Carolina Politics Online

That Jack Spratt is now attacking his election opponent is a sign that he is concerned about his reelection bid.  He wouldn’t be going on the offense against Mulvaney if he didn’t fear his chances of being defeated by him.

Spratt told a Fort Mill audience this week that Mulvaney voted against funding for children’s health insurance, early childhood education and new school buses while in the Legislature, and also proposed eliminating state money for S.C. educational television.

“He basically is against the government,” Spratt told 80 supporters at a fundraiser at McHale’s pub on Gold Hill Road. The York Democrat labeled his opponent “a candidate of the tea party.”

The Herald

This is a problem?  These are the things that he is criticizing Mulvaney over?  That he opposes too much government interference?  That may play well to the far left constituency that Bubba has been pandering to for the past few years, but I doubt most people are going to have a problem with a candidate who believes in fiscal discipline and a limited role in government.  Bubba can attempt to paint Mulvaney as some type of extremist, but Bubba himself is just the opposite extreme, voting in favor of government mandated health insurance and the economy choking Cap and Trade bill as well as being the architect of budgets with trillion dollar deficits.

Mulvaney fired back, accusing Spratt of trying to take the focus off his own unpopular votes.

“While I have listened to my constituents, John Spratt has listened to Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama,” Mulvaney said of the Democratic U.S. House speaker and president. “Where I made tough choices to stay on budget, Mr. Spratt has grown the national debt.

“No matter how harsh Mr. Spratt’s attacks on me become, he will not be able to hide his record.”

Spratt has fielded criticism over his support of health care reform, the stimulus package and the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), derided as a bank bailout bill.

And Mulvaney is exactly right.  Spratt’s voting record reeks of a two week old, messed in diaper.  He won’t be able to hide from his record and it will destroy him on November 2nd.

We have a primary election here in South Carolina on Tuesday with some important choices to make.  We’ll be choosing party nominees for the next gubernatorial race and we’ll be getting at least two new Congressmen this year since Henry Brown (R-SC01) is retiring and Gresham Barrett (R-SC03) is making a failed run for governor.  We may be seeing a bigger turnover than that however.  Bob Inglis (R-SC04) isn’t exactly in the greatest reelection shape and some speculate that he could be forced into a run off by one of his primary challengers.  Add that to a strong challenge by State Senator Mick Mulvaney (R-Indian Land) to Congressman John Spratt (D-SC05) in November and we could potentially be replacing over half of our state’s Congressional delegation come January.

Now I obviously can’t vote in all of these races, but I’m happy to offer my thoughts on many of them and point out who I would vote for if I could.  I make these decisions based on who I think is the best candidate to protect our liberties and freedoms from the tyranny of the powers that be.  And so here we go.

York County Council District 1

I don’t typically weigh in on local races because I don’t have the time to analyze the hundreds of races going on in every county and municipality in the Carolinas, but I am going to weigh in one and that is because it is pretty close to my backyard.  If you live in York County, or more specifically Fort Mill or Tega Cay, then right now you are being represented on the York County Council by one corrupt SOB.  His name is Paul Lindemann.  That shouldn’t be a new name for you.  We talk about him all the time.  Despite the publicity of his malfeasance, he is running for reelection.  If you vote for Paul Lindemann you deserve to be flogged, tasered in your groin, and then buried in the sand up to your neck right near a mound of fire ants with honey drizzled over your head.  Is that descriptive enough?  This man is the living characiture of the stereotypical corrupt politician.  Now you may think that Paul is crazy for running again.  How could he possibly get reelected?  Well he’s got three challengers so his ability to survive in a four way race should not be underestimated.  There are plenty of lambs out there who will go to their slaughter on Tuesday to try and install this man for another two years.  Don’t let that happen.  Give your vote to someone with integrity, honesty, and decency.  That someone is Mr. Kyle Boyd.

