LEASE REPORTEDLY CANCELLED ON ACCOUNT OF CONTROVERSIAL BANNER
|| By FITSNEWS || The U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) is blaming “budget cuts” for its decision to bail on a $106 million deal with the University of South Carolina … but sources tell FITS something else drove the government to scuttle the deal.
What was it? According to multiple sources familiar with the failed deal it was the Confederate flag … which was removed from the S.C. State House dome in 2000 and placed on the north lawn of the capital grounds (a compromise that has pleased no one).
“Please, please, please don’t tell me you are going to write that,” a University official pleaded with FITS.
Asked if the report about the flag was untrue, the official refused to confirm or deny – but later stated the identification of the “true culprit” would have “a chilling effect on future public and private economic development.”
Asked if the “true culprit” was the Confederate flag, the source demurred.
“You push that out there and it’s bad for you, for me, for your kids, my kids … everybody,” she said.
In July of 2009, the USDOJ agreed to lease the building from the school for twenty years – a deal hailed by officials as “one of the most significant developments for the University of South Carolina in decades.”
Officials added that the deal would “bring more than 250 high-paying jobs to Columbia and allow the university to construct a new building for the Darla Moore School of Business.”
Well, USC built that new business school – at a cost of $106.5 million – but the money that was supposed to pay for it has now vanished. Along with the promised jobs.
Hailed as the architect of this now-defunct deal? U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham.
“Thanks to his dedication to our state and all our citizens, the University of South Carolina and the Midlands will experience the sweeping economic and intellectual benefits of this announcement,” USC president Harris Pastides said at the time.
Or … not.
“It’s a HUGE blow to Columbia,” one source told us of the USDOJ decision.
According to The (Columbia, S.C.) State newspaper – ever the apologist for government institutions in the Palmetto State – the deal died because of budget cuts caused by the 2011 “debt dereliction deal” reached by the U.S. Congress.
That’s laughable in light of the $4 trillion budget released by U.S. president Barack Obama this week – and the fact the USDOJ’s move to the USC building was a cash-saving measure to begin with.
In fact the federal government claimed its occupancy of the Close-Hipp building would save taxpayers $42 million over the twenty-year life of the contract.
“It is a wise collaboration that will save the taxpayers money,” Graham said at the time. “I wish we saw more visionary collaborations like this one between the federal government and outside institutions.”
Oops …
The Confederate flag dominated headlines during the 2000 Republican presidential primary in South Carolina – resulting in the Palmetto State receiving literally months of bad press. In April 2000, the S.C. Senate voted 33-7 to remove the flag from the dome of the S.C. State House – and from inside the House and Senate chambers.
As part of the compromise, though, a smaller version of the flag was raised behind a Confederate soldiers’ monument on the north lawn of the State House complex.
“Off the dome and in your face,” supporters of the banner used to say.
Despite the compromise, the NAACP is still enforcing a totally ineffective tourism boycott against South Carolina, while the NCAA is refusing to hold collegiate athletic tournaments in the Palmetto State. Meanwhile some Democratic lawmakers have attempted to discourage football recruits from attending the University of South Carolina and Clemson University as a result of the flag’s presence.
This website hasn’t taken a position on the issue because we believe symbols like the Confederate flag – or any other flag – are utterly meaningless.
“State leaders can leave it, move it, burn it or use it as a bath towel for all we care,” we wrote back in 2011.
We feel the same today … although we suspect the pressure on lawmakers to reconsider the 2000 compromise will ratchet up in light of these developments.
167 comments
If you use poor judgment you have to live with the results.
$18.1 trillion and counting…poor judgment is right and it has nothing to do with the flag. If it would stop spending I wish every state in the union would fly it.
Last time I checked South Carolina was a legitimate part of the United States of America. The Stars and Bars is the flag of a failed rebellion against the legally constituted government of the United States. In most countries, flying the flag of treasonous rebels would have serious consequences. Here it just costs us business opportunities.
There’s lot of “legal” injustices in the world my friend. You’re not the first to wrap your tyrannical joy in the cloth of “legality”.
Tyranny? Perhaps you should emigrate if you are so oppressed here?
You’re the one bitching about the Stars & Bars, maybe you’re the one that should leave. You seem to appreciate DC more than SC anyway. Go on and make your way up there.
No one likes a self hating Southerner.
Please, secede. Poor dumb SC would not last a year on its own.
Time for you to move out of SC. Unlike you, I wish the best for you.
Liberals do it all the time.Obamacare is the latest.
I don’t give a damn if the flag is flown or not, I sure don’t fly it. My point is the $18.1 trillion in debt that you totally ignored but what the hell it was only $106.5 million, just a drop in the bucket, right?
Your point has nothing to do with the article, dumb fuck.
Federal spending has nothing to do with this article or the National Debt, really. Sorry it’s too much for you to comprehend.
South Carolina has NOT bin a legitimate part of th’ US of A since 1865. You are a fool if ye think that wee are anything other than a colonie of Warshingtun.
I don’t believe this story however the “true culprit” would be racist bigot and flame thrower Eric Holder, NOT the Confederate Flag, IF true.
NO. The people who hate America are those who insist on flying the flag of its enemy, The Confederacy.
““You push that out there and it’s bad for you, for me, for your kids, my kids … everybody,” she said.”
and Sic Willie said, “Let there be light!”
Hahahahaha! Good for you Will. Fuck the cockroaches. SC will be better off in the long run the less Federal influence here anyway.
