By FITSNews || A voter identification bill aggressively backed by the S.C. Republican Party was killed by the “GOP-controlled” State Senate on Thursday, the latest example of how Democrats are really in control of state government.
The “voter ID” bill would have required citizens to bring a form of picture identification with them to the polls. It would have also established a sixteen-day early voting period prior to primary and general elections. Republicans support the measure as a means of preventing voter fraud. Democrats opposed it – and were able to successfully filibuster the legislation given the support they received from three RINOs – Hugh Leatherman, Billy O’Dell and Luke Rankin.
Leatherman, O’Dell and Rankin were Democrats prior to switching their party affiliations in 1996, 2001 and 2004, respectively.
Back in January, Democrats filibustered the bill but agreed to back down temporarily when Republicans offered several key concessions. First, they agreed to delay the implementation of the legislation until 2012. More importantly, they agreed to shell out millions of tax dollars to mount a statewide effort that would determine which registered voters did not have photo IDs – and provide them with those IDs.
“Voter ID” could have passed the General Assembly last year, but State Sen. Larry Martin (RINO-Pickens) refused to set it for special order – advancing a special interest bill backed by the state’s real estate lobby instead.
The S.C. House of Representatives passed the legislation last March.
In an uncharacteristically terse statement from the SCGOP, Chairwoman Karen Floyd called out the three RINOs by name.
“Sadly, several Republican Senators simply would not join their Republican colleagues to vote for cloture,” Floyd said. “Specifically, Senators Leatherman, O’Dell and Rankin refused to do so.”
Floyd also hinted that there may be consequences for the three rogue “Republicans.”
“We will continue to fight for this issue, and will not hesitate to make it known exactly why the bill did not pass this year,” Floyd said.
Asked if this meant that Floyd might consider supporting primary challengers against Leatherman, O’Dell and Rankin in 2012, SCGOP executive director Joel Sawyer declined to comment.
“Her statement speaks for itself,” Sawyer said.
Again, the voter ID legislation is of no real consequence to us. We’re not Republicans and we could care less whether they succeed or fail at the polls.
The voter ID saga is worth noting, though, because it once again clearly shows that the “GOP” is not in control in Columbia. Far from it, in fact.
We also find it very curious that Floyd and former SCGOP Chairmen Katon Dawson and Henry McMaster have basically sat on their hands for years while “Republicans” blew through billions of tax dollars using precisely this “RINOcrat majority” formula.
Why is Floyd just finding her lungs now? And on this particular issue?
After all, the “Republican majority” in Columbia has been making a mockery of the GOP platform for years … and she’s chosen to enable that betrayal rather than stand up for “Republican” principles.
By Wesley Donehue June 18, 2010 at 9:43 am
Republican Activists –
It’s too early to declare defeat on Voter ID. There is one last chance.
Your Republican Senators did everything they could. After sitting through three days of filibusters, and staying in session until 1 am last night, we could not muster up the votes to pass the Voter ID bill. We got close numerous times, but we came up one or two votes short from ending the Democrats’ filibuster.
All is not lost. We have one final chance to pass a very strong Voter ID law to increase security and decrease fraud in South Carolina elections. The Senate voted unanimously to change it’s Sine Die resolution so that we can take up the Voter ID bill when we come back on June 29th to address the Governor’s vetoes.
The Democrats will filibuster again and Republicans will not be able to break it, unless the General Assembly passes the SENATE VERSION OF VOTER ID.
The Senate version requires an ID for voting and gives 15 days of early voting. The Senate bill also adds an additional fraud preventing prevision, allowing challenges to residency and making voters present additional evidence. We also strongly believe that the Senate version has a much better chance of being cleared by the Department of Justice now that it is being controlled by the Obama administration.
If House leadership agrees to accept the Senate version of the Voter ID bill, the General Assembly can pass the Voter ID bill THIS YEAR. If they do not, we fear that the General Assembly will not get this close again for years to come.
