PARENT'S RIGHTS NOW!

Click South Carolina DSS cannot find Alabama and scan down to read some comments to Mr. Capps' post. We think that some of them are very insightful. However, while we agree that Dr. Hayes was handed a big mess to clean up, we also think that she has had plenty of time to address this particular problem and that as the saying goes in LA (Lower Alabama) "it is time to cut bait or fish."

One way that Dr. Hayes could help address the problems at DSS is to demand that the Legislature stop messing with her budget by inserting special provisos/ear marks/slush fund directives/passthroughs--whatever you want to call them--into her budget when those provisos have nothing to do with the DSS mission, but are only intended to insure the financial viability of selected "non-profits" which could not survive but for the special assistance of the Legislature. For example, we note that on Page 329 of his 2009-2010 Executive Budget, Governor Sanford indicates that DSS "recommends cutting this pass-through and we agree. In 2008 we vetoed that proviso because it created the illusion of a competitive process, which in reality would steer money towards two non-profits, Heritage Community Services and Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. As we have stated in the past, we do not believe government should pick winners and losers among non-profit organizations. Activity was ranked a low priority by the budget results team."

In short, Dr. Hayes should either fight to get something accomplished or resign and return to the private sector.