To see the breakdown, click here  and scroll to the bottom.

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Senate incumbent, challenger debate at Tri-County Tech

By John Staed
Monday, September 29, 2008

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As the unified voice of the business community, the Chamber believes that supporting pro-business candidates that have demonstrated support for business priorities and a commitment to advance a legislative agenda that promotes competiveness in South Carolina is of the utmost importance. The South Carolina Chamber will devote resources to your key race in 2008, working with its members and allies to hold fundraisers, educate citizens and organize Get Out the Vote (GOTV) efforts.

We thank you for your commitment to representing the people of South Carolina who each need good jobs, a competitive state economy and a pro-prosperity working environment to ultimately raise our citizens’ income.

The South Carolina Chamber is proud to support you in your Senate election endeavor.

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DeMint Outlines Economic Growth Plan Says ‘bold pro-growth economic plan is urgently needed with or without a bailout’

September 25, 2008 - Washington D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) outlined a plan to stimulate real economic growth for American businesses and families through lowering taxes, reforming government failures, and immediately expanding domestic energy production. “The proposed bailout is a trillion dollar band-aid that does not contain a single item that will stimulate our economy,” said Senator DeMint. “Now is the time to cut taxes on American investment, reform government failures, and expedite energy exploration so we can grow our economy. We must enact pro-growth economic solutions that will create jobs, open up our vast energy resources, encourage investment, and pave the way for long-term prosperity. Instead of giving government more power after its past failures, this plan provides our economy the tools it needs to work through this crisis and gives Americans the freedom to succeed. Given the serious problems we now face, we should all agree that a bold pro-growth economic plan is urgently needed with or without a bailout.” REFORM A TAX CODE THAT DISCOURAGES CAPITAL FORMATION • Suspend Capital Gains Tax for 2 Years, Index it for Inflation: • Reduce the Corporate Income Tax Rate REFORM FAILED GOVERNMENT REGULATION • Suspend “Mark to Market” Accounting • Reform Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley • Repeal federal mandates for risky loans EXPAND ENERGY EXPLORATION • Repeal Bans on Energy Exploration and Expedite Production REFORM FAILED GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS • Schedule the GSEs for Privatization • Stabilize the Dollar: Repeal the Humphrey-Hawkins Full Employment Act ###

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“Hello, I’m Senator Kevin Bryant. If tax and spend solutions would solve all of our state’s problems, we wouldn’t have any problems. As you know, South Carolina needs better roads, a better business climate, and our children need more educational opportunities. Since the beginning, we’ve stood together for more reform and less taxes. More more information, please visit kevinbryant.com. For reform vote Bryant. Paid for by Bryant for Senate.”

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Why did Bear Stearns fail, and how does that relate to AIG? It all seems so complex.

But really, it isn’t. Enough cards on this table have been turned over that the story is now clear. The economic history books will describe this episode in simple and understandable terms: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac exploded, and many bystanders were injured in the blast, some fatally.

Fannie and Freddie did this by becoming a key enabler of the mortgage crisis. They fueled Wall Street’s efforts to securitize subprime loans by becoming the primary customer of all AAA-rated subprime-mortgage pools. In addition, they held an enormous portfolio of mortgages themselves.

In the times that Fannie and Freddie couldn’t make the market, they became the market. Over the years, it added up to an enormous obligation. As of last June, Fannie alone owned or guaranteed more than $388 billion in high-risk mortgage investments. Their large presence created an environment within which even mortgage-backed securities assembled by others could find a ready home.

The problem was that the trillions of dollars in play were only low-risk investments if real estate prices continued to rise. Once they began to fall, the entire house of cards came down with them. full article

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September 22, 2008 - Washington D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) announced his opposition to the $700 billion plan proposed by the Bush Administration to bailout Wall Street.

“After reviewing the Administration’s proposed bailout plan, I believe it is completely unacceptable. This plan does nothing to address the misguided government policies that created this mess and it could make matters much worse by socializing an entire sector of the U.S. economy. This plan fails to oversee or regulate the government failures that led to this crisis. Instead it greatly increases the role for Secretary Paulson whose market predictions have been consistently wrong in the last year, and provides corporate welfare for investment firms on Wall Street that don’t want to disclose their assets and sell them to private investors for market rates. Most Americans are paying their bills on time and investing responsibly and should not be forced to pay for the reckless actions of some on Wall Street, especially when no one can guarantee this will solve our current problems.”

“This plan will not only cause our nation to fall off the debt cliff, it could send the value of the dollar into a free-fall as investors around the world question our ability to repay our debts. It’s also very likely that this plan will extend the cycle of bailouts, encouraging other companies to behave in reckless ways that create the need for even more bailouts, triggering an endless run on our treasury. This plan may make things look better for Wall Street in the next couple months, but the long-term consequences to our economy could be disastrous.

“There are much better ways of dealing with this problem than forcing American taxpayers to pay for every asset some investor doesn’t want anymore. We should start by reforming government policies and programs that created this mess, including the Federal Reserve’s easy money policy, the congressional charters of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the Community Reinvestment Act. Then Congress should pass a number of permanent and proven pro-growth reforms to encourage capital formation and boost asset values. We need to make permanent reductions in the corporate tax and the capital gains tax rates. We have the second highest corporate tax rate in the world, which encourages companies to take jobs and investment overseas.”

“It’s a sad fact, but Americans can no longer trust the economic information they are getting from this Administration. The Administration said the bailout of Bear Stearns would stop the bleeding and solve the problem, but they were wrong. They said $150 billion in new government spending using rebate checks would solve the problem, but they were wrong again. They said new authority to bailout Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would solve the problem without being used, but they were wrong again. Now they want us to trust them to spend nearly a trillion dollars on more government bailouts. It’s completely irresponsible and I cannot support it.”  

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I’m happy to have my red xps back now after 2 weeks of waiting for a back ordered video card. While trying to survive without my tech, I’ve been asking myself: Self, why don’t you consider getting an apple next time you get a computer? I have asked dozens of mac users and have not found one applite that regrets switching over. How bout it? Is there a mac user out there that prefers windows? Sorry B. Gates, but I’m just looking around.

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Contact: Wesley Denton (202) 228-5079

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) made the following statement:

“Americans should be very concerned by the size and frequency of these government bailouts. The easy money, cheap credit policy of the Fed and the guarantees provided by Congress for Fannie and Freddie created a bubble that is now bursting.

“We’re going to have a market correction but it’s not clear yet whether we’re going to have a policy correction. It was failed government policies that enabled these problems to occur in the first place.

“Our leaders need to wake up, exercise some real discipline, and push for policies that reduce the failed role of government and reduce taxes on American investment to attract new capital to our markets.”

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http://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=714767d9-fa2b-216a-eaec-63380c279b16

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Unfortunately, Barack Obama voted four times against affording these babies their most basic human right. I have serious concerns about Senator Obama’s record and views on this issue, given he voted against these protections four times as a state Senator. Just as abuse victims share their stories to educate the public, fight for the common good and hope that as a result politicians do what’s right, I felt it was important to come forward and give these new born babies a voice.

I am living proof these babies have a right to live, and I invite you to learn more about Senator Obama’s record on this important issue.

-Abortion Survivor Gianna Jessen

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