State of South Carolina secondary Archives: on Government Reform

Amy Klobuchar: Voter restrictions hit with surgical precision on minorities

Barack Obama: First bill ever passed was campaign finance reform

A: We have thousands of donors. This donor engaged in some unethical behavior and I have denounced it. But I have a track record of bringing people around this new kind of politics, since I was in the state legislature. The first bill I ever passed was campaign finance reform legislation--the first in a generation in Illinois. Now, in the US Senate we were able to work to strengthen the lobbying ethics reform bill, despite the resistance of some of my colleagues in both parties. And, in terms of how we’ve been running this campaign, we have seen that I have not taken money from federal registered lobbyists. We are not taking money from PACs.

Barack Obama: FactCheck: no lobbyist money, yes from lobbyist spouses

Nevertheless, Obama accepts money from lobbyists’ spouses and other family members, their partners at the law firms where they work if the partners aren’t registered to lobby, senior executives at companies that hire lobbyists, and state-level lobbyists. Among his top fundraisers are at least a few who were registered lobbyists as recently as last year. The campaign says it is making a “best effort” to stay away from tainted money. “It isn’t a perfect solution to the problem and it isn’t even a perfect symbol,” a spokesman said.

Ben Carson: Supreme Court was not partisan, but it has become so

CARSON: I probably would take the opportunity to nominate someone. It doesn't necessarily mean that person is going to be confirmed but why not do it? But here is the real problem: the Supreme Court was originally intended to consist of people who loved America, and who fully understood our constitution, and who were there to make sure that America preserved its constitutional traditions. It was not supposed to be a partisan group. It has become very partisan, so as a result everything that is done surrounding it: the picks; the confirmation hearings; deciding on whether to actually make the vote--all of it has become partisan in reaction to what is happening. Does it mean that we're forever gone? No, I think it means [we should] start figuring out how in the world do we once again get back to a reasonable judicial system. We do not have that now.

Ben Carson: Appointing a justice before election would be divisive

Ben Carson: We have 645 federal agencies--that's way, way too many

Bill Richardson: Delayed call for Gonzales to resign until failed testimony

A: That’s how I felt. Now, what I said, too, was that I wanted to await Alberto Gonzales’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. He hadn’t had a chance to fully explain 1) why he’d politicized the Justice Department; 2) why he indiscriminately fired US attorneys; and 3) why he did not act as the lawyer for the American people rather than as the lawyer to the White House. Did it affect me that he was Hispanic? Yeah, it did, and I said so. I think the American people want candor. They don’t want blow-dried candidates with perfection. I did call for his resignation. Maybe I was last, but I wanted to give him a chance to explain his position. He didn’t do it, and I called for his resignation.

Catherine Templeton: Fight corruption & waste & good ol' boy system in Columbia

"I have never run for office, and I won't run for the next one, but I can't unsee what I saw in Columbia," Templeton said. "The corruption, waste, self interest, and good ol boy system is alive and well. It's ridiculous. Doing the right thing, is not that hard if you are in it for the right reasons.

"Right now is the time to send someone with practical experience running a business, making a home, and reforming government to call balls and strikes and do the math in Columbia," she continued. "We can't wait another decade to get started."

Chris Dodd: Supports public campaign finance, despite personal history

A: I am very proud to come from a family that served in public service. Public service is something we take great pride in my family. I’ve been a long advocate of public financing of campaigns. I believe this is one of the great threats to our country; that not enough people are qualified and want to seek public office. Put aside the presidency, talking even about congressional seats or local seats, it’s becoming prohibitive. Certainly, until the law changes, you have to do what you can to raise the resources.

