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
Medical tourism has been a buzzword in recent years, but this phenomenon doesn’t apply just to international travel. A growing number of Americans are crossing state lines in search of more competitive clinical costs. In a country with soaring medical prices, where charging patients $4,000 for Tylenol is not uncommon, South Carolina is becoming a
Most legislative observers missed it, but buried deep in S.62—the bill whose primary purpose was to reestablish South Carolina’s private school choice program (the Education Scholarship Trust Fund)— was a glimmer of hope for public school choice. The encouraging provision, which introduced the idea of interdistrict transfers for all students, can be found in Section
Have you ever felt the need to speak out against a powerful entity— such as a large corporation, government regulatory agency, or public figure— only to worry about getting sued for it? In South Carolina, that is a very legitimate concern. The Palmetto State lacks basic protections against Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, or SLAPPs,
After long weeks of deliberation, President Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” (OBBB) finally passed the US House on July 3, 2025, in a 217-214 vote. Just days prior, the Senate passed it with the final deciding vote cast by Vice President Vance. This tight victory for Trump marks the penultimate step toward his self-imposed July
The role of Pharmacy Benefit Managers, more commonly known as “PBMs,” has been a frequent topic of conversation in the South Carolina State House in recent months, with a new Pharmacy Benefit Managers Ad Hoc Committee established in February 2025. The Palmetto State PBM conversation mirrors national attention on the matter by Republicans and Democrats
Currently in South Carolina, an estimated 17,057 potential job opportunities have been regulated out of existence by overreaching state occupational licensing laws and regulations. Now, don’t get us wrong. Because of health, safety, and consumer protection concerns, standards are important. But our state’s licensing system is currently placing unnecessary roadblocks in front of many South
South Carolina’s electricity market is at a crossroads. Composed of utilities operating under a vertically integrated model with limited competition, the state faces growing pressure to reduce costs, find new generation, and ensure long-term grid reliability. While efforts like the Southeast Energy Exchange Market (SEEM) have introduced modest reforms among a subset of utilities in
For South Carolina schools and school districts, one of the most important goals is to do well on the SC School Report Card. This state school report card is built to evaluate schools based on their standardized test performance, teacher qualifications, safety, awards, parent involvement, and other factors. The Report Card aims to inspire schools
