South Carolina’s Republican Governor Nikki Haley — who is buds with Mitt Romney! — vetoed $453,680 last week for domestic violence and sexual assault prevention through the South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence And Assault. According to the Charleston City Paper, Haley’s explanation was that the funds would “distract” the Department of Health and Environmental Control, presumably from more important issues. (Because apparently the effects of physical and/or sexual violence are not health issues?) Haley wrote:
“Each of these lines attempts to serve a portion of our population for which we extend our sympathy and encouragement, but nevertheless, it is only a small portion of South Carolina’s chronically ill or abused. Overall, these special add-on lines distract from the agency’s broader mission of protecting South Carolina’s public health.”
Mind you, Gov. Haley is the same women who told the ladies of “The View,” while speaking about her opposition to health care reform, that “Women don’t care about contraception.” Yeah, she said that. We don’t care about being raped or beaten either, Governor!
The economy is in the shitter. Other stuff got cut, too. Teachers’ salaries took a hit; $500,000 for “marketing and branding at the Department of Agriculture” may have to wait. I get it. But this is real people’s lives that are being affected right now. And reventative services prevent bad, costly stuff from coming down the road later. Keep reading »
