Friday, July 31, 2009

SC6 Remembers Corazon Aquino


Word came in late today that former Phillipine President Corazon Aquino has passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer. She was 76. She was thrust from housewife to Presidential candidate after her husband Benigno Aquino was assassinated in 1983, after three years in exile. She managed to unite the citizens, business community and military against the Marcos dictatorship of the past 20 years, forcing him to abdicate at the urging of the Reagan Administration ....
While she was not considered a very successful President, she did manage to fight off seven military coups in her six years in office, ensuring that the Philippino people would have a democracy, imperfect as it may be. In some countries, that would be a success. Always dressed in her trademark yellow, she showed us that people can rise from ordinary situations to eventually lead a people...
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Cash For Clunkers Runs Out Of Gas ....


Once Again, Congress Makes a Plan, Then Fails to Fund It Adequately
This story should give you an idea of how bad the US Government can be at forecasting. If you think that proper forecasting isn't important, you'd better. With a Trillion dollar Health Care Plan coming this Fall, even a small actuarial mistake will cost taxpayers untold billions. First, we had the DTV switch, where they gave $40 coupons out to cover the costs - and the money ran out almost immediately. Now, the same thing has happened with Clunker for Cash.....
Let me give you an idea of what is going on right now, since this is my field of expertise. It is the 31st of July - the last day of the month. The final opportunity for car dealerships to finish strong in sales, or make up for a subpar performance. Dealers have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars each, knowing that this program would be in effect, and now they are stalled. No consumer with half a brain is going to buy a car today, when they can wait a week and get the $3500 or $4500 voucher. But instead of getting these sales today, they have to wait - and the sales reps will have to wait another month to get paid.
Now, if you think Cash For Clunkers is a win/win for everyone, guess again. Why? It all involves Trade Ins - even if you don't buy a new car. Here's how.... Let's say you own one of those Town Cars or Suburbans. There are now a glut of those same cars on the market available for sale, which then makes your car worth even less. Dealers know this, and they will get stuck with a load of these clunkers, and they will end up on Used Car Lots all ove America. They don't end up in a car crusher after all. So, they give you crappy trade in value on that car. So, you sell, you lose - you don't sell, you lose....
Congress has promised to infuse more moolah (translation - your tax dollars) into Cash for Clunkers. But, if you don't see the harbinger of the miscalculation of this program in the upcoming Health Care bill, then you are blind... When NASA had to calculate the area to send Apollo 13 around the Moon to get back to Earth, the margin area was equal to the depth of a single sheet of paper. Congress doesn't come anywhere near to this in regards to accuracy, and they need to. If they over or undershoot this badly when the Health Care Bill comes, America could find itself in the same place as Leonard in 'Full Metal Jacket' - in a World of Shit.
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Happy Birthday, Dana !! And About 50 Others..


Yeah, I Actually Know Women That Look Like This ... ONE !
I'm not sure exactly why, but I seem to have friends that are all born around the same time. You may have noticed that too - or not. I had way too many statistics courses in college. Right now, I am in the middle of Birthday Season. If I've had one birthday, I've had about 50 of them in just the past 2 weeks alone. And it isn't over yet!
Today, I have 2 more. First is Congressman Joe Wilson's 62nd birthday. If you get a chance, be sure to wish him a happy birthday. My advice to him was to rest up this congressional recess, and be prepared to fight for us when they come back in September.. The other one today is a big fan of the blog, Dana Moody-Shriver. How big a fan is she? She asked for a blog post as her birthday present. Hey, it's free, and whatever Dana wants, Dana gets !!
If you don't know Dana, you will soon enough. She did most of the legwork for Florence County GOP's Tech Summit (unlike Obama's Summit, there was no beer), and she does a lot of work with local campaigns, with great success so far. She also owns Made in Multiples, which makes all the campaign swag that you need to get your candidate visible in public. Dana can tell you, with pinpoint accuracy, how many Ken Ard t-shirts fit in the back of her car...
Perhaps the most interesting part of Dana's bio is that she was the original ZMAX Girl in the NASCAR Circuit. Yeah, she's pretty attractive, but we try to focus on the other stuff here. Sorry guys - she's married and has two boys. She turns 31 today, and wasn't afraid to tell us her age, which is a cool trait. If you see her on the road, wish her a Happy Birthday.
To her, and all the others who didn't want their birthdays advertised all the way to Columbia and DC, congrats to all of you!
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Thursday, July 30, 2009

Bad Jokes, Lord I Love 'Em.. Bad Jokes, Can't Get Enough of 'Em ....

SC6 Takes You To Lake Wobegon.......

We've had a good couple of days here on the blog, so we thought we'd cruise slowly into the weekend for you here. I just finished watching 'A Prairie Home Companion', and we decided to show you guys a clip of our favorite part - Dusty and Lefty singing "Bad Jokes".

It's actually Woody Harrelson and John C. Reilly playing Dusty and Lefty, a pair of Minnesota prairie cowboys. A person can never know enough stupid jokes, so feel free to use any of these that are new to you. My favorite? 'Sven goes to the bar, and tells the bartender "I think my wife died." The bartender asks, "How do you know she's dead." Sven replied "Well, the Sex is the same, but the dishes are starting to pile up." BA-DUM-DUM !!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUCGKLXneQ8&feature=related

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Who'll Win Tonight's Obama Beer Summit? Just Check the Brew, And You'll Know...





The Beer You Drink Says a Lot About You .....






All eyes will be on a picnic bench on the lawn of the White House at 600Pm tonight. Will it be to hammer out a bi-partisan agreement on Health Care? Nope. Perhaps they'll find a way to balance the budget. Uhh, not quite. No, there will be three guys drinking beers, and talking about something that they should never have had to be there for....






Barack Obama will be trying to be the go-between with Henry Louis Gates and Sgt. Crowley of the Cambridge , Mass. Police Department. Now, we've gone through this before. The fact that these two guys had to fly 500 miles to DC to 'discuss' this with the President of the United States - who NEVER should have commented on the incident - is probably the greatest example in US History of somethign being blown totally out of proportion. This could have been settled in 2 minutes, and it could be. But, my guess it will end up like most get togethers between 2 people arguing and getting a buzz on. Secret Service better be close by....





Rather than analyze the meeting, we'd rather analyze the beer. Earl is licking his chops right now .... We had Dr. Gerhard Mutschler, world reknowned Beer Psychologist, to give us his analysis of the beers the three men chose for the Summit.




Barack Obama - Bud Light.

"This is the obvious choice of a deeply insecure person. My guess is that he doesn't even like beer - probably he'd rather have a Wine Cooler. It's water, tepid, and the choice of a person more concerned with his weight and appearance, than enjoying a good beer. Completely Narcissistic."






Henry Louis Gates - Red Stripe.

"Where is the Joint to go with his beer?? Red Stripe drinkers are troublemakers. They want to be like Bob Marley, but they don't have the talent. This is as close as they can get. This person wants to be different, to be a rebel, but they actually spend most of their time like Brian Johnson in The Breakfast Club - trying to be better citizens. All sound and fury, signifying nothing."





Sgt. Crowley - Blue Moon White Ale.

"A decent choice, but a Boston area cop not drinking a Sam Adams is almost treason. Why not a Sam Adams White Ale - the best beer on the planet? This indicates a guy who breaks the rules, and takes things into his own hands - not a good trait for a policeman. Dirty Harry Complex.... Plus, the term Blue Moon gives the impression that he might be apt to pulling his pants down."





