STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
THE SENATE

For Immediate Release
January 31, 2008

Senate Welcomes Return of Illegal Immigration Reform Bill After a year of delay on S. 392, the House finally acts

Columbia, SC - The South Carolina Senate is encouraged by news that the House has acted on the Illegal Immigration Reform bill (S. 392) sent to the House in March of 2007. The Senate will take action to address any amendments made by the House to ensure the integrity of the bill stands and that the House has not weakened the bill.

“The House, which has been referred to as a legislative race track, has been sitting in the pits on illegal immigration while the Senate has been waiting to cross the finish line,” says State Senate President Pro Tempore, Glenn McConnell. “We look forward to working together on this issue to win the race for the citizens of South Carolina.”

Senator McConnell, who is deeply concerned about the effects illegal immigration is having on South Carolina, has worked diligently in conjunction with the other members of the Senate to craft a series of bills addressing illegal immigration in South Carolina.

The House passed S. 392 on the day the Senate passed a call for a Constitutional Convention on illegal immigration and a week after the Senate passed the English-only bill - two important parts of the Senate’s illegal immigration package.

“The people of South Carolina cannot afford the same delays that the House gave comprehensive illegal immigration reform last year to spill over to the English-only legislation and the call for a Constitutional Convention. For every day the House waits, these issues only get bigger and more expensive,” states Senator McConnell.

Senator McConnell also responded to a press release from the Speaker of the House that the House was sending two immigration bills to the Senate out of fear that the bills may die in the Senate. McConnell also sought to understand why the House Judiciary Committee adjourned debate on a bill that would require state agencies to perform its official functions in English-only.

Senator McConnell says, “I think the Speaker’s concerns are misplaced.  He should be more concerned with the members of his own House and his appointees to the Judiciary Committee than with the Senate.  The House Judiciary Committee delayed action on illegal immigration for nearly a year.  They have now delayed consideration of English-Only legislation.  The time for delay has long since passed.
Now is the time for decisive action from decisive leaders.”

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P. 2
Senate Welcomes S. 392
January 31, 2008

President Pro Tempore McConnell said that the members of the Senate look forward to quickly working with the House on the issues of illegal immigration reform.

The Senate’s Illegal Immigration Reform Bill is a culmination of six-months of work preformed by a Senate subcommittee, chaired by Senator Jim Ritchie (R- 13), Majority Whip.

McConnell says that by working together, the House and the Senate can pass a comprehensive illegal immigration reform package and send it to the Governor’s desk.

For more information about the Senate’s Illegal Immigration Reform bill, please contact Douglas Ford at 803-212-6295 or douglasford@scsenate.org ###

Douglas Ford
Majority Communications Director
South Carolina Senate
803.212.6295 - office
douglasford@scsenate.org

adams@aging.sc.gov
News Release
For Immediate Release

or: JohnLegare
(803) 734-9917
jlegare@aging.sc.gov

Lieutenant Governor André Bauer Joins the Duke Energy Foundation to Kick Off the 2008 Blanket Blitz February 1 in Spartanburg and Cherokee Counties

(Columbia, S.C. — Jan. 31, 200 Winter places an unwanted burden on South Carolina’s senior citizens. Starting Feb. 1, low-income seniors in the Upstate of South Carolina will have the opportunity to receive a free blanket as part of the Palmetto Tomorrow Foundation’s Blanket Blitz.

The Blanket Blitz is a cooperative effort of Lt. Gov. André Bauer’s Palmetto Tomorrow Foundation and the Duke Energy Foundation. The blankets, which include information on electrical safety, will be distributed to seniors in Duke Energy’s South Carolina service area through partners including the Appalachia Area Agency on Aging, county Councils on Aging, adult day care centers, and other Upstate outreach organizations.

Lieutenant Governor Bauer will join representatives from Duke, local elected officials and other senior advocates in Spartanburg and Cherokee counties on Friday to hand out the first of 2,400 blankets at the Archibald Rutledge Center in Spartanburg at 10 a.m. A second stop is planned at 11:30 a.m. at Senior Centers of Cherokee County in Gaffney and the Bethel Senior Day Care Center in Gaffney at 12:30 p.m.

