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S.C. Senate District 3 seat candidates debate before hundreds in Anderson
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State Senate District 3 debate between Marshall Meadors and Kevin Bryant.
State Senate District 3 debate between democrat Marshall Meadors and republican Kevin Bryant.
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ANDERSON — The candidates for the South Carolina Senate District 3 seat focused on education and health care during a debate Thursday night at the Anderson County Library.
Democrat Dr. Marshall Meadors is challenging District 3 Republican incumbent Kevin Bryant in the Nov. 4 general election. Nearly 300 people turned out for Thursday’s debate, which remained civil in tone, in downtown Anderson, which was sponsored by the Anderson County Taxpayers Association.
Meadors said that nearly a quarter of the people in the state of South Carolina either do not have health insurance or are underinsured. He believes raising the cigarette tax from 7 cents a pack could bring in a lot of money for health insurance.
Raising the cigarette tax would also discourage people, including young teens, from smoking in the first place, Meadors said.
“We are the laughingstock of the rest of the country because our cigarette tax is at 7 cents,” he said during the debate.
Meadors said Bryant did not support increasing the tax.
Bryant said he supports raising the cigarette tax, but he recused himself in May from voting on a bill that would have increased the tax because it would have provided $300,000 to Medicaid, and he is a provider of Medicaid services as a pharmacist.
Bryant said that he helped to pass the Small Business Health Insurance Act, which increases the number of small businesses that can join together and negotiate for lower health insurance rates. He is against expanding government to provide socialized medicine, he said.
Bryant also said the way to improve education in the state to limit the amount of money being spent in administration because the $10,000 per year spent on each student is not making its way into the classroom.
“Columbia has to get out of the business of micromanaging the classrooms all over the state,” Bryant said.
He also supports giving residents tax credits for sending students to private schools or charter schools or for home-schooling children.
Meadors said, “We need to recruit and retain high-quality teachers. We need to emphasize reading and technology at the earliest stages.”
Money is available for South Carolina’s education system, but that money needs to be redirected, Meadors said.
Uneducated adults are more likely to smoke, be in poor health and be incarcerated, Meadors said.
The two candidates also expressed different opinions about the definition of family.
Meadors said a family is a “compassionate unit” that sustains each other with love and care.
“The definition of a family has become very blurred,” Meadors said.
Bryant said his definition of a family includes a husband, a wife and children.
Powell Hickman of Pendleton said Meadors won the debate in content, but Bryant had more style.
Frank Mauldin of Anderson said he supports raising the cigarette tax to improve health care. He thought Meadors won the debate convincingly.
Mauldin also said that Bryant has not done enough to support the improvement of public education.
“This is the least-informed senator in the South Carolina senate,” Mauldin said.
But Richard Cannarella of Anderson is a supporter of Bryant because Bryant has experience as a senator. He also agrees with Bryant’s definition of marriage.
“I thought Kevin did a great job,” Cannarella said. “It sounds like Mr. Meadors has a one-note song - the cigarette tax.”
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Mr Bryant, How about a tax credit for not having any children and not using any schools? If we do this tax credit we might as well just go back to a class structure in America.
in response to robert
I agree.
in response to cwilson4
Since "time began"....
So, I guess you have never been divorced?
So, a "compassionate unit" is the definition of a family. This means that yesterday, in my veterinarian's office, I was actually with my own family. Who knew?
Kevin Bryant supported the local candidates that used sexually harassing and degrading campaign efforts against women working in the economic development office in Anderson County. Do we really need a candidate that thinks it's okay to support the degradation of well educated and hard working women just to win a local campaign? NO!
Do we really need a Senator that is spending more time medaling in local politics and degrading local well educated and qualified women than doing his job in Columbia? NO!
Do we really need a Senator that is more interested in putting public education dollars into private institutions? NO!
Do we really need a Senator that thinks its okay to mandate medical procedures for women? The answer is NO!!!!!
I am and have always voted Republican however I say Palin is removing the glass ceiling for women by making this country realize that the sexual harassment and lies against women in politics is no longer accepted practice. Send Senator Bryant home and put a candidate in Columbia that will support equality for all not just Bryant's chosen few.
VOTE MEADOR'S for Senator in District 3!
cwilson4, NO! A resounding No to your suggestion! robert and aplummer said it well!
cwilson4
You stole my answer!
Well said!
Don't you like the way they "spin" abortion
Voters should put someone into office who represents their values, beliefs, and convictions. Kevin Bryant represents the majority of voters in his district. I may not agree with him on every issue, but he definitely represents my view better than the "left winger" Dr. Meadors. Can you honestly say that the constiuents in Anderson county believe that a family is a "compassionate unit"? That was just a vague reponse to say Anything Goes!! Give me a break.
Oh & Amy - women who are educated and qualified don't have to keep preaching that they are educated and qualified. It should be clearly evident in their actions and words. Please stop degrading yourself.