No, we don't know where Dr. Mutschler got his doctorate from, or if there is even such a field as Beer Psychology. Earl would know more about that than I would... If it were me, I'd take the beer away, bitchslap the three of them, and deny them any until they all admit they screwed up. Only then would I let them discover the yumminess that is Rolling Rock - don't knock it til you try Number 33 from Old Latrobe.....


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BREAKING NEWS: It's Official, Kelly Payne Is In.

Kelly With Two of Her 'Kids' .......

It's not too often that we break news - especially when it comes to statewide political news, but every once in a while, even a lazy dog has a bone fall in his lap... Last night, we were able to confirm directly with Kelly Payne herself that the Dutch Fork Civics teacher, activist and IT Kids leader will be indeed running for South Carolina Superintendent of Education in 2010...

I would like to say that we did some intrepid scrounging, but it kinda just dropped on us. I got an e-mail from Kelly, thanking us for our support. In it, she stated "My heart is fully into this" - which sure sounded like a person who is running. So, we contacted her, confirmed it, and got her permission to spill the beans. Kelly is in, and we are pretty happy about it.

It's not too often that you get truly energized and excited about a candidacy. They usually seem to be very obvious, and the person is just taking 'the next step'. I'd been watching Kelly Payne for the last few months, and I'd been thinking to myself that she needs to run for office. Superintendent of Education is a great fit. She's a public school teacher, not a bureaucrat. She's been able to motivate her kids to get involved and excited, making them one of the top performing schools in South Carolina. We've lost a lot of votes in the center by pushing school choice. It scares a lot of people, like big changes in Health Care scare us. Here, we have a candidate who works in the system, and has shown common sense and cheap ways to get our kids into learning.

The kids won't be the only ones getting excited. Kelly Payne has all tools to get the GOP base pumped up. What Sarah Palin did on a national level last year, Kelly can do on the state level - except I think Kelly has more experience at the job she's applying for than Palin had. The Democrats will not know what to do with her next year. They'll try to pigeonhole her, but how do you attack someone who fights in the trenches everyday for the kids 24/7 ? You can't. She's the ideal candidate for Superintendent of Ed.

If you want to meet her, she will be at the Berkeley County Breakfast Meeting this Saturday on Howe Hall Rd in Goose Creek. She's not attending officially as a candidate - she's taking the IT Kids there on another trip - once again, the kids come first. I'll be there too, as well as her likely competitor for the Republican nomination, Brent Nelsen. It should be interesting to see what kind of buzz she creates there. You heard it here first - for once !

Kelly asked me to give everyone the link to her campaign Facebook page. If you're interested in supporting her, Kelly asks that you add yourself as a Supporter. Here is the address....

www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=111618243943&ref=ts

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Wednesday, July 29, 2009

The Battle for Florence County GOP Executive Committee Rep. Begins ...


I don't know what is going on, but there seems to be news coming faster than I can write it today.... One of the other blogs said it's a slow news day. Well, come on out here - we have plenty going on here in the Pee Dee....
I'm not sure if those of you are aware, but we had a little more turnover in our county leadership this past week. Our Executive Committeeperson, Stephanie Rawlinson, resigned last Thursday. To be honest, I'm not sure exactly why she stepped down. I have heard rumors, but we don't print rumors here, and unfortunately, she was not at the meeting, and her official notice gave no reason. I always found Steph to be an open person, so my hope is that she can take a minute to tell us why. Honestly, we deserve it.....
With Stephanie's resignation, the race for her old spot quickly began. Nominations were submitted, and Florence County will have three candidates to choose from: Licia Stone, who is a former County Chair and State Representative candidate, FMU Director of Alumni Affairs Julian Young, and former County Chair Tommy Phillips. Phillips wife, Shelby, preceeded Rawlinson as Executive Committeeperson.
The county precinct leaders (of which I am one), will choose the winner at the next monthly meeting. While that seems like a while away, the jockeying has started already. I've already been contacted by two of the candidates, so they are wasting no time in locking up as many votes as possible. The winner will have to get a majority of the votes, so there is a good chance that one of the three will end up dropping out. My guess is there will be some coalition building among the candidates, and it could be either one of them.
There are clear differences between the three..... Young clearly is part of the New Guard of the Florence GOP, but the new leadership has had a lot of turnover since taking over in the Spring. Of the five elected in April, only two are in the position they were chosen for that day, with neither of them there last week, and one of the two rumored to be quitting as well. No doubt Young is talented, but is it time to take a half step back, and get some experience at the top?
If that is the route the party goes, they won't have much to debate. While both Phillips and Stone are former Chairs, Licia Stone was part of the recent takeover (who wasn't, aside from me?), and she has some influential supporters behind her. It seems to be a more likely choice of the precinct leaders - almost all of whom voted against Tommy Phillips - to go. Unless they decided that the Florence GOP needed to do a complete 180 degree turn, Phillips would appear to be the odd man out.
But, it's still a long way off. Other shoes could drop, one might drop out. Funnier things have happened in politics.... It'll be interesting. Hopefully, I stayed impartial enough for everyone here....
Note: I had to correct Julian's position at FMU. I had it incorrect - he's seems professorial anyway !!
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Some Guys Can't Get Enough Pony Love !!

This Is An Acceptable Way to Love a Horse ....

It's been a long time since we've had a 'stupid news' story, but one came across the wire today - and unfortunately, it's local.... An Horry County man has been arrested for having sex with a neighbor's horse - and it's not the first time he's been arrested for it.

Now, while we have no problem with besmirching politicians, we're going to do something the local TV stations aren't doing - we're not going to give the guy's name. I'm sure the guy is embarrassed enough. If you need to know, go somewhere else, then lock up your horse....





The man was arrested for Bugging - apparently the legal term for banging livestock, when the horse's owner caught him on her property. If you're asking exactly what happened, don't ask me. No one's saying, but it was a female horse, so that kind of reduces the possibilities. No word on whether the guy had a saddle on....





If this story is a bit confusing and disturbing to you, I can assure you, you ain't the only one. God only knows what causes a person to think "I gotta get me some of that" while looking at Mr. Ed ..... Ruffian was a beautiful horse, but I didn't want to hit that.....






www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubLiYFFM5_A



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Reino Announces Bid For PSC Board .. Sort Of.




We've Already Had One Unqualified Member,Why Not Another One ?
In case you missed it on Friday, like we did initially. Mignon Clyburn, daughter of House Majority Whipmaster Jim Clyburn, was approved by the Senate to serve on the Board of the Federal Communications Commmission. While you guys were all getting PO'd about Sonia Sotomayor, Old Jim did a Double Reverse, and got his kid - who has no FCC experience - a five year gig in DC. That cements it for us.... Clyburn will retire in 2014, and Mignon will run for his seat. Mark it on the calendar, and pray that we have a 7th District by then. The other spot went to Meredith Atwell Baker, a Republican, who was in charge of that oh-so successful Digital Converter Box campaign this year. Nothing like being rewarded for a job not well done...
But for now, we still have six districts, and with the younger Clyburn's departure, that leaves an opening for her spot on the SC Public Service Commission. Yes, even a Clyburn can't keep two gigs like this at the same time. Luckily for me, she represented the 6th District, so someone from our area will get a great new job. So, why not me? Don't think so? Well, let's compare resumes of mine and Whipper's Kid....
Useless Education
Mignon has a BS in Finance, I have a BA in Economics - and neither of us put them to any use! But only one of us had a safety net. In case you're confused, it wasn't me.
Failed Businessperson
Mignon had that local paper that Dad owned in Charleston, I had Lemon-Aid. The only difference was that I actually performed a useful service - I did oil changes.
In-Experience
Neither of us has ever worked for a utility, co-operative or any regulated industry. But, I would assume that we both have paid CP&L bills - although my Dad doesn't own stock in SCANA. A little conflict of interest there, folks?
Of course, there are advantages that I have over Mignon - I live in the most populated county in the Congressional district, everyone loves me, and Lord knows I have all the time in the world to devote to the gig right now. Am I serious about this? Of course not. Sure, I'd love a cushy gig like the PSC Board, but there are other people who are more qualified, and let's be honest - better politically connected than I am. Still, it WOULD give me somethign else to do besides SC6 and watching City Confidential all day - my Paul Winfield impression is almost down pat now....
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The Pee Dee Boy Scouts Get Political ....


