H.3047 is stalled in a Senate Committee.  Senators McConnel, Knotts and Martin, the three big bullies of the Senate, are trying to run the clock out on us. After this week, there are only two more weeks before the session ends for 2010.

They have introduced S.1437, a rules change which would be worse than no recorded vote at all. Unless we put pressure on these guys, we will not get transparency this year.

Please take a few minutes to write a letter to editor of one or more of the newspapers listed below (and/or any other paper you know of). Letters should be concise, 200 words or less in order to increase the likelihood of their getting published. Include your full name, city and daytime phone number as the editors may want to call you to confirm your submission.

After you send you letter, please post it in the comments section below, and also forward it to your Senator, and to Senators McConnell, Knotts and Martin. (Click here to find their contact info.)

Thank you for your involvement! It really does make a difference.

If you need any further information about this issue, please contact Jonathon at jhill@andersonteaparty.com, or me (Priscilla) at wavetheflag@compright.com

Independent Mail Contact Bonnie Williams, Editorial Page Editor

The Index Journal Contact the Editorial Department at bcollins@indexjournal.com

Greenwood Today News@GwdToday.com

The Journal/Upstate Today Click here for contact page

Edgefield Daily editor@edgefielddaily.com

Westminster New/Keowee Courier westnews@bellsouth.net

5/17 Update: The Senate has abandoned S1365 and replaced it with S1437 which is mostly the same.  Meaning it is still no good.

Contact your Senator today and tell them to vote no on S1437 and tell them to demand a recall of H3047 from committee!  The vote on S1437 will likely come Wednesday or Thursday.

5/13 Update: The full Senate will vote on the fake transparency bill S1365 today. Tell your senator to VOTE NO.

Under the leadership of Sens. McConnell and Martin, the Senate Rules Committee unanimously passed a rules change late Wednesday that would:

• Record every Senator as voting yes on every voice vote.
• After the voice vote, this rule change will allow each Senator to go to the clerk and ask that their “recorded vote” be changed to no!

Read S1365 it for yourself. This rule makes an incorrect record of every vote that is not unanimous. Worse, it allows the Senators to blatantly game the system. And this is what Martin and McConnell call transparency! [Read more →]

Shockingly, 75% of the votes on bills in 2009 were off the record, hidden from public view. This cloak allows many of our state legislators to profess to do one thing, but to act completely different in Columbia.

H3047 will require the House and Senate to record how each member votes on every law they pass and on every section of the budget. Unfortunately, it is receiving stiff opposition from certain Senators who wield enough power collectively to kill this bill. Here’s what the Sen. Glenn McConnell had to say about H3047:

You can read why he is wrong here: http://andersonteaparty.com/blog/840

The Senate is having a public hearing on H3047 … and unless “we the people” show up in overwhelming force it will be shot down with little hope of recovery. Are you going to let that happen?

It is scheduled for Wednesday, May 5, at 9:30AM in room 308 of the Gressette Building on the State House grounds, 1101 Pendleton St. in Columbia.
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Senator McConnell and Senator Larry Martin have drawn their proverbial line in the sand. They have declared, in writing, that they oppose H3047. Their reasons can be boiled down to three items:

• The Senate already has a rule requiring roll call votes on some items and the Senate does not need to record all their votes because the Senate is “more deliberative” than the House.

• The South Carolina Constitution says that the Senate can make their own rules.

• The South Carolina Constitution already says that the Senate must take a recorded roll call vote when 5 senators ask for one so any additional requirements would be unconstitutional.

These two Senators sound very convincing as they make their arguments. However, rest assured that this is all smoke and mirrors from these two Senators. All they want is for you to stop pressuring them to be transparent! [Read more →]

Summary:

H3047, the “Spending Accountability Act”, will require a recorded roll call vote on every bill that is passed by the SC Legislature.

On Thursday (4/22), Sen. Tom Davis attempted a procedural move to recall the bill out of the Senate Judiciary Committee where it is being blocked.

You’ll witness a small handful of Senators viciously attack the bill. But the most disappointing of all is who you WON’T see in this video.

Where were the supporters of transparency? — Sen. Davis had to withdraw his motion due to lack of support from these guys. They need to hear from you, either via phone, email, or in person!

Shane Massey
Kevin Bryant
Ronnie Cromer
Mike Fair
Greg Ryberg
Larry Grooms
Wes Hayes
Mick Mulvaney
Mike Rose
Luke Rankin
John Courson
David Thomas
Thomas Alexander
Raymond Cleary
Lee Bright
Chip Campsen
Phil Shoopman
Shane Martin
Vincet Sheheen
Dick Elliot
Joel Lourie

Raw, unedited footage of the recall motion debate:

Astounding. When the state sovereignty resolution was the issue, McConnell & Co. told us that it really didn’t matter because “a resolution is non-binding.”

Here’s why we need to pass H3047, the “Spending Accountability Act” and force legislative votes to be recorded:

Data courtesy of the SC Policy Council.

Please contact Rep. Danny Cooper today at HWM@schouse.org and at (803) 734-3144. Tell him to bring H3047 up for a vote in his committee.

H. 3047 is the bill before the SC House of Representatives that provides for roll call voting.  What it really means is accountability.  It allows ‘We the People’ to see how our representatives and senators are voting…it gives us a record by which we can evaluate their individual performance.

Some say, ‘there are so many things that pass through the houses that are not important enough and too time consuming for a roll call vote’.  Examples given are such things as resolutions to recognize individuals, charities, organizations, etc. for any of a host of reasons. However, if an item is not of enough importance for a roll call vote, it is not important enough to take up time in the chambers.  The houses are only in session 3 days a week.  That time needs to be dedicated to issues of the utmost importance.