Not much chance of Lorenzo Ward being retained

SC's offense will have to out-muscle
 opponents. The D is non-existent. 

It will be very surprising if Lorenzo Ward, and his whole staff, are not let go at the end of the 2014 season.

It is worth mentioning because some media people are instructing fans not to blame Ward.

Brad Crawford of Saturday Down South (SDS) says: It’s obvious Ward does not have talented players.

That's difficult to buy, but even if true, It's Ward's fault there is no talent on D. He's the defensive coordinator, charged with bringing in players he can win with.

Link: Pundits think it's clever to oppose the obvious

Crawford also says: “Firing Ward comes as a massive overreaction following a single underwhelming season and would, at least temporarily, disconnect South Carolina's recruiting pipeline in the greater Atlanta area.”

The prospect of losing, and losing UGLY with the type of defense SC is playing this year will hurt recruiting more than anything, especially if players think Head Coach Steve Spurrier will do nothing to address it.

Crawford opines: “It’s a down year for the Gamecocks defensively and it won’t be fixed until South Carolina welcomes a number of potential early-impact replacements on National Signing Day in February.”

"Wait'll next year" will not work, when you have NO GOOD REASON for the nosedive THIS YEAR.

Let's be honest; pundits, and media experts, are looking for some reason to draw readers and listeners. Maybe they think that stating the obvious - FIRE WARD - is not unique enough to sound expert. So they try to be clever. Sadly you discredit yourself, in an attempt to be different. I think Spurrier is going to try to 'offense' wins for the rest of the year, with no confidence in the D. Then he can make the changes on the D staff in the off-season.

There is just not much reason to have any faith in Ward doing the job, when you consider how bad the Gamecocks' D is, without any signs it is improving with two-thirds of the season gone.

State newspaper's election blues, with glimmer of hope for Democrats

Could the GOP oust some powerful Democrats,
even in liberal-soaked strongholds?  

The State newspaper ran a story earlier this week, and then kind of buried it.

It was written by liberal reporter Cassie Cope.

The story is entitled: “Early voting numbers suggest SC Democrats face tough Tuesday”

It is an effort to give readers an idea of how Tuesday's election will come out.

In reporting that about the same number of absentee ballots have been cast as Wednesday, as were cast in 2010, The State bemoaned it: “could be bad news for S.C. Democrats.”

The State – used a high-ranking Democrat official as a source, said Democrats: “have been focusing their long-shot efforts of unseating Republican Gov. Nikki Haley and other GOP officeholders on increasing voter turnout, particularly among black voters, who form the base of the S.C. Party.”

With the early data, it does not look like the Democrat Party has been successful.

The State did express some hope and said: “South Carolina’s political underdogs still have a chance if the increased number of registered voters in the state this year — 250,000 more than four years ago — translates into more ballots cast at the polls Tuesday.”

The State then went downhill on its emotional, leftwing roller-coaster, stream-of-thought bender.

Again injecting race, it said: “Historically, the African-American base of the Democratic Party also has not turned out in midterm elections. Midterm elections draw “older and whiter voters,” an analyst said. “And that usually helps Republicans.”

However, the Democrat official said African-American voters are casting ballots more often in non-presidential elections....before the roller-coaster came to a stop.

Curtis Loftis says NO to taxes, including Lexington County Penny Tax

S.C. Treasurer Curtis Lofits may be the most-popular elected official in South Carolina. 

He said - if elected - he would attack crony politics, and he has been bold in shining the light on ethically questionable relationships in state government circles.  

Loftis lives in Lexington County where a cadre of county council tax proponents, along with a profiting consultant, are promoting a one-cent on the dollar sales tax.

It would cost tax payers in Lexington County about $40 million a year, and it runs on for eight years.

Loifits said it's time to say NO to any new taxes. Here is his letter below.

Hi,

Many local governments and special interest groups across our state have decided that now is the time to raise your taxes. I understand their arguments because I also want better roads, education, drainage, and infrastructure. However, as your State Treasurer, I have seen how all levels of government “manage and protect” your money, and the current standards are simply unacceptable.

I probably don’t live in your county, so I must respect your right to tax yourselves. However, we must have fundamental change in how our government operates. Implementing true fiscal responsibility and accountability are the first steps government can take to earn our trust.

Since the government and special interests want our money now, the time we should bargain for a “better deal" is now. Let’s say NO to new taxes and YES to meaningful transparency and accountability. Let’s say NO to back room deals with special interest and YES to high-ranking government officials being held responsible for protecting our money and delivering a quality product.

I’m going to vote NO on new taxes at the polls on Tuesday, and I encourage you to do the same.  Let’s give the government and special interests a rain check for a vote on new money until the proper measures are in place to protect our money and deliver what is promised by special interests.

Be well,

Curtis Loftis

The Hillary of SC -Jenny Sanford- comes out of the closet

Is Jenny Sanford now staying
TRUE to her Democrat roots? 

Former S.C. Republican First Lady Jenny Sanford appears in a new web campaign video for Democrat Secretary of State nominee Ginny Deerin.

The Democrat and Sanford talk about "Mark." But it is not Sanford's ex-husband, U.S. Rep. and former Gov. Mark Sanford. The two women bash Deerin's foe -- current Republican Secretary of State Mark Hammond.

Link Democrat bashes Republican with Jenny's aid!

A few days ago, petition candidate for governor and trial lawyer Tom Ervin ended speculation about whether he is a Democrat or a Republican, by backing fellow Democrat Vincent Sheheen.

The textbook, fast-and-loose-with-the-truth Ervin, had claimed to be an “Independent Republican.”

Now look at Jenny.

Jenny Sanford walked the streets, and “Hillary-ed” herself for a philandering political opportunist, who calls himself a Republican, but acts like a Democrat in heat.

It goes to show you we have a bunch of liars getting elected, posing as Republicans.

Because of that, it is imperative to not only listen to what candidates say; watch what they do.

The Sanfords have also wreaked of liberal elitist arrogance, while trying to adopt a “little-people” persona, replete with Wal-Mart dress-up apparel, as a political stunt.

And this is not Jenny's first dalliance with the left.

Jenny was warm to Democrat Elizabeth Colbert-Bush who opposed her line-crossing ex-husband for the U.S. House in SC's permissive First District.

That one could have been overlooked, considering.