Dennis Kucinich: Impeach VP Cheney for taking US into Iraq War based on lies

A: This is a pocke copy of the Constitution, which I carry with me, because I took an oath to defend the Constitution. This country was taken into war based on lies about weapons of mass destruction and Al Qaida’s role with respect to Iraq, which there wasn’t one at the time we went in. I want to state that Mr. Cheney must be held accountable. He is already ginning up a cause for war against Iran. Now, we have to stand for this Constitution. We have to protect & defend this Constitution. And this vice president violated this Constitution. So I think that while my friends on this stage may not be ready to take this stand, the American people should know that there’s at least one person running for president who wants to reconnect America with its highest principles.

Donald Trump: Delay, delay, delay on Supreme Court appointment

TRUMP: If I were President now I would certainly want to try and nominate a justice. Frankly, I'm absolutely sure that President Obama will try and do it. I hope that our Senate is going to be able to do something about it.

Q: So, just to be clear on this, you're OK with the President nominating somebody?

TRUMP: think he's going to do it whether or I'm OK with it or not. I think it's up to [Senate Majority Leader] Mitch McConnell, and everybody else to stop it. It's called delay, delay, delay.

Donald Trump: I wouldn't nominate my sister to Supreme Court

Q: Have you suggested your sister as a Supreme Court justice?

TRUMP: I have not.

Q: You said she would be great...

TRUMP: She's very smart.

Q: But you'd have to rule that out because she was your sister?

TRUMP: My sister is a brilliant woman. She was appointed by Ronald Reagan. He said appointed by Bill Clinton. She was elevated by Clinton to the Court of Appeals, a very high position, right under the Supreme Court. The reason she was elevated, she was an outstanding intellect and an outstanding judge. I don't even know what her views are on abortion. She is certainly not a radical anything; that's not her thing

Donald Trump: I would build consensus, not use Executive Orders

TRUMP: I would build consensus with Congress. I don't like the idea of using executive orders like our president. I would build consensus, but consensus means hard work. You have to get them into the Oval Office and get them all together, and you have to make deals.

Henry McMaster: Magistrate judges should be lawyers, publicly screened

Jaime Harrison: Overturn Citizens United, end decade of Dark Money

Jaime Harrison: Yes. "I'm proud to be working to overturn [Citizens United]. It's time we put an end to this decade of Dark Money."

Lindsey Graham: No recent stand found. Co-sponsored 2006 legislation prohibiting senators raising funds until 18 months before elections.

James Emerson Smith: Voted NO on requiring photo ID in order to vote

• [When voting, a person must present photo ID and] a voting official shall compare the photograph contained on the ID and verify that the photograph is that of the person seeking to vote.
• For voting purposes, determining a person's domicile includes: income tax returns; legal residence tax assessment; address on driver's license; or legal and financial documents.
• If the voter cannot produce the identification as required, he may cast a provisional ballot that is counted only if the voter brings a valid photo identification before certification of the election.
• If a voter suffers from a reasonable impediment that prevents the elector from obtaining photograph identification, he may complete an affidavit under the penalty of perjury at the polling place.

Status:Bill passed Senate, 26-16-0; passed House 71-36-17; signed by Governor, May 18, 2011. (Rep. James Emerson Smith voted NAY).

Jeb Bush: I'm an Article II guy: Presidency over Supreme Court

BUSH: Not on specific issues. I'll nominate people that have a proven record in the judiciary. The next president needs to appoint someone with a proven conservative record. The president has every right to nominate Supreme Court justices. I'm an Article II guy in the Constitution. We're running for the president of the United States. We want a strong executive. But in return for that, there should be a consensus orientation on that nomination, and there's no doubt that Barack Obama will not have a consensus pick.

[Note: Article II of the U.S. Constitution outlines the powers of the presidency, including nominating Supreme Court justices for confirmation by the U.S. Senate]

Joe Cunningham: Criticized state officials for challenging Trump's loss

John Kasich: Country too partisan to appoint justice before election

Kevin Bryant: No limits on campaign donations nor campaign spending

A: No.

Q: PAC contributions?

A: No.

Q: Corporate contributions?

A: No.

Q: Political Parties' contributions?

