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THIS FIRST — POLITICS TAKES NO BREAKS — Republican gubernatorial candidates opted to use yesterday’s holiday to debate. Henry McMaster, Gresham Barrett, Nikki Haley and Andre Bauer “said the next South Carolina governor should champion conservative spending, education and infrastructure,” reports the Augusta Chronicle. McMaster said leadership has been lacking in the governor’s office, and that if elected, his experience and maturity would guide the state ‘on the road to prosperity. My job has not been to vote “yes” or “no,”’ he said. ‘It was to find problems, find solutions and get the job done.’ Haley said as governor she would return the state to its conservative roots and encourage transparency. She sponsored legislation that would require statehouse votes to be on record. Barrett said his support of legislation banning partial-birth abortions in South Carolina shows he is connected to the moral issues that affect South Carolinians. As governor, he said, he would support overall tax reform, including sales and property tax, and an emphasis on putting state funds for education in the classroom. The issue is close to him because his wife is a first-grade teacher. Bauer said more money is not needed to repair the state’s public schools. More parent involvement, an emphasis on discipline and prioritizing spending would improve the school system.”
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Most of Dolly Parton turns 64 today. Coaches Eric Mangini and Dan Reeves celebrate.
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NATIONAL LENS — WILL SOUTHERS RISE AGAIN? “The national debt, healthcare and the dispute over who can make airline travel safe from terrorists will dominate a contentious week in the Senate. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will seek to cut off debate on the stalled nomination of Erroll Southers to head the Transportation Safety Adminstration (TSA). Reid has charged the GOP with ‘playing politics’ with the Southers nomination and has used the Christmas Day bombing attempt of a Detroit-bound airliner to push his confirmation through. ‘Not only is this a failed strategy but a dangerous one as well, with serious potential consequences for our country,’ Reid said in a statement.” The Hill newspaper reports, “The GOP’s concerns with Southers lie with Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and a handful of others. DeMint blocked Southers’s nomination in mid-November after Southers gave evasive answers to a DeMint letter questioning his views on collective bargaining at TSA. Questions about Southers inappropriately viewing personal files of acquaintances while he was an FBI official have also prompted six other GOP senators to write the White House to press for more information on the incidents.”
DOING THEIR PART — The first five water treatment systems from Water Missions International (WMI) arrived in Port-au-Prince yesterday. Today, an additional five systems are scheduled to arrive by early afternoon. Each system purifies water at a rate of 10 gallons per minute, which is enough to provide for the daily drinking needs of 5,000 people in a disaster situation. Over the weekend, WMI prepared an additional 20 water systems for immediate deployment to Haiti. Although the relief efforts are already underway, donations are needed to support WMI’s emergency work in Haiti. The need is great. Those who wish to help may do so online at or by calling (843) 769-7395. Also, text WMI to 85944 to make a $10 donation (donor must reply YES to confirm and complete the donation).
CHARLESTON — South Carolina reservists deliver aid to Haiti
WISE HELP — Secretary of State Mark Hammond warns people wishing to reach out to victims of the recent earthquake in Haiti to do so wisely. Potential donors may verify whether an organization is registered with the Secretary of State’s Office by searching the office’s charities database.
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UPSET WATCH — The Washington Post’s Chris “The Fix” Cillizza writes, “Voters are voting in Massachusetts! Polls in the Commonwealth are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. and conventional wisdom has gelled that state Sen. Scott Brown (R) enters election day as the slight favorite to pull an upset of massive proportions over state Attorney General Martha Coakley (D). As always in an election, there things we know and things we don’t know.”
JOE AND MIKA — “Joe Scarborough is not only moderating next week’s Republican gubernatorial debate in Charleston, he’s bringing his entire TV show to town. The South Carolina Republican Party on Monday announced that Mika Brzezinski, co-host of MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe,’ will join Scarborough to moderate the debate on Jan. 28. Scarborough and Brzezinski will broadcast ‘Morning Joe’ live from Charleston that day. Brzezinski also will speak at a luncheon honoring the state’s current and former first ladies on the same day.”
PLEDGES — “The conservative anti-tax Club for Growth is calling for GOP candidates and lawmakers to sign a pledge to ‘repeal any federal health care takeover passed in 2010.’ The effort, which includes a Web site at http://www.repealit.org, has already drawn the signatures of a number of conservative lawmakers, mostly notably Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), who has been closely allied with the grass-roots ‘tea party’ movement.”