I have met Kyle Boyd.  He is the headmaster at Walnut Grove Christian School and the father of three children.  He identifies himself as a fiscal conservative and pledges to be a leader on tax reform and government transparency.  We will not be reading stories in The Herald of Kyle Boyd getting DUIs or being a party to a domestic violence dispute, or bouncing $10,000 checks to Winthrop University, or not paying contractors for the work they do on his house.  We will not be reading those stories about Kyle Boyd the way we have read them about Paul Lindemann.  This is an opportunity to put an overall good guy into our county government so please don’t screw it up this time.  Vote for Kyle on Tuesday.  It’s really that easy.

South Carolina Congressional District 1

This is the seat currently held by Republican Congressman Henry Brown.  Thankfully, he is retiring this year so we will no longer have to worry about him stealing our tax dollars and redistributing it to his district.  This has become a huge contest.  There are nine Republicans, two Democrats, and four third party candidates running for this seat.  On the Republican side there are many good candidates to pick from and if I lived in that district I would have a difficult time making a decision.  However, kind of like Highlander, in the end there can be only one.  So that being the case, I would again, like in 2008, go with Katherine Jenerette.  She is an accomplished woman and mother.  She has bravely served this country in our armed forces and I think she has the right ideas to take us forward.  Her agenda on lower taxation, lower government spending, and controlled immigration is a positive plan for the nation.  I think she would be a responsible representative for the people of the Grand Strand.

On the Democratic ballot I like Col. Robert Burton.  He recently retired from military service after spending 32 years in the United States Air Force.  Burton has a strong focus on lowering South Carolina’s unemployment rate, one of the highest in the nation, by championing a lower Federal tax rate on small businesses and actively seeking opportunities to bring technology and energy jobs to the state.  He also realizes the need to stick it out in Afghanistan.  It’s been a long and tiring war on our soldiers and there was plenty of mismanagement of the war by our previous administration, but Burton is correct.  We just can’t cut our losses and leave like some in our Congress would like to see.  Burton is a common sense man with common sense ideas.

South Carolina Congressional District 3

This is the far western district of the state bordering Georgia and currently held by Republican Congressman Gresham Barrett.  As I stated before, he is not seeking reelection and instead decided to lose in the gubernatorial race this year.  He voted for the bank bailout, so I’m not too upset about his current political misfortune.  There are six Republicans running to succeed him and the one I like is State Representative Jeff Duncan.  Duncan has a proven record of fiscal responsibility in our state government.  In fact, he is one of the few that can actually make  that claim.  He has received an “A” rating from the South Carolina Club for Growth whose opinions I take very seriously because they don’t just hand out good grades to anyone.  Duncan’s views on reigning in government spending and excessive taxation is precisely the shot in the arm our nation needs.  He is the guy we need to send to D.C.   We do not want to send State Representative Rex Rice.  He not only supported raising the cigarette tax to expand the nanny welfare state in South Carolina, he was a co-sponsor.  Duncan good.  Rice bad.

South Carolina Congressional District 4

I think this goes without saying.  Bob Inglis is in some pretty deep shit and may very well be the next incumbent to get booted in his party primary.  Inglis is facing the hostility of a very conservative electorate in his district who are not all that pleased with the direction the Republican Party has been going in.  He has also taken some heat for voting to reprimand Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC02) for his infamous “You lie!” outburst to President Obama during this year’s State of the Union address as well as voting against “the Surge” in Iraq in 2007.  Furthermore, the man has hit my boiling point over his insistence on us needing to implement a carbon tax over the fraudulent man made global warming scam.  In my opinion, there is no need to stop the national political bloodletting here in South Carolina.  Give Inglis the boot.

My recommendation is Spartanburg attorney Trey Gowdy.  Gowdy is strong advocate of job creation by lessening Federal restrictions on businesses that make it difficult for them to thrive.  Of course, he is mortified by the irresponsible spending going on in D.C. otherwise I wouldn’t recommend him.  He is also a staunch supporter of the Ninth and Tenth Amendments of the Constitution meaning he is very much opposed to the recent Federal grab of our health care system and their unconstitutional insurance mandate.