But now Jenny embraces another Democrat, that the media also seems to be placing a lot of hopes on for election. There is cautious optimism by The State newspaper for a D election to a statewide office, no matter how insignificant that office is.

Bottom line: Don't elect Democrats, even if the Republican is less-than-the-best. That rule can be relaxed if it's a two-year office, and a real Republican can take the Democrat out the next go-round (which was the case in SC-1.)

But if you don't like the current Secretary of State, let him know. Straighten him out using conventional voter feedback methods. But do not give life to anything Democrat. They have done enough damage. And the more power that party is given, the more destructive and dangerous it is to the people of South Carolina.

Evidently, elitist Jenny Sanford does not care what us little people must endure. It's all about the Sanfords. In that respect, nothing has changed. 

Is Lexington County penny sales tax already a loser?

The State newspaper, in a Friday article, seems to be infuriated the Penny Tax in Lexington County is

despised by already overtaxed voters.

The title of the article is: "‘Nobody pays attention, nobody cares’ about the proposed Lexington County penny sales tax, that voters will decide on, Tuesday.

There is much grousing in The State's article, mostly by politicians and consultants , because it looks like the tax is a no-go. The people seem to be firmly, and adamantly against it. The opposition to the tax has the media in effect insulting its detractors. A supposedly insider of Republican politics – in the article - is basically calling opponents of the eight-year, could-be half-a-billion dollar tax increase, ignorant.

"Uninformed voters are commonplace in local politics, said Columbia-based consultant Luke Byars, former campaign manager for onetime U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint. In a resolutely conservative county like Lexington, “chances of a ballot question, on average, go down in defeat,” he said, according to The State.

What? “Uninformed voters” are dooming the tax increase?

That may be what big-government insiders want to believe, but the opposition to the extra $40 million tax-a-year may be the most-informed. And the opponents of the tax are at least straight-forward and honest in their opposition.

The tax pushers certainly are informed, but are they honest? Do they just want more money to slush-fund, and spend to make themselves look good? Some bigtime donors to the well-orchestrated pro-tax campaign have been kept secret. Lexington County Council, that has a legal obligation to remain neutral on the tax, spent more than $450,000 to hire Ace Consulting Engineers to more or less promote the tax increase. And Ace Consulting Engineers stands to make millions and millions from the projects financed by the tax.
One self-called Republican council member, if not two, lost his council seat because of favoring more taxes.  

At any rate, The State seems to be conceding the loss of the tax increase with the article Friday. Let's hope that is accurate.

In a down economy, when bad and over-taxing government is to blame, it is not a good time to tell people they need to give government insiders even more money. Don't blame the people because they will not give government more money to pay for projects that would have been done, if government were not so wasteful.

Pro-taxpayers group in Lexington County publishes a radio spot

Pro-taxpayers groups in Lexington County have published a radio spot.

The commercial explains why the extra one-cent sales tax added to every dollar spent, is not a good idea. 

Link Pro-taxpayer commercial

One projection estimates that the new tax will cost the average Lexington County family another $530 in taxes a year. Many of the funds taken by government will go to pet projects, as the commercial explains.

Some well-heeled backers are pushing tax. Including many on the Lexington County Council who call themselves Republicans. 

 

Tennessee is a BIG game for the Gamecocks

The Vols visit the Gamecocks under the lights at
Williams-Brice Saturday.

South Carolina (4-4) hosts Tennessee (3-5) Saturday night in a game that will go toward deciding if the Gamecocks can salvage what has been a disaster of a season.

Gamecock Head Coach Steve Spurrier changed his play style last week against Auburn. Spurrier, who has never liked punting, made sure – by converting on fourth-down - he kept his offense on the field as much as possible. By doing that, he kept the Gamecock's woefully inept defense off the field as much as possible.

It did not work for a win against Top 5 Auburn, but maybe it will work versus Tennessee, in Columbia.

If SC can defeat Tennessee, the Gamecocks get a week off before traveling to Florida. Suppose South Carolina beats the Vols, with a new urgency-based offense.

A win would go a long way toward bringing some semblance of confidence back to a team that has had its image shattered with lead-losing losses to an inferior Missouri team and at Kentucky.

A score-happy offense and a win over the once-proud Volunteers could be exactly what the doctor ordered.

After Tennessee and the trip to Florida, the Gamecocks play South Alabama at home. Then there is the season finale at Clemson.

At this point, South Carolina fans would be pleased to end with seven wins.

Three weeks ago, a bowl trip did not seem likely. But with a win over Tennessee, bowl qualification looks a lot more possible.

The goals are not as lofty as pre-season hopes, but Saturday, versus Tennessee, the Gamecocks have a lot to play for. For the loyalists, it's a bigtime atmosphere, in a big SEC game.

South Carolina versus Tennessee will hold all the drama that playing in the SEC brings. Be ready to enjoy it. It's a game with a lot of implications.  

Graham should support ALL Americans, including white men

Be proud of who you are Lindsey
Graham. Without successful white men,
there would be a lot less with which to feed the
special interest groups who prop up Democrats.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham got-got. It seems secretly recorded conversations, or revelations, have a

way of surfacing against Republicans a few days before every major election. Remember the ancient George W. Bush DUI expose that almost damned America to four years of AlGore?

Then there was the “47-percenter” comment by Mitt Romney that was leaked presumably by former Democrat Jimmy Carter's grandson. Considering Barack Obama has surpassed Carter as the worst president of modern times, it's no wonder Carter's grand-boy wanted to get Obama re-elected.

Anyway, it was released Wednesday, that Graham said: “I’m trying to help you with your tax status.” Graham also said: “If I get to be president, white men who are in male-only clubs are going to do great in my presidency.”

Graham should embrace his words and expound on them. He should say, I will not use the IRS to target any American. I will be against the over-taxation of ALL Americans. If you are white, and male, you are not my enemy, you are my brother. You are my fellow American, and I want you to succeed and prosper.

Graham could also say: I want the young man who looks like Barack Obama's would-be son to prosper too. I want to break off the chains of miserable government regulation and over-txation, and fly.

It's about time the politicians we elect quit being ashamed of us if we do not fit into a liberal special interest voting block.

For years Republicans line up to say what they will hand-out to the underprivileged.

Those calling themselves Conservative will sometimes support Affirmative-Action in hopes of being included among those liked by the media and the leftist hate squads.

