By FITSNews || While many of her colleagues have gleefully mocked her absence on several key votes during the 2010 session of the S.C. General Assembly, there is no denying the fact that Republican gubernatorial nominee Nikki Haley has consistently been one of the few lawmakers in Columbia willing to stand up for the best interests of S.C. taxpayers.
Say what you want about her, but that point simply isn’t up for debate. And whatever her motivation or aspirations may have been for doing so, the truth is she has walked the walk when it comes to protecting your bottom line.
In fact, Haley was one of just ten S.C. Representatives to earn an “A” grade from the S.C. Club for Growth for her votes to limit government spending in 2009. During the 2007-08 legislative session, she was one of only five Representatives to earn this distinction. Also, Haley has incurred the wrath (and suffered the revenge) of establishment politicians like Speaker Bobby Harrell for her efforts to force more legislative votes “on the record,” which is obviously a critical step in promoting fiscal responsibility and accountability.
Has Haley lived up to the spirit of transparency in a broader sense?
No … which has rightfully exposed her to some legitimate criticism. And some crass criticism, too.
But again, none of that changes the fact that she has fought faithfully for “on the record” voting in the S.C. General Assembly for nearly three years – dodging slings and arrows from big government liberals like Harrell but also criticism from “movement conservatives” like S.C. Policy Council President Ashley Landess, who had a major row with Haley last year over who was going to “own” the transparency issue.
But beyond her voting record – and the political courage she’s shown on the transparency front – Haley has failed to articulate a comprehensive agenda for the state. In fact, on the campaign trail she’s offered precious little substance on some of the most pressing bread and butter issues facing South Carolina citizens and taxpayers – and her campaign website is a monument to rhetorical overload (and issues avoidance).
Seriously, check out Haley’s “issues” page. It’s a joke, and we’re being polite.
On taxes, government spending, educational choice, government structure and any number of lingering issues central to South Carolina’s economic competitiveness, Haley has confined her campaign “proposals” (if you can even call them that) to the vaguest of generalizations. And while she clearly has a solid voting record that shows support for a number of specific policy ideas, Haley has invested absolutely no energy putting together an agenda together that would encompass the best of those ideas.
Even on her signature issue of transparency, Haley has confined her efforts to the legislative branch of government, ignoring the equally critical need for transparency across all branches of government – as well as an online checkbook to categorize all government expenditures.
Frankly, Haley’s gubernatorial campaign has begun to remind us of that old Wendy’s commercial …
We’ve been urging Haley to come out with specific fiscal policy throughout the 2010 campaign. In fact, in a May 2010 post that criticized her former GOP opponents for their status quo tax “solutions” we noted that she needed to come up with a plan of her own or risk facing even harsher criticism.
“(Haley has) … failed at this point to articulate a specific tax plan that would result in relief (not tax swaps) for all South Carolinians, although we remain hopeful that her campaign will eventually something resembling a comprehensive plan,” we wrote at the time.
Two months later, nada … on taxes or anything else. And what makes this glaring lack of specificity even more disturbing is the status quo nonsense that’s being lobbed into the vacuum.
Haley must articulate a comprehensive conservative agenda this fall. It is critical to the future of the reform movement and critical to the future of the state.
It is also her job as the s elf-proclaimed candidate of ideas.
Unfortunately, articulating a specific policy proposals runs counter to Haley’s immediate objective – which is keeping the state’s RINO money on the sidelines as she wages a general election battle against S.C. Senator Vincent Sheheen.
It also runs counter to conventional political wisdom, which would have Haley devote the thrust of her campaign on Sheheen’s left-of-center voting record. Make no mistake, Sheheen is no moderate – and electing him under some anti-Sanford “change” banner would be a tremendous mistake. But Haley’s primary obligation over the next few months shouldn’t be educating the public about Sheheen’s liberalism, it should be offering a vision of her own.
At this point, she has failed to do that.
Pic: Via Daylife
By Cancerman July 26, 2010 at 4:27 pm
She only does what the Sanfrauds let her do!!!!!!
By Liberaltarian July 26, 2010 at 5:16 pm
I think she has been clear. If elected she will do nothing. period. That is what the whole tea party/conservative movement/Sanford governorship is based upon: government doing nothing. That is her “agenda”.
If the government does nothing (or at least less), then taxes can hypothetically be cut for the wealthy who fund her campaign.
By Balsak Tee Baghar July 26, 2010 at 5:21 pm
Greetings dear world of erotic pleasures and heavenly delights!
