Say what you mean, mean what you say
December 5, 2008
You gotta stand for something….
Much has been written about the House Reorganizational Session this week.
Whether it’s been state mainstream media writers Brad Warthen , Jim Davenport , Yvonne Wenger , John O’Connor, or state bloggers Will Folks , Adam Fogle and Earl Capps , what’s been written has been transparent. Transparent because there’s a name attached to what was written and those individuals are accountable for what they wrote (unlike anonymous blog comments that appear on several blogs in our state).
Anonymous or not, this is America so everyone has a right to speak, don’t they? Some do it openly and other’s don’t. That’s their choice. While everyone has a right to anonymity, I prefer and respect those that say what they mean, mean what they say, and have the courage to be honest and straightforward instead of spinning and covering their tracks. Too many times you see “off the record” information from anonymous sources or folks who dance around what they really want to say or what they really did or what they really mean. Often times, they’re just giving excuses and spin.
I don’t spin it. I try to give you a look inside what really goes on in politics. Similar to my friend in the Senate, Kevin Bryant . Senator Bryant joins me and another House Member (newly elected Ag Chairman, congratulations) Jeff Duncan as officials who keep our constituents informed through our website/blog. While I’m at it, there’s also Representative Thad Viers and the original Representative blogger Keith Kelly , too.
This week though, I’ve heard that some of my colleagues in the House don’t like what I write about. They say I write too often, and write too much. Hey, I’m glad they take the time to actually visit my little site but I didn’t start this over a year ago for them, I started it for you. My constituents and the state’s voters.
Many House Members tell me they visit the site often, others act like they don’t (but they do). Again, that’s fine if you don’t want to admit it and instead would rather do it in secret. Regardless, it’s no secret – anymore – that a handful of colleagues wish I’d just go away and shut my mouth.
Well, last time I checked, my colleagues don’t live in House District 71. I represent 30,000+ citizens of our state – just like they are supposed to represent the 30,000+ citizens in their district. So, I hope those colleagues won’t take offense when I say “too bad” If they don’t like how I keep my constituents (and many in the state) in touch with what’s going on here in Irmo, Chapin, Ballentine, Dutch Fork….and the State House.
There’s no need to recap every detail of the past two days but suffice to say, I’ll be alright folks and so will Representative Haley .
While leadership has made this about personalities (focusing on us), Representative Haley and I will continue to stay focused on policy. Good policy like open government, transparency, accountability, campaign finance reform, on-line check registries and much more.
We’re not alone. There are several others who will soon step-up and help the push for these important issues. Issues that are the beginning of an attempt to finally be able to put forward legislation for jobs, education, infrastructure. As important, an attempt to stop the growth of state government that has gone from $4 billion to $7 billion in recent years because of many bills being passed without the transparency needed for you to determine if your official is helping or hurting the cause.
Our small personal “losses” these past two days are nothing compared to the bigger picture.
Did those losses hurt? Sure. (Note to others: see, honest there. No spin. Try it sometime. Say what you mean and mean what you say instead of hiding behind spin).
It wasn’t fun watching leadership and several others prove a point by working the chamber to tell others NOT to vote for me for Ethics and to teach me a lesson. It reminded me of this summer when one of my Richland County colleagues flat out hit it on the head when she said “Let’s face it, we all just don’t like each other.”
That’s politics. That’s life.
The deepest cut was seeing friends you thought would never “play the game” shatter the image you had of them as officials who would never sell out. Who had talked with you about fighting for change the right way. Many chose to save their own hide.
Granted, self-preservation is a human instinct but if you’re saving your hide (so you think) by choosing not to do what’s right and are afraid of retribution for not doing as you were told, just tell me you aren’t gonna vote for me. Don’t come to me after everything is over and then apologize for “voting as you were told”. It rings a touch hollow when you’re sitting there with your “dream committee” assignment and now you’re trying to clear your conscience.
But I don’t have time for grudges. There’s too much work to be done this year.
Representative Haley paid a price to get On The Record Voting actually debated in the House. This summer it was dead on arrival but she worked hard (along with those who had the courage to be a co-sponsor) to keep hope alive. Tuesday was the day when hard work paid off. Granted, as I had predicted months earlier here on my blog, it wasn’t her version we debated but we were debating the policy.
