I Guess Miss America Isn't Like the Olympics.... Miss South Carolina as Shillmeister !!

If you remember an post from last year, Miss Florence, Shelley Bryson Benthall won the Miss South Carolina Pageant, and will vie for Miss America. Now, I've never had a Miss Anything live in my town, so I've always viewed the Miss America pageant as an amateur event, where they are doing it for scholarship money. I suppose I got it wrong, because Shelley is on TV all the time, huckstering for Palmetto Nissan and for a local Rug Shop.

Now, I know the rule of thumb in business is to strike while the iron is hot, but it seems to me that there is a certain decorum with the title, and to use it to make money right now selling cars and rugs cheapens it. Sure, once the Miss America pageant is over, be my guest and rake it in, but right now was poor timing. Maybe it's me.....

Nepotism and the DOT : Another Reason It Needs Reform.......

A ruling by the SC State Supreme Court on Monday decided that the appointments of two current and one former DOT Commissioners were illegal when they were allowed to serve more than one term.

The part that should scare citizens the most is the role that political power played in these appointments. The two commissioners in question are Robert Harrell, father of Speaker of the House, Bobby Harrell, and John Hardee, son-in-law of Senate Finance Chair Hugh Leatherman. Hardee was recently elected to a third term.

I pose the question to you guys: At what point do we hold the elected officials responsible for their role in this illegal scam, or for not correcting it when it came up? To have to file a lawsuit in a case where it clearly states that Commissioners are allowed only ONE CONSECUTIVE TERM is ridiculous. Power corrupts, and I know I will keep this in mind when my support for candidates are needed.

I'd like to make sure my family is taken care of too, but that's what Life Insurance is for, not flunkie crony jobs in Columbia and Washington.

SC Democratic Party Math: $150 x 10 = $2500 ???

With plans like this, is it any wonder the SCDP ran out of cash?

It seems the SC Democratic Party is having a fundraiser soon, and as it's been told to me, the logic for ticket prices makes no sense whatsoever. The general rule is the more tickets you buy, the cheaper they are. Not in the twisted logic that is the Democratic Party..

The tickets are $150 each, but if you buy a group of 10, they are $2500, which is.....uh.........$250......dollars.........each. I don't get it either. My guess is maybe the get to keep the centerpiece , or they can take the chairs home with them.

Now, if I have to pay an extra $100 a ticket to have my picture taken with Jim Hodges or Dick Riley, I'll pass. Any explanations?

Erection 2008: "Boner" Biden and Brownback Mountain Put Their Manhood on the Table..

Biden and Brownback enter the race........ sing with me. Jimmy Crack Corn.....



I don't have much to comment on about these two entering the race in 2008. Biden is a retread of John Kerry - liberal, smarmy, and soooooo much smarter than you are. Which means he might win the nomination, if Hillary decides to sit it out.

Brownback is a good candidate for the uber-conservative Christian right, but does anyone know him? More importantly, is this who we need to put up in '08 to attract the middle? In a year with McCain, Romney and Giuliani, Brownback will be the GOP's version of Dennis Kucinich two years ago.

Brownback's campaign is starting pretty much from scratch, whereas I've already seen billboards for Biden. Don't believe me? Here it is...........

Paid Political Advertisement......

SNOOP FOR PRESIDENT.

Because American Needs a President Who Will Sniff Your Butt - But Not Kiss It.










paid for by Snoop for President in 2008.

Can I Top Last Week's Picks? We'll Find Out....

Tony, get up and stop crying, you freakin' sissy !!

In case you missed it, I went 3-1 last weekend - I should have known better than betting against the Colts at home. My G-men went down , so I can now be completely impartial in my picks. The games get tougher from here on out, so let's if I can keep the streak going.

Patriots at Chargers. Don't bet against Tom Brady in January, but then again, these aren't the Jets. I worry about the Bolts having first game jitters, but they are faster and stronger than the Pats. If Philip Rivers plays better than Eli Manning did for 3 1/2 quarters, they'll do fine. Besides Marty Schottenheimer does okay in the first round - it's the AFC Championship he has trouble with. Chargers 27-17.

