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May 21 2013

Heritage: Honey, I Shrunk the Benghazi Talking Points

The White House release of the e-mail chain regarding the Benghazi talking points on Wednesday has opened up a slew of new questions.
Covering only two days—Friday, September 14 and Saturday, September 15—and focused only on the production of the hapless talking points, they raise the question: What communication took place internally within the government before and after those two days?
And yet what is amply clear is that the production of the talking points, which had been requested by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) in anticipation of media inquiries, became a bureaucratic exercise in protecting the government’s major players. White House and State Department officials involved showed no inclination to want to actually inform the public or the media. Instead, they seemed to be motivated by deflecting blame and protecting the Obama Administration from congressional scrutiny.
Reproduced below are the three major iterations of the talking points. The first reproduction is the initial set produced by the CIA and sent out on September 14 at 2:27 p.m. by its Office of Public Affairs for comment. It is brief but quite informative, mentioning specifically the potential al-Qaeda and Ansar al-Sharia connections in the attack. Read On

By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized • 0

May 20 2013

budget: Obamagarten

The South Carolina General Assembly is promoting the Obama policy of “cradle to the grave” government with a step towards universal 4K. Here’s what our friends over at the “Voice for School Choice” have to say:

It doesn’t take a lot of listening to the South Carolina General Assembly to know that most Republican lawmakers aren’t lining up to voice support for the Obama Administration. After all, South Carolina is a conservative state, right?

Some GOP lawmakers are moving forward with an agenda that should make voters wonder whether “conservative” will remain as an accurate description for the state. That agenda is taxpayer funding to implement Obama’s universal early-childhood education plan, a version of which is moving forward in the state budget process.

You should be concerned. Very concerned. Under the guise of “making high quality pre-school available to every child,” left-wing social engineers and pandering politicians are partnering to foist another controlling, costly and failed policy on taxpayers in South Carolina.

We feel confident backing up the description of “controlling, costly and failed.” After all, we are talking about a program championed by the good folks at the NEA to enforce government education of all children as quickly as they can get their hands on them. Specifically, the National Education Association stated in their 2013 Resolutions, that “the Association supports early childhood education programs in the public schools for children from birth through age eight,” and “mandatory kindergarten with compulsory attendance.” Read on

By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized • 1

May 20 2013

Mulvaney on irs

MEDIA ADVISORY: Rep. Mulvaney Releases Statement on IRS Scandal
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Mulvaney released the following statement regarding the IRS scandal:
“It is impossible to exaggerate the extent to which the Internal Revenue Service scandal should anger – and frighten – every one of us. No matter our ideology, moving forward all of us will now wonder if we are being targeted by this supposedly “independent” agency on the basis of our political views. Rather than trusting our government to provide impartial service – and equal justice – we are now forced to ask ourselves whether we are getting a fair shake or being singled out as a result of what we believe.
I include myself amongst those with exactly those concerns, because earlier this month I received a so-called “Matching Notice” from the IRS. In more than 25 years of filing my taxes, I have never received one of those before. Ordinarily, I suppose I would easily dismiss the inquiry as part of the ordinary course of business at the IRS – but not anymore.
That’s the heart of this scandal – the total lack of faith in what should be a cornerstone of our democracy, the notion that every American has the right to expect fair and equal treatment under the law regardless of our political beliefs.
The recent revelations regarding the IRS should frighten everyone – everyone – whether we’re talking about Tea Partiers or members of the Sierra Club. After all if the Obama Administration is permitted to undertake these sorts of attacks without the severest of consequences, what is to stop a similarly inclined future Republican administration from using the full force of the government to go after groups they oppose?
This sort of activity cannot be allowed to stand, or to go unanswered. As a Member of Congress — and someone who now must wonder if he and his own family have been targeted — I am going to make it my business to get to the bottom of this travesty.”###

By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized • 2

May 16 2013

Sen. Shane Martin: SC Senate rinocrat majority

By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized • 2

May 14 2013

2013.05.20@6:30 Anderson County Republican Party

The Anderson County Republican Party
Monday, May 20th 6:30 Concord Community Church

Our speaker for our May meeting will be Anderson County state senator Kevin Bryant. Senator Bryant will bring us up to date on the serious legislation passing through the SC General Assembly this year. Including Obamacare and nullification as well as legislation Senator Bryant is sponsoring. Come join us !

