Let’s be clear on one thing, Sic Willie is not a Republican – but the fact is he’s more “Republican” than either of the two candidates currently campaigning for Chairman of the SCGOP.
And yes, he’s really running. Sort of. Maybe?
“Why not?” he said.
Anyway, in response to yet another round of utterly-meaningless, non-specific pablum from a leading SCGOP candidate about “diversifying” and “leveraging new technology” and “building a stronger grassroots network” (blah, blah and more blah), Sic’s two-word campaign fired off a more-detailed assessment of views on the current state of the SCGOP.
From the manifesto:
Republicans better wake up, and fast. If they are buying this feelgood PR garbage, then their party is in a lot more trouble than I thought it was.
We keep operating on this myth that the Republican party is in control in South Carolina because it has legislative majorities and control of most constitutional offices – and a lot of Republican activists believe that myth because their leaders keep feeding it to them.
The reality is that a herd of liberal RINOs operating in key leadership positions have collaborated with the Democrats to sell the GOP, the state and its taxpayers down the river.
Republicans claim to support limited government, but a “Republican” majority has dramatically increased the size and scope of government in South Carolina and refuses to eliminate unnecessary functions even when faced with the worst revenue year on record.
Seriously, instead of cutting unnecessary spending they’re creating their own private police force and bringing back a legislative slush fund that doles out millions in pork.
Republicans claim to support lower taxes, but every so-called “tax cut” passed by this “Republican” majority has been a revenue neutral tax swap that moves money from one pocket to the other.
Republicans claim to support parental choice – but for the past six years they’ve blocked it.
Republicans claim to support creating an efficient, accountable government – but for the past six years they’ve blocked that, too.
Republicans claim to support “conservative judges,” but last year they elected a liberal Democrat to the State Supreme Court.
And I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Rick Beltram, Karen Floyd and Warren Tompkins aren’t going to do a damn thing to turn any of that around. They’re going to pay lip service to whatever buzzwords they think party activists want to hear, then they’re going to pay consultants to help them self-promote.
Then, if they win, they’re going to turn around and reward those consultants with six-figure contracts so that they can continue self-promote.
Not me.
My first day in office, I will send letters to State Senators Hugh Leatherman, Billy O’Dell and Luke Rankin informing them that they are no longer members of the SCGOP and that they should take their big government voting records back to the Democratic party – where they belong. I will also send out a letter to every other SCGOP elected official telling them they’ve got one year to get their act together or I’m kicking them out of the party, too.
It’s pretty simple, people – if I’m SCGOP chair the only thing the party will spend money on is electing Republicans. And the only Republicans who will get a dime are those who actually vote Republican.
Wow … we told you he was serious …
We asked Sic how the GOP could possibly “grow its tent” by kicking people out of the party, to which he replied “you grow a tent by believing in something and convincing other people to believe in it, not by letting people who don’t believe in it run the show. You grow a tent by standing for something and holding your leaders accountable.”
Stay tizzuned … this could get crazy …
By justsaynotojoe April 5, 2009 at 9:52 am
Run Sic Run
By Justin Evans April 5, 2009 at 11:51 am
We as a party cannot afford Rick Beltram, Karen Floyd, or certainly not the national model RINO Warren Tomkins. Simple as that.
By SwitchingToSic April 5, 2009 at 12:22 pm
oh yea baby, now you talking!
By JD April 5, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Tizzuned? You fucking suck. And Will is a legitimate basket case. Go medicate, you fucking loser.
By Wes Wolfe April 5, 2009 at 12:55 pm
You keep minimizing the party and soon the SCGOP convention will be you, Sanford and Dr. No in the Policy Council bathroom. Pants optional.
By lou April 5, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Kudos Sic. Go for it. You’d do a better job than anyone else. You got my vote.
By fitsnews April 5, 2009 at 1:42 pm
WW-
Convention? Why waste money on a convention? We’ll put that money into races and do all that organizational stuff on Facebook/Twitter …
C.R.E.A.M, dawg.
-FITS
By G.L. April 5, 2009 at 2:32 pm
You need to get a Facebook group.
By Chris Richardson April 5, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Justin Evans, have people not run you out of town yet? I guess your daddy bought your way into a job at the Policy Council just like he did with Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch in the Statehouse.
By Brian April 5, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Go for it! You already got good support around my parts, I know that…
By Ron April 5, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Alright Will,
I’m sick of GOP business as usual w/party and power over principle. You deserve a shot. FOLKS FOR SCGOPCHAIR!!!
Ron
By JustWondern April 5, 2009 at 6:31 pm
If Sic is not a Republican, and yet may want to be SCGOP Chairman, would this make him a RINO?