I’m glad that Ms. Lindsey has egg on his face. He’s the Senator representing DC, not SC. Fuck him too.
Your line of thinking is wrong on many levels, not the least of which is that many people in South Carolina would starve to death without federal assistance.
Well obviously, I have a little more faith in the people of SC than you do. SC has no shortage of hard working, generous people to pick up the slack.
SC has no shortage of hard working, generous people
Neither do third world countries, which is why those “hard working, generous people” get offered pennies per hour for jobs by multinational corporations looking to exploit them. Fitting, since that’s where all the textile jobs SC lost ended up going.
On the other hand, the other 49 states would breathe a collective sigh of relief as the burden of a taker state is lifted, so I’m sure they won’t stop us.
And the flag in question, made in Vietnam with textiles manufactured in China.
To be honest, if we lost all federal funding, it would be a system shock to our state that would ruin us for decades, if not a whole century.
If our schtick is to fight for the cheap labor shit jobs then sure, we might get a lot of those crappy jobs. Those don’t equate to economic development, though. If it did, the third world countries that supply us with cheap labor would eventually pull themselves out of poverty.
“If it did, the third world countries that supply us with cheap labor would eventually pull themselves out of poverty.”
Poverty doesn’t get struck down overnight Smirks. What would your great central planning skills have differently? Would force US companies to pay overseas victims more?
How would El Presidente’ Smirks plane it all out?
Poverty doesn’t get struck down overnight
How many hundreds of years should it take then? Better go tell all the Taiwanese people their great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren might not have to work some factory job for pittance, I’m sure they’ll be relieved to know.
You didn’t answer the question genius. What would you plan differently? How would the great central planner “Smirks” fix it?
The mistake was made during the Bush I administration. That is when the free trade fervor arose. We should not have a free trade policy, we should have a fair trade policy. We should only enter into free trade agreement with countries that have similar labor standards to our own.
During the Regan administration, he told the Japanese car companies that if they did not build plants in the US he would limit Japanese imports into the US.
Free Trade policies have wiped out the Textile industry in this country, and numerous other industries. Their pursuit is one of the reasons for the rapidly disappearing middle class in this country. Other’s being the trickle down government policies enacted during the Regan Administration and doubled down during Bush II, and the repeal of Glass Steagall.
So the solution is tariffs in your mind? Do I have that right?
Free trade alliances with countries that have similar labor and property rights standards to our own. By that I mean working conditions, worker rights, the ability or workers to organize into unions. No government suppression or labor unions (though we have that in SC). Protection of workers from physical violence by employers, if they seek higher wages. A court system that enforces contract rights. A government not subject to bribery (SC may also have a problem with that last one).
Everyone else has to pay a tariff. China, India, most of Asia, and Russia would not meet those tests.
You far righters have are really schizophrenic about tariffs. You bitch about the income tax, saying the US did not have an income tax for most of its history, but then forget that at that time the government was funded by tariffs. I.E. you had to pay to have access to US markets.
First of all “Jack” ass, I haven’t forgotten anything. Why don’t you stay on topic?
We were discussing tariffs. I’m well aware that the gov’t was funded by them. Stop making ASSumptions on what I do or don’t know.
So, by your argument, if I’m deducing properly-you are arguing for tariffs against countries were workers don’t have unions, courts, & gov’ts are not corrupt-is that correct?
Look I am not going to let you pull me into your all government is corrupt crap. If you are involved in international business in any way you know what countries you can conduct normal business in and which ones you can’t. You know which countries have courts you can rely on and which ones don’t. You know which countries oppress their populations and which ones don’t.
“Look I am not going to let you pull me into your all government is corrupt crap.”
lmao! You are the one that brought it up! What am I suppose to do, ignore the statements you make that you wish you didn’t?
Dude, your entire answer was a “non-answer”.
*plan
It’s a race to the bottom man. Always has been. NAFTA – the greatest gift to SC – allowed us to compete with Mexico for fading industries.
“On the other hand, the other 49 states would breathe a collective sigh of relief as the burden of a taker state is lifted”
Move out then Smirks. Stop being a little whiney bitch and get your ass moving. You’ve got 49 other wonderlands to pick from.
That you think SC would suddenly devolve into third world status displays incredible stupidity on your part.
Since you have such a low opinion of SC, get your ass to stepping. Don’t be a “victim”.
Don’t worry, if SC dips into the stupid I’ll most definitely pack my bags. When the state goes into the shitter I imagine you will too, though.
It’s obvious who’s in the shitter based on your all day posting. It’s either you, or if your employed, your employer-who is obviously clueless to your time spent which means if you are employed it’s most likely by a gov’t agency.
And here you are posting too?
I don’t know what your employment situation is, you don’t know what mine is. I’ll let you worry about your work, mind letting me worry about mine?
My employment situation is grand and I’m very productive. You, are clearly not productive.
Why avoid the topic? Every time I swing by the site you’ve got pages of post. Are you independently wealthy?
I want to know your employment status because I think you’re a hypocrite.
My employment situation is grand and I’m very productive. You, are clearly not productive.
Fuck, man, you’re hilarious. I’m not productive because I post here, even though you don’t have a clue where I work, what my hours are, what I even do for a living? And yet you’re posting here right along with me, but you’re the model of productivity!
Why avoid the topic?
YOU are avoiding the topic, dude! You don’t want to talk about how this state would fare losing a solid 1/3rd of its budget or all the economic repercussions of any of that shit, so you bring up personal attacks about my employment status?
You have serious issues man.
