North Carolina gained about 100,000 people between 2012 and 2013, the U.S. Census Bureau reported, a 1 percent growth rate that puts the state on track to overtake Michigan to become the nation’s... Read More
Editorial by News and Observer, January 2, 2014. The whole notion of grants from the federal government in the Race to the Top program came about because public school systems had some work to do to... Read More
Editorial by Jacksonville Daily News, December 27, 2013. Admit it. You’ve used some harsh (if not downright nasty) language about a driver who’s pulled out in front of you, cut you off, sped past... Read More
Recent headlines have called attention to the issue of state public school textbook funding. Partisans have tried to score political points with quotes like the following: Not another state lawmaker... Read More
Editorial by Greenville Daily Reflector, December 31, 2013. Yesterday has deposited us on a new beach today on an island uncharted with promises of bright suns and forebodings of darkening moons. To... Read More
Editorial by Wilmington Star-News, December 31, 2013. Happy New Year, maybe. Thanks to a Republican-led overhaul of the state tax code, North Carolina residents will either pay less in taxes in... Read More
Editorial by Fayetteville Observer, December 31, 2013. Moral Mondays in North Carolina spawned Truth and Justice Tuesdays in Alabama. When the Georgia legislature returns to session soon, a new Moral... Read More
Let’s not kid ourselves: 2014 will be another year of political MUD – mean, ugly, divisive. The battle for Kay Hagan’s Senate seat will be nasty and expensive. Contested House races will be... Read More
Every year I get out my cracked crystal ball and try to predict what will happen in the new year in the world of North Carolina government and politics. It is often a humbling experience. Last year, I... Read More
If I wanted to keep poor people poor, there are several government policies I would favor. For starters, I would advocate for a robust and ever-expanding welfare state. Programs like Medicaid, food... Read More
