SC

Will Folks: SC Lawmakers Falling Into Nikki Haley’s PR Trap

THE GOVERNOR’S WAR AGAINST THE LEGISLATURE IS ON! || By WILL FOLKS ||  It’s been a long time, but in a not-too-distant life I used to be the press secretary to the governor of South Carolina.  Not the current governor Nikki Haley (although to be accurate I did used to…

THE GOVERNOR’S WAR AGAINST THE LEGISLATURE IS ON!

sic|| By WILL FOLKS ||  It’s been a long time, but in a not-too-distant life I used to be the press secretary to the governor of South Carolina.  Not the current governor Nikki Haley (although to be accurate I did used to work … um … “under” her).  Hard work, too … sometimes dirty work. LOLz.

No, I’m talking about Mark Sanford … the guy who turned “hiking the Appalachian Trail” into a metaphor for doing the hibbidy dibbity (and whose chronic oversharing earned him the nickname “Representative TMI”).  Yeah … that guy.

Anyway, one fine spring day many years ago Sanford got upset at state lawmakers who were overriding his vetoes of specific spending items in the state budget.  To protest, he carried a pair of squealing piglets named “pork” and “barrel” to the door of the S.C. House of Representatives to make a point about protecting taxpayer money.

Genius idea?  Of course … it was public relations coup.

But what sealed the deal for Sanford wasn’t the image of him grinning with a pair of oinking piglets under his arms.  No … what won it for the governor was the caustic, angry, doleful face of House Speaker David Wilkins, who appeared on camera grumbling and whining about the governor’s antics.

When Wilkins’ lost his cool by way of a response, that’s when we popped the champagne corks in the governor’s office (and watched Sanford’s approval ratings skyrocket).

Well guess what: History is repeating itself at the S.C. State House this year …

After four years of going along with the failed”Republican-controlled” status quo (embracing it, even) … Haley has decided this year to go in another direction.

Well, sort of …

The governor – who vetoed less than one-tenth of one percent of last year’s state budget – still proposed massive spending increases for the coming fiscal year.  And she’s still trying to rally support for a totally worthless “ethics reform” bill.

To her credit, though, Haley recently opposed a $500 million borrowing plan – a move which has enraged lawmakers.  And which kept this money out of the state budget (at least temporarily).

Now the governor – who previously supported even larger borrowing plans – seems to be going out of her way to stoke legislative anger.  Just this week, in fact, she told a trade group that anyone visiting members of the General Assembly should be prepared to “take a shower” afterward.

Wow …

Why the barbs?  Is it a ploy for national attention?  An attempt to boost her approval ratings?  Is Haley simply reprising Sanford’s strategy of goading a gullible, thin-skinned legislature into pointless bickering?  Over marginal issues, no less?

Whatever the governor’s motivations were for declaring war on her erstwhile allies … one thing is clear: Lawmakers are falling right into her trap.

The level of whining emanating from the S.C. State House is reaching a fever pitch.  Lawmakers bristling at Haley’s social media rebukes keep adopting shriller, more caustic tones.

They are giving Haley exactly what she wants … throwing temper tantrums.  Lashing out indiscriminately.  Permitting her to shape the narrative of herself as a crusading ethics reformer versus them: The antagonist, change-averse legislative curmudgeons.  What’s even more astounding is a lot of these lawmakers were in the General Assembly a decade ago when Sanford was punking them … meaning they should know better than to go down this road.

What should they do instead?

Simple.

On both spending and “ethics,” Haley does not have a leg to stand on.  So lawmakers should aim carefully, swing forcefully, and knock those legs out from under her.

During her first term as governor Haley pushed a big government agenda on taxesspendingeducation and (most notably) government-subsidized health care.  She “balanced” budgets with billions in borrowing.  In addition to that fundamental disconnect, she’s the biggest hypocrite in the state when it comes to “ethics reform” (and she’s pushing a terrible ethics bill).

Seriously … how hard can it be to rebuke this woman?

Lawmakers need to stop whining and start exposing the governor for exactly what she is: A fraud and a hypocrite.  Don’t be mean.  Don’t be petty.  Don’t be bitter.  Just lay out the facts as they are …

Shouldn’t be that hard …

***

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60 comments

Mary Quite Contrary March 26, 2015 at 4:14 pm

At least Sanford had a sense of humor with his actions. I am not sure Gov. Haley’s comment is humorous.

