The Nerve

Better hope they graded on a curve By HANNAH HILL At the SC Policy Council site, we’ve put together a post-session update detailing what the legislature did and didn’t do. So now let’s take a step back and look at the bigger picture: What did our lawmakers accomplish and what does it mean for you, the […]

  You could always Google it By ELISABETH ALLEN When it comes to keeping lucrative companies in South Carolina, state government will do just about anything — including, we fear, throwing common sense to the wayside by ignoring the environment, the interests of surrounding communities, and fairness in the marketplace. We see it in the […]

Readers react to our take on rights Last week, we ran a piece by Hannah Hill, “It’s the right, not the gun,” that inspired quite a few responses. Hannah argued that a bill in the state Senate that would allow people to keep their guns when they have to give up most of their assets […]

Mike Wooten’s term expired 11 weeks ago, yet there he is By ROBERT MEYEROWITZ There’s been a lot of talk of reform around the South Carolina statehouse recently — specifically, of reforming the state Department of Transportation. This has occurred in both the House and Senate as each chamber crafted and passed bills to raise […]

A new bill misunderstands the Second Amendment By HANNAH HILL This week the Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill that would allow individuals filing for bankruptcy to keep up to three guns worth up to $3,000 total. In South Carolina, bankruptcy filers are allowed to keep a home, car, tools of a trade, and so […]

From agency to chamber to General Assembly, the money goes round By ROBERT MEYEROWITZ The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, along with various local chambers of commerce in the state, has been busy lately. The chambers, which periodically lobby state government for more spending, among other things, have been especially vocal about wanting the gas […]

If this is the way it’s done, why have hearings and votes at all? By DUNCAN TAYLOR While the Senate was busy debating the gas tax hike this week, the House decided to reinsert itself into the argument – but not in any normal way. On Wednesday afternoon, House leaders placed their version of the […]

Research authority is paying political operative more than 850K By ROBERT MEYEROWITZ The South Carolina Research Authority, chartered by the state in 1983 to “foster and enrich South Carolina’s innovation economy,” has paid political consultant Bob McAlister at least $855,500 since 2011. The payments are all to McAlister’s firm, McAlister Communications, most in consistent monthly amounts […]

As the Senate debates, reason flies out the window By HANNAH HILL The state Senate began debating the gas-tax hike (their version of the bill is a straight-up tax hike of 12 cents a gallon) this week. Whenever large groups of politicians talk for long periods of time, you hear some real gems. Here are […]

Please stay on the line if you want to make driving dangerous By ROBERT MEYEROWITZ In the seemingly interminable debate about funding for roads in South Carolina, with the latest gas-tax hike up for floor debate today in the state Senate, we’re often told that billions of dollars must be taxed or borrowed, and spent, […]