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Watchdog for the Taxpayers

  • A truly worthy cause: Charity makes repairs to homes of elderly and disadvantaged

    By Richard EckstromS.C. ComptrollerEven in the best of times, it’s important to remember those less fortunate. Helping others is our highest calling in life.I don’t have to tell you that these are not the best of times. We’re facing the greatest recession of a generation, and our state and national [...]
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    Posted: December 06, 2009, 8:37pm EST

  • More Online Sunshine

    (Myrtle Beach Sun News editorial, Oct. 18)Local advocates of open government got a double helping of good news in recent weeks. First, state Comptroller Richard Eckstrom stopped in Myrtle Beach to congratulate that city and Surfside Beach for being among the first local governments in the state to begin regularly [...]
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    Posted: October 19, 2009, 12:28pm EDT

  • Surfside, Myrtle Beach get kudos for transparency

    (From WPDE News, Florence-Myrtle Beach)South Carolina Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom stopped in Myrtle Beach Thursday, to compliment the mayors of Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach on their efforts in governmental transparency. Both Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach post their weekly check registers on their respective Web sites for taxpayers to [...]
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    Posted: October 04, 2009, 2:11pm EDT

  • Some stimulus projects defy common sense

    By Richard EckstromState ComptrollerI recently read an Associated Press report about a sleepy border checkpoint between Montana and Canada which will receive $15 million in “stimulus” funds. The checkpoint will receive the money despite the fact that only about three travelers a day cross the border there.The project actually ranks [...]
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    Posted: September 25, 2009, 2:26pm EDT

  • State stimulus spending now online

    (From the Myrtle Beach Sun News, Sept. 17)State Comptroller Richard Eckstrom announced today that all expenditures of stimulus funds by state agencies are available at http://www.cg.sc.gov/. More than a half-billion stimulus dollars of an estimated $3 billion have come through state government so far. “The debt from this spending extends [...]
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    Posted: September 17, 2009, 7:25pm EDT

  • Some local governments reveal checkbooks online

    (Hilton Head Island Packet, Monday, Sept. 7)By MARTI COVINGTON mcovington@beaufortgazette.comThe city of Beaufort already has made records of its financial transactions available online, and Beaufort County says it will follow suit.Officials with other local municipalities, however, don't have firm plans to get their own records up on the Web. S.C.' [...]
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    Posted: September 09, 2009, 8:50am EDT

  • Surfside Beach finances accessible online

    (Myrtle Beach Sun News, Sept. 2)By Aliana Ramos - aramos@thesunnews.com Between Aug. 11 and Aug. 31, the town of Surfside Beach wrote 159 checks and spent $597,225.16.If you're curious about what the town spent the money on, you can now examine its check register online. The register will be updated' [...]
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    Posted: September 06, 2009, 3:09pm EDT

  • City will consider posting expenses on the Internet

    (From the Georgetown Times, Aug. 13)By Scott Harpersharper@gtowntimes.com How much did the City of Georgetown spend at Wal Mart last month? How about at Food Lion or on postage stamps? Those are questions anyone with access to a computer will be able to find out if City Councilman Paige Sawyer [...]
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    Posted: August 15, 2009, 5:20pm EDT

  • $480 million in 'stimulus' so far

    By Richard EckstromComptroller GeneralAt the recent meeting of the S.C. Stimulus Oversight Task Force, I was pleased to introduce state Treasurer Converse Chellis as a co-chairman. Treasurer Chellis was chosen by the state legislature this summer to join me in heading up the task force, which is charged with accounting [...]
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    Posted: August 15, 2009, 5:12pm EDT

  • Please, not another 'stimulus'

    By Richard EckstromComptroller GeneralI was among those who felt strongly that President Obama’s “stimulus” bill wasn’t the way to get our economy back on track. Hundreds of billions of dollars of new spending on government programs seems to be stimulating government growth, but much of it has nothing to do [...]
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    Posted: July 20, 2009, 3:11pm EDT