BSA To Give 'Distinguished Citizen Award' to Congressman Clyburn ....
We know that it's going to come as a great shock to you, but our Congressman has found another opportunity to be honored for something - anything - that he possibly can. Yeah, finding out that Jim Clyburn is publicizing his getting a plaque for a job done isn't surprising. Whether that job has been well-done, we'll leave up to you. I called him a ding-dong 2 weeks ago, so my view is pretty obvious. But hearing that The Whipper is coming to Flotown to reassure that he is a great man is like....... Well, like hearing that I'm spending a Saturday evening with my friends at The Trophy Club. It's a given.
This time, it's the Pee Dee Chapter of the Boy Scouts of America. On August 20th, they will have their Distinguished Service Award Dinner at the SIMT Center at Florence-Darlington Tech. There guys, you got a free plug.... Anyway, the statement says they are honoring Jimbo for his service to the county, region and state. It's a bit of a goofy fit there: To call Clyburn a representative of the Pee Dee or Florence County is pretty close to laughable . He lives in Columbia, and hangs out in Santee. If there is one part of the 6th District that Cly would love to rid himself of, it's Florence - and the feeling is mutual. in fact, most of the area the Pee Dee Boy Scouts cove is in the 5th Congressional District. So, why bother with the trophy? Well, my guess is that it involves color - not black or white, but green......
A major source of donations for the Boy Scouts is the United Way, and where do a lot of the United Way's money come from? All levels of government funding. So, it puts non-profit groups like the Boy Scouts in a bit of a bind.... Occasionally, you need to lick the hand that feeds you. Also, when you're having a fundraiser, you need to honor a guest not only to attract people, but attract people that they'd pay to see.. For some reason, citizens think that they have to pay to get ear time with politicians - and Jim will gladly charge you to be seen with him. It's a game of mutual interests, so the Boy Scouts are stuck having to make a deal with the Devil....
I was a Boy Scout for a while, and I don't remember seeing a banquet that honored a DC politician. Honestly, I could think of 50 other people in the area who have truly donated their time and treasure for the Boy Scouts, and the people of Florence. But, those people won't get the local media - or this blog for that matter - to fill the banquet table. I'm not trying to make it look like I'm coming down hard on the Boy Scouts. You gotta do what you gotta do.....
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Congress Goes the "I'm Never Drinking Again" Route With Spending ...

Is This The House Freshman Caucus? Hey, You Never Know ....

"And I Swear By Almighty God, That I'm Never Drinking Again....I'm Gonna Get Back My Girlfriend, I'm Gonna Get Back My Job. I'm Never Drinking Again."

'Tobe's Got a Drinking Problem' by Street Dogs

Sometimes in life there are universal experiences - moments or things that we've all heard at least once in our lives. One of them is the Saturday or Sunday morning vow, "I'm Never Drinking Again". That day after regret of a night of overindulgence... Let me ask you - has anyone that's made that promise ever kept it? Of course not, and it's with that in mind that we show the same hypocrisy in Congress......

I got my weekly update from MegaVote - which we encourage you to sign up with for you Congressional update - and this past week , the House passed the bringing back of Pay As You Go. If you don't remember what it was, it basically says that all taxation and regular budget items must be neutral. That is, all scheduled budget items must show that the money is there to pay for it, thus the budget deficit will not get any worse. Sounds good, right? Sure. However, this leaves us with a couple questions.....

The first question is WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG ???? My first thought was that this would have been a great idea six or eight months ago - before we hit the all you can eat Budget Buffet. Of course, Congress had no thoughts of reigning in spending until after the bonanza for the Banks, Stimulus and Health Care were overwith. In short, let's get totally drunk, then we'll quit drinking - I promise.... It's a couple trillion dollars too late.

But, even if they are sticking to the vow, we still need to know - HOW ARE THEY PAYING FOR IT? The budget deficit , even with the extra stuff taken away, is still in the $500 billion range. So, where is the gap made up? Spending cuts? Uhhhhh..... We won't say it aloud, but we all have a good idea how DC makes up budget deficits. After all, drunk don't cut down on their alcohol consumption, they grab $5 from their buddy's wallet....

It's all pretty typical of Congress to symbolically look like they're doing something, after they've already done the opposite as far as it can go. The liquor cabinet, the bartender has flicked the lights and off, and it's past 4AM. Time to go home and sleep it off, folks.... In case you've never heard the song, here's a clip of it. Enjoy!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6HWaWFHeEA

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Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Stimulus Money For Cops: Good or Bad ?


If These Are the New Cops, We're All For It !!!!
Alas people, these are not the new cops here in Flotown. If they were, I'd be speeding up and down Irby Street til they finally caught me... Onto the reason for the post. Word came out that the Florence Police Department will be hiring five more officers soon. Their goal has been to hire eighteen, and I think that now makes eight. P-Luv will gladly correct me if I goofed...
To state the obvious, the cops in Florence are woefully underpaid, so being able to get more of them on the street is always good. But, the source of the funding is a bit controversial. The cash is coming from....... wait for it........just a second or two more.... Barack Obama's Economic Stimulus Package.
We all have our opinions on whether or not we should have had one to start with, and whether or not the money has been well spent to create jobs is an even bigger contraversy. Of the $700 million South Carolina got, $442 million went to replenish the Medicare coffers - not exactly as productive for job creation as a highway or bridge. At least now, we have SOMETHING real to point out when we wonder where the money went.
That's the question we have for you today: Is having the stimulus money for cops worth it, or would you just rather have gotten nothing? It's an interesting dichotomy: we don't like paying for a lot of things, but we often expect a lot in return. What's your opinion .... we'd like to know.
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Monday, July 27, 2009

Hey Kim, If You Get On With Regis, Then I Wanna Get Some Alone Time With Kelly !!!

Former WBTW Anchor Is Finalist To Be On 'Regis and Kelly' ....

We all know that the Florence/Myrtle Beach market isn't exactly a dream job for reporters. But, it's nice to see those people who started in the Pee Dee advance and really make something of themselves. There have been plenty of them, but former WBTW-TV 13 Morning Anchor Kimberly Gill has a great opportunity this week. She is a finalist to be a guest host on 'LIVE With Regis and Kelly'....

'LIVE' is having an online contest to choose the winners. There are ten male and ten female contestants eligible, and you can vote for any five -although any of those of you who have voted for delegates know that voting for all five actually hurts her chances. The voting ends 10PM Tuesday, so you have to vote today, and you will have to register with Regis and Kelly. Personally, I left my phone number with them to give to Kelly Ripa, even though they didn't ask for it...

Now, why am I pushing for Kim to win? I have a bit of a soft spot for her. You see, Kimberly was the first person ever to interview me, back in 2004, when I first announced that I would run for Congress. I didn't know she was coming (and I wasn't exactly prepared for it either), but she took it seriously, and by that night, I was on the news. So, since she helped me then, I'll try to help her. The web address to the link isn't working, just Google 'Regis and Kelly', and click on the 'From Local to LIVE Co-Host For a Day' Icon...