The Blanket Blitz returns to the Upstate on Feb. 8, with stops planned in Greenville, Anderson, Laurens, Oconee and Pickens counties.

The blanket distribution will continue across the Upstate with the help of the new mobile Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) that began servicing Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens and Spartanburg counties in January. The mobile ADRC offers a one-stop, no-wrong-answer place where seniors and people with disabilities can gather necessary paperwork and make appointments for numerous social programs in one location. The mobile ADRC will travel the Upstate bringing services to communities that would otherwise have none, making it easier for those without transportation to receive the help that they need.

Individuals in need of a blanket may call the Appalachia Area Agency on Aging at 864-242-9733 or toll-free at 800-434-4036 outside of the Greenville area.

Media Advisory

All media are invited to distribution sites Friday, February 1^st 2008 at Senior Centers of Spartanburg County, Senior Centers of Cherokee County and the Bethel Senior Day Care Center in Gaffney The Lieutenant Governor will be available for comment at the various sites.

What: Blanket distribution and interview opportunity with Lt. Governor Bauer

When & Where:

10:00 a.m. Archibald Rutledge Center

764 North Church Street

Spartanburg, SC 29303

11:30 a.m. Senior Centers of Cherokee County

499 W. Rutledge Avenue

Gaffney, SC 29341

12:30 p.m. Bethel Senior Day Care Center

332 West Meadow Street

Gaffney, SC 29342

-END-

Inglis launches Health Care Tour: “Seeking Patient-Centered Care”

U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis (R-SC) will begin a comprehensive fact-finding health care tour entitled “Seeking Patient-Centered Care” across the Fourth District on Wednesday.

Like Inglis’ immigration tour conducted in the fall of 2006, the health care tour will provide first-hand information on “the most complex issue” facing America. Inglis hopes to better understand how health care is being delivered and paid for in the Fourth District (Greenville, Spartanburg, Union and a portion of Laurens County) and to develop ideas for patient-centered care.

Inglis will meet with patients and families, small and large businesses, physicians, hospitals and clinics, pharmacies and key government agencies in the Fourth District.

“Health care is the most complex issue facing our country,” Inglis said. “Issues like immigration need a little courage. Issues like energy need commitment. Health care needs courage, commitment, understanding, insight and meticulous planning. It’s that complex and it’s that important.

“People are concerned about rising costs; they’re concerned about access; and they’re concerned about quality. Many are convinced we need significant health care reform. Reform should improve quality, expand access, and control escalating costs.”

Town meetings and health care forums will be held during the course of the tour, giving citizens a chance to voice their opinions and concerns.

The complete tour schedule and an opportunity to post comments can be found on Inglis’ website at www.inglis.house.gov.  Inglis is specifically inviting citizens to share their health care suggestions and to follow the progress of the tour on his website.

# # #

Health Care Tour 2008: “Seeking Patient-Centered Care”

Thursday, 31 January - Personal Faces of the Health Care Issues

• • Issue: Visit with an individual who is employed but unable to afford health insurance.

  • When: January 31, 2008 (3:00 - 4:30 p.m.)

  • Issue: Visit with an individual in need of health care – trying circumstances. 

Working Uninsured Visit – Lynn Irby

When: 31 January, 2008 (10:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon)

Where: 357 Hillandale Rd. Apt 205, Greenville, SC 29609

Chronic Disease Visit – Philip Raimondo

Where: 300 Goforth Street Apt D2 (Oakville  Apartments) Cowpens, SC 29330

Friday, 1 February – Business Perspective

• • When: February 1, 2008 (9:30 – 11:00 a.m.)

    Where: Nationwide Insurance-Wendell Jones Agency, 623 N Main St, Mauldin, SC

    Issue: Visit a small business unable to provide health care for its employees. 