By For real April 5, 2009 at 7:14 pm
the funny thing is everyone used to respect the policy council, R’s and D’s…and now only Sanford and few others do….because they have taken the Sanford approach of if you don’t like what I have to say, then screw you. It’s my way only. That approach always allows you to advance your position…take the last 6 years…our governor has been real successful with that slick approach….accomplishment NOTHING
By George April 5, 2009 at 8:14 pm
!00% with SIC
By Biggie Tea April 5, 2009 at 8:25 pm
What about the social issues? I’m not a republican, so what do I know, but it seems to me that what really motivates a lot of republicans are issues like abortion, school prayer, etc. Are the economic issues enough to build a party around?
By Sally Calder April 5, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Wes Wolfe, do you understand how childish you sound to those of us who don’t follow all the spats between all of you operatives?
Run, Will. Someone with some balls needs to kick those worthless politicians back to the real world.
By Bard of Beaufain St April 5, 2009 at 10:44 pm
Three huzzahs for Will Folks!
By Marvin April 5, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Wes, dude — you gotta be kidding me. Obviously true that you work for Warren Tompkins. See, here’s the thing: Republicans are supposed to be the party of smaller government, tax cuts, and even school choice. Read the SCGOP platform. Fine if you are not for any of that, and okay if your legislative leader-bosses aren’t either. But that is the what the Republican Party stands for. Most real Republicans still support the ideas Ronald Reagan stood for. Even most of the legislative leaders pretend to believe in those ideas (well, Leatherman doesn’t. At least he is honest.). Ever heard Harrell or McConnell say they were for big government, or letting the government control the economy? No, of course not! If the majority of Republicans believed in that stuff, the leadership would be taking credit for what they’ve done instead of pretending it isn’t happening. They’re responsible for this mess.
What has you and your bosses pissed is that the public is catching on, including GOP voters. They are hurting from this economy, and there is no one to blame but the Republican-controlled legislature. The Governor has no real power and neither do the Democrats. Our state is a mess, and those guys are the reason why. Sooner or later, they’ll be punished for it. I’m with Sic on this one. We need to get rid of the RINOs before SC ends up like DC — controlled by the Democrats with no one but Republicans to blame.
By Calhoun Fawls April 6, 2009 at 5:38 am
Let me get this right. You advocate creating a big government program to use taxpayer money to help fund private schools and you are the real Republican?
Give me a break, Sic.
Take away the New York money contacts and you would be selling used cars in Sumter.
I am a lifelong Republican, a Silver Elephant, but if the convention elects you Chairman, the party is Howard Rich’s party, not the Republican Party.
By Mark April 6, 2009 at 7:57 am
I will be at the convention looking to vote for a true conservative. How can you explain these three words: criminal domestic violence?
By Beverly Watson April 6, 2009 at 8:30 am
Calhoun, if you are a lifelong Republican I’d be surprised, but if you are then you are young and have some financial stake in politicians and government. Republicans support school choice. Marvin is right about that, and it is in the platform. No one is saying using taxpayer money to fund private schools. We are letting taxpayer keep some of their own dollars (which are going for education right now) to spend in schools they choose. They don’t get to spend anywhere near all of those dollars — most go into the school to educate other SC children, which is fine. The schools end up with fewer students but keeping most of the money that went in to pay for them.
By fitsnews April 6, 2009 at 8:35 am
Mark-
If you believe Sic really beats up women, we’ve got some nice used cars in Sumter we’d like to sell you … wait … did somebody already go there?
-FITS
By Mark April 6, 2009 at 8:58 am
Is it not a big deal? How much importance should an incident like that have? That’s all I want to know.
By Not Mab April 6, 2009 at 10:43 am
No, Mark — it really is NOT a big deal. It’s all in how it is portrayed.
Been in relationships much? Tried marriage yet? If marriage doesn’t make you want to slam somebody into something, nothing will.
By BIN News April 6, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Better keep the so called rHinos.
They keep y’all republicrat wackos in check.
By Dan April 6, 2009 at 7:25 pm
BIN: I know you aren’t Republican, so of course you want us to keep the RINOs. They vote like Democrats.
By Calhoun Fawls April 7, 2009 at 12:30 am
Bev. I am not young and I have no financial stake in politicians and government. You missed that one. However, I know a big government spending scheme when I see it and the false school choice program is just that. Twenty years from now, private schools will be regulated by the government like private colleges are.
It is a damn shame being liberal on the issue is now required to be a “real” Repubilcan. Howard Rich bought ‘em. But, we all will end up paying for it.