Make no mistake about it – THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE. Your Republican Senators could not get the votes needed to end the Democrat’s filibuster, but if the House leaders accept the compromise, we can have an extremely strong bill that makes all voters present an ID at their polling location.
Senate Republicans request that you contact House leadership today and ask that they accept the Senate Voter ID compromise to secure South Carolina elections.
Sincerely,
Wesley Donehue
Communications Director
SC Senate Republican Caucus
By Just Another SC Voter June 18, 2010 at 9:48 am
S.S.D.D. I am not surprised by this at all.
By poster June 18, 2010 at 9:50 am
“Democrats are really in control of state government.”
HAHAHAHAHAHAH OMG! OK OK.. Hold on, I need to respond the State…HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA… Sorry sorry, cant help laughing…ok…hold on.. You see the ….HAHAHAHAHAH AHAHAHAH AHA AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA..
I will try later…HAHAHAHAHAHAH…Good one!!
By Cooter Brown June 18, 2010 at 9:52 am
Scalawags!
By Susan June 18, 2010 at 9:52 am
I wouldn’t claim to be a Republican either, but you sure seem to lean Republican…a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, or something.
By Florida Watching June 18, 2010 at 9:53 am
Ok, interesting stuff. Say, FITS….. take a look at the Poltico site, a couple different articles about the Hypocrisy Haley saga. Turns out her cheating and lying are the least of her problems. From what I gather, she was such a bitch to the leadership of both parties……that if she does win the runoff……both DEMS and the GOP are going to support the She-Monster for the general election. Wow………National GOP like her, state GOP hate her. I just want her to confess………….
By Florida Watching June 18, 2010 at 10:00 am
Gary – Say, don’t tell me you are the famous Gary Bauer….the social conservative trying to save Naughty Nikki’s Nasty Nonsense.
By The Colonel June 18, 2010 at 10:08 am
I wonder if Alvin Greene would consider running for Leatherman’s seat? Oh yeah, he still has a race of his own to run….
By Florida Watching June 18, 2010 at 10:20 am
Ok – Last One. Naughty Nikki made it on Huffingtonpost, in an article with Al Gore about alleged affairs……..politics are great.
By vicupstate June 18, 2010 at 10:28 am
Sixteen days is too long for early voting. Too much can change in that period of time. Think how much things changed in 16 days in the GOP Governor’s race. Four days of voting ought to be long enough. Absentee voting is still an option for periods outside of 4 days.
By crackahasscrackah June 18, 2010 at 10:35 am
Will – you know the answer to your own question. The reason Ms. Floyd is finding her lungs on this “betrayal” of Republican “principals” is EASY. It involves electing more Republicans to office. The SC GOP isn’t concerned one whit about “voter fraud.” It is concerned about winning elections. FACT: The 100,000+ registered voters who do not have state-issued photo id are disproportionately African-American. FACT: African Americans in SC vote overwhelmingly (90% to 95%) Democratic. FACT: Political parties exist to WIN, rather than to LOSE elections.
That does not mean that individual politicians need march to the party line on every issue. Senators Leatherman, O’Dell and Rankin (just like the other 43) are first and foremost concerned with their OWN reelection. Party always comes second to every politician. For these three, yes, party probably comes a distant second. All three switched parties when it became likely they could not be reelected if they remained Democrats. The vast majority of “been heah” Republican Senators would do precisely the same thing if confronted with the same changing electorate.
Karen Floyd – of course knows this well. Back when Leatherman, O’Dell and Rankin were Democrats, so was Ms. Floyd.
By Whippersnapper June 18, 2010 at 10:43 am
By Florida Watching on June 18th, 2010 at 10:20 am
Ok – Last One. Naughty Nikki made it on Huffingtonpost, in an article with Al Gore about alleged affairs……..politics are great.