Colts at Ravens. This one will be a good one. I hate Ray Lewis, but I wish the Giants had him. Watching him chase Peyton Manning all day will be something to watch. With a defense like Baltimore has, there will much less pressure on Steve McNair to produce, but he'll find enough holes in the Colts' D to find a way. Ravens 23-16.

Seahawks at Bears. I know, home field advantage means a lot.... Almost as much as a good quarterback! Rex Grossman's play has been scary lately. The Bears beat the Hawks earlier this year without Shaun Alexander ( who looks a little hurt ), and Seattle is looking for revenge. Don't expect the Bears D to score double digits. Do expect an upset. Seahawks 24-13.

Eagles at Saints. This could be most entertaining game of the week. Inside on the turf, both teams could put up a lot of points. One problem for the Eagles....... they just got past the Giants, who looked pretty weak the whole second half of the season. The Saints D is decent, but they have Drew Brees, Reggie Bush , Joe Horn, Marques Colston, Deuce McAllister, Boardwalk and Park Place on offense. Against Philly's small secondary, they will roll on offense. Too much firepower from this year's feel good story. Saints 41-24.

There they are. Don't agree? I don't blame you! Put your picks in comments..

Big Face-Off in DC This Week: The Dems Push Their Agenda on the Floor.

Okay folks, Christmas and New Years are over...... wake up and smell the politics people!! After all the "mandates" , all out Congressmen and women are back in DC, doing what they do best - nothing. However, we do have a swing in both the House and Senate . With that, the Democrats are looking to make 2007 like 1995 - when the GOP came in with a well-defined plan and jumped in with both feet to pass it.

The Dems are looking to do the same, although there isn't quite such a definition of where they want to go. There are a few bills ready to hit the floor this week, so here is a quick review, thanks to the folks at MegaVote.com:

HR 1, Implementing the Remaining 9/11 Commission's Recommendations. Honestly, I don't remember what points were accepted , and which ones were bypassed. I have a feeling this is just another political football play by the Dems, that they might be more concerned with cramming whatevr they can up GWB's sphincter.

HR 2, Fair Minimum Wage Act. Jacks up the minimum wage a whopping $2.10 AN HOUR !! or over 40% overnight. I really don't think Congress has an idea how this will affect certain businesses. Instead of 50 employees at $5.15 /hr, businesses will keep only 30 at $7.25....... lots of people will now make nothing. This is how the market works. Congress makes the silly rules about things they have no concept of, and business works around it. A more conservative raise to the $6.00 the GOP was trying to pass would have been better, but the Democrats blocked it in typical election year fashion. Good job, gang.

HR 3, Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. Now, I was reading the news just a few months ago that scientists have developed a way to pull stem cells without using aborted fetuses, which would make this whole argument moot. However, this is a major pillar of George Bush's beliefs, so moot or not, Democrats are eager to shove this one in Bush's face. It will be interesting how Whipper Clyburn do in pulling the troops together, given his "strong Christian beliefs". They don't exactly mesh on this issue, do they?

HR 4, Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act. Well, one out of four ain't bad.... Ever since the Medicare act came out, I've said this was a good part to implement, for one good reason - simplicity. Ask any senior the biggest problem, and the answer is invariably how complicated it seemed. Why? Because in a shell game, the more moves you have, the harder it is to find the slight of hand. We do the same for the Veterans Administration, so doing the same for Medicare is easily workable. The Medicare Presription Act was probably the most unconservative, un-republican legislation passed in the past 6 years. Cutting the bureaucracy and expense will go a long way to making this more a conservative act, without hurting Seniors or taxpayers.

I can't help but look at this as a two headed monster whose aims are to penalize business and thumb the nose of President Bush. However, I think they'll find out that it's hard to pass legislation with such a small margin of error. Like the saying in NASCAR goes...... Catchin's one thing, passing is another....

Did WIS-TV Play Big Brother With SNL Last Night?

I might be a bit of a social Libertarian: I don't always expect people to have the same views as me - although they are wrong.... but I will respect their right to have them. Not everything on TV, radio or online are tasteful or should be seen by everyone. However, I get a little ticked when the local station decides for me what I should watch - especially at 1230 on a Saturday Night. WIS-TV ticked me off a bit this weekend during a replay of an SNL skit.