South Carolina State Superintendent

This is a race that doesn’t get talked about much but really should.  Public education in this state has a poor reputation and we haven’t seen much improvement.  We just keep getting more of the same and Jim Rex has been no different.  I like Gary Burgess for this seat.  He’s big on school choice and eliminating programs that have not shown any merit.  The main reason we spend so much money on education in this country but do not get the bang for our buck is because the vast majority of the money goes to bureaucracy.  Burgess wants school spending accounted for.  But the real idea that sold me on Burgess is his philosophy on school choice, that the tax dollars should follow the student.  My God, how many times have I written about that very same idea on this Web site?  Make the school districts compete for the students.  With the students comes the money.  It is a winning formula and mark my word if Gary Burgess could accomplish that he would be the most successful state superintendent in this country.

South Carolina Governor

And finally we get down to the big one.  I have a candidate for both the Republican and Democrat parties.  On the Republican side I have been an ardent supporter of State Representative Nikki Haley and despite the calamity that has surrounded her over the past two weeks, I am sticking with Nikki Haley.  Accusations are not proof of guilt.  It was different with Mark Sanford because there was proof of his indiscretions and he came right out and admitted it.  Maybe Nikki Haley has been unfaithful.  I don’t know, but what I do know is that there isn’t a single shred of proof out there to support these accusations.  If there was we’d have seen it by now.  We are innocent until proven guilty in this country.  I believe that of all four Republican candidates Nikki Haley has the best ideas to take our state forward.  She has a record of fighting for transparency in government and against wasteful spending.  Prior to the recession our state budget increased an average of 11% per year for four years and that was with Republicans in control.  You know, the party that claims to be for small government?  Haley has fought against that kind of government growth and I think she can be a real powerhouse in the governor’s mansion.  She has my vote.

On the Democratic ticket I think State Senator Robert Ford is an outstanding choice.  Senator Ford took a brave stand last year going public with his support for school choice so that the parents of the poorer children in this state can get those kids out of these failing schools and get them a better education.  Ford took a lot of flack from his party and fellow legislators over that stance because his party has been in bed with the teachers union for decades and have been preserving the failing status quo in public education in order to keep the donations coming in.  Ford recognized the problem in education and chose to speak out.  I also support Ford because of his push to bring back video poker to South Carolina.  According to Ford’s estimate it could bring in a billion dollars in revenue for the state and create several thousand jobs, but it’s not just that.  I am a grown man and if I want to go to a bar and gamble some of my money on a video poker machine, who in the hell is the State of South Carolina to tell me that I am not allowed to do that?  This is an issue of liberty and I said at the beginning of this post that was the primary goal I was looking for in these candidates.  Robert Ford fits the bill.

So that’s what I’ve got for Tuesday.  Man am I tired after all of that.  Vote wisely and good luck to all of the candidates.

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U.S. Rep. John Spratt was late in paying property taxes on two occasions at his home in Washington, D.C., resulting in $1,382 in late penalties and interest, his office confirmed to The Herald.

Meanwhile, Republican challenger Mick Mulvaney’s development company made late tax payments on four different properties between 2005 and 2009, according to York County tax records.

Spratt said he paid the bills as soon as he discovered the missed deadlines. One payment was made three weeks late in September; the other was five days late in April.

The Herald

As far as I am concerned, this is a non-story.  So they both made a few tax payments late.  It happens.  It would be one thing if they completely dodged them altogether, you know, like five of Barack Obama’s cabinet nominees, including the current Treasury Secretary who actually heads up the IRS, but that is not the case here.

But GOP operatives pounced on Spratt’s late payments as a campaign issue, pointing out the York Democrat helps run the federal budget as chairman of the House Budget Committee.

“Be it willfully or mistakenly, is it any wonder the nation’s balance sheet is deep in the red when Barack Obama’s budget chairman can’t manage his personal finances?” asked Andy Sere, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Spratt supporters fired back Thursday that Republicans shouldn’t be so quick to criticize.

And they shouldn’t be.  It’s hypocritical for the NRCC to criticize Spratt for his late tax payments when Mulvaney has had the same problem.  Sure, Spratt is a shitty budget chairman, but the two issues are mutually exclusive.  The NRCC should follow Mulvaney’s own advice and focus on the issues people actually care about.

Start packing your bags, Bubba.  We’ve had enough of you selling us out for San Fran Nan.

