The Best & Worst to Come: A Review of Elections Legislation for 2009-2010

As we review the best and worst elections legislation of 2009, it’s also time to begin to consider what ideas are likely to resurface during the 2010 session. Elections serve a number of purposes in a free democracy. To begin with, they keep incumbents in check and provide an opportunity for voters to determine which politicians should [...]

The Best & Worst to Come: A Review of Property Rights Legislation for 2009-2010

As we review the best and worst property rights’ legislation of 2009, it’s also time to begin to consider what ideas are likely to resurface during the 2010 session. As our new book, Unleashing Capitalism, explains, property rights are the secret to a vibrant economy. Without individual private property rights, people would lose the incentive to work, [...]

The Best & Worst to Come: A Review of Tax and Spending Legislation for 2009-2010

As we review the best and worst tax and spending legislation of 2009, it’s also time to begin to consider what ideas are likely to resurface during the 2010 session. The big question for 2010 is whether legislators will raise taxes. The answer is yes, but in an election year such increases are likely to be indirect [...]

The Best & Worst to Come: A Review of Education Policy for 2009-2010

As we review the best and worst education legislation of 2009, it’s also time to begin to consider what ideas are likely to resurface during the 2010 session. There is no disputing that South Carolina’s educational system is among the worst in the United States (if not the developed world). Consider the following: 82 percent [...]

A Review of Transparency Policy for 2009-2010

The Best & Worst to Come: A Review of Transparency Policy for 2009-2010 As we review the best and worst transparency legislation of 2009, it’s also time to begin to consider what ideas are likely to resurface during the 2010 session. The Policy Council is a longtime advocate of transparency, calling repeatedly for such reforms as recorded [...]

A Review of Environmental Policy for 2009-2010

As we review the best and worst environmental legislation of 2009, it’s also time to begin to consider what ideas are likely to resurface during the 2010 session. Following a national trend, South Carolina’s legislature has become increasingly enamored with green initiatives that will have little to no impact on global warming and instead are [...]

The Best and Worst to Come: A Review of Health Care Policy for 2009-2010

As we review the best and worst health care legislation of 2009, it’s also time to begin to consider what ideas are likely to remerge during the 2010 session. Since session ended in June 2009, the federal health care debate has overshadowed anything that might have happened at the state level. At several town halls [...]

The Best & Worst to Come: A Review of Economic Development Policy for 2009-2010

As we review the best and worst economic development legislation of 2009, it’s also time to begin to consider what ideas are likely to resurface in 2010. Politicians in South Carolina continue to believe they can decide what the next-best industry will be and then use taxpayer dollars to grow and foster the economy. But [...]

The S.C. General Assembly: Best and Worst of 2009

Welcome to the inaugural publication of The S.C. General Assembly: Best & Worst of 2009. Our aim here is to highlight the best and worst ideas of the 2009 session. In doing so, we capture the broad policy trends of the year, rather than just providing a legislative recap. In many ways, what follows is [...]