  • New momentum for local government transparency

    By Richard EckstromComptroller General Across the state, there’s a growing movement that will result in greater government efficiency and accountability.Several local governments have begun putting their monthly check registers on the Internet. By doing so, they are empowering taxpayers with click-of-a-mouse access to details about how their hard-earned tax dollars [...]
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    Posted: July 09, 2009, 9:22am EDT

  • Eckstrom urges more openness on spending

    (From Greenville News. Photo: Ron Dekett)Greenville city and county so far have not heeded state Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom's call for local governments to post their spending details online. Mayor Knox White said the city of Greenville isn't sure if its computer system can put check registers online, as Eckstrom' [...]
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    Posted: July 02, 2009, 7:13am EDT

  • Show me the (stimulus) money

    By Richard EckstromComptroller GeneralSince being appointed as the state’s “stimulus watchdog” earlier this year, I’ve often been asked how much of the federal stimulus money we’ve received so far. I thought I’d take this opportunity to answer that question and to explain how it’s being used.At the time of this [...]
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    Posted: June 26, 2009, 6:52pm EDT

  • Honor the Flag

    By Richard EckstromComptroller General Sunday, June 14 was one of our nation’s often overlooked holidays.For many, it passed quietly. There were very few ceremonies, and lots of people didn’t even know it was a holiday.But to the patriotic among us, it was Flag Day, a day set aside to commemorate [...]
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    Posted: June 18, 2009, 12:38pm EDT

  • Tracking the 'stumulus'

    By Richard EckstromComptroller GeneralA couple weeks ago I accepted an invitation to appear on the cable news channel C-SPAN, which was doing a special feature on the federal “stimulus” package approved by Congress. Our state has established itself as a national leader on spending transparency, the producers told me, and [...]
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    Posted: June 11, 2009, 10:53am EDT

  • South Carolina veterans take special flight

    By Richard EckstromComptroller GeneralReturning to the Columbia Metropolitan Airport from Washington D.C., the terminal was packed with adoring greeters -- some active military, many veterans. There were lots of families, at least one of which with four generations on hand. There were law enforcement personnel and troops of Boy Scouts. [...]
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    Posted: June 11, 2009, 10:48am EDT

  • Every day a good opportunity to say 'thanks'

    By Richard EckstromComptroller GeneralTwo important holidays recently passed. One probably passed relatively quietly, while the other was marked by barbecues, parades, speeches, flag-waving and remembrance.May 16 was the 60th celebration of Armed Forces Day. The holiday was created in 1959 as a salute to the men and women who serve [...]
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    Posted: May 29, 2009, 1:57pm EDT

  • Graduation: A special time

    It seems you can’t open a newspaper or turn on the television these days without being bombarded with “bad news” -- news of skyrocketing unemployment, a deep recession, political strife, and partisan posturing and finger-pointing in Washington. It’s an unfortunate fact that positive developments are too often overlooked.Yet there is [...]
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    Posted: May 21, 2009, 7:11pm EDT

  • Honor Flight a fitting tribute to those who served

    Those who served our country during World War II and other wars deserve our profound appreciation. It is because of our war veterans that we remain strong as a nation, and we enjoy many of the freedoms we all-too-often take for granted,The World War II Memorial in Washington, DC is [...]
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    Posted: May 14, 2009, 3:28pm EDT

  • Overseeing 'stimulus' spending in South Carolina

    I traveled to Washington D.C. last week to discuss South Carolina’s vigorous efforts to track the federal “stimulus” funds coming into our state and to ensure those funds are used wisely.In March, Governor Sanford asked me to lead the South Carolina Stimulus Oversight Task Force. Although I’m a hard-liner like [...]
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    Posted: May 07, 2009, 4:08pm EDT

  • S.C. Financial Report Recognized for Excellence

    My office learned last week that the state of South Carolina has again been recognized for outstanding reporting of its finances.Each year, my office puts together the state’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, or CAFR. It’s a detailed presentation of the state’s financial condition and economic outlook which is used by [...]
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    Posted: May 02, 2009, 7:46pm EDT

