Thanks to the strong leadership of Rep. Greg Delleney (Chester) the bill changing South Carolina’s abortion reflection period from ONE HOUR to TWENTY FOUR HOURS cleared an important hurdle yesterday.

After an hour or so of debate, the SC House Judiciary Committee passed H.3245 on a voice vote without amendment.

The debate was not without fireworks, as freshman pro-life Rep. Wendy Nanney (Greenville) stood tall for the bill in the face of cross-examination by pro-abortion Rep. Todd Rutherford (Richland). 

The legislation now moves to the House floor, where it will be up for a vote soon.

Please watch for instructions from Palmetto Family Alliance on how you can help with that key roll call.

If you made a call or sent an email, thank you! If you didn’t, we will need you on the next vote.

Note: At ONE HOUR, South Carolina’s reflection period is the shortest in the country among states with waiting periods. TWENTY FOUR hours is the national standard.
Oran P. Smith
President & CEO
Palmetto Family Council
Columbia, SC
For more about this issue, see ‘24’ Clears Judiciary.

S 0358 General Bill, By Bryant A BILL TO AMEND CHAPTER 3, TITLE 49 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO WATER RESOURCES PLANNING AND COORDINATION, TO ENACT THE WATER RESOURCES PLANNING AND COORDINATION RESTRUCTURING ACT

Here is a video produced by catholicvote.org
(Washington, DC)—A video advertisement being dubbed the “pro-life Obama ad” has been well received by Americans during the week of President Barack Obama’s inauguration. The ad has already been viewed hundreds of thousands of time online, and will soon be appearing on major US television networks.

The ad shows an ultrasound of a baby in a womb, while the text explains that during his life the baby’s father will abandon him, and his single mother will struggle to support him. But, “despite the hardships he will endure,” the ad continues. “This child will become the 1st African American President.” The ad climaxes with a picture of President Obama and the slogan, “Life. Imagine the Potential”

 > JANUARY 31, 2009 > Wall Street Journal
> > WASHINGTON — Republicans chose their first African-American chairman, former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, as GOP leaders sought to broaden the battered party’s ideological and regional appeal beyond its conservative, Southern base.
> > The move also represents a repudiation of President George W. Bush’s years as party leader. Mr. Steele, perceived by many Republicans as more moderate, was sometimes critical of Mr. Bush’s handling of key issues, such as the Iraq war and Hurricane Katrina. He had to dislodge Mr. Bush’s incumbent chairman, Mike Duncan, in early balloting on Friday, before securing victory on the sixth round of voting by the 168-member Republican National Committee.
> > Mr. Steele’s elevation poses a political challenge to Democrats, who have been riding a wave of public goodwill over President Barack Obama’s history-making victory last fall. The Georgetown University-trained lawyer and seasoned veteran of television talk shows is expected to become a highly visible spokesman for Republicans. His moderate views and charisma could help the party combat the impression that it is insensitive to minorities, working people and those with divergent views on social and economic issues. He’s also likely to bring more openness and diversity to the RNC.
> > In his victory speech, Mr. Steele promised something else that rank-and-file Republicans are hungry for — election wins.
> > “It’s time for something completely different, and we’re going to bring it to them,” Mr. Steele told the members of the RNC, after they elected him. “We’re going to bring this party to every corner, every boardroom, every neighborhood, every community. And we’re going to say to friend and foe alike, ‘We want you to be a part of us.'”
> > Mr. Steele inherits enormous challenges. With control of the White House and both houses of Congress now in the Democrats’ hands, the GOP remains at a serious disadvantage in fund raising. It must make up ground in the use of the Internet and other technologies for and organization. Elements of the party’s conservative base remain dispirited and distrustful of the national party. And with the economy sliding into recession, the party lost badly among independents, younger voters and many minority groups in the 2008 elections.
> > Mr. Steele’s own path to victory was circuitous, and his success wasn’t assured until late Friday afternoon.
> > In recent weeks, Mr. Steele had mounted an energetic campaign for the chairmanship, running as a high-profile outsider. From the outset, his lack of membership on the RNC was perceived as a handicap. An even bigger concern was the perception that his politics were too moderate for the RNC, which is composed of one party chairman and two national committeemen per state and territory. Although Mr. Steele’s antiabortion, he said at a recent debate that he doesn’t own any firearms. He also had well-publicized clashes with the Bush White House, particularly as he campaigned unsuccessfully for one of Maryland’s U.S. Senate seats in 2006.
> > In the initial ballot Friday, Mr. Steele trailed the incumbent Mr. Duncan, a genial Kentucky banker, by 52-46, with three other candidates further behind. In the second round, Mr. Steele drew even with Mr. Duncan, then on the third ballot took a slight lead. That prompted Mr. Duncan to drop out, without endorsing any rivals.
> > On the fourth ballot, another white southerner, South Carolina GOP Chairman Katon Dawson, took a slim lead. Then another African-American candidate, conservative former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, dropped out and urged his supporters to back Mr. Steele.
> > On the next ballot, Mr. Steele soared to 79 votes — just six short of the number needed to win. Then another moderate, reform-minded candidate, Michigan Chairman Saul Anuzis, pulled out, all but assuring Mr. Steele’s success. On the sixth and final ballot, he won handily, defeating Mr. Dawson 91-77. Mr. Dawson might have been hurt by the fact that he had been a member, until recently, of a country club that had no black members.
> > After the voting, Mr. Steele was reminded that then-Sen. Obama had campaigned for Mr. Steele’s 2006 Senate rival, Democrat Ben Cardin, who won. “I would say to the new president: congratulations. It’s going to be an honor to spar with him,” he said.

Although the meeting was canceled at the Calhoun Academy for the Arts, I went anyway. Since the Anderson Independent printed the announcement, I figured many people would come unaware of the cancelation. Got to speak to about 20 or so constituents.

Also, I’ve been sent a copy of a petition that is being passed around to district 5 teachers, parents, and concerned citizens. The petition calls for the legislature to do several things:

1-suspension in state mandates. I’m all for that, we’ve got to get out of the habit of micromanaging the classroom from Columbia

2-grant flexibility in funding. I’m for that too. I’m not concerned how, just get the money to the classroom. Currently, we only get about 50 cents on the dollar to the classroom. I’d love to see the day when 80 % or more get to the kids.

3-grant flexibility to reduce the number of days after testing. Amen to that too.

4-Rescind Act 388. The petition claims that this change has affected the budget crunch we are in. This particular request is based on inaccurate information. Remember, Act 388 was the property tax reform bill that removed the school operating portion from your home’s property tax bill. We added a penny to the sales tax to compensate (and guaranteed the funding should the penny fall short). Had we never passed 388, we would still have this very same budget problem we face now. We are in a serious recession and the drop in sales tax collections on the other portion of sales tax is the cause of the $300 million shortfall, not Act 388. Also, the petition doesn’t explain that 388 gave you property tax relief. A rescind of 388 would lead to higher property taxes. Sorry, can’t go there.

I’ll add another essential item if we really want to reform school funding…TRANSPARENCY. Here’s some math for you. Anderson 5 spends $8,628 (this figure does NOT include buildings and maintenance) per pupil per year. I’ve asked several teachers this question. You’ve got 20 students; do you see $172,560 per year in your classroom? 30 students: $274,840? I’m sure you know the answer. Teachers, parents, and the taxpayers deserve to see online how their money is being spent, down to the very penny.

Picture above courtesy of Anderson Independent