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You Can't Blame A Guy For Trying .....


Carolina Girls, Best In the World !!!!
I got a call from a reader, demanding a blog post. Apparently, no one in the SC Blogosphere is floating this person's boat, and I guess we take requests..... Yes, this is the SC6 All Request Lunch Hour Show !! Now a moldy oldie from Procol Harum - Whiter Shade of Pale.... Hit me !!!! AAHH- OOOOO !!!!!!
No, I wasn't planning on anything today - still working on taking care of that pesky Job Thingy. So, I took a quick look around, and I found something that involves South Carolina - namely that Fox News Hottie and South Carolinian, Ainsley Earhardt. MSN had a clip of business contributor Uri Man being interviewed by Ainsley, and it's kinda funny. Man, like most of American Men, took advantage of the situation....
Not that it was going to work - Earhardt is married. But who can blame the guy. I would.... If it were me being interviewed by Earhardt, i'd have the champagne bottle, roses and engagement ring all ready to go - but that's just me. To me, it seemed pretty obvious, but we'll let you judge for yourself. Here's the clip:
So much for coming up with an original post.... I was just on BlogNetNews , and Palmetto Scoop and FITS News have posted on the same story. Kind of like HBOw is HBO, just three hours later.....
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Thursday, July 23, 2009

Obama Goes the Homer Stokes Route on Health Care ...

RE-FORM, RE-FORM !! Hey, Where's the Little Man and the Broom ?

No, you're not seeing things. This is an SC6 post... I don't expect to be coming back fulltime to blogging, but thanks to sites like BlogNetNews and SCHotline, when Jeff thinks i'm worthy, my posts get the chance to be read without it being me yelling into the woods. So, I don't have to keep posting everyday to make sure you guys stay loyal to SC6...

The real reason I decided to break my self-imposed hiatus was because it has been an interesting week in politics, both in Washington, and here in South Carolina. First, a short word on Lindsey Graham deciding to vote yes on Sonia Sotomayor's nomination for the Supreme Court. After all these years, we all have a pretty good gauge on how Lindsey Graham will vote on issues. I don't think anyone should be too surprised on his yes vote, and honestly, he's right.

Here's where conservatives will get very discouraged. When it comes to Supreme Court justice nominations, the Democrats are much more successful at attacking candidates than Republicans, and they should be - it's easier for them. Justifying a position that you judge with your heart, even if incorrectly, is a simpler job than hurting people's feelings because you judge by rule of law. But, the fact is that every criticism aimed at Sotomayor's nomination had been used for previous judges who now sit on SCOTUS, therefore a NO vote is a tough call. But, i'm still a little surprise Graham had the guts to do it...

Before you start finding another candidate to run against him in 2014, remember this: Sotomayor was going to get nominated. More importantly, Lindsey Graham is no dummy, and like he said in May, he is a winner. He doesn't give up his vote unless he is working to get something for us in return. My guess is that somewhere, sometime, we will find out that he used this YES to get us in a better position - but hey, maybe I'm wrong.....

Now, onto the Health Care fiasco, and it is slowly turning into that. Let me preface all of this with a disclaimer: I don't have health insurance. Even when I was working, I would have had to pay about 12% of my salary to pay for it. Thanks guys.... If there is anyone who would like to see an affordable paln to cover the uncoverable, I'm it.

There are a few indisputable facts. First, the rising costs of health care are the biggest problem. If you don't cut costs, Universal Coverage is an impossibility. Short of cutting payments to doctors and hospitals, it will be almost impossible. So, if you can't really cut costs, you have one choice - raise taxes to citizens and businesses to cover it. While it may not cost as much to cover the uncoverable, because most of them are like me - they don't need coverage currently - the $1 Trillion price tag makes passing this tough. Even the voters understand this, 85% of whom already have health coverage. Hence, Barack Obama's approval rating on the issue are dropping like a stone. So, he's forced to do what you do when you get desperate - you change the name....

Yep. it's now being called Health Care Reform. You know Reform - it's what you call 'Change' when it's not popular. That's why last year's slogan wasn't 'Reform We Can Believe In". It didn't work for Homer Stokes in 'O Brother Where Art Thou', and it doesn't work here. So, he has now backed off his stance to pass it, and pass it now. In typical DC fashion, now the Democrats are contradicting themselves. One minute, Whipper Jim Clyburn is telling reporters that the House Democrats are planning on staying in DC in August, instead of going home, to finish this. The next minute, Harry Reid is telling everyone that they are going home, and they'll get back to it when it's right. Honestly, that's the right thing. Secondly, it once again proves that NO ONE IN DC LISTENS TO JIM CLYBURN......

Nope, even the Democrats know that you can hang yourself on even well-intentioned issues like Health Care Change - uhhh, I mean Reform. Will it ever happen? I don't know, but my guess is that something to cover some more - not all - will come along. If you can save some, you can cover more. Exactly who, i don't know - certainly not middle class people like me, but that's fine. I don't expect free health care. You do what you can with the tools you have - and DC doesn't have all the tools. Just ask Homer Stokes. In case you don't remember what they did to Old Homer, here's a reminder...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3eTSbC3neA

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Thursday, July 16, 2009

SC6 Closes It's Tent. This Time, It's For Good




Post Number 2099..... I never knew for sure when and it where it would end, but it appears that this it. I've flirted with the idea of ending SC6 almost as long as it's been in existence, but I'm pretty sure that it's going to take this time. Truth is, I'm spent - physically, emotionally, politically - you name it. My joy in just about all things is gone. As good as they have been recently, I found it hard to get excited about the progress, and I think as far as blogging goes, it has shown. I'm flat. I have no fire. I'm getting dull. In short, it's like I don't give a shit, and that's not showing a lot of respect to you guys, who spend valuable time reading SC6 for entretainment purposes. Hopefully, we all learned soemthing too, but I'll jut assume that....





People had been telling me that more people read SC6 than I thought, but I never believed it. Until I signed up on BlogNetNews... After only 2 weeks, we were rated the #11 political blog in influence (what that is exactly, I don't know), and #4 in Conservative blog in South Carolina. When you're alongside heavyweights like Will Folks, Adam Fogle, Earl Capps, Wes Donahue and others, it's a little unbelieveable to hit that mark, especially since this is a hobby. I wanted to say thank you to each of you who read SC6 the past 3 1/2 years, and I hope I kept up my end of the deal...





I might be forgetting some people, but I'll try to do my best. To Earl Capps - you were my mentor, coach, Bad Cop and good friend through all of this, and even before. You knew who i was, and you never even met me. Thanks for all the fun, and for the education. Moye Graham, you were the first and probably only person to actually help out on my campaign, and I appreciate it very much. More importantly, you've been a great friend. We were both at the slightly lower rungs back in the old days, but it's been great to see us move up - although Gubernatorial candidates don't call me like they call you...





Tommy Grimes, we went through a lot of hell together, but it has been a pleasure watching your mind see things two steps ahead of everyone else. And it's was nice being your chauffeuer! To my friends in the GOP statewide, we have a lot of work in the coming years. If you think the past month was tough, wait til next year and 2012.





P-Luv, it's odd calling someone that you've never met or spoken to as a friend, but it was an honor to have been the influence for Behind the Pine Curtain. Like you said, we may not agree 100%, or even 50%, but it was fun, and the respect was always there. It's not easy debating someone who is probably smarter and more well-informed, but I tried. Keep everyone up to date on Flotown happenings, and tell Mayor Hickory Head I send my best...