Amy Poehler (whom I love) was playing Britney Spears commenting on her November divorce from slimeball Kevin Federline. No, it wasn't very tasteful - she said K-Fed gave her a case of the " crotch crickets", and then she started to talk about anal sex to avoid getting pregnant again, when suddenly.................off the air went the show, and on came the commercials.

Few things get me more mad than the thought police deciding for me what I should watch, and what is not suitable for my 38 yr old eyes and ears. Thanks, Dad - my virgin ears had never even heard of anal sex before... Reminds me of the PMRC back in the 80's and 5 years ago when Channel 13 decided to show infomercials instead of Howard Stern. I suppose in the post-Super Bowl, Janet Jackson's exposed boobie wardrobe malfunction, this is to be expected, although the network is liable, so what happened to the local station's cajones?

This whole episode leads me back to the old complaint. There is a little button on my remote that changes channels. If I find something objectionable, I'll change it myself. Please stop acting like Pravda, and allow me to make up my own mind. Thanks.

The Story You Are About to Read Is Absolutely True.....Except for My Paranoia.

Just had a surreal experience a minute ago.... I'm here at home watching TV and blogging, when a couple guys stop by to get the pine straw off the roof of my house. A few minutes later, who is in my driveway but none other than Hugh Leatherman..

Naturally, my first question is what the flip is the Senate Finance Chair doing in MY driveway?? Well, it turns out that the house I am renting is owned by the Senator's daughter, and he was stopping by to check up on the work.

Like any politician, I don't believe it......I'm pretty sure that word of my shenanigans has gotten back to Hughie, and he's installed a slew of spy cams in my place. So, any picking on Sen. Baby New Year will immediately cease and desist!! By the way, I NEVER thought he looked like Yoda........Time to move again!!

Passing of the Whip: We Still Look at EVERYTHING in Black and White

As the Democrats took control of Congress this week, an interesting thing took place. We all know by now that Jim Clyburn is only the second African-American Majority Whip - it's hard not to notice, with all press that's been given. There was one small, relatively insignificant part that caused a stir, and was unexpectedly changed: The Passing of the Whip from the Previous Whip. It looks like the PC Police were on full alert this week, and it made me think......... at what point do we finally stop seeing everything in terms of race, and stop being so overly sensitive to how things MIGHT LOOK?

In case you're wondering what I'm talking about. It is a tradition for the outgoing Majority Whip to pass to the Incoming Whip a whip. Sure, it's only been a tradition for who knows how long, but the PC Patrol got to someone's ear, so instead of Roy Blunt passing the whip to Clyburn, it was given to him by former Whip Bill Gray, the only other A-A Majority Whip. In typical DC fashion, no one is taking responsibility for the change.

While it is an insignificant ceremony, the question can be asked, "What was the best thing to do at the time?" What I'd like to know is exactly what happened when Gray took over from his white predecessor? What there are a mojor stink like this time? Maybe we need to change the title from Whip to Taskmaster or Gatekeeper. What I'd like to have seen was Blunt pass the whip to Clyburn and address the issue as it was - no big deal.

Better still, maybe they should change the item used to pass along. Here are a few suggestions...................

SC6's Week in the News Review........

No.1........Whipmaster Jim Clyburn promises bi-partisanship with House Republicans in the upcoming year. Meanwhile.........

Monkeys fly out from people's butts Nationwide !!!!!!!!!!!!!

The NFL Playoffs are Back..... Maybe I Can Pick a Few Right This Time..

Alrighty football fans! The NFL playoffs are here, and it's time for my picks! If you are smart, pick the exact opposite, because I never get these right.......

Giants at Eagles: Truth be told, my beloved G-Men are playing pretty bad right now. Their only wins in the second half were against Washington and a Panthers team with Chris Weinke at QB. Philly's looked pretty good, and definitely more consistent. Eagles 27-10.

Cowboys at Seahawks: Russian Roulette this one, folks. They both are playing pretty bad right now. Tony Romo looks human again, and Parcells appears ready to retire for good. The Hawks have Hasselbeck and Alexander back..... and they still suck. But, they are at home. Expect a wild, mistake riddled, high scoring game here. Seahawks 35-27.

