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Oconee County Democratic Party chairwoman Paulette Keffas-Chassin won the 2018 Chair’s Award at the S.C. Democratic Party annual convention Saturday. Oconee Democrats won the 2018 County Party of the Year Award. (Special to The Journal
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Thursday, April 26, 2018
State party honors Oconee Democrats
COLUMBIA — The Oconee County Democratic Party won the 2018 County Party of the Year Award at the S.C. Democratic Party annual convention Saturday, while chairwoman Paulette Keffas-Chassin received the 2018 Chair’s Award. Keffas-Chassin said winning party of the year out of 46 counties caught local Democrats by surprise.“Oconee Democrats worked very hard and will continue to do so,” she said. “We have increased membership, fundraising and activism. Every few days we have someone walking into our headquarters saying they want to be involved.” Keffas-Chassin said state chairman Trav Robertson Jr. told state Democrats a year ago he was going to recognize each county as chair.“(Robertson) has been very aware of what we’ve been doing and the large amount of people who attended our convention in March, our precinct reorganization meetings and our voter registration drives,” Keffas-Chassin said. More than 110 people attended the Oconee County Democratic Party Convention in March. Oconee Democrats re-elected Keffas-Chassin for a second term as chair at the county convention. Robertson recognized Keffas-Chassin with the Chair’s Award Saturday. Keffas-Chassin said the award overwhelmed her with emotion. “Here we are the most northern, western conservative county,” she said. “The Oconee Democratic Party is making progress. It’s great to be recognized by the state chair.” Keffas-Chassin said 2018 is the year Democrats can “make inroads” in the state in the gubernatorial and state and U.S. congressional races. Third congressional District Democratic candidates Hosea Cleveland and Mary Geren also attended the convention, according to a news release.
Saturday, April 14, 2018
OCDP Announcement
On April 12/13, an alarmist email regarding guns in Oconee county was sent from a woman in Columbia and forwarded by a local person to educators in Oconee. This was not written nor forwarded nor condoned by the OCDP. It contained many falsehoods.
OCDP does not support arming teachers in Oconee but we do support Sheriff Crenshaw's position that his "#1 priority is to continue to trying to move toward getting an SRO (school resource officer) in every school in Oconee."
There have been several public meetings, School Board, County Council where the Sheriff and school and civic officials are discussing ideas to keep students safe. The next School District meeting is Monday, April 16th, 6 pm, 415 S. Pine St. Walhalla.
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
LCI CHAIRMAN BILL SANDIFER AND JAY LUCAS KILL 3,000 JOBS IN SOUTH CAROLINA
"Voters will not forget this betrayal in November."
Columbia, SC - Tuesday, SC Rep. Bill Sandifer proved he was worth every dime that Duke Power, SCANA, SCE&G and other utilities have contributed to his campaign during his time in the House when he, along with several other GOP Representatives, introduced a procedural motion that allowed the Speaker to kill a bill on third reading. H. 4421, the South Carolina Electric Consumer Bill of Rights, would have added 3,000 jobs in solar energy generation to the state's economy.
"Bill Sandifer sold out the people of Oconee and the people of South Carolina today to his friends at the utility companies," said South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Trav Robertson. "He worked with Speaker Lucas and Governor McMaster to deny South Carolina ratepayers a choice in how their power is generated. Republicans talk all the time about market solutions and lower costs, but this trick was done in the service of corporate greed and to further the Republican culture of corruption in Columbia. It's important to remember that Gov. McMaster could have played a role in saving these jobs and instead led the way with Sandifer and Lucas to harm the citizens of South Carolina, ensuring their power bills stay sky high. Voters will not forget this betrayal in November.”
For Immediate Release
April 11th, 2018
Contact:
Philip Chambers
Thanks, Willie. Why did Bill Sandifer back this bill?
Thanks, Willie. Why did Bill Sandifer back this bill?
Willie,
This is an open letter to Representative Sandifer, who has recently presented House Bill H5045 to committee. Everyone in our state needs to know what a terrible idea is presented in this bill and should write or call in a polite — but strong —way to let him know our energy needs should be looking toward a clean and affordable future. Please, Rep. Sandifer, do not continue to hold South Carolinians hostage to your idea of energy’s future. You were instrumental in bringing about the nuclear energy disaster the whole state will have to pay for. This was to promote a type of energy that is detrimental to the future of all living things in South Carolina and is an energy idea of the past. You and those involved with passing the Base Load Review Act should be doing everything in your power to help provide South Carolina with energy that will be clean and affordable. I know that does not suit many representatives and senators whose campaign war chests are padded with the money of gas and oil producers. We must look to the future. Solar and wind are very feasible in this state. If the solar and wind industry could provide as many lobbyists and campaign contributions, government officials would be helping them out in any way possible. In the future they will be, especially when coal, oil and natural gas are used up or not cost effective to exploit, and the atmosphere and climate are becoming unfit for living creatures. Thank you all for listening.
