Gov. Haley Is Wrong on Health Insurance Rate Hike

Ok, so here's the deal: Governor Haley got the State Budget and Control Board (which I believe is under the executive branch of our government) to raise the amount of what state workers pay for their health insurance. The only problem is the legislature had already decided not to do that. Per The State:

Haley’s move to raise state workers’ health insurance costs did more than just anger some workers and lawmakers. It also it upended a legislative deal that helped produce the state’s $6.7 billion budget. Lawmakers’ decision not to raise the amount that state workers pay for their health insurance was part of an elaborate compromise between Republicans and Democrats to pass the budget.

Democrats wanted to give a 4 percent pay raise to state workers, who had not received across-the-board raises since 2007. Republican budget writers countered with a 3 percent raise.

Democrats agreed, but only if Republicans would agree the state would pay the increase in state employees’ health insurance costs. That compromise was a big part of securing his vote for the budget, said state Sen. Darrell Jackson, D-Richland, who joined Courson and state Sen. Joel Lourie in calling for the budget board to reverse itself.

I don't necessarily disagree with the idea of requiring state workers to pay a little more for their health insurance, but it seems like the legislature considered that idea and rejected it. A deal is a deal. Case closed. If you don't like that, elect some different folks next time around. Frankly, this sounds a little too much like the action that we are seeing from the Federal Executive, where the Executive Branch of the government is trying to make an "end run" around around existing law and unilaterally impose their will.

I think Governor Haley is just wrong on this one, just like I believe President Obama is wrong on some unilateral (e.g. altering illegal immigration enforcement).

It's too bad most people are blinded by their partisan tendencies to apply principles in an even-handed manner. Be consistent, folks.