It never works. We give more freebies to leftwing special interest groups each year. The Democrat voters identify by race, gender and class. Yet Democrats may hate non-liberal whites more than they ever have. The same goes for the race-gender-class hate opportunists. The polarization by race, gender and class is as bad now, as it has ever been.

Pandering to those who flourish when Americans are divided does a Republican no good. Graham should embrace, without apology, his pledge to be good to the people who elect him. He would also be smart to tell those who oppose him, to look at successful men, white and back, and model them.

It is no time to be ashamed if you have worked hard and succeeded. I'd be much more ashamed of a man who used shortcuts to gain the highest office in the world, and then used it to attack the people he was sworn to govern.  

Leftist media stalking the Red Cross?

Why is the leftist media going after
the Red Cross? 

There is a story in The State newspaper, Wednesday, attacking the Red Cross.

It's from liberal National Public Radio and claims the Red Cross diverted assets for public relations purposes after 2012's Hurricanes Sandy and Isaac.

Remember that was right before the re-election of Barack Obama. He got all of the credit – using an unwitting NJ Gov. Chris Christie - for fixing the upper East Coast after those storms. The same media that vilified President George W. Bush because New Orleans, and its corrupt government, bumbled its defense of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Now NPR is bashing the Red Cross. NPR says: “The Red Cross botched key elements of its mission after 2012's Hurricane Sandy and Isaac, leaving behind a trail of unmet needs and acrimony.”

The media never told us of unmet needs and acrimony after Obama visited. We were told all was well. But now it's the Red Cross' fault? Or does Obama need a scapegoat? 

The story was filed by ProPublica and NPR.

ProPublica was founded by establishment journalists, one from the New York Times. It claims to produce “journalism that shines a light on exploitation of the weak by the strong and on the failures of those with power to vindicate the trust placed in them.”

The Red Cross is the STRONG exploiting the Weak? I'm sure ProPublica, along with NPR is much more of a bully than the Red Cross. And it's more likely the Red Cross has been busy saving lives, while ProPublica staff, with leftists from NPR, sipped Manhattans in Manhattan (ProPublica's home office.)

Also, the same The State newspaper going after the Red Cross today, reported on July 28, that the “Red Cross Central South Carolina Chapter has cut ties after an 89-year relationship with the United Way of the Midlands.”
Link: Is United Way a leftwing political operation?

The break begs the question: Is the Red Cross not liberal enough for a United Way that moves more leftward and political each day?

Now NPR is attacking the Red Cross. You can bet there is more to it than exposing mis-management. When the media works to coordinate coverage like this, someone at the Red Cross has either been bold about the Cross, or not liberal enough in its identity.

Liberals will politicize anything and everything. So if you give to the United Way, but not to the Red Cross, it may be time to switch allegiance. Because it is doubtful the attack on the Red Cross is justified or pure in its motives.  

We have no option but to STOP Democrat voter fraud

Votes being changed from Republican to Democrat in Chicago. Offensive leftwing La Raza offering

rides to polls that require no ID to vote. Stacks of mail-in ballots favoring an Obama-Democrat in North Carolina.

Republicans MUST pursue and prosecute voter fraud. Challenge it in court. Looking the other way, in fear of the media and Democrats, is NOT an option.

Democrats will steal the country we built, and turn it into a third-world ghetto in their image.

That's not what responsible, accountable Americans should want to leave for their children. It's not what was left by the generations before us.

We owe future generations protection from these dysfunctional and bad people.

It's not a question of being afraid of being labeled by the left and the media. We have to fly in the face of the name-calling and abuse.

Be it a Republican attorney general in a state where Democrats are cheating or a U.S. Representative, we must demand that these fraudulent voters, regardless of race, gender or creed, be outed and stopped.

If we give them too many more elections based on fraud, we will not have the opportunity to uphold the law, and protect justice.

It's time to defend the integrity of the vote in America. It's too valuable to give away to dangerous forces of greed and corruption.

Must Gamecock offense score every time to beat Tennessee?

Score every time you have the ball. That is what it looked like Gamecock Head Football Coach Steve

Versus, Kentucky, just like Auburn,
the SC defense was hopeless. 

Spurrier had in mind in last Saturday's 45-38 loss to Auburn.

Relinquishing the football was not an option for the Gamecock offense, and it almost worked.

In a game that was expected to be a blow-out of South Carolina, Spurrier tried something different. Spurrier's game plan, to keep his offense on the field no matter what, excited fans, and made the defense irrelevant. It even gave the Gamecocks a chance to win, despite the defense’s totally inability to stop the Tigers.

Because of the result against Auburn, expect to see more. Spurrier will do whatever he can to keep the offense on the field and score. There will be no sitting on a lead. There will be hardly any punts on fourth down. Expect multiple fourth-down tries in each game. There will likely be more on-side kicks to gain an extra possession.

The Gamecocks cannot afford to abandon a drive because there is no assurance the defense can stop any opponent, even once, from anywhere on the field. The Gamecocks must score every time, and hope for a turnover to get an extra possession of two.

With the new urgency on offense, it seems Spurrier has accepted the fact that the Gamecocks may as well not have a defense on the field.

Most Gamecock fans knew the SC defense had no chance of stopping Auburn. But with the knowledge that Spurrier had no confidence in the D, and was trying to outscore his opponent, there was a chance to win the game.

With the insistence communicated to the Gamecock offense, scoring is the only answer, expect a renewed effort from the players. It was evident versus Auburn.

Living under the illusion that the offense could hand the defense a lead to protect late in the game cost the Gamecocks two much-needed wins.

After being burned, don't expect Spurrier, or the offense, to expect anything from the defense.

The offense playing like punting, or giving the ball back without a TD, is not an option, will invigorate it.

It will also give SC fans some hope that a couple or three more wins are possible.

Without Spurrier's new determination and new approach, the season was over. Now there may be a reason to watch the Gamecocks for the rest of the season.  

WVOC fires anti-Gamecock radio commentators - Teddy Heffner and Carey Rich

Heffner prided himself on his
hostility for the Gamecocks.
It finally caught up with him.
Many true Gamecock fans
will not be disappointed he is
off the air.  

Teddy Heffner and Carey Rich have been fired as radio hosts on local sports radio station 560 The

Team.

Heffner was cut from “Talking Sports,” and Rich was the host of “The Locker Room,” which followed Heffner’s show at 10 a.m.

