Happy South Carolina Day!

On June 28th, 2006 Jim DeMint, our Honorary Founding Chairman, gave the following remarks on floor of the U.S. Senate to commemorate the 230th anniversary of Carolina Day. 
How well do you know your South Carolina history?  In honor of South Carolina Day tomorrow, read on and test yourself! 

Honoring the 230^th Carolina Day

by U.S. Senator Jim DeMint
Delivered on June 28^th, 2006

      June 28 is a great day in the history of my State of South Carolina and in the formation of our great Nation. You see, it is on this date that we celebrate Carolina Day.

     Two hundred and thirty years ago today, a small but determined group of fewer than 1,200 South Carolina patriots held off a British force that was more than twice their size.

     The battle--which took place on Sullivan's Island, just outside the entrance to Charleston Harbor--became the first major American victory of the Revolutionary War.

Colonel William Moultrie, who commanded the colonial troops, had few resources at his disposal. So, he built a fort out of palmetto logs--a plentiful local resource.

Facing such make-shift opposition, the British commanders thought they would easily sweep into Charleston.

     But these amazing palmetto logs actually absorbed the impact of the British cannonballs. This strengthened the American defense and gave the brave colonists a critical advantage.

     The British were soundly defeated in a long, nine-hour battle. More than 200 of the British were killed or wounded, compared to only 35 of Colonel Moultrie's command.

Many historians consider this battle to be one of the greatest defeats in the entire history of the British navy.

     Many South Carolina heroes were made on that day.

     One such hero, Sergeant William Jasper, is recognized for saving the regiment's flag after it was shot down by British fire. Seeing that it had been hit, Jasper exclaimed, “Colonel, don't let us fight without our flag!”

     Sergeant Jasper then jumped into the face of enemy fire, walked the entire length of the fort--in full view of the British and cut the flag from its broken pole. He then added a new staff and replanted the flag back on the fort wall. Turning to the enemy, he gave three cheers and returned to his gun.

     That flag--a blue banner with a white crescent--represented the dream of real freedom to these patriots. And today, that historic banner still serves as a source of pride and inspiration, as part of South Carolina’s official State seal.

     The blue background and white crescent also serve as the basis of our beautiful State flag, which incorporates a tall, proud palmetto tree ... in recognition of the heroes of Fort Moultrie.

     The resounding American defense of the City of Charleston at Fort Moultrie gave our fledgling Nation hope in the possibility of ultimate victory. And less than one week later--on July 4, 1776--the Continental Congress forever changed the course of history, signing our Declaration of Independence. …

     As we celebrate Independence Day with friends and family, may we always remember the price that was paid for our freedom.

     And may we resolve that the sacrifice of our brave soldiers across the years--from Fort Moultrie, SC, to Kirkuk, Iraq--will never have been in vain.*

Man Down: Conservative Indiana Governor Caves to Obamacare Medicaid Expansion Demands

By Tim Caiello, Forum Summer Fellow

Over the last few months the Forum has been heavily focused on education issues like Read to Succeed and pushing back on Common Core’s federal overreach. 

But we’ve still been keeping an eye on what may be the biggest threat to state autonomy: Medicaid expansion.  As we shared in our Fast Fact sheet Top 10 Reasons Medicaid Expansion is Bad Medicine for South Carolina, expanding Medicaid to able-bodied adults would overwhelm an already broken program, harming the very people it was created to serve: poor children, the elderly and people with disabilities. 

(To see what happens when the government can’t handle health care responsibilities it already has, we don’t have to look any further than the recent news with the Veterans Administration – a perfect example of the well-intentioned dysfunction of government-rationed health care.)

Given the documented fact that Medicaid is not serving current recipients well (and according to Forum research is already the single largest driver of growth in South Carolina’s state budget even without expanding it), it seems to defy logic that conservative governors would fall into this unsustainable trap. 

Yet that’s exactly what we see happening…

Until now, twenty four states had refused to approve the Medicaid expansions. Well, make that twenty three. On Thursday, June 12, conservative Indiana Governor Mike Pence announced a plan that would expand Indiana’s Medicaid coverage through the “Healthy Indiana Plan 2.0” (HIP). The original HIP plan was applauded by free-market thinkers for introducing Health Savings Accounts (HSA) into the mix. The goal: encourage more fiscally responsible medical decisions by giving patients more control and incentivizing them to be shoppers and savers.

However, the Obama administration demanded big changes to this plan, claiming that it would create a gap that left some still uninsured.  So Governor Pence reworked HIP and announced the new HIP 2.0 version of the plan, which essentially amounts to a significant expansion of Medicaid eligibility in Indiana. This has caused significant confusion for many conservatives who originally supported the initial HSA-style HIP plan and count Governor Pence as a strong conservative ally.  In light of the commotion surrounding this Indiana decision, here are a couple helpful facts to keep in mind:

• The plan approved by Governor Pence is not the originally proposed HIP plan that featured a health savings account style approach.
• The plan approved by Governor Pence is a significant expansion of Medicaid along the lines of ObamaCare demands, meaning very limited state flexibility.
• The plan as approved by Governor Pence expands coverage to working age adults whether or not they have a full time job: contradicting the original intent to cover primarily working citizens.
• The state of Indiana anticipates having to divert $1.5 billion into the program to cover the increased costs incurred.

