SC Senate: Disappointing Rise Of Fiscal Liberals

THE “BIG GUBMINT CAUCUS” IS GROWING … 

|| By FITSNEWS || This website has long maintained that the word “Republican” doesn’t mean much in the South Carolina Senate, where a liberal former Democrat holds near-tyrannical power.

In fact joining Hugh Leatherman (and the 19 Democratic Senators he controls) are three other “former” Democrats – Larry Martin, Billy O’Dell and Luke Rankin.  And consistently joining these three liberal lawmakers in opposing taxpayers are a gaggle of so-called “Republicans” – including Thomas Alexander, Paul Campbell, Ray Cleary, John Courson, Ronnie Cromer, Mike Fair and Wes Hayes.

The liberal legions have been growing of late, though … adding to their ranks at a pivotal time for taxpayers.

As the ongoing debate over a proposed gas tax hike (latest report HERE) has made clear, two other S.C. “Republican” Senators – Greg Gregory and Larry Grooms – appear to be firmly in the camp of the big government apologists.

Which is profoundly disappointing …

Even though there is more than enough money available to fund South Carolina’s network of roads and bridges, Gregory and Grooms aren’t satisfied.  They want more.  In fact Gregory says the state’s gas tax must be hiked so government can continue to “adequately fund” higher education.

Wow … really? 

Meanwhile Grooms – whose repeated sellouts have already drawn the ire of taxpayer advocates – is once again selling out.  Even though an additional $400 million has materialized in the coming year’s state budget (on top of the $25.7 billion lawmakers are already spending), Grooms refuses to withdraw his support for tax hikes.

“I’m disappointed that there is a growing number of legislators that think a short-term solution is a long-term fix,” Grooms told the Associated Press this week.

Sheesh …

There’s an old saying: “With fronds like these, who needs anemones?”

And its corollary: “With ‘Republicans’ like these, who needs Democrats?”

Indeed.  It looks as though South Carolina is headed toward another “Lost Decade” under its GOP overlords … with “Republican” governor Nikki Haley falling in the “too little, too late” camp.

Stay tuned tomorrow.  Beyond S.C. Senator Tom Davis – who is staging an impassioned filibuster against the gas tax hike – there are a handful of lawmakers standing up for your bottom line in this debate.  We’ll tell you who they are …

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