KEVIN BRYANT FILES “MINORITY REPORT” ON BORROWING BILL
|| By FITSNEWS || A liberal “Republican-controlled” South Carolina Senate panel overwhelmingly approved a massive borrowing bill this week – with only a handful of GOP lawmakers opposing the measure.
The provision – pushed by tax-and-spend Senate leader Hugh Leatherman – would authorize $236 million in deficit spending on behalf of the Palmetto State’s colleges and universities (which already receive billions of dollars in the state budget). It may eventually include crony capitalist “economic development” incentives for automotive manufacturer Volvo – although a final version of the measure has yet to be presented to the full Senate for an up-or-down vote.
One S.C. Senator – Kevin Bryant – isn’t just voting against this bond proposal, he’s vowing to do whatever he can to block it procedurally.
“With over $30 billion of unfunded liabilities and debt we already have – I just can’t in good conscience heap another debt bomb on future generations,” Bryant told FITS. “This is worse than a tax increase – it raises taxes on our children and grandchildren.”
Accordingly, Bryant has filed a “minority report” on the legislation – which is a way of blocking the bill from receiving a vote (for more on that process, click HERE).
Bryant and a handful of other State Senators – including Tom Davis and Harvey Peeler – voted against the bill, however there were too many liberal “Republicans” joining Leatherman.
It passed the Senate’s finance committee by a 16-5 vote … and will now move to the full Senate for debate.
Borrowing bills have been hotly debated this year.
S.C. governor Nikki Haley – who used to support them – has decided this year she’s against them. In fact her veto threat helped short-circuit a $500 million bond bill contemplated by the “Republican-controlled” S.C. House earlier this year.
Our view?
Simple: Government shouldn’t spend money it doesn’t have on stuff it doesn’t need – especially as its leaders bitch and moan about not having enough cash for roads and bridges. That’s nonsense. South Carolina is spending more than $25.7 billion on government this year – not counting its deficit spending.
That’s more than enough to take care of roads and bridges without raising taxes.
As for “higher education,” we have repeatedly stated that South Carolina’s bloated, duplicative system – which includes thirty-three government-run schools and more than eighty different campus locations – must immediately be privatized.
“Higher ed” is simply not a core function of government … especially not the way it’s done in the Palmetto State.
12 comments
Why does he look like a tv evangelist?
Come to think of it, politicians and TV evangelists have a lot in common.
The bow tie says it all.
“Minority report” – Isn’t that a movie starring Tom Cruise?
Is the SC Senate a branch of Scientology?
deficit spending in SC is unconstitutional. Like Obama, Leatherman apparently doesn’t care about “protecting and defending” the constitution.
Haha STFU.
It is not deficit spending it is debt. It is only deficit spending if the expenses for a given year exceed the revenues for that year. Just because I owe more on my mortgage than I make in a year, does not mean I spend more than I make.
Bryant postures, loses, then claims to be a conservative king.
But he knows he will lose this, and everyone else does too, so it is more Posturing. He is also eating up time so no one can mess with Leatherman’s plans for this year.
Remember this; when Leatherman needs him, he is there with vote in hand.
Another Dickhead with a Bow tie!!
Ha Ha! You live in a state that’s not only poor but stupid. Keep digging that hole deeper, Republicans!
Bryant lies to his wife every time he goes out with that USC hottie. Why should we trust him.
http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20150421/PC1002/150429832