Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n Roll

Back in the turbulent 1960’s my high school held what was then called Club Night – an open house where all the school’s clubs (Spanish, French, Math, History, and so on) hosted receptions in classrooms to recruit members. When I got home that night my mother asked, Well, which did you go to? I told…

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What Were They Thinking?

What were the Wall Street geniuses thinking when they handed out millions in bonuses with one hand while taking billions in taxpayer-bailout money with the other? What were Republicans in the House thinking when every one of them voted against the stimulus bill? Actually, it’s easy to answer both questions. The Masters of the Universe…

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Reverend Barber and Paris Hilton

The Reverend William Barber is a fellow who can spot a hot-button issue (or, at least, what’s a hot-button issue if you’re head of the NAACP, which Barber is) – so, instead of shrugging off four students making fools of themselves by writing (admittedly outrageous) graffiti about Barack Obama in N.C. State’s “Free Expression Tunnel”…

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More Advice for Republicans

Here’s another suggestion for Republicans in the General Assembly. Tuesday the News and Observer (which seems to have an absolutely nonpartisan passion for exposing corruption in state government) published another story about the foibles of the Paroles/Probation Department – the outfit that lost track of 15,000 paroles under Governor Easley. (Earlier the N&O reported criminals…

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Lack of Stimulation

Like President Obama, Governor Perdue began her administration with a series of executive orders showing she’s on the job and ready from day one. First came her “change orders.” This week her budget officer sent out an email touting her steps to save money. She has little choice. North Carolina, like most states, has to…

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‘09 Legislature, ‘10 Elections

For this year’s legislature, one thing looms larger than the budget crisis: Next year’s elections. That’s because the legislators elected in 2010 will draw up election districts for the next decade. So don’t expect anything too bold or radical from this session. The only tax increases on the table are the “sin taxes” floated by…

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Bob Scott

Bob Scott has his flaws, but he had guts. The Scott legacy will be tarnished by Meg Scott Phipp’s imprisonment – and by the IRS investigation of Scott supporters when he was governor. But Bob Scott deserves a lot of credit for modernizing North Carolina – sometimes in the face of tough opposition. Like proposing…

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Professor Steinmetz and the Common Good

Professor David Steinmetz of Duke Divinity School says it is a very good idea that President Obama invited both a minister in favor of gay marriage and a minister opposed to it to pray during his inauguration – the way he sees it Obama is helping heal the nation’s wounds, end divisions, and most of…

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Kennedy Stumbles

It may be the biggest myth in American politics: the well-oiled Kennedy machine. Well-oiled it was in 1960, when old Joe Kennedy was paying for it and running it through Bobby. But the machine has stumbled ever since, especially on the presidential stage. Bobby Kennedy’s run in 1968 got off to a bad start. He…

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Bev, Jerry and the Two Davids

How did David Young suddenly emerge as the leading candidate for Democratic Party chair? Here’s the story from one party insider: Governor Perdue was supporting David Parker, a long-time party activist who has wanted to be chair for years. But Chairman Jerry Meek didn’t like being told what to do. He reminded the Governor that…

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