I want to know your employment status
Good for you, I don’t give a shit about yours. I truly hope you make a decent living, but it’s none of my business what you do or what you make. You aren’t simply entitled to everyone’s personal information when you find out you disagree with them.
Perhaps you should focus on debating the topic than character assassination. Alternatively, you could just run for office, because ignoring the issues and going straight to negative attacks on the other guy is a pretty successful combination for them.
“You have serious issues man.”
Oh no, it’s you compadre with the serious issues.
You post all day long. Pages & pages of diatribe, like you know everything about every topic.
It’s quite clear who has the “issues”.
“You aren’t simply entitled to everyone’s personal information when you find out you disagree with them.”
I didn’t say I’m “entitled”. I said I wanted to know. Obviously, you don’t want me to know. That you think I would think I’m “entitled” is a problem in your head-probably because of your inner sense of entitlement to many things.
“Perhaps you should focus on debating the topic than character assassination.”
But your employment status is part of the debate Smirks. You’ve made it so because you’re the champion of a controlling, large government and vilify “free markets”(which is really unbelievable).
So in the interest of understanding “why” you feel the way you do, you should tell us all how you make your money since you dislike “Free markets”.
Typical of the nutty right. No one who is productive could disagree with us. Productive people always want to screw as many people as possible. I am very productive, and I think you are full of shit. I work 60 hours a week running my own business.
The downward spiral of the middle class in this country is very detrimental to small local businesses. More dispersed wealth is good for everyone, except perhaps the 1% . A healthy wealthy middle class means confident customers. A demoralized middle class, in constant fear of poverty, does not spend money.
I’m glad your productive. I don’t think Smirks is, it’s just that simple.
“Productive people always want to screw as many people as possible.”
What does that even mean?
*you’re
Simple, far righters view the world as populated by wolves and sheep. You are one or the other. That is the natural order, and there should be no sheepdogs or shepherds defending the flock. You think productive people are wolves and all agree with you.
“You think productive people are wolves and all agree with you.”
Hey Jack, stop making assumption/buidling strawmen. You have no idea what I’m thinking.
You claimed earlier that you’re productive and work 60 hours a week. I’m glad to hear that. Does that mean you think “productive peoplel are wolves”?
You obviously have a reading comprehension problem. I am not a far righter. I don’t buy into the wolves and sheep vision of the world. Productive people will be productive and will thrive in a economy where the middle class thrives. The ultra rich will thrive there as well. Maybe not as well as in a society where government policy centers around making them richer, in the hope they will take care of everyone else (i.e trickle down economics). But they will still be the ultra rich.
There is nothing wrong with government policies which support the growth and prosperity of the middle class. Like Social Security and Medicare, reasonable regulation of industry and the stock market, providing world class infrastructure, providing world class education to our children, and providing universal affordable health care, so that we are not constantly bankrupted by health care costs or the cost of insurance..
“You obviously have a reading comprehension problem. I am not a far righter.”
Oh yea? Let’s go back and see what you said:
“Productive people always want to screw as many people as possible.”
Did that say anything about “far righter”?
No, but you’re an idiot so you’re gonna pretend you qualified and hope no one notices, right? Was your intention to use a colon after “nutty right”? What’s the next string of run on’s coming my way?
The rest of your bullshit is meaningless as far as this discussion. Try to stay on topic if you want to engage, otherwise, piss off.
Typical Republican. Attack the person, forget the issues. Issues require facts, and facts are an anathema to the teanuts.
The sentence was a characterization of the thought process of the nutty right. They believe they are entitled to screw as many people as they possibly can and that productive people all think that way. Well we don’t. Some of us think you are full of shit.
“Attack the person, forget the issues.”
Attack the person? lol!
How am I supposed to debate someone that can’t clearly communicate their points? I’m pointing out the obvious. If I was “attacking” you it’d be much worse.
You can’t even stay on point when you type sentences that are understandable. And you cry about “forget the issues”?!?!
I comment about Federal Influences via dollars spent and then tell someone that if we didn’t have them SCers would be ok in the long run and you start blathering on about the middle class, Glass-Steagall, Bush, Free Trade, & all sorts of non-sequitorial bullshit.
Seriously, go argue with someone else.
That’s why they don’t demonize the middle class directly. They demonize the “lazy poors” and tell the middle class that’s who their true enemy is, when in reality the 1% is fucking both of them.
I don’t want to “just help” the poor or the middle class, I want to help both.
Why not the rich? Why do they need any more help?
Strawmen, that’s all you have. Blanket characterizations of “they”(right?) by saying the “demonize the “lazy poors””.
Anyone that has a grip on reality doesn’t label a whole class of people, including the “rich”/1% as the enemy.
People & their motivations are always a mix of good and bad regardless of socioeconomic status. To say “eat the rich” is pure stupidity.
Anyone that has a grip on reality doesn’t label a whole class of people, including the “rich”/1% as the enemy.
Libertarians complain all the time about crony capitalism, but the 1% that almost assuredly engages in it on a daily basis? Nah, not the enemy, right?
Pretty sure right wing politics makes its living on labeling poor people as the enemy of the middle class. Just swap the 1% for the 47%.
“Libertarians complain all the time about crony capitalism, but the 1%
that almost assuredly engages in it on a daily basis? Nah, not the
enemy, right?”
So there you go, you do it again. How often do you find yourself hanging out with the 1%? What is it that makes you think they are all “crony capitalists”? Intuition?
Have you taken a survey of all of them or carefully recorded every crony capilist story and compared it against a list of 1%ers to make the statement that they all “assuredly engage in it”?
