FLAG OPPONENTS: “THERE IS RESISTANCE IN THE SENATE”
|| By FITSNEWS || The South Carolina House of Representatives is expected to move quickly this week to amend an adjournment resolution so that lawmakers can immediately take up the latest controversy surrounding the Confederate flag. According to our sources, the House has the two-thirds majority necessary to address the flag by amending the legislature’s “sine die” resolution – which went into effect when the S.C. General Assembly adjourned earlier this month.
(This is precisely the scenario we laid out – and encouraged – in this column).
But will the State Senate follow suit? S.C. Senator Lee Bright has made it clear he opposes taking down the flag – referring to the effort to remove it as a “Stalinist purge.” Meanwhile the Senate’s majority leader – Harvey Peeler – angrily left a meeting on Monday with S.C. governor Nikki Haley, who reversed her prior support for the flag and called for it to come down (news of which was reportedly exclusively here on FITS).
Peeler did not stand with Haley at her press conference Monday afternoon.
Nor did S.C. lieutenant governor Henry McMaster – who presides over the Senate and (despite calls for him to withdraw) remains a member of a prominent “whites only” country club in Columbia, S.C.
Sources tell FITS several other State Senators are opposed to the effort to remove the flag, whereas those organizing the effort to bring it down have acknowledged to FITS there is “resistance in the Senate.”
Pressure has been building to remove the controversial banner in response to last week’s horrific, racially motivated “Holy City Massacre” at the Mother Emanuel AME Church in downtown Charleston, S.C. There, nine black parishioners – including S.C. Senator Clementa Pinckney, the church’s pastor – were gunned down by Dylann Storm Roof, a 21-year-old white supremacist.
The critical question to be answered in the Senate? Whether any flag supporters will attempt to filibuster the amendment providing for the immediate consideration of the issue. If such a filibuster were successful, it would mean the flag issue could not be addressed until next January.
Assuming one of the flag’s supporters does decide to filibuster – it would force his (or her) colleagues to sit them down.
And while sitting down a filibustering Senator requires the same two-thirds majority needed to pass the flag amendment, it’s a much harder sell.
How come? Because Senators don’t want their colleagues voting to “sit them down” when it’s their turn to protest something – and voting to sit another Senator down sets that precedent. In fact one Senator who spoke with FITS on condition of anonymity made it abundantly clear that any effort to end a flag filibuster would result in the end of filibusters by black Senators.
“If a white Senator gets sat down on the flag, there will never be another black filibuster in this chamber,” he said.
Wow … talk about invoking the nuclear option.
Hopefully no one will rise to filibuster the flag amendment.
South Carolina desperately needs to put this issue to bed once and for all, and the S.C. House – to its credit – has shown real leadership in putting together a coalition to do just that. A Senate roadblock at this stage of the game would serve no purpose other than to needlessly prolong division and discord at a time when Palmetto State leaders need to unite behind what’s right.
UPDATE: “Republican” Senate leaders say they have the votes to address the flag issue. Still unaddressed, though, is whether a single lawmaker might move to filibuster the process and – if so – will they vote to sit that lawmaker down.
155 comments
They’ll give in – to stop it now would be a mess. They cannot risk further negative publicity, risk the potential for economic disadvantage and further alienate moderate voters. Some like Bright, will oppose it. He’s a moron anyway. Peeler is just a cry baby because he was “told” – not asked. McMaster – who the Hell knows. He’s probably not wanting to threaten his life-time of free BBQ.
“……They cannot risk further negative publicity, risk the potential for economic disadvantage and further alienate moderate voters…..”
The Fucking Cockroaches have been doing such since 1776, no need to stop now
To top it off they ain’t got much patience with a Governor, especially a Gypsy Queen, who out grandstands them
For the short term the flag will stay, once the tide goes out there may be an opportunity to put it in the closet
How many articles now about the flag?
No profile of those lost, no interviews of their relatives or discussion on their faith and good works?