  • • • Consumer Driven Health Plans - Annmarie Higgins (Mitsubishi Polyester)
        Employee Health Benefits - Martin Storey (Michelin North America)

         

    When: February 1, 2008 (12:00 – 1:30 p.m.) 

    Where: University Center Meeting Room, 225 Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville, SC

    Issue: Discuss options to businesses in providing health care.

  • When: February 1, 2008 (3:00 - 4:30 p.m.)

    Where: Carolina Medical Center, 2 Roper Corners Cir, Greenville, SC

    Issue: Visit a physician no longer accepting new Medicare patients.  Visit an office using electronic medical records and prescriptions. 

Small Business Visit

Chamber Health Care Luncheon

Physician Visit

Tuesday, 5 February

• • When: February 5, 2008 (6:30 – 8:00 p.m.)

    Where: Marriott, Interstate 85 and Pelham Road, Greenville, SC

Speak at Greenville Society of Human Resources Management

Topic: Bob will speak and solicit input on principles for health care reform.

Monday, 11 February

• • When: February 11, 2008 (11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)

    Where: Greer Development Corporation, 111 B South Main Street, Greer, SC

Meeting with Hospital CEOs and Veteran Affairs

Issue: Veteran Care Outsourcing (1 hr), Health Care issues (2 hrs)

Monday, 18 February

• • When: February 18, 2008 (2:00 – 3:30 p.m.)

    Where: 950 W Faris Rd, Greenville, SC

    Issue:  Shriners Hospitals provide world class care that is free to patients.

Shriners Children’s Hospital - Greenville

Tuesday, 19 February

• • When: February 19, 2008 (9:00 - 10:30 a.m.)

    Where: 9 Mcelhaney Rd, Travelers Rest Family Practice Travelers Rest, SC

    Issue:  Visit a family practice to talk about what it’s like to practice medicine in the Upstate (Medicaid, Medicare, liability, etc.).

  • When: February 19, 2008 (2:15 - 4:00 p.m.)

    Where: 1700 Skylyn Drive, Spartanburg, SC

    Issue: Visit a major district hospital to discuss successes and challenges in health care. 

Physician Visit

Mary Black Memorial Hospital

Wednesday, 20 February - Spartanburg Providers

• • When: February 20, 2008 (10:00 a.m. – 12 noon)

    Where: Campus of Spartanburg Regional Hospital

    Issue: Visit a major district hospital and discuss successes and challenges in health care. 

  • When: February 20, 2008 (approximately 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.)

    Where: Doctors’ Lounge of Spartanburg Regional Hospital

    Issue: Spending time with doctors to hear their views on health care.

  • When: February 20, 2008 (3:00 – 4:00 p.m.)

    Where: 750 S Church St, Spartanburg, SC

    Issue:  This health center provides an opportunity to talk about the positive and negative impacts of federal financing and possible issues of racial health disparities.

Spartanburg Regional and Gibbs Cancer Center

Lunch in Doctor’s Lounge

ReGenesis Community Health Center

Thursday, 21 February – Greenville Providers

• • When: February 21, 2008 (9:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

    Where: 701 Grove Rd, Greenville, SC

    Issue:  Meet with those involved in the building of the new Greer campus. 

  • When: February 21, 2008 (12:00 – 1:30 p.m.)

    Where: City Range, 615 Haywood Road, Greenville, SC

    Topic:  Bob will speak and solicit input on principles for health care reform.

  • When:  February 21, 2008  (8:00 p.m. – midnight)

    Where: Greenville Memorial Medical Campus, 701 Grove Rd, Greenville, SC

    Issue: Observe a shift with ER personnel to see the types of patients they serve and issues they face.

Greenville Memorial Hospital

Greater Greenville Chapter of Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)

Emergency Room Visit

There’s MORE!!!

In addition to the scheduled stops listed above, Bob also hopes to visit numerous other venues on our tour.  Possible stops he hopes to schedule are listed below.  Again, please check our website and call for updates. 

