We’ve stated on numerous previous occasions that the S.C. Department of Agriculture shouldn’t even exist. Taxpayers shouldn’t be subsidizing the agriculture industry any more than they should be subsidizing tourism – no matter how many jobs this investment allegedly “creates.”
That’s the definition of picking winners and losers in the marketplace … which is morally wrong. And something we’d like to add this agency does quite ridiculously.
Anyway, eliminating this department would also eliminate the need for a Secretary of Agriculture, who gets a salary of more than $90,000 a year (not counting his benefits and a state-issued vehicle and gas card) to preside over its totally unnecessary $16.6 million annual budget. It would also eliminate the need for said Secretary to have an office – or for him to spend upwards of $70,000 doing an expensive taxpayer-funded remodeling of said office.
That’s right …
According to our sources, Weathers recently completed a three-month renovation of his office – one that included “fancy finishings and high-dollar lighting from Pulliam-Morris, one of Columbia best interior design firms.”
Wow …
It’s not immediately clear how much cash was spent on the project. Initial estimates from our sources put the total at around $70,000, but representatives of the department were not immediately available to provide their own figure.
Even one red cent would be too much …
Hugh Weathers’ office shouldn’t be remodeled. It (along with his entire agency) should be eliminated. Oh, and that should be step one in a massive drawdown of the Palmetto State’s over-extended state government – with all the savings from this “reduction in excess” placed in a taxpayer rebate fund.
Hundreds of millions of dollars are just waiting to be taken out of pointless bureaucracies like this one and pumped back into the South Carolina free market … if only our “Republican-controlled” General Assembly and “Republican” governor had the courage to live up to their stated ideologies.
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42 comments
Government can’t run efficiently if the upper heads’ asses aren’t firmly planted in a luxurious leather chair in a fully decked-out office. The fate of South Carolina’s agriculture depends on feng shui.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H39P67tAau4
Government can’t run efficiently if the upper heads’ asses aren’t firmly planted in a luxurious leather chair in a fully decked-out office. The fate of South Carolina’s agriculture depends on feng shui.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H39P67tAau4
Pulliam-Morris does do nice work!
Pulliam-Morris does do nice work!
When Sic Willie “worked” for the government he sat on a wooden stool, at a desk that consisted of a board atop cinderblocks, and handwrote his interoffice memos on scrap paper.
And, he did not ride around in cars people provided while trying to gain access to a governor.
When Sic Willie “worked” for the government he sat on a wooden stool, at a desk that consisted of a board atop cinderblocks, and handwrote his interoffice memos on scrap paper.
And, he did not ride around in cars people provided while trying to gain access to a governor.
Obviously you are confused. A not so careful reading of the stated platform of the South Carolina Republican Party shows that it expressly supports programs that support and promote agriculture in SC. It also makes several references to being in support of economic incentives. So it would appear that our Republican controlled General Assembly and Governor are livinging up to our stated ideologies.
You must have meant to say that the teachings of that funny little man from Texas, Ron Paul, who has made himself and the semi-defunct Libertarian Party a laughing stock, frown on such things.
Fits long ago “invented” a “Republican Party” that doesnt and never has existed.He uses that mythical party as a counter to the actual Republican Party that does exist and then weirdly tries to claim that his mythical party is the “real” Republican Party and that those members of the real life Republican Party who dont conform to the strictures of his imagined Republican Party are RINOS.
Sort of like a kid with an imaginary playmate!
Sort of like Tea Baggers, ain’t it.
Just like Libertarians have invented a US history that never took place.
Here’s the deal, HRN: Libertarians are too lazy, antisocial, and immature to do the hard work of organizing and building a successful party from the ground up. So they’re trying to take a shortcut and hijack an established party, the GOP.
In the process they’re killing each other off politically, which is fine with me and fun to watch, but not conducive to the long term prospects for the GOP.
“hard work . . . organizing and building a successful party from the ground up. So they’re trying to take a shortcut and hijack an established party, the GOP.”
Hey, the Dixiecrats succeeded in doing it.
Obviously you are confused. A not so careful reading of the stated platform of the South Carolina Republican Party shows that it expressly supports programs that support and promote agriculture in SC. It also makes several references to being in support of economic incentives. So it would appear that our Republican controlled General Assembly and Governor are livinging up to our stated ideologies.
You must have meant to say that the teachings of that funny little man from Texas, Ron Paul, who has made himself and the semi-defunct Libertarian Party a laughing stock, frown on such things.
Fits long ago “invented” a “Republican Party” that doesnt and never has existed.He uses that mythical party as a counter to the actual Republican Party that does exist and then weirdly tries to claim that his mythical party is the “real” Republican Party and that those members of the real life Republican Party who dont conform to the strictures of his imagined Republican Party are RINOS.
Sort of like a kid with an imaginary playmate!
Sort of like Tea Baggers, ain’t it.
Just like Libertarians have invented a US history that never took place.
Here’s the deal, HRN: Libertarians are too lazy, antisocial, and immature to do the hard work of organizing and building a successful party from the ground up. So they’re trying to take a shortcut and hijack an established party, the GOP.
