The South Carolina Association of Taxpayers held it’s 16thAnnual Legislative Luncheon on March 7th, 2012. The luncheon is held annually to honor the legislators and organizations that have protected and served the taxpayers and citizens of South Carolina.  President Don Weaver welcomed all and dedicated the luncheon to the memory of Jim Keasler [Greenville, Vice President SCAT], who passed recently, for all of his tireless efforts on behalf of South Carolina taxpayers. Jim selflessly devoted his life to promote less spending and more accountability in S.C. government.  Jim’s wife Pat and son Colton were on hand in his honor.  Also in attendance were David James, Mark Johnson and Stephanie Hale, officers of SCAT.

Editors note: Greenville and Spartanburg County Republican Party Chairmen Betty Poe and LaDonna Riggs attended the AIPAC gathering in Washington, D.C. Riggs dispatched the following report from Washington immediately following the Netanyahu speech.

While President Obama asked Israel to wait, again, for the sanctions against Iran to fully work, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a rousing speech to AIPAC (America Israel Public Affairs Committee) saying that for “15 years he had been warning the world that Iran was a dangerous country; for 10 years the international community had tried diplomacy, and for 6 years sanctions had been used, and it has not worked.  Israel has patiently waited through diplomacy and sanctions, but it cannot afford to wait much longer.”  Then one of the best lines of the speech:  “I will never let my people live in the shadow of annihilation.”

Like the textile industry in the Upstate, threads of involvement run deep in Chris Sullivan’s family. He gathered more than 75 of his family and friends at Tommy’s Ham House to officially kick-off his campaign to replace South Carolina Senate District 6 incumbent Mike Fair. His family involvement in the political arena dates back to the early 20th century where his paternal grandfather G. Heyward Mahon was mayor of Greenville from 1903 – 09. His father Hewlett was instrumental in Bob Watkins’ campaign in ’64. Chris worked in 2000 to help break the Democratic majority and has been personally involved in the campaigns of Representatives Stringer, Chumley and Bedingfield as well as Senator Bright.

The stately room at the Poinsett Club in downtown Greenville filled quickly with a group of about 25 from the Upstate Republican Women’s Club. Phyllis Foster greeted everyone with a bright smile and her natural Southern charm.  She quickly moves the meeting to order and gives the room the latest updates to activities and interests. When she called for information from the members, Ruth Templeton gave a detailed account of her son, Larry Templeton, a US Army Officer who was injured in a rocket attack in Afghanistan; it focused the thoughts, emotions and feelings in the room sharply. Chaplain Shari Chavers’ invocation earlier led the group in a request for Larry and his recovery. Ruth praised the Army and Government for doing everything it could and being very supportive of not only Larry, but his wife and his parents, just a reminder of how ‘close to home’ a war can be.

Debbie Spaugh, President of the Greenville County Republican Women’s Club, greeted over 90 members, friends and invited guests to the Poinsett Club meeting Thursday. The beautiful ballroom was filled with excited conversations and catching up with the latest events of the Upstate and in particular the Republican primaries. Several candidates for the upcoming Senate and other office races for the June 12th Primary Election day made their way around the room, speaking to supporters and friends.

Rejects Destructive Strategies of “Sustainable Development”

The Republican National Committee unanimously passed a resolution exposing the dangers of UN Agenda 21 and the destructive sustainable development strategies. The Resolution was passed during the January 13, 2012, meeting of the RNC.

The RNC Resolution exposes the dangerous intent of UN Agenda 21 and resolves that “the U. S. Government and no state or local government is legally bound by the United Nations Agenda 21 treaty in that it has never been endorsed by the U. S. Senate.”