Carter Wrenn
Gary Pearce
I’ve got to – for once – agree with Gary. The most feared name in Democratic politics today is Joe Sinsheimer. There’s no substitute for good research and Mr. Sinsheimer’s carving out a niche all his own. His particular bone of contention is corruption. How effective is he? Ask Jim Black, Rep. Thomas Wright and…
Here’s a story about how democracy works that’s a far cry from what they teach in high school civics class. Two years ago, three big waste management corporations decided to build mega-garbage dumps here in North Carolina. Not for garbage from North Carolina. But for garbage from Massachusetts and New York. They promoted their idea…
The North Carolina Democratic Party needs to shed the stink of video poker money. A federal grand jury in Asheville has indicted 21 people for illegally operating video poker machines in 15 western N.C. counties. The allegations include bribery of two Buncombe County sheriff’s deputies. Joe Sinsheimer’s complaint to the State Board of Elections this…
One of the mantras of the Urban Correctness crowd – of which Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker is High Priest – is “density.” “Density” is good. “Sprawl” is anathema. That’s what makes the flap at Five Points – involving the quasi-official, quasi-political CACs who’re usually among the mayor’s biggest boosters – interesting. Because they’ve decided “density”…
Governor Easley has turned into the ultimate huckster. The suckers in North Carolina won’t buy enough lottery tickets, so, like a shill in a carny, he wants to jack up the prizes apparently on the theory that if he baits the hook with enough fool’s gold the suckers will part with more of their money.…
It’s one of my favorite political trivia questions: In 1972, George McGovern carried only two of North Carolina’s 100 counties against Richard Nixon. What are the two counties? Most people can guess Orange (Chapel Hill). But few guess the other: Northampton County in northeast North Carolina. Sonny Boy Joyner was the man responsible. He put…
Joe (the Sledgehammer) Sinsheimer may be the most powerful person in Raleigh today. On Monday, he files another campaign-finance complaint with the State Board of Elections. On Tuesday, it’s the lead story in The News & Observer. Last year, Sinsheimer had the guts to take on Jim Black when no one else would. For his…
The Iraq battle lines are drawn in the presidential race. Republicans made clear in their debate this weekend that they want to keep troops in Iraq. Democrats are just as clear that they want troops out. So the American people will get to make a clear decision on the war next year. That should be…
John Edwards’ campaign is either finding its groove or spinning out of control. The New York Times reported this week: “In a slow but striking power shift, advisers who champion the political power of the Web have eclipsed the coterie of advisers who have long dominated Mr. Edwards’s inner circle, both reflecting and intensifying his…
Senator Phil Berger was out of touch with voters in his district – and suffered the…
A reassuring lesson from our trip to Germany and Czechia is that dictators, despots and tyrants…
Gwyn and I just returned from a 12-day journey through 1,000 years of history in Germany…