There are two ways to keep score in politics: polls and money. By the money measure, Democrat Richard Moore and Republican Bill Graham should be the leading candidates for Governor in 2008. Moore has raised $1.3 million to Beverly Perdue’s $1 million and Roy Cooper’s $760,000. Graham reportedly is spending $1 million of his own…
Whether or not you agree with Congressman Walter Jones you have to admit he has a rare trait among politicians. There are many elected officials who are clever, intelligent or articulate – but there are not many whose courage matches their other skills. Congressman Jones have has stood up and disagreed with his own President,…
The Charlotte Observer reports (3-9-06) there will be no election at all in almost half the 170 races for State House and Senate this fall. In addition, in the races all but a handful of the races that are contested, practically, if not legally, the outcome is all but decided. Because of how legislators have…
My old friend and adversary Jack Hawke sponsored a conservative gripe-a-thon in Durham last week.“It is a travesty that North Carolina is controlled by the Democrats,” U.S. Representative Virginia Foxx told the N.C. Conservative Leadership Conference.I disagree, of course. I believe it’s a credit to the good judgment of North Carolinians that Democrats hold the…
The Raleigh City Council has approved Mayor Meeker’s new underground parking deck – to go with his downtown Hotel and Convention Center. This $45 million parking deck brings the total cost of Mayor Meeker’s Center/Hotel complex to over $250 million.What would taxpayers have saved if the Mayor had decided to build an above ground parking…
A few days ago I saw Republican Bill Graham’s TV ads blasting the state gas tax increase. He and his ads are still running. About the same time, I saw $3-a-gallon gas signs pop up. Even the CEO of Chrysler has now accused the oil companies of gouging consumers. But Graham, good Republican he is,…
Sometimes politics seems to slip from the unusual to the absurd. The Lottery Commission is spending $10 million on advertising. But, according to the Winston-Salem Journal (3-15-06), under state law “No advertising may have the primary purpose of inducing persons to participate in the lottery.” So why is the Lottery Commission spending $10 million on…
President Bush’s poll numbers are tanking because he forgot how he got to the White House. The background is summed up well in an excellent piece in Time magazine this week by Joe Klein. Klein is one of the best political reporters going. Klein’s article – in which he says consultants have ruined politics –…
To me, there are two mysteries in the debate over Raleigh’s impact fees: Who paid for the calls supporting higher fees? Why would downtown development be exempt from higher fees? First the calls. The News & Observer says this is a partial text of one call: Hello. If you are a taxpayer, it is urgent…
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