Archive for 2006
Taking Money Out of Politics?
Since 2004, reformers have intensified their efforts in North Carolina and nationally to stop the flow of political money. What are the results? According to the Campaign Media Analysis Group, campaign-ad spending this year will top $2 billion, $400 million more than in 2004. You can’t stop money. To comment, send us an email to…
Read MoreThe Booze Cruise
You’ve got to give it to the Democrats they’ve got ‘hutzpa.’ Last summer, Governor Easley’s minions in state government arranged a cruise around Beaufort Harbor (with a steel drum band, shrimp, lobster and plenty of liquor) to see the tall ships, spending $30,000 of taxpayers’ money. But that’s not what took ‘hutzpa.’ This is: Now,…
Read MoreThe Booze Cruise
You’ve got to give it to the Democrats they’ve got ‘hutzpa.’ Last summer, Governor Easley’s minions in state government arranged a cruise around Beaufort Harbor (with a steel drum band, shrimp, lobster and plenty of liquor) to see the tall ships, spending $30,000 of taxpayers’ money. But that’s not what took ‘hutzpa.’ This is: Now,…
Read MoreThe Election: A Ray of Hope. At Last. Sort Of.
Dick Morris reports the Zogby poll shows, since September 22, the percentage of Independents voting Republican has risen from 15% to 26% (DickMorris@vote.com). That’s the good news. But there’s bad news too. Morris reports the percentage of Republicans voting for Republicans dropped from 75% to 68% – so, overall we Republicans are no better off…
Read MoreHow Powerful is Internet Politics?
MoveOn.org, which was created to save President Clinton from impeachment, is the liberal behemoth on the Internet. It just has targeted North Carolina Congressman Charles Taylor for defeat, opening “a storefront office in downtown Asheville” where “more than 400 volunteers have come to work the phones.” (News and Observer; 10-26-06) Let’s put that in perspective.…
Read MoreCommunity College Trustees’ Special Fund
With all the major scandals (like Kevin Geddings’ conviction), minor scandals (State ABC Board junkets to Ireland), and possible scandals, here’s a little sprout that’s not so much a scandal as an unusual fact. When a Community College needs to hire a new President it retains a professional ‘search’ firm. Several firms compete for the…
Read MoreSex and Politics
A Florida congressman resigns after sending suggestive emails to teenage male pages. A national evangelical-church leader is accused of paying another man for sex. Wake County’s own Sheriff admits to an affair with a married women 25 years younger than himself. Politics does make strange bedfellows. Let’s watch the reactions local Republicans have to Sheriff…
Read MoreShut-Up, John Kerry
It’s bad enough that John Kerry ran one of the worst Democratic presidential campaigns in history, leaving America in the hands of Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld. But now he pops up in the final week of this campaign – potentially the Democrats’ best year ever. And he’s apparently determined to sink our swift boat again.…
Read MoreMeeker Takes the Lead, But…
Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker is taking the lead on the future of the Dix property in downtown Raleigh. That’s a good thing. The Mayor gets criticized for sitting back too often, rather than standing up. But we ask the Mayor: What about North Raleigh? What about, for instance, the Horseshoe Farms debate? People in North…
Read MorePolls Apart – Again
One reason I’ll watch the Wake school bonds vote is to see whose polls are accurate: The News & Observer published a Mason-Dixon poll strongly indicating the bonds would lose. That poll showed support at only 35 percent. But two other polls show the bonds winning. Public Policy Polling said last week the bonds were…
Read More