Recorded votes essential to good government
The goal of any good government should be to foster the trust of the public in the work it is doing. As simple as this concept seems, its implementation has been made harder by the cloak of secrecy that seems to cover even the most basic legislative transactions. No decision made in the dark garners the trust of the people.
Whether its roots lie in benign neglect fostered by practices from long ago or in more insidious reasons, what our government does is a mystery to the average South Carolinian. In an age when the most personal and trivial matters are a single mouse click away, the actions of your elected officials are difficult to find.
This unfortunate condition does nothing to fight the apathy and distrust that most have about government. We believe that taxpayers need to be able to find out both how a measure was enacted and how it is being implemented. Only then will there be confidence in what our state is doing and that it is being done as well as it can. That is why we, along with a handful of others, supported legislation this year that would require details about government expenditures to be made available on-line.
The intent of that legislation was twofold. First, it would allow taxpayers to see how their money was being spent. Second, it would serve as a reminder to officials that our budgetary decisions would be seen and that we should be careful as to how much and how we spend taxpayers’ dollars.
This commonsense proposal was modeled on practices currently in place in other states and on Gov. Mark Sanford’s executive order to require on-line checkbooks for agencies in his Cabinet. Unfortunately, special-interest groups and big-government advocates succeeded in killing the legislation.
Our failure only strengthened our resolve. So this year, we will not only reintroduce that legislation but also propose a series of House and Senate rules that will make the actions of additional public servants known to the public.
Our Open and Accountable Government package began last year with Rep. Haley’s spending accountability bill and continued this summer with work we have both done to require roll call votes on matters that significantly impact taxpayers or benefit legislators personally or professionally or that spend money. We are working to ensure that the public knows what their legislator is doing while at the same time not wasting taxpayer dollars or legislative time when recorded votes are not necessary.
We believe that legislators should be required to vote “yes” or “no” on a bill that increases their pay or retirement, so that the people at home can hold them accountable. Legislators who feel justified in their vote will relish the chance to have it seen at home.
We believe that citizens who are fully aware of what their legislators are doing, can be confident that they are acting in the public’s best interest. If government believes that it is operating in the best interests of South Carolinians, then letting the people know what is going on should not be too much to ask.
There is allure in the status quo, and its supposed safety can be seductive. “We have always done it this way” is a common retort to those who want reform.
But sometimes it is the security of “how we did it” that causes new ideas to be ignored. By giving in to this false sense of comfort, we prohibit ourselves from doing what needs to be done to make our state better.
That is why we need your help. We need people across the state to demand that transparency and sunshine be the cornerstone of government. We must be proactive in our efforts. As Adlai Stephenson said, we must be those who are willing to light a candle rather than simply curse the darkness.
Please join us in our efforts to move our state government into the light. Our two candles shining alone will do little. However, the lights of 4 million candles that represent South Carolinians’ desire for openness will be like a sunrise ushering our state into a new day of accountability.
Ms. Haley represents Lexington County in the S.C. House. Mr. McConnell is president pro tempore of the Senate.
By NIKKI HALEY and GLENN McCONNELL - Guest Columnists
The State Newspaper
August 14, 2008