The National Republican Congressional Committee issued a statement Monday saying Rep. John Spratt of South Carolina, who was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, is losing his memory.

The statement calls the 67-year-old House Budget Committee chairman “Amnesiac John Spratt” and contained six bold-lettered allegations that he’s forgetting what’s happening in Washington.

“After 28 years in Washington, John Spratt’s memory is failing him,” it began. He “can’t even recall what Obamacare does … Now – worst of all – it seems he’s completely forgotten who he works for.”

The Herald

Not the brightest move by the NRCC, but I also think that the AP is making a lot of hay out of nothing.  While Parkinson’s Disease is certainly debilitating, it doesn’t cause memory loss.  If the man was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, then Andy Sere would probably have a lot more egg on his face.  In fact, in that scenario they should probably be thrown at him.

As rationale for the criticism, Sere noted a recent comment from Spratt that it is sometimes difficult to remember which provisions were in the different versions of the massive health care bill.

And I’m sure that’s all it was.  Mick Mulvaney who is running against Spratt in the general election has not made an issue out of Spratt’s health stating that it shouldn’t be a factor, but I disagree.  I think the health of a political candidate is fair game.  If I am going to elect someone to represent me in the government I want to make sure they’re physically capable of doing so.  The issue can certainly be brought up without being nasty or mean spirited.

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty (R), who is also a likely presidential candidate for 2012, will be coming on down to Rock Hill next month to headline a fundraiser for State Senator Mick Mulvaney (R-Indian Land) for his Congressional campaign to unseat Jack Spratt.

Pawlenty will speak during a breakfast reception at the City Club downtown.  The event will be held May 8 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.  Tickets to the event are $100 a piece.  You can contact danielle@mulvaneyforcongress.com.

$100 out of your price range?  Yeah, I know the feeling.  Well, if you want to see Bubba bounced from Congress as much as I, there are still ways you can help.  One, you can donate to Mulvaney’s campaign.  Even if it’s only $10 it all adds up.   Another way you can help is to vote for the Mulvaney campaign to win $5,000 from Governor Pawlenty’s Freedom First Pac.  The winner will receive the money.

The big question here in the Fifth District of South Carolina since the President’s appearance on Friday is will Spratt’s big photo-op of him stepping off of Airforce One with the President help or hurt him?  The point?  To convey the power and respect the Congressman commands in Washington.  Evidently, that is supposed to impress us and forgive him for bending us over and ramming us up the ass.

“It’s a reminder that Spratt is a player in Washington,” Vinson said. “He has power and respect, and it’s important for him to make people aware of that, especially given the concerns about his health.”

The Herald

Personally, I like Mick Mulvaney’s take on it better.

“A picture may be worth a thousand words, but these photos are worth trillions of dollars in deficit spending and unconstitutional government takeovers,” Mulvaney said.

And for that sir, we thank you.

Talk radio host Jason Lewis of Minneapolis will be headlining a fund raiser for South Carolina Fifth District Congressional candidate Mick Mulvaney in Charlotte on Friday.  The even will be held at the Greek Isles Restaurant at 200 East Bland St in Charlotte and starts at noon.  Apparently the seating is limited so they are asking people to arrive early to ensure they get a spot.  Attendance is free, but guests are responsible for their own meals.

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State Representative Mick Mulvaney (R-Indian Land) was one of ten elite politicians featured in TIME Magazine’s “10 More Scott Browns” list.  TIME featured five Republican candidates vying for the U.S. Senate and five for the U.S. House, indicating their opinion that Mulvaney could be a significant threat to Congressman John Spratt this year.

A new poll released by Public Policy Polling shows Congressman John Spratt with a seven point lead over Republican challenger State Senator Mick Mulvaney.  Spratt leads Mulvaney 46% to 39%.  Despite Spratt in the lead this poll shows a vulnerability present as any time an incumbent is under 50% it’s cause for some concern.  Spratt was reelected in 2008 with 62% of the vote so he has experienced a significant drop off in support over the past year.

