“I’m a proud Clemson alum, I’m a proud governor, and I’m a proud South Carolinian . . . Clemson showed their heart and humility throughout the entire season, and in an unforgettable national championship victory, they reminded us that, with faith and hard work, anything is possible. That’s what defines South Carolina.” SC Governor and future UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, as she ordered the Clemson colors to fly above the state capitol. Read Full Story
On January 6, the 115th Congress certified the will of the Electoral College and the Constitutional basis for our Republic, officially ending efforts of a disheartened Democrat Party to somehow deflect Donald Trump from becoming our 45th President. Vice President Joe Biden, who chaired this session, memorably chastened Democrats who continued to seek to block the will of the people, declared their attempts to be out of order, memorably stated “It’s over!” and adjourned the session. Read Full Story
As the days to January 20, 2017 wind down, President Barak Obama is doing all he can to leave the incoming Trump administration burdened with additional defense and foreign policy initiatives that at best, like so many during his past eight years, yield little to applaud and at worst significantly increase the dangers to the American people and our overseas allies. These actions only increase the challenge and urgency for President Trump to achieve his promise to the American People that he would “Drain the Swamp.” Read Full Story
‘’. . . And all our yesterdays have lighted fools.
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.” Shakespeare
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Captain Renault: “I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!” … From the classic scene in Casablanca, made in 1942 This classic “shocked, shocked” line is from the memorable 1942-43 film cast in the shadow of the ongoing Second World War, made in Rick’s Cafe Americain, and addressed to Humphrey Bogart as… Read Full Story
“Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink . . . ” From the “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by the 19th Century English Poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s in his lengthy 1798 poem, studied in my youth by all who took courses in English Literature. Read Full Story
“In anticipating the event of a power grid going down . . . the process will have to be streamlined and rehearsed. During the time that it takes to alert and dispatch military personnel and to mobilize the National Guard, local and state police will need to immediately secure the stores and warehouses containing essential supplies that will otherwise be stripped bare in a matter of hours. The authority exists, but without the regular conduct of combined exercises specifically designed to respond to the aftermath of a grid going down, critical supplies will be gone before law enforcement even arrives on the scene . . .” ~ Ted Koppel, emphasis added. Read Full Story
Assuring the survival and assured restart capability of our nuclear power reactors should be a top priority objective of all who seek to counter the existential threat to the electric power grid posed by Cyber or Physical attack or from manmade or natural EMP threats. We are working with Duke Energy, the largest U.S. power company, to conduct a pilot study to demonstrate just such a capability. Read Full Story
“. . . [T]he entire population of the United States could be at risk. There would be no food. No water. Communications, transportation, industry, business and finance — all of the critical infrastructures that support modern civilization and the lives of the American people would be paralyzed by collapse of the electric power grid. Millions could die. ~ William R. Graham and R. James Woolsey Read Full Story
“The Secretary of Defense at the time, Leon Panetta, called the threat of a cyber-attack on the power grid potentially a cyber-Pearl Harbor. That’s pretty huge, and nobody was paying any attention to it. And so I wondered: A) Are these people just exaggerating for reasons I don’t quite understand, and B) If they’re not, what is the government doing to prepare for it and to prepare the public for it? And my instinct told me that the answer was going to be not much. Not much is an exaggeration. Nothing is closer to the truth.” ~ Ted Koppel on the PBS Newshour, October 27, 2015, discussing his new book, “Lights Out: A Cyber Attack, A Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath.” Read Full Story
We will be adding key policy briefs as we progress.