SC must put citizens, future of state over interests of corporations
Solar energy bill good for state’s future, economy
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Solar energy bill good for state’s future, economy
Yesterday, the Supreme Court began hearing arguments on one of the most heated discussions in our time, and consequently, social media was aflame with the debate of same-sex rights. Beneath this internet frenzy, a second debate resurfaced: the battle between the cynics and the slacktivists.
Five days remain until the Supreme Court hears arguments on both the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and California’s gay marriage ban, and more evidence is trickling in against the conservative perspective.
Gov. Nikki Haley can talk the talk, but in an effort to curb obesity in South Carolina by prohibiting the purchase of “junk food” with food stamps, she has legs too shaky to walk the walk.
Congress’s inability to decide inexcusable
Globalization is the buzzword this century, and it’s not solely for economic reasons. More than 30 million Americans cross the U.S. border each year, and the number of university students participating in study abroad programs has nearly doubled since 2000. Despite this grassroots diplomacy, the stereotype of the loud, pompous, ignorant American persists.
Imagine two children are running around playing tag. We’ll call them Eli and Donny. Eli has not been “it” for quite some time, and he rightfully taunts, badgers and zips around Donny. Eventually, whether it’s because Eli gets tired, negligent or just outsmarted, he is tagged. Instead of continuing the game and starting to chase Donny, Eli pouts, says the game is unfair and quits. As a society, we have many negative names for this type of person — quitters, spoilsports, sore losers, etc. It isn’t hard to see why society views these people so negatively. They reap rewards while they’re ahead and end the game before the opponent gets a chance to do the same, despite all of the work the opponent invested to get ahead. It’s simply not fair. That’s what we’ve been taught since childhood: You get a chance to win, then I get a chance to win. If you don’t win this time, then simply try harder next time. More than 80,000 people in Texas, and more than 10,000 in other states, would have things otherwise. The only option they see, as shown via the White House’s official petition website, is secession from the union. They would much rather forgo their American citizenship, leave the country and forget the blood, sweat and tears sacrificed to hold this country together than to wait another four years and try again. To secede because your candidate did not win is to admit you pledge your allegiance to only your own narrowly defined self-interests and beliefs rather than the principles of balance, democracy and justice for all. Even Texas Gov. Rick Perry, of the state spearheading this movement, doesn’t agree with it. He has released an official statement saying he “believes in the greatness of our Union, and nothing should be done to change it.” Many claim these petitions for secession are simply states voicing their unhappiness with the results of Election Day. There was a proper time and place for citizens of this country to take action and voice their concerns, and that was on election night. President Barack Obama won in the popular vote and the Electoral College. Some also claim the national opinion does not reflect the state’s opinion, and that is grounds for secession. To those people: Recall the Articles of Confederacy, which practically gave each state near autonomy. It didn’t go well, and that’s why the Constitution was created. Secession is simply not an intelligent option. As South Carolinians, we should know better, and other states should remember what happened as well. Back in the day we also tried to secede, and it didn’t go so well either. In fact, it went so poorly that we have an entire period of time officially called the Reconstruction Era, in which we had to rebuild our state. When you lose, it’s not always the end of the world. If Democrats survived former President George W. Bush, Republicans can survive a few more years with Obama.
Richland County GOP should respect desire for accuracy in election results
For educators, No Child Left Behind might as well be “The Law That Must Not Be Named,” and for good reason. Because of it, standardized test scores became the sole judge of a school’s well-being. Thousands of teachers have lamented its ineffectiveness and shown how it forces teachers to “teach for the test,” thereby favoring regurgitation of facts instead of critical thinking and comprehension.
The third presidential debate proved foreign policy has taken a back seat in this year’s election. As Tom Brokaw put it, “You could have said to one of the two candidates, ‘Nice tie,’ he would have said, ‘Yes, let me talk to you about the economy.’” Among a myriad of international issues from around the world that affect the United States, the only issues discussed were terrorism in the Middle East, Iran’s nuclear capabilities and China.
Tomorrow, the games begin. In what could be called the epitome of American ideals, two presidential hopefuls will compete head to head, clobbering each other with the jabs, hooks and crosses of their opposing ideologies in order to persuade voters to believe in their policies. They enter as equals, unbiased mediators referee the answers and on Election Day the people weigh in to determine which platform is the winner. It’s the perfect competition to determine the future of the country.
Though there is room for debate, things have been looking good for democrats. Unemployment is improving. Between politicizing the death of an American diplomat in Libya, and writing off 47 percent of the American population, Mitt Romney has opponents and constituents alike in a perpetual face-palm. Via polling analysis, President Obama's odds of winning are roughly eighty percent.
A councilman and Sheriff of Richland county have used misinformed arguments to re-spark debate. It's a debate upperclassmen know well: the infamous last call at 2 a.m., the battle between hard-working neighbors and people trying to have a good time.
Danny Frazier, a councilman for the town of Lexington, has been recorded explaining to friends and peers how to set up illegal video poker machines and how to hide them from law enforcement.
But only to a certain extent. Do listen to your RM's suggestion to not smoke in your room; don't ignore your professor's advice to study for weekly quizzes. But chances are, after going to a few orientations and attending a few socials, you'll get a lot of tips from upperclassmen that might not always be worth taking to heart on things like how to make friends, what to prioritize in your life and when to study. Ultimately these things are individual opinions, and holding fastidiously to these pointers could do more harm than good.
Brutal shoppers ruin holiday traditions
The Atlantic magazine printed a recent article containing the top 10 states doing the least to help the poor. While win, place and show went to Arkansas, Tennessee and Idaho respectively, South Carolina managed to finish a very strong seventh.
Rick Perry's debate gaffe latest in shameful series of performances
It’s no secret that the university has been tightening its budget. With that comes an increased importance for critical judgment when deciding where to allocate those funds. Consider: What is the organization doing for the University of South Carolina?
Current challenges will worsen without action