Posts by Carter Wrenn
What If’s on Iraq
Now that we seem to have started down the path of getting out of Iraq, letâs ask âwhat ifâ the worst happens. We won the military war in Iraq in a matter of weeks. But we lost the âpost-war peaceâ to the terrorists. Why? According to one analysis recently declassified documents show British Prime Minister…
Read MoreRolling Back Regulations? Sort Of.
The City of Raleigh’s passed so many new regulations (it now regulates everything from hot dog stands to newspaper boxes) the Council is considering exemptions – but not for everyone. It seems City Hall has discovered regulations are driving up housing costs, so the Council is looking at giving a special exemption from storm water,…
Read MoreFor President: Who?
In an odd way Conservative Republicans may be looking at Democrats with something like envy. Because Democrats have so many viable candidates for President. The Moderates have Evan Bayh and John Edwards. The Liberals have Hillary, John Kerry, Al Gore and John Edwards (who’s trying to appeal to everyone). But what about conservative Republicans? Right…
Read MoreBlack’s Fifth Term?
The next time you look up tenacity in the dictionary you may see House Speaker Jim Black’s picture beside the word. Black’s been hauled before the Board of Elections, the Grand Jury, the federal courts and his nominee for the lottery commission was convicted of fraud but, despite it all, as improbable as it sounds,…
Read MorePoll: The Presidential Race
The latest Gallop Poll of the Democratic and Republican candidates says: Democrats Hillary Clinton 31% Barack Obama 19% John Edwards 10% Al Gore 9% John Kerry 7% Republicans Rudy Giuliani 28% John McCain 26% Condoleezza Rice 13% Newt Gingrich 7% Mitt Romney 5% Pollster Dick Morris (http://www.vote.com/) observed that the poll shows the ‘gender gap’…
Read MoreGetting Out of Iraq
The Iraq Security Group led by former Secretary of State Jim Baker is about to release itâs report, and despite all the window dressing about finding a ânew way forwardâ it looks like the bottom line is simple: Letâs get out of Iraq. Of course the politicians and diplomats arenât putting it quite that bluntly,…
Read MoreJudicial Ethics?
Ethics are supposed to set standards for ‘virtuous’ behavior, so you wouldn’t expect ‘judicial ethics’ to result in an injustice. But that appears to have happened in the trial of two off duty Durham police officers charged with assaulting a short order cook at Blinco’s sports bar. Here’s what happened: When the prosecutor rested his…
Read MoreStraight Ticket Voting Up
People used to say, I don’t care which party straightens out our country as long as one does. But times have changed. The Charlotte Observer (11-13-06) reports “straight ticket voting” increased 20% in Mecklenburg County this election. Of course, it’s possible that every, say, Democratic candidate in every race was more qualified than his Republican…
Read MoreFollow the Money
We may be about to get another glimpse into “backstage politics.” Federal prosecutors have subpoenaed House Speaker Pro-Tem Richard Morgan to testify before the grand jury. What they want to ask Morgan about is a $100,000 donation “a small cigarette manufacturer” gave “a political group” he created in 2004 – a year after Morgan stopped…
Read MoreHouse Democrats
Nothing starts a fight quicker in Congress than the scramble for power. It’s an old story and it’s just happened to Democrats. The election was barely over when they started fighting among themselves to see who will be the ‘powers’ in the new Congress. The big tussle – between Congressman Jack Murtha and Congressman Steny…
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