SC

More Columbia, SC Shadiness

For those of you unfamiliar with the scam, “Chambers of Commerce” in South Carolina exist for one purpose – to separate taxpayers from their money. These organizations have never met a tax hike, crony capitalist handout, government bailout or new taxpayer-subsidized program they didn’t wildly embrace – contending that such…

For those of you unfamiliar with the scam, “Chambers of Commerce” in South Carolina exist for one purpose – to separate taxpayers from their money. These organizations have never met a tax hike, crony capitalist handout, government bailout or new taxpayer-subsidized program they didn’t wildly embrace – contending that such anti-free market measure would help “create jobs.”

How’s that plan worked out? Not so well …

Back in 2010, we even defended our arch-nemesis Nikki Haley when she battled against the S.C. Chamber of Commerce, an especially liberal member of South Carolina’s government-funded “economic development” community. Of course Haley has completely flip-flopped since then – abandoning her stated limited government ideology and turning into one of the state’s most aggressive supporter of crony capitalist deals. Now she is the candidate of choice for the S.C. Chamber.

How’s that plan worked  out? Again, not so well … 

Anyway, the latest scam foisted by these big government boondogglers is the “penny sales tax” – in which $1.2 billion was stolen from the residents of Richland County, S.C. via a rigged election. Everybody catch that? Allow us to repeat that … $1.2 billion was stolen from the residents of Richland County, S.C. via a rigged election.

(To read more about this “Richland County Robbery” click here …)

Among the chief cheerleaders of this theft? Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce president Ike McLeese.

“The business community is advocating for it,” McLeese said of the tax hike. “Not because we love sales taxes or any form of taxes. But we see it as an investment in the infrastructure that will support economic development.”

Ah, yes … “economic development.”

Well guess what … McLeese is reportedly on the verge of getting paid handsomely for his advocacy. According to our sources, he has accepted a “consulting” gig with one of the developers whose projects is benefiting from money approved via the sales tax hike. Details are sketchy at this point, but it’s shaping up as yet another example of your hard earned tax dollars going directly into the pockets of the politically connected liberals who embrace business crippling tax hikes.

Sound familiar? This same scam played out with the “chamber” in Myrtle Beach, S.C. a few years ago … 

Tax hikes never promote “economic development.” And any “chamber of commerce” which says otherwise doesn’t know a damn thing about commerce … except how to inhibit it.

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48 comments

Misstate August 9, 2013 at 10:39 am

You just keep digging up that dead horse and beating it with your conspiracy whip don’t you.

Reply
Jay Ellington August 9, 2013 at 1:22 pm

Ike McLeese is a class A moron, that’s no phony conspiracy.

Reply
Misstate August 9, 2013 at 10:39 am

You just keep digging up that dead horse and beating it with your conspiracy whip don’t you.

Reply
The Ghost of Fat Greg Dulli August 9, 2013 at 1:22 pm

Ike McLeese is a class A moron, that’s no phony conspiracy.

Reply
Jackie Chiles August 9, 2013 at 10:45 am

This site was dumb for defending Haley in 2010. The Amazon.com deal was good for the state.

Reply
Frank Pytel August 9, 2013 at 11:45 am

Ike? Is that you?

Reply
Henry Mixmaster August 10, 2013 at 12:31 pm

I don’t smell the overpowering odor of liquor, so it might not be the real Ike. Although he is suspiciously way out of touch….

Reply
Jackie Chiles August 9, 2013 at 10:45 am

This site was dumb for defending Haley in 2010. The Amazon.com deal was good for the state.

Reply
Frank Pytel August 9, 2013 at 11:45 am

Ike? Is that you?

Reply
Henry Mixmaster August 10, 2013 at 12:31 pm

I don’t smell the overpowering odor of liquor, so it might not be the real Ike. Although he is suspiciously way out of touch….

Reply
RHood2 August 9, 2013 at 11:00 am

$1.2 WAS stolen?
Report things factually, Wil. You have yet to come close to proving there was a scheme to control the results of this referendum, rather than expounding a nice hypothesis because you don’t like the result.
$1.2 billion will not be stolen until seven years havpast, or whatever amount of time up to seven it takes to collect this money.
New sales taxes do not start until the ay following voter apprival. There have been collectios for three of the 84 months the tax will be collected

Reply
Frank Pytel August 9, 2013 at 11:08 am

not a dime from me.

