Raleigh
Police Envy…
Of all things there’s another ‘concealed carry’ bill over at the legislature…this time Speaker Thom Tillis’ Chief of Staff, Charles Thomas, and State Senate Kingpin Tom Apodaca want to allow the Sergeants-at-Arms in the legislature to carry concealed pistols. Supporting the bill, Thomas explained to the Senate Rules Committee that arming the Sergeants-at-Arms will…
Read MoreGive Me a Ticket on a Fast Train…
The corporate-wing of the State Republican Party, led by Charlotte Senator Bob Rucho, has come out four-square for Governor Perdue taking $545 million from the federal government to build ‘high-speed’ railroad tracks from Raleigh and Charlotte. Governors in several other states turned down the federal money, but Senator Rucho explained that ‘snubbing the federal…
Read MoreDecisive Action…Washington Style
Nothing’s given and nothing’s certain but it sure looks like the government is not going to close down at midnight – instead, it looks like President Obama and the Democrats have won their fight with John Boehner and company. Congress is staring a $1.5 trillion deficit (and a $3.5 trillion budget) in the eye.…
Read MoreMore on Concealed Handguns…
After passing new laws making it legal to carry concealed handguns in bars and restaurants and holding a ‘how to get a concealed handgun permit class’ at the State Legislature it would seem by now House Speaker Thom Tillis and company would have passed enough new gun laws to rest for awhile – but not…
Read MoreYow Shoots PR Bricks
Whatever her talents as NCSU’s AD, Debbie Yow’s PR skills are lacking. As an alum, I hope she’s better at hiring than communicating. I’m a fan, not a fanatic. I like what I see about the new coach. But, once again, I’m stunned by the frenzy Wolfpack fans can work themselves into when everything…
Read MoreAn Odd Confluence of Events
Duke Energy plans to build a new nuclear plant and to pay for it it’s sponsored a bill in the legislature to raise electric rates, which it says is reasonable because nuclear power plants are good things and a public benefit so why should it have to borrow money on Wall Street for its plant?…
Read MoreLegislative (In)security
A TAPster (bartender, two cold ones here) offers this thought-provoking caution: “Carter’s brief blog about legislators carrying guns is scary on many fronts. It’s probably only a matter of time before a gun battle breaks out in the legislative cafeteria when a lawmaker tries to take the last piece of fried catfish from a hungry…
Read MoreOnly a Politician Would Argue…
Last year, the state received $10.5 billion in ‘Stimulus Funds’ from the Obama administration – a staggering number equal to one-half the state budget. This year, the state faces a $2.7 billion dollar budget deficit. Does that sound a bit like fiscal mismanagement? The state gets a $10 billion windfall from Washington last…
Read MoreGeneral Tata’s Politics
Tony Tata obviously learned something about politics in the military, as well as good offensive strategy. When he started as Wake schools superintendent, he disarmed critics by meeting with them. Now he has proposed a budget that is austere, but avoids classroom cuts. In other words, the same political strategy as Governor Perdue.…
Read MoreShould Death Be on the Air?
Two readers strenuously objected to WRAL’s decision (and WTVD’s apparent intention) not to televise the bloody ending of last week’s hostage-taking in Cary. The stations should have shown the hostage-taker being shot and killed, they argue. One, referring to WRAL’s owner, wrote: “Jim Goodmon’s parochial thinking is what will eventually cause the demise…
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