In my op-ed Welfare Takes Many Forms written in February, I pointed out that we simply do not know how much we are spending on welfare and who is getting it, and that we need to throw aside the comfortable cloak of political correctness and provide an accounting to the battered taxpayers of how we are spending their money, who is receiving it and in what form of services, and whether we are getting results from these expenditures.
I have to disagree with the recent “fact check” written by the Associated Press and disseminated to its member newspapers. It purports to “fact check” my belief that we have created welfare dependency by offering as countering “proof” statistics from DSS regarding its TANF and SNAP programs.
In fact, as these studies from the Heritage Foundation and Stateline.org indicate, TANF and SNAP represent only 7% of our country’s spending on welfare, and are but two of 70 distinct programs.
Using TANF and SNAP data as a “fact check” to 68 other programs is equivalent to rationalizing the purchase of an expensive car on the premise that since the tires aren’t flat and the windshield wipers work, the transmission and engine and electronics must work fine. There’s too much unexamined territory.
Surprisingly, DSS uses as one of its three outcome measures to measure its stewardship of TANF whether “children in families receiving family assistance do not become recipients as adults.” In short, is my issue of welfare dependency being addressed by the efforts of DSS – which now entangle one in three children and one in five adults in South Carolina? Sadly, the Legislative Audit Council cannot say after successive years of auditing the program as shown in this report A Review of The Family Independence Act 2006–2008. A study, which DSS cannot now provide my office, cryptically indicates that in 2006-07 about 2% of current clients “had been listed as a child in a previous case” within the last 14 years.
Welfare is unaccountable because South Carolina has refused to look at it as a systemic issue. It is neatly divided and obscured among dozens of agencies that provide child care, free school lunches, energy assistance, transportation, rental assistance, job training, health care, and so much more. It is time for the Cabinet to be directed by the governor to provide a statewide response and accounting for this issue. We have the tools available, or we can quickly reshape them, so we can track services to our citizens. Leadership can demand from the Cabinet a coordinated, effective, and compassionate response so we lead people to jobs and away from welfare. We will create some carrots to encourage this process.
Here’s what I do know:
Almost half of all children are on Medicaid, which pays for almost two-thirds of all the babies born in our state each year.
One in three children and one in five adults is receiving services from the Department of Social Services.
We can create a Cabinet response to lead our state away from dependency.
Here is my most recent op-ed, There is more to Welfare than TANF and SNAP that I sincerely hope you will read and ultimately decide to share with your readers.
Warm regards,
André
Lt. Governor Bauer presentd Jean Bridges of West Columbia with the 2010 Outstanding Older South Carolinian Award during Senior Day at the State House on May 4, 2010.
Lt. Governor Bauer presentedBill Dukes of Columbia with the 2010 Leadership in Aging Award during Senior Day at the State House on May 4, 2010.
News Release: Lt. Governor André Bauer recognizes winners of the 2010 State Aging Awards during Senior Day at the State House
2010 State Aging Award Honorees
WACH Fox 57 Coverage of 2010 Aging Awards
Lt. Governor Bauer Declares May Older South Carolinians Month
Leslie Hall of Morning Side Assisted Living of Rock Hill presents Lt. Governor Bauer with the Champion for Senior Citizens in South Carolina Award on behalf of the South Carolina Chapter of the Assisted Living Federation of America at their Legislative Day February 17, 2010.
Op-Ed ~ Welfare takes many forms What we call welfare is not a single benefit as much as a series of uncoordinated programs offered by numerous state and federal agencies. …
Bottom line is that although welfare reform reduced "welfare" dependency, a great deal of it is now diffused and masked within other larger social welfare programs. … It’s difficult enough to grasp all the different welfare programs available, much less monitor the effectiveness and efficiency of each. Lacking is a comprehensive accounting factor that we elected officials must require in order to reconcile the public’s frustrations. …
We are sending the absolutely wrong signal to the next generation about what is needed to get ahead in life if we don’t threaten benefits for recipients who won’t even lift a finger to help themselves or their children. The flood of emails, calls, personal contacts, voice mails, and television website polls tell me most people agree with me. …
Samaritan's Feet - Haiti Relief Effort
The 2010 State of the State Reception
Lt. Governor Bauer meets with Chinese Embassy Minister Liu to discuss job growth
and economic development.
