South Carolina House bill on plastic bags [View all]

This is really distressing. I saw a headline a few days ago about the SC House considering a bill on banning the use of one-time plastic bags. Today I saw the bill has passed and been sent on to the Senate, but (sigh) the bill is to BAN local governments from regulating or banning the use of the bags, an action which several coastal cities and counties are considering because of the horrible impact this trash has when it gets into our water systems.
Of course this was a GOP-inspired move. The GOP, you know those guys right? The ones who are always telling you that the Federal Government is an over-reaching totalitarian force and that government that is closer to the people is always the more prudent and democratic? Why won't they just admit that their core political philosophy is now: "Who will pay me now or hire me later?"