Town Hall Meetings

Monday, March 17, 2008: Simpsonville

Thursday, March 20, 2008: Union

Monday, March 24, 2008: Boiling Springs

Tuesday, March 25, 2008: Greer

Thursday, March 27, 2008: Greenville

Health Care Providers

Bon Secours Saint Francis Hospital

St Luke’s Free Medical Clinic

Greenville Free Medical Clinic

Healthsouth Rehabilitation Hospital

Greenville Radiology

White Oak Nursing Home (Greenville)

Walk-in Clinic

New Horizon Family Health

Marshall I. Pickens Hospital (Greenville - mental health services)

Dialysis Clinic

EMS Ride-Along (Spartanburg)

Union, SC Venues

Wallace Thompson Hospital

Union Public Health Department

Doctor who retired when practice lost money

Union Family Pharmacy

State Government

Palmetto GBA/BCBS SC

SC Dept of Health and Human Services (Medicaid)

Military and VA

Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center  (Columbia – Hospital care facility for 4th District veterans)

Oteen Veteran’s Administration Hospital (Ashville, NC – Care facility for district vets)

VA Greenville Out-Patient Clinic

Health Economics

Smith Drug Co.

Small Health Insurance Agency

Health Reform Technology

Clemson “Hospitals of the Future” Project

Electronic Medical Records Company

Doctor’s Office using HIT

Forums, Round Tables and Other

Physicians Forums (in Greenville and Spartanburg)

Mitsubishi Polyester Employee Clinic

Small Business Roundtable

Additional Small Business Visits

Doctor for a Day

http://inglis.house.gov/issues.asp?content=sections/issues/current/health_care_tour

The bill urges Congress to take action on illegal immigration.

Columbia, SC - After two days of debate, the South Carolina Senate
adopted and approved legislation (S. 856) requesting the United States
Congress call a Constitutional Convention concerning the local
enforcement of federal immigration law. The bill seeks to push congress
toward some definitive action on illegal immigration.

Senate President Pro Tempore, Glenn McConnell (R - Charleston), argued
strongly for the passage of the bill, largely due to the lack of action
on the part of the United States Congress. “I feel certain the only
thing that will motivate Congress to take action on illegal immigration
is a fear that they may lose authority and thereby lose their power,”
says McConnell. “This profound situation requires a profound act. If
we fail to act Congress will fail to act.”

Senator Larry Martin (R- Pickens), Chairman of the Senate Rules
Committee, said, “the South Carolina Senate has an obligation to step
up, under the Constitution, to encourage Congress to take action on a
matter of such importance as illegal immigration and this limited call
is one of the most effective tools to accomplish that.”

The proposed Constitutional amendment, for which the convention is to
be called, would prohibit the creation of any provisions in the
constitution restricting or limiting a state’s ability to enforce
federal immigration law and allow states to determine which services
provided by the state will or will not be extended to undocumented
aliens. The bill and proposed amendment also requests that states be
granted the legal authority to expel undocumented persons from its
borders who are in violation of federal immigration law.

At least 34 state legislatures must call for a convention before such
an action would be taken. The request passed by the Senate contains
several additional safeguards to prevent any unintended consequences.
First a seven-year time limit is placed on the request; secondly, the
request is deemed “void ab initio” should the convention not be
limited to the stated purpose in the South Carolina request; and
finally, should Congress propose an identical amendment by 2010, the
request would be null and void, rescinded, and no longer be of any force
or effect. The bill will now be passed to the House of Representatives
for consideration.

For more information about the Senate’s request for a constitutional
convention, please contact Douglas Ford at 803-212-6295 or
douglasford@scsenate.org.
###

House Passes “The South Carolina Plan”

Our State’s most comprehensive illegal immigration reform plan now one step closer to becoming law

(Columbia, SC) – Today, in an effort led by House Speaker Bobby Harrell and the House Republican Caucus, the House passed The South Carolina Plan.  The most comprehensive illegal immigration reform plan our General Assembly has ever considered. 