Is your self awareness that low that you don’t realize how ridiculous your claim is?
Who cares what the “right” or “left” says, they are all talking points. It doesn’t even matter in our discussion. We are talking about your irrational hatred of the free market.
Almost lunch time Smirks. Do you work during lunch?
You post all day long. Pages & pages of diatribe
And yet here you are. (You even patiently waited for my post to reply with your own wall of text, similar to how you will patiently wait on this post.)
But your employment status is part of the debate Smirks.
Perhaps in your mind, but it isn’t. We’re talking about federal funds here. I don’t make my living on those federal monies, not one bit.
You’ve made it so because you’re the champion of a controlling, large government and vilify “free markets”(which is really unbelievable).
Mainly I’m just trolling libertarians, which is why you are so livid at my insults of the precious Free Markets and the blaspheming of the Invisible Hand (peace be upon him).
I don’t think gubmint is “good” for every application, and I don’t think the unbridled free market is “good” for every application either. I don’t look at things as black (total central planning and government control) and white (pure, unadulterated free market Ancapistan) but as varying shades of gray. Most people see shades of gray, even if they disagree with what shades look best in what rooms.
Libertarians hate gray, even the lightest shades of gray in some cases, just paint everything white, even when it clearly does not work well somewhere. ANY interference by government automatically makes things bad, there is NO such thing as good government EVER, etc. Perhaps the sane and somewhat logical ones are willing to put up with ever-so-light shades of gray, but often they still bitch about it.
All I do is bring a big can of gray paint and sling it into the room every now and then, partially to counter the boring white walls, and partially to enrage all the diligent libertarians who worked all day to paint them that way.
Well, whatever. Have fun responding, I don’t want to keep you from your “productive” work.
“And yet here you are.”
That’s right. Because today I’ve decided I’m going to get to the heart of the matter. I have the time today and I’m going chase you down the rabbit hole.
“I don’t make my living on those federal monies, not one bit.”
Great, so do you make your living on state monies?
“Mainly I’m just trolling libertarians, which is why you are so livid at my insults of the precious Free Markets and the blaspheming of the Invisible Hand (peace be upon him).”
Trolling libertarians? You are simply making an idiot out of yourself. You have no idea that without some semblance of a free market there’s no money for anyone. You’ve proven yourself a eloquent idiot.
“I don’t want to keep you from your “productive” work.”
And in this case, it is productive. I want everyone to see you for the ignorant hypocrite you are.
Eventually when most people see your ideology as bankrupt, just like the various gov’ts we live under, they’ll get the message eventually as they suffer more and more economically. That is very “productive” for me.
“Well, whatever. Have fun responding.”
Pussy.
You have no idea that without some semblance of a free market there’s no money for anyone.
Case in point. See? No shades of gray, just black and white. Whenever someone argues for sensible regulation and responsible balancing of free market and government forces, there’s no “semblance of a free market.” Thus, anything good and the credit goes to the free market, and anything bad the blame goes to government.
It’s cult-like, but I’m not surprised. Dude argues like a Scientologist.
“there’s no “semblance of a free market.” Thus, anything good and the credit goes to the free market”
Of course it does! That’s what you don’t get. It’s amazing.
You think wealth can come from someplace other than a market.
Without someone somewhere “making money”, or creating wealth, you can’t even have a government! Otherwise, everyone sits in grass huts eeking out a subsistence living(and even then you have to be productive) without wealth created above and beyond.
It’s just that simple.
You attribute what should be common sense to “cult-like” argumentation that tie it to Scientology? As I mentioned before, all you have are Strawmen. No actual substance.
You’re intellectually bankrupt.
*then tie it
Of course it does! That’s what you don’t get. It’s amazing.
If only those damned statist rubes could figure out square pegs go into circular holes.
It’s always funny to me, even the most ardent “statist” will admit government fucks up, even does something outright wrong, but good luck ever getting an ancap or right-libertarian to admit the free market ever does this.
Watch closely kids, you won’t want to miss this lolbertarian telling us how this is really the gubmint’s fault:
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/02/03/vitamin-supplement-industry-under-fire-for-alleged-mislabeling-false-advertising/
“It is a largely unregulated industry and as a result, it is very
difficult to feel confident that what you are taking is what you intend
to be taking,” Dr. Kenneth Spaeth said.
B-but, muh free markets! What’s your employment?! You probably work for the state!
No different than WHAT ARE YOUR CRIMES!? HOW MANY?!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocw90W44Boc
More strawmen & non-inquisitorial brilliance. I’m not that kid. Take control of you ADD and focus on what I’m saying, not anyone else.
“What’s your employment?! You probably work for the state!”
Do you? I noticed you haven’t given us a clear answer to that. Do you have the personal integrity to admit honestly how you make your money?
Also tell us Omniscient Smirks, one simple thing:
If the markets are not the root of all life enhancing things/activities for man, what is?
Tell me how man elevates himself without free market activity as a start?
Please tell Smirks we will meet him at Bojangles for lunch.
Got a per diem for that, right? lol
He doesn’t buy anything. Brings a can of Spam, shares my iced tea and walks out with a roll of toilet paper wherever we go.
lol…well, he’s entitled to it, he’s providing you with the “service” of his company.
Sissy likes that *pussy*. As long as he empties his trash can once a month and sprays his cubical down with febreeze once a year, we are okay with his job performance.
Do you?
Nope.
If the markets are not the root of all life enhancing things/activities for man, what is?
