By FITSNews || S.C. House Speaker Bobby Harrell’s massive command economic bill – which we’ve dubbed “The Kremlinator” – was approved overwhelmingly by the S.C. House of Representatives last week, proving conclusively that if you attach a small tax cut to a massive government power grab, Republicans will join Democrats in voting for it.
“Sometimes we have to hold our noses,” one lawmaker told FITS of the legislation, which passed the “GOP-controlled” S.C. House by a lopsided 105-9 tally last Thursday.
Nine Democrats voted against the legislation, presumably because there was nothing in it for them.
Harrell’s “Kremlinator” legislation will phase out the state’s corporate income tax over the next ten years – an estimated $16.7 million tax cut each year (out of a $20 billion budget).
Obviously that’s a good thing, but there are also “revenue enhancements” included in the labyrinthine legislation, which means it will “save” taxpayers just $3.3 million from the upcoming FY 2010-11 budget.
But the fact that this bill amounts to little more than another revenue neutral tax swap isn’t the real problem – it’s the white flag that South Carolina Republicans are (once again) raising on the free market.
In order to get their “corporate income tax relief,” lawmakers had to sell the private sector down the river in favor of a government-run model of economic development that further expands the role of our state’s colleges and universities (as well as other state agencies) in “economic development.”
How well has this model worked out for South Carolina in the past?
Not well at all – as evidenced by our 12.6 percent unemployment rate and historically low income levels.
Indeed, a recent study showed that 40.5 percent of the state economy is comprised of government spending, a percentage that has only grown in recent years – even as America has suffered through the deepest, longest economic depression in eight decades.
The “Kremlinator” puts our state’s failed government-run approach to creating jobs on steroids, and dramatically expands the ability of state policymakers to pick winners and losers in the marketplace.
Frankly, the fact that every single Republican in the S.C. House voted for it is a disgrace.
Specifically, we’d like to call out fiscally conservative Representatives like Nathan Ballentine, Eric Bedingfield, Jeff Duncan and Nikki Haley for casting their votes in support of this crap.
We expected RINOs like Harrell, Danny Cooper, Kenny Bingham, Jimmy Merrill and Annette Young to vote for this, but where was the so called “Common Sense Caucus” on this vote?
Hopefully, fiscal conservatives in the State Senate will show a little more backbone when it comes to safeguarding the free market from this sort of government intrusion.
WEB EXTRA
H. 4478 (a.k.a. “The Kremlinator”)
Pic: Here
By Conservative Republican March 8, 2010 at 12:52 pm
“Hopefully, fiscal conservatives in the State Senate will show a little more backbone when it comes to safeguarding the free market from this sort of government intrusion.”
Thanks Will,
I hope so as well. The Senate is abviously the more “deliberative body” of the General Assembly. We should expect AND DEMAND that our conservative voices be heard in the Senate on this budget.
By Ed March 8, 2010 at 2:19 pm
Since we don’t trust our Columbia politicians anymore and it’s obvious the vast majority are incapable of conservative behavior, I was checking around to see what we could do about it.
Here are 3 specific things I found at citizens in charge . org
1. South Carolina could create a process for citizens to amend the state constitution through initiative.
2. We could also allow citizens to propose state laws by initiatives.
3. Also allow citizens to put acts passed by the legislature
to a referendum vote.
Does anyone think these 3 things would help improve our state government?
By Walking Around Money March 8, 2010 at 2:36 pm
that’s called government by town council. our system is based on elective representation. if you don’t like how your Rep or Sen voted, vote ‘em out, but if you think referendums are the way, you are way lost…the one with the most money wins and no one is held accountable Plus we have the costs associated with all the challenges it would create legally.
By Ed March 8, 2010 at 3:34 pm
Walking around money,
In case you haven’t noticed,our “system” is not working.
In theory we could vote the bums out. But case in point, Lindsey Graham gets liberal money from out of state to run commercials due to his voting for cap and trade, yet when he runs with the big R by his name, he wins.
Other states allow their citizens the rights I mentioned like initiatives and referendums. It seems to me it would help engage our citizens rather than simply blaming the bums we keep electing.
http://www.citizensincharge.org/about-ir/initiative-rights-by-state
Above is the chart showing what other states allow. South Carolina gets a “D” for lack of citizen initiative.
By Ynotfirst March 8, 2010 at 6:48 pm
we are not going to hold our noses come election time.
we will write in Mickey Mouse before any of you get re elected.
REMEMBER IT.
By Biggie Tea March 8, 2010 at 7:12 pm
Is it possible that South Carolina is just not that conservative a state? At least when it comes to economic issues? I may be 100% wrong, but I’m beginning to think South Carolina is very conservative on social issues (abortion, school prayer, gay rights, etc.) but not nearly as overwhelmingly anti-government as we are often portrayed. Sure, sure, we bitch and complain about government pork in the abstract, but God forbid any of us turn down the pork coming to our local area. And as long as our elected officials vote the right way on the social issues and talk tough on crime, we continue to elect them regardless of their economic policies. See Knotts, Leatherman, Cooper, etc. We’re kind of like West Virginia South. We like our guns but we’re glad to take our federal pork when it comes in and indeed celebrated ol’ Strom’s ability to bring it in just like WV keeps electing Robert Byrd.
By carolinabuckeye March 8, 2010 at 9:00 pm
I’m not sure what you’re talking about Will, but Jeff Duncan has always been a friend of the taxpayer and that’s good enough for me.
By flipnut March 8, 2010 at 9:31 pm
you nailed it biggie tea, it used to be called southern democrat, now it’s just Rino.
Fits, where does your boy Mick Mulvaney stand on this turd?
By BIN News March 8, 2010 at 11:12 pm
They were holding their noses because they were talking to sic(k) willie.
By WorkingTommyC March 9, 2010 at 12:16 pm
Biggie Tea:
Excellent comments. I think things are going to change, however.
For one, Jake “Porky” Knottzi is going down next election. We already have someone lined up.