The end of one year and the dawn of the next is a time to inventory what we have accomplished and what remains to be done. It is a time of resolutions and a time for fresh new beginnings. It gives us a new slate and an opportunity for a fresh start.
At this time next year our forty-fourth President will be preparing to appoint a new cabinet, writing an inaugural address, and overseeing the transition to new leadership for the executive branch of the federal government. One third of the United States Senate will have just been elected, as will the entire House of Representatives.
Here in South Carolina we will also be electing the entire General Assembly -- all the Members of the House and Senate. For these reasons, among many others, the new year is a critical crossroads in our lives as Americans. Candidates are particularly sensitive to the will of the voters, and the year ahead offers “we the people” the opportunity to powerfully influence the direction of our state and nation and to shape the policies that will determine the kinds of lives our children and grandchildren will have.
As I think back on the great policy issues of 2007, one thing stands out. The issue of border security and illegal immigration became a national firestorm. Americans rose up as they have on very few issues to demand that our borders be secured and our laws be enforced. Having been badly burned on their amnesty bill and its “paths to citizenship” for law breakers, one would think that lawmakers would have learned a lesson. Unfortunately, some of them came back again and again trying to achieve the same end.
In the days before Christmas, as Congress was finalizing a massive spending bill to keep the federal government running, lawmakers passed a bill laden with more than eleven thousand pork barrel projects (they call them “earmarks”) worth approximately $20 billion. These projects receive almost no public scrutiny and debate.
Earlier this year Congress and the President had pledged to cut the number of pork barrel projects in half, from the 2005 peak of 13,492 to 6,746. But old habits die hard. Congress was, however, astonishingly successful at cutting one major project and its $3 billion price tag -- the border fence that Congress had previously approved and that the American people have been demanding!
Of course, efforts are underway to restore funding for the border fence. The organization that has probably done more than any other in mobilizing public opinion in support of border security and enforcing our immigration laws, NumbersUSA, has already collected volumes of signatures asking President Bush, Speaker Pelosi and Senate Leader Reid to restore funds for the border fence.
When one sees the U. S. Congress boldly defying the will of the American people, it strongly suggests that there is very strong counter-pressure from highly organized special interest groups. Legislators have determined that small, well-funded, special interests, perhaps with a financial interest in lots of cheap labor flooding into the country, can be of more help to them politically than can the vast, disorganized citizens they are supposed to represent.
There is a lesson here for us all. We need to take our responsibilities as citizens and voters very seriously. We need to challenge our representatives when they ask for our votes, and we need to hold them accountable if they betray us. A good New Years resolution would be to register on the NumbersUSA website, take advantage of the free faxes they provide for contacting the Congress, and make sure your representatives truly do represent you, and not some special interest that wants to pick your pockets for spending you oppose.
The year ahead is an exciting opportunity for all of us, working together, to ensure that our state and nation have leadership worthy of our families, our history, and our ideals.
My family and I wish you a New Year full of joy, peace, and hope. May God richly bless you in 2008 and beyond.
At this time next year our forty-fourth President will be preparing to appoint a new cabinet, writing an inaugural address, and overseeing the transition to new leadership for the executive branch of the federal government. One third of the United States Senate will have just been elected, as will the entire House of Representatives.
Here in South Carolina we will also be electing the entire General Assembly -- all the Members of the House and Senate. For these reasons, among many others, the new year is a critical crossroads in our lives as Americans. Candidates are particularly sensitive to the will of the voters, and the year ahead offers “we the people” the opportunity to powerfully influence the direction of our state and nation and to shape the policies that will determine the kinds of lives our children and grandchildren will have.
As I think back on the great policy issues of 2007, one thing stands out. The issue of border security and illegal immigration became a national firestorm. Americans rose up as they have on very few issues to demand that our borders be secured and our laws be enforced. Having been badly burned on their amnesty bill and its “paths to citizenship” for law breakers, one would think that lawmakers would have learned a lesson. Unfortunately, some of them came back again and again trying to achieve the same end.
In the days before Christmas, as Congress was finalizing a massive spending bill to keep the federal government running, lawmakers passed a bill laden with more than eleven thousand pork barrel projects (they call them “earmarks”) worth approximately $20 billion. These projects receive almost no public scrutiny and debate.
Earlier this year Congress and the President had pledged to cut the number of pork barrel projects in half, from the 2005 peak of 13,492 to 6,746. But old habits die hard. Congress was, however, astonishingly successful at cutting one major project and its $3 billion price tag -- the border fence that Congress had previously approved and that the American people have been demanding!