While there is no delight in the loss of employment, especially in the current horrible job market, these guys were very bad radio hosts.

Heffner prided himself as an attack dog against the University of South Carolina football program. He often made snide remarks and took cheap shots at Head Coach Steve Spurrier.

He made some unforgettable -and gratuitously negative -comments regarding Jadaveon Clowney, the Gamecocks' defensive star who was chosen as the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft last year.
Hefner also used praise of Clemson football to provoke Gamecock fans, until many just stopped listening to his dog-and-pony show. Like many local sports "experts" Heffner seemed to have trouble with the growing stature of the Gamecock program brought on by Spurrier.   Any Gamecock fan would be hard pressed to keep listening to Heffner after a few mornings of his constant mocking of the program, and its leaders.

Rich was almost as bad, and even more immature in his delivery. Rich thought he could be unique by opposing USC football, with a Devil's advocate approach. He constantly held up Clemson as a better football program than SC's, and prodded or ridiculed Gamecock fans who disagreed with him.

Rich, a former Gamecock hoops player, was also constantly presenting himself as an insider regarding USC basketball. He promised fans that current USC Coach Frank Martin would be a big winner at USC. But those wins have yet to materialize, despite Rich's expert-based assurances

The problem is that Columbia has way too many talent-less sports media people who think they can draw attention by bashing the local team. Rich's approach was unprofessional and trite.

On top of that, Rich had thin skin. On at least one occasion he challenged a disagreeing caller and  sounded as if he wanted to physically fight with him.

Hopefully these two former hosts will get into employment more suited for them. But their departure is not a loss for Columbia sports radio.

SC third-best state in which to do business, survey says

Area Development published its fifth annual Top States for Doing Business survey of site

Amazon had to fight anti-job liberals, but
has hired more than 3.000 in SC, with more
jobs on the way. 

consultants, ranking the states.

Business Environment, Labor Climate, Infrastructure and Global Access are some of the factors considered. All but two states rated in the Top 10 best, are in the South. 

Link: South Carolina a top state for business

TOP STATES FOR DOING BUSINESS 2014

1.GEORGIA

2.TEXAS

3.SOUTH CAROLINA

4.ALABAMA

5.TENNESSEE

6.LOUISIANA

7.INDIANA

8.NORTH CAROLINA

9.OHIO

10.MISSISSIPPI

No. 3. South Carolina

The Palmetto State long has been held in high regard by the economic development community, but South Carolina picked up two huge new testimonials this year from a couple of the biggest names in global manufacturing. BMW and Boeing each announced crucial new and expanded roles for their South Carolina operations.

The companies could cite South Carolina advantages such as its low overall cost of doing business (site consultants ranked the state No. 1 in this regard). The state was also given especially high marks for its incentive programs, cooperative state government, and certified sites/shovel-readiness in the Area Development survey. Site consultants ranked South Carolina No. 2 for all three of the aforementioned factors.

Probably the most consistent advantage of South Carolina is the quality of its workforce. South Carolina is a right-to-work state with a low unionization rate of 3.3 percent overall, and — at 1.3 percent — the lowest unionization rate in the United States for the private sector.

The state’s ReadySC workforce-training system includes recruiting, screening, training, and other aspects of workforce preparation. ReadySC, for example, committed to help Boeing hire 3,600 people over the next several years. And that was even before Boeing committed to producing the new stretch version of the Dreamliner at its plant in North Charleston, S.C., which will become the first Boeing jetliner model to be built solely in a nonunion factory.

Meanwhile, BMW said it would expand its plant in Spartanburg County with a $1 billion investment that will create 800 new jobs and make the facility the biggest exporter of autos anywhere in the United States.

Democrat Tom Ervin, out of the closet, endorses fellow trial lawyer Sheheen

Ervin has shown himself to be angry and
bitter toward Haley, SC's first female
governor. Maybe Sheheen's W-word
slur  drew  Ervin to endorse Sheheen

Democrat-based gubernatorial candidate, and trial lawyer, Tom Ervin has endorsed Democrat Vincent Sheheen. Ervin has suspended his 2014 campaign for South Carolina governor.

If you are surprised Ervin came out of the Demcorat closet, you're not very observant. And you must ask: was Sheheen's W-word slur against Haley enough to attract the angry and embittered would-be Democrat's affection? 

Ervin, who calls himself an Independent Republican, just proved himself a liar. And the Democrat brand is in the toilet currently, mostly because of the lies the Democrats have fed the American people. Remember Hope and Change? It's turned to “Mope and Pain” under Democrat Barack Obama.

Ervin said: “My campaign for governor was based on two core principles – one that we deserve a governor we can trust, and two that the challenges facing South Carolina are bigger than political parties and partisan politics.”

Ervin spent more than $4 million of money hoarded as a criminal defense attorney. Sheheen, also a trial lawyer, has been accused of protecting child molesters. No word on what type of “clients” Ervin represents.

Ervin did not even poll at 4 percent for his $4 million.

In other states (see Virginia) stealth campaigns for closeted Democrats, as a third party, have skimmed enough votes from the GOP, to put otherwise unfit Democrats in office. That is likely what Ervin was up to. Thank goodness the people of South Carolina are too smart for that. 

Anti-GOP attack dog calls Haley a B!t*h - Democrats attacking women

Now which party HATES women?

In a Tuesday commentary, seemingly endorsing Liberal-Tarian Steve French for governor, FITS News said: South Carolina’s got 99 problems … but in our case a bitch is one,” FITS said, referring to SC Gov. Nikki Haley.

“Errrr … sorry. We garbled our words there. “You people” must have misheard that.” the FITS attack of Haley continued, in reference to Democrat gubernatorial candidate Vincent Sheheen using the word “whore” while talking about Haley.

Link : Political operative calls Haley B!t*h

FITS went on: “Actually South Carolina’s got way more than 99 problems … but its biggest problem is that none of its leaders (least of all the “bitch”) are fixing the problems, they’re just trying to make themselves richer or more powerful by perpetuating them.”

No doubt FITS is trying to get attention to the less-and-less relevant blog. The people who read the Columbia-based gossip pages are mostly leftwingers who are so consumed with hatred, rational thinking or civility are not a strength. But according to FITS reports, it is one of the top political news sites in the state.

