Issues
How About You?
No politician in Congress is going to dare to propose a draft. The Democrats would impeach President Bush if he even brought it up. But looking back the President made a big mistake by not proposing a draft years ago. He wouldn’t have gotten in this mess if he had. He’d have known right then…
Read MoreDwight Eisenhower on Iraq
A marine officer on patrol in Baghdad sees five Iraqi soldiers clustered beneath a streetlight, an easy target for snipers; certain something is wrong he rushes across the street. He finds the Iraqi ‘s staring at pornography on a cell phone. (News and Observer; 2-10-07). An Army Lieutenant on patrol with Iraqi soldiers captures three…
Read MoreWhat Would Jesus Do?
At Christmas, I want to reflect on the Christian example being set by Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas. He’s a Republican who wants to be the Christian Right candidate for President. Brownback had held up the confirmation of a federal judge because the nominee – horror of horrors! – had attended a same-sex commitment ceremony.…
Read MorePolls
Gary, here’s some good news for your folks on the Democratic side of the aisle. Each month the Civitas Institute takes a poll; in August they asked voters who they would vote for in the elections for state legislature this fall – a Democrat or a Republican. Voters said: Republican: 36% Democrat: 40% Neither 7%…
Read MoreA Third Wake County Tax Increase
In June the Wake County Commissioners raised property taxes. In July they endorsed raising them, again, if the School Bond passes. And in August they voted to raise them a third time. This time the Commissioners want to reassess the value of your home more often — and to keep the tax rate fixed after…
Read MoreEasley on Ethics
The same week former State Rep. Michael Decker pled guilty to taking a $50,000 bribe to switch parties and vote for Democrat Jim Black for Speaker of the House – Governor Easley signed the legislature’s new ethics bill into law. Easley said this bill “is a powerful first step at establishing clear ethical standards…” (The…
Read MoreDemonizing Immigrants
I’ve posted several items about anti-immigration politics. And immigrant-bashing clearly is the strategy of at least one wing of the Republican Party. It may work. Enough voters may be xenophobic enough – or even racist enough – to buy it. But here is a history prediction: In decades to come (maybe even sooner), Republicans will…
Read MoreThe Real Gas Tax Scandal
Republicans want to make an issue out of the recent state gas tax increase. They’re shocked – shocked, mind you – at a 2.8 cent tax hike. But they’re unbothered that the oil companies raised the price 15 cents. They’re missing the real problem here. I agree with an opinion piece that ran in the…
Read MoreDemocrats Wrestle Over Raleigh Growth
Raleigh city politics are getting more party-centered. Not that thereâs anything wrong with that. But Raleigh Democrats may be heading in a direction that is plenty wrong. An important test will come next Tuesday. The City Council is scheduled to appoint two new members of the Planning Commission then. The appointments have become the battleground…
Read MoreMeeker’s Folly #3 – A Grocery Store
Mayor Meeker now wants the City to help build a grocery store downtown. The City Council has voted to loan $300,000 to a real estate company to build an upscale ‘Fresh Market’ type grocery store downtown (News and Observer, 12-08-05). Now, as far as I can tell there have been several hundred grocery stores built…
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