Jets at Patriots: Teacher vs. Student, whatever! The Jets' Cinderella ride ends right here in Foxboro. There is always one blowout game, and this appears to be it. Tom Brady and Co. take a game they should before they have to go to San Diego or Baltimore next week. Pats 31-3.

Chiefs at Colts: Track Meet Time! First one to 50 wins!! In a game where no one will be able to stop the other team, how do you choose? You pick the team that can run, and in this case, there is no doubt whose game is better. Larry Johnson will run like Grandmama all day long against the Colts' D. Of course, Peyton Manning will put up a tons of points. Expect an entertaining, if not frenetic game. Chiefs 37-31 in OT.

South Carolina Budget: Sanford's Listening, and Just Enough...

"If we have to pay 30 cents more for cigarettes, we're gonna have to quit"..... Right. You'll pay $10 for a pack of Cancer Sticks, you bunch of Addicts!!

Gov. Sanford put forth his new budget, and it looks pretty good. The most important points are not in the numbers themselves, but what they show - that Mark Sanford is listening to his critics, but not so much that he changes his philosophy, or appear to be a flip-flopper.

The most talked about aspect is his continued cutting of income taxes, but offsetting it by raising the cigarette tax by 30 cents a pack. While it may seem that he is reversing course, there are many points to be encouraged by with this proposal. Most importantly, it shows that Sanford listens and is willing to implement ideas of even his opponents.

Last year, Oscar Lovelace made raising the cigarette tax a pillar of his campaign. The main difference between the two is that Lovelace wanted to use the tax to fund Medicaid, and Sanford is not. Mark took the idea and is doing it right. Using the tax dollars to fund Medicaid addresses the Medicaid crisis the wrong way. The problem isn't that funding is poor, it's that costs are skyrocketing. We are learning a lesson with education that extra spending doesn't always fix a problem, to do the same with Medicaid would be a tragic mistake.

OK, now we address the concern that it will cause deficits in the state budget. Some (including some elected officials) are worried that raising the cigarette tax will cause enough people to stop smoking, and that the budget will fall far short. This is the STUPIDEST complaint that I have heard.........Humor me as I discuss some economic theory.

Cigarette taxes are a consumption tax, so you can avoid that tax by not using that product. The thought that a pack of cigarettes being 30 cents higher will cause enough of a mass quitting by smokers is ridiculous. For the tax increase to cause a budget shortfall, about 80% of all smokers would have to go cold turkey. This won't happen, because smokers are addicted to cigarettes. Therefore , no matter what price butts are, smokers will buy them. In economics, this is called Inelastic Demand. There will be a test at the end. I've heard people complain that they'd quit smoking at $1.00, $1.50, $2, $3, $4 and $5 per pack elsewhere, and they STILL SMOKE. Why? They are Addicts.

So, while everyone gets a tax break for a few bucks, without getting the feeling that they are being punished for making more, the shortfall is made up by a combination of taxes paid for by people who have the option of not smoking, and people putting their extra money back into the economy. Sure, cutting taxes and not raising them on cigarettes would work too, but we're dealing with a House and Senate that is hellbent on keeping spending as high as possible to finance special bacon and sausage projects. This proposal represents a willingness to compromise and still stick to his "no spending increases" motto.

Mark Sanford is not an insulated, out of touch politician like his critics say... He has shown the ability to listen, to take the credible ideas and modify them and make them his own by his rules. Pretty sharp. If the rest of the politicians in Columbia are taking notice of this, we may have the start of a real give and take that benefits us all. And NO, I am not paid by Gov. Sanford to write this stuff........ i'm just a big fan!

My New Years Resolutions !!

In 2007, I Will........

1. Lose those Final 15 Pounds...

2. Get a passport...... and Use it.

3. Not Run for Anything This Year.

4. Find A Woman Who Isn't Nuts.

5. Rejoin a Band.... and Rock Again !!

6. Add 500 Posts to SC6 This Year.

SC6 Goes on the Road for New Years: Destination..... Florida !!

Yes, it was a big weekend for me. I don't travel that often, in fact, the furthest south I had ever been was Hilton Head. However, for New Year's Eve, I went all the way to Lady Lake , Florida to visit my sister, and to hang out with the retirees at The Villages..... also known as "Florida's Friendliest Hometown"....... also known as where Old Yankees Go to Die.