FITS, who has been arrested for violence toward a female, has been tied to petition candidate for US Senate and convicted drug felon Thomas Ravenel. Ravenel is being investigated for violence against a woman. FITS also rose to fame in a government job for philandering former Gov. Mark Sanford, who has faced charges of out-of-control anger by his ex-wife.

Tom Ervin, another more-left-than-right petition candidate, has aired a commercial that depicts an attempt to bully Haley, chasing her into an elevator to get away from an overly- aggressive questioner. Ervin is another favorite of FITS News.

With so many left-leaning operatives bashing females, is it possible voters will see from where the true War on Women comes?  

South Carolina political debates don't really matter this year

Henry McMaster won the Lt. Gov.
debate over Bakari Sellers before it began.
McMaster does not have a "D"  by his name.
That is a big advantage in 2014.  

Candidates in South Carolina's Lieutenant Governor race debated, Monday night.

Henry McMaster and Bakari Sellers' chat about issues was a yawner. 

The state's gubernatorial debates have been boring, as have the U.S. Senate debates.

Things have changed. In 2012, the presidential debates were a source of great interest. There was national hope, excitement and anticipation after the pundits credited Republican Mitt Romney with obliterating President Barack Obama in one of the debates.

Romney, reacting to the post-debate polls, thought he had won the White House. So in the next debate, Obama just started saying what he wanted to be true and Romney never challenged him. The moderator in one debate (Candy Crowley of CNN) even jumped in to protect some of  Obama's face-saving claims.

Obama regained his footing, and kept his voters believing in him despite his failures. Obama, sadly for the country, gained improbable reelection.

But this year there is no debate. Democrats can tell you what they stand for or what they will do. They can bash and ridicule Republicans with all the stereotypes, bigotry and hate of their mythology.

No matter what is said, it does not mater. The Democrats have had six years of Democrat leadership to show who, and what, they are. People know them and what they do.

As under-employed Americans struggle to pay high energy costs, or buy exorbitantly-priced food for their children, Democrats want to put a tax on the air we breathe.

As mothers fear for the public health of their kids, Obama is importing mystery viruses with illegals and he assures us Ebola is nothing to worry about.

The country is in a state of malaise or hopelessness. 

While Democrat candidates in South Carolina will not mention Obama’s name, he is present. Every voter in the state knows what Obama represents and what the Democrat Party has done to our country. So to debate, or argue about it, is futile.

Even if you don't like the GOP, people know they cannot afford to elect Democrats.  

And that is a good thing, because maybe there is a hero out there, ready to lead like an American and heal this tortured country. We can at least have hope. 

Liberal-Tarian Ravenel mad at Baby's Mama, ends campaign?

Ravenel's mug shot from
an arrest on a cocaine charge 

Petition U.S. Senate Thomas Ravenel has broken up with his baby's mama Kathryn Dennis. He also seems to be conceding his laughable Senate campaign .  

The self-absorbed, silver-spoon Liberal-Tarian announced Sunday on Facebook that he broke up with Dennis, his girlfriend and the mother of his infant daughter Kensington

The Charleston Police Department (CPD) is investigating assault allegations against Ravenel involving Dennis' friend and stylist, Lauren Moser.

Ravenel whines that Dennis could have provided him with an alibi and gotten him off for the assault charges. But, Ravenel complained, that Dennis would not leave the shoot for the reality show, "Southern Charm." 

Looks like she is just as self-absorbed and addicted to attention, as he is.

"The temptation of missing film time was a more a important value to her," Ravenel wrote in a Facebook post that was removed later Sunday. "So telling. Our relationship is over."

In an assault allegation filed with the CPD, Moser told police she and Dennis were sitting outside at a Charleston home on Oct. 17 when Ravenel joined them holding his daughter and screamed at Dennis about taking care of the baby, according to the police report. Moser said Ravenel then “slipped and fell into the pool with the baby” and handed her to Kathryn. Moser said she followed Ravenel into the house, who closed the door on her twice, striking her knee and arm, the report said.

Part of Ravenel's FB post: “$900k of my campaign money down the drain. The investigators even told me that if she would have come and corroborated the accuser's story I would be cleared. The temptation of missing film time was a more a important value to her. So telling. Our relationship is over.”

Ravenel, who was forced out as state treasurer on a cocaine charge in 2007, is trying to help skim enough GOP voters from Sen. Lindsey Graham to elect Democrat Brad Hutto, in a year in which Democrat has become a dirty word.

If he is saying he lost $900K, does it mean his bid to elect Hutto is over?   

Gamecocks' Spurrier will survive disaster season

South Carolina should have been demolished Saturday night at No. 4 Auburn.

Spurrier still has his head in the game.
Has he adjusted to a weak defense?
Maybe the Gamecocks can steal a
couple wins with offense only. 

Instead Auburn had to play an almost-perfect game on offense, and step up big on defense to beat the Gamecocks 42-35.

Carolina did not lay down or quit. The team came with pride, ready yo play.

South Carolina 's offense scored enough to win easily. It was the Gamecocks' defense that might as well not even been on the field. Auburn scored like it was sandlot football. The Gamecock defense looked lost, soft and uninspired.

But the game, that was a blowout on paper, was close because Spurrier had his offense ready to play. He gave his team a chance to win the game as a 17.5-point underdog to a team that had only lost on the road to No. 1 Mississippi State.

The impressive offensive showing should tell Gamecocks' fans to hold on. Help is on the way. It's possible South Carolina can win a couple games with its offense. Maybe a future opponent will make a couple costly mistakes, and at least put the Gamecocks in a position to get two or three more wins, and qualify for a bowl game. A good coach takes what he has and makes the best of it. That's how he attracts better players.

If Spurrier can exceed expectations for the next four games, maybe the Gamecocks have a chance to salvage something positive from a disastrous 2014 season.

If you look at Kentucky or Vanderbilt it is evidence that coaching changes make a lot of difference.

And coaching changes among assistants can be just as dramatic.

Give the Gamecocks time to correct past mistakes, get SEC-level talent on its defensive coaching staff and the program can move right back up to where it was.

It is obvious the Head Ball Coach still knows what he is doing. And he is not ready to leave the game he loves. For that, Gamecock fans should be ecstatic.  

Auburn is a football program that is difficult to like

Cam Newton was kicked out of Florida. Was it cheating or stealing; who knows?

Was Gene Chizik's best
 attribute to look the other way
as Auburn did what it took
to win? 

Newton surfaced at Auburn, where a the Tigers had just hired a coach from a losing program.

