Thumbs up
Haley. A tip of the hat to Gov. Nikki Haley for taking a pro-environment position on not accepting more nuclear waste at the Barnwell landfill. Not only does such an action make little fiscal sense (because of the financial risk to the state for an eon), but it seems risky to the water table.
Merry go round. South Carolina again is getting lots of attention from potential presidential candidates with visits over the last week from Republicans Jeb Bush and Scott Walker and former Democratic U.S. Sen. Jim Webb. Listen up. See who you like for our first-in-the-South primary next year.
Hollings. Thumbs up to retired U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings for his selfless leadership to name a federal courthouse after the late U.S. District Judge Waties Waring. More.
Davis. Congratulations to new Furman University President Elizabeth Davis, who was inaugurated this week.
Thumbs down
House Judiciary. It’s good that the House passed a proposal to make penalties for domestic violence a little tougher. It’s pitiful that the proposal was comparatively weak because it left out a key measure passed by the Senate — to take guns out of the hands of domestic abusers.
S.C. State. An auditor says the beleaguered state university is approaching $23.5 million in the hole. Please, let’s get a handle on this and stanch the bleeding.
Rainey. Like folks across the state, we mourn the passing of John Rainey, philanthropist and innovator. We didn’t always agree with him, but his heart was in the right place figuring out ways to make South Carolina a better place.
We Can Do Better, South Carolina!