It has truly been an honor to serve as Chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party for the last six years. We have held steadfast to time-honored ideals, and we have worked tirelessly to elect leaders who have used these ideals as positive governing principles. The South Carolina Republican Party has been successful – and will be even more successful this year – because we are unabashedly conservative.
Our Party platform starkly contrasts the platform of the South Carolina Democrat Party on every issue that is important to the voters in our state.
We have unapologetically defended the traditional values our country was founded on. We have affirmed our state Party platform’s unequivocal position that life is the first inalienable right, and all human life, born and unborn, has intrinsic worth. We “believe that the unborn and the newborn child have a fundamental right to life which must not be infringed.” (Page 6, SCGOP Platform) By contrast, Democrats passed a resolution supporting “a woman’s right to reproductive choice and the freedom to make decisions concerning her health.” (2007 SCDP State Convention Resolution #32) We have worked hard to successfully elect two South Carolina Republicans to the U.S. Senate for the first time since Reconstruction – U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint. They have teamed up with President George W. Bush to appoint and confirm conservative judges to the bench and stand firmly against the barbaric practice of partial birth abortion.
We have strengthened our families and communities by voting overwhelmingly in 2006 to prohibit same sex marriage. Conservatives led that fight by working hard to accomplish that goal.
“[Our] Republican leaders know that our freedom is at stake and reject the cynical politicization of the War on Terror by Democrats like Jim Clyburn who has said Democrats win if America loses in Iraq. Winning the war on terror may be politically inconvenient for Clyburn, but losing the war on terror is incomprehensible for those who fight and die defending freedom.”
Democrats continue to justify the excesses of big-government in Washington and Columbia even though voters have clearly taken a stand against this corrupt status quo. South Carolina Democrats are on the record in support of surplus state revenue being spent on government programs before it’s returned to the taxpayers. (2007 SCDP State Convention Resolution #4, www.scdp.org/actioncenter)
But we are proud of Governor Mark Sanford and our Republican legislative leadership in Columbia who embody our state Party platform that calls for “sound fiscal management that provides effective and efficient government with a minimum amount of taxation.” (Page 13, SCGOP Platform) They continue to fight for limited government that is a responsible steward of our tax dollars – slashing income taxes and property taxes and eliminating the sales tax on groceries. We are going to fight hard to elect a Republican to the White House in 2008 who will work with our South Carolina Republicans in Congress to make the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 permanent because the meaningful relief delivered to millions of hardworking South Carolinians strengthened our economy.
Our conservative Republican leaders have also fought Democrats to make South Carolina business friendly and prosperous. The South Carolina Republican Party actively engaged the General Assembly on two of the most significant business issues in recent years: tort reform and workers’ compensation reform. The Party spent financial resources and political capital to help get these important reforms passed, which had been blocked by Democrat state senators. Additionally, South Carolina Republicans “strongly support private property rights and just compensation” for property owners if government takes their land. (Page 6, SCGOP Platform) Meanwhile, South Carolina Democrats passed a resolution opposing fair and reasonable compensation for property owners if government takes their land. (2007 SCDP State Convention Resolution #19, www.scdp.org/actioncenter)
Most importantly, we have embraced the challenge of defending our very way of life in a battle with radical Islamic extremists who would kill every one of us. Since September 12, 2001, there has not been a terrorist attack on American soil. We have remained safe at home thanks to the decisive conservative leadership of our Republican officeholders using the resources of our military, intelligence services and law enforcement to capture and kill terrorists around the world.
These Republican leaders know that our freedom is at stake and reject the cynical politicization of the War on Terror by Democrats like Jim Clyburn who has said Democrats win if America loses in Iraq. Winning the war on terror may be politically inconvenient for Jim Clyburn, but losing the war on terror is incomprehensible for those who fight and die defending freedom.
If we continue to hold fast to our principles — limited government, lower taxes and traditional values — we win. We not only win the support of our fellow Republicans; we win the support of independents and reasonable Democrats.
Republicans across the country sure could learn a lesson from South Carolina.
Katon Dawson is the Chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party. He was first elected in 2002 and is the fifth longest-serving state chairman in the nation.
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This post is part of The Palmetto Scoop’s ongoing Sunday Guest Post Series where South Carolina’s leaders make weekly contributions about important political issues. Our thanks go out to Chairman Katon Dawson and his staff for taking part.