West Rhino, I STILL have no idea what you are talking about half the time! But, you have always added a great sense of intelligence and old fashioned Conspiracy Theory to SC6. Just to clarify once and for all - did Bill Clinton have Vince Foster killed?





To Ms. X, for two years, you have been my Muse, my friend, my inspiration to be a good person. Rarely have I ever done the right thing, but you always forgave me anyway - just like a Hippie does! I wish I could do and be more, but that is life. I love you very much, and you have contributed more to this blog than you know. Most political blogs are very cut and dried, but you let me show that SC6 had a heart. Thanks Courtney.





And lastly, to Jim Clyburn, which is why I started this in the first place....... like the guy in the Alltel commercial says, "YOU'RE STILL A DING-DONG !!!!!!".






Peace and Love,

Mike Reino


Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Taking a Permanent Vacation From Work: Part I




Hey, At Least I Didn't Get Fired This Time....

Nope. I quit this time... If yesterday's post was a bit cryptic, I can bring it up today. Yesterday, I was told by my bosses that we were adding a third Service Advisor to the department. Now, while most of us would appreciate a helping hand - which I did - we work on full commission, so the business would get split three ways , instead of two. That would translate into a pay cut of about $12000 a year. And it's not like we're talking about going from $100,000 to $90,000 - this is barely subsistence wages. And I have to work 2 of 3 Saturdays. And I don't have health insurance, unless I buy it at $260 a month there....

Yeah, know the job market is tough. Yeah, I've been fired before, so I should be happy to just have a job, right? Nope. I've already paid my dues, and the reason we're picking up a third writer is because I came in, and showed them how to do it. It's not to save a job - a job is being created, and I'm paying for it, which is more than I can say for my bosses.....

It may sound arrogant and stupid of me, but there was no way I was going to work even five minutes without a new pay plan, because if you accept that insult, it tells your bosses that you will accept anything just to keep your job. I'm worth way more than $8 an hour for 60 hours a week. They are certain that business will pick up enough to support it, but it would need to go up about 35% to do it. That is extremely pie in the sky. It is Summer, which is peak time, and I told them that a third advisor should be added in the Spring, but they want it now - at my expense.

I said a little while back that I worried that my bosses just don't get my job, and it appears I was correct. They've never done it, but they think they get it. I equate it with Michael Brown. He went from the Arabian Horse Association to FEMA... Then Hurricane Katrina came, and it exposed all their shortcomings and lack of knowledge. The one thing that may save them is that they have good technicians. Any trained chimp can learn to write service, right? Sorry guys, we're just as skilled professionals as any other job out there. You'll find that out soon enough....

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Taking a Permanent Vacation From Work: Part II




So, what do you do when it's 1000AM, and you've just quit your job? Stay home, and sleep the day away? Hell no... You get out of the house, drive to Myrtle Beach, and enjoy a day off for the first time in 11 months....






I almost did just waste the day - I was actually contemplating cutting grass all day - but I decided that it was too nice to stay inside, so I hopped in the Avalon, and stopped for lunch at Ala Mario in Conway for a couple slices. If you are looking for real NY Style pizza, stop in just past Coastal Carolina University at the Food Lion shopping center, and enjoy....






Next, it was down to Huntington State Park on the South Strand. I had only been there once, and I really forgot how unique and pretty it is. I spent all my Summers during college workign at the beach, so you forget how relaxing it can be sometimes - and how much hotter it is once you get over the dunes !! Here's a couple pics....







Driving over the Causeway through the Marsh at Huntington......







Soaking my feet in the saltwater.......



The Atalaya, which is Spanish for Watchtower.... no, they don't play Jimi Hendrix or Bob Dylan...
I kinda did a Figure Eight trip, going through Georgetown, Andrews and Hemingway-Johnsonville, on the way home. It was stunning to me to see so many of the old companies gone, or going - Delta Mills, Georgetown Steel, CHAMPUS, Wellman, etc..... Our manufacturing base, especially in the smaller towns that depended on them, is in big trouble....Having seen this on the day I quit my job, it makes me realize that times are tough all over.
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Tuesday, July 14, 2009

This Should Get Your Attention...




I had some things to talk about tonight, but something went on tonight tht has left me pretty furious, so i'm going to skip blogging tonight, go cut the grass, and calm down. I'm not going to discuss it here, but if you know me, you have a pretty good idea....




Not that I'd leave you guys totally hanging... So, to give you something to look at, rather than read, I give you........... I have no idea what her name is. Yes, it was a pic sent by Chad, and yes, I almost opened it at work. If you think this is bad, you should see the other ones he sent...



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Monday, July 13, 2009

Got a Good Story? That Might Get You a Job In the Obama Administration..


Forrest !!! Obama Taps a Dr. From Bubba's Hometown For Surgeon General
I'm starting to get a little concerned here. I do like out of the box thinking, and to get fresh blood and new ideas in DC, but I'm beginning to think that the Obama Adminstration looks more for a good backstory for their choices, rather than actual results....
Politically, I thought that Barack Obama's choice of Sonia (SoSo) Sotomayor was a master stroke. Anytime you can rack up 47 million citizens, you've done a good job from that aspect. But, when you do it twice, it makes me think that you aren't exactly looking for 'the best and the brightest', but for people who make us all warm and fuzzy....
Today, he tapped Regina Benjamin to be the next Surgeon General of the United States. Benjamin, who has a reputation as a country doctor (any surgery experience?) is from Bayou LaBatre, Alabama. Now my first thought was that he picked a lady from Bubba Blue's hometown in Forrest Gump? Interesting. But , Gumpisms aside, let's look at the geography of it briefly... Alabama - the state that has one of the highest obesity, diabetes and cancer rates in America. But it gets worse...
Part of her backstory is also the loss of mant members of her immediate family to preventable diseases. Her father from Diabetes, her brother from HIV, and her mother from Lung Cancer from smoking. This is going to sound extremely harsh, but she apparently hasn't been able to help her own family or her own state. But, she is concerned about it. Most doctors are, but a lot of them have been more successful at beating it. is this what we want at the national level? Find me a doctor in Colorado, where the rate of heart disease, diabetes and obesity is about half of Alabama's.....
Her selection seems to be based on the story, her vocalness about health disparities among minorities, and her ambition. I'm beginning to get the impression that we may start seeing some examples of more bureaucrats that are in over their heads. This isn't as stupid as choosing Brownie for FEMA, but it may prove to be a pretty bad choice....
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Overkill ??

It's Ironic - His Hair Is Where it Wasn't 65 Years Ago, And Isn't Where It Used To Be ....Weird.

Sometimes there are numbers that just flat-out stagger the imagination. Being charged with 27,900 counts of Accesory to Murder is one of them. Especially when you are 89 years old. That is the problem facing John Demyanyuk, the former US auto worker who was discovered to be an SS Prison Guard at a Polish prison camp.

Demyanyuk was orignally thought to be the infamous Ivan the Terrible, Ukrainian citizen who served at Treblinka Camp in Poland. He was actually convicted in 1988 of being Ivan, then Israel overturned his conviction when 37 Treblinka guards and survivors testified that Ivan the Terrible was actually Ivan Marchenko. That is the scary part - it seems a bit like guilty until proven innocent. But, German and US authorities have what they feel is solid evidence - including photos - that Demyanyuk worked at Sobibor Prison in 1943, and that he was there for 29,000 deaths of Jewish prisoners.