But “law”ing out the facts just might be – ooops.

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GrandTango March 26, 2015 at 4:37 pm

Sense of humor…Sanford???…Are you THAT F*#king stupid???…

He was the most gloomy, mournful @$$-hole ever. He was like he was born with the silver spoon up his @$$…before he put it in his mouth…

You are not a very good student of personality…

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Mary Quite Contrary March 26, 2015 at 4:48 pm

Come on GT, even you have a sense of humor – this is funny!

“To protest, he carried a pair of squealing piglets named “pork” and “barrel” to the door of the S.C. House of Representatives to make a point about protecting taxpayer money.”

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GrandTango March 26, 2015 at 5:19 pm

Do you remember it???…It fell FLAT…the pigs crapped all over the place, and FITS had to clean it up…

It was the one time I felt sorry for FITS (aside from that skank getting him arrested)…He’s left cleaning up the mess after that elitist B@$ta*d pulled a prank to embarrass the people he hates…and it backfired and blew S#!t – literally – all over him…

But instead of owning up to it…he sends his “boy” out to look like a fool…for something he did…

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Mary Quite Contrary March 26, 2015 at 5:38 pm

No, I do not remember that. Before my time in SC politics.

GrandTango March 26, 2015 at 5:52 pm

Thanks for admitting that you are the typical leftwing dolt…commenting on something as if you know…when you don’t…

Mary Quite Contrary March 26, 2015 at 5:56 pm

I am commenting on one thing that was posted in the article. Tell me wise one, if you felt so sorry for him, why didn’t you help clean up the S#!t?

Ashley probably did FITS a favor, otherwise we might not be having this conversation on this site.

GrandTango March 26, 2015 at 8:19 pm

Is that you Mark???…LMAO….

Pineapple Twist March 26, 2015 at 8:41 pm

LOL. I am trying to decide on an Alias. I picked Mary quickly but did not intend to keep it.

It’s either Pineapple Twist or Sintwist.

Pineapple Twist March 26, 2015 at 8:43 pm

Maybe Pi Twist – what do you think GT? Since you do seem to have an interest, maybe you can help me decide.

sparklecity March 27, 2015 at 10:12 am

This is the ONLY time GT and myself see eye to eye on something – I can’t believe I just wrote this………
The Middle East going to shit, pilots flying planes into mountails for no apparent reason and me and GT seeing eye to eye on something (or maybe he/she/it just “borrowed” one of my mantras – I hope so anyway)
There’s only one conclusion:
**********THE END TIMES ARE HERE!!!!!!!!! ****************

Pineapple Twist March 27, 2015 at 10:14 am

I must confess after looking some of that crap up, I too agree with him.

Rocky March 26, 2015 at 5:41 pm

GT doesn’t have a sense of humor. #%)($%@!@!!!!!!

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shifty henry March 26, 2015 at 11:29 pm

Sometimes the GrandTurnip is a deep thinker. For example, he continues to ponder the question, “If pencils came with erasers at both ends, what would be the point?”

FastEddy23 March 26, 2015 at 6:37 pm

That’s one thing totally missing out here in Taxifornia. The so-called liberals and quasi-socialists in state Gruberment are totally without a sense of hummer.

They are so serious that they let the g’ment unions help them write what passes for laws and “never let a crisis go to waste”, ever, no matter who dies or who goes to jail or who gets gunned down in the latest drive-by … Shirley.

Totally.

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Pineapple Twist March 26, 2015 at 8:59 pm

If they weren’t out stealing, running guns and women, what would we talk about?

sparklecity March 27, 2015 at 10:03 am

That reminds me of my favorite Wanner Zevon song:
**********”Lawyers, Guns & Money”!!!!!*************
I love that song on so many levels (especially the unedited version)!!!!!

sparklecity March 27, 2015 at 10:04 am

I meant to type WARREN Zevon
Sorry about the typo!!!!!

Pineapple Twist March 27, 2015 at 10:10 am

Great tune!

sparklecity March 27, 2015 at 10:44 am

Yep, it’s got a GREAT beat and the lyrics say all there is to say!!!!

FastEddy23 March 27, 2015 at 1:59 pm

Yes, but the entertainment value has more than run its course. These theiving poli-wogs are no longer funny, even as a misguided soap opera.