Reply
Jackie Chiles August 9, 2013 at 2:12 pm

People with no income don’t really pay much in taxes do they Frank Pytel? I didn’t realize the Oliver Gospel Mission had such good internet connections.

Reply
Frank Pytel August 9, 2013 at 2:14 pm

Not even close whiner. If you don’t’ start coming up with some good zingers I’ll just ignore you permanently.

Reply
Jackie Chiles August 9, 2013 at 2:18 pm

Promise?

Frank Pytel August 9, 2013 at 2:17 pm

Can anyone please tell me why lawyers (especially fake ones) are so danged brain dead. (Trying to keep it clean Sic)

Reply
Frank Pytel August 9, 2013 at 2:18 pm

You’re about as quick as an orchid

Reply
Frank Pytel August 9, 2013 at 2:19 pm

Not quite as smart as one. Just a smart ass.

Reply
Frank Pytel August 9, 2013 at 2:21 pm

Come on Jackie boy. Throw it out there. I’m working my butt off and zinging your dinging and you got jack bra! :P

Reply
Frank Pytel August 9, 2013 at 2:21 pm

Old folks should just stay away from the internet.

Reply
Frank Pytel August 9, 2013 at 2:23 pm

That’s it. My days over. Tired of waiting. Gotta blast. Weineeeeeeeeee

Reply
The Colonel August 9, 2013 at 12:31 pm

Dude, change you avatar, you’re making those of us who actually went to USC and graduated look bad.

Reply
Scooter August 9, 2013 at 12:37 pm

There are a heck of lot of you guys from California posting?

Reply
RHood2 August 9, 2013 at 1:09 pm

Actually went, actually graduated. Not changing.

Reply
The Colonel August 9, 2013 at 1:14 pm

Then try updating you browser to one that has spell check. You’re obviously a criminal justice major but even a CJ should be able to construct a grammatically correct, accurately spelled rant.

Reply
Jackie Chiles August 9, 2013 at 2:11 pm

Yeah. Unless you use proper grammer on FITSNEWS, your posts will be discounted by The Colonel. He trolls the internet lamblasting chumps who dare to misspell a word or make a grammatical error. He gets chills everytime he catches an errant apostrophe and full on glee when he sees a misspelled word. Be in fear internet, The Colonel is on the job.

astrocity August 9, 2013 at 9:12 pm

Maybe I am wrong, but I thought the amount of time was closer to 20 years. First I am hearing about 7 years. No matter. There may not have been a scheme to steal the elections, but I think they are still finding votes stuffed in closets.

Reply
RHood2 August 9, 2013 at 11:00 am

$1.2 WAS stolen?
Report things factually, Wil. You have yet to come close to proving there was a scheme to control the results of this referendum, rather than expounding a nice hypothesis because you don’t like the result.
$1.2 billion will not be stolen until seven years havpast, or whatever amount of time up to seven it takes to collect this money.
New sales taxes do not start until the ay following voter apprival. There have been collectios for three of the 84 months the tax will be collected

Reply
Frank Pytel August 9, 2013 at 11:08 am

not a dime from me.

Reply
Jackie Chiles August 9, 2013 at 2:12 pm

People with no income don’t really pay much in taxes do they Frank Pytel? I didn’t realize the Oliver Gospel Mission had such good internet connections.

Reply
Frank Pytel August 9, 2013 at 2:14 pm

Not even close whiner. If you don’t’ start coming up with some good zingers I’ll just ignore you permanently.

Reply
Jackie Chiles August 9, 2013 at 2:18 pm

Promise?

Frank Pytel August 9, 2013 at 2:17 pm

Can anyone please tell me why lawyers (especially fake ones) are so danged brain dead. (Trying to keep it clean Sic)

Reply
Frank Pytel August 9, 2013 at 2:18 pm

You’re about as quick as an orchid

Reply
Frank Pytel August 9, 2013 at 2:19 pm

Not quite as smart as one. Just a smart ass.

Reply
Frank Pytel August 9, 2013 at 2:21 pm

Come on Jackie boy. Throw it out there. I’m working my butt off and zinging your dinging and you got jack bra! :P

Reply
Frank Pytel August 9, 2013 at 2:21 pm

Old folks should just stay away from the internet.

Reply
Frank Pytel August 9, 2013 at 2:23 pm

That’s it. My days over. Tired of waiting. Gotta blast. Weineeeeeeeeee

Reply
The Colonel (R) August 9, 2013 at 12:31 pm

Dude, change you avatar, you’re making those of us who actually went to USC and graduated look bad.