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Wow. A serious thread about a very serious subject (vote fraud) and “Florida Watching” brings her psychopathic Nikki Haley hatred rants here. You really need to get back on your meds “Florida Watching”; particularly when you’re in the manic phase of your bipolar disease.
By George June 18, 2010 at 10:48 am
This website is quite boring without Balsak’s contribution.
By sid June 18, 2010 at 10:49 am
“Sixteen days is too long for early voting. Too much can change in that period of time.”
I’m not a big proponent of early voting, but I don’t get your argument. Things can change in four days, too. Things can change the day after Election Day (think Columbia Mayoral election). So what? Campaigns often run for more than a year before anyone casts a ballot. That should give plenty of time to figure out where someone stands on issues, or dig up dirt on a candidate. I’m not sure that 12 days makes much of a difference.
Personally, though, I think you should stick with one day for voting at the polls, and the absentee system. If you can’t find the time to vote on Election Day, and can’t find the time to arrange for an absentee vote, then you are just SOL.
By Florida Watching June 18, 2010 at 10:59 am
Alvin Green would be good for the state. Lord knows he would be refreshingly different. But what to do with a GOP LUV GOV????
Sorry folks, can’t help it. Where the heck is Balsak and SOL??????
By ceilidh10 June 18, 2010 at 11:07 am
You own the House.
You own the Senate.
You own the governors mansion.
(sadly)
And the Dems are really in control? you moron!
By Darth June 18, 2010 at 11:12 am
Gotta wonder how large Vic Raawl’s loss would be if the voter ID was in place… also if Clyburn would have won.
By Just Another SC Voter June 18, 2010 at 11:23 am
ceilidh10,
The R or D is just a label and really make no difference in SC. It’s the issues and how each member votes that counts. South Carolina establishment Republicans are no better than Washington DC Democrats. That needs to change.
By Florida Watching June 18, 2010 at 11:25 am
Yeah – I really miss Balsak. That comedy line and SOL raising hell about No Honor Connor are great. You think Gary Bauer posts on here? I hope so. I seem to be torking off Whisperwhoever…..but that is probably a nobody. I wanna really rile a bigwig. Maybe whisper is NN’s campaign manager ………. just hoping.
By Florida Watching June 18, 2010 at 11:33 am
whippersnapper n. A person regarded as insignificant and pretentious. …
(Too funny to make up.)
By Florida Watching June 18, 2010 at 11:35 am
Balsak – The nurse gave me extra pudding. I’ll share if you come back.
By Libb June 18, 2010 at 11:50 am
It just baffles me that all you LINO’s (Libertarian in name only) are squawking liking a bunch of wet hens over this voter id issue while completely ignoring e-machine fallibilities, the real mule dung of voter fraud.
By Libb June 18, 2010 at 11:58 am
@Florida Watching
Here’s a link you’re bound to enjoy. It’s Miss Nikki up against those mean ole men of the SCV:
http://takedowntheflag.wordpress.com/2010/06/14/nikki-haley-runs-the-gauntlet/
By Gen. Longstreet June 18, 2010 at 12:01 pm
I was once a Democrat, switched to being a Republican after The War. The people of the South never forgave me.
By vicupstate June 18, 2010 at 12:07 pm
Sid,
There is a 400% greater chance of something happening in 16 days versus 4. I’ll concede 4 days in the interest of higher convenience and turnout, but that is enough. Everything about our election system is geared toward a short decision window. I see no benefit in blowing that up to 1/2 month.
By id June 18, 2010 at 12:22 pm
odd, I had to show my drivers license to vote in the primary…
We need to get people to take a short test before they vote..like do you read? Do you know what you are doing here? (at polls) Have you ever heard of these people (names of those running) and Will u agree to be interviewed if you vote, um, lets see, um, STUPIDLY (to use our POTUS’s favorite word).
And we need to check the Elephants for magnets because a jack ass said thats the way they change DemocRATs votes.
By Paul June 18, 2010 at 12:30 pm
Why is the first poster wearing a Pee Herman costume?
