Here are the constitutional amendments that we will vote for on November 2. Personally I supported all 4.

Amendment 1

Must Article I of the Constitution of this State, relating to the declaration of rights under the state’s constitution, be amended by adding Section 25 so as to provide that hunting and fishing are valuable parts of the state’s heritage, important for conservation, and a protected means of managing nonthreatened wildlife; to provide that the citizens of South Carolina shall have the right to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife traditionally pursued, subject to laws and regulations promoting sound wildlife conservation and management as prescribed by the General Assembly; and to specify that this section must not be construed to abrogate any private property rights, existing state laws or regulations, or the state’s sovereignty over its natural resources?

Explanation

A ‘Yes’ vote will make it a constitutional right for citizens to hunt and fish and will permit the State to legally provide for proper wildlife management and the protection of private property rights. Yes    [] No    []

Amendment 2

Must Article II of the Constitution of this State, relating to the right of suffrage, be amended by adding Section 12 so as to provide that the fundamental right of an individual to vote by secret ballot is guaranteed for a designation, a selection, or an authorization for employee representation by a labor organization?

Explanation

A ‘Yes’ vote will give employees the constitutional right to vote by secret ballot when they are voting on whether to be represented by a labor union. Yes    [] No    []

Amendment 3

Must Section 36(A), Article III of the Constitution of this State be amended so as to increase from three to five percent in increments of one-half of one percent over four fiscal years the amount of state general fund revenue in the latest completed fiscal year required to be held in the General Reserve Fund?

Explanation

A ‘Yes’ vote will increase the amount of money state government must keep in the General Reserve Fund (its “rainy day” fund) from 3% of the previous year’s revenue to 5% of the previous year’s revenue. Yes    [] No    []

Amendment 4

Must Section 36(B), Article III of the Constitution of this State be amended so as to provide that monies from the Capital Reserve Fund first must be used, to the extent necessary, to fully replenish the applicable percentage amount in the General Reserve Fund?

Explanation

A ‘Yes’ vote will require that the Capital Reserve Fund’s first priority is to replenish the State’s General Reserve Fund (its “rainy day” fund) instead of serving to offset midyear budget cuts at state agencies. Yes    [] No    []

Jeff Duncan, the 3rd Congressional District Republican candidate and Alan Wilson, the GOP candidate for state Attorney General, on Monday will jointly announce their plans for ending the Obama-Pelosi venture into socialized medicine.
In press conferences in Anderson and Greenwood, Duncan will pledge to join with like-minded conservative lawmakers to repeal or defund the health care legislation rammed through Congress last March over the clearly established objections of a majority of Americans.
Wilson will commit to pursuing the federal lawsuit initiated by retiring South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster. The suit, which has already survived a key lower court test, challenges the constitutionality of a major provision of the legislation that requires Americans to purchase health care insurance or face federal legal sanctions.

Both Events to be held this Monday, October 25^th

Where: Anderson, Bryant Pharmacy 1901 North Main Street at 1:30 pm

Greenwood: Greenwood County Republican Party Headquarters, West Cambridge Avenue at Hampton Street at 3:30 pm

“…There was a time when John Spratt would’ve been proud to run on his record than to lie about mine…” OUCH!

Your Eyes Only – Mulvaney Commercial from Mick Mulvaney on Vimeo.

I had a great time visiting with 3 AVID classes at McCant’s Middle School (my old stomping ground). My hat’s off to Ms. Owens and Ms. Brissey for their commitment to these young people. AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is a college-readiness system designed to increase the number of students who enroll in four-year colleges. Although AVID serves all students, it focuses on the least served students in the academic middle. The formula is simple – raise expectations of students and, with the AVID support system in place, they will rise to the challenge. One student asked me a question that I could not answer: “Have we ever had a President that didn’t have a first lady?” Here’s the answer: Single during entire term: Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, James Buchanan, Chester A. Arthur. All but Buchanan were widowers.  Single during part of their terms: John Tyler, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison, Woodrow Wilson. Tyler and Wilson lost their wives and remarried while in office. Harrison lost his wife but did not remarry while in office. Cleveland married for the first time in office.