It’s Confederate flag coverage…24/7…the victims have been lost as far as the media goes.
They’ve been victimized twice in a weird way. The commenter “Kelly” was right on the other flag article…both the media and the pols should be ashamed.
Don’t worry. I understand there’s a grade A speaker lined up for Friday to bring them back to the forefront.
Yeah…no doubt he’ll draw a lot of attention…to himself.
100+! The drinking game with a sip for the word “Flag” would wipe out everyone. This whole fiasco in disrespectful to the families and the victims. I guarantee there will be hard feelings from this.
“The Klan used to burn crosses, but nobody thinks of that as a hate symbol.”
– Lee “Not So” Bright
Wonder what he’d think about it if we burned one in his front yard.
Someone should say
Millions of “babies” are murdered every year, and no one thinks of that as a hate symbol.
Science has proven there are two things in the air that cause a woman to get pregnant. Her legs.
I heard it was condoms.
— condominiums on the beach
won’t sell… maybe condomaximums.
Henry and I have been outplayed!
Shifty may be outwitted, but never… NEVER… outplayed!
Fuzzy navels.
heh! heh!
I named my hard drive “dat ass” so one a week my computers ask if I want to “back dat ass up”
And a brick through his front window for added effect.
Threat noted and reported.Idiot.
That threat has been noted and reported.
1. I never make threats
2. If I had thought that was an appropriate way to deal with this situation all that would be remaining is charred cross in his front yard
When someone invites you to tool time, you don’t have to go you know…
I’ve felt obligated to answer trolls the last few days. Partly insomnia, partly entertainment…
I understand, I’ve struggled with insomnia most of my life. Your obligation is in your head, remove it. (not your head)
Don’t normally have it. Couldn’t sleep last night and I’ve been rewriting my lesson plans. I have a couple of books to finish so I started reading Generals of the Army by Wilbanks, (highly recommend if you’re interested in the “Five Stars” (Ike, MacA, Marshall, Hap and Omar)). Before I knew it, it was 0200…
I work through it quite a bit as well, so it’s productive time(when I can).
When I maintain my workout schedule and keep stress low I do better…lifestyle management helps…but I still have my “times”.
I appreciate the book recommendation…my current queue is ridiculous unfortunately.
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
The Cross or the burning Cross, or both?
Seriously, did he really say that?
Anyone that starts off with the ditzy”Seriously”doesnt deserve to comment.What a moron.
Owwww…..you burned me.
Seriously?
lol…be careful! You too might get burned!
Really?
HaH.. in the Navy we had a guy stationed with us we nicknamed “Nutso” ….
Maybe burning the confederate flag would make it less offensive then.
Is that what your mammy told you boy.
You going to treat me this way after I’ve created this masterpiece in honor/protest of the decision to take down the flag??
http://i.imgur.com/eHv6Obm.jpg
The Eagle cries out for justice!
You are an imbecile cuvinny.Learn to read.
Sound like their will be a Civil War reenactment in the Senate?
Shall we expect blue and gray uniforms?
Will State House Security allow members to carry their sabers into the chamber?
My vote is for naked oil wrestling — televised live! Last man/woman standing declared the winner! The winners of the House and the Senate face-off to each other!
If they want to popularize hate, they should use hot naked women.
It’s a good thing that I had finished my coffee! Gee, it seems you never went to sleep last night — hah!
plenty of time to sleep when I’m dead.
I sincerely hope that is many years from now….
those insurance payments are KILLING ME!
A small price to pay —- look at the two photos you sent and feel blessed.
They’re on my three screens as wall paper.
My wife, passing one of the desert canyons, on 209 with Tucumcari mountain on the horizon in front of us, hit the brakes and pulled over. She couldn’t believe it… and started to understand why I said the desert may be harsh, but it’s beautiful.