By George June 18, 2010 at 12:46 pm
Florida Watching, I don’t think it’s pudding Balsak wants. He is more a curry man.
By poster June 18, 2010 at 12:48 pm
Ok I think I am ready to counter “the latest example of how Democrats are really in control of state government.”
HAHAHAH HAHAHAHAH HAHAHHA HAHAHHHAHAHA A AHAHHA A SERIOUSLY!!!! HAHAHAHAHA.HAHAHAHA
Ok, ill come back later….hahaha hahaha just that hahahah every time I see it written…hahahah hahahaAHAHA HAHAHA I just cant HAHAHA HAHAHAH Stop hahahaha….laughing….
By Florida Watching June 18, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Whoa – Big Mitt Romney dumped 30K into Naughty Nikki’s G-String. Now that is some wicked tip.
By Florida Watching June 18, 2010 at 12:53 pm
Oooooooooo………you think Balsak wants to tap the curry fountain of love? Bad Balsak. Bad Boy.
By Florida Watching June 18, 2010 at 1:08 pm
Libb – Wow…….. She sure did look miserable. I bet she was dreaming of buttering a corn cob just to stay awake. Didn’t sound like those dudes had anything she wanted.
By Florida Watching June 18, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Easy poster – you are starting to make me snicker. And I don’t even like politics….I just like scandal……wait, they are the same thing, right?
Careful……whisperwhoever is gonna start bitching at ya. Reminds me of……………..I wonder if Nikki is good with her hands???? (Just saying.)
By crackahasscrackah June 18, 2010 at 1:30 pm
id – If you were REQUIRED to show your drivers license to vote, then your rights were violated under the federal Votings Rights Act. No law – state or federal – gives a poll worker the authority to force you to show photo id. What the poll worker is supposed to tell you is that a state issued id card (including drivers license) is an acceptable form of ID. But, so is the voter registration card.
Here is where the Republican Party almost screwed themselves by passing this “compromise” bill. The photo ID requirement clearly conflict with the federal Voting Rights Act and would likely be struck down by the courts. The “compromise” bill has a severability clause, which means if the federal courts strike down the photo ID requirement (and there is at least a 75% chance they would), there would be the 16 day early voting law that Democrats want but no corresponding photo ID requirement to suppress African-American turnout. Pretty savvy on the Democrats’ part, really. Made it easy for them to “compromise.”
By Florida Watching June 18, 2010 at 1:49 pm
Wow, a serious comment. Those are nice every once and awhile. So Mitt just tossed 300,000 dimes onto Nikki’s lap. Ooooo, there has got to be a story there ………. and Mitt wasn’t allowed to come unless the wife was present………..again, too funny to make up.
By Sons of Liberty June 18, 2010 at 2:25 pm
Watching senate leaders stiffle debate and stop Lee Bright and Shane Massey from making a parlimentary inquiry was painful to watch. It might as well been the Kremlin instead of the SC State House.
By Pete June 18, 2010 at 2:28 pm
Hopefully the SC House will reject the Senate bill and wait until next January to reintroduce the House Republican’s bill again. Considering the cast of characters in the Senate they cannot be trusted regardless of political party affilation. Clean house in 2012!
By crackahasscrackah June 18, 2010 at 2:42 pm
@Sons of Liberty:
I’d think that just watching Lee Notsobright attempt to make a parliamentary inquiry would be painful enough without anyone trying to stifle him.
By Whippersnapper June 18, 2010 at 3:00 pm
By Florida Watching on June 18th, 2010 at 11:35 am
Balsak – The nurse gave me extra pudding. I’ll share if you come back.
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“Florida Watching”, Balsak is not insane. And he is smart enough to know that any exra pudding the nurse gave you is probably loaded with crushed and mixed-in anti-psychotics that you’ve been refusing to take at the asylum. And God knows Balsak would want to avoid using the same spoon you’ve been placing in your mouth – a mouth that is no doubt infested with all sorts of dread disease.
