Blog

In a bold step forward, Montana has become the first state to secure the “Right to Compute,” a law that could influence the future of technology, personal freedom, and economic innovation. Senate Bill 212, signed into law in April 2025 by Montana Governor Greg Gianforte (R), affirms that individuals and businesses have a constitutional right

This column by Palmetto Promise President & CEO Wendy Damron was originally published in FitsNews. When most Americans think of biotech and the Carolinas, they immediately imagine North Carolina and its famous “Research Triangle” hub of labs and universities. But increasingly, they ought to take some advice from the billboards dotting I-95 — and look

This week, on August 5, 2025, the South Carolina State Board of Education approved Superintendent Ellen Weaver’s request to take control of the Jasper County School District. The board’s vote allows the South Carolina Department of Education to dissolve the locally elected school board and assume full operational control of the district.   The decision comes

BMW’s massive Spartanburg plant has something special under the hood. Powering its plant includes a system that reduces reliance on an already overtaxed energy grid. So why have you never heard about it? And more importantly, is it just a virtue-signaling venture, or is it a small glimpse into the future of independently produced power

As the American automotive industry continues to evolve, several new manufacturers have pursued an alternative go-to-market strategy to the traditional franchised dealer model by creating their own retail operations and selling directly to customers. That list includes Tesla, now one of the world’s biggest automakers, along with growing startups like Rivian and Lucid.  It also

For years, Palmetto Promise Institute has supported Direct Primary Care (DPC) as a key reform to improve healthcare access, affordability, and doctor-patient relationships in South Carolina. With the introduction of H. 3966 by Rep. Davis (R-Moncks Corner), the General Assembly has another opportunity to solidify legal protections for this innovative care model. This legislation comes

Every time you ask AI a question, stream a show, post a photo, or save something to “the cloud,” a data center is at work. You may not even realize it, but data centers for AI and cloud-based storage are a significant part of our lives and have legitimate growing needs. But there is an

Have you ever stayed in an Airbnb? Perhaps you or someone you know has rented out a property—or booked someone else’s through VRBO—either to save money or bring in extra income.  Well, now in South Carolina you can do the same thing with your personal cars.  Peer-to-peer car sharing allows individual car owners to rent out

Historically, Mississippi has ranked near the bottom of national indicators in areas such as education, healthcare, and economic mobility. The phrase “Thank God for Mississippi” became an expression of relief for South Carolina, reflecting the idea that, regardless of how poorly we were doing in The Palmetto State, at least The Magnolia State was performing

The Rise of Gig Work  As work becomes more flexible, healthcare becomes more fragile. Today, over one-third of the American workforce (36%) earns a living through the gig economy, a system based on contract or “gig”-based work, often facilitated by online platforms (think Uber, Lyft, Airbnb, VRBO, Grubhub, Doordash, Fiverr, Thumbtack, Etsy etc.). This sweeping