I tried to get her to see that same beauty in the weeds and sand, mesquite bushes and buffalo grass… but the multi-colored canyon with the sun’s light playing on its surfaces blinded her to the more subtle beauty of the desert….
You have to live there.
Thanks, again — I understand your feeling.
How’s miss Adorabella?
Had to put her aside for a while because of other commitments, but I’m ready to abandon her. She has too many unanswered questions in my mind that need to be answered. I’ll follow up discreetly when the time is available. She’s not going anywhere.
she sounded coquettish to me.
When I am with her inside her house she sort of is, but she has never left her house except for doctors, groceries, veterinarian, and fitness center . She has two dogs which she lets out of her back door by holding their leashes while she stands inside. She has had heart surgery but I haven’t followed up on any thing else. I’ve not taken her out on a date yet.
I’m sharing this with you because I really want to take her to the Smokies and other outdoor places. That’s why I like your descriptions of the outdoors. She is fascinated by the mountains and rivers and valleys here but she has only seen them from her car. She hasn’t seen the true beauty of the outdoors here yet. She says around Amarillo is flatter than a pancake — so I pulled it up and damn! — she’s right…
The important thing to remember about Amarillo, because there are a lot of distractions as you look around… is that it’s FUCKING COLD! in the winter.
When I took a trip to Amarillo once…I was told I should immediately visit Cadillac Ranch, the Big Texan, & the big cross…which I did. I just had a hard time grasping all that land was called “Amarillo”.
If you think that’s something, you should visit Midland/Odessa… super apoplectic megaplex – the sprawl of millions is so thin, even the hillbilly crack cookouts leave the air fresh as a spring breeze.
*cough* *cough*
…unlike Dallas/Fort Worth
The sense of space in certain places in Texas is unique, not that I haven’t felt it before…I drove through S. Dakota once from end to end and it had some similarities…especially flat and expansive.
Nothing made me feel more insignificant than hiking and camping both the Yukon and Denali though, but those areas are not flat.
I’m getting a bit too old to seriously do the Himalayas…but I’d imagine that would be similar.
Expansive flatness has a weird effect on one’s psyche. (on me at least)
I have no desire to do African great plains…but I’d imagine it would be similar as well.
Personally, I think man has striven since he was a single-celled organism to have modern medicine, clean water, a constant supply of food, shelter, central air-conditioning, cable, a mild intoxicant and an Internet connection to Amazon.com.
Why fight it?
Everyone likes to be comfortable.
I like to return to nature because it connects me to primordial soup in my mind and puts me in a contemplative mood, specifically in areas outside of “civilization”, a more fundamental place.
It also at the same time keeps me on my toes.
I’ve missed most of life because I’m too impatient for it.
https://vimeo.com/66536862. The Cadillac Ranch is featured at about.0.30
I forgot about Palo Duro, hiked that too.
If I had a dime for every time I’ve yelled that at one of my miscreants I’d be retired.
tough love.
Nah, I also frequently tell them that “I hate them all equally”.
Damn, you will watch anything.
HaH! It’s like a zoo.
The Post & Courier says they are asking every member of the Assembly their position on removal of the flag. So far the responses from the Senate are 17 in favor, Mike Fair refused to answer and two undecided. No one on their record as opposed to removal as of now.
Give it another day for the mugwumps to see the light.
Live Poll: http://www.postandcourier.com/apps/pbcs.dll/dcce?Site=CP&Date=20150622&Category=StaticPages&Module=15&Class=15&Type=StaticPages&ID=432782
Put Katrina Shealy in the “yes” column. It’s interesting that in the House there’s a block of “no” from the notoriously ignorant hillbillies in the upstate. Can we just annex Anderson County to Georgia and be done with it?
Annexation should start in Spartanburg.
Mmmmm… But can we keep “The Beacon” as sort of a Vatican City all to itself?
Naaaa….let’s barter with NC in exchange for the Peachoid.
They’re waiting for the Rush.
Bright is now listed as No. Fair refused to answer and four are undecided.