  • Cherish those who speak out

    By Richard EckstromComptroller GeneralSomething special happened on Wednesday, April 15: Tens of thousands of South Carolinians from all walks of life assembled for “tea parties” at dozens of locations across the state. Their rallies, of course, came on a day many people have come to dread -- Tax Day.From the [...]
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    Posted: April 23, 2009, 11:58am EDT

  • In tough times, remember those less fortunate

    By Richard EckstromEven in the best of times, it’s important for those who have enough to meet our own needs to share our blessings with those who do not. Helping others is our highest calling in life.I don’t have to tell you that these are not the best of times. [...]
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    Posted: April 17, 2009, 12:40pm EDT

  • A good time to commit to civil, issue-oriented discourse

    By Richard Eckstrom I probably don’t have to tell you that South Carolina faces huge challenges -- chief among them the economic recession, rising unemployment and deep government budget cuts brought about by reduced revenue collections.It’s been noted many times that if there’s a silver lining to this crisis, perhaps [...]
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    Posted: April 11, 2009, 7:59pm EDT

  • S.C. town, county setting example others should follow

    By Richard EckstromS.C. Comptroller GeneralWhat do the town of Irmo and the county of Anderson have in common?Both want taxpayers to see how their hard-earned dollars are being spent.Anderson County and Irmo have recently begun posting their spending details on the Internet, empowering their constituents with click-of-a-mouse access to information [...]
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    Posted: April 06, 2009, 8:12am EDT

  • Scrutiny for the 'stimulus'

    You could be forgiven for being uneasy about the “stimulus” bill approved by Congress last month. It’s heavy on new spending, and it’s light on tax cuts that have been proven to stimulate the economy. It’s laden with “pork” projects that have nothing to do with economic activity, and it [...]
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    Posted: March 25, 2009, 11:15pm EDT

  • Sunshine Week: An opportunity to advance the cause of open government

    The Governor works for you. So does your local county administrator, your mayor, your legislator and the superintendent of your school district.This means you have a right to know how each of them spend your tax dollars and how they arrive at decisions that affect you.This week, March 15-21, is [...]
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    Posted: March 19, 2009, 11:10am EDT

  • What the media won't say about the stock market losses

    Just days before the new president took office, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was above the 9,000 point mark.As I sit here on a Saturday night penning this community newspaper column, I realize that during the last two months the Dow has dropped steadily to about 6,600 -- its lowest [...]
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    Posted: March 13, 2009, 4:23am EDT

  • (Editorial re-published from the Feb. 25 edition ...

    (Editorial re-published from the Feb. 25 edition of the Charleston Post & Courier.)Washington is embarking on a record spending spree aimed at stimulating the economy and saving the banking industry. Considering the immense stakes, taxpayers must know how that money will be used. President Barack Obama, during Tuesday night's speech' [...]
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    Posted: March 08, 2009, 11:06am EDT

  • When those in positions of public trust ...

    When those in positions of public trust operate in full view of the people they represent, we’re all better off. Transparency is the key to sound governance.We’re entering a new era of transparency in South Carolina. The S.C. House of Representatives recently adopted a new policy that will require legislators [...]
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    Posted: February 26, 2009, 11:48am EST

  • Transparency & accountability in 'stimulus' spendingBy Richard ...

    Transparency & accountability in 'stimulus' spendingBy Richard EckstromComptroller GeneralIn pushing his massive spending bill, the new president more than once reminded Congressional Republicans that it was he who won in November. And indeed, Barack Obama won decisively in the presidential election.But the president should remember that the Republicans in the [...]
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    Posted: February 21, 2009, 8:21am EST

  • Government is necessary. Big government is not. ...

    Government is necessary. Big government is not. Like our Founding Fathers, many of us believe that the proper role of government is to do only those things that people cannot do for themselves.Today many have come to consider government as a foe, rather than a friend. America’s government rose out [...]
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    Posted: February 12, 2009, 12:43pm EST

  • The Year of Reform in S.C.