In sum, we find that unfortunately, despite Governor Pence’s solid conservative credentials, Indiana Medicaid expansion is yet another open ended entitlement program that leaves the state holding the bag (with minimal flexibility) when federal funding comes up short.

Here in the Palmetto State, we continue to see Medicaid grow as publicity around ObamaCare drives more currently eligible citizens to enroll.  And expansion supporters recently vowed that they weren’t giving up and would take their fight to the grassroots.  So the fight is far from over.

However, we were pleased to see the House sustain Governor Haley’s veto of funding for a commission to study expanding Medicaid that was slipped into the budget.   And we will continue to support all efforts to resist federal pressure to further expand Medicaid.  Like Governor Haley, we are confident that South Carolina is more than capable of providing the medical care its citizens need without expanding eligibility for a broken and unsustainable Medicaid program.

Tim Caiello is a 2014 graduate of Columbia International University.

Carolina Voices: THE POWER OF CHOICE

By Tim Lollis

“Not my son,” Marilyn calmly whispered as she listened to the local news regarding the deterioration of the neighborhood public schools. Though outwardly silent, she made a thunderous inner vow.  Her son would acquire an education and break the cycle of housing projects, violence, broken homes, and hopelessness.  It would end here.   

Poverty in America is usually encapsulated in political sound bites, gloomy documentaries or contrarily glamorized in rap videos.  But the genuine effects of poverty lie in the unspoken matters that remain tucked away in the heart.  Like a child wondering why his father won’t come visit him.  Or the spilling tears and mournful wails of a mother during the dark hours of the night.  These are the soul-wrenching realities of poverty that often evade the cameras.   

From FDR’s Depression-era safety net programs to LBJ’s War on Poverty, the growth of government dependency has been deceptive.  We have learned that government generosity is never free, but rather represents a subtle trade.  One welcomes a measly monthly stipend…in exchange for a loss of personal dignity and individual choice.

And this individual choice – especially in education – is fundamental to familial income mobility.

Just as the gospel of Jesus Christ places all men on equal ground at the foot of the cross, rich and poor alike have always hailed education as the great economic and social equalizer. However, access to a high-quality education has been elusive to many.  Too often, public education in its present form locks impoverished children into an educational prison.

Because the current structure of public education is comfortable and financed by powerful political lobbies, many people are unwilling to even consider new strategies.  The result?  Poverty and hopelessness are no longer temporary setbacks, but rather have become a generational inheritance.  In too many cases daughter, mother and grandmother reside in the same prison, reaping the bitter fruits of poverty.

We have to set aside every political agenda, past transgression, or cultural norm for the sake of unity and the future of our children.  Parents must be empowered with a myriad of choices, on how best to engage their children’s educational needs.  Choice is the cornerstone of freedom, and education is the principal instrument that should express that consecrated freedom.    

Marilyn – my mother – was given that choice.  She was offered a special school transfer.  This permitted me the opportunity to attend a school far outside of my zoned district. That solitary option has forever changed the future of our family.  I thank God every day for the freedom we have in Christ and in our nation.  But I also thank my mother for her courage to seize the choice laid before her. 

Let’s give every parent in South Carolina the same power to break the cycle of poverty and dependency.  Let’s ensure the most hallowed freedom of our nation continues to remain the most sacred: the power to choose. 
Tim Lollis is Director of Community and Public Relations at Word of God Ministries and a freelance writer.   His passion is bridging divides and strengthening relationships within the Christian community.  He previously served as a Regional Director in the office of U.S. Senator Jim DeMint and currently resides in Columbia with his wife Renatha.

What’s In The Hopper?

The Forum is watching the Legislature for YOU...

Like it or not, the actions of the South Carolina General Assembly can have a powerful impact on the pocketbooks of families like yours…on your freedom to work, access health care and educate your family.

The legislature usually takes the summer and fall off and returns in January. To get ready to return for their January through June session, members of the Senate and House started putting bills in the stream in December. In the waning days of 2013 some interesting legislation was filed that could have a significant impact on your life. As always, we will be watching these bills to protect you and your family.

SCHOOLS

Teaching Excellence. Rep. Andy Patrick (R-Beaufort) has filed H.4419, a bill to reform the way we evaluate the performance of teachers. The Forum’s Take: These changes have been needed for decades. Much of the content of H.4419 came out of a series of listening sessions hosted by Students First and co-hosted by Palmetto Policy Forum.

Less Duplication. Rep. Bakari Sellers (D-Bamberg) has filed H.4352, a bill that would among other things do away with the Education Oversight Committee (EOC).  The Forum’s Take: The EOC is a South Carolina oddity meant to provide an independent agency to keep tabs on the State Board of Education (SBE). But what we really need is an representative, accountable SBE, not duplicate agencies and diluted accountability.

