tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30435188748734086312008-08-18T15:15:03.619-04:00Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-50581119162033779472008-08-15T15:42:00.009-04:002008-08-15T16:33:05.027-04:00

Freedom’s Deep Roots in the Hearts and Minds of Man Irishman 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 far predates the 18th century. In fact, one American writer on

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-41666784494778266552008-07-29T16:06:00.008-04:002008-07-29T17:52:24.929-04:00

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 and philosophies are happy to call themselves conservatives. Within the

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-46920245394520487992008-07-18T14:50:00.002-04:002008-07-18T14:56:41.054-04:00

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 if we change our constitutional mandate for education, our education

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-17279912262792744742008-07-09T10:58:00.006-04:002008-07-09T11:31:50.012-04:00

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 be liked. Over time, this trait leads many people to take the

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-69026023390239095632008-07-03T14:10:00.007-04:002008-07-03T14:24:16.704-04:00

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 will be part of the best

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-5853228385042527512008-06-27T16:24:00.008-04:002008-06-27T16:46:40.597-04:00

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 guns in the District of Columbia. Since Washington, D.C. is federal

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-42785389729834159732008-06-20T15:30:00.007-04:002008-06-20T23:00:39.531-04:00

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 havoc with family budgets, they will stagger our nation’s economy. We have been given many

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-41699360437668210912008-06-12T15:02:00.004-04:002008-06-12T15:08:35.855-04:00

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 him the greatest American of the 20th

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-60168291425992409562008-06-06T14:40:00.006-04:002008-06-06T14:53:27.647-04:00

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 thoughtful that I decided to publish it in this forum. Captain O’Brien wrote: "I was thinking of the subject this

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-70894476589244465102008-05-23T11:53:00.007-04:002008-05-24T11:16:58.533-04:00

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, and enlarged many times, but from its earliest days it has been a monument to our rich

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-32481590181457379552008-05-07T11:22:00.006-04:002008-05-07T11:47:03.105-04:00

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 nation must be upheld, the unfairness of granting citizenship to scofflaws when so many law

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-27392524074078504522008-05-02T11:05:00.010-04:002008-05-02T16:38:31.852-04:00

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 of our families, they affect the health of our state and national economies, and even our national security

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-46117798846676625312008-04-10T16:03:00.006-04:002008-04-10T16:15:53.542-04:00

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 spend more than $20

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-84428478486297966612008-04-09T11:43:00.010-04:002008-04-10T10:04:09.261-04:00

(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 by state government jumped twelve percent last year, yet the

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-20799670114833982232008-03-27T14:04:00.004-04:002008-03-27T15:58:56.882-04:00

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 filled by those legally entitled to work here, shouldn’t be controversial or

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-47354973835003973232008-03-07T09:34:00.005-05:002008-03-07T09:48:51.414-05:00

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 public cost for providing illegal immigrants with services like Medicaid, food

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-65429733260789335682008-02-22T10:22:00.010-05:002008-02-22T14:48:58.641-05:00

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 Service, “starting in May, the Treasury will begin sending economic stimulus payments to more than 130

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-57144216591349189032008-02-14T15:10:00.006-05:002008-02-14T15:21:38.454-05:00

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 classroom. Under an accountability plan that our state education leaders negotiated with the

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-44187390744844470002008-01-25T16:16:00.000-05:002008-01-25T16:36:10.561-05:00

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 our school districts where half of all students entering high school drop out, and

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-38961057730314965512007-12-31T15:56:00.000-05:002008-01-17T10:11:46.063-05:00

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 fresh start. At this time next year our forty-fourth President will be preparing to appoint a new cabinet, writing an inaugural address, and overseeing the

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-7370063623441058452007-12-21T15:54:00.000-05:002007-12-21T16:00:13.744-05:00

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 American readers, the idea of schools making any mention of Christmas, faith, or allowing prayer and

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-35510714671718869102007-12-14T15:09:00.000-05:002007-12-17T12:28:31.572-05:00

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 Presidents is itself a problem that needs fixing. Our presidential elections

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-31000738704045271912007-12-07T15:08:00.000-05:002007-12-07T16:55:45.532-05:00

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 nation’s greatest threat, many have attempted to make amends by suddenly talking tough about

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-43347087204706758142007-11-29T14:27:00.000-05:002007-12-03T10:26:39.565-05:00

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 of love and charity to others, and to do so seems especially appropriate this time of year. Unfortunately, some merchants view the

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043518874873408631.post-43999008853844831792007-11-16T16:28:00.000-05:002007-11-16T16:48:00.669-05:00

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 more than expressing thanks to Squanto and some of the Indians, instead of thanking God. The

Richard Eckstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672654399668604738noreply@blogger.com