By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized • 0

May 9 2013

Anderson City: SC Arts Commission The Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Awards

As the first city in the United States to have a continuous supply of electric power, Anderson, South Carolina, has always been out front in setting the standard. The city’s embrace of public art as a necessary component of downtown is just another example of the city’s leadership. The South Carolina Heritage Corridor recently noted that “of all the communities along the Heritage Corridor, the City of Anderson embraces public art the best.” Through judicious use of resources and carefully cultivated partnerships, the City of Anderson sets a standard for public art in South Carolina.

Congratulations to Mayor Terence Roberts, his administration, and the Anderson Arts Center.

By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized • 0

May 8 2013

interior design licensing s.339

Opposition to s.339, Interior Design Licensure

If YOU want to design YOUR home, I’m not interested in telling YOU who YOU can hire (with YOUR money) for assistance. This is not a core function of government. Below is a letter we’ve received from the National Kitchen & Bath Association.

Dear Senator Bryant: Please accept the attached letter on behalf of the National Kitchen & Bath Association and its more than 830 members in the State of South Carolina voicing our strong opposition to unnecessary licensing of the interior design profession.

This bill is being advanced by a small group of interior designers who seek to fence out the competition and benefit themselves economically by virtue of the passage of a licensing bill which the vast majority of interior designers will not qualify for. There is absolutely no need for the State to add to the regulatory burdens on small businesses by establishing new occupational licensing laws on a profession that has worked for decades without public concern or harm, and where the public is already protected by virtue of the State’s building and permitting codes, rules and regulations.

Passage of this Bill will negatively impact thousands of designers, contractors, retail showrooms and trades, make it more difficult for independent designers, the majority of whom are woman, to work and remain in business, and disproportionately impact minorities and second career switchers who will find themselves shut out from entering the design field.

Thank you for your consideration of our position, and of course, if we can provide you with any additional information or testimony, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Respectfully, Edward Nagorsky

By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized • 2

May 7 2013

rinocrat Senate: gas tax coming

Thursday 05.02.2013, a gas tax proposal passed the Senate Finance Committee (SFC). The proposal is to tie the gas tax to inflation and its proponents argue that this is not a tax hike. However, your taxes will go up. Some are also claiming this isn’t a tax at all, it is user fee.

Listen, y’all know I opposed raising taxes. I also find it very interesting that when YOU pay more taxes next year than YOU did this year, It’s a tax increase plain and simple.

This is what I meant as I was quoted in last weeks Real Clear Politics Article:

“We have a pretty significant R.I.N.O. problem in South Carolina — folks that are elected go to constituents and talk about how conservative they are, and then when it’s time to vote, they hold hands with Democrats and vote for more government and tax increases. Maybe Sen. Paul and Sen. Cruz will rub off when they’re both down here. I hope so.”

The article was in reference to upcoming visits by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky). Both these Senators found defending our civil liberties on drone usage was a better use of their time than wining and dining with President Obama a few weeks ago. I’m hoping their visit can rub off on the legislature.

This bill has 3 major obnoxious components:
1-It make the gas tax proportional to inflation. So when your bread, milk, and eggs increase in cost, your gas tax goes up. How in the world are we going to climb out of this stagnant economy?
2-It ties local road funding to tax increases. That’s right, it rewards local governments that choose to smother their constituents tax hikes. If they do, it get’s more funding.
3-It hefts $1.4 billion of new debt on future generations. Unfunded liabilities on the Federal level are hovering near $122 trillion, and little ole SC is at $32 billion. Evidently, that’s not enough debt for some of my colleagues.

By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized •

May 6 2013

new regulation? Adam Smith

There are several motives behind new regulation in the General Assembly. One is to protect the public and another is to protect the monopoly. I normally look at new regulation with great suspicion. This picture hangs on the wall in our office in the Gressette Building, just to reinforce how we view the role of government. As you’ll agree, free market forces are much more effective than nanny government regulation.

“To widen the market and narrow the competition is always the interest of the dealers. The proposal of any new law or regulation of commerce which comes from this order ought always be listened to…with the most suspicious attention. Adam Smith – The Wealth of Nations, Book 1, p. 267

By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized •

May 6 2013

Medicaid expansion tabled in SFC

Late Thursday afternoon, a motion was made for South Carolina to follow the provision in the Affordable Healthcare Act (Obamacare) and expand Medicaid coverage. The motions was tabled along party lines. I’ve been contacted by constituents asking me to vote in favor of the expansion so the full Senate can debate it. There is no bill that expands Medicaid, the amendment was on the appropriations bill (the budget).

When the appropriations bill is debated by they full Senate (approximately 2 weeks), the amendment may be offered again for a full up or down vote by the Senate.

By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized •