North Carolina – Democrats
Crocodile Tears?
Each year hospitals pay the state $135 million which, through some mysterious alchemy, morphs into the federal government paying the state a second $135 million (to care for Medicaid patients). Trying to decipher the magic a newspaper described a circular flow of money that seems to work like this: 1) The hospitals pay the state…
Read MoreA McCrory Comeback?
The prevailing Democratic view of Governor McCrory is summed up by this bumper sticker a friend saw: My child is an honor student. My Governor is a moron. But Governor McCrory has a chance to mount his own “Carolina Comeback” in the next few weeks. He could stand up to the legislature…
Read MoreIt Wasn’t 12,000 People…
The Old Bull Mooses in the State Senate had seen enough so they went on a rampage to repair Medicaid and, before they were done, they’d gored hospitals, doctors, the Governor and just about everyone in sight except the people who’d written the budget that made them mad in the first place. Surveying the…
Read MoreHouse of Cards?
It turns out there’s a three member state commission (named the ‘Board of Review’) – where each Board member is paid $120,000 – for working part-time. Of course, three appointments of that magnitude had to be a temptation to any keen-eyed politician – so, as might be expected, a month ago a committee of…
Read MoreStirred up into a Fever
Kay Hagan didn’t put it quite this bluntly but, basically, what she said was Thom Tillis is a Neanderthal. Now, no one, except for State Senators, believes being called a relic of the Stone Age is a compliment so, understandably unhappy, Tillis blasted Hagan right back saying the environmental regulations she supports (to end…
Read MoreAn Earthshaking Shift…
In May as soon as the Notables and Honorables who serve in the State Senate arrived in Raleigh and settled into their seats, they glanced at Governor McCrory’s Budget, flipped it into the waste bin, and substituted their own budget. What happened to Medicaid’s an example. With their usual delicacy, the Old Bull’s in…
Read MoreHiring and Firing
Thirty years ago it sounded fine when Democrats set out to save North Carolina from the wickedness of a Republican Governor firing Democratic state employees – they were ridding state government of nasty old politics. But it didn’t turn out quite the way they expected because, when all was said and done, they’d…
Read MoreCoal Ash
When it comes to avoiding another coal ash spill, the problem may not be (as the environmentalists believe) the villainy of Governor McCrory. The problem may be more subtle. Going back decades, the career state employees over at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources have told Duke Energy it was handling coal ash…
Read MoreCommon Core and Ernest Hemingway
I’m very, very nervous… Democratic State Representative Marcus Brandon said. Disagreeing, Republican Representative Michael Specialecountered, What’s the price of selling our souls? When it comes to keeping ‘Common Core’ the politicians in Raleigh have divided into two armed camps. Rep. Michael Speciale is dead-set against it. Rep. Marcus Brandon is for it. …
Read MoreA Sign?
“This is a miracle from God that just happened.” – David Brat, who rocked the political world Tuesday by upsetting Eric Cantor in a Virginia Republican primary. Well, that’s certainly one explanation. A more earthly one came from former Representative Thomas M. Davis III, another Virginia Republican: “There are some very angry people upset…
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