WHAT THE INSIDERS SAY

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McMaster touts empty promises, divisive rhetoric in State of the State address

Governor Henry McMaster proved once again in Wednesday’s State of the State address that he values divisive, partisan politics over the wellbeing of our state — endangering the lives of South Carolinians in the process.

As COVID-19 continues its rampage through South Carolina, McMaster attacked the Biden Administration’s attempts to implement mask mandates in our public schools, showing no concern for the safety of our children and the general public. Obviously, the never-ending lines for testing and South Carolina’s record-breaking number of COVID-19 cases still have not impacted the Governor’s laissez-faire attitude towards the pandemic — including his dangerous arguments against mask mandates in the name of “individual liberty.”

McMaster has called these safety precautions a violation of common sense when there is nothing more conscientious nor urgent than stopping the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. It’s critical that we continue to mask up, get shots in arms, and protect South Carolinians so that they can thrive and our economy can rebound. The Governor has clearly missed the memo. 

McMaster’s clear lack of care for the health of South Carolinians doesn’t stop there. He continues to reject the expansion of Medicaid for South Carolina, forcing working families to have to choose between receiving health care and putting food on the table. It’s no secret that our state is behind the curve when it comes to Medicaid expansion — 39 states have already adopted the measure.

If McMaster was truly concerned about the people of our state, he would expand Medicaid and make sure that nobody is left behind by our health care system. Representative Spencer Wetmore said it best in the Democratic response to the State of the State address: when our neighbors don’t have health insurance, we all pay.

The Governor’s address, in which he championed the state’s pro-life policies, also comes just days before the 49th anniversary of the affirmation of Roe v. Wade. South Carolina is just one of the numerous states hijacked by partisan interests in an enthusiastic effort to put Roe six feet underground.

The reversal of Roe would force women across South Carolina into potentially life-threatening situations that they are unprepared for, and without adequate resources and support from the state. Afterall, South Carolina has been named one of the worst states to raise a family under McMaster’s governance. It needs to be made clear that women’s choice to have an abortion is an extremely personal one that should stay between them, their families, and their doctor, and stay free from political interference.

McMaster said a lot in Wednesday’s address, but what he didn’t say matters even more. He spoke about our beautiful coastlines being subject to flooding and storm surges, but made no effort to actually call it what it is: climate change. The longer he continues to deny the existence of the climate crisis, the longer South Carolina’s environment will deteriorate. There was also no mention of legalizing the use of medical marijuana, which is a top priority for South Carolina House Democrats, once again clearly displaying the Governor’s disinterest in the health and wellbeing of South Carolinians.

The Governor also announced that he will be using American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds to improve the state’s roads, bridges, highways, and other infrastructure. It seems like he has forgotten that he publicly decried the funding proposal, calling it “Congressional Democrats’ absurd plan.” It doesn’t seem so absurd now, does it, Governor? Make sure to give credit where credit is due. 

Ultimately, McMaster’s address was full of divisive rhetoric that will only fuel the partisan fire that is raging in South Carolina and across the country. He wants a pat on the back for empty promises, but South Carolinians can see right through his façade. They don’t want a more divided state government. They want health care, they want to protect their families, and they want assurance that our state is on the right path toward recovery so that they can start planning for a prosperous future.

Governor McMaster: it’s unfortunate that all of your effort to convince South Carolinians that you’re on their side will go to waste. The people of the Palmetto State are smarter than you give them credit for.

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House Democrats, others call for special session to repeal mask ban

Last week, Democrats in both the State House and Senate called for a special legislative session to repeal the proviso at the center of the political battle over mask mandates in public schools.

Passed in June, Proviso 1.108 states that school districts may not use state funds to enforce mask mandates or vaccinations for students, faculty, or staff. Governor Henry McMaster and Attorney General Alan Wilson have interpreted the proviso to be a total ban on mask mandates in public schools, going so far as to sue cities who attempt to enforce face coverings in schools.

But with the rise of the Delta variant and the increased vulnerability of children under 12 years of age who cannot receive the COVID-19 vaccine, health professionals and teachers across the state have stressed the importance of face coverings for students. 

House Democrats led the charge last Monday via a statement from Minority Leader Todd Rutherford.

“Local school districts must act to mitigate the spread — and they must be allowed to act without the threat of being sued by the Attorney General,” Rutherford wrote. “The last thing the State of South Carolina should be doing is tying the hands of local leaders who want to protect their communities.”

Later that Monday, a bipartisan group of State Senators released a statement reiterating the House Democrats’ request for a special session to reconsider the proviso.

The following day, House Democrats, Senate Democrats, and the Legislative Black Caucus convened for a press conference to again call for a special session.

“This is not about Democrats or Republicans,” said Rep. Russell Ott. “We are not here to criticize anyone for their vote back in June, when the seven-day average of new cases stood at 150. Today, however, that seven-day average is 3,390 and school officials need to implement measures they feel necessary to keep the children of South Carolina safe.”

“We must do the right thing. Getting kids back in the classroom should never be based on politics. Instead, our politics should be based on public health,” said Rep. Pat Henegan, Chairwoman of the Legislative Black Caucus.

After the South Carolina Supreme Court cleared the way for colleges to implement mask mandates, some local governments and school districts began to enforce face coverings for students in public schools in spite of potential legal retaliation from McMaster and Wilson.