If convicted, he could be sentenced to approximately 440,000 years. Overkill on so many levels..........

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SoSo Hits The Hill To Confab For SCOTUS ...

You Go , Girl !!!

The Senate Confirmation of Sonia Sotomayor began today, without a whole lot of fanfare it appears today. Today was just the opening credits of the great drama expected to unfold over the coming days - although we don't really expect any huge bombshells or surprises. Barring any implosions, she will probably cruise through. Not that Senate Republicans will not try to test and find some chinks in Sotomayor's armor.

We've been over this before - to some huge cries of "Liberal RINO !!", and other names. The GOP has to be very careful with this. There are 47 million Hispanics, and appearing to attack Sotomayor can have residual consequnces in 2010 and 2012. But, the test has to be given, just like any Supreme Court nominee.

There was an interesting article in Time Magazine, via Yahoo!, that outlines the game plan for Republicans to poke and prod Sotomayor. The following are not listed.....

Asking whether the 'Wise Latina' comment would have been better if she had used the term 'Fly Girl' instead...

Test her temperament by bringing a chicken to the hearings, and asking her views on the legality of Cock Fighting. Picture Lindsey asking "Are you a Gamecock Fan?".....

Further test her mettle by assuming that Paella (Spanish) and Pulled Pork (Cuban) are Puerto Rican dishes....

Pepper the Bronx Native with endless and pointless questions about the new Yankee Stadium...

Ask her why most Puerto Rican women look great at 16, but totally fall apart by 23....

No, we don't expect those startegies to be used, although I would like to know the reason for the last one. According to TIME, there will be Four Points of Attack:

1. Life Experience vs. Rule of Law

2. The New Haven Case

3. International Law in America

4. The Second Amendment

There isn't a lot to go on here, but soem are better than others. Number One is a compelling argument, but like it or not, we are all products of our life experience, so there is a limited amount of ammo that be use with such a general topic. The others are more specific, and thus better ways to chip away at her. Arguing that a Judge who has more of a real-world experience than another is a bit weak - of course she does. She'll explain away the 2001 comment..

Number Two: Yes, it was a bit of an embarrassment to have your decision overturned a month before the confirmation, but it was a 5-4 decision, which means four sitting Supreme Court justices agreed with her, including the one you're replacing. It's not a slam dunk - it's another chit in the bag.

Number Four: She has made some decisions regarding State and Local government's ability to limit some weapons. While it will completely piss off the Gun Lobby and Second Amendment rights voters, it will not become the total shit storm topic that will get the General Public all riled up. There are members of the Court who feel the same as her on that, and you have to have views that are totally kooky to get people calling their Senator. Not good enough....

Number Three: This is probably the strongest argument. Sotomayor has long talked about referring to International Law to rule on issues that are not so clear with the Constitution. Why is this an incorrect way to judge? Because , despite it being over 200 years old, it has been particularly adept at providing guidance on how to rule - even as technology and other things have advanced. Soemhow, it just seems to always have an answer. The problem? It's just not very sexy, and again, it just doesn't rile up the electorate.

SoSo is just that - not great. But, she is probably about as good as some members already serving on SCOTUS, and she has the story and heritage to push her through. It's a bit ironic, isn't it? If she were a white guy, ot probably even a white woman, her views might have made it much harder for her to be confirmed. She couldn't get the less capable firefighters their promotions, but she'll get hers....

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Sunday, July 12, 2009

Another Case For Less Interference ...

Be Glad You Live In SC, Or You Might Get a Surprise In Your Check .....

For those of you who read this blog a lot, you know that we prefer to let citizens work things out for themselves, particularly with repsect to financial matters. There may be some exceptions where municipalities can take steps to help, like with the recent City of Florence ISO ratings affecting insurance rates. But for the most part, if you give citizens the chance to do the right thing, they will. Well, we have some signs of solid proof that this is true, with respect to Wage Garnishment.

If you're not very familiar with wage garnishment here in South Carolina, it isn't surprising - it's illegal here, with the exceptions of child support and unpaid taxes. North Carolina is the same, as well as Pennsylvania and Texas. Most other states allow companies to take your money out of your check before you even see it - which in the end, according to statistics from the Associated Press, actually does them as disservice. How? In states where there is no wage garnishment, bankruptcies are significantly lower than in where wage garnishment exists - way, way lower....

Let's compare apples to apples.... In South Carolina, bankruptcies are ONE FOURTH the rate as Georgia's ...North Carolina's is one third's of Tennessee's, and Pennsylvania and Florida's are half of Ohio and Alabama's. Texas' is also lower, but not as significantly, which once again proves that Texas can screw anything up... Overall, the nationwide rate is 42 percent higher than the rates in those five states. Clearly, there is solid data to support that wage garnishment has an adverse effect not only on citizens, but on those garnishing the wages in the first place. What would appear to be good for the businesses is actually a poison pill.

Why is that? We'd like to think that the main reason is because people can generally handle their finances better than just having it forced upon them. There is a lot of human nature in this too. Let me pay you when I can , and I'll keep doing it. Yank it out of my check without my consent, and I'm going to resent it, and probably decide to tell you to screw off, and just go to bankruptcy. The fact is most people want to pay off their debts, but when companies start tacking on late charges and garnishing - read: gettign greedy - then the consumer hits back. Granted, they hurt themselves by filing, but at least they're debts are cleared.

Hopefully, this data will reach groups that do garnish wages, and they'll think twice about doing it. But I doubt it... Businesses are generally too concerned about today, but the facts are that if they went a little easier on consumers, they would do better in the long term - and these numbers prove it...

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Saturday, July 11, 2009

At Least It's For a Good Cause ...

Courteney Cox's Husband to Live In Box For Charity .....

You gotta love David Arquette.. He's the only white guy I've ever seen who has an affinity for Pimp Suits. Of course, when you're Alexis Arquette's brother, it's hard to be labeled "The Odd One", no matter hard you try....... And he's trying.

For all his quirks, Arquette does seem to have a decent heart. This week, Dewey will be raising about $250,000 for Feeding America , the country's largest domestic relief agency. Of course, it does cost more than that to Feed America, but he's trying. So, what will he be doing to raise the cash? How about living in a box for two days.....

Now, it's not like he's going to be on a hunger strike , like Gandhi, or an IRA terrorist. He'll be living in a Plexiglass enclosure - kinda like the Bearded Lady, or someone you throw stuff at in a dunking tank. The event is also sponsored by Mars, who makes Snickers candy bars. Isn't feeding candy bars to the homeless before they've eaten in bad taste. If anyone from Mars or Feeding America is reading this, don't bother writing to clarify..... We all know you don't. As for David, we have a dedication for him.......

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sq8VDXlWQk

This just in.... Courteney Cox has just donated her residual check for her 'Friends' reruns to keep her husband from subjecting her to more humiliation....

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Sign #4 That the World Is Coming To An End: SC6 Gives Nancy Pelosi a Compliment !

Being Nice Doesn't Mean We Won't Pick on Her Anyway .....

For as long as we've blogged, we have always said that we will give credit for doing the right thing - even if you're a Democrat. Today, we're going to say thanks to someone we thought we would NEVER have anything complimentary about - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi....

Like the rest of America, some members of Congress were way to preoccupied with Michael Jackson's passing - namely Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee(D-TX) (no relation). We'll explain something briefly here.. At the end of each session of Congress, any member can get 5 minutes to express his/her feelings on any subject that they want. Even dumb stuff, like "I'd like to recognize Lester Sandusky of Blowville, who won the Blueberry Pie eating contest last month with a record 13 pies..... Great Job, Lardass !!" Well, Jackson-Lee didn't think that her 5 minute were enough to recognize Michael Jackson, so she decided to try and push through a resolution , honoring Jackson. Ahem......