    Someone once asked Winston Churchill why he was such an optimist. “Because,” he replied, “it doesn’t do much good to be anything else.”Like Churchill, I’m optimistic about our future here in South Carolina. In particular, I’m optimistic about the chances for real, meaningful government reform – changing the way we [...]
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    Posted: February 05, 2009, 8:24am EST

  • Increasing government transparency at the local levelBy ...

    Increasing government transparency at the local levelBy Richard EckstromA few months ago my office unveiled the state’s first spending transparency Web site for state government. Visitors to the Web site can find detailed spending information for more than 80 state agencies. Think of this as a sort of online check [...]
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    Posted: January 29, 2009, 5:33pm EST

  • Governor sets positive tone for coming year

    Regardless of your political philosophy, his message of looking forward is one we all need to hear.By Richard EckstromGovernor Sanford set a positive tone for the coming year with his annual State of the State address.In his Jan. 14 speech, the Governor sounded some familiar themes, emphasizing the need to [...]
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    Posted: January 22, 2009, 9:58am EST

  • Six ways we can ALL help weather this storm

    By Richard EckstromNo history or economic textbook contains the solution to our current economic troubles. This crisis is complicated, unlike any we’ve ever seen, and perhaps the most far-reaching since the Great Depression.Amid anxiety about the direction of our country and the quality of our daily lives, state and national [...]
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    Posted: January 15, 2009, 10:10am EST

  • Four common-sense ways to reduce the tax burden

    You work hard for your money, and you deserve to keep as much of it as possible.Too often, however, those with the authority to set budgets and levy taxes forget whose money it is they are spending. Rather than directing existing resources where they are most needed -- infrastructure, public [...]
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    Posted: January 08, 2009, 9:54pm EST

  • In 2009, let's change South Carolina

    We all know that the New Year is a time for new beginnings -- an opportunity for fresh starts. Typically we vow to exercise more, eat less, spend fewer hours at the office, acquire new skills or set some other lofty goal.For those of us in positions of state leadership, [...]
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    Posted: January 02, 2009, 12:50pm EST

  • Civil, issue-oriented discourse needed on important issues

    There’s a battle of sorts going on in Columbia between those trying to rein in spending, impose greater accountability, and pull back the curtains of government so that decisions are made in full public view… and those who don’t think these changes are needed.Those who know me generally put me [...]
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    Posted: December 27, 2008, 1:41pm EST

  • Time for a hard look at the way we spend

    It’s hard to find a bright spot in the current national recession. But if there is a silver lining, perhaps it will be in a new approach to the way state government spends.On Dec. 11, the state Budget & Control Board voted to reduce spending for the current fiscal year. [...]
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    Posted: December 18, 2008, 9:31am EST

  • Government transparency gaining steam...

    Those who know me know how increased government transparency is something I feel strongly about. That's why I have been working hard as Comptroller General to do my part to shine a light on state spending... so the taxpayers have access to as much information as possible about how their' [...]
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    Posted: December 15, 2008, 10:31am EST

  • My thoughts on the Budget & Control Board's 7 percent state budget cut

    A budget cut now is better than a budget cut next February... and February is the soonest legislative leaders say they would be able to deal with our current budget crisis. That's why I insisted that the Budget and Control Board needed to step forward to cut state spending.Cutting today' [...]
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    Posted: December 12, 2008, 9:07am EST

  • Reduced tax revenue -- and what it means for S.C.

    Year-to-date, corporate income tax revenues are down more than 57 percent from last year.Net Corporate Income Tax collections for July - November of this year are $30.6 million compared to $71.4 million for the same period last year -- a difference of $40.8 million. Also down on a year-to-date basis [...]
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    Posted: December 09, 2008, 9:49am EST

  • S.C. Budget Update

    The state Budget and Control Board will meet Thursday, Dec. 11 to decide on a course of action for dealing with falling tax revenues.That meeting will following Wednesday's meeting of the Board of Economic Advisors.' [...]
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    Posted: December 08, 2008, 2:19pm EST

  • Quick action on budget is best for S.C.

