Archive By Section - Editorials
Noted and passed
• There are no doubt many Netflix users in Kershaw County; the video mail service grew over the years at an astonishing rate with its wide choice of flicks and excellent customer service. Then came a price increase that resulted in the loss of millions of customers, a move that CEO Reed Hastings recently acknowledged was "arrogant." The landscape is littered with companies that made brilliant moves, then followed them up with dunderheaded strategies ...
Romney/Perry: two-way race?
With the steady fade of Minnesota Congresswoman Michelle Bachman, the Republican nomination for president appears to be narrowing into a two-way race between former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Gov. Rick Perry. That doesn't mean, of course, that things couldn't turn suddenly; four years ago, John McCain appeared dead in the water but mounted a strong comeback to win the nomination. But in this instance, it looks like it might be hand-to-hand combat ...
Voter requirements
South Carolina recently passed a law that requires voters to show a photo ID when they go to the polls, and we have said all along those who object to such a move are throwing a red herring into the equation. There's certainly nothing wrong with having people prove who they say they are when they go to exercise the basic right of democracy, and the photo ID law does nothing to prevent people from voting or making it more difficult for them to do so.
Noted and passed
• The leaders of a bipartisan congressional committee charged with finding $1.2 trillion in savings apparently understand the importance of their mission, with Sen. Patty Murray saying, "I don't see this as a party issue. I see success as bringing some confidence back to the American people that despite our differences, we can find some ways to move forward." Indeed, about four in five Americans say they have no confidence in Congress. Committee members ...
SNAP's direction
When the modern food stamp program began as a pilot project in 1961 -- it was authorized as a permanent program three years later -- those in charge probably never envisioned a day when people might walk into fast-food restaurants, order up a huge container of French fries and then pull out their food stamps to pay. But that's what's happening in some places today, and restaurant owners are pushing for a bigger share of the pie.
New revelations from 'Camelot'
Nearly a half-century after the death of President John F. Kennedy, there remains a fascination with him and his family. The young Massachusetts senator won a narrow victory over Richard Nixon in 1960, and his brief administration has become known to many as "Camelot," a reference to the verve, idealism and sense of idyllic happiness that surrounded his time in office and the mood of the country at that time.
Noted and passed
• This month's award for poor taste goes to the Pima County (Arizona) Republican Party, which is planning to raffle off a gun like the one used to shoot Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Our dim view of this has nothing to do with second amendment rights, but rather spotlights an exercise in poor judgment, given the tragedy that occurred in Rep. Giffords' district in January, in which a gunman killed six people and wounded 13 others.
Four lawsuits and counting
The late comedian Lewis Grizzard, whose column appeared in this newspaper, was an oft-married guy who used to joke that there was a bumper sticker reading "Honk If You've Been Married To Lewis Grizzard." Taking a new tack on an old theme, we're going to start looking for stickers announcing, "Honk If You've Sued Sheriff Jim Matthews."
Meeting minutes
We're glad to see that work sessions of Camden City Council will be recorded from this point on; the change was made after council member Willard Polk requested clarification on the state's Freedom of Information Act. Jay Bender, the pre-eminent FOI expert in South Carolina, said work sessions, even though official votes aren't taken, constitute a meeting under the statute's provisions and that such sessions should be subject to the law. City Attorney Charles ...
Noted and passed
• Actress Daryl Hannah and others were arrested last week in front of the White House during a sit-in to protest a new oil pipeline from Canada. The activists called for clean energy investments, instead. We doubt there's a single American who's not in favor of cleaner energy, but the clear reality is that the country can't meet its needs with high-tech energy. In fact, one recipient of a recent government loan guarantee of ...
Hope on the Hill?
At last there's a hint of hope from Washington -- a tiny but palpable sign that just maybe, lawmakers are getting the message that people are weary of the logjam which prevents decent legislation from being passed. Democratic and Republican members of the Joint Select Committee On Deficit Reduction have agreed to name a longtime Senate staffer to assume the job of running the panel. The man they've chosen is Mark Prater, chief counsel ...
Hurricane Irene
With Hurricane Irene having come and gone, and with Kershaw County and South Carolina having been spared, the second-guessers in other parts of the country are coming out of the woodwork. When it comes to hindsight, there's perhaps no area more fertile than weather -- specifically, severe storms. It's easy to assess blame after the fact, whether it's for lack of preparedness or over-reaction, and there is no shortage of people who are willing to do so.
Noted and passed
• We're glad to see Camden native Larry Doby honored with a postage stamp in his honor, one of four Major League baseball players to be so recognized; Joe DiMaggio, the Yankee Clipper, is another, and the final two have yet to be chosen. Doby was the first black player in the American League and carved out an enviable career record. He died in 2003.
Too much Harpootlian
Dick Harpootlian, chairman of the S.C. Democratic Party, used to be an engaging figure, what we in the newspaper business called "good copy." Now Harpootlian's more of a loud bore. His latest rant involves his excoriation of Gov. Nikki Haley for hiring campaign staffers for high-paying government jobs, which is exactly what Democratic governors have also done. Harpootlian basically says it was all right for Dems to do that, but it's not OK for ...
Washington double-speak
Ernest F. Hollings served decades in the U.S. Senate from South Carolina, and he was one of those who were in Washington during a time when politicians from both parties were still willing to step across the aisle and compromise. That seems long ago. But Hollings, despite decades in Washington, never lost his penchant for picturing himself as an outsider. In speeches to Rotary clubs and other organizations across the Palmetto State, he railed ...
Articles by Section - Editorials
Scottsboro Boys
The state of Alabama recently took a step towards righting one of the most egregious miscarriages of justice ever perpetrated in this country, issuing posthumous pardons to three members of the "Scottsboro Boys," who were wrongly accused in 1931 of raping two white women on a train. Eight of the nine charged were swiftly convicted and sentenced to death by an all-white jury, with a mistrial being declared for ...
Noted and passed - Dec. 9, 2013
• A new study shows that dementia is going to be even a bigger problem than originally thought, estimating that 135 million people will have the disorder by 2050; that's a 17 percent increase above previous predictions. Dementia -- with Alzheimer's Disease being the best known type -- has stubbornly fought the best efforts of scientists to discover a cure or a way to slow the progression. These new ...
Interim CEO
During a turbulent year at KershawHealth, one theme has been consistent: that patient care has not deteriorated and that the hospital's staff has continued to provide high-level medical services and compassionate care for patients. That's no doubt been made more difficult by the turmoil surrounding the facility's top management and board. Now, with a new executive having been hired to run KershawHealth on a temporary basis, it's time to ...
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