“The South Carolina Plan helps our state fill the void in our illegal immigration laws that the federal government has left us with,” said Speaker Harrell.  “This is the strongest reform plan ever considered by our General Assembly.  If our state does not act on this plan, while our neighboring states do, we could become a safe haven for illegal aliens and our taxpayers will bear that cost.”

The number of illegal immigrants in South Carolina has exploded in the last decade 15 fold from the estimated 5,000 that were here ten years ago.  To date, there are an estimated 75,000 illegal aliens residing in our state. 

From what we know and can calculate, illegal immigration is costing South Carolina taxpayers over $186 million a year.  A cost that will grow exponentially if nothing is done. 

Jim Harrison, House Judiciary Chairman said, “This is the plan our state needs to combat illegal immigration.  Our citizens have told us loud and clear, this is the plan they are backing and want to see passed into law this year.”

Along with passing The South Carolina Plan (H. 4400), the House also amended a Senate bill (S. 392) with the more comprehensive House plan and voted to send The South Carolina Plan to the Senate in two identical bills. 

Speaker Harrell said, “The House has passed multiple immigration reform bills over the years, only to seen them die in the Senate.  By sending The South Carolina Plan to the Senate by itself and attached to a Senate bill, we are showing our state – and the Senate – our commitment to making this plan law.”

01-10-2008

Forgotten Famous Black American History

By Louis Neiger, CLU

I recently read a book by David Barton called Setting the record straight: American History in Black & White published 2004. It is a well-documented book of endnotes and references from personal writings and government documents.

Most history books either skim over or they do not include history of Black Americans and their rich American heritage. This book would be a great reference book for your library.  I had never heard of Oliver Cromwell or Prince Whipple both black Americans, who served with General Washington.  Their faces can be seen in the painting in the boat crossing the Delaware, Christmas Eve before the attack on Trenton, New Jersey.  They also served other generals during the revolutionary war.  Neither had I ever read about Peter Salem a black legendary Minuteman hero of 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill, Saratoga and Stony Point who fought right along with other Americans.

We usually do not read, in the average history book, of Muslims attacking villages in Africa and putting these people in chains and selling men, woman and children into bondage to Dutch traders who introduced slavery to the expanding world and the Americas.  We will read, in the average history book, about the Dutch traders coming up the James River in Virginia the year 1619 and starting the slave trade. What we probably have not heard about is that at this same time in history a ship arrived in the Puritan Christian Colony of Massachusetts with slaves.  The officers of the ship were arrested and imprisoned and the kidnapped slaves returned to Africa at the colony’s expense.

After the ratification of the Constitution 1789 Congress expanded its fight against slavery and passed the Northwest Ordnance. It established territories that would become states and forbade any federal territories to practice slavery.  Six states eventually came in as free states.

In 1808 ‘Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States (Washington DC: Gales and Seaton, p. 1266, 9^th Congress, 2^nd session,” An act to prohibit the importation of slaves into any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States,” March 2, 1807 which abolished the slave trade was enacted into law.  Free Blacks during this time in the north and south were extended full rights of a citizen and regularly voted both in the North and the South.

One great American Frederick Douglas was born into slavery in Maryland in 1818.  His mother was black and his father an unknown white.   His life was an example to us all that even under the worst of circumstances we can better ourselves.  Frederick Douglas learned to read and write prior to escaping slavery and going north 1838.  He than joined an anti slavery organization and eventually went out on his own and received presidential appointments and was an adviser to many presidents including Lincoln and after the civil war Grant, Hayes and Garfield.  The Democratic president Glover Cleveland had him removed from office but Republican President Benjamin Harrison reappointed him when he was elected after Cleveland. Frederick Douglas spoke and wrote against slavery and was one of the main pioneers to push for civil rights for all.

