Lander University hosted a presentation by former S.C. Superintendent of Education Dr. Jim Rex to discuss the need for another political party in the U.S.
Rex, who served for five years as the state's 16th superintendent, co-founded the American Party of S.C., which merged earlier this year with the Alliance Party. He says the need for a new third political party has been caused by the polarization he feels has been created by the Republican and Democratic parties.
"Incumbents are mainly concerned about getting in office and staying in office, which has led to a dysfunctional system that is now in crisis, and it's time we started talking about it," he said. "Most people realize there's something wrong with our country, but are unable to put their finger on it."
Achieving the Promise
Dr. Rex's presentation was part of Lander's "Achieving the Promise: Democracy and the Informed Citizen" series that provides events throughout the 2018-2019 academic year, Building upon the university's legacy of civic engagement by giving a distinct set of opportunities and experiences for its campus community and the citizens within the Lakelands region. The presentation was funded in part by S.C. Humanities, a state program of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The "Democracy and the Informed Citizen" project is spearheaded by the national Federation of State Humanities Councils, of which S.C. Humanities is a member.
SC Humanities
The mission of South Carolina Humanities is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. This not-for-profit organization presents and/or supports literary initiatives, lectures, exhibits, festivals, publications, oral history projects, videos and humanities-based experiences that reach more than 250,000 citizens annually. South Carolina Humanities receives funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities as well as corporate, foundation and individual donors. It is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of community leaders from throughout the state.