Others' Views

In a recent editorial, we facetiously suggested that one solution to the problem of invasive Asian carp taking over American waterways, including the Missouri River and the entire Mississippi system, was to eat them. Now a well-known chef is promoting just that.

On Christmas Day, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab allegedly attempted to blow up a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit with plastic explosives hidden in his underwear. On Dec. 22, 2001, Richard Reid tried to blow up a trans-Atlantic flight with explosives hidden in his shoes. Incompetent and poorly supported, they were quickly foiled by passengers and flight crew. But the fact that Abdulmutallab would try a variation of Reid’s attack eight years later raises some interesting questions about terrorist tactics.

Some of the most melancholy letters and e-mails that are sent to me are from people who lament that there is nothing they can do about the bad policies that they see ruining this country. They don’t have any media outlet for their opinions and the letters they send to their congressmen are either ignored or are answered by form letters with weasel words. They feel powerless.

South Carolina legislators are ready to pour into Columbia for another year of making laws and dealing with budget challenges. At the top of legislators' to-do list should be creating a better infrastructure for workforce development and restructuring the horrendously incompetent Employment Security Commission.

Supporters of the health care reform bills seem to believe they would raise the scope and standards of coverage and lower costs at the same time. If only it were so. But in this case, as in most others, doing more costs more — a lot more.

The payday loan bill passed by the South Carolina House of Representatives addresses a few of the industry's shortcomings but hardly enough. The Senate should strengthen the bill on behalf of consumers. More safeguards are needed, particularly in the face of ongoing economic woes and the rising rate of joblessness.

The recent discussion regarding the closing of some of our outlying University of South Carolina campuses, such as Lancaster and Union, concerns me. It is pretty easy to put a financial number on a facility and determine that by cutting back or closing, it money is saved. I think the real issue here is what a decision of this magnitude will have on those communities and on the young people who reside in or near those communities.

Editorials from around the state

Recently, we lost a pillar of our community with the passing of Bill Kimbrell. On Jan. 31, we lost a true American hero with the passing of Steve Epps Sr. I doubt there are many folks in Fort Mill who did not know Kimbrell and the many positive things he did for our town. However, since Mr. Epps lived most of his life in the Lancaster and Chester communities, I would like to share a little about another native son of Fort Mill.

I would like to thank the Rock Hill community for its patience and support during this difficult budget year. We are fortunate to have a legislative delegation that has fought hard and worked with us closely.