NEWS RELEASE ~ Lt. Governor André Bauer talks jobs with Chinese Embassy Minister Guangyuan Liu
Op-Ed ~ On Thanksgiving and every day, we should first and foremost offer thanks to the
Bill of Rights for Medicare Beneficiaries
NEWS RELEASE ~ Lt. Governor Bauer calls for immediate special session to fix unemployment
Encourage our youth to live a healthy lifestyle
Press Conference Video ~ Resignation Request
Letter to Governor Sanford August 26, 2009
Lt Governor Bauer's Statement on Sanford resignation August 26, 2009
News Release ~ Teens offered dynamic safe driving class in Columbia
News Flash ~ Bauer speaks to Darlington Kiwanis on state of the economy
Media Advisory ~ Lt. Governor Bauer to address Elks Association Summer Convention on Alzheimer's disease
News Release ~ Lt. Governor André Bauer and Samaritan’s Feet are providing shoes to underprivileged children
Op-Ed ~ As one year ends, the new one presents opportunities and challenges
Lt. Governor Bauer visits with a Rock Hill resident and her child at the Samaritan's Feet shoe distribution at Freedom Temple Ministries on June 13, 2009
News Flash ~ DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS ISSUES WARNING ABOUT DEBT COLLECTION SCAM
News Flash ~ Bauer talks about state national issues The Item 6-14-09
News Flash ~ Volunteer with 800 hours recognized The Item
News Release ~ Volunteerism a cornerstone of South Carolina’s aging services
News Release ~ Lt. Governor Bauer joins Samaritan’s Feet to provide shoes to underprivileged children in Rock Hill
Audio ~ Interview on WRHI radio on Samaritan's Feet
Video ~ Samaritan's Feet Press Conference
Video ~ Heart is in Your Hands Wellness Walk Columbiana Center
News Release ~ Find out how to create a Job Connection Service center in your area (large 3MB presentation in pdf)
USC Student Body President, Andrew Gaeckle, right, questions Sen. Thomas Alexander, R-Oconee, left, and Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, about higher education funding cuts. Other student body presidents with Gaeckle are, left to right, Callie Boyd from Clemson, Adam Shults from USC-Aiken, Rachel Sopp from USC-Beaufort and Elliot Dickerson from the College of Charleston. They and about 50 of their fellow college students from across South Carolina gathered at the State House to rally for more funding and against a tuition cap. S.C. has cut funding to higher education more sharply than any state in the nation.
Photo Courtsey of The State - Tim Dominick tdominick@thestate.com
Lt. Governor joins a panel of economic strategists and policy planners on the Fox News program The Strategy Room to offer a state level perspective on the impact of the economic stimulus plan.
I am sure that most of you are aware that the Department of Motor Vehicles began accepting pre-orders for the I Believe license plate on their website www.scdmvonline.com on October 30, 2008.
I am pleased to announce that within 72 hours -- Saturday, November 1, 2008 -- all 400 of the pre-orders required to send the I Believe plate into production had been made. This is an outstanding testament to the convictions of people of faith in our state.
I have received numerous calls since the pre-order process ended from people concerned that they could not order a plate on the website any longer. This is true: You can no longer pre-order the plate because it is on its way to production – a great thing if you ask me.
Sometime in the next six to eight weeks the I Believe plate will be available for $29 ($5 covers the cost of plate production) in all DMV branches. Though we do not know the exact date that the plates will arrive in branch offices at this time, I will be happy to let you know.
I am available to talk about the separation of church and state, and if your faith-based group or senior group is interested in having me visit, please send me an email. Please keep in mind that we do receive a number of requests, and arrangements need to be discussed well in advance. Every effort will be made to accommodate your group.
For updates on the I Believe plate and other important issues please send an email to LTGOV@scsenate.org with Please Send Updates as your subject line and I will keep you informed.
In the meantime, here is an op ed column that appeared in the Spartanburg Herald-Journal on Sept. 28, 2008.
It may also be found at: http://www.goupstate.com/article/20080928/NEWS/809280309
New Plate is No Threat, Just Reflects Core Values
By Lt. Governor André Bauer
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. -- The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America, adopted on Dec. 15, 1791, along with the rest of the Bill of Rights to guarantee civil liberties.
I believe that every South Carolinian has the right to go to the Department of Motor Vehicles and choose among dozens and dozens of license plates the one particular tag that reflects something they want to share with the rest of the world about their personality and beliefs.
Those among us who so believe may purchase a Secular Humanist plate. This is a self-described “organization of atheists, agnostics, skeptics, and other freethinkers based in Charleston, South Carolina.” (I am having a bit of difficulty in figuring out how “freethinkers” can come together on a common license plate design, which may explain why you see so few of them out on the road.)