Dr Meadors is off to a great start, labeling smokers uneducated and our teachers a'int too bright either.
If you are right, they may not have noticed!
Kudos to cwilson4.
However they left out one very important "No". No more tax increases.
Amazing how so many people want the government to pay for health care and everything else are we moving to a socialist society? The constitution does not guarantee a right to health care, but does guarantee life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. If people want to smoke let them, everyone knows it bad for their health but is a personal choice. Are we going to start taxing the fast food because it is not healthy and laden with fat?
Give me a break the people want less taxes and less government.
I was not talking about myself as I do not work for our Anderson County Economic Development Department. I was talking about the highly intelligent and very well qualified women that work in the Anderson County Economic Development Office.
And just as the personal and professional attacks against Palin began, the attacks against me continue. This pattern of unfounded and lie based attacks against women, myself included, in our political and professional arena has to stop.
Kevin Bryant not only supported the candidates that laughed about and used these sexually harassing and degradation filled commercials against women he actively campaigned for these candidates and laughed at these commercials.
Kevin Bryant believes that women should be stay at home moms as do the candidates that ran those commercials against women in the work force.
Meadors is for equality for all, not just middle aged wealthy men like Bryant.
Say no to the sexual harassment! Say no to legislating medical procedures being mandated for women. Say no taking money out of the public school for private profit. Say not to Kevin Bryant's active support of candidates that support the sexual harassment and degradation of the hard working and well qualified women that work for the Anderson Count Economic Development Office. Say NO to Bryant.
We need real change in our state government. Change that says families come first. Change that says equality for all in the work place. Change that means health care for all! Change that means we can afford to care for our families. Change that says NO to sexual harassment of Women. Vote Meadors for real change for real families.
in response to cwilson4
Vote NO to same sex marriage.- I didn't realize there was a Referendum on the Ballot in November. So, you do WANT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO DEFINE WHAT A MARRIAGE IS? NOT THE INDIVIDUAL STATES?
Vote NO to abortion on demand. - Are You Serious? YOU WANT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO TELL WOMEN WHAT THEY CAN AND CAN'T DO CONCERNING THEIR OWN HEALTH? I THOUGHT YOU WERE AGAINST SOCIALIZED MEDICINE?
Vote NO to forced public schooling. FORCED? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? YOU CAN TEACH YOUR KIDS AT HOME, AT A PRIVATE SCHOOL OR A PUBLIC SCHOOL.
Vote NO to socialized medicine. - AREN'T YOU ON MEDICAID/MEDICARE?
Vote NO to expanding government. - THE REPUBLICAN PARTY FOUGHT FOR AND ALLOWED THE LARGEST EXPANSION OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SINCE THE DEPRESSION!
- BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR
in response to aplummer
Where do you come up with this junk?
It's too early in the month for you to be out of your meds. Go home and get them before you go postal.
You really need additional help.
in response to aplummer
Those commercials were extremely funny.
They were not degrading. It was telling the truth in a satire kind of way.
We know you have never worked for economic development. You just took trips, went to leadership Anderson on our county tax dollars. All the while Dr. Juan Brown said you did not qualify to be on Econ. Dev. Will you pay the money back to us poor tax payers? I never wanted to fund your vacation.
in response to yankee
Yankee,
the federal gov't has nothing to do with this discussion. This is the state senate. Not the US Senate. Get your facts straight.
And Yes! I would like the federal gov't to define marriage as we have in South Carolina. And YES! I would prefer the federal gov't do what they are supposed to and protect the innocent unborn children. That may seem strange to you looney left wingers, but it should be done.
in response to cwilson4
Opposing the marriage amendment doesn't make someone a crazy liberal or a bad person.
Current state law ALREADY prohibits marriage between persons of the same sex. (S.C. Code 20-1-25). I'd rather not have our legislators wasting their time and our money debating to propose or to ratify a REDUNDANT law that is obviously a sensitive issue.
Having an amendment prohibiting gay marriage as opposed to the current statute is theoretically more concrete. However, I can assure you that in our state, the current statute is in no danger.
By the way, I just read the Democratic Party platform concerning family and I found no mention of your insinuations (or lies).
Do us all a little favor since you seem to be somewhat ill-informed and do a little research before posting.
Dr. Meadors is a good man with only the best intentions for the people of Anderson County at heart. Just because he's running with a 'D' beside his name doesn't mean he is Obama's running mate.
in response to the_hunter
100 billion dollars a year to rebuild a country on the other side of the planet instead of health care for the poor, elderly and children in the US? This in my mind is un-American.
State Cigarette taxes MSA are supposed to be collected so that the state doesn't have to pay for smokers who get ill and can't afford it. So do you want the money to come from all of our pockets or just those who smoke?
in response to cwilson4
Good one cwilson4!!
in response to cwilson4
I agree 1000% Meadors. He studied to be a doctor for years and is the worst I ever went to, and never went back. Why would anyone think he could be a decient Senator. He's an over educated idiot. Anyone could buy and sell him all day long.