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR, MARK SANFORD, GOVERNOR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Contact: Ben Fox   803-734-2100

Gov. Sanford Decries Unsustainable State Retirement Fund
URGES FRANK DIALOGUE AT RETIREMENT ROUNDTABLE AS INCREASING EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS, RAISING RETIREMENT AGE BECOME VIABLE OPTIONS

Columbia, S.C. – October 15, 2010 – Gov. Sanford today renewed his call to state citizens to urge government officials to formulate creative means of addressing one of the most serious problems faced by South Carolina in the coming years – the State Retirement System’s $12 billion unfunded liability, which makes up more than half of the state’s $21 billion debt owed by future generations.

“Just this week 54 million Americans on Social Security were told that the federal government would not be giving them a cost-of-living increase for the second-straight year, marking the first time this has happened in a generation,” Gov. Sanford said. “This comes on the heels of news that Social Security is already paying out more money than it’s taking in, and may be completely insolvent in 25 years. Yet this fiscal nightmare is not confined to the federal government, as states and cities now harbor more than $3.5 trillion in unfunded pension liabilities – promises made but not paid for in capitals across this nation.

“South Carolina is facing the same nightmare scenario. In 1999, our state’s Retirement System (SCRS) was underfunded by just $177 million, meaning that state employees’ pensions were basically assured and the system was almost fully funded. Since then, SCRS’s unfunded liability has grown on average by more than a billion dollars every year – totaling $12 billion today. More so, the SCRS is now funded at less than 70 percent, which would violate federal law were it in the private sector. Add to this the roughly $10 billion in health care related liabilities, and South Carolina taxpayers and their children are on the hook for more than $21 billion.

“Some experts – including Northwestern University finance authority Dr. Joshua Rauh – believe this $21 billion estimate is far too low, and instead argue that South Carolina’s unfunded liabilities could be twice that, or more. Indeed, it’s possible that the SCRS’s ability to pay out full benefits to state retirees could be compromised over just the next ten years. And perhaps most frightening is the fact that, as of today, there is no feasible plan to pay down these debts, and no plan to ensure that state employees get their full pension checks when they retire in the years and decades to come.

“Other states and countries around the globe have dealt with similar liabilities by making difficult, but necessary, choices. States like Nebraska, California and New Hampshire have increased employee contributions; Colorado and New Jersey, among others, have looked at limiting or eliminating Cost-of-Living Adjustments; several states – but not yet South Carolina – have lowered their investment return assumptions from a lofty eight percent to a more realistic level; states have also increased the number of years of service required before retirement; and Rhode Island as well as nations like France and England are considering raising the retirement age for government workers. All these options must be laid on the table if we’re to seriously tackle the issue of unfunded liabilities – and I’d urge all concerned citizens to join in the discussion at next week’s Retirement System Roundtable, and urge their respective state legislators to come up with creative means of addressing this issue as we approach the 2011 legislative session.”

The Retirement System Roundtable will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 20, 2010, in Room 252 of the Edgar Brown Building on the Statehouse grounds in Columbia. Speakers, expert panelists and invitees include: State Senators Greg Ryberg and Phil Levintis; State Representatives Tom Young and Jim Battle; Treasurer-elect Curtis Loftis; Peggy Boykin, Executive Director of the South Carolina Retirement Systems; Robert Borden, Chief Executive Officer of the South Carolina Retirement System Investment Commission; Dr. Joshua Rauh, Associate Professor of Finance at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University; Wayne Bell, President of the State Retirees Association; and retirees and taxpayers from across South Carolina, among others.

All interested South Carolinians, including state retirees, community leaders, legislators, stakeholders and members of the media are invited to attend. Please call or email Leigh LeMoine (803-734-0067; llemoine@gov.sc.gov) with any questions and to confirm your attendance.

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