Their defiance of the Governor and Attorney General is admirable, but as long as the controversial proviso remains, the state’s top officials will continue to have an excuse for their irresponsible and deadly anti-mask policies.

Rutherford and the House Democrats are right: if basic safety measures like mask mandates are not enforced, schools will continue to close and children will continue to suffer. It’s time for Governor McMaster to finally listen to his constituents and reconvene the legislature for a special session to repeal the mask proviso.

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A look back at Rutherford’s vaccine lottery

In May, House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford (D-Richland) spoke for all South Carolinians when he pushed for a state vaccine lottery to incentivize COVID-19 vaccination.

“I think the message of the State of South Carolina should be clear,” said Rutherford. “Get vaccinated: protect yourself, protect those around you, and you just might win a million dollars.”

And what did Governor Henry McMaster say in response to this innovative solution to one of the biggest health threats in U.S. history? Through a spokesperson, McMaster dismissed the vaccine lottery.

“South Carolinians have been given all available information about the vaccine and that is all they need in order to make this decision.”

But now, months later, South Carolina is in a much different place than it was when Rutherford initially suggested a vaccine lottery. With the prominence of the delta variant, COVID-19 has reemerged in a much more contagious form, and the state’s current infection rate is now “eerily similar” to August of 2020.

According to DHEC, South Carolina experienced 14,864 new cases of COVID-19 in just one week between August 9th and 13th. That means almost 3,000 new cases were reported each day along with 67 additional deaths that week.

The current spread of COVID-19 is especially concerning as South Carolina’s completed vaccination rate sits at an abysmal 45.8% of the total population. COVIDActNow lists the state’s risk level as Very High with a 14.1% positive test rate.

This time last year, vaccines were unavailable to the general population. But now that everyone 12 and older is eligible for the vaccine, there is no good reason that South Carolina should be experiencing such high rates of infection with stagnant rates of vaccination.

There are times when leadership means taking bold and innovative action. How many more South Carolinians could have been vaccinated since May? How many lives could have been saved? Where would we be as a state if our leaders had listened to Representative Rutherford rather than Governor McMaster’s spokesperson?

Representative Rutherford is usually right when it comes to innovative solutions for South Carolina’s problems. Whether it’s expanding gaming laws to boost tourism and create thousands of new jobs or advocating for medical cannabis, the Richland representative always speaks clearly from a bipartisan perspective on issues important to all South Carolinians. In reality, he says what most of us are thinking out loud.

In the end, though, it’s not just about reconsidering Rutherford’s vaccine lottery — it’s about thinking outside of McMaster’s limited box to protect South Carolina families and save lives. Rutherford was right, but now it’s time for the legislature and Governor to learn from their mistakes and finally right some wrongs. That means taking bold and immediate action to incentivize vaccinations for South Carolinians who remain hesitant due to failures of leadership.

To schedule a free vaccine appointment, click here.

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A matter of interpretation? SC Dems fire back at mask proviso

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster and Attorney General Alan Wilson have drawn criticism from Democratic officials due to conflicting interpretations of a budget proviso.

After the University of South Carolina announced that masks would be required in all campus buildings, McMaster and Wilson claimed the move to be against the law. They referenced a budget proviso that prohibits South Carolina’s public schools and universities from using state funds to enforce mask mandates, even as health officials are seeing more children hospitalized with COVID-19 related illnesses.

Representative Leon Stavrinakis is one of many Democratic officials who have criticized the proviso. Calling the legislation “dumb [and] reckless,” he clarified that the proviso does not ban mask mandates in schools — rather, it bans the use of state funding to enforce masking in schools.

Stavrinakis argued that public school districts have “clear legal authority…to regulate conduct in their schools” and may utilize local funds however they would like, including to require masks in schools.

Representative Annie McDaniel has also raised doubts regarding the top Republicans’ legal interpretation of the proviso. In a letter sent to the Attorney General, McDaniel requested his opinion on the phrase “appropriated funds.” 

“The text is a little vague,” McDaniel stated. Her letter calls for Wilson to clarify whether other sources of funding, like county taxes or federal appropriations, could be used to enforce mask mandates in public schools. Wilson has yet to respond to the letter.

If we’re attempting to understand the legislature’s intent in passing the budget proviso, why not refer to the words of the author himself? In an op-ed for The Post and Courier, editorial writer Cindi Ross Scoppe examines the words of Representative Stewart Jones who authored the budget amendment. 

During the legislature’s debate, Jones described to his colleagues that the amendment “prohibits state funds from being used for COVID-19 passports at our higher-learning facilities, any state-funded college.” As Scoppe points out, he never even says the word “mask.”

Scoppe explains that legislative intent can be determined through reviewing the official legislative record, such as the debate regarding the amendment. “You can’t use what legislators say today to determine what the Legislature meant yesterday,” she writes. 

In examining the legislature’s debate of the proviso, Scoppe demonstrates how McMaster and Wilson are attempting to revise history. Democrats are right: the legislature never intended for the proviso to ban mask mandates in the first place.

Governor McMaster and Alan Wilson have irresponsibly twisted the proviso into something it’s not. Mask mandates are not an attack on anyone’s personal liberty, but it does make for a good talking point as the 2022 elections draw near. 

With lives literally at stake, McMaster and Wilson should do the right thing and allow public schools and universities to enforce mask mandates. If protecting South Carolinians and their children proves to be too difficult for the duo, then the courts must intervene and voters must reconsider their support next election cycle.

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