Later a claim was revealed that Cam Newton's services were being offered to the highest, or most-attractive, bidder. But for some reason those revelations never seemed to catch up to Newton or Auburn.

The losing coach at Auburn rode Newton to a national championship. Not long after Auburn's Head Coach was fired. Newton switched over to getting paid by the NFL, and Gene Chizik was found to be a one-trick pony. And was his trick to look the other way so Auburn could use a gifted- yet scandal-marred - player to ascend to the top?

In 2013, Auburn was not supposed to be very good. Instead the Tigers dodged bullets, found a couple miracles, and ended up in the National Championship again.

There are programs that labor for years, building, doing things honestly and the right way. Yet Auburn through a couple of flukes, gets a shortcut. That is not something that is good for college football.

Sadly, the fluke that won the Alabama game for Auburn, and Tennessee upsetting South Carolina, gave Auburn an easy SEC-Title game versus Missouri.

The result was not having the SEC's best team playing Florida State for the 2013 national title.

Unfortunately, that's how the system is set up. In 2014, with a playoff, Auburn would not sniff the title game. Lucky for Auburn there was no extra level of earning your slot.

As it ended up, Auburn lost to the Seminoles, a team Bama would have beaten by double-digits.

When Auburn's luck finally ran out, versus FSU, the Tigers had relinquished the SEC's hold on national titles to the ACC, of all conferences.

There are many reasons not to like Auburn. It is a program that seems to have a lot of off-field incidents, AFTER football season, but not a lot of attention from NCAA investigators.

It is a university that is off the beaten path that seems to keep a low profile where ethics are concerned, but get bolted into the limelight by good fortune, not merit.

At the end of today, expect Auburn to demolish South Carolina. But maybe the Gamecocks can muster some “luck” and Auburn can begin to pay back some of the karma the Tigers deserve from college football.

Do Democrats, Sheheen and their supporters lack respect for women?

Sheheen uses women in his campaign ads.
Do they approve of his characterization of
Nikki Haley, SC's first female governor?  

Remember former Missouri US Rep. Todd Akin who was crucified because the tried to make a distinction

between false rape claims, and true cases of the crime in 2012.

The mistake ended Akin's chances in a US Senate race. The media ripped him apart. It was proof, in their eyes, that the GOP hated women. It solidified their claim Republicans have declared a WAR ON WOMEN.

LINK: Democrat Sheheen uses slur against Haley

Fast-forward to 2014. Live by the Clam, die by the claim.

Well it seems the Democrats are leaving of trail of true anti-women sentiment this year.

Thursday night, S.C. Sen.Vincent Sheheen (Democrat) in comments made in Florence appears bungle his speech and call Gov. Nikki Haley a “whore.”

While it seems like a slip of the tongue Sheheen laughs and mocks Haley after he said it, and says you “got to tell the truth” as his supporters become excited and laugh too.

Sheheen was exalting US Rep. Jim Clyburn when he called Haley the name. Sheheen has been reluctant to tie himself to any Democrat in federal office in the 2014 campaign.

Lauding Clyburn may be as harmful as attacking Haley with a dirty name, as federal Democrats are seen as the root of a nation in a state of chaos.

Also, the anti-Haley, pro-Democrat website FITS News was giddy over the characterization and ran the headline: Did Vincent Sheheen Just Call Nikki Haley A Whore?

FITS a Website known for its crudity, and filthy language toward women, called the slur “accurate.”

FITS is also associated with the campaign of Thomas Ravenel, who is being investigated for physical assault against a woman. FITS' founder was arrested when he was a member of Gov. Mark Sanford's staff for assaulting a woman.

The name-calling comes as news surfaces of women withdrawing support for Democrat candidates because they don't trust them. Under the Obama Administration border control, Ebola fears and immigration concerns have plagued the nation. And the poor Obama economy has taken its toll on women, and all Americans, since he was elected.

Not that Sheheen had much of a chance, but did he hit Haley because he wanted attention?

Regardless, it cannot help the already downward spiraling Democrat Party.

Bobby Harrell episode was a media jubilee, ends in a yawn

Harrell episode ends
with a whimper. 

Today, SC. Rep. Bobby Harrell, a former Republican speaker of the House, pleaded guilty to six

counts of use of campaign funds for personal expenses. He has agreed to resign immediately from his House seat.

The truth is this is a very minor offense. It is a boring crime. And it's not worth all the fanfare behind it, except for the position Harrell fell from.

In a plea hearing at the Richland County courthouse, Harrell was given six one-year prison sentences, but all were suspended by circuit court Judge Casey Manning. The sentence fit the alleged crime.

The media had been all over this. But now it's over. It ended with a whimper, not a bang. Harrell did not apologize and said it was the stress on his family that compelled him to finally plead guilty to get it over with.

So another powerful Republican goes down. The last time it was Lt. Gov. Ken Ard.

Ard also was busted for spending money in a way government regulations demanded he not.

It's over for Harrell for now. But he did agree to testify about others. That is a service to the people, if elected officials or administrators are breaking the law.

In the end there was no taking of bribes, blackmailing or even sexual harassment as took place with Democrat hero Bill Clinton.

The opponents got their pound of flesh. Maybe they will shut up. Or even better can we start to hold ALL political officials accountable for the damage they cause, rights they violate, and the laws they break? Would the Obama Administration like justice to be served upon it, like it was Harrell?  

Ravenel, FITS examples of dangerous Liberal-Tarians

Convicted Liberal-Tarian Tommy Ravenel
could be in trouble with the law again. 

Thomas Ravenel, a petition candidate for the U.S. Senate seat in S.C. has been accused of physically assaulting his 21-year-old girlfriend’s hair stylist.

Lauren Moser – is a hairstylist to Ravenel's Baby's Mama, Kathryn Dennis.

Ravenel allegedly slammed a door and "the door struck the victim on the inside of the right arm.... The victim stated that the door hit her so hard it caused her to topple backwards down three steps and into some bushes."

Ravenel is also said to have fallen into a pool with his seven-month-old baby during the substance-related, domestic dispute. (DSS anyone?) 

Is anyone surprised that this man lives like this? He has been convicted on a felony drug charged and served prison time, despite being raised with the silver-spoon treatment. 

Ravenel is the epitome of a Liberal-tarian. 