Douglas wrote and debated in his later years one of the main questions of today, why was the African American community only given a three-fifths representation in the Constitution. Many today state the Constitution was a slavery bill.  Frederick Douglas came to a conclusion and dared people to debate after reading the founding fathers documents and the US Constitution that the clause in the Constitution was and is actually an ANTI slavery document.    In short the slavery representatives wanted to have representation for their property, one full vote for every 30,000 slaves but not allow their property (slaves) to vote for the representatives or have any rights.  The anti slavery representatives saw that if the slavery states had a full vote for the slaves, it would allow almost half of the south’s population that was in slavery NO REAL representation in Washington and to allow expansion of slavery. 

With most of the founding fathers dead in 1820 the Democratic Party, which became the majority party in Congress; recalled the law of 1789 prohibiting slavery in federal territories. The Democratic Congress passed the Missouri Compromise and reversed the earlier policy and allowed slavery in almost half of the federal territories.

Some of the early presidents John Quincy Adams who served as ambassador to Russia as a young adult in his teens and his father John Adams the 2^nd president of the United States both had fought against slavery. John Quincy Adams fought until his death prior to the civil war and in congress stating:   “The first step of the slaveholder to justify by argument of the peculiar institutions (slaveholder) is to deny the self evident truths of the Declaration of Independence.  He (slaveholder) denies that all men are created equal.  He (slaveholder) denies that they (slaves) have inalienable rights”. John Quincy Adams as president and as a representative in the US Congress until his death submitted bills against slavery.

The Democrats in Congress passed a proslavery 1850 Fugitive State Law, that required Northerners to return escaped slaves back into slavery or else pay heavy fines.  This in many cases allowed slave-hunters to kidnap even Free Blacks in the North and carry them back South just by accusing a black of being a slave even though he was free.

An anti slavery Representative Charles Sumner started the Republican Party and they first ran a Republican Presidential candidate 1856 by running John C. Fremont against Democrat James Buchanan.  Fremont lost. 

Than came the famous Dred Scott decision in 1857, where the Democratic Controlled Supreme Court declared that blacks were not persons or citizens but instead were property and therefore had no rights.  Three years later the Republicans ran their 2^nd presidential candidate, Abraham Lincoln, who won as the first Republican President.

Republican president Dwight D. Eisenhower was against racial segregation and determined to eliminate racial discrimination in all areas under his authority. . One of his 1^st orders, an executive order, halted segregation in the District of Columbia and federal agencies.  He was the 1^st president to appoint a black American Frederic Morrow to an executive on the White House staff.  In 1957 Eisenhower proposed a bold civil rights bill to increase black voting rights and protections that was blocked by democratic senator James Eastman, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. In 1959 again Eisenhower presented a second civil rights bill to Congress and was met again with unyielding opposition in the Democratic House.  It eventually passed the house but the democrats in the Senate killed the bill. 

John F. Kennedy was less willing to utilize executive orders to promote civil rights for over a year.   Kennedy, 1962 Issued Executive Order #11063 banning racial discrimination in housing. The violent discord in Birmingham in 1963 where Democratic Governor George Wallace prevented blacks from entering school, did force Kennedy to send a major civil rights bill to Congress.  A current democratic Senator from Virginia, Senator Robert Byrd, back than was one of the senators that gave a stiff opposition to the bill.  Kennedy was killed and famous Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King along with many other Americans organized people and pushed through the Civil rights Act of 1964 followed by the Voting rights act of 1965.

The little known fact is that out of the 315 Democrats in congress only 198 voted for these bills, alone would not of passed, but with 83% of the Republicans voting overwhelmingly for these bills sending them to President Lyndon Johnson’s desk where he signed them into law. ‘Congressional Quarterly (Washington, D C: Congressional Quarterly Service, 1965), Vol. 20, pp, 606, 696, 88^th Congress, 2^nd Session, vote on the Civil Rights Bill of 1964, February 10, 1964’.

Another great Constitutional Amendment occurred in 1964 abolishing the poll tax. Ninety one percent of the Republicans supported this Amendment.  Of the sixteen senators that wanted to keep the poll tax alive, fifteen of the senators where democrats that voted to keep the poll tax alive. ‘Congressional Quarterly (Washington, D C: Congressional Quarterly Service, 1962), Vol. 18,pp. 630, 654, 87^th Congress, 2^nd session, Senate and House votes on approving the Constitutional Amendment banning the poll tax, March 27 and August 27^th 1962.’  If the Republicans did not support these bills they would of NEVER passed at that time.

