Posts by Gary Pearce
Last in Education
Republicans have opened the doors of opportunity for Governor Perdue. And missed a golden opportunity for themselves. Perdue can now say – according to State Board of Education Chairman Bill Harrison – that the Republican budget cuts would make North Carolina LAST in the nation in per-pupil education funding. We can’t even say…
Read MoreBill Friday’s People
Some 500+ of Bill Friday’s closest personal friends attended a luncheon in Chapel Hill honoring him for 40 years of hosting “North Carolina People.” (Warning: Shameless self-promotion ahead! I’m on his show tonight and Sunday, talking about my Jim Hunt biography.) Friday has conducted these gentle, relaxed interviews with probably 2,000 North Carolinians…
Read MoreRyan’s Express
Has it occurred to anybody in the Republican Party that U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan is driving them off a cliff? Think back one year ago. Republicans could smell victory in November. Why? Because President Obama and the Democratic Congress had given them the perfect punching bag: sweeping, comprehensive health care reform. Best of…
Read MorePrimary Reading Program
Craig Phillips, who died Tuesday, was a good and progressive Superintendent of Public Instruction. But I feel compelled to correct one small thing in the N&O’s story about him. The story said Phillips “put reading aides in state elementary school classrooms as part of his Primary Reading Program.” No. The Primary Reading Program…
Read MorePawns to Queen’s Turf
Look on the House budget proposal as the first move in a political chess match. The strategy: Lay out the most draconian cuts possible, guaranteed to bring to Raleigh every special interest group in the state – a chorus of voices denouncing, declaiming and pleading. Then come up with some magic moves –…
Read MoreObama’s Balance
An advisor to President Obama used a term recently that may be the theme – stated or not – of both his budget proposal Wednesday and his 2012 campaign: “a balanced approach.” He will no doubt contrast that to Republican “extremism.” And Republicans fell right into the trap. Rep. Paul Ryan’s dream budget gives Democrats…
Read MoreOverstaffed?
I received the missive below from a veteran of the Legislative Building. I should note that the author is not a yellow-dog Democrat, but rather someone who is sympathetic to the new Republican majority and its (supposed) agenda. “Long-time legislative observers are scratching their heads trying to remember if they’ve ever seen a staff person…
Read MoreEditorial Page Censors
It’s hard to understand a newspaper endorsing censorship. But that’s what the Greensboro News & Record did this weekend. An editorial Saturday endorsed a bill before the legislature that would block all political robocalls. The editorial thundered that, not only are the calls “annoying,” but – horror of horrors – “under constitutional free speech…
Read MoreMore Stormy Weatherly
I got a nice email from Keith Weatherly thanking me for posting his response to my blog. So I almost feel guilty extending this matter. But I heard from three different TAPsters in response to Keith’s response. And, you understand, my day goes much more easily when I let other people do the work.…
Read MoreThe Great GOP Budget Gamble(s)
In Raleigh and Washington, Republican lawmakers are moving forward confident in the belief that – this time – the American people are really, really ready to really, really cut spending. They better hope so. Historically, we elect politicians who promise to cut taxes and cut spending. Then we revolt when we see the…
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