Issues
The Clinton Prescription
The Big Dog’s got the scent. Democrats should pay attention. For all his faults, Bill Clinton has one of the best noses in politics. And this week he gave Senate Democrats exactly the right strategy for passing health-care reform: It’s the economy, stupid. That is, reform will help the economy by slowing…
Read MoreThe Looniest Department: Turning DHHS into an HMO
Since he’s a former health care lobbyist I guess it’s not surprising Secretary Lanier Cansler has decided to run the Department of Health and Human Services as if, well, it was an HMO or an insurance company. Of course, the thing folks hate most about insurance companies is simple: When they go to…
Read MoreThe Looniest Department: Putting Infants in Nursing Homes?
They’re a lot of things going on at DHHS that are just plain odd, even for a state agency. For instance, Governor Perdue put a health care lobbyist in charge of DHHS’ budget – which includes granting billions in health care contracts. Then the lobbyist – Secretary Lanier Cansler – put a gynecologist in…
Read MoreThe Looniest Department in State Government
Over the summer I did TV ads and Internet videos for the Association for Hospice and Home Care and, in the process, got a close up look at the inner-workings of the Department of Health and Human Services – which has to be the looniest department in state government. I guess the best example…
Read MoreGetting it Backwards
Over at the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Lanier Cansler has been lamenting that he’s got to cut $4 billion or $1 billion (the number seems to change from day to day) from his department’s budget. When you think about it it’s an odd thing – but the liberals in the Perdue…
Read MoreCleaning Up
There was one odd sidelight in former Governor Easley’s testimony. He was busy as governor and candidate, too busy to go to headquarters or keep up with flight invoices. But he was home vacuuming his chimney?
Read MoreDebating the Easley Hearings
Jane said it’s good the Board of Elections is digging into “pay for play” politics. Joe said it’s much ado about minor campaign reporting violations. Jane said we’re lucky to have The News & Observer. Joe said it’s a vendetta by John Drescher. Jane said the combination of big-time appointments, free…
Read MoreWorse than a Mistake
A few days ago American Spectator published a story about fireworks erupting in a caucus of Republican Congressmen when conservatives asked Representative Pete Sessions, head of the National Republican Campaign Committee, why on earth he was pouring half a million in cash into liberal Republican ACORN supported (in the last three elections) candidate Deidre Scozzafava’s…
Read MoreWatch What You Think
Public Policy Polling did a poll that seems obvious: Fox viewers don’t like Obama, and MSNBC viewers do. But the point was reinforced last week by Jason Kilar, CEO of Hulu (and UNC grad), in a talk in Chapel Hill. Kilar said the Internet is essentially a tool that enables us to watch…
Read MoreWillful Ignorance
Recently I was subjected to a speech by columnist-commentator George Will. He courageously took on Washington’s big spending. His implication was that President Obama is the culprit. To his credit, Will did acknowledge that George Bush’s prescription drug benefit – which doesn’t let the government negotiate lower prices – is part of the…
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