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THIS FIRST — EVEN ITUNES — South Carolina consumers would pay more for food, water, electricity and prescriptions in exchange for a lower overall sales tax rate under a tax revision proposal given preliminary approval Wednesday. And the proposed sales tax increases don’t stop at necessities. The state’s Tax Realignment Commission recommends that the state for the first time charge sales taxes on digital purchases from online stores, such as iTunes and Amazon.com, and pay more to buy a car as part of a massive makeover of the way the state collects taxes.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Three sport star Bob Dole, “What is” Alex Trebek and fond of Nacogdoches: Kay Bailey Hutchison and Don Henley
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NATIONAL LENS — THEN THERE WERE TWO — Senator Richard Lugar, breaking with the GOP on an election-year Supreme Court nomination, yesterday became the second in his party to say he would vote to confirm Elena Kagan as a justice. The Indiana Republican’s announcement could lead to a trickle of support among the Senate’s band of GOP moderates.
JOE IS IN — Members of the freshly minted House Tea Party Caucus spent their first day of existence Wednesday trying to clarify just who they are — a tricky task when the Tea Party opposes big government and the caucus members work in the heart of it.
DOWN ONE — The Senate voted on a proposal by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), one of the most conservative members of Congress, to permanently end the estate tax via an amendment to the small business bill. The amendment failed, 39 to 59. Partisan wrangling last year resulted in the estate tax dropping to zero in 2010, costing the government billions in revenue. Republicans argue the tax is onerous on small businesses and farms, as well as unfair.
LONGSHOT ODDS — Controversy in the House this week didn’t center around approving an extension of unemployment insurance. Or even a bill about the oil spill. No. Pari-mutuel bets would have poured in from Dubai and Vegas had high rollers known to watch for a fracas over an obscure, otherwise non-controversial measure to congratulate New York’s Saratoga Race Course on its 142nd season. Like it or not, Congress has approved landmark, albeit controversial legislation in the past year and a half. But despite major legislative achievements, lawmakers have prepped 78 resolutions to honor athletic teams, athletes or sports figures.
REGUL-EIGHT — Seven Republican senators — and one Democrat — are lining up in opposition to the FCC’s effort to reclassify broadband as a telecommunications service subject to tougher regulation. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., and six GOP co-sponsors, introduced legislation Wednesday that aims to scale back the FCC’s regulatory authority. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski “is attempting to impose unnecessary, antiquated regulations on the Internet in spite of court rulings limiting the FCC’s authority,” DeMint said in a statement.
DOWN TWO — The Senate decided Wednesday it didn’t want to interfere with the Obama administration’s lawsuit challenging Arizona’s strict new immigration law. Sens. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and David Vitter (R-La.) introduced an amendment to a jobless benefits bill that would have barred federal funds from being used in any lawsuit seeking overturn the Arizona law. But the amendment failed on a 43-55 mostly party-line vote.
DICING, SPLICING — House Majority Whip and Congressional Black Caucus member Jim Clyburn (D-SC) says he knows what prompted the fracas that triggered an Agriculture Department official to resign after being falsely portrayed as a racist. Clyburn says the furor isn’t about what it seems to have started over. “It’s not about race,” Clyburn said. “It’s about reporting and responding. There were hasty news reports about this.”
ON THE ROPES — Key senators and industry officials are defending the closed-door negotiation strategy they deployed for climate legislation — even though several months of work have failed to yield the 60 votes needed to get a bill passed this year. Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) insist that the many meetings they’ve had with major oil, gas, electric utility and manufacturing trade associations will help them pass a climate bill — someday.
MOVING MOUNTAINS — A move by a Washington state senator to get the Yucca Mountain waste repository back on track is receiving widespread, bipartisan support in South Carolina. Sen. Patty Murray, D- Wash., announced this week that she will introduce an amendment today to reinstate funding for the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository. “I am thrilled,” said Congressman Joe Wilson, R-S.C. on Wednesday. “This re-enforces that this is truly a bipartisan concern.”
BIG WIN — House Democrats trumpeted a blowout victory Wednesday on the first item on their revamped jobs agenda — not only because they racked up a much-needed accomplishment but also because they drove a wedge between Republican rank-and-file Members and their leadership. “Republican leadership continues to fight for a return to the failed policies of the Bush administration that resulted in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression and nearly doubled the national debt. Democrats in Congress are working to ensure that small businesses and U.S. manufacturers have the help they need in order to create jobs and bolster the economy here at home,” Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said after the vote.
