May 8, 2008
Who Runs K-12 Education? A Legislative Proposal to Revisit the Controversy.
The Joint Education Oversight Committee adopted its report to the 2008 short session today. The report includes seven legislative proposals for the short session, one of which is certain to fuel future controversy if passed.
The controversy generator is the proposal to shine a critical light on education bureacracy in this state by establishing a special legislative commission to:
[R]eview the mission, structure, programs, budgets, accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness of the Department of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education.
This proposal, no doubt, is viewed with a cautious eye by the State Board and DPI, accompanied perhaps by some mutterings under the breath.
One key issue to be re-examined should the proposal get passed, is the respective …
Old South, New South
OLD SOUTH:
Easley: I so don't care about this election, but I'ma get involved now. Don't worry, little lady, daddy's home.
Perdue: Thank heavens for these big strong arms. Don't know what Ah'd do without a man to hold on to.
Easley: You're just so darn cute.
Me: Gag.
NEW SOUTH:
Smith: Ya beat me fair and square, Pat, now I'ma hug you in public.
McCrory: My masculinity is not threatened at all right now. If I look uncomfortable it's just because your roots are showing, Fred, and I hate that for you. No matter how tough a race gets, you should take care of yourself …
The Secretary of Elevators speaks
The Secretary of Elevators has spoken out again on the ongoing scandal in the state's poultry packing industry that was so painstakingly detailed in a February Charlotte Observer series. Here she is in today's Charlotte O in response to the Governor's welcome call for new money, staff and authority to protect workers:
State Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry said that while she appreciated the governor's efforts to get the agency additional funding, 'We don't need him to micromanage our department.'
In a prepared statement, Berry warned that the proposals for additional record keeping and licensed medical personnel 'will increase the cost of doing business and might drive some businesses out of state. I oppose …
May 7, 2008
Okay, the election is over. What’s next?
Things can move fast in North Carolina politics. Yesterday the primary, next Tuesday the start of the 2008 legislative session. Indeed, it appears the Guv may release his proposed budget as early as next Monday. Meanwhile, the latest numbers from the legislature's Fiscal Research Division seem to indicate that the budget will be very tight.
To get the inside scoop on all of this, be sure to attend a special N.C. Policy Watch/Common Sense Foundation luncheon next Monday, May 12. The cost is only $10 and we'll feed you and treat you to the insights of two of the General Assembly's most knowledgeable and influential leaders — Senator Tony Rand and Representative Rick Glazier.
The event is scheduled for 12:30 …
May 6, 2008
If You Choose Not To Decide, You Still Have Made A Choice
That's what my years of listening to Rush have taught me. (I know. Rush? Yes, I've even seen them live. Whitesnake too. You can take the girl out of the Navy town, but you can't take the Navy town out of the girl.) Apparently John and Elizabeth Edwards aren't Rush fans. They've shared the exciting revelation that they're not endorsing anyone with People. Seriously, People magazine. What a long, strange trip it's been, huh? (Yes, I saw them too.)
From the way the article (I use the term loosely) is written, it would seem John's an Obama man - ish - while Elizabeth is a Clinton woman - for …
Another setback for predatory “payday” lenders
For those of you looking to think about something other than the election, there's good news from the state Court of Appeals. This morning, a unanimous three judge panel ruled for consumers and against the payday lending industry in a long running case that seeks the return of the usurious fees collected by five major payday firms in North Carolina during the early part of this decade.
As is so often the case with these types of consumer rights cases, the lenders are attempting to evade responsibility by claiming that so-called "mandatory arbitration" clauses in the fine print of the loan contracts bar consumers from bringing class actions to vindicate their rights.
Happily, a …
At a press conference this morning at the N.C. Academy of Trial Lawyers, Jones appeared with his lawyers to explain how he had lost 16 years of his life (and …
A federal gas tax holiday is a short-sighted policy proposal. The costs are huge and the benefits are small. The Federal Highway Trust Fund is in bad enough shape right now without starving it of much-needed summer gas tax revenue. On current trends, the federal fund will slide into the negative in the very near future. Cutting off the revenue spigot will make that happen faster. What then? Here are a couple of options: Option 1: The 18.5 cent federal gas tax will have to be increased, a lot, in the near future or new federal revenue sources found. Because of construction inflation, the increase in average fuel efficiency of cars and trucks and a continued exponential increase in miles being …
May 5, 2008
Bo knows he was innocent
The next time somebody you know tells you in a cocksure tone about how "foolproof" the death penalty is and about how the American justice system has set up this amazing series of checks and balances to make sure that only the most deserving receive the ultimate punishment, tell them about Levon "Bo" Jones. Jones is the third exoneree from North Carolina's death row in the past year and the 129th innocent person to be exonerated from death row in the United States since 1973. May 4, 2008
Gas Tax Holiday Madness.
About This Blog
The Progressive Pulse is a blog about the issues, debates, and people that affect North Carolina public policy. As with the organization that sponsors it, NC Policy Watch, its ultimate objective is to improve the quality of life in the state – in this case by promoting the development of an informed, energetic and progressive online community. The Progressive Pulse welcomes the contributions of interested people of all points of view provided they are of a reasonable length, have some relevance to issues of North Carolina public policy and abide by the common rules of online etiquette (i.e., please avoid inappropriate language and show a measure of respect for others – even the John Locke Foundation). To post a comment, simply click the comment line then provide your name and email. Your email address will not be collected or shared. If you would like to be contributing writer, please send your post to info@ncpolicywatch.com with ‘blog’ in the subject line. If the post meets with our criteria (has a progressive perspective and is relative to our state), we will publish it.
Previous Posts
- Who Runs K-12 Education? A Legislative Proposal to Revisit the Controversy.
- Old South, New South
- The Secretary of Elevators speaks
- Okay, the election is over. What’s next?
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