North Carolina – Democrats
IHOP!
Former Republican State Representative Michael Decker says three years ago, at the IHOP in Salisbury, he made this deal with a Democratic legislator: Decker switched parties and voted for Democrat Jim Black for Speaker of the House – in return he got $50,000 and a job for his son. Later, Decker also says, he got…
Read MoreEasley for President?
How long will it take for the rumors to start? Last week, Governor Easley was in Washington for two appearances: A speech to the Center for American Progress, a group trying to redefine and reposition the national Democratic Party; A press conference with Senator Hillary Clinton and the Governor of Iowa (get it – Iowa?)…
Read MoreDemocrats and Budgets
Here’s how the Democrats in the legislature handle the state budget. For five of the last six years they’ve given us deficits from $200 million to $1.5 billion. Their solution: to raise taxes. Then, finally, they raised taxes so much we had a year with a surplus. What did they do? They cut taxes a…
Read MoreDemocrats, Republicans and ‘Pay to Play’
The Democrats in the State House have been conducting their version of ‘damage control’ to dodge the political fallout from the ‘pay to play’ scandals in the House. What’s their strategy? Well, it’s to pass meaningless reforms and then to proclaim from the rooftops that they have solved the problem. When, in fact, they have…
Read MoreThe Governor’s Race
The Republicans Salisbury attorney, Bill Graham, has spent a million dollars of his own money to pay for TV ads to express his opposition to the Gas Tax. And, now, he’s getting ready to spend another bundle of his own money to say he’s against illegal immigration. Graham’s potential opponents might call this buying an…
Read MoreUp! Up! Up!
The State Senate’s budget increases government spending a whopping 9.4%. But it turns out the Senators are the ones holding the line. The Governor wants to increase spending even more: 9.6%. And the House topped him: 9.7%. The Governor and the Senate want to spend 90.5% of the state’s $2.4 billion surplus – and return…
Read MoreBuck Up, Brad
This is a piece of advice that I hope finds its way to my Congressman, Brad Miller. Brad, Americans love happy warriors. Think Roosevelt, Clinton, Kennedy and, yes, Reagan. We do not go for mopers and whiners. Think Dole (Bob), Hoover and Carter. This week, Brad, I talked to two friends who attended recent fundraisers…
Read More‘Cooling Off’
A few days ago the state threatened to fire the company – computer giant ACS – it gave the biggest state contract (installing a new Medicaid claims system) to a year ago. That‘s a $171 million contract and, right now, after working on it a year ACS is a year behind schedule. When the company…
Read MoreA Little Help from his Friends?
The Charlotte Observer (6-11-06) reports Governor Easley brought a piece of North Carolina ocean front paradise on Bogue Sound at the entrance of a 75-slip marina near Emerald Isle. And he got a deal. According to the Observer, Easley bought the lot “last year for $549,880.” Which was just 3 percent above its assessed tax…
Read MorePolitical Dexterity
Not long ago when Democrat leaders in the State House were testifying before the State Board of Elections they said optometrists giving blank checks (with the amount filled in but the recipient’s name blank) to Speaker Jim Black – for him to distribute to candidates – was fine. There was not one thing wrong with…
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