Public Policy Polling has a poll out asking readers which Congressional race they should poll next.  Please go to their Web site and vote for SC-5 (John Spratt)

http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2010/01/pick-house-district.html

And the results, surprise, surprise, are absolutely pitiful, though somewhat better than years past.

In the State Senate, 13 members achieved a grade of a C- or better.  That’s one more than the 12 from the 2008 session. I guess some improvement is better than none.  In the State House 24 members achieved a passing grade, including gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley who received an A grade.

These grades are calculated based on specific key votes in the state legislature that promote responsible economic growth throughout the State of South Carolina.  Certain votes are weighed more than others based on their impact.  All of the 13 Senate and 24 House members who scored a C- or better were Republicans.  I have them listed below:

Senate

• Lee Bright (R-Roebuck) A+
• Kevin Bryant (R-Anderson) A+
• Mick Mulvaney (R-Indian Land) A+
• Greg Ryberg (R-Aiken) A+
• Tom Davis (R-Beaufort) A
• Mike Rose (R-Summerville) B+
• Phil Shoopman (R-Greer) B+
• Shane Martin (R-Spartanburg) C+
• Ray Cleary (R-Murrells Inlet) C-

House

• Eric Bedingfield (R-Mauldin) A
• Joey Milwood (R-Landrum) A
• Rex Rice (R-Easley) A
• Jeff Duncan (R-Clinton) A
• Nikki Haley (R-Lexington) A
• Tommy Stringer (R-Landrum) A
• Tim Scott (R-North Charleston) A-
• Nathan Ballentine (R-Irmo) A-
• Wendy Nanney (R-Greenville) A-
• Thad Viers (R-Myrtle Beach) A-
• Ted Pitts (R-Lexington) B+
• Michael Thompson (R-Anderson) B
• Dan Hamilton (R-Taylors) B
• Garry Smith (R-Simpsonville) B
• Tom Young (R-Aiken) C+
• Chip Huggins (R-Columbia) C+
• Jim Stewart (R-Aiken) C
• Mark Willis (R-Fountain Inn) C
• Mac Toole (R-West Columbia) C
• Kris Crawford (R-Florence) C
• Deborah Long (R-Indian Land) C-
• Murrell Smith (R-Sumter) C-

Let’s take a look at the leadership of the general assembly, shall we?

• House Speaker Bobby Harrell (R) – A big fat F!
• Speaker Pro Tempore Harry Cato (R) – A big fat F!
• House Majority Leader Kenny Bingham (R) – A big fat F!
• Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell (R) – A big fat F!
• Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler (R) – A big fat F!

Well, it’s really no wonder why South Carolina’s economy is one of the worst in the nation when our state’s leadership is steering us right over a cliff, is it?  South Carolina may be a reliably Republican state, but if I were a member of the state Republican leadership be it in the general assembly or the state party, I’d take a warning from what is happening in the U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts right now.  In one of the most Democrat states in the nation, a Republican is on course to win the U.S. Senate seat that was just vacated by the death of Massachusetts icon Democrat Ted Kennedy.  This is a state with only 15% of its state legislature comprised of Republicans and the last time that state elected a Republican to the U.S. Senate was in 1972 and he was incredibly liberal for a Republican.  My point is that the folks up there are sick and tired of the corruption and incompetence of the Democrat Party that dominates their state and has for decades.  Don’t think the same thing can’t and won’t happen here with the GOP in South Carolina if they don’t start delivering what the people of this state are expecting from them.

As for the 37 members of the Republican caucus above who are at least partially working to improve the economic prowess of our state in these difficult times, they need to go a step further.  Their efforts are fruitless if they allow our state government to continue to be ran by the likes of the self-serving Bobby Harrell and Glenn McConnell.  These two and the other noted above need to be voted out of the leadership.  They are ineffective and not willing to do what is necessary to move this state forward.

Jack Spratt lackey Chuck Fant confirmed to Politico this afternoon that Spratt is in for the fight to get himself a 15th term in the U.S. House of Representatives.  That won’t happen, however, if we have anything to say about it.  If you want to see Jack retired please donate to Mick Mulvaney’s Congressional campaign and help him send Spratt packing next year.

Mick Mulvaney’s Campaign Web Site