Local Election Turnout is Shockingly Low. That Must Change.

Quality of Life
Blog · September 5, 2024

South Carolina localities have little to no statutory guidelines regarding when local elections are allowed, which has led to a much smaller voter turnout than the typical statewide general election. But local elections hold just as much importance, if not more, than statewide elections. There, citizens have the chance to vote for the officials that

The Spunky Intellect: Dr. Barbara Stock Nielsen

Education
Blog · September 4, 2024

I’ll never forget the first time I laid eyes on Barbara Nielsen. It was a civic club meeting in Columbia in early 1990, a statewide election year. Republican Carroll Campbell was Governor, but a Democrat held every other statewide office. There had never been a Republican State Superintendent of Education.   As Barbara was being introduced,

Commentary: How we can teach the Bible in public schools without violating 1st Amendment

Education
Blog · August 16, 2024

This op-ed by Palmetto Promise Senior Fellow Oran Smith originally appeared in the Post and Courier August 15, 2024, and a version of it appeared on the Carolinas Academic Leadership Network site in July.  Oklahoma’s state school Superintendent Scott Walters has made headlines for his new policy requiring the teaching of the Christian Bible and

A Quick Guide to Education Governance in South Carolina

Education
Blog · August 8, 2024

South Carolina’s public education system is governed by a complex, and often overlapping, set of stakeholders, from the State Superintendent of Education to the State Board of Education, local school districts and their boards, district superintendents, and of course the General Assembly. Each of these parties has some role in how education is governed and

BEYOND THE CHICAGO STATEMENT: Do Policies at South Carolina’s Public Universities Truly Protect Free Speech?

Education
Blog · August 1, 2024

This report examines policies relating to free speech and expression within South Carolina public institutions of higher education. Declarations of intent or belief like the Chicago Statement are admirable, but the proof is in the pudding—or in specific policies, rather.

July 31: That Humiliating Anniversary

Energy
Blog · July 31, 2024

It was a high honor for Virgil C. Summer when SCE&G named its new power plant for him. After all, in 1984, V.C. Summer I was an impressive engineering feat. The new nuclear reactor generated a whopping 966 MW of electricity, and its construction was so efficient that it cost far less per MW generated

Carolina Journal: Carolinas united for academic excellence

Education
Blog · July 25, 2024

This op-ed was published in the Carolina Journal on July 25, 2024. It is written by Bryce Fiedler, director of the Carolinas Academic Leadership Network, for which Palmetto Promise is a partner organization. It’s been over 300 years since the colony of Carolina was officially divided, establishing distinct North and South Carolina colonies. Today, as

NATIONAL REVIEW: South Carolina Quietly Fixing Its Tax Problems. A blue state or two could learn from our example.

Tax & Budget
Blog · July 23, 2024

This op ed by Palmetto Promise Senior Fellow Dr. Oran Smith was originally published in the National Review, July 23, 2024. Because South Carolina wisely resisted total lockdown during Covid, coming out of the pandemic, we were in a good position. But on fiscal issues, state leaders had been content to kick the can down

South Carolina, The New Frontier for Tech? Here’s How to Make It Happen

Quality of Life
Blog · July 22, 2024

American entrepreneurship, once legendary, is on the decline. The United States Joint Economic Committee reports that since the 1970s entrepreneurship has diminished across multiple different measures, including business formation. One reason for the reduction in business start-ups is the increasingly complex regulatory environment that government has introduced in the past few years. Small businesses are