Liberal-tarians are selfish enough to covet the fruits of Conservatism, because Conservative practices lead to success and prosperity. But unlike Conservatives,  Liberal-tarians are decadent and so self-serving, they shun any discipline and feel they are entitled to do as they please, with no accountability.

It is a growing disease of many post baby-boom brats who have had much handed to them by fawning parents. The founder of FITS News - former aide to Liberal-tarian Mark Sanford - is also Ravenel's campaign consultant. FITS NEWS is a sometimes-sleazy, gossip website. It's founder is a RonPaul disciple and ignorant of the value of role-model responsibility. He had his own brush with the law as a Sanford hire, because of a lack of control. 

These Liberal-tarians are, in FITS' case, married with children.  But they promote dope smoking, hedonism, degradation of women dull enough to allow it, and extra rights based on homosexual habits. 

The true danger is that these people can sometimes bleed away enough votes from more Conservative candidates, so that an otherwise rejected Democrat can sneak into office. It happened in the Virginia governor's race in 2013.  

Ravenel - this year -is trying to elect a Democrat in the U.S. Senate, as is FITS. So is Tom Ervin, in the SC governor's race. 

Thankfully, it's not working in South Carolina. 

Another peril from Liberal-tarians is that some Republicans are attracted to the "liberty" claims embraced by the Liberal-Tarians. 

Liberal-tarians talk a big talk against corporate welfare and opposition to tax breaks for large job-providers, including Boeing and Amazon in SC. It's a legitimate argument, but the problem is these anti-job Liberal-tarians have done nothing to stop WELFARE-WELFARE. They bash Republicans, but are cozy with liberals. 

In fact, by indirectly resulting in more liberal power-barons, Liberal-tarians are responsible for more hand-out programs, entitlements and special treatment based on the monetizing of victimization.

While Liberal-tarians may hold some allure for the independent, it's fool's gold. They are as big a liar about their true intentions as the Democrats are. 

You cannot run a country based on the childish and irresponsible ideology of Liberal-tarianism. Just look at Thomas Ravenel, and it's easy to see what we DON'T need. 

Feminist icon bashes Beyonce over pop culture and slutty role model

Feminist Annie Lennox, former member of the Eurythmics, is criticizing media-worshiped icon and

Obama White House guest Beyonce. Beyonce is a pop culture music star.

Annie Lennon was a liberal,
feminist goddess in the 1980s.

The androgynous Lennox, once considered a doyenne of feminism, now has children and is figuring out just how damaging liberal pop culture and Democrat polarization-politics have been to women. Of course she does not describe it that way, but she is beginning to understand what liberals like her have done to Western culture.

Still ultra-liberal, Lennox, now a mother, is
complaining about the rot liberalism is to culture. 

Link: Interview in Billboard magazine

Lennox said modern music put out by women is over-sexualized. 

Lennox said in an NPR interview: “The reason why I've commented is because I think that this overt sexuality thrust -- literally -- at particular audiences, when very often performers have a very, very young audience.....I find it disturbing and I think its exploitative. It's troubling. I'm coming from a perspective of a woman that's had children.”

Lennox said "Listen, twerking is not feminism. That's what I'm referring to. It's not -- it's not liberating, it's not empowering. It's a sexual thing that you're doing on a stage; it doesn't empower you."

Are women duped by the Democrat Party?

What Lennon left out: the Democrat Party has duped their female voters into believing being a slut is empowering. When all it really is, is creating low self-esteem, dis-respecting yourself and damning yourself to self-hatred. Same with abortion. A woman is no good to a man after she gets pregnant, in accordance with much of feminist, and liberal, doctrine. 

A man knocks up a woman, then kicks her out of bed to go get herself fixed, so she can come back to be his play-toy, some more.

All irresponsible pleasure for him and heavy baggage for her.

Any man who loves a woman, as in your mother, sister, wife or daughter, should be sickened by what feminism, and liberals, have done to women.

What's amazing is that so many women have fallen for this farce. As feminism has grown, the number of women with depression problems and prescription drug issues has grown exponentially.

And with the growth of a multitude of social issues, a couple of generations of children are growing up with only the mother doing the hard work to raise them. And on top of that, the role models too many women follow to “empower” themselves has done nothing but damaged the strength, dignity and unique feminine and beautiful quality of the woman.  

Government conveniently claims hottest year, do you believe them?

“Earth is on pace to tie or even break the mark for the hottest year on record, federal meteorologists

say.” That's what the the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced Monday.

But do you believe anything the government tells you? We're told millions of jobs have been created since 2008, yet Americans are suffering with deficient incomes and a lack of hope and prosperity.

The government claims just don't match the reality people see on a daily basis.

The same goes for inflation. We're told by government statisticians that we have no inflation, but take one step into a grocery store and experience severe sticker shock at the high, and climbing, price of groceries.

Along with Monday's AP story about the high temperatures, AP “Science” Writer Seth Borenstein quoted an expert.

"This is one of many indicators that climate change has not stopped and that it continues to be one of the most important issues facing humanity," said University of Illinois climate scientist Donald Wuebbles.

I wonder if Wuebbles was at East Anglia University when it was busted in 2009, for presenting fraudulent data, trying to support a bogus case for Global Warming?

Getting caught in a lie has not deterred Global Warming zealots. They have changed the name from global warming to “climate change" but still peddle political propaganda as science. Their methods have changed.

Global warming alarmists used to make bold predictions and sit around with egg on their faces when the dire warnings proved only to be ignorance-based hysteria.

America now has a presidential administration that invents science, gets the media to promote it as  reality, in hopes of taxing Americans to pay for government-based solutions.

Even if the “Global Warming” claims were true, there is not anything humans can do to prevent it.

But sadly, under President Barack Obama, there has been a major assault on the truth in order to feed political greed and maintain power.

This country needs to purge itself of all of the liars, charlatans and greedy political opportunists who are running it.

Hopefully we can. If we don't, we won't have to worry about climate change destroying us. Our government will finish the job before the sun can.  

Man gets third life sentence for killing child molester in jail

 John Michael New
strangles child molester. 

Ricky Cooper, of Graniteville, was serving time, in 2011, for sexually assaulting minors. 

He was charged in June 2007 with eight counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and 10 counts of committing lewd acts on a minor. 

He pleaded guilty in March 2009 to two counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

On Nov. 25, 2011, John Michael New choked Cooper, who was his cellmate, to death. He then mutilated his body, according to a press release last week from Eleventh Circuit Solicitor Donnie Myers of Lexington.

