North Carolina – Democrats
Losing Round One
When I fled the country just before Memorial Day, Governor Perdue had the upper hand in her PR battle with the GOP over the budget. But she lost it. She lost the battle – at least in the short term – because she couldn’t get the votes to sustain her veto. In politics, like…
Read MoreIt Was a Good Deal
John Edwards should have taken the deal. He could have pled guilty to misdemeanors – not felonies. The circus would be over. There would be no trial – and no risk of a worse result. There would be no more leaks, no more tabloid headlines and no more sordid disclosures. Yes, there might…
Read MoreThe Biggest Contract in State Government
It’s the biggest contract in state government. The $265 million Medicaid claims processing contract. And it’s awarded by Secretary Lanier Cansler’s department. For years the contract was managed by EDS Corporation, but during Cansler’s first stint at DHHS (when Mike Easley was Governor) the contract was awarded to another corporation – ACS Corporation. Which…
Read MoreWhat I Missed
Here’s what I gleaned from two days of catching up with the news of the past two weeks: John Edwards got indicted. And promptly dug himself a deeper hole by jumping in front of the cameras. The aptly named Anthony Weiner imploded online. Newt Gingrich imploded at sea. (“Imploded” may be to 2012…
Read MoreCansler Strikes Again
Lobbyist turned Cabinet Secretary (and No-Bid-Contract-Awarder) Lanier Cansler has landed himself back in court. Sued for the third time. What’s got Cansler in a mess this time is his predilection for nursing homes – he seems to be about the only person in North Carolina who thinks it’s better to put an elderly person…
Read MoreScreaming Bloody Murder
The Democrat head of the State Board of Education has gotten himself worked up into such a state about the Republican budget and the Republicans ruining public schools he’s one step from either bursting an artery or starting a riot. To hear him tell it Governor Perdue’s budget will bring light to education and…
Read MoreSkating on Thin Ice
Talk about a fellow coming up a day late and a dollar short. Sunday there was a picture in the newspaper of John Edwards standing beside his ‘P.R. specialist’ in front of the courthouse where he’d just been indicted. Unfortunately for Edwards restoring his dented image is beyond the arts of the cleverest…
Read MoreBehind the Curtain
Speaker Thom Tillis slipped up and left a microphone on during a ‘behind closed doors’ Republican Caucus, so every word he said was beamed straight into the press room at the General Assembly where reporters listened agog to the leaders in the legislature making high-level policy. Policy #1 – On redistricting, House Republican Leader…
Read MoreSponsored by Governor Perdue
A scruffy-looking rock band comes on TV and the leaping in the air singer bawls, “Big bucks, quick bucks, mega bucks, jumbo bucks”…It was an ad for the Lottery Commission. Whose motto seems to be “Never Give a Sucker an Even Break.” Back when the Democrats passed the lottery the legislature also passed…
Read MoreThe GOP’s Lousy State Crop
A Tapster had these thoughts in response to my blog on the GOP’s lousy crop of presidential candidates: “Look no further than the uncivil chaos on Jones Street to see weeds, chiggers and worms in the Republican crop there as well. GOP leaders have lost sight of their promised “jobs/economy” focus, and have let…
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