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Graham: Health care reconciliation would open Pandora’s Box

March 15, 2010 By

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham is trying to stop Senate Democrats from reconciliation of the health care bill because of the future problems he says it would create. “The American people are getting tired of this crap,” says Graham.

Graham says when it comes to health care, lawmakers need to start putting politics aside and serving the American people first. Graham told ABC News over the weekend he hopes Democrats do not turn to reconciliation to pass legislation on health care reform.

“If they use this device called reconciliation to deal out Republicans, it will open up Pandora’s Box,” says Graham.

Graham is referring to future problems that would come about if the Democrats were to turn to reconciliation, which is a legislative process by the Senate to allow consideration of a bill without threat of filibuster.

Filed Under: Health & Medicine, News, Politics & Government

Graham willing to bargain for military tribunals

March 15, 2010 By

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham continues to push his proposition to President Obama that if he agrees to try alleged Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammad and four accused accomplices in military tribunals, he will press fellow Republicans to vote to close the Guantanamo Bay prison. Appearing on Fox News Thursday, Graham says he is well aware that probably only one other Republican actually agrees with him that Gitmo should be closed. That Republican is former President George W. Bush. However, Graham says Commander of U.S. Central Command General David Petraeus also agrees with his position on Gitmo and he will ask him to spell out his reasons when he appears before the Senate Arms Service Committee later this month.

“General Patraeus will be testifying in two weeks and I will ask him why he thinks we should close Gitmo. I fully expect him to explain his rationale that it is being used against our troops in the Middle East. It is an image that hurts the war effort that puts them at risk. Also our allies will not turn them over to us for interrogation thinking they may go to Gitmo.’ Graham says the bottom line is “if you can’t close it safely, leave it open.”

Filed Under: Military, News, Politics & Government

Some agencies to lose 75 percent of funding by 2011, yet AAA rating intact (Audio)

March 15, 2010 By

As the South Carolina House takes up the state budget today, it marks the beginning of a busy period of debate. The Senate’s budget debate will follow shortly thereafter and then the fight will be between a small group of members from each chamber who will decide how each agency is cut.  And cuts are expected as budget writers encounter a more desperate time in state government.

Horry County Senator Yancey McGill expects that the Senate will be hard at work on the budget within two weeks. As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, the Williamsburg County Democrat oversees the budgets of 26 state agencies. He began budget hearings with agencies last week.

McGill says an amazing thing for which South Carolinians should be proud is a AAA credit rating. The state is one of only eight states which have maintained the top rating during the recession. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business, Economy, Legislature, News

Graham takes on drug sentencing inequities

March 15, 2010 By

Last week was a busy one in Washington for U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham. Besides meeting at the White House on immigration policy, introducing energy programs for South Carolina, and fighting the reconciliation shortcut to pass health care legislation, Graham also took up sentencing reform.

The topic: legislation to reduce the disparity in sentencing between crack and powder cocaine convictions.

The vote: unanimous approval by the Senate Judiciary Committee for a compromise bill negotiated by Senators Graham, Durbin, Sessions, and others, 19-0 in support.

Under current law, five  grams of crack triggers a mandatory five-year prison sentence. It requires 500 grams of powder cocaine to receive an equal five-year mandatory sentence. The disparity in sentencing is 100-to-1. With this law, it would be almost 20-to-1.

Graham says “The law created inequities,” after the federal government cracked down on crack because they thought it was a plague to minority communities.

He says this legislation is a good example of where Senators actually listened to one another, recognized there was a problem and worked together to address it in a productive fashion.”

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, News, Politics & Government

New Myrtle Beach boardwalk may include tram

March 15, 2010 By

(Reported by Matt Long, SCRN)

Tourist attraction plans are “up in the air” for one of South Carolina’s biggest tourist cities.

Officials from Myrtle Beach’s Downtown Redevelopment Corporation proposed an idea to build a tram, which would resemble a horizontal ski lift, along the city’s oceanfront. A board discussion was postponed last week to give members more time to consider the plan.

The proposal calls for the tram to run along a new boardwalk, but also looks at building a closed gondola along Ninth Avenue to connect the train depot to Ocean Boulevard. Proponents hope the tram will reduce traffic by giving tourists another way to get to the beachfront.

The mile-long boardwalk is scheduled to be completed before the start of summer. Myrtle Beach is hoping the boardwalk will become the new center of the Grand Strand’s famous oceanfront.

Filed Under: News, Recreation & Entertainment, Transportation
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