Hopefully, within a few short days, those who so believe may also have the option to purchase an “I Believe” license plate. The working design features a large yellow cross superimposed over a depiction of a stained-glass church window and the words "I believe" appear at the bottom of the plate.
That is, unless a federal lawsuit takes away that right.
For those who say proclaiming “I believe” violates the constitution by giving preference to Christianity, I think this lawsuit clearly discriminates against persons of faith. I expect the state Attorney General to vigorously oppose this lawsuit because it is time that people stand up for their beliefs. Enough is enough.
I am proud and unrelenting in my support of the Legislature’s unanimous enactment of this plate.
Why? Because the “I believe” plate reflects core values that are meaningful to our society, promoting love, joy, and comfort in our spiritual lives, and accommodating to every citizen’s right of free exercise of any and all religions.
Not given so much publicity are the other tags that were also enacted legislatively this year and again reflect our core values. These specialty plates concern designs about veterans, including participants in Operation Desert Storm-Desert Shield/Operation Iraqi Freedom, and courageous recipients of the Silver Star and Bronze Star.
We have a process established for groups to apply for specialty license plates with the Department of Motor Vehicles. If someone wants to create an “I believe” license plate with another background, they have the ability to do so.
Check out the current choices on the DMV website, www.scdmvonline.com. You will see that there are plates for religious-affiliated universities like Bob Jones University, secular schools such as the University of South Carolina, and other groups like the Wild Turkey Federation. For the Jimmy Buffet fans, there’s a Parrot Head plate, which was also enacted legislatively, with the stipulation that any “profits” from the tag be used by the South Carolina Parrot Head Club Council to support the fine work of the South Carolina Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
With so much diversity in license plate design, and so many choices for individuals to display their values and priorities, why has this one tag design drawn such attention and criticism?
Interestingly, the people most likely to purchase an “I believe” license plate tell me that they are the ones who are aggrieved, rather than the ones who are bringing a lawsuit to deny them the right to choose an automobile tag that is witness to their core values.
Here’s what some people have told me:
• I do not understand why we cannot express (the "I Believe" tag) what a majority of our founding fathers believed in, Christianity. They certainly did not impose Christianity as a government sponsored religion that was required to be followed, but they freely expressed their personal beliefs of Christianity while being leaders of our nation. We should be allowed to have the same freedom today through a modern day method.
• I'm growing tired of the prejudice against Christians’ free speech protection. It's almost as though those who don't share our faith have more power to suppress our right to free speech simply because they don't have the faith.
Here’s what I tell people:
• Is the logic behind the “I believe” license plate any different from the logic behind those adopt-a-highway signs supplied by the state recognizing a church or Sunday School class for adopting the public highway and keeping it clean?
• Every time I have taken my oath of office as a representative, as a senator or as the Lieutenant Governor, I have done so by placing my hand on the Bible -- as does everybody who testifies in our courts, including those who may be called in the “I believe” license plates lawsuit.
• If the “I believe” lawsuit reaches the Supreme Court of the United States, the case likely will be heard in the courtroom with the stone frieze acknowledging the world’s great lawgivers, including Moses holding the plaques numbered I through X, and said to refer the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, not the Ten Commandments.
I believe that every citizen has the constitutional protections of free speech and expression. I don’t understand why witnessing for fundamental, enduring values is controversial or threatening.
PRINTABLE PDF
Lieutenant Governor André Bauer's
Task Force on Senior Fraud
“Closing SC borders to senior fraud”
A Message from
Lt. Governor André Bauer
I created the Lt. Governor’s Task Force on Senior Fraud with the goal of protecting South Carolina’s senior citizens by closing the border to those who seek to scam and defraud the elderly. Working with our friends in the General Assembly and our Task Force members, we are undertaking this endeavor to protect South Carolina’s seniors.
Magazine subscription scams, high-priced loans, the Nigerian letter scam, variations of the international lottery winner notice, and “Phishing” schemes have victimized far too many South Carolina senior citizens.
Working with members of the Lt. Governor’s Task Force on Senior Fraud, I want to help all consumers, especially our senior citizens stop scam artists before they strike. With greater public awareness of consumer fraud, more South Carolinians will be able to spot potential red flags to protect themselves and their families.
If you believe that you have been a target of a senior scam or fraud, or know of a senior citizen who has been victimized, please call the Department of Consumer Affairs at 1-800- 922-1594 or the Lt. Governor’s Office on Aging at 1-800-868-9095. It is also important that you report any and all senior crimes to your local law enforcement agency.
Andre Bauer
Lt. Governor of South Carolina
(Click on any of the images above to see that portion of his speech.)