Carter Wrenn
Gary Pearce
Ralph Reed’s Moral Money
I remember Ralph Reed as a baby-faced, holier-than-thou aide to Jesse Helms in the 1984 Hunt-Helms Senate race. Reed went on to run Pat Robertson’s Moral Majority. Now he’s running for lieutenant governor of Georgia. In the meantime, it appears he rang up some big profits from a suspect source. A bipartisan Senate report has…
‘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…
The Emerging Republican Minority
Republicans in Washington claim their border-state hearings on illegal immigrants this summer are not a ploy to kill a reform bill. I believe them. The hearings are a ploy to win the November elections. Immigration demagogy is Step Two of the Republican Survival Handbook this fall. (Step One is accusing Democrats of wanting to lose…
Kerry Rides Again
I thought John Kerry had done all the damage he could do to the Democratic Party in 2004. But no. Now he insists on being the “cut and run” face of the Democratic Party on Iraq. He angered even fellow Senate Democrats by calling for pulling out this year. Kerry was for the war before…
$50 Million in Gifts to Congress
The News and Observer reports (06-13-06) that congressmen and their staffs have taken $50 million in gifts from private organizations. How? By accepting free trips to everywhere from Jakarta to Cancun. How many trips? 23,000 over the last five years. North Carolina congressmen and their staffs took a million dollars in ‘gifts’. For 470 trips.…
Raising Property Taxes
The News and Observer reports when the City Council met last week to consider the new budget and a property tax increase plenty of folks showed up “with their hands out” wanting city funds for their organizations (News and Observer, 06-07-06). Legal Aid needs $35,000 more this year, the Symphony Orchestra wants $100,000 and the…
A 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…
Political Reality Check
The ground can shift quickly in politics. And I believe it has – on both the state and national levels. Here was the conventional wisdom not long ago – like, last week: A national tsunami will hit the Republicans in November. Jim Black’s ethical troubles will sink North Carolina Democrats in November. But I believe…
Political 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…