South Carolina legislators learned nothing in 2006
re "GENERAL ASSEMBLY WRAPS UP AMID SPENDING QUESTIONS" (Charlotte Observer, 7/1/07)
http://www.charlotte.com/politics/story/180549.html
To the Editor:
The behavior of the South Carolina General Assembly in the 2007 session is a microcosm of the Republican-controlled federal Congress’ behavior in 2005 and 2006. Saying that they spent like drunk sailors, or even like Democrats, is an insult to drunk sailors and Democrats. And when it comes to spending, that’s no easy feat.
Overspending is not justifiable simply because the state is flush with tax revenue coming from the current economic boom. All good things, especially economic expansions, must come to an end, and it is incumbent upon incumbents to protect citizens from the damage that a bloated government does to taxpayers when tax revenues diminish. Between funding a “rainy day fund” and keeping government lean and mean, a responsible legislature should not behave as if times will always be as good as they are now.
The Republicans in Congress certainly deserved the 2006 election results. It’s too bad the South Carolina GOP legislators apparently learned nothing from that disaster. Paraphrasing Robert Novak, if Republicans don’t cut taxes and spending, there’s simply no reason to have them. Now it seems the country has yet another Republican legislature that might as well be Democratic.
| Print article | This entry was posted by Rossputin on 07/06/07 at 02:17:57 am . Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. |
Yours truly
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07/06/07 @ 03:14:12 am
I live in South Carolina. The simple fact is that the good old boy system continues to survive to this day. Actually, the governor has done quite a bit to keep the "pork" out - he is the most libertarian governor we have ever had - but he has been alone in that battle, and he has just alienated himself. The state treasurer, Thomas Ravenel, was forced to resign a couple of weeks ago on pretty serious cocaine charges - he comes from an old Charleston family that has long been involved in politics - sort of like the South Carolina "Mayflower", if you will. Republican or Democrat, they are the same here.
I am a liberal myself, but I agree with some of the libertarian principles. I think school choice is fine, but our new school choice policy is a $2,000 tax credit for parents of kids in private school. If tuition even is that cheap, the sheer number of people in this state who live paycheck-to-paycheck cannot possibly afford to pay that kind of money upfront! So only the fortunate benefit, and they are the ones who do not need that benefit.
07/06/07 @ 06:53:12 am
Dave,
As I noted, my guess is that Republicans won't learn their lessons about overspending until it starts costing them elections...and that might be harder in SC than in many other places.
As for school choice, that's another huge discussion, but one which I'll deal with again someday soon. All I want to say to you right now is to read more about it, and to keep in mind the fundamental question when thinking about economic policy questions: "Compared to what?" Any given school choice program may not be perfect, but they're all better than the local status quo in government schools.