For over 3 hours we debated what should have been a no-brainer! I was actually surprised we were hving the debate. One, because this sort of rules change isn’t usually taken up during Reorganization until January. Members told me leadership wanted to “get it over with” (ie, keep from hearing about this in press and back home).
I was also surprised we were using a Senate version for our rules/bill instead of one of our House member’s version. Months ago, every House Member received a copy of Representative Haley’s bill and her rules change for On the Record Voting (Transparency). Instead of using that as the rules change we would debate, we were forced to vote “up or down” (no amendments) on a very poorly drafted version which (get this) actually allows you to get credit for a Yes vote even if you’re not in the chamber. (See 7.2 in the proposed rule, House Journal linked here. Is that tranpsarency? Oh, there’s more…instead of using the buttons at our desk (Yes/No) the rules we had to either accept or completely reject (thereby not even being able to reorganize the next day) say that we’ll all be listed as Yes – unless we go up to the desk and put that we said No. This version of the rules was shared in email -the night before we returned – and not in a draft or final form. Just conceptually. Then, what really made it difficult is that we couldn’t even see the rules change on our laptops in the chamber and when I asked the House Reading Clerk for a hardcopy, I was told “there are none”. So….we were having to rely on the over-head projector to give us the information we needed. That’s not good, folks.
At Haley’s personal expense, our state at least got the debate on the floor and we hope in January we can amend the rules change (and continue to push for the bill to become LAW) to provide real transparency – the way you’ve asked for it. You see, policy is winning and that is what this is all about. Big picture folks. Little personal vendettas may sidetrack many but when you realize that’s not what our state cares about or wants, you are then remembering why elected officials are sent to Columbia: to get stuff done.
Another policy victory this week was when we never even brought up the rules change to allow the position of Speaker to have the ability to appoint chairman . What seemed to be on the fast-track weeks ago, came to a quick stop. In that instance few members had the courage to share their concerns and their constituents’ concerns before we made such an overwhelming change to a long standing procedure of allowing the committee members a vote in the process. I’m sure the issue will come up again but if you remember it’s your government and if you share your views with your official, perhaps we can keep good policy moving and bad policy not.
I could go on-and-on but all this is inside baseball that most folks in the “real world” couldn’t care less about it. No one really cares that leadership purposely listed Representative Haley on the LCI committee assignment list that was handed out Wednesday morning, only to then hand her a note after the LCI meeting (where she graciously closed the nominations so that the now-elected chairman could be elected) saying she was being sent to another committee that she did not request.
No one cares who had the votes for Chairman in what race. No one cares if the deck was stacked in favor of chosen members. No one really cares about the petty battles.
What they care about is – What now? What’s next?
Several folks are asking: Will other House members now cower at the mere mention that they are not staying in line with leadership and could be punished? Will a Campaign Finance Reform bill pass now or is it doomed because of personal vendettas?
“THE” question they do care about is simply this: how many good common-sense bills will stall because elected officials may be afraid to fight for what their constituents want because they are fearful of “what could happen to them”?
The fallout of this week’s vindictive actions has yet to be seen. I’m not worried about me and Representative Haley, I”m worried (and hope) that these actions won’t negatively impact our colleagues’ willingness to be open about their beliefs and their constituents’ beliefs and that our state may sadly continue to rank last in several items…all because folks may now be afraid to speak up.
I think it’s time for me to shut up now….for the night that is! More to come later…
Comments
23 Responses to “Say what you mean, mean what you say”
Got something to say?
If we do not hang together, we shall surely hang separately.
Thomas Paine
If this was known about the bill, why did you and Representative Haley vote “yay” on something that was flawed.
Dear Nathan:
I hope all is well with you and your family.
Bad people/things “win” only when good people do nothing. Good people are starting to get much more involved.
I speak only for myself, but I believe your efforts to promote more open and honest decision making is paying off and will pay even greater dividends in the near future. Some legislators may consider all this “inside baseball” to quote you, but I promise that very real people (voters) are attuned to what is going on and are paying attention like never before. When times were good, all these petty issues the Legislature “fights” about were mostly academic debates. Now, it is real world and real time and is coming to a head even faster than most folks can realize.