This entry was posted on Sunday, February 10th, 2008 at 8:00 am and is filed under Sunday Guest Post Series. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Dawson chants the mantra with gusto and pride, but in the end it is still a shallow reading of an old but venerable book. Dawson’s version is political, not philosophical. He may use the required terms to sound conservative, but conservatism at its roots is about people, and his rote recitation of the mantra is void of compassion or even acknowledgment that the people are paramount.
His way is decisive, unaccountable, and ineffective. His way has been to grab glory and power for a few at the expense of the rest of us. He measures his worth by comparing himself to the Democrats…a low bar to be sure.
Katon’s GOP has lost it will to make a difference. The words are there, but the actions are not. Shallow men with reptilian desires of self-promotion are in charge and have been for some time. The GOP has lost its way, and the sooner we are though with the likes of Katon Dawson and Mark Sanford, the better.
Where’s the flag, motherhood, and apple pie? Ysdds, Yadds, Yadda
YOUR MORAL BELEIFS ARE WHAT HAS CAUSED THIS WONDERFUL NATION THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE TODAY. THERE ARE 3 KINDS OF REPUBLICANS,LIBERAL,MODERATE AND CONSERVATIVE,JUST BECAUSE YOUR CONSERVATIVES ARE LOSING GROUND AND YOUR PARTY IS BREAKING UP,,YOU FEEL IT IS THE DEMOCRATES FAULT. WHY SHOULD GOVERNMENT HAVE A CHOICE IN OUR PERSONAL LIFES? WHY SHOULD GOVERNMENT TELL US WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO? WHAT WAS THE DEFICIT WHEN BILL CLINTON WAS IN OFFICE? WHAT IS IT NOW? DID YOU FORGET THAT THE PEOPLE ELECTED A REPUBLICAN CONGREE UP UNTIL 2 YEARS AGO? WHY ARE WE IN THIS MESS? WE ARE IN THIS SITUATION TODAY BECAUSE OF YOUR MORAL BELIEFS AND ACTIONS OF WHICH HAVE TAKEN US ON THIS HORRIBLE COURSE.LETS ALL REMEMBER THAT WE LIVE IN A DEMOCROCY AND THERE IS NO GREATER RIGHT THAN,,,,CHOICE
Yeah, umm, Eddie: You may want to lay off the caps lock key… and the Red Bull.
I guess I made my point. Some times we must yell ( CAPS) IN ORDER TO BE HEARD. See it all comes down to the right of choice. Conservatives want to tell you what and how to act,,,,Don’t ever forget your right of choice,,,it beats dictatorship.
Political retoric. Examples of GOP leardership of our tax dollars: The income of the average South Carolinian is l8% below the nation’s average- Thanks to the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 and SC income tax cuts. SC taxes it’s working poor at a higher effective rate than the wealthy. The new property tax law shifts $954 Million or 23% of the entire state property tax burden from those that can afford to pay their own taxes to those that cannot aford to pay their own. The new law
includes a 15% reassessmenr cap that turns the syatem into a cash cow for weathy property owners at the expense of everbody else. Elementing the ($220million) tax on “unprepared” food- which never should have been -was more than offset by increasing our regressive sales tax 20% or almost $600,000.
So much for the GOP looking out for the “Hardworking South Carolinian”
unfortunately the feeling in the low country is that the SC Republican leadership is becoming more in line with the thoughts of McCain and Hillary
Katon,
You praise Governor Sanford for working with Republicans to restore fiscal discipline, and blast “Democrat state senators” for interfering with the Republican legislation.
Sanford is funneling state money to fund groups such as Reform SC to attack fellow incumbent Republicans when he should be going after those evil “Democrats.”
Maybe you could pick up the phone, call up Sanford, and use some of that “political capital” you claim to have and tell him to re-adjust his sights.
Because there is a difference between catching flak when you’re right over a target and being KIA by friendly-fire…
-Marty
…my Vote is the only place where I must be taken seriously.
McCain has made it clear that he does not take me seriously, and therefore does not need me…we will see if he is right.
