About
About Cornerstonepolitics
We started Cornerstonepolitics on one idea: understand the structure before arguing about the politics.
Why this site exists
Most political arguments skip a step. People fight over what a law means before anyone has read it, or blame a county council for something only the legislature can change. We think readers deserve that missing step: which office holds authority, what the document says, and what's actually been established.
We're based on the South Carolina coast and pay close attention to Horry County, Myrtle Beach, Conway and the rest of the Grand Strand. We also cover the State House in Columbia and federal decisions that reach local budgets and ballots.
Who it's for
Voters, first-time and otherwise. Students and teachers. Journalists and researchers who need a clean explanation with the sources attached. Residents who just watched a council vote and want to know what it means. And anyone comparing two claims that can't both be true.
What we cover
- Political Analysis: Claims get tested against votes, filings and transcripts here.
- Public Policy: A policy is more than its press release.
- Federal Government: Congress, federal agencies and the federal courts, explained through the documents they publish.
- State Government: The General Assembly in Columbia writes most of the rules South Carolinians live under, from DUI penalties to school funding.
- Local Government: Horry County Council, Myrtle Beach, Conway and the smaller towns along the Grand Strand make decisions that show up on tax bills and road signs.
- South Carolina Politics: Campaigns, ballot questions and statewide races, covered with the same rule as everything else.
How articles are written and checked
Every piece starts with a primary source: the bill text, a roll-call vote, a budget ordinance, meeting minutes, a court opinion or an agency report. We link it so you can check our reading.
- We separate what happened from what political actors say it means.
- When a claim is disputed, we name who made it, what evidence exists, what's uncertain, and what credible opposing readings say.
- We don't assert motives without evidence, and we don't treat a partisan source as independent verification.
- Statistics come with their population and time period. Polls come with their dates and margins, and never as certainty.
- We never endorse candidates, parties or ballot choices, and we don't rank officials.
Mistakes get corrected in the article with a dated note explaining what changed. To report one, contact our corrections desk. Advertising never influences coverage; see our disclaimer and advertising policy.