Pineapple Twist March 27, 2015 at 2:20 pm

Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying out loud – damn thieves!

FastEddy23 March 30, 2015 at 12:34 pm

The entertainment value has worn too thin … The ensuing jailhouse riots are none too good for those “slant eyed” criminals.

shifty henry March 26, 2015 at 11:33 pm

A politician helped himself to a Bible just about every Sunday, taking it home after the service. The minister didn’t mind because the politician was a liar, and the minister hoped that some of the truth of the Bible would rub off on him. Costs started to mount, so after a service one Sunday, the minister asked the politician point blank, “Have you been taking the Good Book from us?” The politician replied, “No, Reverend, and I’ll swear to that on a stack of Bibles!”

shifty henry March 26, 2015 at 11:25 pm

The Past, the Present, and the Future walked into a bar. It was tense.

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sparklecity March 27, 2015 at 9:59 am

His sorry ass should have cleaned up the shit himself you know that stuff about personal responsibility that conservatives like to preach about and all……….
it just showed how lacking of character the SOB really had (which manifested itself 10X later on).

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I Miss Smirks March 26, 2015 at 4:38 pm

Maybe if she runs naked through the State House. With a pig?

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GrandTango March 26, 2015 at 4:39 pm

Did Smirks die or something…or he is he just posting under one of many names like so many of you have to do…???

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Stranger Danger March 26, 2015 at 4:52 pm

Maybe he’s tied up in your basement?

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Mary Quite Contrary March 26, 2015 at 4:53 pm

OIC, you are posting under your real name right?

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shifty henry March 27, 2015 at 7:54 am

Nobody who lives on Bub Schumpert Road in Pelion goes by their true name. GrandTurnip is actually one of the twins bred by Jack and Noe Schitt — but we can’t determine if he is Deap Schitt or Dip Schitt.

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Buz Martin March 26, 2015 at 5:11 pm

You may be thinking of your pal Flipper/pogo.

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You voted for her March 26, 2015 at 4:40 pm

“Just lay out the facts”. If facts mattered, Haley would’ve been sent packing in November. Instead, the people of state gobbled up her BS job numbers, and overlooked her numerous failures with the help of our weak-assed local media)simply because she has an “R” by her name. She has actually gotten worse in a second term. Face it, we’re stuck with her until she decides to leave.

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GrandTango March 26, 2015 at 4:45 pm

SC’s is actually doing better than the national economy…because we REJECTED so many Obama policies…and we’ve beaten Rust Belt states, that have high taxes and liberals running them into the ground…

And to suggest Haley could have lost in the general, is laughable…

Have you not noticed that “Democrat” is now a FILTHILY word…as Obama’s failure is too obvious to deny…and Bush is too long ago to blame…???

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Lead these March 26, 2015 at 5:19 pm

1. SC is not doing better than ANY state, in doing anything except producing shitheads, like you.

2. See above for reasoning why Haley couldn’t lose.

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GrandTango March 26, 2015 at 5:22 pm

SC had a $1 billion Budget Surplus in 2006…because the national economy was going gangbusters…

Everybody is starving now…and we have been since Obama took over the country…and enacted his plan to HATE those not like him..

I give SC credit for doing as well as we have, despite Obama’s miserable economy…

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Missing Smirks March 26, 2015 at 5:40 pm

SC had a $1 billion surplus in 2006 because they had $1 billion they didn’t spend from 2005, and so they moved it to 2006, called it a surplus and claimed victory. If there was a REAL surplus then, there’d be a REAL surplus now – it’s not like Nikki cut any taxes.

GrandTango March 26, 2015 at 5:51 pm

Revenues outpaced projections Dumb@$$…and thanks for mentioning 2005. Because in 2006, Congress went D…and the downward spiral began…

Rocky March 27, 2015 at 7:27 am

Congress could have gone Jesus in 2007 and it was too late to reverse the damage done by you and your party. And that’s a fact, not a made up dream you have. You ruined this country in 2002-2008, and we’re just now getting back. Americans would be idiots to let you and your economically illiterate party have control of the reins again. Hey, BTW I notice you’re fiscally sound party just passed a budget that increases the deficit another $20 billion. Nice one Dude!!!!