I confess to have exhausted myself many, many times already, thanks to this beautiful picture of Nikki!
In my imagination’s fevered brain, she is describing to her balding male audience the proper size of a man-cobra for to induce the maximum penile satisfaction in a goddess!
Also, look how she is wearing two beautiful long necks in this dreamy photograph!
Shiva, destroy me!
If I could speak to her, I will say:
“My goddess, you are driving poor Balsak out of his mind faster than a Darlington 600 race car redneck with his head full of methamphetamines and crack cocaine also!”
Her long skinny arms are attracting me as well!
She is looking like the sexiest spider alive in the insect kingdom!
I am drawn to her web of erotic joys only to be drained of all my valuable fluids!
Nikki will soon be attacking my heart with a heart attack if these FITS photos become more sexy!
Palin-Haley 2012!
I can see India from my house!
By Crooner July 26, 2010 at 5:25 pm
She’s got as many specifics as Alvin laid out in his speech.
Of course, she’s the front runner and has Palin’s endorsement and has been subjected to unsubstantiated attacks regarding her sex life (which caused women to rally around her) so why would she tempt fate by taking positions on issues?
By Cancun All Inclusive Resorts July 26, 2010 at 7:59 pm
I can see cancun from my balcony
By CNSYD July 26, 2010 at 8:51 pm
Easy fix. Dig up all the old Sanfraud agendas and replace his name with hers.
By Silly Sheep July 26, 2010 at 9:37 pm
Don’t you find it funny that anytime you mention Nikki Haley you get tons of comments, but as soon as you mention Nikki Haley and issues, her crowd doesn’t know how to respond? These people are like moths to the flame… if it wasn’t so bad for South Carolina, it might be entertaining to watch.
By lavenderwolf July 26, 2010 at 10:34 pm
First thank you for more articles about The Comet.
However, to be fair, saying in the same sequence that she has apparently dodged several tough votes while calling for on-the-record voting is a bit of a reach…. It’s like the guy who advertised “Hamburgers: 15Cents! “and when customers came by he’d say, So Sorry, old buddy, we’re just now all out of ground beef, BUT when we DO have it, it’s “Hamburgers:15Cents!”
By huh? July 26, 2010 at 10:49 pm
I don’t understand. You (FITS) have repeatedly endorsed Haley and claim she’s the best candidate. Then you put up this post, which shows what everyone else knows: how thin her campaign is and how unqualified she is. So are you on her side or just against everyone? Or are you just bitter than she never admitted to sleeping with Sic Willy (how embarrassing)?
By rp4 July 26, 2010 at 10:50 pm
Haley Supporter here. And I totally agree. I think she is the best choice, but this shows the lack of quality choices we have in this state.
By Gary July 27, 2010 at 12:39 am
I may not agree with all the points raised by FITS, but the general tone of the article should be taken as constructive criticism. I hope Haley campaign will clarify some of the points raised here and articulate an agenda and a vision for South Carolina. I agree that her web site needs to be more elaborate and a web team that is more aggressive and responsive.
By Calhoun Fawls July 27, 2010 at 7:20 am
You make a good point. But, Haley and the state party won’t do that. I hate to tell you Will, but Haley is too lazy to. She and Sheheen both are two people that have never worked for anyone outside of their family or their family influence a day of their lives. It is a pathetic choice. Work ethic slightly goes to Sheheen. Idealogy slightly to Haley. Both are historically weak candidates for Governor and either one will get little done in office. I know you won’t like to hear that. But, the reason Haley offers not clear vision is because she has not done the homework to come up with one. I bet if Haley was forced to name the cabinet positions she could appoint as Governor, she could not come with half of them. ON the other side, Sheheen would know them, but appoint law school professors that make Hillary Clinton look like Newt Gingrich. What a freaking mess we have.
By Old Bike Dude July 27, 2010 at 7:25 am
You can’t be held responsible for doing nothing. It’s the safest play in politics. Do nothing except criticize everything the other guy tries to get done.
Haley proves that a hollow character lacks substance.
By Toyota Kawaski July 27, 2010 at 8:16 am
That picture shows the size of fish her one arm friend caught
By Ed July 27, 2010 at 8:25 am
“Nikki Haley has consistently been one of the few lawmakers in Columbia willing to stand up for the best interests of S.C. taxpayers”
I think the other person was Sanford…to a fault. So wow, as already repeated, we would just be getting more of the same.
