Budget board may not be broken

JULY 1, 2011 — Now that action on whether the state will create a new Department of Administration to replace the Budget and Control Board can’t happen until next year, maybe it’s a good time to ask these questions: Is such a change even needed? What’s so wrong with the hybrid budget board and its three constitutional officers and two legislators that it needs to become a cabinet agency overseen by the governor?

The numbers tell a story of challenges

JUNE 25, 2011 – Over the last three years, life in South Carolina has gotten slightly – but not significantly – better if you look at the latest demographic statistics. Despite some slight improvements, the state continues to have big challenges in education, health care, poverty and crime. Fortunately, we’re not on the very bottom [...]

State needs persevering investment to do better

JUNE 17, 2011 — After another week of things devolving into petty politics, perhaps it’s time to think a little about Aesop’s fable of the crow and the pitcher.

Seems that a crow, dying of thirst, spied a pitcher. He flew to it with great delight in hope of finding water. But when he reached the pitcher, there was so little water in it that he couldn’t get to it. He tried to knock it over. He thrust his beak into the pitcher. But he had no luck in getting to the water to quench his thirst. And boy, was he thirsty. …

Haley wins award as state’s new drama queen

Boy, talk about a drama queen. Gov. Nikki Haley wins the award for her performances this week.

When Mark Sanford was governor, he pulled two big stunts in his first term that set the legislature, run by his own Republican Party, against him

From term limits to the antediluvian

APRIL 29, 2011 – With this legislative session’s headlines highlighting the state’s finances, redistricting, voter identification and accountability, we’re already starting to hear a little chatter about two issues that might be big next year, an election year: term limits and voting machines.