A: No.

Q: Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information??

A: Yes.

Q: Do you support imposing spending limits on state-level political campaigns??

A: No.

Kevin Bryant: Reforms should include eliminating current ethics loopholes

Krystle Matthews: Grassroots effort to register 150,000 new voters

Krystle Matthews: Provide transparency between citizens and state government

Lee Bright: Photo ID for voting

Bright: Disagree

Lee Bright: Require photo ID, and inspection of ID, in order to vote

• [When voting, a person must present photo ID and] a voting official shall compare the photograph contained on the ID and verify that the photograph is that of the person seeking to vote.
• For voting purposes, determining a person's domicile includes: income tax returns; legal residence tax assessment; address on driver's license; or legal and financial documents.
• If the voter cannot produce the identification as required, he may cast a provisional ballot that is counted only if the voter brings a valid photo identification before certification of the election.
• If a voter suffers from a reasonable impediment that prevents the elector from obtaining photograph identification, he may complete an affidavit under the penalty of perjury at the polling place.

Status:Bill passed Senate, 26-16-0; passed House 71-36-17; signed by Governor, May 18, 2011. (Sen. Lee Bright voted YEA).

Marco Rubio: No to a simple majority to confirm a Supreme Court justice

A: No, I've never [been in favor]. Today, appellate judges can now be appointed by a simple majority, but not Supreme Court justices. I think today you see the wisdom of why we don't that want to change. Because if that were the case and we were not in charge of the Senate, Harry Reid and Barack Obama would ram down our throat a liberal justice.

Marco Rubio: I will reverse US decline, both at home and abroad

Mark Sanford: End unlimited and undisclosed campaign donations

We passed campaign finance reform. It had been vetoed twice during the previous administration, and its passage ended the Wild West practice that allowed unlimited and undisclosed amounts to go to a political party or caucus.

Mark Sanford: Change rules of governorship and state officers

Two, put the Governor and Lt. Governor together as a team. To me it makes no sense to have a governor elected by the people, and yet have his Lieutenant Governor, who in our state could be of opposite political persuasion and party.

Finally, can we let the people of South Carolina decide on whether a host of constitutional officers should be appointed rather than elected. We are for instance the only state in the country where the Adjutant General is elected. We are not asking that any of you take a position for or against change in any of these changes, just that you let the people of South Carolina decide.

Mia McLeod: Voted NO on requiring photo ID in order to vote

• [When voting, a person must present photo ID and] a voting official shall compare the photograph contained on the ID and verify that the photograph is that of the person seeking to vote.
• For voting purposes, determining a person's domicile includes: income tax returns; legal residence tax assessment; address on driver's license; or legal and financial documents.
• If the voter cannot produce the identification as required, he may cast a provisional ballot that is counted only if the voter brings a valid photo identification before certification of the election.
• If a voter suffers from a reasonable impediment that prevents the elector from obtaining photograph identification, he may complete an affidavit under the penalty of perjury at the polling place.

Nancy Mace: Term limits are the only way to stop the ruling elitists

"I believe the real fight is between the political class and the working class: the ruling elites are entrenched on one side, and the American people are taking the punches on the other. Well, it's time the American people fight back; it is my firm belief that most Americans are tired of out of control government and the double talk that comes from the career politicians who have put us in this fiscal tailspin with no clue of how to correct course," writes Mace in her new press release titled "Term Limits Are the Only Way to Stop the Ruling Elitists.

"For 59 years, two men have occupied the senate seat now held by South Carolina's senior Senator Lindsey Graham. In fact, the end of his current term will mark 20 years in Washington for Senator Graham. Of course, 20 years of "service" isn't enough for Lindsey Graham, as he has already announced his intention to stay in the beltway for at least six more years."

Nancy Mace: Term limits of 12 years for Senate; 6 years for House

"Term limits would not only cap the number of years a specific person would serve in Congress, it would limit the power of lobbyists, corporations, and other special interests that invest millions of dollars in the status quo," said Mace.