Our Current Secretary of State of the United States, Doctor Condoleezza Rice could of quit as a child in Birmingham, Alabama when her best girlfriend was killed in a church fire during the turbulent 1960s. Here is a woman that has succeeded in education and government politics going into countries including Muslim countries that see women only as property and handles herself at the highest standard representing America.  I do not see her as an African American but a great American.

In this short time that I have been on this earth, I have been blessed in the 1960s to attend integrated schools, go to war in Vietnam and have many friends over the years of all races.  We did not see ourselves as black, white or yellow but human beings created by God, with inalienable rights given us by our creator blessed to be born as Americans.  As our Declaration of Independence states all men are created equal.

On September 11, 2001 when we were attacked by extremist Muslims we all came together as over 3,000 of our fellow American’s lives were snuffed out in a senseless attack on our country.  We cried together as we watched on TV and listened to the radio.  We determined together as Americans to work and to rebuild and to bring to justice those responsible for the deaths of our fellow citizens. 

Former slave and consultant to several presidents, Frederick Douglas taught us all that you can succeed even in the face of daunting circumstances. This is what America is about.  Let us not look out for handouts from government, but look to give a hand to help some one succeed.  It should be our hearts to help people not depend on government to do it. That is what makes America great!

Till next time…..

Lou Neiger has been a regular contributor to The Dutch Fork Chronicle since 2005 and published in several papers as a guest columnist in South Carolina.  Lou has worked in the Insurance Planning field since 1981 and earned his CLU designation from the American College in Bryn Mawr, Pa.   He and his family live in Newberry

ARLINGTON, VA — U.S. Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign today released the following remarks by John McCain as prepared for delivery:

Thank you. Thank you, Florida Republicans, for bringing a former Florida resident across the finish line first in — as I have been repeatedly reminded lately — an all Republican primary. I have always loved this beautiful state, from the time I was a young naval aviator learning my trade in Pensacola to the time I commanded the largest air squadron in the United States Navy at Cecil Field. Most of all, I have always been indebted to Florida friends and neighbors in Orange Park for taking such good care of my family while I was away on a longer than expected tour of duty. Florida has always been a special place to me, and it is all the more so tonight. Our victory might not have reached landslide proportions, but it is sweet nonetheless. And I am deeply grateful to everyone who worked so hard to make it happen.

Time will only allow me to thank a few of our Florida supporters by name, but to everyone who, in good times and bad, devoted so much time, energy and hope to keeping our candidacy competitive, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you, of course, to the great governor of Florida, Charlie Crist; to my dear friend, Senator Mel Martinez; to Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen; Congressmen Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart; Representative Marcelo Llorente; Commissioner Mildred Fernandez; Representative Adam Hasner; Senator Durell Peaden; Representative Bogdanoff and Council President Durell Davis. And thank you so much to our tremendous statewide volunteer leadership who stuck with us for eighteen long, very long months.

And as always, I want to thank my family for their extraordinary support and encouragement: my wife Cindy, daughter Meghan and son, Doug, who are here, and my children who are not here. It is obvious to me, as it should be to everyone, that I could not have done this without you.

This was a hard fought election, and worth fighting hard for, but I’ve been on the other side of such contests before, and experienced the disappointment. I offer my best wishes to Governor Romney and his supporters. You fought hard for your candidate, and the margin that separated us tonight surely isn’t big enough for me to brag about or for you to despair. Governor Huckabee and his supporters, as always, brought to this campaign conviction and passion and something we don’t always have enough of in these contests, good humor and grace. And I want to thank, my dear friend, Rudy Giuliani, who invested his heart and soul in this primary, and who conducted himself with all the qualities of the exceptional American leader he truly is. Thank you, for all you have added to this race, and for being an inspiration to me and millions of Americans.

