Archive for November 2010
A Whiff of a Waffle?
The N&O reported that one of Sen. Phil Berger’s five goals for the new Republican Senate is: “Write a state budget with no tax increases and with the intent of letting temporary sales tax and income tax surcharges expire on schedule” (italics added). Saying that’s your “intent” is a lot different from promising…
Read MoreDems Gone Wild
Both parties are busy with the usual post-election rituals. The winners fight over power, and the losers fight over blame. As usual with Democrats, the left and the center blame each other. Heath Shuler, Larry Kissell, et al blame Speaker Pelosi – and, by implication, President Obama – for pushing the party too…
Read MoreOutgrowing the Deficit
Let me keep pounding the drum I beat yesterday. A front-page article in The New York Times today reinforces the need for politicians to talk about economic growth, not just budget cuts. David Leonardt writes: “We look back on the late 1990s as a rare time when the federal government ran budget…
Read MorePolitical Disconnect
Politicians in Raleigh and Washington are spending their time and energy debating an issue that, I suspect, few Americans spend much time and energy worrying about: the budget deficit. Yes, the average person probably would say something has to be done about the deficit. But the real concern is the economy: jobs, paying the…
Read MoreDoing the Impossible
After pouring millions into campaigns to elect Democrats from Chris Dodd to local Congressman Bob Etheridge, the Wall Street Banks are now rubbing their hands together and purring over the prospect of the new Republican Majority repealing the President’s new banking regulations – like the legislation the Democrats passed that cut debit card fees for…
Read MoreA Priceless Gift
Sometimes meaning to kick you in the ribs, a fellow hands you a platinum covered gift instead. President of Afghanistan Hamid ‘The Corrupt’ Karzai just did that – he handed us a priceless gift, demanding we stop night raids on Taliban headquarters and adding it’s time we got the hell out of Afghanistan –…
Read MoreA Tough Character?
The other morning when I turned on the television one of the networks was swooning over Mrs. Obama and praising her to high heavens, comparing her to Jackie Kennedy, showing her wearing a Shari and boogie-luing with a group of Indian children. Then ole Obama himself got up and started dancing too and I’ll…
Read MoreWOWW, Part 3
WOWW: Where Obama Went Wrong So here’s my theory, keeping in mind that when you’re a hammer, everything is a nail. I’m a political media guy, so I see a political-media answer. Yes, Obama should have done a better job explaining what he was doing. Yes, he made a mistake letting Pelosi,…
Read MorePerdue Off and Running
The smoke hasn’t cleared from the last election and Governor Perdue’s already off and running in the next one which, if you think about it, makes pretty good sense because we’ve never had a Governor more unpopular than Beverly Perdue. After lagging for two years, this fall Governor Perdue’s popularity hit rock bottom: She…
Read MoreWOWW, Part 2
WWOW: Where Obama Went Wrong One thing I always enjoy about working with Governor Hunt is his passion and enthusiasm for new ideas. From primary-reading programs to Smart Start to new industry, he never stops pursuing bigger and better things for North Carolina. So, naturally, he had a thought about what Obama might…
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