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2010 WATCH — LET’S TALK — Republican gubernatorial hopeful Nikki Haley met privately with a small group of Spartanburg political and business leaders Wednesday afternoon at the law offices of Harrison, White, Smith and Coggins. White said topics ranged from immigration reform to recruiting and keeping businesses in South Carolina, to how Haley could distance herself from sitting Gov. Mark Sanford.
SINKING SHIPS — South Carolina business leaders fear the Port of Charleston will fall behind its competitors because the Senate’s 2011 appropriations bill doesn’t include $400,000 to study deepening its harbor. But U.S. Sen Lindsey Graham said Wednesday he’s working to fix that. Also at issue is whether the state’s interests will suffer if more of its congressional leaders pledge not to seek earmarks. Graham’s colleague, U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, has condemned the earmark process and vowed not to seek any — a point of view popular with tea party activists and others concerned about federal spending and debt.
BIG DEAL — Vice President Joe Biden is visiting South Carolina to participate in the dedication of the Ernest F. Hollings Special Collections Library. The White House announced on Wednesday that Biden will deliver the keynote address to mark the completion of the library located on the campus of the University of South Carolina. The ceremony is scheduled for Friday at noon.
MILLIONS MISSING — The state legislative Audit Council voted unanimously Wednesday to audit what has become of millions of dollars intended for the James E. Clyburn Transportation Center at S.C. State University. Several state legislators requested the audit after The (Charleston) Post and Courier reported finance officials at the school cannot account for millions in state and federal money intended for the center.
ONCE AGAIN — Republican gubernatorial nominee Nikki Haley has pulled an online ad that used a popular Black Eyed Peas song without permission. Haley is not the first GOP candidate to run afoul of artists by using their music without permission.
COLUMBIA — Columbia Doctor Gets 1 of 10 Nationwide Awards From General Mills
ROCK HILL — S.C. woman accused of forging $45,000 in checks
FLORENCE — Federal smoking prevention grants target Florence, Horry counties
GREENVILLE — 2 lions leaving S.C. zoo for Maryland
RICHLAND — Program lets fugitives turn themselves in for lighter punishment
SPARTANBURG — Padgett honored as a community champion
FORT JACKSON — Milano takes command at Fort Jackson
N CHARLESTON — Small business workshop today in Lowcountry
FOLLY BEACH — Tideline Tours records dolphins
ROCK HILL — Boxes of steaks stolen from Rock Hill warehouse
COLUMBIA — Panel Recommends Benjamin Become Fulltime Mayor
BEAUFORT — Long-time sheriff’s Capt. Keough seriously injured in motorcycle crash
VIEWPOINT — RARE — “Today we give props to Lindsey Graham, the Republican senator from South Carolina, who – this week at least – seems to be the only thoughtful person in Washington.”
VIEWPOINT II — JUST CRUISIN’ — “Millions of tourists visit Charleston every year to experience its history, charm and unique quality of life. These defining qualities did not just happen. Generations of government and civic leaders have worked hard to ensure these qualities are preserved. This is why we have regulations and why many citizens serve on regulatory boards such as the Tourism Commission and the Board of Architectural Review (BAR), and on the boards of preservation organizations. Citizens and businesses comply with strict standards because they protect our quality of life. In Charleston, people get it: Everyone seems to understand that standards benefit the residents and the economy. Well, almost everyone.”
VIEWPOINT III — BRAKING — “South Carolina’s texting drivers may have avoided the long arm of the law for another year, but nationally the effort to ban the hazardous practice continues to gain steam. It’s hard for most states to ignore the rising evidence of the dangers of texting behind the wheel. Delaware recently became the 30th state to pass a ban on texting while driving. So far, eight states restrict motorists from using hand-held cell phones — an activity that has been compared to drunken driving in its effect on safety.”
FINALLY THIS — RUFF RESCUE — The 24 barking, jumping abandoned dogs ranged in size, breed and color, but they had one thing in common. They were going on an 18-hour drive to Upstate New York on Wednesday where their transporters say they’ll likely be adopted within two weeks. Most important, they were avoiding a fate common to stray dogs in Beaufort County: death.
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