In corporate board rooms and on Wall Street, the economy is booming again. But here in South Carolina, working class, middle class and poor families are falling behind. Good jobs are harder than ever to come by. Retirement security seems to be crumbling before our eyes. Our schools are underfunded and stretched to the limit. Foreclosure continues to plague our communities.

We know that South Carolina’s families deserve better.

The Ties That Bind coalition has proved that we can succeed when we stand up together. That’s why we’re holding our “Common Good” conference on Saturday, November 19th in Columbia.

Click here to register right now.

You’ll be glad you did.

Our coalition brought together grassroots activists from around the state, to launch our petition for a Moral Budget; it has over 7000 signatures so far. We also helped bring 2500 people to a major Capitol rally to oppose some of the worst budget cuts in health and education. And we worked to successfully overturn some of Governor Haley’s cruelest cuts to education.

We can change the momentum of our state. But we’ll need to build a bigger movement for justice.

That’s why Ties that Bind is sponsoring a “Common Ground” conference. The goal is to discuss and reject the demagoguery that attempts to divide our communities, and unite under a common banner of fairness and opportunity.

We hope to use the conference to build on our momentum and together build a framework for an economy that truly works for all working families in South Carolina and a brighter future for all.

Click here to register for this important conference.

We’re counting on you to join us on Nov. 19th in Columbia for our Common Ground conference. Please help spread the word and invite friends, family and colleagues.

Call now:

Senate Pres. Glen McConnell
(803) 212-6610

House Speaker Bobby Harrell
(803) 734-3125

Find and call your legislators
State House -  State Senate

Yesterday, Gov. Haley vetoed nearly $100 million in South Carolina education funding. [1]

It’s a cynical move that will cost our state’s children in the short term and seriously impact our state’s economy as a whole in the long run.

But here’s the good news: the legislature could still override her veto and put the money back in our classrooms, where it belongs. The vote will surely be close.

Over 6000 South Carolinians signed our petition for a moral budget. We know the public supports us. That’s why I’m asking you to pick up the phone.

Step 1) Call legislative leadership:

Senate President Glen McConnell – (803) 212 6610
House Speaker Bobby Harrell – (803) 734 3125

Here’s a sample message: Hi, my name is [your name] and I live in [your town]. I’m calling because I oppose Governor Haley’s education funding veto. It will hurt our schools and our economy, and I’m asking you to overturn the veto. Thank you.

Step 2) Find your own legislators:

Here’s the list of members of the House and the list of members of the Senate. When you find your members, call them, and give them the same message.

Thanks very much. With an up swell of calls, we could put that money back where it belongs — in our schools.

After you take action, feel free to forward this message along and urge others to get involved too.

Every ten years they redraw the lines of who gets elected where.

There will be public hearings held across the state.

Please attend and help make sure the process is fair and transparent.

And take some moral budget petitions with you and collect signatures while you’re at it!

——–

Monday March 28th. 6:30pm
Technical College of the Low Country, Beaufort

Tuesday March 29th. 6:30pm
Aiken Technical College, Graniteville

Wednesday March 30th. 6:30pm
York Technical College, Rock Hill

Thursday March 31st. 6:30pm
Greenville County Council Chambers, Greenville

Monday April 4th. 5pm
Beaufort High School Performing Arts Center, Lady’s Island

Monday April 4th. 6:30pm
Horry-Georgetown Tech College (Conway Campus), Conway

Tuesday April 5th. 5pm
Florence-Darlington Tech School, Fred Fort Auditorium, Florence

Tuesday April 6th. 6pm
Rock Hill City Council Chambers, Rock Hill

Wednesday April 6th. 6:30pm
Florence-Darlington Tech College, Florence

Thursday, April 7th. 5pm
Courtroom & Council Chamber of the Ted Collins Law Enforcement Center, Myrtle Beach

Thursday, April 7th. 6:30pm
Trident Technical College, North Charleston

Monday April 11th. 5:30pm
Aiken Technical College Auditorium, 2276 J.Davis Highway, Graniteville

Tuesday April 12th. 5:30pm
Auditorium in Massachusetts Hall (Voorhees College), Denmark

Wednesday April 13th. 5:30pm
Council Chambers, County Square, Greenville

Thursday April 14th. 5pm
Dorchester County Council Chambers, Summerville

Saturday, March 12th at 1pm. On the frontsteps of the State House.

We are rallying for a moral budget.

Our view? Stop the cuts. Find the money.

Here’s what you can do to help:

1). Attend.

2). Bring 5-10 friends and family with you.

3). Email all people you know who may be interested – send them this flyer and a personal note.

4). Distribute hard copies of the event flyer at your church, workplace, and elsewhere.

5). Invite any organizations you know to become an event sponsor.

6). Collect and circulate petitions for a moral budget.

7). RSVP to the rally on Facebook and forward the link on.

8). Call for 803.808.3384 and ask how you can help.

Policy Docs:
- Christian Action Council’s Statement on a Moral Budget
- Dr. Holley Ulbrich, Senior Scholar, Strom Thurmond Institute, Professor of Economics, Clemson University.
- How we can fairly raise revenues to protect the future of our state.

Watch this video by a group of North Carolinians concerned about their own state budget:

A budget is a moral document. It’s time to make sure the South Carolina state budget meets the needs of all South Carolinians and protects our future.

Want to make our budget one we can be proud of?

Sign our petition in the column to the right or click here to read our budget principles and sign.

We are holding town hall forum forums, generating phone calls and letters to our State Legislators, and conducting a petition drive to demonstrate the support for our shared values.

Our petition goal is 10,000 signatures by March 10th 2011 (shortly thereafter we will be holding an event at the State House to deliver these signatures).

The petition is specifically about supporting the following Ties That Bind budget principles:

1) We believe that the budget is a moral document that should meet the needs of all South Carolinians.

2) We believe we must provide all children access to high quality public education and health care.

3) We believe we must provide adults opportunities for productive employment and continued education that enables them to provide for their families and community.

4) We believe we must provide seniors safe environments, transportation and quality health care.

5) We believe small businesses are essential to our communities and that we must provide them every opportunity to grow and excel.

6) We believe good health care is something all South Carolinians should be able to afford.

Please sign the petition. And encourage your friends to do the same by emailing them or posting the link to this site on Facebook.

You can also download the petition at our Activist Center and call 803.791.9893 for more information on how you can get involved.

SIGN HERE

Please fill out this survey so we can make our next event even better. Thank you!

A South Carolina priority issues conference

Saturday, January 8th, 2011 10AM – 1PM
The SCEA Building
421 Zimalcrest Drive, Columbia
(google maps)

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
The Rev. Brenda Lynn Kneece

Register for the Conference

Registration is free. Donations will be accepted to cover event costs. All extra money received will be donated to Oliver Gospel Mission Homeless Shelter.

Download the conference flyer.

This bill is unnecessary, costly and would create more problems at the polls. It would significantly, negatively, and disportionately impact elderly, low-income, minority and disabled voters.

Our State Senate will be voting on in it soon. Please call you Senator NOW and voice your opposition to this bill:

To find out your Senator’s phone number and make the call, go here: 

http://capwiz.com/lwv/sc/callalert/index.tt?alertid=14608321

Learn more here:

http://www.wellstone.org/training-calendar/camp-wellstone-south-carolina