IN DOCUMENTS FILED last week with the Supreme Court, Gov. Mark Sanford argued that the only way to maintain or restore (take your pick) public confidence in the governmental ethics process is by keeping the work of ethics investigators secret.
Does the U.S. Constitution stand for anything in an era of government excess? Can that founding document, which is supposed to restrain the power and reach of a centralized federal government, slow down the juggernaut of czars, health insurance overhaul and anything else this administration and Congress wish to do that is not in the Constitution?
I'm excited. The Boeing announcement is one of the best events I've seen happen during my nearly 30 years in the S.C. Senate. It proves how far we can take South Carolina when strong leaders work together to push conservative reforms. The nation's hardest-working taxpayers, efficient government, low taxes and a high quality of life have given us a study advantage in our goal to rebuild South Carolina's economy and create new jobs for our working families across the entire state. But that's not all.
MOST MONDAY evenings, a group of prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, treatment specialists and a few others teams up in an effort to produce a small miracle - help an alcohol- or drug-dependent youth who's committed a crime turn his life around and stay out of prison.
President Barack Obama made an appearance in Florida last week that should have gotten more attention. At a time when many Americans are apprehensive about the state of the economy and uncertain about the nation's long-term prospects, Obama delivered an upbeat speech that offered a glimpse of a broader overall vision and a practical way forward on the crucial issues of energy and jobs.
Big Republican wins in the New Jersey and Virginia governor's races could spell real trouble for the Democrats in the 2010 election. When a Republican can win in a blue state such as New Jersey, that speaks with a very loud voice. Republican Chris Christie won the governor's race, overcoming a huge edge incumbent Jon Corzine had in campaign funds and multiple visits by President Obama to rally Democrats.
I'm a tree hugger. I haven't hugged too many trees, but the ones I've hugged were pretty good trees. I hear that there are some folks who think tree hugging is for sissies. That doesn't bother me, I'm proud to be a tree hugger, the fact is I feel sorry for the anti-tree huggers.
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MOST MONDAY evenings, a group of prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, treatment specialists and a few others teams up in an effort to produce a small miracle - help an alcohol- or drug-dependent youth who's committed a crime turn his life around and stay out of prison.
WHEN I asked Larry Martin whether castigations of the governor already had begun during the brief few minutes the Senate had been in session before breaking for lunch Tuesday, the chairman of the powerful Senate Rules Committee immediately shushed me.
TWO RECENT DEATHS at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center demand a thorough review by Richland County of the circumstances that surrounded them as well its policies. But that's just the start: The county also has an obligation to give the public a clear explanation of how these deaths occurred and what if anything the county could or should have done to prevent them.
"USC moves into the top spot."
Looking back on the candidates this newspaper endorsed, and how they did.
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