BILL INTENDED TO “SHUT DOWN DEBATE,” NOT “STOP CORRUPTION”
|| By FITSNEWS || We’ve been consistent over the last two years in our opposition to S.C. governor Nikki Haley‘s “ethics reform” proposals. Why? Obviously Haley is a hypocrite on this issue … but the real problem is that she’s been pushing a bad, bad law. And lying about it to legislators.
Not only would the “ethics reform” bill Haley is pushing with S.C. Senator Larry Martin do nothing to reform the state’s corrupt system, it would actually impose fresh limitations on free speech.
All of which we wrote on extensively last year …
Why is Martin so adamant this law be passed? Easy: A group affiliated with our founding editor targeted him for defeat back in 2012, and he’s still holding a grudge.
Pushing this angle in a recent column published by The Wall Street Journal is Ashley Landess – leader of the libertarian-leaning S.C. Policy Council think tank.
According to Landess’ column, the new ethics law “seems intended less to stop corruption than to shut down debate.”
“If this bill is passed, many will find themselves suddenly worried about crossing some arbitrary line. They may decide it’s easier to simply keep quiet,” she wrote. “And that is really the point of this kind of law – not to silence the left or the right, but to silence critics of those in power. Republican lawmakers are driving the proposal, which is buried in a long and complicated ‘ethics’ package, and (Haley) is its biggest champion. Democratic lawmakers, meanwhile, remain quietly compliant.”
Indeed …
Landess goes on to say that “the debate over campaign regulations is often viewed as an ideological one in which liberals oppose the influence of money in elections and conservatives argue for the protection of speech in politics.”
“As the case of Republican-dominated South Carolina amply demonstrates, however, state legislatures are happy to consider whatever regulations lawmakers think they can get away with—not for citizens’ protection but for their own,” she concluded.
Landess is correct: South Carolina’s current “ethics reform” proposals have nothing to do with cracking down on the rampant corruption that exists in the Palmetto State and everything to do with protecting those profiting from the corruption.
Props to her for calling them out …
17 comments
Speaking of ethics, what ever happened to that guy labeled “crazy” for submitting ethics violation reports by Kenny Bingham, and had his place searched by SLED and then had to leave the state?
….and the 3 ethics complaints against Martin, Goldfinch and Hamilton by Colin Ross??
He’s currently being Abu Ghraib-ed by Lynndie England up in West By-God Virginia
I am a big fan of Ms.Landess. This is what actually each one of us should be doing as citizens…to hold accountable those we entrust with power. Without accountability, our greatest institutions will rot from the inside and this is because scumbags will take over. Look at the storieswe are hearing today about FBI, one of the greatest institutions built by the American tax payers and known for its professionalism and integrity….for 20 years there things went on….and no one was held responsible…and look what a mess we have….innocent lives ruined….time they cannot reclaim. What a tragedy. Look at IRS scandal. What we saw with N.Charleston police is just a speck on the iceberg in this country. Look at our criminal justice system. If we havent already turned into a third world country, we surely are well on the way. Its people like Ms.Landess who are still holding up our democracy from a free fall. If the great sacrifices of our military protects us from the outsiders, it is THE duty of us as citizens to protect us from the insiders. Kudos to Ms.Landess for the tirelessly working in the trenches to demand the highest standards.
I soooo like what you said! I fully agree that we are failing our children by nor zealously guarding our democracy and demanding the supreme standards we deserve. These “scumbags” are all about protecting each other and sharing the loot. Shall we include the mainstream media in this list because they are not doing their job and cozy-up with the “scumbags” against the citizens?? What do you think?? Common man is being drowned out by the media.
Dont get me started on the mainstream media. I guarantee that a little printing store owner in a remote village in a third world country has more guts and an unspoilt romance and vision for his/her than our mainstream media here. Take for example, the iconic video of gunning down of Mr. Walter Scott….our mainstream media had no vision of what that means to our country and our history as a nation and our individual rights. An Australian company had that vision and perspective and bought the video. Can you believe that!! Really….Really….all those bosses and their bald-head bosses making millions in salaries and bonuses have no perspective of what this means to a us as Americans. This was a moment in our history, as will be known to future generations, that we needed to own. This was us (through the guy who took the video) who took that video…just a common man…with just enough guts like each one of us to take that step…and make a difference. That is what that video should mean to all of us.
I must admit I did not look at it that way…but its an excellent observation! I once heard Wolf Blitzer mocking and belittling TMZ for paying for a video..dont remember which video…and then he saying “of course we at C*N dont pay, it is ridiculous to pay”. That’s the mindset no matter what, I suppose. There is a policy and no one, even for a brief moment, thinks beyond the policy.
We shall call the bill, “The Bobby Harrell Conduct Protection Act.” Maybe its time for mobs to start showing up at their offices and homes? They obviously want a war with the citizens, do they not?
The current bill punishes private citizens and does nothing to reign in the behavior of elected officials.
Nail on the head BT. This ought to be called the politician protection bill.
And yet you are constantly defending Haley on this site.
Not always. I wouldn’t defend her as much as I do if this was not such an anti Haley site.
Landress is the sanest, most principled Libertarian activist in South Carolina.
Moderates and liberals who always hate on Libertarians need to realize that, crazy as Grand Tango may be, there is a reason he obsesses over what he calls “Liberal-tarians.” There is much common ground. Unless you feel that corrupt liberals should not have to be held to ethical standards, in the same way that GT believes corrupt conservatives should not be.
I was ostracized by some of the “movement” people at USC during the “troubles” of the early ’70s, for seeking a coalition with the campus Libertarians. They just didn’t get it.
Coalitions can be powerful. Political balkinization, on the other hand, weakens all concerned.
Main thing is…South Carolinians will keep voting these douche bags back into office.
As long as you have an “R” after your name…you’ve got it made in this state.
If the 2012 election did anything, it certainly proved the above statement to be an absolute fact. And that was primarily because of ignrant voters voting straight party tickets in both parties. That ignorance was further confirmed in the 2014 mid-terms.
Now, it’s on to 2016. Does Larry Martin want another 4 years? With the ignorant voters in Pickens County it’s his if he’d rather spend 2 years of it with his head in Nikki Haley’s skirt than retire with his $30,000 pension.
Since Ms. Landess is so smart – why the hell doesn’t she run for office instead of always telling everyone else how they are doing it wrong? She has so many Great ideas but she is just a whiner not a doer. I hate those people! Bitch, Bitch, Bitch but never do anything about it! Poop or get off the pot!
Really? You must take those dumb blonde jokes a little too seriously.Ms Landless probably knows she doesn’t stand a snowball’s chance of getting elected to any political office because there would be too much big money against her. And as for your comparison to Lassie, I bet she wouldn’t roll in the hay for the right kind of pay with Larry Martin, like a certain brunette that I know of.