Root? In a sense, yes, but an over-simplification in many instances. Social Security eradicates poverty among the elderly quite efficiently, so I’d call that life enhancing. Obviously that comes from people making money, but it is still a government construct, and the function that it provides didn’t exist before Social Security came about. So, roots, yes, but the roots of an apple tree, the fruit relies on more than just the roots.
Tell me how man elevates himself without free market activity as a start?
Again, no one is arguing against a general concept of “free market.” At some point, though, something is needed to interfere with some parts of the market, to fix market failures, etc., to generally help the majority of society from being stepped on by an elite minority of self-interested douchebags.
Case in point, when little regulation is done on the vitamin and supplement market, you end up with a lot of fraud that can go unnoticed for a long time. Most people would say “Okay, maybe the government needs to intervene a bit just to make sure they aren’t jipping us.” If it results in a safer market, how is this not good? How does this not elevate man?
…to make sure they aren’t jipping us…
Whoa!
What was that sound?
Smirks’ liberal, social justice warrior cred going down the drain?
What’s next?
“Indian Giver”?
“JEWED”?!!!
Say it ain’t so! : )
I’ll cut Smirks slack because it’s not a real crime to make fun of people or even hate them because of their race, skin color, etc.
“Crime”, when viewed through the lens of the non-aggression princple, is when you physically harm them or their property.
I’m not all PC about racial jokes & idioms, because I think they are funny and I don’t hate anyone for their race/color, but recognize some difference from time to time. (and I don’t give a damn about PC bullshit)
“Root? In a sense, yes, but an over-simplification in many instances.”
YES! That’s the ONLY answer. YES, it is! It’s not an “over-simplification”.
You know why? Because without markets YOU HAVE NOTHING!
..and if you have nothing, gov’t has…NOTHING!
” If it results in a safer market, how is this not good? How does this not elevate man?”
Whether there is “fraud” as you put it(and there always is), or other HUMAN issues under which market participants get hurt is NOT the issue…because again, with no markets at all everyone has nothing. You must first acknowledge that a free market is good and not to be made fun of. Then you have to ask yourself why they are good and further wonder if have an “unfree market” regulate what was a free market makes any kind of philosophical sense.
“Again, no one is arguing against a general concept of “free market.””
Oh yes, yes you were. Don’t back track from it. You like to make fun of it because you dislike the notion of it, otherwise you wouldn’t do it.
The irony is, it’s because of some semblance of “free market” that you can spend all day posting here instead of rooting around in fields looking for food and returning to your grass hut at night. Even if you are screwing your employer, it’s his wealth that gives you the opportunity to post here all the time.
What an INCREDIBLE IRONY!
Look, if you want to recant and simply acknowledge that without markets NOTHING occurs and no wealth is produced, and that perhaps instead of making fun of the concept of “Free markets” you should be thankful we have some semblance of them then I’ll let it drop.
Otherwise, I’m going to go on and on until you get it. That’s not a threat either, that’s a favor, to you.
Bush was all about free markets and limited regulation of thrifts and Wall Street mortgage bundlers in the last decade. How did that work out for everyone? Is you’re house still underwater? Two truths about free markets. They will always produce efficient ways to garner wealth, they will always drive themselves over a cliff. The trick is to regulate them enough to stay off the cliff. But then you knew that right?
You realize of course that SC is pretty much border line third world now. Compare the poverty level to that of some Third World South American countries and you’ll see it. And the murder and violence crime rate. Or just do yourself a favor and drive down 321 to I-95. I travel to the third world nearly every year – trust me – we’re already there.
“You realize of course that SC is pretty much border line third world now.”
I have traveled to many third world countries. I can tell you SC is no where close to a third world country.
Again, take a drive down 321.
I’m very simply going to disagree with you. There are areas of third world countries that are certainly nicer than areas of SC. They are areas like Washington DC, power centers, the center point of revenue collection from the poor/middle class.
But in the broad sense of what defines a “third world country”, SC is NOT close in any way shape or form. It doesn’t have people living in shanty towns or subsitence farming. Poor people in SC have TV’s, cell phones and full bellies for God’s sake. There’s simply no comparison no matter where you go to the “average” in a third world country.
Don’t you have a S. American wife? I would think you’d have traveled a bit.
*subsistence
Exactly. I have. Not close? Doesn’t have people living in shanty towns? Or subisitence farming? Again sir, I will direct you to Highway 321 from Columbia to Hardeeville. There are people living in shanties. There are subsistence farmers. Hampton County – 21% live below the poverty line. Allendale County – 42% of the people live below the poverty line. Bamberg County – 30% of the people live below the poverty line. Colleton County is 21% (with a large bulk along Highway 17 heading into Charleston). Williamsburg – 32%. Dillon – 30%. And by the way, the poor in the third world countries I’ve been too – they also have cell phones and TVs. And running water.
Brazil – 21%, Ecuador – 23%, Panama – 26%. Are there poorer ones, sure – Bolivia, Peru. But still, just within our hemisphere – are you saying you’re proud to have counties in SC where the poverty rate is higher than in Panama or Ecuador? Statewide is around 20%, about the same as Brazil. Guess that’s good – but to say we’re not border third world – I’m sorry but we are. The state does nothing to help foster any economic development in those counties. Nothing. They run off and provide millions for a Boeing factory in Charleston – a city that is doing pretty well, or for some new hospital in West Columbia – the richest damned suburb near the capital, but not a damned thing for the poor and yes, third world counties, we have all over. Hell, for many of them the greatest event with economic impact was fire ants – at least they kill weavils and allowed cotton to make a comeback.
