Recovery is on the way, but it’s slow

JAN. 27, 2012 — By the end of the year, a few of South Carolina’s metropolitan areas — Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Anderson and Columbia — are projected to be about halfway home or better in terms of making up jobs lost during the Great Recession.

And by the end of 2015, those four metro areas — plus Greenville, Charlotte and the Augusta/Aiken area — should have the same number of jobs as they did before the recession, according to a new report commissioned by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Gingrich did what he does best — framing his ego

CHARLESTON, S.C., Jan. 22, 2012 – Before a discussion of what happened in the South Carolina Republican presidential primary yesterday, you should know this: The Palmetto State isn’t filled with right-wing, tea party nutcases. Sure, we have a fair share of them, but there are progressives here too.

Is South Carolina better off blue?

JAN. 20, 2012 — When the email came this week from a person saying she was an editor with the opinion section of The New York Times, I first wondered whether it was spam.

The editor said the paper was looking for a short commentary for its “Room for Debate” section of its online opinion forum: “Here’s what we’re asking: The Republican primary aside, given the state’s economy and the challenges it faces, wouldn’t South Carolina be better off with a Democrat as president? In fact, in this case, isn’t South Carolina better off with President Obama in the White House?”

GOP cynics want to fix something that’s no problem

JAN. 13, 2012 — South Carolina’s GOP leaders picked up where they left off last year — trying to solve “problems” that don’t exist to make it look like they’re working. In reality, they’re failing to solve real problems for real people. As the legislature reopened for business this week, guess who preened to television cameras with charged political rhetoric about the evils of the federal government? Yep, Gov. Nikki Haley, House Speaker Bobby Harrell, Attorney General Alan Wilson and a host of GOP spotlight-seekers.

Where GOP presidential contenders should really visit

JAN. 6, 2012 — Over the next two weeks as Republican presidential candidates flirt with primary voters in South Carolina, it might benefit the state and nation if they’d show up in places different than usual political stops.

Anybody operating under the standard play book is going to opt for more populated areas — or GOP strongholds — Greenville, Lexington, Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head Island or Florence — so they can make the TV news and get as much earned (also known as “free”) media as possible.