Of course, efforts are underway to restore funding for the border fence. The organization that has probably done more than any other in mobilizing public opinion in support of border security and enforcing our immigration laws, NumbersUSA, has already collected volumes of signatures asking President Bush, Speaker Pelosi and Senate Leader Reid to restore funds for the border fence.
When one sees the U. S. Congress boldly defying the will of the American people, it strongly suggests that there is very strong counter-pressure from highly organized special interest groups. Legislators have determined that small, well-funded, special interests, perhaps with a financial interest in lots of cheap labor flooding into the country, can be of more help to them politically than can the vast, disorganized citizens they are supposed to represent.
There is a lesson here for us all. We need to take our responsibilities as citizens and voters very seriously. We need to challenge our representatives when they ask for our votes, and we need to hold them accountable if they betray us. A good New Years resolution would be to register on the NumbersUSA website, take advantage of the free faxes they provide for contacting the Congress, and make sure your representatives truly do represent you, and not some special interest that wants to pick your pockets for spending you oppose.
The year ahead is an exciting opportunity for all of us, working together, to ensure that our state and nation have leadership worthy of our families, our history, and our ideals.
My family and I wish you a New Year full of joy, peace, and hope. May God richly bless you in 2008 and beyond.
19 comments:
happy new year to all
I agree. Richard, Happy New Year's to you and yours.
I declare 2008 the year of the people! Happy New Year's to everyone.
eckstrom got his brother appointed treasurer for lexington county, too much power in one family. that's three in one family and the constitution ought to set limits otherwise they could take over the whole state, they already own lexington county
Anon, I believe you are off the mark with your comment. I have met most of the Eckstrom family and not one of them displays any air of power. They don't "own Lexington County," nor do they ever act in any way to convey that sort of impression. They have a quality of goodness about them, and that's one big reason, I think, why the voters like to elect them. (And by the way, it was the Governor, not the General, who appointed Jim Eckstrom as Lexington County Treasurer.)
I just heard about the NumbersUSA.com website on the Billy Cunningham show. it now has 1/2 million signatures. thanks for spreading the word so fast. you beat the national blogs. way to go.
I think McCain's New Year's resolution is to come back strong. (After spending six years for us in the Hanoi Hilton, he deserves a good break.) OK, I've got problems with some of his Graham-like positions, but he just may be the best one out there to lead the US in the war on terror/Islamic extremism.
The viable GOP campaigns remain at this time of the New Year - the Mitt, the Huck and McCain. The next two weeks are crunch time. Tell 'em you heard it from anon first.
conservative, don't count out the huckster before Saturday
Hey Conservatives,
I sure wouldn't overlook Fred Thompson. People seem attracted to his level-headed demeanor and his concise, common sense expression.
He may be the dark horse candidate to watch as the primary campaign heads down the stretch over the next couple of months. And he seemed to do a pretty capable job of taking it to Huckabee in last week's debate.
I think some of you don't realize the importance of Florida and Super Tuesday. I guarantee Rudy will be the nominee. Delegate rich states are the key.
just a visitin & don't drop by much. always a good read. just might be some accurate conversation bout the primary, but don't count Rudy out either.
Go Fred, go!
Gary,
Rudy is a prominent guy, and he has alot to offer. However, I wonder if his neglect of earlier states isn't going to be viewed as a major weakness diluting his electability in later primaries.
If he pulls it off, he's a genius. But it would surprise me and alot of other people. You are right though - Florida and Super Tuesday will be critical, and may well hold the answer as to who our nominee will be.
gary how does anyone take the big prize without taking the south
earl capps has an interesting read on the SC primary
http://earlcapps.blogspot.com/
Florida has got a little more interesting, with Fred Thompson dropping out of the race, this has to be good news for the Mitt Romney camp; however, I still believe Rudy would be the best person to deal with the two most important issues dealing with America today: National security and the economy.
I think we all can agree, that the faster we know whom the gop canidate will be, the faster this heated battle within the Republican party can be over with.
It is essential all Republicans support the eventual winner, so they can stop Hillary from going into the Oval Office in January of '09
Dear SISC:
Please realize that there is no possible GOP division, no matter how large or painful, that Hillary's nomination would be unable to heal. She would be the great GOP Unifier!
Thompson ought to endorse his Senate friend now, and the rest would be history....McCain-Thompson '08. That team would truly unify the GOP and we'd have a totally engaged party for November.
The Senator from NY wouldn't have a chance.
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