    Amid a faltering economy, South Carolina’s economists have reduced their revenue estimates for the state, triggering mandatory budget cuts. At its November meeting, the Board of Economic Advisors lowered its revenue estimate by $135 million. That means the state must reduce spending by about $135 million – or slightly less than [...]
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    Posted: December 06, 2008, 7:29am EST

  • Urge local governments to put spending online

    Increased transparency needed to restore faith in government Providing increased government transparency -- giving people more and better information on how government spends our money and how elected officials make decisions that affect all of us -- is a cause dear to my heart.Too many decisions are made behind closed [...]
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    Posted: November 29, 2008, 1:15pm EST

  • Tough times mean we must dig deeper to help those less fortunate

    We usually see a strong upswing in charitable giving during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. It’s not that those needing assistance are fewer during other parts of the year; instead it’s that the spirit of this season often moves people to give a little more.But the current economic downturn has [...]
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    Posted: November 23, 2008, 1:19pm EST

  • Four keys to a brighter future for South Carolina

    Another election has come and gone, and those fortunate enough to have been chosen by their neighbors for public service now must devote their election-year energy into governing during difficult times.Even in the best of times, the challenges facing South Carolina are unique. For too long we've languished at the' [...]
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    Posted: November 14, 2008, 7:25pm EST

  • A Watershed Time for State Government

    When you're spending other people's hard-earned money, it's just common courtesy to let them know how it's spent.That's not a principle always embraced by government. Too often, tax dollars are spent under a shroud of secrecy, and decisions which affect your family are made out of public view.Fortunately, this is' [...]
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    Posted: November 08, 2008, 6:04am EST

  • Voting is a Sacred Right and Solemn Responsibility

    In recent weeks there have been shocking stories about highly organized efforts to fraudulently register voters. Thousands of duplicate registrations have been reported along with the registrations of dead people, ineligible people, and even nonexistent people. Fraudulent votes have already been cast on behalf of the mentally impaired and the [...]
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    Posted: October 31, 2008, 5:20pm EDT

  • Figures Don’t Lie, But Liars Figure

    Mark Twain’s observation that "Figures don't lie, but liars figure" is an important thought to keep in mind when looking at government statistics, opinion polls, and so many of the surveys and studies that are presented daily to the American public. Indeed, many in government and in business and advocacy' [...]
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    Posted: October 24, 2008, 5:34pm EDT

  • What Does It Mean To Be A "Conservative?"

    President Reagan and the Triumph of the Conservative Movement In 1947, the liberal historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. proclaimed: "There seems no inherent obstacle to the gradual advance of socialism in the United States through a series of New Deals." There is no doubt that champions of big, activist government dominated [...]
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    Posted: October 10, 2008, 5:21pm EDT

  • Trust Capitalism and Let It Work

    In recent weeks I’ve been reflecting on what it means to be a conservative. Given the extraordinary economic events of the last couple of weeks, I want to comment on our current economic crisis before concluding my series on conservatism.The current economic crisis is complex and many people and institutions [...]
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    Posted: October 03, 2008, 5:19pm EDT

  • What Does It Mean To Be A "Conservative?"

    The Emergence of "Progressivism"The “Progressive Era” in American history conjures up for many people memories of Teddy Roosevelt’s trust-busting efforts, the enactment of child-labor laws, and reforms to ensure food and workplace safety. Yet along with reforms like those, which most Americans supported, was a vastly expanded role for government [...]
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    Posted: September 22, 2008, 5:31pm EDT

  • What Does It Mean To Be A "Conservative?"

    Conservatives Treasure the Tried and True In reflecting on conservatism, also referred to as classical liberalism, some historians have commented that the American Revolution is one of history’s only revolutions to actually succeed, while revolutions in France and later in Russia were catastrophic, resulting in murder and tyranny. Edmund Burke, [...]
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    Posted: September 12, 2008, 3:54pm EDT

  • What Does It Mean To Be A "Conservative?"

