Carter Wrenn
Gary Pearce
Are the “netroots” the Democrats’ Moral Majority? The Internet-powered antiwar left gives the Democrats grassroots energy, just like religious fundamentalists have for the Republicans since 1980. But the netroots can be dictatorial and extreme, like the Religious Right. Here’s how powerful they are: Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid both were afraid to buck them on…
There are three sides in the debate on immigration. The liberals. The conservatives. And what I will call Wall Street. The crux of the difference between liberals and conservatives is assimilation. Liberals believe immigration is humanitarian and immigrants will assimilate like the Irish, Italians, and Germans assimilated. Millions of new immigrants won’t reject our culture,…
A cry rises from the Democratic masses: “Run, Al, Run!” No, don’t, Al. Don’t run. The only place you can go from here is down. The minute you get in the presidential race, you lose about half the support you have now. Because they’re for Hillary, Obama or Edwards. The attack machines will start up…
The New York Times (06-02-07) reports the Internet has boomeranged on the pornography industry. It was initially a boost. But no more. With the World Wide Web awash in cheap, free, amateur pornography and x-rated DVDs traditional old-line pornographers’ profits are nose-diving. In an antiseptic financial analysis the Times reports when it comes to pornography…
President Bush was already giving whoever has the distinction of being the most unpopular president in history a run for his money. Now, as if the war in Iraq isn’t a big enough challenge, he’s leading the campaign to legalize 12 million illegal immigrants, which polls show 70% of Americans oppose. More to the point,…
If Fred Thompson gets into the Republican presidential race, there will be four major candidates: Thompson, McCain, Giuliani and Romney. If my math is correct, the four have – between them – a total of eight marriages. In fact, as James Carville points out, the only one of them who had just one wife is…
With apologies to Keith Olberman of MSNBC, here are my nominations for the worse, worser and worsest people in Wake County. All of them for saying in The News & Observer that they don’t want to pay taxes for schools. Worse: Carridene Narron, 83, of Raleigh, a retired title examiner at the state Division of…
There is talk around the legislature that some veteran Democratic Senators will not run for reelection again – and that Marc Basnight may be serving his last term as President Pro Tem. Republicans certainly would welcome that. Some restive Democrats might even say good riddance. But the Democrats need to ponder their chances of keeping…
It’s probably not another blockbuster scandal. But a tiny black cloud just floated over the Lottery Commission’s horizon. The Charlotte Observer (5-19-07) reports that the firm hired to conduct one of the lottery audits is not registered to do business in the state and was not investigated by state officials before beginning the work. It…
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…