For the second year in a row, South Carolina’s “Republican-controlled” General Assembly is balking at meaningful reform of the state’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). And for the second year in a row South Carolina’s corporate-owned legacy media – which is supposed to be fighting for this fundamental right on behalf of its readers – is giving lawmakers a hall pass.
At issue? Whether the legislative branch of government should have to comply with FOIA (they currently don’t – which is one reason why the Palmetto State ranks dead last in the nation in open government).
Rather than fighting to force lawmakers to disclose their public dealings, the S.C. Press Association is actually lobbying to kill this long overdue transparency.
Amazing, isn’t it? The very organization which ought to be leading the charge for this reform is actively working to undercut it. Meanwhile the state’s legacy press outlets are far more concerned with preserving their government handouts than they are with protecting citizens.
Sheesh … and they say blogs are lacking in integrity?
Meanwhile S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley – who campaigned on transparency three years ago – has been anything but … also, let’s not forget the governor was the poster girl for hiding behind the legislative FOIA exemption during her 2010 campaign.
Not surprisingly Haley hasn’t lifted a finger in support of FOIA reform – meaningful or otherwise.
So … is there anybody in Columbia fighting for open government? Yes. S.C. Rep. Rick Quinn (R-Lexington) is once again sponsoring language which would compel lawmakers to abide by the same FOIA laws as other public officials.
We support Quinn’s efforts … as we did last year. In fact unless Quinn’s language eliminating the legislative exemption is attached to the FOIA bill that’s being pushed by S.C. Rep. Bill Taylor (R-Aiken), lawmakers will have once again failed to take meaningful steps on the transparency front this year.
Given our state’s worst-in-the-nation standing on this issue, that’s simply unacceptable.
10 comments
“Palmetto State ranks dead last in the nation in open government”
Pretty Ugly has always been a favorite oxymoron but “Open Government” is beginning to kick its ass.
“Palmetto State ranks dead last in the nation in open government”
Pretty Ugly has always been a favorite oxymoron but “Open Government” is beginning to kick its ass.
This piece’s view – poor pathetic weak citizenry have to follow behind the
‘lead’ of a press organization strengthens and promotes the tool arrogant politicians use to exceed positional authority citizen creators explicitly delegated and limited through our constitutions and law. Political action, aka group power, aka herd power, is a tool of servants. The bigger the herd, the stronger the group force. Group power is
subject to weakening, or strengthening, by the numbers in the group. It’s called collectivism. It’s affected by the laws of man. Get it? Group power doesn’t have anything to do with citizen higher source of self governing authority. PAY ATTENTION AUTHOR. Herd power CAN’T exercise citizen inherent unalienable authority to INDIVIDUALLY face, limit, redress, and hold a particular servant personally accountable, for abuse of citizen creator delegated positional power. This piece embodies a belief the citizen has no authority or means to redress, limit, or hold any servant personally accountable. If this belief is accurate, we don’t self govern anymore. Governing by group means individuals can’t use the Judiciary powers we created to limit servant abuse. Does this website promote rule by elected group??? This website serves citizenry in that gossip is to truth like smoke is to fire. Follow the smoke to find the truth. But advocating citizen helplessness to limit and redress servant abuse is repugnant to our constitutional protections, and strengthens citizen reliance on the individually subjugating power of groups.
This piece’s view – poor pathetic weak citizenry have to follow behind the
‘lead’ of a press organization strengthens and promotes the tool arrogant politicians use to exceed positional authority citizen creators explicitly delegated and limited through our constitutions and law. Political action, aka group power, aka herd power, is a tool of servants. The bigger the herd, the stronger the group force. Group power is
subject to weakening, or strengthening, by the numbers in the group. It’s called collectivism. It’s affected by the laws of man. Get it? Group power doesn’t have anything to do with citizen higher source of self governing authority. PAY ATTENTION AUTHOR. Herd power CAN’T exercise citizen inherent unalienable authority to INDIVIDUALLY face, limit, redress, and hold a particular servant personally accountable, for abuse of citizen creator delegated positional power. This piece embodies a belief the citizen has no authority or means to redress, limit, or hold any servant personally accountable. If this belief is accurate, we don’t self govern anymore. Governing by group means individuals can’t use the Judiciary powers we created to limit servant abuse. Does this website promote rule by elected group??? This website serves citizenry in that gossip is to truth like smoke is to fire. Follow the smoke to find the truth. But advocating citizen helplessness to limit and redress servant abuse is repugnant to our constitutional protections, and strengthens citizen reliance on the individually subjugating power of groups.
Well…..according to the Post and Courier website, it would seem that certain informational “stranglers” are retiring. http://www.postandcourier.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20130305%2FPC05%2F130309682%2F1010%2Ftwo-senior-evening-post-executives-to-retire#_=_
Hopefully the new shoes will understand the value of a “walking” article…..
Well…..according to the Post and Courier website, it would seem that certain informational “stranglers” are retiring. http://www.postandcourier.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20130305%2FPC05%2F130309682%2F1010%2Ftwo-senior-evening-post-executives-to-retire#_=_
Hopefully the new shoes will understand the value of a “walking” article…..
You are full of shit on this, Will. the SCPA would love legislative transparency, but any bill with that included is DOA. the SCPA wants the original bill to go through. If legislative exemption is attached, the bill dies, probably through some procedural “glitch” like last time.
This bill was sailing through last year until Quinn attached the legislative exemption and it died. This stunt gives him the ability to say he is doing something about open government when he is actually the one killing it.
Exactly. Let’s tell the full story, shall we?
You are full of shit on this, Will. the SCPA would love legislative transparency, but any bill with that included is DOA. the SCPA wants the original bill to go through. If legislative exemption is attached, the bill dies, probably through some procedural “glitch” like last time.
This bill was sailing through last year until Quinn attached the legislative exemption and it died. This stunt gives him the ability to say he is doing something about open government when he is actually the one killing it.
Exactly. Let’s tell the full story, shall we?