It was a bad idea from the start. Only one other member of the Congressional Black Caucus co-sponsored her resolution. Translation: Sister, you are on your own !!! But, Pelosi was the one who put the final kibosh by stating that having a resolution would invite a debate that would end up bringing up all the negatives about Jackson - Michael, that is.. You see, resolutions are supposed to be formalities, and there was no way this would breeze through. Even Pelosi knows that , in Congress, you argue about Health Care, the Economy, The War on Terror, and other important issues. Don't waste time arguing about the King of Pop. Jackson-Lee still hasn't figured that one out yet....

And, as for Lardass ????

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG2gjL-KUqw&feature=related

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Friday, July 10, 2009

Birthdays Really Show Who Your Friends Are

Enjoying My Free Birthday Sundae From Redbone Alley - YUM !

Hey everybody! Just wanted to drop a short note tonight to thank everyone who wished me a happy birthday yesterday. I turned 41 Thursday, which means I can no longer join the Young Republicans... It's time I grew up anyway.

I'll be real honest here. My birhtdays have not been the most enjoyable day of the year for a very long time. I never did anything, got anything or went anywhere for a long, long time. But the last two have been pretty good, thanks to all of you guys. The 40th at Chris and Paige's last year was great, and yesterday, I must have gotten 75 Facebook messages from all of you. There are few things that make you feel like a good person than getting piled on with well wishes from friends.

Of course, not everyone remembered. Some I really wished that they would have remebered, and some I'm glad forgot... But, it has helped me see which people truly care, and I appreciate the kindness. We'll be back tomorrow with more of the material that keeps you interested...

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Wednesday, July 08, 2009

If You're So Damned Smart,Try Answering Today's SC6 Useless Trivia Question..


It's Wednesday, so as you probably know by now, it's band practice night. No time to blog, so we'll do a quick one tonight. Being the King Of Useless Information, I like to challenge you guys into thinking about dumb stuff - and we have a surefire useless tidbit for today...
Here is tonight's trivia question - What is the largest city in the United States, based on square mileage? The picture above is your only clue - and that no, it isn't New York , Los Angeles or Florence...... Good Luck !
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Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Stuart Smalley's Sworn In the Senate....


Eight months after the November General Elections, Al Franken was finally sworn in as Minnesota's newest Senator. It's official - Pete Tagliani has finally won an election .... The Democrats officially now have their Supermajority of 60 votes, and the rest of the world is now virtually powerless - like an EMP just struck the rest of the political world. Now without the ability to filibuster, the GOP will hope to be able to convince less liberal members of the Democratic to file more moderate legislation. Yikes, you mean BI-PARTISANSHIP ???!!! Yep. It sucks, but read The Art of War again , folks....
As for Franken, i'm not sure how effective he will be. I liked him when he was on SNL, but a funny - or not so funny - thing happened when he went to Air America...... He stopped being funny. I read 'Rush Limbaugh is a Big, Fat Idiot', and I thought it was interesting. Humor is a very effective tool in politics. Think of some of the most memorable quotes in politics - chances are most of them were humorous. Franken better find his humor again, or it's going to be a long Six Years... or Five Years and Four Months.....
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Welcome to SC6's Sanford Spanking Post Game Show ...


Sure, the big news is already out, and it has been. But, we work a different schedule than most bloggers. So, instead of bringing you the big news first (like we did with the Gaffney sreial killer last night), we're going to be like the MSM this past week, and over analyze the crap out of last night's marathon meeting....
In case you thought otherwise, there were other big winners and losers during last night's State Executive Committee meeting, other than Mark Sanford. I'll be honest. I thought that Sanford was going to go down in flames last night, and that he would be asked to resign. But censure was the most logical and smartest decision. Somewhere in South Carolina, calmer and less ambitious minds prevailed.. Let's analyze the numbers a bit...
Twenty-two voted for censure, ten voted for asking for him to resign, nine voted to forgive him, and thankfully, no one voted to do nothing. How that was listed as an option is beyond me. If you wnat to do nothing, why did you have the meeting??? Now, add that all up 22+10+9= 41. Uhh, there are 46 counties in South Carolina, so there should have been 46 votes, right? Some of your forgot to be able to attend a PHONE CALL !!! I find this ironic, because if you've ever seen the elections for Executive Committemen, it is probably the roughest local votes around. They cut each other to shreds, to attend that quarterly meeting, and when the one occasion where something actually important happens - they skip it. My advice is if your Ex Com was a no-show, find another one. It's a bit ironic that people are so concerned that something MIGHT have happened with Sanford away, and five members missed the meeting that they knew something was happening. You have no right to complain.....
So, what did they say last night? Probably the right thing. Total forgiveness was too light, asking for his resignation was too harsh. Censure was the most reasonable option. It showed the party leadership, or whoever was pushing him to resign to chill out, and it MIGHT keep the Senate and House from trying to impeach him. Maybe, but who knows...
The ball is in the court of the four statewide officials to try to reconvene the two chambers, but hopefully, they will pass on that, wait til next year, and pick a new Governor then. But, this is South Carolina - we love to pee on our own yard. The signal was given last night by Karen Floyd - this is all over. Be satisfied with what was done, and get back to work.....
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Monday, July 06, 2009

Gaffney Is Safe Again ....


NC Police Hunt Down Serial Killer During Break-In ....
The town of Gaffney, and all of South Carolina can now breathe a little easier. Patrick Tracy Burris, 41, who police are certain was the man who terrorized Gaffney for a week by killing five people ranging frfom age 15 to 83, was shot and killed during a break-in at a home in Dallas, NC, in nearby Gastonia County..........
Report say that he appeared intoxicated, and that he was ready to take on the police when caught. With his death, there could be a lot of questions unanswered - why did he go from larceny and other small crimes to serial murder? Why Gaffney, SC? Hopefully for the victims families, they will get those answers, but they got the best possible news they could have at this point - they got him, and he won't hurt anyone else. Thanks to our law enforcement officials for catching Burris.
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What Tom Cruise-Nicole Kidman Movie Does This Remind You Of ?

Braden Stars In 'Eyes Wide Shut" .......

Here at SC6, we love Braden Bunch like a brother - a GOP brother. He's one of the smartest, most talented, entertaining and nicest guys around. And he has a great sense of humor. It's because of that sense of humor (we hope!) , that we would like to pay tribute to his one flaw - the inability to keep his eyes open when taking his picture......

Up until last month, the only picture you could find about Braden was an explicit message I painted on a wall when he left Rudy Giuliani's campaign. Well, with the recent bunch of pictures I've tried to take lately, that first pic may be his favorite... Whether it's with Gubernatorial candidate Larry Grooms, SCFYR Chair Britton Pruitt, or - like the one above - where he knows the flash is coming, he STILL can't keep his eyes open!

If you are out there, and you have a picture of Braden with his eyes open, let me know - because I probably won't believe it until I see it....

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Auntie 'Em, Auntie 'Em !!!!!



WTF Is This Stuff Up In the Sky ???




This could be my last post, judging by the mess going on with the clouds above my house. We need a special guest comment from Bobby to explain what kind of clouds this stuff is - because it looks like a tornado is getting ready to rip my neighborhood apart.







If this is it, bury me in my green suit, and send $100 to Ms. X ......





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Take Me Out to the Ballgame, Get Me Out of DC !