You may have seen The Villages ads on TV. Golf, Tennis, hanging with the Homies at the Club. This place is HUGE. There are 50,000 people living in this place, and 99.5% are White or Hispanic. There are only 11 African-Americans there. My sister is only 49, so she is considered the kid in the neighborhood . People my age are unwanted visitors. How can you tell they're Yankees? Because, no one says hello or smiles at you.

Everyone hangs out at the CVS, getting their prescriptions filled, or at PETCO, getting $50 bags of food for their lap dogs. This is all funny, but the most hilarious sight are the Golf Carts. Everyone has one, some look like Hummers or Jeeps or Rolls-Royce's. Others are painted for their favorite football teams. Then there is New years Eve......

For New Years, everyone hops in their cart and heads to the town square. Like the bikers at Sturgis, thousands of golf carts are lined up next to each other. In the center of the square, there was a 50-60's band( not sure if that was the music they played, or their ages). Around them, all the Seniors are dancing, eating, and literally embalming themselves with hard liquor. Then as soon as 12:00 hits, they hop back into the golf carts and DWI their way home.

As much as it sounds like it stunk, it was a pretty good time. Most years I don't do anything for New Years, so this was a good change of pace, and I got to hang with my big sis for a few days. Hope yours was good too.

They Say Bad News Always Comes in Threes.... Well, Almost......

It's been an interesting week. After hearing of the passing of James Brown and Gerald Ford, I was a little worried. Usually, these things come in threes, one of them being someone you know. Well, I'd like to thank the new Iraqi government for sparing me the anxiety of wondering who I know might be leaving by donating Saddam Hussein to the Dead Pool.

Coming this weekend....... SC6 goes on the road !

Erection 2008: The Breck Girl Joins the List of Candidates With a Hard-On for the Presidency.....

Candidate John Edwards, giving the crowd the Middle Eastern sign for "Up Your Pooper"!

In a big surprise this week, former Senator John Edwards announced in New Orleans that he will seek the Presidency for a second time. I had no idea Edwards was from New Orleans!! Questions abound for the second try for Edwards. Will he accept the second banana job if he doen't quite pull it off again? How much more will he be scrutinized now that he is a leading candidate with a full 1 1/2 years under the bright light of politics? Can he come up with another "Two Americas"? Where can you find good conditioner in Iowa and New Hampshire??

The second time around is tough on candidates, unless they gain momentum in the offseason. Unfortunately, John Edwards spent half of the time in seclusion, much like Al Gore did, before he took a nosedive.

Elections come in cycles. 2008 can resemble either of two previous elections. It can look like 1976, where a Southern outsider with a toothy, goofy smile and not a ton of substance can win. This would play out nicely for Edwards. However, I see 2008 as another Election...... 1968. We have an unpopular war that just seems to be getting worse, with a lame duck President. The parallels to '68 and the left vs. right fighting reminds me of where we may be heading in 2 years. Where will we be in Iraq in 2 years? The Democrats do seem to be making a push further left, with Hillary Clinton playing the femme Bobby Kennedy, retreading the successful past of the party.

If this is correct, does this mean that we'll see Dick Cheney or Dan Quayle as the next President? I doubt it. But it could shape up as one of the most interesting races since '88, where both sides are wide open, with no real heir apparent.


Edwards in 2008.... Someone a chipmunk could relate to!

Get Ready for the 2007 Edition of Animal House...........Columbia Style !!

I was watching Animal House during my lunch hour, which reminds me........ Bobby, how could you not see Animal House until you're 37??? Anyway, it gave me the idea of the upcoming reconvening of the House of Representatives and Senate next month. I could have done Washington, but I figured you guys would be more interested in the Columbia House....... which reminds me, I need some new CD's.

I'll list out the main characters from the movie, and you guys tell me who best represents them in Columbia. I have 1 or 2 that I'll give my picks .. Enjoy!




Bluto

Too bad John Graham Altman
is gone...






Otter

Boon

Flounder

Jakie Knotts, anyone??

Larry Kroger, aka Pinto.

Hoover.

Jim Merrill, but Jim is a little cooler.....

