It’s a fault of human nature: When you spend your own money you look at it one way but when you spend someone else’s money it’s a different story. Once, years ago, I served on a church-school board with a half dozen tight-fisted, hard-eyed businessmen who could squeeze a dollar out of a turnip.…
Read MoreWhat did we learn during the Republican legislature’s “Education Week”? That North Carolina ranks 48th in education spending. Legislative leaders bragged that this was the first time all school superintendents were invited to tell the legislature their concerns. The superintendents promptly warned against taking more money from the public schools and giving it to…
Read MoreNow that the Case of the Not-Blueprint Memo has been solved, Democrats and progressives can move on to important issues like what Republicans are doing on education, Medicaid, unemployment assistance, tax reform and … hold on, what’s that? Never mind. Apparently, we will move on to the new state Democratic chairman owing almost $290,000 in…
Read MoreTwo years ago, Republicans controlled the County Commissioners and the School Board and were happy. Then Democrats won the next School Board election – so they were happy and the Republican County Commissioners were unhappy. Next the Republican Commissioners decided to redraw the Democratic School Board members’ Districts to get them out of…
Read MoreBeing mean is not a formula for success in politics, and Governor McCrory may learn that lesson the hard way. Hold on, you say. What about Jesse Helms? He made a 30-year career out of being mean and picking on politically weak victims. Glad you asked. Here’s the difference: What works for a…
Read MoreBack in 1980, Senator Helms’ political organization had won elections in 1976 and 1978. And after Reagan won, we figured the conservative millennium had dawned and we’d mastered the art of politics. Next election we lost five races. Back in 1980, Jim Hunt had built the most powerful political machine ever seen in North…
Read MoreWhy do congressional Republicans keep jumping off the cliff – and taking the country with them? Don’t they see the political trap that President Obama has sprung on them? You could enjoy what they’re doing to themselves politically if you didn’t hate what they’re doing to the country economically. Here’s just part of…
Read MorePresident Obama’s in full campaign mode with his eyes fixed on taking control of the House of Representatives next election. He’s put his campaign to work targeting Republican Congressmen and he’s telling voters because of the Sequester 7,450 children in Florida won’t receive vaccinations, 800 victims of domestic violence in North Carolina won’t receive care,…
Read MoreKim Genardo of NBC-17 is following a well-trod path from capital reporter to Governor’s communications director. Most every governor hires a capital reporter to tame the savages. I made that switch from the N&O to then-Lt. Governor Hunt in January 1976 – 37 years ago! (As I recall, I was about 13 years old.) …
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