Wouldn’t starve to death but SC would be broke real fast. The starving comes after the looting and mayhem. Oh, I guess that’s what all the guns are for. SC is fed dependent, which is ironic given the criticism directed at the “entitlement dependent” individual
Doom & gloom without DC money eh? Sky is falling rhetoric huh?
No way, the people of SC have survived far worse.
Yeah. Dresses made from curtains could be the new rage
MAKE MINE FROM A CROKER SACK!
RE: CONFEDERATE FLAG-LONG MAY SHE WAVER!
A POTATO IN EVERY POT!
I’m not done with this thread. I have customers to visit this afternoon and few other odds and ends and then I’m coming back tonight to reply to anyone that wants to continue.
I’m going to see this thread through to the bitter end, even if it takes weeks.
Don’t mistake my lack of response for the next 7 or 8 hours for anything but more pressing priorities(for now).
Smirks only *works* 8-5 , M-F. Saturday morning’s if we make fresh coffee and provide free donuts.It is now time for lunch.
$106 million over 20 years, or $5.3 million per year or $100,000/week for a run down building that needs to be completely gutted. Our tax dollars at work.
When will USCe go back to being an academic institution and not running a hotel, or building with the plans to lease office space?
“When will USCe go back to being an academic institution and not running a
hotel, or building with the plans to lease office space?”
When they run out of taxpayer money…
You got it bass ackwards. All the leasing and business arrangements are necessary to try to make up for the funding cuts by the legislature over the last decade.
“All the leasing and business arrangements are necessary to try to make up for the funding cuts”
$10 says they lose money on their “business dealings”, not withstanding the lost tax revenue that occurs when a tax exempt entity owns half the valuable property downtown and damage to potential entrepreneurial start ups and free market activities via increased property costs downtown and having to compete for properties with an entity that has no need for profit.
Hear, hear. We give SC State more than any other school, yet they come back every quarter begging for millions more. Does anyone really believe that giving them more revenue will reduce costs? They’ve increased the number of students 25% over the last ten years, and now claim they will need to add even more because of this deal, that is a quote from Ed Walton.
Business dealings like research grants, leasing, praetorships with developers on new student housing, sports. When the legislature is only sending you about 13% or less of your budget, the business model changes. Free market activities? Sounds like fairy dust to me. Gimme something with some substance.
So why aren’t other state colleges following this business model? I’m assuming their state funding also got cut (well except for SCSU).
They do not have needed classroom space, to you know, educate students, their primary mission. Seems like everything else comes before the students. when kids cannot get into the required curriculum classes they need in order to graduate, they should be staging protests and sit-ins, if it were any other business screwing their clients there would be outrage and lawsuits. The elite jerk-offs in Osborne don’t give a damn about the students. They grab a smart one to parade them around and give themselves a pat on the back, while they take the classrooms out from under them. But don’t forget to pay your parking tickets!
They don’t know how to make money.. They were not charging for rooms at the Whitney
Give me a break. They knew the flag was there when they cut the deal.
Now, maybe they thought that Lindsey Graham would not turn out to be such an hysterical, pissant, fear monger for 6 long years and finally had enough of his shit.
Who have you gotten a check from? Mug shots of
female source?…
https://myspace.com/ballyhoobu…
female source?
https://myspace.com/ballyhooburlesque/photos
The page is gone. Who was it?
Buz Martin dressed in drag…it was….interesting.
Hmmm… I wonder how many female officials at USCe could be privy to this information, shouldn’t take long to figure out who’s going to be on Pastide’s shit list.
Well I guess USCe will have to tap into some of that endowment money, aren’t they sitting on close to a billion dollars? Or they could just raise tuition and add in a Darla Moore Business School fee for any student who will attend/walk thru/walk by/look at that gaudy looking building.
So bitter. What year was it when they didn’t accept you? ’59? ’60? Let it go, sweetheart.
I graduated from a much better school than USCe… one that everyone has heard of. And I wasn’t even born in those dates you’re mentioning.
On January 9, 1861 the Star of the West was fired upon by cadets from The Citadel stationed at the Morris Island Battery as the ship entered Charleston Harbor
On or about January 9, 2015 the Government of the United States returned fire as it sank an economical deal with the University of South Carolina
In the following days all citizens of South Carolina will witness whether the Fucking Cockroaches currently scurrying in and about the State House will succumb to economic blackmail or stand their ground
Some may speculate this action, by a POTUS who has never stepped foot in this State, to be a concidence but Gibbs Rule #39: There is no such thing as coincidence, overrules any such speculation
God I hope they stand their ground. It will be good to see what Obama has up his sleeve next to cut state welfare to South Carolina. Every penny taken from South Carolina benefits states that take care of citizens instead of corporations. Go Obama!!
Slavery is thriving in Africa and in Asia…perhaps focusing on the “flag” helps us to absolve ourselves of the guilt we bear as a nation for ignoring the current abomination of slavery in Africa and Asia…when was the last time any national leader ever pledged to fight the global slave trade? Removing a flag is a lot easier than actually addressing the current slave crisis…
They don’t, it would mean offending Islam if for example we refused to do business with countries that have active slave trades. We don’t even say anything about the Christians and Yazidis and anyone else in the way of the expansion of the caliphate being sold into slavery, sexual and otherwise. Multi-culturalism requires that we ignore barbarism lest we appear to think that their culture of death and enslavement is lesser than ours.