    Freedom’s Deep Roots in the Hearts and Minds of ManIrishman Edmund Burke, an 18th century contemporary of America’s founding fathers and an eloquent champion of their cause and ideals, is generally regarded as the philosophical founder of modern conservative thought. However, the roots for what we regard as American conservatism [...]
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    Posted: August 15, 2008, 3:42pm EDT

  • What Does It Mean To Be a “Conservative?”

    For a half century before the election of President Ronald Reagan, it was politically acceptable throughout much of America to describe oneself as a “liberal” or a “progressive.” Since the election of President Reagan in 1980, it is increasingly difficult to find a self-admitted “liberal,” but politicians of all stripes [...]
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    Posted: July 29, 2008, 4:06pm EDT

  • Constitutional Amendment: A Trojan Horse?

    The solution for South Carolina’s low SAT test scores and its high dropout rates has been much debated. Now a well-meaning group of citizens are suggesting that our state constitution might be holding us back. That constitution mandates a “minimally adequate” education for all students.There are those who believe that [...]
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    Posted: July 18, 2008, 2:50pm EDT

  • Jesse Helms - True to His Convictions

    Winston Churchill once remarked: “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” Senator Jesse Helms, who passed away on July 4th, built a career on standing for principle against sometimes fierce personal opposition.The personality trait uniting most politicians is a consuming desire to [...]
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    Posted: July 09, 2008, 10:58am EDT

  • Wishing You a Safe, Blessed, and Happy Fourth of July!

    The Fourth of July is the great summer holiday when families come together to enjoy cook-outs, patriotic music, fireworks, and all that has traditionally accompanied our nation’s birthday celebration.Communities throughout South Carolina will sponsor an array of parades, festivals, and concerts, many culminating with extraordinary firework displays. These great events [...]
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    Posted: July 03, 2008, 2:10pm EDT

  • The Battle for Freedom Continues

    This week the Supreme Court rendered two extremely important decisions in support of the Constitution, freedom, and the individual liberties of every American.Virtually all of the media attention has been focused on the Court’s ruling in District of Columbia v. Heller, which upholds the individual right of Americans to own [...]
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    Posted: June 27, 2008, 4:24pm EDT

  • Free Markets, Not Government, Are the Answer

    Americans in every part of our nation are acutely aware that something is causing steep increases in the price of gasoline. At approximately $4 per gallon and continuing its upward climb, some estimate that the price of gasoline could double in the foreseeable future. Such prices not only will create [...]
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    Posted: June 20, 2008, 3:30pm EDT

  • The Legacy of a Great Leader

    As the seemingly endless presidential campaign has narrowed to the two major party’s presumptive nominees, some conservative Republicans are nostalgically longing for the Reagan years, and regret that a conservative leader of President Reagan’s stature seems not to have emerged.President Reagan was an extraordinary leader, and many eloquent voices call [...]
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    Posted: June 12, 2008, 3:02pm EDT

  • The Legacy of a Great Leader

    As the seemingly endless presidential campaign has narrowed to the two major party’s presumptive nominees, some conservative Republicans are nostalgically longing for the Reagan years, and regret that a conservative leader of President Reagan’s stature seems not to have emerged. President Reagan was an extraordinary leader, and many eloquent voices call [...]
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    Posted: June 12, 2008, 10:26am EDT

  • A D-Day Remembrance

    Today we commemorate D-Day, the historic allied invasion of Normandy in World War II. This morning my brother forwarded me a letter he received from Captain Mark O'Brien, a close friend of his and a U. S. Navy judge advocate presently serving in Iraq. His letter is so poignant and [...]
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    Posted: June 06, 2008, 2:40pm EDT

  • Will Anything Last Forever?