Not to be outdone, it looks like McMaster may be about to out-McMaster his McMaster brethren, and that is really saying something these days. He should be embarrassed to keep up this fight, but I guess we’ll see.
“If a white Senator gets sat down on the flag, there will never be another black filibuster in this chamber,” he said.
That really only matters in the context of how many ‘black filibusters’ we have during a typical session.
Anyone know?
I think the black caucus does wield pretty considerable influence. They normally trade votes in some areas in exchange for votes in others.
I know they cut many a deal with Republicans, including the Tea Party on the first Amazon vote.
But, do any of them regularly filibuster?
If they don’t, this is just running off at the mouth…and, showing exactly why the flag needs to come down – it is a symbol of threats and intimidate, just like comment of the person who talked to Folks.
General McConnell has so far refused comment from his lofty perch as President of the Confed, oops, College of Chastun
Reporters are protecting him. But he is a major supporter of that flag. Someone should make contact and force a position out of him.
Limbaugh on Confederate Flag: ‘When Did All This Become a Republican Problem?’
———-
Well, yeah duh!
Put up by a Democrat, brought down by a Republican, finally removed altogether by -Republicans
Sherman was my kind of Republican.
Wonder what the process is for replacing Clementa. Kind of messed up to think about it, but if it gets close, it may be helpful to have a “take it down” vote in the Senate.
Well, until they make us mindless robots, the left will not be satisfied. To heck with them.
That’s why the left smokes pot and has no ambition – because it makes them mind-controllers able to take over the world without guns.
Stupid conservatives are still using material weapons, and watching for liberals at the entrance to their neighborhoods.
Don’t they know the liberals are on television and the internet, behind them, in their children’s rooms whispering in their ears?
They also break into libraries and revise history.
liberals are all powerful – even God doesn’t stand a chance against them – they have ruled the Earth since Adam got his first erection.
Jesus came 2000 years ago to tell the Republicans to watch out for the liberals, but they didn’t listen.
Conservatives wear guns, outlaw condoms, make birth control harder to get, and use religious sound bites in their political speeches, but it does them no good.
Everywhere they go, the media – even Faux news – is saturated with liberal propaganda.
You’re cracking me up.
Me too.
…which leads to no more white filibusters in the Senate either. It’s mutually assured destruction. Basically, filibusters would end for the foreseeable future. That’s a much bigger deal for the minority party, so I could see some self-righteous redneck senator like Not-so Bright doing it. Shame really, considering how this State has come together on this issue. It’s sort of like Bush dropping the ball after 9/11 when this country was 100% united… then he tore it apart. Here’s hoping wiser heads prevail!
What this country needs is a foreign war, paid for by the spoils.
If McMaster has any hopes for any polical future, he will use that deeply, unidentifiablly affected voice of his to pontificate, I say, vociferously, about the time havin’ acome to retire That Banner to the dignified rest (in a museum) that it so richly deserves, etc, etc, etc. Come on Henry. Do the rite thang.
Mike Fair and Lee Bright – on the wrong side of history – again.
but, they’re such good Christians….
What will taking the flag off of the Confederate Memorial actually fix or solve? No, seriously. Don’t just be glib and smugly give the usual feel good answer(s). Think about it.
It would solve absoutely nothing. But solving any of this isn’t the point. What it would do is make a bunch of people “feel better” in the wake of this atrocity AND fix political thorn in their sides, since it was a Democrat who put the flag up in the first place. All symbolism and absoutely no substance whatsoever.
Is there something inherently wrong with making people feel better after a tragedy of this magnitude?
No. But that wasn’t the question. Taking the battle flag of Northern Virginia down simply to make people feel better shouldn’t be a reason to take it down. And if you take this flag down, then what comes down next to make even more people “feel better”?
What made me feel better was all of the people, of all races, shapes and sizes, marching hand-in-hand across the bridge. That was far more substantive than hiding a flag ever would be.