By Florida Watching July 27, 2010 at 8:32 am
“her crowd doesn’t know how to respond”……….of course we so.
Nikki is a no-count, non-issue character. Her main stance as being transparent is a shame. She never goes to meetings, is totally non- productive, she played the field banging all who could help her.
She is a Palin-Lite.
By John Alexander July 27, 2010 at 8:33 am
My point exactly. That is why I voted for Gresham… Haley was my second choice though. I felt that she was not specific enough about her policies and repeated the same talking points… “I am married to a man that puts on a uniform everyday, I know the value of a dollar…” I was like well that’s nice and all, but what are you going to do to bring jobs? Fix the unemployment numbers? Lure businesses to hire people and make it easier to start up a business? Saying no is great because Sanford was a great stewart of tax payer money but part of being conservative is offering up conservative ideas like (Paul Ryan, Newt Gingrich). Granted you can dispute whether Gresham’s “Jobs Plan” was good or not but atleast he had a plan. I think for the sake of the state she gets one before Sheehen offers himself as the pro-business liberal.
By Lot to do about nothing July 27, 2010 at 8:40 am
It is money raising time. The agenda can wait till September.
Shore up the business community and prevent donors who supported the male republican candidates from backing She Heen.
By Old Bike Dude July 27, 2010 at 8:46 am
Sic has confidentially confirmed that she is accurately describing his thotho.
By eggaday July 27, 2010 at 9:16 am
she can’t say, “I’ll continue Mark’s agenda” now can she??
But Haley is Sanfraud in a skirt. Vote for Haley and you get MORE SANFRAUD!!
By ArtVandelay July 27, 2010 at 9:16 am
Sorry Mr. Folks and Haley supporters this is about as much as you are going to get from her unless Sheheen puts up a serious fight. This is what happens when a candidate is elevated to the throne and annoited without being fully vetted. She’s good looking, a minority, has some emotional talking points, and you fell in love (We’ve seen this movie before people…).
She’ll continue to be vague until she’s in office because providing any type of detail on ANYTHING would open her up to the scrutiny she should have gotten from the jump. Then you’ll look one day and say, “who are you Nikki…I can’t believe you stabbed us in the back like that…you’ve changed!!!” Only to realize she never changed at all…that’s who she was all along, you just never bothered to get to know her…you of all people should already know this Mr. Folks.
By Recovering Lobbyist July 27, 2010 at 9:20 am
Her campaign does seem to be on the defensive lately. They turn down requests to appear at business groups and during a time when she could gain a lot of traction by announcing policy initiatives, she seems to be on vacation or something.
By carl the greenskeeper July 27, 2010 at 9:24 am
Nikki Von Shtupp will make mice meat out of that hick. She’ll have him eating out of her hand….
“Come in, cowboy. Have a seat, while I slip into something a bit more … comfortable. Tell me, Shewiff, is it twue what they say about you people? Ohhhh, its twue, its twue!”
“Uh, mam, that’s a plank in my political platform.”
“Ahhh, yes. More schnitzen gruber, shewiff?”
“I’ve had about all the schitzen gruber I can take.”
“Gimme more, gimme more, I gotta have more!”
“Ya makin a spectacle outta ya self. Auf wiedesein, baby.”
“Oh, what a nice guy.”
By carl the greenskeeper July 27, 2010 at 9:39 am
Caption the picture -
“Come on Mrs. Haley, tell us, how big was the plank in that platform?”
By piepton July 27, 2010 at 9:39 am
“[T]here is no denying the fact that Republican gubernatorial nominee Nikki Haley has consistently been one of the few lawmakers in Columbia willing to stand up for the best interests of S.C. taxpayers. Say what you want about her, but that point simply isn’t up for debate.”
I can and will debate that statement. Lowering taxes and doing what is best for taxpayers are not always the same thing because those same taxpayers are the ones who need the government services that must be cut to lower taxes. If I pay $0 in taxes but I can’t find any qualified employees because none of them ever learned how to read then I’m pretty sure that isn’t in my best interest.
By John Steinberger July 27, 2010 at 11:08 am
The right tax plan is already there – the South Carolina FairTax Act (H.3992/S-902) which eliminates the state income tax by repealing the exemptions in our sales tax code. Without a state income tax, we could expect all of the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Bobcats and their staffs to buy houses in York County. Throw in NASCAR drivers and their crews and many professional golfers and thousands of entrepreneurs and wealthy retirees who would make South Carolina their home.
Why is something so simple so hard for the political class to grasp?