By sid June 18, 2010 at 3:39 pm
So, what you are saying, vic, is that there is a 400% greater chance that one of the candidates will be eaten by a lion in the 16 days v. 4 days scenario. I think that would qualify as “something happening,” but it still is relatively meaningless. One would presume that “something” will “happen,” as those are active campaigning days. Whether or not adjusting the number of proposed early voting days is necessary based on your concern requires a somewhat deeper analysis.
In order for your argument to make sense, what you should do is take a large sample of races, come up with a way to determine if “something happening” is truly important to the outcome of the race, and find out when it happens. A simple analysis can then be used to determine if 16 days v 4 days makes much of a difference, based on what has actually happened in the past, and what impact, if any, it actually had on the outcome of the race. States that already run early voting, which I believe is the majority, would be good sources for data. I also believe many, if not most, of those that have early voting run it for at least as long as 16 days. On that, however, I am not certain.
Really, though, we should just stick with the current system. Maybe move Election Day to Saturday and extend the hours. But I’m less concerned with increasing voter turnout than I am with increasing the turnout of more fully-informed voters. I don’t think the process benefits if you are just trying to drive up numbers without any regard as to if the people who show up are taking seriously their civic duty.
By Florida Watching June 18, 2010 at 3:52 pm
Hey Whisperwhoever – Man you got is hard for Nikki. Does Tim know?
By Florida Watching June 18, 2010 at 3:55 pm
You know…….you could change your name to Snatchsnapper….and what gives you the idea that Balsak is a he????
By mike June 18, 2010 at 4:32 pm
Wes Donahue can go fuck himself.
By Florida Watching June 18, 2010 at 6:48 pm
Dang – Forgot about Wes Donahue. Sic Willie, we need a picture and article quick. Let’s smoke this guy out for awhile.
By Florida Watching June 18, 2010 at 6:53 pm
Oh…..but new stuff. Not the goat picture and crap about him being fired by Mitt. Mitt is soaking alot of dough into Nikki’s moneymaker. Details, sic……work it.
By Lot to do about nothing June 18, 2010 at 9:28 pm
It is my understanding the sine die will not allow the house to vote on the senate version. The only version which can still be passed is the compromise coming out of the conference committee.
By Florida Watching June 19, 2010 at 8:13 am
Ooooooooo……alright. Can we get off topic and back to Naughty Nikki. Someone posted that she and her hubby just got back to living together a couple of months ago………so, the questions are…
Can Sikhs screw around while the hubby is deployed?
Can Christians screw around while the hubby is deployed?
He must have been deployed…….while else would they not be living together. Oh the LIES.
By Florida Watching June 19, 2010 at 8:14 am
Snapper – I know its early, but try to keep up. Ok?
By Florida Watching June 19, 2010 at 10:41 am
Sic Willie – When you get a chance, load up a picture and article about Wes Donahue please. This site has got to be more than just Nikki and regular mainstream stuff. Without Nikki, you have nothing…….. unless you devote yourself to exposing hypocrisy of ALL politicians and operatives. Expose yourself. Post a picture and article about you…… just saying.
By C20H26N2O June 19, 2010 at 9:05 pm
Would Republicans support a free(non-driver) picture ID from DMV – yes
Would this have helped in the Dems alleged Greene plant – yes
What could this possibly harm since Dems claim fraud everytime Repubs win – nothing
Would Dems be willing to give up voter fraud – Never.
By Florida Watching June 20, 2010 at 6:54 pm
Willie – This article is DNR. Next…………………. you gotta work the rumor mill…..that’s all ya got!!!!!
By Florida Watching June 21, 2010 at 7:52 am
Sic Willie – We need two new articles a day. Please………… RedDog is trying to muscle in on your territory.
By Reggie June 21, 2010 at 12:24 pm
The Spy wants in too. Sic ……satisfy your audience before it is tooooo late.