South Carolina Policy Council

South Carolina Policy Council
Motto "To promote freedom, to protect freedom, and to prove that freedom works."[1]
Founder(s) Thomas Roe
Established 1986
President Ashley Landess[2]
Budget $1,011,022 (2014)[3]
Subsidiaries The Nerve[4]
Location Columbia, South Carolina
Website www.scpolicycouncil.org www.thenerve.org

The South Carolina Policy Council (SCPC) is a limited-government think tank located in Columbia, South Carolina.[5] The organization's stated mission is "to promote the principles of limited government, free enterprise, and individual liberty and responsibility in the state of South Carolina."[1] SCPC operates The Nerve, a news and investigative reporting website.[4][6]

Issues

Government integrity

Since 2011 SCPC has contended that the main obstacle to free market reforms in South Carolina isn't a lack of public support but an unaccountable legislative elite whose goal is to preserve power.[7] In February 2013, SCPC filed a complaint against Bobby Harrell, South Carolina's Republican Speaker of the House. The complaint alleged that Harrell had committed a variety of abuses of office, including using public office for personal gain.[8] In October 2014, Harrell pleaded guilty to misconduct in office and resigned his position.[9]

Roll-call voting

SCPC is known for having originated the idea of mandatory roll-call voting in the South Carolina General Assembly (an idea then Rep. Nikki Haley used as the centerpiece of her campaign for governor)[10] and for its detailed explanations of policies and legislation on government restructuring, school choice, government spending, taxes, regulation, and health care.

Health care

The Policy Council has opposed the Affordable Care Act and argued that, despite claims made by Gov. Haley and others, South Carolina has in fact expanded Medicaid by sharply increasing the number of people enrolled in the federal program.[11] In 2014, SCPC's president, Ashley Landess, was interviewed on The Daily Show regarding the group's opposition to Medicaid expansion.

References

  1. 1 2 "About Us". South Carolina Policy Council. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  2. ↑ "SC Policy Council president to address Aiken Republican Club". Aiken Standard. May 7, 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  3. ↑ "IRS Form 990 2013" (PDF). GuideStar. Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  4. 1 2 Hutchins, Corey (May 16, 2014). "His boss helped start SC's biggest political scandal. Now, this reporter is covering it". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  5. ↑ "SC Policy Council: About Us".
  6. ↑ Brundrett, Rick (November 10, 2014). "Do-nothing ethics committees". The Times and Democrat. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  7. ↑ "Who Controls S.C. State Government?". SC Policy Council. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  8. ↑ Jackson, David (April 30, 2014). "South Carolina Republicans battle over ethics case". USA Today. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  9. ↑ Santaella, Tony (October 23, 2014). "S.C. House speaker admits misconduct, resigns". USA Today. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  10. ↑ Self, Jamie. "Gov. Haley blasts SC House for off-the-record voting". Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  11. ↑ Swaim, Barton. "Doing What We Pretend We Didn't Do". Retrieved 20 Feb 2015.
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