    In recent weeks workers have been making repairs to our magnificent State House and re-grouting the massive blocks of native granite that form its steps and walls. Our first State House in Columbia, a mere shadow of today’s structure, was originally completed in 1794. The building has been repaired, restored, [...]
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    Posted: May 23, 2008, 11:53am EDT

  • The Fiscal Impact of Runaway Immigration

    Last year Americans responded in justifiable anger against the amnesty proposals for illegal immigrants that some of our federal legislators were trying to force on America’s citizens. Yet the people said “no” for many good reasons – our concern for American sovereignty and our belief that the laws of our [...]
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    Posted: May 07, 2008, 11:22am EDT

  • Are We Becoming a Nation of Financial Illiterates?

    Because of “Tax Day,” April is a month when many people take stock of their finances. Unfortunately, it is also a grim reminder for many citizens that their personal finances are in trouble. Our personal habits for saving, borrowing and spending not only have a big impact on the well-being [...]
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    Posted: May 02, 2008, 11:05am EDT

  • Three Tools for Good Citizenship

    After accounting for all government revenues and expenditures, perhaps the greatest responsibility that I have as South Carolina’s Comptroller General is to ensure that our citizens, their government representatives, the media, and the financial markets have clear and easily understood information about our state’s financial activities and performance.State government will [...]
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    Posted: April 10, 2008, 4:03pm EDT

  • Cost of Posting State Agencies' Spending Online Overstated

    (The following was published in the Commentary section of The Post and Courier on April 3, 2008) By Richard Eckstrom State government spending has grown tremendously over the last several years, and the public realizes that personal income levels have not grown anywhere near as fast as government spending. For example, spending [...]
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    Posted: April 09, 2008, 11:43am EDT

  • South Carolina?s New Spending Transparency Website

    This blog has often pointed out that well-funded, special interests in our state often have their way with policy, budgets, taxes, and spending, while the best interests of “we the people” can sometimes be overlooked. Sound fiscal management, balanced budgets, and even ensuring that jobs in South Carolina are only [...]
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    Posted: March 27, 2008, 2:04pm EDT

  • SECURING THE HOME FRONT

    It is becoming clear to many Americans that the cost of our federal government’s reluctance to enforce immigration laws, to secure our borders, and to ensure our national security and the safety of American citizens, affects every facet of American life. The Center for Immigration Studies estimates that the net [...]
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    Posted: March 07, 2008, 9:34am EST

  • An Economic Stimulus for Whose Country?

    We know it is an election year when the U.S. Congress votes to send us all a check. Several weeks ago the Congress approved and President Bush signed legislation granting $150 billion in tax rebates with the stated intention of stimulating the U. S. economy. According to the Internal Revenue [...]
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    Posted: February 22, 2008, 10:22am EST

  • To Fix Our Schools, Let?s First Fix Our Testing System

    It often seems that one of the reasons South Carolina ranks last among the states in student achievement, as measured by SAT scores and the state graduation rate, is because our education officials are so preoccupied with matters that relate only marginally to the academic success of students in the [...]
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    Posted: February 14, 2008, 3:10pm EST

  • LET'S PUT THE CHILDREN FIRST

    The South Carolina General Assembly has convened this month amid reports that our legislators will be addressing the way education is funded in our state. After forty years of “fixing” South Carolina’s schools, let’s hope they will seize the opportunity to think comprehensively and to truly change the culture in [...]
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    Posted: January 25, 2008, 4:16pm EST

  • A NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION?

    The end of one year and the dawn of the next is a time to inventory what we have accomplished and what remains to be done. It is a time of resolutions and a time for fresh new beginnings. It gives us a new slate and an opportunity for a [...]
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    Posted: December 31, 2007, 3:56pm EST

  • A JOYOUS AND BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

    There was a recent news story that British primary schools have been voluntarily giving up what had been a staple of their Christmas season for generations, the school nativity play. It was reported that only one in five schools are planning to perform the traditional nativity play this year. To [...]
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    Posted: December 21, 2007, 3:54pm EST

  • THE PRIMARY PROBLEM WITH PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCES

    The presidential election that has been underway for over a year, and will continue for nearly another year, has raised many important issues and generated needed discussion about problems confronting our country. However, it has also made clear to many Americans that our system of choosing party nominees and electing [...]
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    Posted: December 14, 2007, 3:09pm EST

  • ANOTHER DAY OF INFAMY?