FLAYER — Michelle Cottle of The New Republic writes, “During his first term, South Carolina’s junior senator has made quite the name for himself. Armed with a courtly demeanor, a blandly pleasant visage, and a butter-melting drawl, he has set about flaying Democrats with a fervor that causes even some of his Republican colleagues to cringe.”
LUCKY 13TH — “Five years with the Department of Justice have left former U.S. Attorney for South Carolina Walt Wilkins asking for more. This time, Wilkins is setting his sights on the 13th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. ‘I have a passion for government service. I love being a prosecutor and protecting victims’ rights,’ Wilkins told WYFF. ‘The experience that I gained working at the Department of Justice will help me enter the job as a solicitor on the first day.’” … As an assistant U.S. attorney, Wilkins prosecuted hundreds of cases ranging from gang activity to human trafficking and mortgage fraud. As the state’s top federal prosecutor, he managed hundreds more — including cases of alleged government corruption, illegal immigration and drug activity.”
VIEWPOINT — REFORM — “The state Senate has a tremendous opportunity today to move our structure of government into the 21st century when a Senate panel takes up the Legislative Reform Act of 2010, S.136,” opines Sen. Vincent Sheheen to The State readers. “Along with my co-sponsors, I crafted and introduced this legislation in an effort to modernize our legislative operations so elected leaders can live up to their responsibilities to intelligently and consciously allocate our limited resources toward an effective and functioning state government. The Legislative Reform Act would restructure legislative operations to require the General Assembly to thoroughly review each agency and program at least once every five years, and more often if concerns are raised.”
ENSURING PUBLIC SAFETY — “A legislative committee will release a report by Feb. 1 that will call for changes in the punishments for dozens of crimes and will suggest using more alternative sentences for nonviolent criminals. … The commission hopes its recommendations ensure public safety by sending high-risk, violent offenders to jail for longer terms, Sen. Gerald Malloy said. At the same time, the state will need to lessen the prison time for other crimes. The commission also will recommend that the state beef up its Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services to better supervise criminals once they are released from prison. The commission will present draft legislation based on the report, Malloy said. And, he is determined to get those bills passed this session.”
BATTLING A DIFFICULT YEAR — Rep. Jim Battle thinks “With the latest dismal picture of our states’ economic woes and the more depressing information about the state’s budget, we know we will have a difficult year.”
RUBBER STAMP — “The Commission on Higher Education has become a rubber stamp and should be dissolved, says state Rep. Jim Merrill.”
STRONGER BOYCOTT — “The NAACP will make a stronger push to remove the Confederate flag from the grounds of the South Carolina Statehouse, the president of the civil rights organization said Monday. Benjamin Jealous wouldn’t go into details, but said by the summer the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People would bring more publicity to its economic boycott of South Carolina. The campaign calls for blacks to not vacation in the state and spend as little money as they can within its borders. Jealous was in South Carolina to speak at a rally by the state’s NAACP chapter honoring Martin Luther King Jr.”
EAT — “Florence County Councilman and South Carolina Lieutenant Governor candidate, Ken Ard made a lunch visit to Dallis Restaurant in Marion this past Monday. In an early effort to meet potential voters, he was able to discuss his campaign.”
CHARLESTON — Family downstairs escapes safely as fire rages on home’s 2nd floor
SOCASTEE — No one injured in laundromat fire
PICKENS — School superintendent says suspension of state mandates would help
CLARENDON — Petition that led to desegregation memorialized
BEAUFORT — School district to get tougher on monitoring student athletes’ academics
MENTAL HEALTH — “Bill Lindsey is executive director of NAMI SC and a member of the Returning Veterans Policy Academy pens an Op-Ed saying, “As the debate over how to balance the state’s 2010 budget begins to take center stage, one matter that can’t be ignored is life-saving health care for people living with mental illness.”
HERE COME THE DOCS — “A Virginia-based medical college has proposed opening a new campus, complete with a 65,000-square-foot, three-story building, parking and landscaping, on the former Spartan Mills textile plant site near downtown Spartanburg.”
WHERE CREDIT IS DUE — “The owners and staff of Holley Heating and Air believe in giving back to the community, and their efforts were rewarded Monday by Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer.”
FINALLY THIS — Extreme Makeover reveals new home to Loris family
THAT’S IT FOR THIS MORNING – STAY TUNED ON TWITTER OR FACEBOOK FOR UPDATES THAT JUST CAN’T WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW. HAVE A GOOD ONE!
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