Governor McCrory’s style reminds me of Mike Easley: as in, the exact opposite. Easley was notoriously private. He hated being out in public and going to events. Which is bizarre in a politician. But Easley had real beliefs and convictions that he stood up for: smaller class sizes, early-childhood education, economic development in rural…
Read MoreDaniel Gilligan, a bright young Democratic policy consultant from Raleigh, offers an analysis of Republican and taxes: “Republicans in the North Carolina General Assembly have got themselves all worked up over a humdinger of a ‘new’ idea. They want to get rid of that ‘antiquated’ and ‘Depression era’ tax code we got lying around,…
Read MoreEvery session, some legislator does something astoundingly bone-headed. This year we have Rep. Bryan Holloway, R-Stokes. Holloway told WRAL’s Laura Leslie and Mark Binker that he had nothing to do with the embarrassingly sophomoric and allegedly sexist preppy-fantasy blog “Wasp 101.” Leslie and Binker listed the coincidences between Stokes and blog author, “Richard.”…
Read MoreMaybe it was the front-page photo of the white-coated female doctor, stethoscope around her neck, being arrested. Maybe it’s the growing number of protesters and arrests. Maybe it’s the broad range of people and interests involved. Whatever the reason, the Moral Monday protests are rolling downhill, picking up speed and making an impact. …
Read MoreCongressman George Holding – probably thanks to Carter – had a clear message in his campaign: “Cut Spending Now.” But not now, it turns out. And not for himself. Holding’s ads said: “Cut Spending Now.” His yard signs said: “Cut Spending Now.” In his speeches and debates, he said: “Cut Spending Now.” By George,…
Read MoreJust after we invaded Iraq ten years ago, having lunch with a businessman, I said, Well, they say we have to do it to stop terrorism but I wonder if it’s not about oil too. He laid down his fork. Looked up. Don’t kid yourself. It’s all about oil. Well, I thought, getting…
Read MoreMoral Mondays show there is still passion on the Democratic side of North Carolina’s political wars. Away from the headlines, there are more strong signs for a Democratic comeback. There’s a long, deep bench of future candidates. In no order, and no doubt leaving out many good ones, there are Roy Cooper, Janet Cowell,…
Read MoreThere’re some strange doings going on over in the General Assembly. For decades, free markets have been an article of faith with Republicans. We don’t like government manipulating markets to pick ‘winners and losers.’ But when Tesla Motors sold eighty fancy electric cars over the Internet in North Carolina, the Automobile Dealers Association…
Read MoreThirty-four years ago, in 1979, I tagged along on Governor Jim Hunt’s trade mission to China – the first for a North Carolina governor. The goal: get the Chinese to buy more North Carolina products, like pork. Now, we’re selling them more than pork; we’re selling them Smithfield Foods. “We’ve gone whole-hog,” Ferrel Guillory…
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With a better General Assembly, Josh Stein could join Jim Hunt and Terry Sanford on North…
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Once upon a time, there was a great and powerful newspaper: The News & Observer. Everybody…
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The shouting, sign-waving and cane-wielding by congressional Democrats at the State of the Union isn’t a…
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