Mace went on to say, "Today, countless Americans have lost faith in our government. Establishment politicians cannot be trusted. I believe we can fix the mess in Washington, but we need the right tools to make it happen. Term limits are a great place to start, but we also need bold leadership to make it happen."

If elected, Mace plans to serve no more than two terms in the U.S. Senate.

Nikki Haley: Require photo ID, and inspection of ID, in order to vote

• [When voting, a person must present photo ID and] a voting official shall compare the photograph contained on the ID and verify that the photograph is that of the person seeking to vote.
• For voting purposes, determining a person's domicile includes: income tax returns; legal residence tax assessment; address on driver's license; or legal and financial documents.
• If the voter cannot produce the identification as required, he may cast a provisional ballot that is counted only if the voter brings a valid photo identification before certification of the election.
• If a voter suffers from a reasonable impediment that prevents the elector from obtaining photograph identification, he may complete an affidavit under the penalty of perjury at the polling place.

Status:Bill passed Senate, 26-16-0; passed House 71-36-17; signed by Governor, May 18, 2011.

Rick Wade: Washington is broken

"The people of South Carolina understand that Washington is broken," the Democratic Lancaster native said in a statement released Friday night. "If we are going to solve the big problems we face and get things done, our representatives must be accountable to their constituents."

Ron Paul: Close departments of Energy, Education & Homeland Security

THOMPSON: There are several programs that need to be cut in Washington, several of those in my former department. I would first make every agency come in with a budget at 95% of last year's budget and one at 100%. And you will be able to use that exercise in order to reduce budgets all across the line.

Q: I didn't hear three programs. Can you tell me one?

THOMPSON: The first one I would eliminate is a program in the Department of Health and Human Services in CDC that deals with the stockpile. The stockpile does a great job, but there are some inefficiencies there.

Q: [To Paul] Can you do better than that?

PAUL: I'd start with the departments--the Department of Education, the Department of Energy, Department of Homeland Security. There's a lot of things that we can cut, but we can't cut anything until we change our philosophy about what government should do.

Rudy Giuliani: Gets credit for killing the line-item veto

A: As the Club for Growth pointed out in the report they did on me, I ran one of the most fiscally conservative governments in the last 30 years. Spending actually decreased in comparison to the increase in population and inflation. Spending in NYC decreased more than just about any other state, considerably less than the federal government, while I was the mayor.

Ted Cruz: 80-year history of no Supreme Court changes in election year

Thomas Dixon: Voting rights need to be protected from attack

Tim Scott: Photo ID for voting

Scott: Disagree

Tommy Thompson: Eliminate CDC stockpiles; they're wasteful & inefficient

THOMPSON: There are several programs that need to be cut in Washington, several of those in my former department. I would first make every agency come in with a budget at 95% of last year's budget and one at 100%. And you will be able to use that exercise in order to reduce budgets all across the line.

Q: I didn't hear three programs. Can you tell me one?

THOMPSON: The first one I would eliminate is a program in the Department of Health and Human Services in CDC that deals with the stockpile. The stockpile does a great job, but there are some inefficiencies there.

Q: [To Paul] Can you do better than that?

PAUL: I'd start with the departments--the Department of Education, the Department of Energy, Department of Homeland Security. There's a lot of things that we can cut, but we can't cut anything until we change our philosophy about what government should do.

Tommy Thompson: FactCheck: Only improve CDC stockpiles; don't eliminate them

Tim Scott: Jim Crow 2.0 exaggerates compared to historical Jim Crow

And so when I hear the President talk about Jim Crow 2.0, I rushed to read the new Georgia law one more time. The controversy that the president spoke about: it is illegal to get water while waiting to vote. Now, that claim has been proven false. The only time you can't get water while waiting in line to vote is someone campaigning, you can't bring them water, if you're an election worker, you can bring them water.