In the process they’re killing each other off politically, which is fine with me and fun to watch, but not conducive to the long term prospects for the GOP.
“hard work . . . organizing and building a successful party from the ground up. So they’re trying to take a shortcut and hijack an established party, the GOP.”
Hey, the Dixiecrats succeeded in doing it.
This is why Lil’ Nikki will never have any credibility. If she (and any other Tea Partier) does not
start here and abolish these “jobs” all the other bullshit is laughable.
The salary, perks, staff are bad enough but the $$$ spent geometrically expands on “promotions”.
This is why Lil’ Nikki will never have any credibility. If she (and any other Tea Partier) does not
start here and abolish these “jobs” all the other bullshit is laughable.
The salary, perks, staff are bad enough but the $$$ spent geometrically expands on “promotions”.
That shirt makes him look like a giant tomato.
That shirt makes him look like a giant tomato.
I work in the State House Complex. I have heard rumors of this renovation and in fact I heard it cost more than the number quoted by fits.
I see waste everyday and I wish the taxpayers could see it like I do. If so, many politicians of all stripes would be thrown out at once!
I work in the State House Complex. I have heard rumors of this renovation and in fact I heard it cost more than the number quoted by fits.
I see waste everyday and I wish the taxpayers could see it like I do. If so, many politicians of all stripes would be thrown out at once!
I’d rather pay Pulliam-Morris $70,000 then to pay a political hack millions to buy land that the Farmers Market didn’t even need.
I’d rather pay Pulliam-Morris $70,000 then to pay a political hack millions to buy land that the Farmers Market didn’t even need.
Hugh Weathers is one of the most honest, dedicated, hardest working men we have in state government. Unlike some department heads whose chairs have to be dusted in Columbia because the chair doesn’t get sat in enough to keep it clean, he works and works hard. He is kind and considerate of the underlings. He stops and listens to us in the hallways. And not just because I am an old lady who has been up here a long time. Hugh’s wife works at knowing the names of people Hugh works with. She knows how to entertain without being pretentious, but does things first class. I am very comfortable that anyone the Department of Commerse beings in or anyone who comes to visit the Governor would be impressed and at ease with the Weathers. The Weathers’ son got married last year. The rehearsal dinner was handled by the top event planning firm in town. I slipped over to look at it. It was not over the top, but most appropriate and elegant. Pulliam Morris did my living room and dining room 12 years ago and it is still current and is not trendy or dated. I can give you a list of those who needs to be picked on up here and Hugh is NOT one of them.
We shall leave Hugh alone, however we shall pick on your grammar “Doris”.
Doris, who cares if he is a good friend or that high cost vendors do good work.
$70,000 on an office remodel is silly, and borderline criminal.
Hugh Weathers is one of the most honest, dedicated, hardest working men we have in state government. Unlike some department heads whose chairs have to be dusted in Columbia because the chair doesn’t get sat in enough to keep it clean, he works and works hard. He is kind and considerate of the underlings. He stops and listens to us in the hallways. And not just because I am an old lady who has been up here a long time. Hugh’s wife works at knowing the names of people Hugh works with. She knows how to entertain without being pretentious, but does things first class. I am very comfortable that anyone the Department of Commerse beings in or anyone who comes to visit the Governor would be impressed and at ease with the Weathers. The Weathers’ son got married last year. The rehearsal dinner was handled by the top event planning firm in town. I slipped over to look at it. It was not over the top, but most appropriate and elegant. Pulliam Morris did my living room and dining room 12 years ago and it is still current and is not trendy or dated. I can give you a list of those who needs to be picked on up here and Hugh is NOT one of them.
We shall leave Hugh alone, however we shall pick on your grammar “Doris”.
Doris, who cares if he is a good friend or that high cost vendors do good work.
$70,000 on an office remodel is silly, and borderline criminal.
As I drove into work this morning, I heard our illustrious Ag Secty doing the voice for a Piggly Wiggly store commercial. Even if they support SC farmers by selling produce grown here, is it proper for the man who regulates grocery stores to be doing their commercials? You know, “arm’s length” and everything.
As I drove into work this morning, I heard our illustrious Ag Secty doing the voice for a Piggly Wiggly store commercial. Even if they support SC farmers by selling produce grown here, is it proper for the man who regulates grocery stores to be doing their commercials? You know, “arm’s length” and everything.
Did Hugh Weathers ever release the dollar amount of his palatial office remodeling??????
I wanna know how many of our tax dollars were spent on that politicians fat ass!
Did Hugh Weathers ever release the dollar amount of his palatial office remodeling??????
I wanna know how many of our tax dollars were spent on that politicians fat ass!
You should do better research. The department of ag does not just subsidize farmers. Only a small portion of the budget goes to farmers. The handle things like food safety and gas pump calibration. But hey lets do away with it so we will all die of starvation or food poisoning, while getting ripped off at the gas station.
You should do better research. The department of ag does not just subsidize farmers. Only a small portion of the budget goes to farmers. The handle things like food safety and gas pump calibration. But hey lets do away with it so we will all die of starvation or food poisoning, while getting ripped off at the gas station.