D-Day.

Lastly, Bird. The only one with a Southern accent.

John Rickenbacker is an Idiot, and Why Republicans Should be Glad He Is.........

Nothing makes me happier than stupid politicians. Sure there are plenty of them, but every once in a while, someone does something that is REALLY STUPID. John Ricken backer is really stupid!! To review from an earlier post, Rickenbacker, who was Orangeburg County Council Chairman at the time, was arrested for soliciting and accepting $50,000 in bribes from an undercover FBI agent for inside information regarding contracts involving a County Medical Center.

Well, Rickenbacker pleaded guilty this week, so whether he goes to jail or not is not certain, one thing is certain - his political career is probably over. From all I know, Rickenbacker has to give up his post as Councilman. That leaves it up to Governor Sanford to choose his replacement. The funny part is that the entire scenario could have been avoided, but apparently no one in Orangeburg had the guts or brains to figure this out.

Maybe no one else noticed, but Rickenbacker was actually re-elected in November, well after his indictment. Did anyone really think Rickenbacker wasn't guilty? That being the case, maybe someone in the Orangeburg Democratic party should have seen the writing on the wall, and said, "John, maybe you should step down and let someone else sit on council."

If this doesn't seem like a big deal, you have to understand Orangeburg County a bit..... You see, Republicans aren't allowed in the county - or at least it seems that way. There are no sitting Republicans anywhere in Orangeburg, and there was no foreseeable chance of that changing anytime soon. Until now...

If Rickenbacker had stepped down, then another person would be in his seat - a Democrat. then there would be no change in the balance of power. Instead, either through a lack of foresight, intelligence or el grande huevos, he stayed in his seat, which he now will lose, and a Republican will no doubt take his place - if they can find anyone willing to admit they are one there!! My hope is they put Roy Lindsey on Council - I might pay to see that!

Democrats must be kicking themselves right now, knowing that the door has been opened for a Republican to get on Council, and show the people how it is done, possibly opening the door for more. Worst is that it has been caused not by the will of the voters, but by the stupidity of their Leader...... Forrest Gumpenbacker!

Happy Birthday to SC6 !! We Hit the Big 0-1!!

One year ago today, I anonymously started SC6... Like Josh Gross said, it was to get a discussion going about the issues that plagued the 6th Congressional District of South Carolina. I think we did a good job of contributing to the issues, although a lot more could have been done.

Well, after 365 days and 290 posts, our little baby has finally cut her teeth. Thanks to our regulars: Earl, West Rhino, Moye, Bobby, Joshua. Thanks to the others: Anon for Porn sites, Anon for Low Cost Prescription Drugs, Anon for Easy Moneymaking Ideas..... And thanks to the others who have come and gone this year: Young Michael, Chip, and Mary D, who I feel sorry for - may you learn to love someone aside from yourself one day. And lastly, to my buddy Randy, who I knew for far too short a time.

What's in store for Year Two? Beats the crap out of me! I do have a Presidential campaign to run now, but there is work and out of work too. Like most things in my life, I plan on doing SC6 by the seat of my pants, with little planning. Stay Tuned, and I'll try to keep it interesting. If you would like to see or not see something, let me know.

It Worked Last Time..... Earl Capps for DOT Commissioner!!!!

This week, SCDOT Commissioner Elizabeth Mabry steeped down, amid a recent report that the state agency has wasted millions of dollars intended for road improvements. That's when it hit me......... what we need is Earl Capps in Columbia !

Nevermind that I just nominated my dog for President, Earl would be great in the DOT. For those of you who don't know, Earl's main vocation is in building highways, so The Ponytail knows roads!

Aside from that, picture a DOT Board meeting like this........ the patronage suits are talking thier usual BS, and Earl has just enough of a break between the Doken tracks on his I-POD to take the headphones off, and tell them to get their acts straight! Problem solved, and Mark Sanford is happy with the savings. Sounds good to me.

I leave the comments section open for the Draftee to reply. EARL???????

SC6 Scientific Report..... Bones of First Cro-Magnon Politician Found !!

I Don't Have Much to Add to This One................. thanks, Bobby!

A New Candidate for President Emerges..... My Dog, Snoop !!