Willie says:
Thanks for bringing this horrible bill to my readers’ attention. In The State I found out that “H.5045 put forward by Rep. Bill Sandifer strips away the liberty of consumers in order to protect utility profits. Currently, consumers in every state have the right through net metering to install and use the power they generate on their own property to reduce the amount of electricity they have to purchase from the utility. Sandifer’s bill compels solar customers in South Carolina to either sell none of their self-generated power to the utility or else sell every bit of it, and at an unfairly low rate. Putting up new barriers against solar investment with H.5045 would be bad news for South Carolina’s consumers and its economy alike. Nearly 3,000 South Carolinians are already working in our growing solar sector. These hardworking men and women are harnessing local sunshine to provide for their families and building a safer, more secure energy future for all of us.” Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article206489924.html#storylink=cpy
The Journal, Seneca, SC
April 11, 2018
Thursday, April 5, 2018
Teachers are trained to teach
In response to advocates, including our dear President Donald Trump and Sen. Lindsey Graham, wanting trained teachers to be armed, where are they coming from? Teachers are educated to teach. Where would anyone be without an education? It is so bad that we have come down to having to worry about the safety of our children?
Sen. Graham was quoted that he supported assault weapons, maybe this is part of the problem. Assault weapons are used against our enemies. Are our children enemies? The lawmakers better get off their high horse and support gun control, not arguing back and forth; for the safety of all of us.
Patricia Germanier ,
Salem
The Greenville News, Greenville, SC
Posted on April 5, 2018
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
Democrat Gaulin challenging for Sandifer’s SC House seat
SENECA — Billing herself as a future change agent in Columbia and representative for all Senecans, Democrat Jody Gaulin announced her candidacy for the South Carolina House of Representatives on Friday.
The Oconee County Democratic Party hosted the event at Seneca High School after Gaulin filed for candidacy Thursday to try to unseat District 2 Rep. Bill Sandifer (R-Seneca).
“I have a reputation for being practical, having common sense and being a bit of a butt-kicker if I have to be,” Gaulin told a crowd of 75 in the school cafeteria. “I speak truth to power. That skill will serve me well in Columbia.”
Gaulin told The Journal before the event she wants to give District 2 constituents a “real voice” of representation in Columbia. Gaulin said she believes people want change in state government.
“Somehow people get a little bit in a bubble when they’ve been in Columbia so long,” the Seneca High graduate said. “We need a fresh voice, a person like me with fresh ideas and a person who knows what the priorities are.”
Gaulin’s priorities are accountability in Columbia, infrastructure, public education, health care and the environment.
She said the failed V.C. Summer nuclear power project, state pension fund debt and rejection of Medicaid expansion are examples of what she sees as mistakes by the Republican Party in South Carolina.
Gaulin criticized Sandifer for supporting legislation that she said led to the V.C. Summer project’s failure.
Sandifer was a proponent of the Base Load Review Act, passed in 2007, which allows utilities building a nuclear facility to recoup interest costs during construction.
“My opponent was a key leader in the house to get the Base Load Review Act in the House and indeed push that on the floor,” Gaulin said. “That set in motion the entire disaster that later happened.”
With a 38-year career in industrial management, Gaulin said she brings skills learned in Corporate America to politics.
Gaulin was the first female plant manager at a local plant, supply chain director and quality control manager.
Oconee County Democratic Party chairwoman Paulette Keffas-Chassin said Gaulin is a great candidate because she is “appealing to all Oconeeans.”
“This is not about party,” Keffas-Chassin said. “This is about helping the people of Seneca and District 2 who are in such need of so many things. Jodi was born and raised here and has a business background. She has waited her entire life to represent the people in Columbia.”
Keffas-Chassin echoed Gaulin’s own words on the question of party politics Friday. Gaulin said she is a candidate who will put South Carolina and Oconee County above party.
“I am a Democrat,” Gaulin said. “I’m not ashamed of being a Democrat. I represent Democratic values, but I’m going to represent the people the right way, too.”
justin@upstatetoday.com | (864) 973-6685
Follow on Twitter @jlcampbell90
Posted on April 4, 2018
By Justin Lee Campbell
The Journal
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