It’s tough to stay a step ahead of a smart bureaucrat. About a week ago I wrote an article explaining how what a bureaucrat wants (for himself) and what’s best for public education isn’t always the same thing – and used Senator Phil Berger’s ‘Read to Achieve’ bill as an example. What…
Read MoreWill Randy Voller leave the Democratic Party homeless? What a tribute to his leadership. WRAL reports: “An Executive Council member…said embattled party Chairman Randy Voller told members the party is ‘broke,’ with only $60,000 in the bank. According to the attendee, Voller told party members he may have to let some staffers go, and…
Read MoreThis tribute was penned by Gene Upchurch, a veteran executive and lobbyist for CP&L and Progress Energy: “For those of us who have toiled in the Raleigh political gig the last 30 years, Martin Nesbitt has always been there. Love him or hate him, agree or disagree, he was there, usually bigger than life.…
Read MoreHe helped answer two questions that I get a lot: Why are you helping Clay Aiken? And, of course: What’s he like? When Holding said he was considering running against Renee Ellmers in the Republican primary (he didn’t, in the end), he said she “has gone Washington.” He added, “Do not underestimate Clay Aiken.…
Read MoreThese days just about every politician in Raleigh is saying (as often as he can) how he wants to spend more money on schools and give teachers raises. But what if the root of the problem with schools isn’t money. This is a bit simple but the prime movers in public education are:…
Read MoreWhen every politician in Washington sounds like a robot reciting a predictable party line, Rand Paul sounds like a man who actually thinks. Sometimes he sounds sounds nutty and sometimes he makes sense, but he’s worth watching – and listening to. Paul first caught my attention when he filibustered against drones, denounced the NSA…
Read MoreThree eye-catching and eye-popping numbers jumped out of the paper lately – numbers that truly tell a story. 990. That’s how many dollars an hour the latest expert is being paid to give us the latest “final” report on the UNC academic/athletics scandal. What would it cost UNC to just ask The News &…
Read MoreThe other day I was feeling a little down and blue about Republicans’ foibles then thanks to Democratic Chairman Randy Vollmer the sun broke through the clouds. Awhile back, the Democratic Party had to replace its Executive Director after he was accused of sexual harassment. Last week, Chairman Randy Vollmer fired the replacement and…
Read MoreBusiness and industry got exactly what they wanted when Governor McCrory and DENR Secretary John Skvarla took office. Then they got exactly what they didn’t need when Duke’s coal ash spilled into the Dan River. Suddenly, “customer friendly” sounds like “polluter friendly.” The U.S. Attorney raises the threat of criminal indictments. And The New…
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