My friends, in one week we will have as close to a national primary as we have ever had in this country. I intend to win it, and be the nominee of our party. And I intend to do that by making it clear what I stand for. I stand for the principles and policies that first attracted me to the Republican Party when I heard, in whispered conversations and tap codes, about the then Governor of California, who stood by me and my comrades, and who was making quite a reputation for standing by his convictions no matter the changing winds of political thought and popular culture. When I left the Navy and entered public life, I enlisted as a foot soldier in the political revolution he began. And I am as proud to be a Reagan conservative today, as I was then. I trust in the courage, good sense, resourcefulness and decency of the American people, who deserve a government that trusts in their qualities as well, and doesn’t abrogate to its elf the responsibilities to do for the people what the people can and want to do for themselves.

We Republicans have always known that the first responsibility of government is to keep this country safe from all enemies foreign and domestic, and the American people unburdened by the heavy hand of government that spends too much of their money on things they neither want nor need, while failing to do as well as we should the things none of us can do individually. Government must defend our nation’s security wisely and effectively, because the cost of our defense is so dear to us, measured in losses so hard to bear, and in the heartbreak of so many families. Government must respect our values because they are the true source of our strength; and enforce the rule, which distinguishes successful democracies from failed societies, and is the first defense of freedom. And the judges we appoint to federal benches must understand that is their only responsibility, and leave to elected officials their responsibility to make the laws that they enforce. We believe government should do only those things we cannot do individually, to tax us no more than necessary, and spend no more than necessary, and then get out of the way of the most industrious, ingenious and optimistic people in the history of the world so that they can build an even greater country than the one they inherited.

My friends, as I said the other week in South Carolina, there is nothing in our country that is inevitable. We can overcome any challenge as long as we keep our courage, and stand by the principles that have made our party and our country great. Our party has always been successful when we have, like Ronald Reagan, stood fast by our convictions. And we have only suffered when our allegiance to our principles has not been as steadfast as it should. I intend to make my stand on those principles, and I am confident we will succeed in this contest and in the bigger one in November against anyone the Democratic Party nominates.

Most importantly, I promise you again, I will always put America — her strength, her ideals, her future — before every other consideration.

Tonight, my friends, we celebrate. Tomorrow it’s back to work. We have a ways to go, but we are getting close, and for that you all have my profound thanks. Goodnight and God bless you.

###

Barrett Honored for ‘Values’ Votes
Congressman’s Third Consecutive Session Awarded “True Blue”

WASHINTON, D.C. –Congressman Gresham Barrett (SC, 3) was recognized today as a “True Blue” Member of Congress by the FRC Action and Focus on the Family Action for demonstrating exceptional leadership and commitment to family. 

HOUSE APPROVES ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn today spoke in favor of legislation approved by the House of Representatives to stimulate the US economy. The bill passed today provides a recovery rebate to 117 million families, including 35 million families who work but make too little to pay income taxes and 13 million senior citizens. The broad-based stimulus package will provide tax relief of up to $600 per individual and $1,200 per married couple, plus an additional $300 per child.  Following is Clyburn’s floor speech.

“Mister Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this economic stimulus package. 

“And I commend the House Leadership on both sides of the aisle for their efforts in quickly getting this important legislation to the Floor.  And while this bill may not be perfect, very few if any are, it will go a long way towards stimulating our economy while helping many Americans struggling to make ends meet. 

“Mister Speaker, these are turbulent times for many working families.  Unemployment numbers are up and the housing market is down.  Energy costs are rising and stock values are falling.  In short Mister Speaker, our economy is underperforming, and the American people are looking to us for leadership. 

“This measure seeks to stimulate growth by helping businesses and workers.  It extends tax rebates to 117 million families and offers write-offs to small businesses to assist them in the creation of much needed jobs.

“This legislation serves as an important first step towards moving our economy in a New Direction.  I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation.  The American people are looking for a New Direction and this legislation provides just that.

“Thank you Mister Speaker, and I yield back the balance of my time.”

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