Please keep up the hard and honest effort. It will pay off and I’ll try my best to support these type efforts every way I can. As my Dad always taught me: “Be proud of what you stand for and be proud to sign your name to the finished product”.
Proudly Signed,
Mac Love
If all of the politicians in SC and Washington stood up for what they REALLY believed in, and didn’t always follow the herd, we would be a much better country for it. Keep up the good work!
Gary, f
Very fair point and this was something several members struggled with. Since we (and others) have been pushing for On The Record Voting our decision was “take what we can get now and continue to improve it” or “never get anything”, because if it died, it would never come back up.
Wasn’t an easy decision but with the options presented, a no vote also would have stopped everything dead in the tracks (meaning we couldn’t even finish – or actually really begin – the Reorganizational Process).
Options presented from the floor were not allowed to get voted upon. Members either didn’t like the idea of “On the Record” anyway or they (like me) didn’t like the ridiculous way we would now have to go about doing it and that it does NOT accomplish what the public wants.
During debate we learned (1) The Rules Committee never even met (2) This proposal was what was emailed out the night before and mirrored what the Senate was going to consider (3) no amendments could be put up BEFORE the vote “up/down” on the rules change.
We couldn’t even do another resolution without voting “up/down” on the one in front of us.
Rs and Ds alike were very frustrated and after 3 hours the consensus seemed let’s take what we can get and come back and present to the rules committee the original planned rules change/bill from our House colleague that everyone had been talking about all summer.
Here’s the kicker. Passage of rules changes in December only require a majority vote. Any changes in January requires a 2/3 vote.
Thanks for asking. This is what I wish more of our folks and officials would do – go on record with why/how they voted, etc.
We’ll get there but we need the public’s help.
Change comes two ways….from pressure on the inside and pressure from the outside.
Come back often and please stay in touch!
Nathan I support you and Nikki on this matter. What is good is that no matter what becomes of this we the people, will know who, what and why these things came about either positive or negative.
We can place this in our memory banks for use next election time.
Keep on fighting. You’ve got the support of the people in your district. Open and Transparent Government is the only way to hold the legislature accountable.
Nathan, your actions have been exemplary and in keeping with The Republican Party Creed. As you obviously already know it, I have posted it for the House Members that may visit here and choose to read it.
I do not choose to be a common man. It is my right to be uncommon. If I can seek opportunity, not security, I want to take the calculated risk to dream and build, to fail and to succeed. I refused to barter incentive for dole. I prefer the challenges of life to guaranteed security, the thrill of fulfillment to the state of calm utopia. I will not trade freedom for beneficence, nor my dignity for a handout. I will never cower before any master, save my God. It is my heritage to stand erect, proud and unafraid. To think and act for myself, enjoy the benefit of my creations; to face the whole world boldly and say, “I am a free American.”
Berry Ponder
Greenville, SC
A roll call vote must be had at the request of just 10 representatives.
Tell us how many times you have requested a roll call vote during your four years in office.
I followed the link from Brad Warthen’s blog after making a comment about Ms. Haley’s situation there.
I’m sorry people are being put on committe’s they don’t like, but if that’s ALL that can be done to punish people, don’t worry. You’re not being sent to a gulag, you’re not being beaten up in the back alley and you didn’t get thrown out of the legislature.
Continue to do what you believe is right and don’t worry about the puny consequences . What’s scary is that you are telling us that your colleagues are afraid of nothing – a comittee reassignment really IS nothing, if you still get to vote on all the bills in the end
…but the voters said, ‘Keep Talkin’!’
Dear Nathan,
I applaud you and Nikki Haley for your efforts for a more open and accountable General Assembly. We need more Legislators who, after thoughtful and objective analysis of issues, stand up for what is right and not just do what Party officials try to force them to do. Blind Party loyalty is not good for our sate or Country. If it were we could just go back to nominating candidates by Political Party Committee.
Anonymous,
I don’t know how many times I have asked for roll call because I do it ALOT.
