This is a guest column from South Carolina state legislator Rep. Bill Taylor originally appearing in North Augusta Today. Taylor is the primary sponsor of the Convention of States resolution in South Carolina.
It's clear that South Carolinians know our bloated federal government is out of control and Washington, D.C., politicians and bureaucrats continue their overreach into our lives and personal liberty. They are spending America into bankruptcy and continuing to put forth mounds of federal regulations that put a stranglehold on businesses and citizens despite the best efforts by President Trump to restrain the federal government.
A mega-survey was commissioned by Convention of States Action. The monthlong survey polled nearly 2,200 South Carolina voters representing every county and balanced for gender, demographics and political viewpoints. It's a cross section of Palmetto State voters with a margin of error of only +/- 2.10.
Voters were polled separately on their views of congressional term limits, federal spending limits and limiting federal power. After being confronted with these issues, voters were then asked about a Convention of States relating to these particular issues. The results:
• South Carolina voters disapprove of the U.S. Congress by 83%, only 10% approval rating.
• By a nearly 3-to-1 margin South Carolina voters favor limiting federal spending.
• Nearly 80 percent of South Carolina voters favor term limits for the U.S. Congress and federal judges.
• Two-thirds of all South Carolina voters favor the call for a Convention of States:
Former U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint will lead citizens from across South Carolina as they gather at the Statehouse in Columbia on Wednesday, Jan. 17, to demonstrate their support of the Convention of States Resolution and call on the General Assembly to pass legislation making South Carolina the 13th state to call for a convention.
I have been the primary sponsor of the Article V legislation in the House since 2013 where its progress has been stalled by a few. Given these survey results that show two-thirds of S.C. voters favor getting control of our federal government, I call on my fellow legislators to heed that call and represent the citizens who elected them by voting to pass the Article V Convention of States Resolution.
Commenting on the survey, Convention of States Action President Mark Meckler said, "With so many states having acted already, this polling now demonstrates that it is time for the South Carolina legislature to act on the Convention of States resolution immediately. The excuse of alleged ‘division' among constituents has been definitively laid to rest. The vast majority are in favor. The burden is now squarely on the legislature to act quickly and decisively to be the first state in 2018 to make the call.
Robert Cahaly, senior strategist and pollster at The Trafalgar Group said, "This survey confirms what we expected. The Convention of States questions demonstrate that frustration with the way Washington does business has resulted in a growing number of Palmetto state voters embracing constitutional remedies that go around Congress for needed reform."