Fits will write anything for a dollar.
Well, at least the CEOs havent complained.
Dirt cheap labor trumps ignorant racists every time.
I say Bull S–t to the whole story.The Confederate Flag is NOT hurting the State one bit,and you can take that to the Bank!
Tyrannical Government Bullies Much?
Wow..coming from such a character-laden operation as the Obama-Holder DOJ…we should really be ashamed…LMAO…
Captain obvious much?
Can’t keep up much? ….LMAO…
With what? Your clichés? LMAO!!!!!
Can’t keep up much?
Anyone ever been behind someone walking painfully slow? Like, so slow you have to stop every now and then, because you walking purposefully slow is still too fast and you would bump into them if you didn’t stop?
Yeah, I think that fits here.
Smirks, like so many other liberals on here, you SO WANT to say something…but you just have nothing…no matter how hard you try…
How is it to be vapid? …yet so hungry???
Like anyone would make this idiot a Captain…
Obama doesn’t even come here, hasn’t in years, it is more likely this is punishment for SC coming straight from the DoJ, for not being one of his handful of ass-kissing states that can’t get enough free stuff out of him. All flags are meaningless? Let me come fly the ISIS black flag of death from your front porch then.
Since when does the loser of a war get to flight their flag? Y’all do realize you lost the fucking war right? Take down that stupid flag.
It is akin to German towns flying the Nazi flag because of their ‘heritage.’ It shouldn’t be banned in toto, but hanging it on government property directly in front of the Statehouse is another thing altogether.
Or more inbred racists flying the nazi flag. No shortage of dumb crackers in SC, no doubt.
You can apply that sentiment to all 57 states.
No shortage of inbred idiots advising folks in here.
Please stop with the lazy and ridiculous analogy to Nazi Germany. You have to put both in their historical context. The confederacy was guilty of hanging onto an immoral form of labor that was dying out in the Western world. The Nazis were guilty of genocide and attempted Eurorpean conquest.
” The confederacy was guilty of hanging onto an immoral form of labor that was dying out in the Western world.”
Let us also remember the North was hanging on to it as well, just not in as great numbers. Interestingly, the Emancipation Proclamation only freed Southern state slaves, not Northern.
The Emancipation Proclamation by law COULD NOT free Northern Slaves, because it was issued as part of Lincoln’s War Powers. So it could only apply to the rebellious states.
at a confederate soilder monument?? Let me guess Doris, you want it placed at the Vietnam monument?
PC bitch.
No! Keep it up! I want to see South Carolina pay and pay and pay some more.
Let’s see just how far these racist assholes are willing to sacrifice for their sacred flag.
Flag or rag? Notice how red it is? Looks like some fat woman’s been sitting on it once a month for years.
It was stupid to fly the thing from the Statehouse. At the time, it was supposed to stay up a year but they essentially forgot to bring it down. But there’s nothing inherently wrong with flying it on the statehouse grounds, which are where several historical monuments are placed. Had it been flying in a little, obscure corner of the statehouse grounds since 1950, nobody would think twice about it. But since it’s flying front and center in front of Main & Gervais, and because black lawmakers weren’t satisfied with the compromise, it has come to where we are today.
The flag needs to be moved, but it should just be moved to a less visible spot on the grounds.
All it’s ever done is make it to the national press, from time to time, and allow Hollywood screen writers to depict SC as a backwards, idiotic state. Like when they depicted rest areas on I-95 as giant gay orgies in There’s Something About Mary. I say let’s hang a few at all the Welcome Centers too.
did you forget about the 11 times O$U lost to SEC schools? Ya’ll still got to keep your nuts!!!
Gamechumps has how football national championships?
The Unreconstructed Rebel
Oh, I’m a good old Rebel,
Now that’s just what I am;
For this “fair land of Freedom”
I do not care a damn.
I’m glad I fit against it-
I only wish we’d won.
And I don’t want no pardon
For anything I’ve done.
I hates the Constitution,
This great Republic too;
I hates the Freedmen’s Buro,
In uniforms of blue.
I hates the nasty eagle,
With all his brag and fuss;
But the lyin’, thievin’ Yankees
I hates’ em wuss and wuss.
I hates the Yankee nation,
And everything they do;
I hates the Declaration
Of Independence too.
I hates the glorious Union,
‘Tis dripping with our blood;
And I hates the striped banner-
I fit it all I could.
I followed old Marse Robert
For four years, near about.
Got wounded in three places,
And starved at Point Lookout.
I cotch the roomatism
A-campin’in the snow,
But I killed a chance of Yankees-
And I’d like to kill some mo’.
Three hundred thousand Yankees
Is stiff Southern dust;
We got three hundred thousand
Befo’ they conquered us.
They died of Southern fever
And Southern steel and shot;
And I wish it was three million
Instead of what we got.
.
I can’t take up my musket
And fight’ em now no mo’,
But I ain’t a-goin’to love’ em,
Now that is sartin sho’;
And I don’t want no pardon
For what I was and am;
And I won’t be reconstructed,
And I do not give a damn.
no I just hate your attempt at humor and music.
The flag belongs on crappy stuff from a beachwear store or the back of some dipshit’s truck.
I bet you’re an Obama supporter.
No, just not a dumb hard head bigot.
All I want to know is “how can anyone justify flying the confederate flag on state house grounds?” I mean really, the point has been made that SC is full of racist rednecks. Just because you like Darius Rucker doesn’t mean you are not a racist.