-Cliff
Did not see anything on immigration? Our way of life and the ideals that made this country great are being destroyed by a nation that no longer places a high premium on self responsibility and doing things the right way. It’s ok to break the law and then expect our tax dollars pay your way. We can’t even make english our official language. It’s more important to be politically correct. I am a republican but the republican government no longer has my respect. I will never understand why we cannot create a level playing field so companies can operate competively in the good ole USA. Mexicans want to come here to live and our jobs are going to Mexico.
Evil Mark Sanford
It is a sin when a party says God’s name and lives on welfare checks called exclusive contracts, and simple extortion. The Public Schools is Spartanburg and Greenville
County are without a doubt some of the best public schools in the country. Byrnes High School has added an 8 million dollar weight training facilties. How could a private school for the mega rich ever offer what Dorman High School offers in athletics, academics and facilities. The dirt grading alone at Dorman cost 8 million dollars. Mark Sanford wanted to take funding away from that and shut them down. While at the same time he appropriated 72 million to Charleston for a fancy landing and marina.
The joke about too big a government is the fact Republican want a small government so they can take money out of it for themselves. Why feed homeless people or provide welfare for the poor when Republicans want that money for themselves. All the industry gone so they have one strong hold taking as much of the 7.1 billion state budget as possible. I’m sorry it is the way it is I was once a Repbulican.
Let me say this, People who support Homosexuals and Abortionist are not Democrats they are poeple who filled a vacum when segregagtion and the vietnam war ran good people out of the Democratic Party. If we all become Republicans we will end up in the same mess FDR found himself in, in 1932. What choices do we have. I have already made the only choice.
It is God who decides the future not Republicans. If we use the righeous theme of the Democratic Party which is serve your fellow man with public service. If we serve God with our hands and feet and our minds and run the Abomination ridden Homosexual support and Abortion support out of the Democratic Ranks. No South Carolina Democrat in the State House or Senate Supports that anyway. If we honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with our speech, our motives and our action then God will pour out a bless.
Romans 9 For it is not he that willeth or he that runneth but God who showeth mercy. For it is by mercy that we live.
Greed leads to distruction and Love leads to prosperity. Republican have proven greed is all they know. They made the state road budget the four largest in the country and DSS is starving. They want to shut down public schools and leave the poor behind. The poor need to serve in Iraq while Republicans live off the poor taxes. Not while I’m alive.
The American way has always been the Democratic Party way. The Socialist way has always been the Republican way. Conservative has become a byword for corruption and racism. Hang your head in shame. If I am allowed to run for US Congress against Bob Inglis I promise one thing. This state will become Democratic and take the lead in new feul technology in 4 years and we will create 1 million new 50,000 a year jobs. Instead of moving 10 million criminals in from New York, Chicago and Detroit in the next 10 years we can make the peoples lives that are here better. Building the state budget by building houses is a foolish idea. Building the state budget by building industry is the answer. There are places in those cities police won’t even go when called. Do we want that in Greenville Spratanburg Columbia and Charleston. No way, wake up its the wrong path.
The good people of South Carolina deserve to enjoy there own state with a high paying job. Fix the corridor of shameand fix the point of closing pubic schools. I serve the one true living God. I know that I know he is real.
There is no glory but Glory in the Lord.
When you get to self righteous sometimes you can trick yourself. Right Mark Sanford.
Darryl Mast
I was raised in a Republican home where fairness and opportunity were the buzz words. The current Republican party offers none of that except to their elected elite.
I cannot even begin to tell people how Republicans ruined my life. Republicans lie , cheat and steal. They only protect each other. They are ruthless. Republicans always believed in sovreignity, but now insist on merging us with two other countries against our will and their will too. Dems are no better. Politicans are evil. No Republicans look out for the people or speak for the people they are elected to SERVE>
Republicans should go run Mexico.
There is some amazing and sad commentary here. But I think Mr. Mast’s is most depressing: “The good people of South Carolina deserve to enjoy there own state with a high paying job.”
The entitlement mentality that has taken over most American minds is startling. The Declaration of Independence talks about inalienable rights and no where mentioned is a high paying job. No where mentioned is unlimited visits to the doctor without paying for services. No where mentioned is 26 additional weeks of unemployment benefits. These and many more entitlements created by government are creating a culture of dependency.
Republicans may not be perfect (Medicare presciption drug program) but heavens if you read the position papers of Clinton and Obama, the expansion of the welfare state will be enormous. I’m going to vote for the Republican 9 times out of 10 because individual liberty and personal responsibility are still welcome.