    Many of our political leaders who supported amnesty for illegal aliens and a “path to citizenship” for law breakers were shocked by the enormous, collective, “no” they received from the American people this year. Concerned that they have been on the wrong side of what most Americans regard as the [...]
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    Posted: December 07, 2007, 3:08pm EST

  • The Joys and Perils of Christmas

    Christmas is a time of year when we joyously celebrate the birth of Jesus the Christ and God’s giving of His son for us, and many people respond by giving gifts to loved ones, friends, and even to total strangers in need. It is always good that we extend acts [...]
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    Posted: November 29, 2007, 2:27pm EST

  • A Politically Correct Thanksgiving?

    As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, it can be valuable to consider the roots of this uniquely American holiday because too often its history and meaning is ignored or distorted in our secular age. Some schools are even using textbooks that suggest that the first Thanksgiving feast was about nothing [...]
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    Posted: November 16, 2007, 4:28pm EST

  • A Dangerous Mix of Money and Power

    We’ve all heard politicians and candidates talking about the “ordinary” people they’ve recently run into, and telling teary-eyed stories to show that they feel our pain and really care about us little guys. This week I heard a radio segment focusing on a personal story recently used by a presidential candidate [...]
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    Posted: November 09, 2007, 4:50pm EST

  • It?s Wrong? Patently Wrong!

    Even before many of our rights were codified in the U.S. Constitution, the right of an inventor to own all rights to the creations of his own genius was constitutionally protected. The patent system crafted by our founding fathers has been so successful that it has enabled America to produce [...]
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    Posted: November 05, 2007, 4:17pm EST

  • Never Too Late

    Many Americans were disappointed to learn that existing home sales in the United States fell 8 percent in September, and that sales have plummeted a hefty 19 percent during the past year. At the same time, national median selling prices are down 4 percent from a year ago. These are worrying [...]
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    Posted: October 26, 2007, 5:45pm EDT

  • Never Too Soon

    In recent years there’s been much discussion about what schools should and should not be teaching. But there is a growing consensus that most schools have overlooked one very important aspect of preparing students for life’s responsibilities. For most of our lives, we are all involved to some degree in [...]
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    Posted: October 19, 2007, 1:57pm EDT

  • PROVIDE A WATERY GRAVE FOR A LOST CAUSE

    One has to wonder what drives the Administration and some members of Congress to promote policies that weaken US sovereignty, threaten American industries, export jobs, leave our borders undefended, and subject American businesses, our military personnel, and our citizens to the laws and regulations established by transnational bureaucracies like the [...]
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    Posted: October 12, 2007, 5:46pm EDT

  • Phyllis Schlafly on the Law Of The Sea Treaty (LOST)

    [...]
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    Posted: October 12, 2007, 5:42pm EDT

  • The Price of Freedom

    The Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress recently published a report entitled American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics (Updated June 29, 2007). As we approach Veterans’ Day this year, it is a document worth reflecting on, because it provides in great detail the U.S. casualty [...]
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    Posted: October 05, 2007, 2:56pm EDT

  • Madness In Our Policies, Danger On Our Roads

    Upon leaving office, President Eisenhower was asked to name his greatest accomplishment; he cited the Interstate Highway System. This vast network of safe and well maintained roads has spawned a $623 billion trucking industry that, among the many goods and services it transports, has enabled Americans to enjoy a greater [...]
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    Posted: September 21, 2007, 4:53pm EDT

  • September 11, 2001: A Remembrance and a Resolution

    Today we mark the sixth anniversary of one of the most somber and shocking days in American history. On this day we remember over 3000 of our countrymen who left behind wives and children, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters; we remember the brave firefighters, police, and emergency service personnel [...]
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    Posted: September 11, 2007, 12:59pm EDT
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