Here’s how it works…anyone can ask for roll call but THE SPEAKER picks who gets listed in the journal as asking for the roll call.
Example: 30 people could throw their hands in the air to “Ask for Roll Call” but only one will be listed as actually calling it.
So if you’re asking “How many times have I been listed?” I would have no idea because I don’t keep track of that stuff. The important question is how many times has my hand been in the air to ask and that has been ALOT.
Thanks for commenting. Come back often….I think you actually visit quite a bit. At least that’s what my computer info shows.
Hang in and keep on fighting. Nathan, you are the only politician we ever trusted. The day we met when you were campaining for the position you have now, we liked you and voted for you. We have been to lots of places in this world. Happy to live in your area. Hello to all at your house. Loved the Cristmas Card and picture. Just yell if you need our help!
“Two Precious Stones” who read your blogs daily!
So glad to see the Hansons respond–tell them your mother said hello. Also, Berry Ponder who responded as well, is Randy and Betty Vaughn’s son-in-law.
There’s no education in the second kick of a mule.
Nathan,
Keep your chin up. You’re right about the average constituent not caring about the posturing and antics. However, I do believe the average constituent appreciates your efforts to advocate for accountability and transparency on meaningful votes in the House. Ride out this storm, hold on to your principles and I believe you’ll find yourself (and your constituents) better off in the long run!
Nathan,
I agree with “say what you mean and mean what you say”! As you well know “My wife” went through this same type deal with the Lex/Rich 5 School Board and the former Superintendant last year! They too instead of doing the right things played politics/games and were more concerned with their own agendas instead of our students/principles needs/request.
It appears that those same “games” are still gonig on both in Lex/Rich County School Dist. and at the SC State House (since our school enrollment is actually going down/the truth comes out after the vote were cast and now good SC House Reps are not getting “THE” positions they deserve because they are not playing in the political big boys games!.
Thank you for being mine and my families truth in politics representative!
May God continue to bless you and your family.
Thanks,,
Danny Lynch
You got that right, Danny. Truth in politics is indeed a gift.
…
Listen to this quote:
“Reforms and revolutions create leaders who articulate common grievances and shared ideals and enter the fray personally in an exemplary way. Although such men and women stand out in history as individuals, their successes rarely come from having discovered something previously unknown to their contemporaries. It lies rather in their ability — often in spite of themselves — to speak for many.
…In the public mind, they come to epitomize a cause much larger than themselves… ”
Steven Ozment, Professor of History, Harvard University
in “Protestants: The Birth of a Revolution” (publ: Doubleday, 1992)
…
Representatives Ballentine and Haley are to be commended. And we do!
Nathan;
I’m not in your district,therefore,you do not represent me.I read your blog and was very impressed with what you said.The principles that you stated also apply in the everyday life of the common person.Self preservation and looking out for your own hide and not for the common good,exist in the work force everywhere.My family and I are praying for you,and i’m proud to call you cousin.Happy Birthday!!
With school enrollment going down and Lex/Richland 5 (how did that ever happen) wasting 1/4 billon dollars, it is nice to see someone fighting for us, the tax payers.
So why are we talking of cutting out the stipend for national board certification? Yes money is tight. Do we just want to admit that we are not interested in national standards? Isn’t that how we got the PACT test to begin with? We are last in the nation so we’ll create our own test that we’ll do better on each year. Never mind the tests that the other 49 states use.
Yes Nathan, I for one am very proud to be a supporter of yours. Every election I generally vote against incumbents. In your case I proudly asked you to serve another year.
Instead of holding up your hand for a roll call, why not have ETV stream the statehouse? It would be great experience for our colleges and universities to produce live television. And all it would cost is a couple cameras and existing bandwidth. Of course the antics that go on inside the building might not make for such good TV!
Again, keep up the good work. Just reading these pages shows how hard you work for us!
[...] I know first-hand how hard our teachers work to help prepare our leaders of tomorrow. While I was recently punished and stripped of my seat on the House Education and Public Works Committee, it does not mean I won’t be involved in [...]
You keep it up Mr. Ballentine. Over time those who hold to the old ways will be out of office and those that embrace what being a representative is about will be vindicated.
All the best,
Tom