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 !

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.

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

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.

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