General
The State Senate Whacks Governor Easley
After weeks of lobbing grenades – on video poker, eye exams and the teapot museum – at their fellow Democrats in the House the state Senate just lobbed one at Governor Easley. For years, going back to the days of Governor Hunt, the governor has been chairman of the N.C. Progress Board which reports to…
Read More$600 Million for Toll Roads
Gas prices are rising again and gas tax revenues to the state are soaring but it appears some local officials – including Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker – are supporting toll roads in Wake County. The tolls would cost drivers $600 million to complete parts of the Triangle Parkway and I-540. So now in Wake County…
Read MoreThe Saga of the State’s Biggest Contract
Last year, after seeking bids the state took its $171 million Medicaid billing contract – its biggest contract – away from EDS and gave it to rival ACS (both of Texas). EDS sued and said among other things that the bids weren’t handled fairly and ACS couldn’t deliver what it promised. The state fought EDS…
Read MoreA Tsunami?
Republicans just held their bi-annual State Convention. I spoke to a friend who attended. He has been active in politics for years and he’s pretty glum about Republican chances in the election this fall. He’s looking at the national trends and remembering 1994, 1982, and 1974 when one party (Republicans in ’94 and Democrats in…
Read MoreReal Democrats on Fire and Online
“Liberals hunt down heretics, while conservatives happily chase converts.” Michael Kinsley, as quoted by Joe Klein I don’t know whether Kinsley is right. It seems to me that right-wingers have spent a fair amount of time since 1964 hunting down heretics. But I’m only concerned with us liberals – or progressives, or whatever we’re supposed…
Read MoreIs Mayor Meeker a Shoo-In?
A few days ago one of Gary’s friends, who supports Mayor Meeker, took the time to write Talking About Politics about a blog I did criticizing the mayor’s runaway spending. (See Gary’s blog 06/05/06.) Gary’s friend didn’t exactly defend the mayor’s spending (except for his Lite-Rail boondoggle). Instead he said politically it didn’t matter because…
Read MoreRepublicans Find a Lifeline
Close counts in horseshoes, not politics. But it doesn’t bode well for immigrants. That’s my reading of the special election for Duke Cunningham’s congressional seat, left vacant when the Dukester admitted to some impressive bribe-taking. When the Republican candidate got in real trouble, he waved the bloody flag: keep out the immigrants. He even attacked…
Read MoreHockey and Gifts to Legislators
The State House passed a ‘Reform’ bill to clean up government by limiting lobbyists’ gifts to legislators. How much good has it done? The newspapers report spotting five legislators attending the Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup finals. According to the News and Observer (6-10-06) Democrat Representative Jim Harrell – who voluntarily signed a list to put…
Read MoreA $9 Million Lunch?
The School Board wants to pass a billion dollar bond and raise taxes, the City Manager wants to raise taxes, county officials say the county may have to raise taxes. So it’s puzzling the County Commissioners just voted not to award the contract to run a new landfill in Holly Springs to the lowest bidder.…
Read MoreA Warning Blast for Democrats
The news that American troops killed terrorist leader al-Zarqawi in Iraq should be a wake-up call to those Democrats who are busy measuring new drapes for the Speaker’s Office in Washington. The lesson: Note that Bush went on national TV at 7:30 (the real prime time) to take credit. Remember that events happen fast. And…
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