Posts by Gary Pearce
Why We Geezers Rule
OnPoint Polling and Research of Raleigh released some numbers that stunned me. Not polling results, but demographics. According to OnPoint, here is how the active-voting population of North Carolina breaks down by age: 18-19 1% 20-29 5% 30-39 7% 40-49 23% 50-59 22% 60-69 24% 70-79 14% 80+ 5% In other words, only 13 percent…
Read MoreObama’s Bombshell
It’s one thing to be a political rock star. It’s another thing to turn stardom into real money. And Barack Obama did it. Obama proved he’s for real when he raised almost as much money as Hillary Clinton in the first quarter – $25 million. Obama’s showing jolted Hillary’s campaign – and John Edwards’. As…
Read MoreHistory is Not Repeating Itself Here
Republicans claim that Democrats are making the same mistake on Iraq that Newt Gingrich made when he shut down the federal government a decade ago. They say the Democrats will emerge from the congressional showdown over Iraq looking weak and untrustworthy – just like in the 70s and 80s. Not happening. The Republicans are dreaming…
Read MorePersonal Politics
I wrote earlier about the personal dominating the political in the presidential race – witness Elizabeth Edwards’ cancer. Coincidentally, I spoke to two groups recently and got a question about that – one I get asked almost everywhere. Carter and I got it at a business group. Then I heard it from a group of…
Read MoreThe Un-Making of John McCain
John McCain reminds me of an old calendar that is still hanging on the wall. McCain was a phenom in 2000. Today he’s a tired old face. As his campaign falters, he begins to look more and more like a bitter, beaten man. His first-quarter fundraising was so bad his campaign didn’t even try to…
Read MoreMoore’s Moment of Truth
Richard Moore is facing his first campaign crisis. How he responds in the next month could decide whether he’s elected Governor next year. Carter has blogged before that the State Treasurer is at risk of replacing Jim Black as the new “pay to play” poster boy in Raleigh. Moore hasn’t done anything illegal. But sometimes…
Read More“Home Tax” or “Developers Pay”
An interesting fight is shaping up over real estate transfer taxes. It has implications for a lot of municipal elections this year, including Raleigh’s. Opponents – Realtors and homebuilders – label the idea the “home tax.” Their website – http://www.itsabadidea.org/ – says: “Bills now being considered in the State Legislature would force the home sellers…
Read MoreHoist by Their Own Petard
For an interesting story on a newspaper being covered by a newspaper, go to the Independent Weekly’s story about ongoing changes at The News & Observer. Here’s the link: http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A48019 The N&O editors sound just like government or corporate officials sound when they’re caught in an uncomfortable situation they have a hard time explaining. If…
Read MoreWill Money Decide the Race?
Conventional Wisdom says the 2008 Presidential nominations will be decided by money. Especially with a de facto nationwide primary looming in early February. CW (that’s “conventional wisdom,” not Carter Wrenn) says a campaign will have to raise $100 million this year to be viable next year. CW says this Saturday, March 31, is a critical…
Read MoreCooking the Books – Again
David Stockman lied to the American people about the federal budget a quarter-century ago. This week, he got indicted for doing essentially the same thing to investors. As Ronald Reagan’s budget director, Stockman promised that we could cut taxes and balance the budget. It didn’t turn out that way. Stockman later admitted to a reporter:…
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