Opinion: Vocal minority of SC GOP House using 'gotcha' tactics, playing political games
It is impossible to have liberty without responsibility, and it is impossible to have liberty without agreeing to a set of rules to govern how society, or a governing majority, will work.
The idea of a social contract – an agreement among those in a society to trade some individual freedoms for broader social benefits – is a basic founding theory of our republic, promoted by Enlightenment philosophers John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. These philosophers built the foundation of our Constitution. The implied social contract is critical to the protection of our liberties as citizens of the United States.
In recent days, some websites have talked about a “blood oath,” a “loyalty oath,” or used other derogatory terms to describe a simple ask that SC House Republican Caucus members acknowledge the organization’s rules – as you would if you joined a club or played a sport. It was no pledge or oath, but it did remind members of one long-standing provision in the rules: A member should not actively work against another member. It's a common-sense rule for any organization or team to have.
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In recent years, a minority of SC House Republicans began working against other members to browbeat them into agreement on some fringe issues or humiliate their principled positions in the aftermath. This culminated in our most recent state elections, when some members of the Republican Caucus actively ran campaigns, fundraised, and supported candidates who challenged other good, hard-working Republican Caucus members. We are talking about tactics like setting up “staged votes” on amendments with no hope of passing, then using a photo of said vote in a mail piece that distorts the truth. Look, even politics has lines not to be crossed.
Our 124 members in the state House of Representatives represent the people of their districts, and more ideally, represent the best interests of our entire state. Part of that process are the sometimes-raucous debates on the House floor. That kind of disagreement is vital to the proper functioning of democratic institutions. Honest disagreement is healthy. Key word, honest.
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It is one thing to have a principled policy debate. It is quite different when forces from outside your area twist and bend privileged information against you – questions or comments communicated in confidence – when an official is only trying to grapple with understanding a complicated issue.
That is no way to work collaboratively, effectively, or even honestly.
The South Carolina House leadership should be commended for its actions to rein in this minority, especially when you consider how the Republicans acted in the US House of Representatives last month. What we witnessed in Washington were not the actions of a principled minority – though many of the dissenters are true conservatives. Sadly, most of the “20” in Washington were little more than opportunistic social media nihilists focused on tearing everything down to get likes and fundraising dollars instead of working to promote conservative ideals held dear by most in the new (slim) majority.
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Now, we see those same tactics in Columbia. We can’t afford this. There is too much to be done.
To move forward with conservative ideals that most Republicans and right-leaning independent voters in our state agree with, the leadership has decided to set a marker on what is acceptable and what is not inside their voluntary association. If you don’t want to accept the rules, then you don’t get to be a member of the club. You are not a victim, as has been suggested, but rather making a choice that you’d prefer attacking fellow Republicans for having the audacity to have a varied opinion on legislation. That dog won’t hunt.
These political games being played by a small minority, if they continue, take valuable time away from real challenges like our explosive growth, the need to create high-quality jobs, fixing our crumbling infrastructure, improved transit, increased per capita income, and the other policy priorities that conservatives across the board all profess to support. It’s time to stop the gotcha tactics and get to work.
Hollis (Chip) Felkel is a conservative public affairs consultant with three decades of work in state and national political affairs. He is the CEO of Felkel Group, based in Greenville.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Opinion: SCGOP House leaders have every right to set, enforce rules
