In these times, lawmakers are all about attracting business to the state and increasing the number of North Carolinians at work. Great pomp and circumstance is placed on a single ... Keep Reading
Tourists Tamed by Precarious Pumps
Last spring, several of my friends and I drove to Florida for vacation. I had no idea the drive would turn out to be a highly calculated pilgrimage from gas station to gas station, ... Keep Reading
Gas Relief a Legitimate Possibility
OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) talks disintegrated last Wednesday, causing the price of oil to yet again rise over $100 a barrel, giving little hope of ... Keep Reading
Bad Bill of the Week: HB135 – “Eccentric Energy Efficiency Enforcement”
Energy efficiency is all the rage these days. “Green” products are hip, and saving the environment is supposedly as easy as turning your lights off at night. There is nothing wrong ... Keep Reading
Bad Bill of the Week: HB 879: People are not ATM Machines
The ATM is a wonderful device. It allows someone short on cash to quickly and efficiently replenish their wallet, allowing them to spend more money as they see fit. Yet it is not ... Keep Reading
More at Four Consolidation: Administrative Restructuring Helps Kids
The N.C. House recently released its FY 2011-2013 budget, being forced to cut from a swath of programs in order to get the state’s deficit of over $2 billion under control. One ... Keep Reading
Bad Bill of the Week: HB 758: Commissions Not Gone for Long
In light of a budget deficit of more than $2 billion, both the General Assembly and Governor Perdue recognized a need to reduce and reorganize state government. One action ... Keep Reading
HB 681: Mascots under the Microscope
Major things are happening in North Carolina government. Budgets are being written, districts are being redrawn, and if several legislators get their way, mascots will soon be ... Keep Reading
Smart Start’s Massive Political Machine
With the initial cuts in state budgets on the horizon across the country, 2011 has been a landmark year for political machines everywhere to flex their muscles. By now we are all ... Keep Reading
House Cleans House
Republican House leadership acted swiftly on the first day of session to both consolidate their newfound power and allay Democratic concerns of being relegated to minority party ... Keep Reading