GrandTango March 27, 2015 at 8:14 am

Damage?…

REAL 4.5% unemployment; A response to worldwide Terror; Tax Cuts; Business Explosion; Opportunity abounding; low gas and energy prices; Moral clarity; respect for ourselves and the United States…

You are a MOTHER-F*#king IDIOT and a pawn of anti-American DUMB-@$$#$……

We MUST get back to the PROSPERITY that the Bush Administration and the Republican Party had us. Or we’ll continue to spiral into the toilet, like Obama and the Democrat Party are doing…

Rocky March 27, 2015 at 9:45 am

Declining wages, unemployment that averaged over 6% through 2005, one year of solid growth, business imploding 2008, financial markets collapsing 2008, $4.25 gast 2008, no transparency, hatred toward the United States from our allies, skyrocketing insurance rates. Oh, I get it, you were living in Canada then. Idiot. You’re such a freakin’ liar. As always. Bye now!!! And Bless Your Heart!!!

GrandTango March 27, 2015 at 11:41 am

The problem you have in lying about it: People can remember. It was not that long ago.
The Obam-economy is MISERABLE. And people on the streets KNOW that. The Bush economy was MUCH better. People know that too…

Jeffy On The Word March 27, 2015 at 11:57 am

I remember it. 4.4 million jobs lost during bush.

GrandTango March 27, 2015 at 12:10 pm

You REMEMBER???…With a number like that (8 million) it sounds likes the Bull-S#!t you were fed…through a statistical agency….
Again: anyone working in the private-sector…and many government workers losing jobs. …KNOW the truth…

Learn To Read, Dumbass March 27, 2015 at 1:15 pm

Where did you get 8 million?

Jeffy On The Word March 27, 2015 at 1:19 pm

Lol…looks like he’s just as bad with numbers as he is words.

GrandTango March 27, 2015 at 1:32 pm

WTF are you talking about. Are you making it up out of thin air, like you do statistics???

Thank You Edit Button! March 27, 2015 at 3:01 pm

Tango caught in another lie…lol. Thanks for the laugh, fool…

GrandTango March 27, 2015 at 3:15 pm

Kook much?

GrandTango March 27, 2015 at 1:31 pm

Where did YOU get 8 million Dumb@$$???

Rocky March 26, 2015 at 5:34 pm

That’s takin’ it a bit far there Joe.

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Larry Bishop March 26, 2015 at 4:47 pm

I don’t agree with Haley at all, I think she is a self serving witch. However I agree with her comments about the lawmakers being filthy self serving idiots.

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They are all self interested March 26, 2015 at 6:29 pm

It’s a sociopath festival all around:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWsx1X8PV_A&t=1m40s

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Time Will Tell March 26, 2015 at 4:55 pm

Best moment of the whole Sanford and the pigs show? Watching Will Folks and Joel Sawyer scrubbing pig shit out of the carpets in the lobby.

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sparklecity March 27, 2015 at 9:55 am

There you go!!
I figured Sic Willie cleaned up the pig shit but this confirms it (if it is true)
If I had been Wilkins i would have said that pig shit stays right were it is till Sanford personally cleans it up.
“His pigs made the mess and it’s Sanford’s and noone else’s job to clean it up.” said Wilkins ***************Talk about a REAL photo op!!!!!!******************
if it were me, I’d let that shit dry into the carpet and put a plexigalss cover over the shit before I’d let anyone but Sanford clean the shit up.

If I were the legislators who are pissed off at Queen Namrata , yeah, I’d bring up her BS on spending and ethics but even more important I’d have a big assed dry erase board with “IT’S A GREAT DAY IN SOUTH CAROLINA = 730 DAYS (insert actual day) AND COUNTING ON THE DOR HACKING – WE NEED ANSWERS GOVERNOR” on top of the board and then change the day each day till the Queen ponys up.
I for one ain’t forgetting and neither should the so called leaders of this state.

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M.McBride, No I mean Elmer Fud March 26, 2015 at 5:08 pm

How come that ploy never worked for me?

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HD March 26, 2015 at 6:58 pm

Use a thesaurus.

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rdj March 26, 2015 at 8:03 pm

If they throw stones at her they’ll have to look in the mirror …

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Manray9 March 26, 2015 at 11:01 pm

If I had worked for Sanford, I don’t think I would so readily admit it.

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jimlewisowb March 27, 2015 at 10:33 am

Kinda miss Pork and Barrel

The Gypsy and the Lilliputian running the show are not near as attractive

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