Reply
Scooter August 9, 2013 at 12:37 pm

There are a heck of lot of you guys from California posting?

Reply
RHood2 August 9, 2013 at 1:09 pm

Actually went, actually graduated. Not changing.

Reply
The Colonel (R) August 9, 2013 at 1:14 pm

Then try updating you browser to one that has spell check. You’re obviously a criminal justice major but even a CJ should be able to construct a grammatically correct, accurately spelled rant.

Reply
Jackie Chiles August 9, 2013 at 2:11 pm

Yeah. Unless you use proper grammer on FITSNEWS, your posts will be discounted by The Colonel. He trolls the internet lamblasting chumps who dare to misspell a word or make a grammatical error. He gets chills everytime he catches an errant apostrophe and full on glee when he sees a misspelled word. Be in fear internet, The Colonel is on the job.

astrocity August 9, 2013 at 9:12 pm

Maybe I am wrong, but I thought the amount of time was closer to 20 years. First I am hearing about 7 years. No matter. There may not have been a scheme to steal the elections, but I think they are still finding votes stuffed in closets.

Reply
Jon August 9, 2013 at 11:09 am

So the national chamber is good, the state and county chamber is bad? It was only in 2010 I believe SC chamber for only the first time in a long while endorsed a Democrat for governor. I think the chamber is an advocacy group for pro-business/pro-corporate legislation. Of course they will argue on behalf of what is good for business. You don’t blame a frog for being green. That is the job of an advocate group. But the SC Chamber’s endorsement of a Democrat in 2010 was more to do with the fact that Haley won the primary (and more indirectly because she was Sanford’s hand-picked successor, who the SC Chamber hated). Long story short, the SC Chamber is no Democrat-friendly organization. It’s just that Haley’s positions are bad for business, (from a business-advocate perspective, not necessarily from Will Folk’s usual libertarian perspective).

Reply
? August 9, 2013 at 4:36 pm

“The business community is advocating for it,” McLeese said of the tax hike. “Not because we love sales taxes or any form of taxes. But we see it as an investment in the infrastructure that will support economic development.”

I call bullshit. Who is the “business community”? Was there a survey taken? Was it only from SC Chamber members if so?

Any business owner advocating more taxes in the name of a supposedly better infrastructure/business climate needs to have his head examined.

Better yet, drive the said idiot to one of the hydrogen filling stations and sit and watch the number of people using them for a few hours.

If that doesn’t convince any idiot clamoring for more taxes I suggest he’ll probably be out of business in a few years and his opinion won’t matter, or his “business” is nothing more than a crony capitalist affair that direct benefits from the graft/tax in some way, shape or form.

A supposed “business advocate”, like the chamber, that is crowing for more tax is pure lunacy.

Reply
Jon August 9, 2013 at 11:09 am

So the national chamber is good, the state and county chamber is bad? It was only in 2010 I believe SC chamber for only the first time in a long while endorsed a Democrat for governor. I think the chamber is an advocacy group for pro-business/pro-corporate legislation. Of course they will argue on behalf of what is good for business. You don’t blame a frog for being green. That is the job of an advocate group. But the SC Chamber’s endorsement of a Democrat in 2010 was more to do with the fact that Haley won the primary (and more indirectly because she was Sanford’s hand-picked successor, who the SC Chamber hated). Long story short, the SC Chamber is no Democrat-friendly organization. It’s just that Haley’s positions are bad for business, (from a business-advocate perspective, not necessarily from Will Folk’s usual libertarian perspective).

Reply
? August 9, 2013 at 4:36 pm

“The business community is advocating for it,” McLeese said of the tax hike. “Not because we love sales taxes or any form of taxes. But we see it as an investment in the infrastructure that will support economic development.”

I call bullshit. Who is the “business community”? Was there a survey taken? Was it only from SC Chamber members if so?

Any business owner advocating more taxes in the name of a supposedly better infrastructure/business climate needs to have his head examined.

Better yet, drive the said idiot to one of the hydrogen filling stations and sit and watch the number of people using them for a few hours.

If that doesn’t convince any idiot clamoring for more taxes I suggest he’ll probably be out of business in a few years and his opinion won’t matter, or his “business” is nothing more than a crony capitalist affair that direct benefits from the graft/tax in some way, shape or form.

A supposed “business advocate”, like the chamber, that is crowing for more tax is pure lunacy.

Reply

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