by Bob Gatty. If House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) has his way, not only would Medicare and Medicaid be emasculated, but the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), i.e., food stamps, would mostly be sent to the trash heap. That news brought strong protests on Twitter from people who say their very lives depend upon the assistance they…

As 2017 draws all too swiftly to a close, we hope that the light and warmth of this holiday season may burn brightly in your home and in your heart, now and throughout the coming year. Warm wishes to you and your loved ones for a safe, happy, and peaceful holiday season, and a New Year…

by Bob Gatty. With the Federal Communications Commission's vote Dec. 14 to kill net neutrality rules for the internet, the forces of greed once again have carried the day in Washington, DC. So, if you find yourself paying a premium for using Facebook and other social media sites, you can thank Donald Trump, because he's the guy…

by Bennie Swans. Chairman HCDP I want to reprint here the first part of the Sports Illustrated article announcing that former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick had been selected to receive the SI Muhammad Ali Legacy Award for 2017: Colin Kaepernick made his truth known when he first decided not to stand for the national anthem. He…

by Bennie Swans. Chairman, HCDP Editor’s Note:  As previously announced, we’re starting a weekly blog, and this is the first edition. From January 12-15, we will commemorate a singular moment in the history of our great country – the 55-year anniversary of the famous March on Washington when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. presented his famous “I Have…

by Rick Patelunas. Now that both House and Senate have passed bills vastly changing America’s tax system, slashing taxes for corporations and the wealthy with a pittance to low and middle-income taxpayers, lawmakers must now get together in conference committee to iron out the differences between their differing tax bills. Republicans contend the differences are not…

Welcome to a new weekly feature, To the Point, our new blog. With so many important developments taking place that impact our lives and our future, we’ll use this space to comment and offer perspective from the Democratic point of view. Check in regularly and bookmark it to stay up-to-date – and let us know what you…

by Bob Gatty. While the Republicans who control Congress are obsessed with shoving a fake tax cut bill down our throats, millions of low income children are in danger of losing health care coverage because the politicians haven't found the time -- or the money -- to extend the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Now many states are…

by Nancy Anderson. The marketplace enrollment period for health insurance started on November 1 and ends on December 15. The Trump administration slashed the sign-up period in half and cut the advertising budget to the bone, so HCDP is working to get the word out to South Carolinians. Who should enroll? Anyone who does not have health insurance…

By Rick Comfort. You get what you pay for. An honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work. Those are pretty simple sayings to understand, straightforward and to the point. Whatever we all do in life, “there is no such thing as a free lunch.” We all either have to barter or pay for everything we get.…

We’re all wondering exactly what Trump’s and the Republican “tax reform” bill will look like when it is finally presented on Wednesday, November 1. We’ll have lots of questions, and careful consideration of the bill will be important to all Americans and every citizen of South Carolina, no matter what the party affiliation. It’s up to…

by Bob Gatty. President Trump and Republicans in Congress are pushing through a federal budget resolution designed to provide the money needed to support the new tax reform package they say will provide the biggest tax cut in the nation's history. The problem is that it gives the shaft to lower and middle-income Americans, especially the poor…

by Bob Gatty. Having failed to bully the Republican controlled Congress to approve what would have been disastrous legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), President Trump is now resorting to sabotaging the law through an action that threatens to make it virtually impossible for many current ACA subscribers to afford coverage in the coming year. His…

by Bob Gatty. If you haven’t read Ryan Thompson’s article about the treatment of LGBT youth in Horry County, I invite you to do so. Ryan’s is a personal story, one that emphasizes the need for everyone to be treated with fairness and understanding. Ryan is a teenager. A bright and courageous teenager who has challenged all…

by Bob Gatty. Republican Senate leaders on Tuesday, Sept. 26 decided not to hold a vote on the Graham-Cassidy bill that was intended to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act following defections by several key GOP senators and a disastrous last-minute hearing Sept. 25. That decision effectively preserves the 2010 health care law known as Obamacare,…

submitted by Joan Sloane. Medicare recipients, did you know? The Affordable Care Act has also been benefiting you! The Affordable Care Act, in addition to helping millions of Americans, has also provided Medicare recipients with many no-cost preventive benefits. Certain services may now be completely covered for Medicare beneficiaries; this includes, but isn't limited to: **Abdominal aortic aneurysm screenings **…

by Bob Gatty. Senate GOP leaders plan to bring the bill sponsored by Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) and some of his Republican colleagues to a vote next week, regardless of whether they are assured of enough votes to pass it and even though the Congressional Budget Office will not have its analysis of the bill’s impact…