Snoop: Not the First President with No Balls, But the First With Fleas !!

Now that the mid-term elections are over, we are finding out which candidates are putting their names in the hat, and which ones are dropping out. However, a new candidate is entering a fold......... my dog Snoop!

Before you laugh this off, listen to me. Snoop has all the tools and abilities to lead the United States into the future. Don't believe me? Let me list them out for you.....

Snoop is a Fiscal Conservative.

Yep, Snoop is definitely not a liberal spendaholic. Want proof? No problem. Everytime I feed him, he only eats about half his food, and saves the other half for later. All those concerned about deficit spending and the Social Security Trust Fund have their man, uh, dog.

Snoop Is Tough on Homeland Security.

The Minuteman Militia has nothing on my Lab Mutt ! Ever vigilant, Snoop keeps an eye on the homefront all day long, and out of the house, he chases away every cat, squirrel and other varmint in the area! Al Qaeda doesn't have a chance in America with Snoop at the helm. I'm not sure I'd trust him with the little red button though...

Snoop Appeals to the Common Man.

An orphan born into abject poverty, Snoop was taken in by a charming, kind and handsome man who immediately had Snoop's privates removed. Also, being a Labrador, he is black. His appeal crosses over into all demographic groups, with the exception of drive thru cashiers at fast food restaurants. Truly, Snoop is a dog of the people.

Snoop Has the Political Pedigree.

Born into the political juggernaut that is the Reino clan, Snoop has been a student of the game all his life. Truth be told, it was Snoop who came up with the famous "Mike Reino Milk Bonz BBQ" back in 2004. Didn't go? Well, neither did anyone else. He's still working on it.

Snoop Is a Taskmaster.

Tired of politicians changing their stances based on polls and which way the wind blows? Give Snoop a try... He has this rawhide bone that he incessantly chews on all day long, and he takes it wherever he goes. House on fire? Nuclear Holocaust? New BS Supreme Court Ruling? WHATEVER ! Snoop just keeps on chewing til the bone is GONE! To quote Mr. Miyagi, "Focus, Daniel san!"

Convinced yet? We've estimated that my dog has appeal to approximately 98.7% of the voting public. And since he is 6 1/2 years old, that translates to about 46 human years, so he's old enough now. I see Snoop as a true Neo-Reagan Republican for the 21st Century. More conservative than McCain or Giuliani, and no public faux pas like 'Macaca' , because he barks.

Send your checks to: Snoop for President, Florence, SC.

Snoop for President......Because the race for President is gonna go to the dogs anyway!!

Any Doubt That Bobby Harrell's Running for Governor in 2010??

If anyone had any doubt that Bobby Harrell wants to be your next Governor, this week left no doubt that he wants the job, at least in my mind. The Speaker of the House , seen here with the Belgian Olympic Chess Squad (actually it's the SC FFA leaders), decided to announce his submission for legislation to raise the LIFE Scholarships amounts for Math and Science majors.

Now I have a couple questions here. Firstly, I am not a fan of LIFE Scholarships. The main problem South Carolina schools have is in the early years, yet we keep throwing money at Higher Ed. Doesn't make sense to me. Most of these scholarship winners are for students at higher income districts. nothing I love more than giving a kid on Sullivan's Island a scholarship! The other question I have is the criteria: a B average, eh? With that kind of exacting, tough standard, I can see teachers being pressured to give kids a B so they can go to college and get some free cash. Once again, the curve is pushed up, and we enable another generation of kids with an unearned B, just so they can feel adequate.

Secondly, didn't Gov. Sanford just put out his budget a couple days ago. It seems to me that Harrell is trying to undercut the Governor a bit here. I live in a completely different TV market here in Flotown, and it made the news on TV and radio. Clearly, there was a big push behind this endeavor. I'll tell you one thing, I don't remember the last time TV 13 mentioned Bobby Harrell. A main complaint of Sanford is always that he doesn't work with the House and Senate.... Well, it doesn't look like Harrell is playing very nice here either, does it?