Thank God for folks like Roy G. Biv. After reading the other preceeding comments, I was beginning to think most native South Carolinians were half witted. Roy, the voice of reason will always make its point with intelligence, not diatribe.
The culture of dependency and the entitlement mentality that has taken over most American’s minds has been caused by us. We are the perpetrators! We simply have done too much for folks who are unwilling to invest in themselves. We, by endlessly giving money, food, shelter, and medical care to cover the basic necessities of life, without the expectation of repayment, have trained people to expect more of the same.
It must be understood that the worst thing that can be done to a person is to strip him of his self esteem. The Democratic Welfare State does exactly that. Self esteem is built by solving one’s own problems and by making one’s own way in this world with as little help as possible. It is our and only our responsibility to reverse the mentality of the “Great Society” by refusing to support people forever. We must do what we can to get folks off the dole quickly before the permanent loss of self esteem takes place!
The Republican party may not be perfect but it understands how damaging the concept of a Social Safety Net can be much better than the Democratic Party. Therefore, the Republicans have my vote!
“…Conservatives want to tell you what and how to act,,,,Don’t ever forget your right of choice,,,it beats dictatorship.”
LOL….thanks for my laugh of the day!
Republicans do believe in big government at the federal level. Its called the U.S. Army and George Bush has run up more debt on the war in Iraq than any Democrat would on health care for all American citizens. Why is okay for Bush to do this? Would it not also be okay for a Democrat to tally up even more debt by establishing a National Health Care program for all Americans.
Mr. Dawson,
This is the biggest compilation of bull crap I have read in a long time. The only reason Republicans will be successful in 2008 is the same reason for the past 23years, and that is vote tampering and lying. How dare you make the comments you made when everyone knows what those cheat e-voting machines are for. The real question here is why aren’t Republicans in jail already? I seriously doubt real Republicans think as you. But with the likes of Fox (faux) news and hypocrite Baptist preachers brainwashing South Carolinians like they do anything is possible. None the less, it does not make the Republican rogue practices and your cheat machines right. Vote tampering and fraud are still crimes in South Carolina and the USA. Justice shall prevail and frauds like you will be exposed.
Entitlement Mentalilty
Entitlement mentality is when you try to sneak around and privitize the State Pension fund to your private business and have it disappear in a few years to who knows who’s pockets. That is entitlement mentality.
Entitlement mentality is when gas prices for false reasons are raised up to 4.50 a gallon and lowered when corruption is moved out of power. That is entitlement mentalilty.
Entitlement Mentality is when 53 trillion disappeared from the federal general fund when our nations total assest are only 11 trillion and we can’t really see where all that money went. That is the kind of Entitlement Mentality that has never been seen by any people to every in the History of the Earth. That is the kind of welfare project that has never been seen or propagated on a population since God breathed life into Adam in the Garden of Eden. I never want to hear an Republican talk about Entitlement Mentality when the only entitlements that have been delt in the 8 years Reagan was in, Bush I 4 years in office and Bush 2 8 years is trillion sent to lazy Welfare cases that want to build riches never heard of on the back of the poor people struggling to buy food and house themselves while The Communist Republican Elite stay in Castles and build new 6 Star Hotels with lugury never seen.
Carpet baggers that want to buck the command of God to care for the poor and the sick so they can build 72 million dollar landings for Yatch bought with welfare contracts give away bought with politcle favors and back lot deals while the poor black man in New Orleans with water around his ears is drowning in hurricane they were filling their pockets and running for the hills to prevent prosecution. And they want to talk about Entitlement Mentality.
It is a sad day when people can enlist in publicn service for personal gain and point their finger at the very people who need public service and paid there taxes for this public service are castigated because Welfare Case Carpet baggers want the money for there own corrupt means.
We need to put people to work. Not take what they have from them.
In Jesus name we can.
And that my friend is the absolute truth.
53 trillion for the Republican Welfare
900 million in a so called nothing stimulus packages
The above 53 trillion in Entitlements to the very party saying they are against them. Yeah to anyone but themselves.
If you add the looted gasoline money How much money been taken out of here. Worlds wealth. The baby boomes lose again. The Republican Entitlements were more important.