Special Help for Special Needs. Senator Wes Hayes (R-York) has filed S.867, a bill to allow tax credits for contributions to scholarships for kids with special needs to attend private schools designed to serve them. The Forum’s Take: This is an exciting opportunity (that has worked well in other states) to help our neighbors afford the specialized education their kids need but can’t always find in the public system.

Local Control of Curriculum. Senator Chip Campsen (R-Charleston) has filed S. 888, a bill to clarify the process for adopting academic standards and assessment. The Forum’s Take: a bill like this would have saved a lot of heartache if in place before the adoption of Common Core State Standards. It makes sure elected representatives (not just bureaucrats) have a say in our school curriculum.

Free Enterprise. Rep. Joshua Putnam (R-Anderson) has filed H. 4369, a bill to allow advertisements on school buses to help pay for purchasing new school buses.  Decision on whether to participate would be made by local school boards. The Forum’s Take: Our state-run bus system is a national anomaly…and finding ways to introduce more free enterprise into it is a good idea.

Finance Reform. Rep. Jenny Horne (R-Dorchester) has filed H. 4407, a bill to reform the way schools and education are financed in South Carolina. Children’s Agency. Rep. Horne has also filed H. 4409, a bill to create a new South Carolina Department of Child and Family Services within the Governor’s cabinet. The new agency would replace the Department of Juvenile Justice and assume certain functions of the Department of Social Services and the Governor’s Office. The Forum’s Take: These are interesting concepts. A key factor in each is whether the changes will help provide relief for the taxpayer. 

Higher Taxes. Rep. Wayne George (D-Mullins) has field H. 4361, a bill to exempt from the cap on property taxes the cost of repairs and improvement of existing school facilities. The Forum’s Take: How would “repairs and improvements” be defined?

HEALTHCARE

Senator Kevin Bryant (R-Anderson) has filed S. 886, a bill to authorize out of state insurers to offer health insurance policies within South Carolina. The Forum’s Take: Nearly every proposal to reduce healthcare costs in the last decade has included erasing the state line barriers to competition. Worth a hearing.

FEDERALISM

Rep. Bill Taylor (R-Aiken) has filed H. 4422, legislation to create a “Federal Education Funding Study Committee.” The Committee would study federal funding of public education in the state and issue a report aimed at improving efficiency and transparency. The Forum’s Take: A critical first step toward reducing federal spending is make state citizens aware of how much Washington takes, ties up in mandates – and then “gives back” – to South Carolina.. The bill could be expanded beyond education.

Rep. Bill Taylor (R-Aiken) has filed H. 4372 and Sen. Larry Grooms (R-Charleston) has field S.833, and Sen. Mike Fair (R-Greenville) has filed S.830, legislation to evoke Article V of the US Constitution. If a sufficient number of states pass this legislation, a convention of states would be called by Congress to amend the Constitution to place limits on federal government power and spending and to enact term limits on federal officials.  The Aiken Standard wrote an informative story.  The Forum’s Take: While there is no silver bullet to restore a century or more of eroded federalism, the Article V strategy is certainly an interesting one, and more likely to succeed than Nullification of federal laws.

GOVERNMENT TAXING & SPENDING

Rep. Joshua Putnam (R-Anderson) has filed H. 4379, a bill to move the date for consideration of the state budget within the House of Representatives from March 31 to March 10, the net effect being to shorten the legislative session. The Forum’s Take: Taxpayer groups and business leaders have been calling for a shorter session for over two decades. This concept it worth consideration.

Senator Katrina Shealy (R-Lexington) has filed S. 901, a bill to phase out the personal income tax. The Forum’s Take: There is a 50-state competition for free enterprise. States that are reducing income taxes, like Kansas and Tennessee, are reaping great benefits in the form of more and better jobs for their citizens.

ROADS & BRIDGES

Rep. Raye Felder (R-Horry) has introduced H. 4356, a “local option motor fuel user fee,” that would allow a county to impose a tax not to exceed two cents per gallon on fuel to fund road improvement projects within the county. Senator Ray Cleary (R-Georgetown) had filed S. 891, a bill to increase the gasoline tax from 16 cents per gallon to 36 cents per gallon graduated over time. The Forum’s Take: Our infrastructure needs are enormous and represent a legitimate function of government. Because they increase taxes, these bills may not be the answer, but they represent the beginning of a crucial conversation about how we prioritize and pay for this vital backbone of job creation in our state.

STAY TUNED for more to come when the legislature convenes again in a few days.

Tough Tuesday for the NLRB

The D.C. Circuit issues a double smackdown to the politicized agency.

Wall Street Journal

Tuesday was a tough day at the office for President Obama's National Labor Relations Board. First, three judges on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, ruling in National Association of Manufacturers v. National Labor Relations Board, struck down the NLRB's diktat that businesses put up pro-union posters in the workplace. That, the court said, violated employer free speech rights in place since Congress's 1947 Taft-Hartley Act. It got worse...