This just came in from Vincent Sheheen, the most consistent and insistent advocate for government restructuring in the Senate (a body not exactly overrun with such) in recent years:
Sheheen Calls For Joint Governor-Lt. Governor Ticket
Columbia, SC – State Senator Vincent Sheheen (D-Camden) today called for change in the way SC elects its Lieutenant Governor. Under legislation that is pending in the state Senate, Governors and Lieutenant Governors would run on a ticket.
Senator Sheheen made the following comments:
“Recent events have demonstrated the critical need to modernize our government. The instability of government during the Sanford and Haley eras has highlighted the chaos that can be caused by bad leaders under our current system. Let’s put this legislation on the fast track and get it passed this year. The people deserve it.”
H. 3152 – http://scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=3152&session=&summary=B
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It’s certainly been proposed many times before. Maybe, given recent events, the idea’s time has arrived.
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Let’s just make the president pro-tempore of the Senate the replacement governor if we need one. That way we can save on the cost of their salary, benefits, pension, office, staff etc with no loss in governance for the state.
Not sure why the Lt. Gov job is so inconsequential. The Vice POTUS has become a fairly influential job in recent years. They typically get tasked with some important project.
Why not do away with the Lt. Governor entirely? I think Cindi S. espoused that very effectively. He doesn’t do anything the Senate President pro tem can’t do just as well….
Until/unless we get a decent Gov’nor, who cares?
Unless they give the Lt. Governor more responsibility why have one? Several states have realized that they can get fine just by without one.
It costs a million dollars a year, according to Cindi, to maintain the Lt. Gov and entourage.
A decent governor? I’m starting to wonder if that’s possible. But, we just got a decent lt. gov., so, why not!
Brad, isn’t this Sheheen proposal what one of the reform’s Haley had pushed for during her successful campaign for Governor?
Great! Vinny finally sees the writing on the wall after Glenn McConnell accedes to become Lt. Gov.
After decades of professional experience investigating human nature, I came to the opposite conclusion of this pompous editor, and from what little I have learned about you, rather doubt you and most of your readers could would agree with him either:
http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/politico-editor-john-harris-voters-are-stupid/427521
@ bud – Important jobs like letting Al Haig take over, losing spelling bees, assaulting masseusses in fancy hotels, shooting their hunting buddies full of birdshot and doing offensive Indian call center accents?
@ `Kathryn – great minds…
Just desserts, all around.
Hopefully, everyone learns the right lessons from this theater of the (politically) absurb.
In Hawaii, the Lt. Gov. has specific tasks that come with the job, such as running the elections office.
The “most consisttent and insistent advocate” doesn’t even have his name as a sponsor of the bill or any of the similar bills. Now that’s leadership we need in a governor.
H 3152 Joint Resolution, By Young, Daning, Harrison, Allison, G.R. Smith, Stringer, Taylor, Forrester, Hamilton, Murphy, G.M. Smith, Bingham, Long, Patrick, Viers, Funderburk, Horne, Willis, Weeks, Pope, Simrill, Clemmons, Harrell, Bedingfield and Edge
Similar (S 0016, S 0024, S 0147, S 0169)
S 0016 Joint Resolution, By McConnell and McGill
Similar (S 0024, S 0147, S 0169, H 3152)
S 0024 Joint Resolution, By Peeler, Davis, Rose, Campsen and Ryberg
Similar (S 0016, S 0147, S 0169, H 3152)
S 0147 Joint Resolution, By Campsen, Rose and McConnell
Similar (S 0016, S 0024, S 0169, H 3152)
S 0169 Joint Resolution, By Shoopman and Rose
Similar (S 0016, S 0024, S 0147, H 3152)
@Doug–When you’re Glenn McConnell, you don’t have to put your name on a bill to be powerful and influential. You da man.