It was put up simply to make people feet better about SC’s fight against civil rights… how is this different, other than it’s the right decision this time?
Why is it the right decision now?
Because it’s the right decision at any time, you dumbass cracker.
I’m saying putting it up for political reasons was the wrong decision, but taking it down for political reasons is the right decision. Do try and keep up.
But I thought it was to “feel better?” Not a bunch of gibberish about “political reasons.” You seem a bit confused as it appears you are the one who needs to “keep up.” Never mind that however; won’t you “feel” so much better that once that flag is down, we’ll all live in perfect harmony, in the land of unicorns and utopia?
So those all concerned that a piece of cloth is too dangerous for public display and must come down so that the rainbow farting unicorns can come out and play think it’s better to feel good for political reasons than it is to be an intelligent and reasonable thinking person.
It is so sad that politicians, liberals, and the media have hijacked the families of the victims time of mourning and grief for a piece of cloth.
The politicians are only in it for votes and sound bites. The media is hyping it up for ratings and money. Liberals…,well, they’re liberals. It’s the kind of ignorant idiocy you’d expect from them.
It would show unity and display an act of healing. You have to remember, this was a horrible act directed at a significant portion of South Carolina’s citizens. To maintain the flag in it’s place is a tacit approval of that action by the State Legislature. It’s removal is a sign of support for those most affected. So what it will do – show the black community in this state that every stands with them. No small feat – by the way.
Check out The State’s just up Pro Con Poll. One lone horse’s ass (Lee Bright) shining in the darkness.
Elsewhere here, he has been referred to as a fine christian man… When we see him, let us “Nayyy”!
Holy crap – Taylor’s over on Breitbart defending – the flag. Will – any comment?
She is pissed.
Man – I always pick the Anglo chicks wrong.
Taylor is young and idealistic. When she gets older, she’ll likely be cynical. Scratch the surface of cynicism and behind it you will find an idealist. I think George Carlin?
SLAVE BEATERS ———— The Nations is rising up, now demanding all SC statues honoring men who owned and BEAT AND WHIPPED SLAVES to be removed. Taking the flag down means nothing unless you remove all statues of men who owned slaves and BEAT THEM.
So the George Washington monument is next?
If it’s bad to beat women, then how will Clemson have a football program?
What about beating children to death or committing suicide, then how will USCe have a football program?
Calls are being made for white SC Magistrate Judge B. Gosnell to be removed from the bench for repeatedly calling black people NIGGERS.
Good.
No, no Frank, don’t bother, this is G T’s current manifestation…
Charleston County Councilman Keith Summey was overheard a couple of years ago cussing black people for the high crime rate in North Charleston. He supposedly said something like ‘those god damn hate filled n**** always robbing and stealing.”
Told ya, Frank…
Yes I know. Once again you were right about Summey.
New day. Same shit.
Is your ass jealous of the amount of shit that just came out of your mouth?
You must be funny. If you’re not funny, then fuck off.
Some black guy must have been in the buffet line before hizzoner and took all the ribs…
Here in Texas, our barbecue buffet line starts with watermelon and chicken, so that whites can get through the line on “all you can eat ribs” day.
We’ve been forced into subterfuge and mind-games to enforce segregation.
So we should now start calling Keith Summey, “Mr. Obvious”?
Keith Summey is the NC mayor, his boy Elliott is the Charleston County Council Chairman. Apples trees though
Yeah, Keith Summey runs a pretty smelly operation on County Council. His son is chairman, and the former chairman, Teddie Pryor, went from running a tow truck service to having a high-paid job at N. Chas. City Hall.
Keith Summey invited the Sons of the Confederacy to build a new Confederate memorial in North Charleston’s Waterfront Park. When the NAACP objected, he called the local leader a “nut.”
This happened only 5 years ago.
Good for the SC Senate. The Senate is supposed to be a more deliberative body than the House, which is supposed to represent current popular opinion.