I agree 1000% with CWilson4. He studied to be a doctor and is not good at that. I went to him 1 time and never went back. Anyone can buy or sell him all day, he is an over educated Idiot. The above message by me is a mistake typing too fast.
I don't understand why you people don't listen to CWilson4, If you would listen you might learn something. God give you 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason. There is some people more involved and see more and she is one of them.
in response to ratm
I don't agree with spending billions of dollars to rebuild other counties either and never said so anywhere. I also don't believe in giving money to able-bodied people so they can sit around and collect welfare. As far as the cigarette taxes I will agree to that if they also tax the obese people who sit around stuffing their faces or anybody else that abuses their body. I don't want higher taxes and more government control. I want freedom to do with my hard earned money what I want and not have some government bureaucrat tell me how to spend it that is my point. Many countries have universal health care and they are taxed to the hilt and their health care is substandard to ours. People come from these countries to the USA to get good health care because they can't in theirs. I know our system needs some reform but it is the best in the world and we don't need the government controlling it.
in response to the_hunter
Thats CORRECT !
All I need to know is Meadors definition of family to know that I will not support him. Can anyone tell me where I can get a Kevin Bryant yard sign? I am surrounded by about 3 Meadors signs!
And yes APLUMMER...I do support the government mandating the protection of an unborn child. You say it is time to put family first...but it will be hard for our society to ever return to that point until we put the ENTIRE family first...including the unborn. Unfortunately, Your statements are contradictory.
in response to yankeefann
I didn't bring any of these topics up, cwilson4 did.
I also believe that abortion is wrong and should be avoided.
One of the things I don't understand about the issue is why some that profess to care so much, would then deny those same children adequate nutrition, healthcare, housing, etc.
I know that all parents are not the responsible people they need to be. In some cases, the parents, due to physical and even mental limitations, cannot properly provide for their children, materially and morally.
Should the children suffer because of that?
If everyone cares so much, why do children still go to bed hungry?
Why do children still go to schools that are underfunded?
Why do children have to live in unsafe neighborhoods?
I'm for protecting ALL children, from the unborn to the teen.
We can do better, but when it comes time to step up and pay the piper, all I seem to hear is "No Taxes" "No Government" "No Socialism"
Ironically, it seems, those mantras are usually repeated from the same persons that are receiving some benefit from Government.
By the way, I'm neither a left winger nor a right winger, I'm an American.
I am a Democrat. That being stated, I do somewhat agree that SC could stand to increase the cigarette taxes, HOWEVER, the proposed tax increase last year claimed false figures in the projections of additional revenues to be generated by a $5 INCREASE per carton, since it would have resulted in the cigarette taxes totalling $5.70 per carton. This would have totally decimated our SC cigarette sales to persons from other states, and would, moreover, caused our SC residents living along our state lines to cross into NC and GA to buy their cigarettes, since then their cigarettes would be less than ours. It makes no
Plain.
Simple.
Common Sense.
www.ortizforsenate.org
[ check the BLOG: "Flawed Mathematics in re Republican Cigarette Tax Increase Proposal"]
With regard to "family", apparently there are some folks who think of family as just being a husband, wife and their kids, which must not have Brothers, Sisters, Cousins, Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, Grandchildren...
I am married, and I consider my Bride as family, but I also think of all my Brothers, Sisters, Aunts, Uncles, In-Laws... etc. ... even my dogs and cats as part of my "family". So, probably, my thoughts of family are much more extended and therefore, would be closer to Dr. Meador's definition of "family".
Then again, it is apparent that ACTA doesn't really care much about the Senate 4 area, so maybe they should change their name to NACTA (North Anderson County Taxpayers Association) since they decided Senate 4 (Piedmont, Pelzer, W. Pelzer, Belton, Honea Path, Lower Anderson, Homeland Park, Starr, Iva, etc.) doesn't count.
Perhaps someone should look into forming another ACTA and call it LACTA to give attention to the other 1/2 of Anderson Co. which is often overlooked by the rest of the politicians throughout history.
Plain.
Simple.
Common Sense.
Capt. Leonardo Ortiz (USMM) in LA
in response to Capt_Leo
In proof-reading this, I must apologize to the Williamston area citizens since Williamston is also in the LA county area.
I was a bit distracted by part of my "family" (my dogs barking at someone pulling up) in-between W. Pelzer and Belton and skipped by Williamston.
My apologies.
Plain.
Simple.
Common Sense.
Capt. Leonardo Ortiz (USMM) in LA county
in response to yankee
I agree too!
As I understand it, Bryant said he doesn't call "a single woman with seven children" a family. If Bryant's definition of family is the only one accepted, then a married couple isn't a family; a widow with children isn't a family; a widower raising his child isn't a family. Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?
Bryant's only reason for being in the State Senate is to vote yes to private school vouchers and keep the status quo for everything else. Allow public dollars to fund private schools, and we'll see what new-age segregation looks like.
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