It's that what is meant when we hear fellow inmates are hard on child abusers? 

Myers called the murder “a particularly gruesome one. The manner of death, mutilation, and the condition of Cooper’s body were absolutely horrific.” Myers said.

For killing Cooper, New was condemned to a third life sentence.

New was a S.C. Department of Corrections inmate at the time he murdered Cooper. He was serving two life sentences for “Taking Hostage by Inmates.”  That incident occurred at Lee Correctional Institute in Bishopville in 1999.

New had nothing to lose for offing the child molester.

Circuit Judge Howard King sentenced New. New confessed to SLED agents that he killed Cooper by strangling him.  

SC media whines over campaign fiance, after Democrat attacks fail

In 2008, members of the Democrat
hate group New Black Panthers
wielded clubs, and intimidated white
voters. Obama's "Justice" Department
dropped the case over political kinship.  

The Sunday Charleston Post and Courier headline reads: Donors use loophole to pour money into governor's race

The story is complaining about a campaign finance loophole that allows contributions – the media does not like- to the S.C. governor's race.

The State newspaper is also using campaign financing methods  to attack Republicans. 

There is an adage among trail lawyers that instructs: if the evidence is (or facts are) not on your side, argue about the process.

Bill Clinton did that after the infamous “Blue Dress” surfaced. He knew he was busted, so his defenders began to savage prosecutor Ken Starr and complain about the money it cost to prosecute such a minimal crime, like perjury in a sexual harassment case. Remember the “Vast Right Wing Conspiracy?”

The media - with no tricks left-  is now attacking the process. 

With Gov. Nikki Haley polling in the double-digits ahead of Democrat Vincent Sheheen, the media is beginning to run out of ploys. Sheheen cannot attach to the Democrat Party, because of the mess it has made nationally. Other attacks of Haley have failed, and looked amateur. So now the media, and the Democrats, are left to whimper over campaign finance. A mainstay of the left because they can claim it puts the rich in control of elections. But they never seem to have a problem with big-money donors to the Democrat Party.

And the media does not care that Democrat hate groups, like the New Black Panthers, intimidate voters at precincts, and get away wit it. Only when they see it helping the GOP, is any law or rule, attacked.

The media may as well quit whining.

Tom Ervin, a sleazy trial lawyer and petition candidate for governor, is claiming to be a Republican and spending $4 million-plus to try to get Sheheen elected. And he's still losing. The media loves him.

The truth is, Democrat is a DIRTY word because of what the party leaders have done to the country. The Democrats and the media need to suck it up and deal with it.

The Democrat Party is seen as greedy and corrupt. It cares only for selfish little special interests, like gays, black people, feminists and abortionists.

The Democrats need to clean up their act, and care about ALL Americans for a change. And then maybe the party can quit complaining about people LEGALLY giving money to the candidate they like best.  

Probably not IF Gamecock defensive coaches are fired, but when

A beautiful day for football. But the Gamecocks showed the team has a
long way to go. 

Gamecock Head Coach Steve Spurrier was relived and sounded genuinely satisfied to get a 41-10

“W” against a lower division Furman team, Saturday.

In the stands, the fans were grumbling and still perplexed at how their solidly-built program had sunk to such a low level. 

Spurrier is likely past the anger. He is probably looking to making the best of a bad situation with not much chance to fix it until off-season, with coaching changes.

That is what it has come to. South Carolina was ranked in the Top 10, pre-season after three 11-win campaigns. Now it may be difficult for the team to get to six wins after two fourth-quarter defensive collapses. Two of SC's “Gimme” wins – Missouri and Kentucky - are losses.

South Carolina has a home game left with South Alabama and a home game versus a resurgent Tennessee team that beat an 11-2 Gamecock squad last year. Everything else, Auburn, Florida and Clemson are on the road.

Morale is especially low among fans. There is just not much to look forward in this once much-anticipated football season. 

On Saturday, the Gamecock defense gave up chunks of yards to Furman.

On one play, Furman running back Hank McCloud broke loose to score on a 60-yard touchdown on the SC defense. It was career-long run for McCloud. 

Other times the Gamecock D was bailed out by Furman fumbles, but there was not much to believe the defenses' problems are solved. Furman had lost five in a row, and stood up to the Gamecocks well at times. The Paladins finished with 211 yards on the ground. 

It is inexplicable that a program could fall as much as the Gamecocks have slipped from 2013 to 2014. Chances are the team just finally ran out of superior talent on defense.

And while the offense seems to be struggling now, it's a case of contagious failure that damages a team. It takes a lot to build confidence, and little to destroy it.

Gamecock fans can hope the defensive coaching staff has found a clue, but don't count on it. It looks like a poorly coached unit, without direction.

Not only is it likely the whole defensive coaching staff be released at the end of 2014, it is the right, and most just, thing to do. The special teams coach has not done a very good job either. 

Too many people have sacrificed too much, to get Carolina to where it was, to let it be destroyed by the very coaches paid to move it up to the next level.

Fans have become accustomed to expect better from Spurrier's teams. 

Ministers being ordered to conduct gay marriage ceremonies

The homosexual movement is quick to
 accuse others of hate. But how tolerant
is the gay movement of the others? 

Could the real motive behind homosexual marriage be to coerce churches into accepting their version

of marriage?

According to the Daily Signal, a digital publication connected to The Heritage Foundation, “a case has arisen in Idaho, where city officials have told ordained ministers they have to celebrate same-sex weddings or face fines and jail time.

Link: Ministers ordered to conduct gay marriage ceremonies

“The Idaho case involves Donald and Evelyn Knapp, both ordained ministers, who run Hitching Post Wedding Chapel. Officials from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, told the couple that because the city has a non-discrimination statute that includes sexual orientation and gender identity, and because the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down Idaho’s constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman, the couple would have to officiate at same-sex weddings in their own chapel.

The non-discrimination statute applies to all “public accommodations,” and the city views the chapel as a public accommodation.

On Friday, a same-sex couple asked to be married by the Knapps, and the Knapps politely declined. The Knapps now face a 180-day jail term and $1,000 fine for each day they decline to celebrate the same-sex wedding.

A week of honoring their faith and declining to perform the ceremony could cost the couple three and a half years in jail and $7,000 in fines.