Posts by Carter Wrenn
Wiretaps
There’s been a big flap in Washington about wiretaps. The Bush Administration wants to listen in on ‘foreign communications’ it suspects may be tied to terrorism without court orders (The New York Times, 8-4-07). That sounded reasonable even to a fair amount of Democrats (who voted for it). But a lot didn’t and the usual…
Read MoreThe Next Political Tidal Wave?
The Democrats in Washington are thinking long term and they may have found an issue they can ride to victory after they’ve finished milking the war in Iraq. They’re moving to pass retaliatory trade legislation against China. For years, free trade has been a sacred cow for both Democrats and Republicans. No one seemed to…
Read MoreUnions and Realtors
To get the debate on the so-called ‘Transfer Tax’ out of the backrooms of the legislature and into public domain – so voters would know about the new tax on homes – the Realtors Association ran TV ads. They got Governor Easley so stirred up he let fly and told legislators they had to decide…
Read MoreTony ‘the Fixer’ Strikes Again
While John Edwards and Hillary and Barack Obama are running around the nation deploring the greed of corporate CEOs, North Carolina State Senate kingpin Tony ‘The Fixer’ Rand is helping the CEOs. At the end of the legislative session Senator Rand slipped through a bill to give Goodyear Tire and Rubber $40 million in “incentives”…
Read MoreVideo Poker and Strippers
I’ve got to – for once – agree with Gary. The most feared name in Democratic politics today is Joe Sinsheimer. There’s no substitute for good research and Mr. Sinsheimer’s carving out a niche all his own. His particular bone of contention is corruption. How effective is he? Ask Jim Black, Rep. Thomas Wright and…
Read MoreDemocracy: It’s Like Making Sausage
Here’s a story about how democracy works that’s a far cry from what they teach in high school civics class. Two years ago, three big waste management corporations decided to build mega-garbage dumps here in North Carolina. Not for garbage from North Carolina. But for garbage from Massachusetts and New York. They promoted their idea…
Read MoreMeeker and Five Points
One of the mantras of the Urban Correctness crowd – of which Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker is High Priest – is “density.” “Density” is good. “Sprawl” is anathema. That’s what makes the flap at Five Points – involving the quasi-official, quasi-political CACs who’re usually among the mayor’s biggest boosters – interesting. Because they’ve decided “density”…
Read MoreGovernor as Snake Oil Salesman
Governor Easley has turned into the ultimate huckster. The suckers in North Carolina won’t buy enough lottery tickets, so, like a shill in a carny, he wants to jack up the prizes apparently on the theory that if he baits the hook with enough fool’s gold the suckers will part with more of their money.…
Read MoreA Portrait of America from the Morning Newspaper
Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez – according to the press this morning – mislead to the Senate yesterday. (Even one Republican Senator, Arlen Specter, asked Gonzalez, incredulously, “Do you expect me to believe that?”) The House of Representatives – according to the press – is about to bring contempt charges against President Bush for illegally hiding…
Read MoreBeat This?
When I read The News and Observer headline – “Tax Enriches Cellular Carriers” –I had to ask, ‘How does a tax enrich anyone but the government?’ The answer turned out to be simple. The government collects a tax on your phone bill then pays the money to telephone companies (in theory for providing phone service…
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