Democrats debate and pass resolutions

Resolutions that originated a week earlier from precinct meetings were voted on and debated during the 2016 Oconee Democratic Party Convention.  The Democrats weighed-in on some traditional topics—such as health care insurance for the poor and free higher education for South Carolinians.  But they also ventured into new areas—such as to what extent pesticides should be banned and whether public officials should go to jail if they lie about the quality of drinking water.  Some of the more protracted debate Saturday was reserved for how South Carolina fixes its roads.  The Democrats started by discussing the idea calling for the state to raise its gas tax and wound up passing a resolution that does not include the words “gas tax” but directs the state to find the funds.