by Dr. Mike Walden, NCSU Professor of Economics, July 20, 2018. I took my first college economics course in 1969. One of the topics in the course was about alternative ways a country can organize its... Read More
In 1965, Terry Sanford left the governor’s office and moved down Fayetteville Street from the Capitol into law offices in the BB&T Building. Political insiders started referring to that structure as... Read More
Hickory has a labor shortage. Given our state’s recent economic history, that claim may sound incredible. But it’s true. Not so long ago, the metropolitan area anchored by Hickory, Morganton, and... Read More
The easiest way to push back against NC’s rogue General Assembly is to vote against all six proposed constitutional amendments Like Congress and most modern American state legislatures, the North... Read More
This spring, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction declared ‘NC holds steady on most measures of national assessment.’ The assessment in question was the 2017 version of the National... Read More
A recent article in the Washington Post notes that in about 20 years, 70% of the population will live in just 15 states. Half the population will live in eight. North Carolina is one of those eight... Read More
Right after the 2016 elections, I observed that the combination of Donald Trump’s rise and continuing GOP strength across the landscape of American politics had yielded three distinct Republican... Read More
North Carolina’s live horse population is over 300,000. Live horses are a significant agricultural industry. The infrastructure supporting live horses includes: buyers and sellers; the land on... Read More
Everyone loves lists, and the internet age now has us addicted to them — the top-five greatest tennis grand-slam finals between left-handers, the top 10 best-looking spouses of celebrity chefs, etc... Read More
In politics, the karma may not be instant — but it will get you, sooner or later. Want examples? Just check out the political headlines of the past few weeks. Anthony Kennedy, the sometime-swing... Read More
