Mar 26 2008
Will Rothschild has announced he will seek the Democratic nomination for House District 32.
Rothschild, 35, is a marketing and public relations associate with Launch, a Spartanburg-based strategic marketing firm and previously worked as an editor at the Spartanburg Herald-Journal.
Details of an official campaign kickoff event will be announced next week.
Mar 26 2008
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham told state House and Senate Republicans he would support — even raise money for — any incumbent challenged in a Republican primary.
Graham’s comments set him at odds with Gov. Mark Sanford, another prominent Republican, over GOP membership of the State House.
Sanford has criticized the Legislature as a whole — as well as singling out some lawmakers — for spending too much money, failing to reform government and putting local needs ahead of state needs.
Graham, who formerly served in the General Assembly, told House and Senate Republicans Tuesday they had earned his support.
“I’ll raise money for you. I’ll say you’re bad if you want me to. Whatever you want me to do, I’m here to help,” Graham said. “We’re a team … I do believe an incumbent Republican who has led and wants to build the party needs to be supported.”
Graham basically just admitted he is a party hack. This is not at all surprising since he is facing his own primary challenge for reelection to the U.S. Senate. There are plenty of legislators on both sides of the aisle in Columbia that need to go because they have stood in the way of smaller government, lower taxes, and reform. Incumbent or not, if they are blocking an improving of the state then they aren’t representing. Being an incumbent does not entitle you to a legislative seat for life.
Mar 26 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 26, 2008
** *Steve Parker To Officially Announce Campaign for SC House District 37*
Boiling Springs, SC – After receiving hundreds of phone calls, several
discussions with his family, and prayerful consideration, Steve has decided
to honor the request of the people and announce his candidacy for South
Carolina House District 37. The event will be at 6:00pm Thursday March 27,
2008, at Chernagan’s Café, 3409 Boiling Springs Rd, Boiling Springs, SC
29316.
Steve will focus his campaign on:
- Local government control
- Job creation and growth
- Improving South Carolinas infrastructure
After Steve’s announcement, dinner will be provided for those in
attendance. This event is free and open to the public.
Contact: Gary Coats - Campaign Manager
Phone: 864.641.5591
E-mail: gary.coats@gmail.com
This is Ralph Davenport’s House seat. Parker ran against him two years ago and just narrowly lost. The Herald-Journal has more on this.
Mar 26 2008
U.S. Rep. David Price says earmarks have gotten a bad rap.
In a speech before the Cary Chamber of Commerce this morning, the Chapel Hill Democrat said the recent debate over Congressional earmarks has blown them out of proportion.
Price said the total amount of money spent on earmarked projects is about 1 percent of the federal budget. The bigger problems with spending are the Iraq war, Medicare and Social Security, he said.
Now what Price says is 100% true. Social Security and Medicare make up around 35% to 40% of Federal spending. Throw in the Iraq War and wow! But that doesn’t excuse the spending of wasteful earmarks. Bush just introduced a $3 trillion budget for next year. 1% of that is $30 billion. I don’t know about you, but that’s a hell of a lot of money to me and we could be putting that on our national debt since China and Saudi Arabia hold all the purse strings these days anyhow.
A professor of political science, Price argued that the U.S. Constitution clearly gives Congress “the power of the purse,” including the right to direct spending.
President Madison would disagree with you, Congressman: “I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.”
Mar 26 2008
Mecklenburg County has pressed the pause button on its weekly television sitcom about government programs and services.Officials announced this morning that “The Mecklenburgers,” which aired Sundays on WAXN-TV, is going on hiatus after four seasons because the show didn’t attract enough sponsorship dollars to help cover the cost of producing the show.
I have never heard of this show, but on the radio this morning on WBT Keith Larson was speaking as if this was the end of an era or something. At least that is what it sounded like to me. I only caught the first couple of minutes so maybe he was being sarcastic.
I don’t exactly know what this show was about and for what purpose it was on the air, but I do know that the county should not have been using taxpayer dollars to subsidize it. If they haven’t been able to get sponsorship there is a clear reason for that. Nobody was watching it.
Mar 26 2008
A $1.4 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will help Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools tailor lessons to students in five low-performing high schools, officials said this morning.
The grant, announced today at West Charlotte High, will pay for data analysts at West Charlotte, West Meck, Garinger and Waddell, as well as the new Midwood High, serving freshmen who didn’t pass eighth-grade reading or math exams.
CMS already has reams of data documenting low test scores, high dropout rates and other woes at the schools, all of which have high poverty levels. The new analysts will help principals and teachers track individual students’ and teachers’ accomplishments, allowing schools to revamp lessons and learn from teachers who succeed.
As charitable as this was for Mr. Gates, I hope it doesn’t amount to an investor’s folly. The 2007-2008 budget for CMS schools is almost $1.2 billion. How can they possibly not enough money? I think this money from the Gates’ could have been better spent on someone who really needs it.
Mar 26 2008
The Republican gubernatorial debate at Blue Ridge Community College is wrapping up.Earlier, the four fielded a question about whether they support school vouchers and lifting the cap on charter schools.
The most definitive was Pat McCrory: “Yes and yes.”
Even though McCrory is often seen as the moderate in the group, his rivals were less enthusiastic than he was about vouchers, usually backed by conservatives.
Bob Orr said he’s for vouchers and raising the cap of 100 charters, but “they’re not going to solve the problems we have in our public school system.
I agree with Orr on this issue and that is why I am not real supportive of school vouchers myself. I see it as simply throwing more money into a bad system. The biggest problem facing public education is the lack of parental involvement in the schools. Until parents take the time to be involved in their child’s education, attend school board meetings, and demand better education and accountability there is little the government will be able to do at any level to improve American public schools. Other problems including lack of competition, unqualified teachers and school board members, lack of discipline amongst the students, and the dumbing down of standards are all contributors as well, but every single one of these factors can be traced back to an absence of parental involvement.