Voter turnout in the May 6th primary
One of the key questions for the May 6 primary is voter turnout. It is likely to play a role in deciding the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate. The conventional wisdom among political observers goes... Read More
NC Spin Articles
The Dix hill haggle
After years of scrambling and squabbling about the fate of the Dorothea Dix campus near downtown Raleigh, the two sides are finally doing the right thing: negotiating the size and price of the land... Read More
Tax cuts could jeopardize teacher raises
Tax cuts that state lawmakers passed last year have trimmed the amount of revenue North Carolina is collecting to the point where promised raises for teachers are at risk. When lawmakers wrote the two... Read More
Is good money bad too?
This is a story about how even “good” money – that is, money spent for candidates and causes I like – can be bad. It’s a story about how outside donors and independent campaigns, not... Read More
Hot, cold and indifferent about both parties
What conclusions to draw from the HPU/UNC poll released today? (N&R story here.) Simple. People would like to see Republicans in charge of the economy, fixing the deficit and national defense. And... Read More
HPU poll: Economy is top issue and Republicans can best fix it
A new HPU/UNC Poll places the economy atop a list of most important problems according to North Carolina voters, who also give Republicans an edge in dealing with the issue. One quarter (25 percent... Read More
Smithfield Mayor says town should sue the school system
A local mayor is boldly criticizing the Johnston County School District saying the town of Smithfield should sue the school system. This all stems from a drop in student population and grades... Read More
Declining middle class could send America the way of Rome
My conservative credentials used to be above reproach. When I was a senior cadet at The Citadel, I forced younger cadets to salute a picture of Ronald Reagan. When I was a law student at UNC, I was a... Read More
State rejects $38 million bid for Dix property
The state has rejected the city of Raleigh’s offer to buy 308 acres of the former Dorothea Dix psychiatric hospital campus for about $38 million and instead has responded with a counteroffer. The... Read More
'Action' or 'cut' on film incentives?
Editorial by Charlotte Observer, April 9, 2014. We confess: It was fun having Claire Danes and the “Homeland” cast film a scene for their hit show in the Observer newsroom last spring. (At least... Read More