Geez, BHO !! You Throw Like a Girl .....
My apologies to the ladies reading this... Most women I know have a better throwing motion than Obama is displaying here. It reminds me of Lamar's javelin toss in 'Revenge of the Nerds'.....
Well, the great thing about being President - aside from all the chicks - is that you can go anywhere, and get a second chance to redeem yourself. You know he's been practicing at the White House bowling alley 24/7 to make up for that gutterball he threw on the campaign trail last year. This week, he'll make up for this fairy-like toss at the 2005 ACLS playoffs in Chicago by throwing out the first pitch at the All Star Game in St. Louis next Tuesday. He will be the first President to throw out the first pitch at an All Star Game since Gerald Ford in 1976. We've found yet another tradition that Jimmy Carter killed.....
No, it's no small coincidence that Obama is a lefty. However, there is no truth to the rumour that he will throw out an Economic Stimulus ball - and that only 1/10 th of the ball will actually make it to Home Plate. .... BA DUM, BUM !!!! Thanks, i'll be here all week....
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Sunday, July 05, 2009

When Things Get Too Serious, It's Ozzy Time !!


We've been tackling some big issues this week, on top of a very hectic week at work, and a ton of stuff around the house... When life seems to be piling up a lot of junk, we like to release the Pressure Valve on the blog here. Maybe having one or two of those beers I talked about in the last post would be a good idea, but it's Sunday. I'm not the best Christian, but I never drink on Sunday, for whatever reason - I just never have...
Nope, when it's time to relax a bit, it's time to rock! So, we're giving you my favorite Ozzy song.... Enjoy, and have a great work week!
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One Man's Luxury Import Is Some European's Pisswater of A Beer ..


Marketing is a beautiful thing. It has the ability to take any average product, and turn it into a wanted , exclusive and more pricey product. Need another example? I saw it today while shopping at Wal-Mart today.
I was doing my usual Sunday AM food run, when I passed by the beer fridge there. There, I saw a familiar sight from a couple years ago. Stella Artois Beer. I saw it when I was in the Ukraine in 2007, and in a country famous for drinks that you can't see through, it looked like a taste of home. And that's exactly what it is - it looks and tastes like Budweiser. ZZZZZZZZZ...
But , the funny part of what I saw today was the price..... A stunning 17.97 for a 12-pack !!!! Damn, that's some pricey brew.... And the irony of it all? What brewer recently bought out Budweiser? InBev - the maker of Stella Artois. Lastly, if you think you're getting a beer made in Amsterdam, think again......... it's brewed in Canada, and shipped here. Drink Up !
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Okay Steny, Let's Go Over This Again....


Yes Steny, Unemployment Is Going UP - And DC Can't Stop It..
I'm watching Fox News Sunday, and they had John Boehner and Steny Hoyer on together. They were talking about the economy, and Chris Wallace mentioned that Barack Obama said during the campaign that they would keep the unemployment rate under 8% - it's now 9.5% . Wallace asked if they are disappointed that the Stimulus hasn't worked like they wished. Hoyer admitted that the Democrats are indeed disappointed with the results, but that they're hoping for better things in the future.
This gives me the impression that the Democrats in Washington DC either 1) Don't understand how the economy works, 2) Are just concerned with increasing their power base of your taxes, or 3) Both. My guess is that it's Number 2, but just in the off chance that it is Number 1, I'll explain why the unemployement rate is now 9.5% ........
Dear Steny, as much as it pains you to hear this, DC does not, has never, and will never control the economy. The private sector controls the economy, has always, and will always. Washington DC does have the ability to regulate them to keep them from the occasional screw up (Ex. - The Mortgage Crisis), but they CAN'T affect real change in the economy. That's why the Stimulus that you guys spent $787 Billion on is all show.
As big a number as that sounds to you guys, it is a spit in the ocean as far as the economy is concerned. So, when the economy goes South, and American Business decides it's time to cut jobs, you and the rest of Congress are virtually powerless to stop it. Anything DC does is marginal - extremely marginal. Building a few bridges and roadways will not stop it. It doesn't create jobs, maybe it will salvage a few, but even those numbers get schewed, so who knows?
Hopefully, this clears things up for you guys. I know you guys think that you have this infinite power supply, and that you can affect everythign you see, but the fact is that just isn't true - and we are ALL glad for it! Sorry for having to be the one to break the news, but someone had to.....Happy 4th of July. You remember it - it's the holiday where we celebrate our INDEPENDENCE ......
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Saturday, July 04, 2009

Mark Sanford's Fate Is In My Hands ???

The Governor May Need James Bond-like Slipperyness To Keep His Job.

James Bond had a really cool set of gadgets to get out of any jam. Of course, he had Q to develop them for him. They weren't as great as Inspector Gadget's stuff , but it was pretty good. Mark Sanford looks like he is going to need Q, David Copperfield or Dr. Timothy Leary to create a scenario that allows him to keep his job without thumbing his nose at the rest of his party...

I got a call from the Florence County leadership yesterday. The State Executive Committee will be meeting via conference call to decide on whether to ask the Governor to resign his position. Before they attend this meeting, they set up their own meeting to get the local leaders opinions on the tiff. Luckily, I am the Precinct Chair for South Florence 1, so i will be participating. For the record, I want to thank Joe Griffin and Stephanie Rawlinson to allow us to give our opinion. I'm not aware of this going on in other counties, so I'm pretty fortunate.

I have no misgivings about what will occur. I think locally, Sanford will go down in flames, and the SCGOP as a group will ask for him to resign. Of course, there is no legal bearing on the vote, it is the same as a 'no confidence' vote in many foreign countries, most of which are dictatorships or juntas... But, it all starts with me, and others like me, so the end game of Sanford's fate starts with little guys like me. I have 2 minutes, and here is what I will say...

" I would like to thank the Florence County leadership for asking for our opinions on such an important issue before voting on Monday. Like all of you, I was surprised and disappointed with Governor Sanford's conduct two weeks ago. I do not condone him for having an affair, or for leaving the State without notice for days, although I think it has been blown out of proportion. Each state agency has a Department Head to lead their respective agency. I don't think Gov. Sanford actions were a product of him trying to mislead, but more so a byproduct of his affair. Cheating on a spouse makes you start to lie, and it steamrolls from there. I don't pray for him, or ask God to help him. God has far more important prayers to answer than his."

" Last month, I asked the State Chair who is driving the Bus we call the SCGOP, and it seems more prescient than ever. The answer is WE drive the bus as a group. What is best for the party right now? The best thing we have going is a fantastically exciting Governor's Race next year. No one knows who will win, and we have five great candidates to choose from. With no offense to Lt. Governor Bauer, if we impeach or force out Mark Sanford, next year's Governor race is over. The race will have been decided by a small group of politicians, rather than by the millions of voters in South Carolina. I have no dog in this fight, but many deciding this do, and I worry about the politics driving this, rather than the actual offense."

"People worry that the Governor's job will have no power if Sanford stays. The truth is, no one in Columbia listened to Gov. Sanford, and they will not listen to any else that holds the job. That is how the state government is set up. The House and Senate do what they want, the Governor vetoes it, then all the vetoes are overidden. It will not change with Andre Bauer, Henry McMaster, Gresham Barrett, Nikki Haley, Larry Grooms, or Heaven forbid, a Democrat. My wish is to end this, get back to work as a group, and choose a new Governor next year. My vote is NO. Thank You."

I don't expect many of you to agree with me, but I do hope you respect the reasoning. We've really shot ourselves in the foot as a group with this. Hopefully, which ever way it goes, it ends quickly....

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