Let’s make murder illegal….
No! Wait! Have we *really* thought this all the way through?
It’s best not to bend to every breeze in the zeitgeist..
Probably a liberal plot!
Will making murder illegal prevent abortion?
Can people still murder with an automated packager, even though murder has been outlawed?
Are we just adding a stigma to an unpreventable act?
Was Sen. Bonaparte at the Haley conference? I couldn’t tell from the pictures, but in my defense they only showed the crowd from the shoulders up.
Conformist:
A person who uncritically or habitually conforms to the customs, rules, or styles of a group.
a person who conforms, especially unquestioningly, to the usual practices or standards of a group, society, etc.
BLOCK THIS NOW!
This is not the time for knee jerk reactions.
This attempt to attack Southern Heritage will not go unchallenged in the future.
It will lead to very bad things.
The KKK is loving this stupidity.
After all the “YANKEE DO GOODERS,” are gone, there will be hell to pay.
Somebody needs to speak up in the Legislature and stop this potential disaster.
The last thing you want to do is grant the Killer’s wishes to start a Race War.
It could very well happen.
They better come up with a compromise.
It was a knee jerk reaction that put it up in 1962, why not a knee jerk reaction to take it down. If it was put up as a political statement against civil rights, why is it so “unacceptable” to take it down as a political statement in favor of civil rights?
Also, threatening everyone with bluster of “race war” is stupid. You and your redneck friends don’t constitute an “army” and I’m sure our law enforcement can handle you very very easily. You and your “rebels” are all hat and no horse. Have been for looooong time.
Sorry that your wishful thinking blocks your mind from reality.
I don’t support the flag being out there in the first place.
I even wrote the first articles over 20 years ago to remove it from the capital dome.
I just know the people you wish to ignore. And, they are not Red Necks. They are your neighbors and will not take this as you wish.
This murder has cost SC over 50 years of progress. It will not be good in the future. I’m old enough to have seen this before, up close and personal. There must be compromise for all sides or there will be no peace.
No ELCID – and I apologize for the above rant – this didn’t cost us 50 years of progress. What it did is make us confront 50 years of not accepting the future. Most people I know who feel some kinship to that flag for historical reasons (and there are few) – are more than happy to view it in a museum.
These murders (there were 9 of them you know, including a political assassination) haven’t cost us any progress, quite the opposite. I tend to see the majority of the citizens of SC being decent people who know in their hearts what the right thing is… not a bunch of overzealous neo-nazi trash, as you seem to see us.
Dylann – I told you – no internet posting until after dinner. Now back to your cell.
This attempt to attack Southern Heritage will not go unchallenged in the future.
———-
get over it.
We got rid of your rape shacks, whips, and lynching ropes… now we’re coming for your daughters!
…and we are handsome devils… with good hygiene.
. . . and all our teeth . . . and shoes.
…when a hot southern chick asks a liberal with something hard in his pocket if he’s glad to see her, it’s because he is!
They vandalized a Confederate monument in Charleston. If things really start to get ominous, they might take the flag down to inspect it “due to wear”.
https://www.fitsnews.com/2015/06/22/letter-budget-board-could-take-down-confederate-flag/
In other news, water could be wet
Don’t back down on that…. I did, and all I have to show for it, is bitter regret.
We can count on the Senators from the upstate, naturally. Of 8 known opponents in the House, 7 of them are from the upstate….and half of them are from…Anderson County….
We really need to give anderson county its independence. Heck, our welfare, medicaid, and SSI payments would significantly decrease….so we all would be better off…
and Anderson is predominantly Caucasian…
Taking the flag down will do nothing but cause more division and discord than there has been in decades. If they truly wanted unity, they would have left it alone, and let Dylann’s memory fade away, instead of creating this non-existent controversy, and alienating the majority of South Carolinians.
damn those Republicans!
Damn the Republicans and the Democrats.