Converse Chellis Fears The Reaper

It’s called the Columbia two-step … say one thing in front of the cameras, do the opposite when nobody’s looking.

And while recent advances in roll call (or “on the record”) voting will make it much harder for South Carolina lawmakers to hide their positions on critical issues, a master of the “two step” during his time in the legislative branch was current State Treasurer Converse Chellis.

Next to State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex, Chellis is generally regarded as the most vulnerable statewide officer running for reelection in 2010.

And so not surprisingly, he’s chosen to cast his lot (most of it, anyway) this year in support of several conservative principles that he’s spent most of his time in public office fighting against.

Among them …

• Implementing zero-based budgeting
• Eliminating Competitive Grants and other programs that earmark funds
• Eliminating TERI Program
• Reinstating 30-year retirement for new state workers
• Shortening the legislative session
• Establishing the Department of Administration as a cabinet agency
• Allowing the Governor to appoint certain constitutional offices
• Minimizing annualizations, which fund permanent programs with one-time money

While we’re glad Chellis has come out in favor of these principles, the question is obvious … is this a legitimate conversion? Or is it political opportunism motivated by fear of an impending electoral defeat?

Rumors have been flying around Columbia that Chellis may be challenged in 2010 by a strong fiscal conservative, perhaps Nikki Haley, and it’s hard to see his so-called “coming to Jesus” on these fiscal issues as anything other than an attempt to cover his ass from a credible threat.

There are a few problems with pulling off that approach, however.

Unlike lawmakers who have been able to hide behind hundreds of voice votes, Chellis casts one of five very public votes as a member of the S.C. Budget and Control Board.

Not surprisingly, he’s voted the wrong way (i.e. with legislative pork barrelers Hugh Leatherman and Dan Cooper) practically every single time.

Chellis also has what’s known as a “glass jaw,” in that he’s never taken a punch in a political campaign.

How come? Well, amazingly, he’s never had to run a political campaign, having been appointed Treasurer and never facing opposition during his ten-year career in the S.C. House.

Chellis also only has around $100,000 in the bank, a pretty low number for a guy who is almost certain to face a well-funded GOP primary opponent in 2010.

Finally, there’s the “rest” of Chellis’ agenda, which includes his opposition to government spending caps and his wholehearted endorsement of House Speaker Bobby Harrell’s government-funded Pyramid Scheme.

Which makes him nothing more than another example of your typical South Carolina political hack trying to serve two masters.

Whatever Chellis promises, however, his record as a lawmaker and as State Treasurer is clearly one of opposing the taxpayers’ best interests and fighting against common sense reforms.

Simply put, he’s full of it. And saying all of these things because he desperately wants to stay in office.

Fortunately, as some recent presidential candidates have learned the hard way, opportunistic flip-flopping doesn’t sit well with South Carolina voters.

We’re not the sharpest tools in the shed by any stretch of the imagination, but we can generally spot a fake.

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