By Paul Zimmerman July 27, 2010 at 11:11 am
Nikki is Mark Sanford’s Avatar. Funny how the e-mail blasts that I once got from Mark now come from Nikki. The usual suspects will keep their jobs, nothing in Columbia will change, and those folks who thought they voted for the “outsider” will soon find out that they elected the status quo.
Great…..
By Crooner July 27, 2010 at 12:03 pm
Hey John:
Those Panthers and Bobcats still earn their salaries in NC and you better believe NC will tax them. Golfers also get taxed wherever they earn. Because of this economy, states are reaching down to other out-of-staters who may have “earned” income within their borders.
It’s OK. Bet Nikki doesn’t know that either.
By ceilidh10 July 27, 2010 at 12:04 pm
She is full of sound and fury signifying nothing.
By LP July 27, 2010 at 1:23 pm
ceilidh10: Were you really quoting a woefully wrong 1971 music review?
By carl the greenskeeper July 27, 2010 at 1:41 pm
Actually, LP, there was this guy, somekind of a playwrite, I think it was. He wrote some play called McBeth. “It is a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” Or something like that. Then again, I’m a greenskeeper, what do I know?
By Ed July 27, 2010 at 1:42 pm
I bet Will looks at the picture and pretends she is describing the size of his penis to reports. “It was this big….” You can dream, Will, you can dream.
By carl the greenskeeper July 27, 2010 at 2:02 pm
btw … if you go to the story “Haley, Scott Make National List,” you’ll see that GDI made reference to “sound and fury” several days ago, so you know, its been around. I, personally, like to over use a quote or a cliche from time to time. A tortured metier, if you will.
By BadNewsMulvaney July 27, 2010 at 3:36 pm
What has Haley done in the House since 2004? Make is so that people who was hair in a beauty shop dont have to have beautician licenses? While I agree that this was good legislation, this is a far cry from an effective agenda. Transparency is great if it is used properly (or actually used in her case). I want to know what she is going to do for unemployment, budget deficit, and lack of economic development. Real issues that need to be part of governing. Until she formulates ideas to handle these issues, just stick to having “inappropriate relationships” with losers.
By yeoman's work July 27, 2010 at 4:58 pm
We all know Sheheen is the most competent most capable candidate in this election. I know it just burns people up to have to vote for someone who does not have the (R) by their name, but thankfully your vote is private . . . and you can lie to your republican friends if it makes you feel better and more accepted in your public social circles.
Your alternative?? . . . contributing to the downfall of our state and being the puppet of Sanford (remember not only is he screwing around on the taxpayer dime but is STILL doing it without recourse AND laughing at you about how his handpicked successor will be taking his place). How does it feel to be told what and who to vote for? Because thats what you are doing when you vote down the party line. So much for independent thought you robot Haley supporters.
Sanford: “FLOCK SHEEP!!!”
Mind-numbed robot south carolinians: “Yes Sir. Haley in 2010″
By snodgrass July 27, 2010 at 6:03 pm
Unfortunately, politics has become more about sport than principle.
Promoting a vision for our state would be the right thing for Haley to do as a leader, but it would be the wrong thing to do as a candidate. Doing so would simply provide a target for the opposition and keep Haley on defense throughout the campaign.
The best way for a politician to avoid lies is to avoid specifics.
By Florida Watching July 27, 2010 at 7:10 pm
“Until she formulates ideas to handle these issues, just stick to having “inappropriate relationships” with losers.”
You know….I wonder if she has even stopped???? She could be hosting tryouts for her mansion parties this fall…………..
Just need to know one thing……did Mark do the nasty????
By Bryan McCanless July 27, 2010 at 11:49 pm
The best interest of the taxpayer is jobs!
The majority of jobs being created in S.C. are poverty jobs.
Manufacturing jobs is the ONLY foundation for true economic recovery.
BM
By Gary July 28, 2010 at 11:31 am
>>FLORIDA WATCHING::“Until she formulates ideas to handle these issues, just stick to having “inappropriate relationships” with losers.”
You know….I wonder if she has even stopped???? She could be hosting tryouts for her mansion parties this fall…………..
Just need to know one thing……did Mark do the nasty????<<<
Your mind has been so corrupted and dumbed down by watching porno and taking mind bending drugs that the only thing you can talk is trash.
What was the topic?? and where does your mind go?? I guess it has not grown beyond navel/thigh level. I advised you before also that the state law requires you to continue taking psychotic drugs- failing which police has powers to take you to mental asylum again.