While Math and Science are crucial to improving education in South Carolina, is it really right to take taxpayer money and give it to someone who might not really be interested in that field? Extra incentives in business or in private scholarships is fine by me, but when you're dealing with public funds, you can't give special treatment to a student just because they are in a certain field. Does the B Math student really deserve extra money than the A+ student who "only" wants to be a teacher or go to tech school? Not in my book. My hope is that Speaker Harrell takes a step back, realizes how this all looks, and reasseses how to approach this new term . Play nice, fellas!

SC6 Enters the 21st Century...... I Finally Buy a Digital Camera !!

Well, I finally entered the digital age yesterday... I finished my Christmas shopping yesterday, and I did well enough this year to treat myself. For years I have used those cheapie Kodak disposable cameras at events for picture taking. Maybe that's why all my pictures look like crap! So I went to Best Buy yesterday and I got a Kodak c743 Digital Camera with the photo docking station and 1 MB SD card. It has a 3X programmable zoom lens and is 7.1 megapixels.... or as I understood it, blah, blah blah..

Here's what I know. It's so easy, a cave_, uh...... even I could use it. I'm pretty stupid when it comes to technology, but I set the whole thing up on my own. The docking station automatically imported all my existing photos and made real nice 4x6's. What does that mean? That I can take all my Brooke Burke jpg.'s, make them inot pictures, and tell everyone that she's my girlfriend in Niagara Falls!!

I'll try to use it to give everyone a more inside look at SC6's world, so what have I learned???




TECHNOLOGY.........GOOD!!!!

GGRRRRRR!!!!!!

Wal-Mart Has Nothing to Fear With the Dems in Charge, and Here's Why........

Since I fianlly didn't have to work on a Saturday today, I got watch Fox's "Cavuto on Business" this morning over a homemade breakfast burrito. One of the topics was the effect a Democratic controlled Congress would have on Wal-Mart would be. The overriding thought is that the Dems will force a slew of regulations that will cripple the retail giant.

I've spent a lot of time learning about Congress and Wal-Mart. I tried to get in one, and fought the other - and I still am. The relationship between the two is very comfy, and in a nutshell, here is how much it will change - NONE. And why? One simple reason........MONEY.

Like most big corporations, Wal-Mart spends a lot of money on political contributions, and they pay big on both sides. Since the re-election rate is about 98%, it makes sense for companies to play the safe bet and spend the money on incumbents. So no matter who runs Congress, Wal-Mart already has them paid for.

You might be asking, "Hey Mike, wouldn't a Congressman who opposes the way Wal-Mart does business do something ?" .. Uh, not if they want to raise cash. Washington is full of hypocrites who would sell out their mothers for donations. The first priority of each Congressman and Senator is to get RE-ELECTED... Everything else is secondary, and if that means speaking out on Kelo vs. New Haven, but still taking money from Big Box corporations, so be it. Let's keep a big point in mind........ THEY'RE FREAKIN' POLITICIANS, PEOPLE!!!!

End of class for today, folks!

Uncovered!! Sanford's New Budget Raises Cash for Private Schools Using "Win a Date With Gov. McDreamy" Ploy...

Governor Sanford's new budget proposal is now out, and while the MSM may catch the obvious changes in the new budget - more troopers, more road funding - we here at SC6 found a new wrinkle, and a disturbing one at that..

With the recent defeat of Sanford supported Education Superintendent Karen Floyd, the Governor has apparently found a new way to fund private schools: Serial dating.

According to documents found in the budget, we have found an intricate shuffling of funds that in the end go to an account aimed at raising money for non-public schools. Long considered an attractive man, Sanford has started a program called "Win a Date with Gov. McDreamy", an obvious play on the character on the ABC program "Grey's Anatomy', a show popular with ladies and gay men. Contributors are treated to a $3 movie and a Twix bar, while chatting with Sanford. Through a series of budet transfers, the money ends up in the Dept. of Agriculture account under "Dates". This would not normally arouse suspicion, until we found out that Dates are not grown in South Carolina.......
While this has many educrats up in arms, the end all of this is that there is nothing illegal with the program. "From what I see, it is private money going to fund private education, so what is the problem?" said political analyst ,Veal Pigpen. Sanford's people don't know what the fuss is. Staffer Jason Miller quoted, "Mark's a good looking guy, and we're just using that to help one of his causes...... besides, we've only raised $22 so far, so what's the big deal?"