USC, for better or worse, has been sucking off the federal nipple for decades. 1990-1992 they got tons of State Department, DOD and Commerce people to attend their programs for advanced degrees thanks to Dr. Eagleburger. Paid for by the agencies. Then there was the Criminal Justice program, expanded with grants and help from the Department of Justice. Then this lease.
Take it down. Put it in a museum.
For Christ’s sake, why are we still having this debate in 2015?
Fuck a museum, auction it. Make some money for tax revenue.
Who’s debating? The debate happened a decade ago, it’s now no longer discussed.
Another big decommit for the Coots.
Damon Arnette and he is going where…..?????
No worry, Stevie will visit him and bring him in.
If the flag was on the grounds in 2009, when the deal was signed and delivered, why would it matter now?
It doesn’t. The reason this deal was cancelled was all the DOJ bashing done by Graham.
Good! Payback is a mother fucker. Thanks Obama!
Kick the redneck racists to the curb like they deserve.
I’d start shutting military bases and moving them to states that aren’t welfare cases like South Carolina as well.
Nothing sets conservatives to howling like getting a taste of their own vindictive medicine.
As a Southern conservative, I say preach it! I like the “payback” of less Federal Government involvement in SC…
Dishonoring the blood of our veterans/soldier-ancestors for a “bowl of porridge” is not worth it!
is the ISIS flag utterly meaningless?
Or….Or….could it be Lindsey would like to use the building for his presidential library?
What did they think the Obama administration would do if it got the chance? South Carolina Republicans live in a parallel universe. This is just another example
Flags dont cause nuthin, but peoples sho’ can an’ do!
This heer iz a shuck an’ jive t’ enact mo’ kultural genocide in a state full ov fine, fine peoples hoo wont cuss their ol’ muthers an’ fathers that defended thare home against a barbarious northern horde of neo-puritan nuts!
I says th’ federales an’ their devalued greenbacks can go t’ hail!
Dat down-town neo-yankee sorry ‘cuse fer a skool can go t’ hail!
All y’all sportin’ yer bull manure, hi-horsin’, know-it-all moral out-rage over dis non-issue can go t’ hail!
All yall neo-carpetbaggers an’ neo-scalawags can go t’ hail toooooooooooooooooo!
Fools!
sic(k) willie’s “sources” are usually the “dust bunnies” under his bed.
Or, the ones between his ears.
He learned years ago that the can claim “sources” and post any cr@p he pleases.
He doesn’t have to prove anything. He doesn’t have to be accountable.
Just as long as suckers follow the pay per click links on his sad little porn site.
Remember his claim that a Midlands’ elected official had a “Strom Problem?”
He promised and promised, but never revealed any facts.
Remember the tell-all book he promised and promised? And the promise of tell-all facts about his claim of a naughty-naughty with Trikki Nikki?
Have you seen the book?
What about facts proving his claims about the naughty with Trikki Nikki?
sic(k) willie, it’s all about credibility. You have none.
BIN News Editorial Staff
Flair and Balanced
The vile yankee race will eventually triumph in South Carolina: so many carpetbaggers … so many scallywags … so many PC statist fucks.
i doubt very seriously the flag had anything to do with the DOJ’s decision. however, personally i don’t give a rat’s ass if the flag stays up where it is or
not. but to be fair, since the african-american monument was part of
the “compromise” of the flag’s current location, then it should be removed as well. also, while we’re
talking about it, if the flag is taken down, then can black “leaders”
guarantee that black crime, drug use, etc. will go away since, according
to them, all of the black people’s woes in sc are blamed on the flag?
Hey, SC is a red state. The people who voted republican make SC a red state. Red state voters want to reduce federal spending. You’d think that they would be happy that the fed. gov. has reduced its fed spending by $106 million. Thank you, red state republicans. You gotta eat the scat you spew. Yum, yum, youall.
Every federal dollar comes wit a boot on yer neck.
Wow, that flag is an awesome talisman indeed… it’s kept/keeping the slimy NAACP away (at least in theory), it’s kept/keeping much of the NCAA leftist sports scum out of the state, and now, it’s torn apart a shady command economy deal between USC and DOJ. Bravo, flag!! And heck, I’m neither a flag lover nor hater….
Last November South Carolina elected one of only two African-Americans presently in the US Senate and *simultaneously* elected a lady governor who favors letting the Confederate flag fly on the capitol grounds, thereby proving Southerners can honor their Confederate heritage w/o being racist. The Federal government’s decision to back out of the deal based upon the flag is 190-proof “Righteous Cause Mythology” as explained in the link below:
https://civilwarchat.wordpress.com/2014/08/25/righteous-cause-mythology/
Bullshit!!!!!
“…the NCAA is refusing to hold collegiate athletic tournaments in the Palmetto State.”
…and by doing that they violate their own rule book. They are not to discriminate against member institutions.
Also, it’s a political issue and has nothing to do with college athletics which leads to the question- What other state political issues will they involve themselves with?
Will they boycott a state because they don’t like Governor John Doe?…or a state’s views on certain issues?
“Meanwhile some Democratic lawmakers have attempted to discourage football recruits from attending the University of South Carolina and Clemson University as a result of the flag’s presence.”
Currently Clemson is ranked in the top 10 in recruiting and SC in the top 20.
Take down the US flag, in today global economy it offend far
more people than the Confederate flag.
Typical Eric Holder Justice Department. Scum and indecent.
I think Storm Thurmond’s dead cold hands don’t have that same grip, but then again they keep naming things after that ‘ole racist.