In May, about 19,000 North Carolina teachers gathered in Raleigh to “Rally for Respect,” an event organized by the N.C. Association of Educators. The choice of the word “respect” was important. It implied attendees felt disrespected. By whom? The Republican-led General Assembly, of course. You can select all sorts of statistics, but many…
[Editor’s note: This column was updated after original publication to include recent data.] The latest device flooding schools resembles a flash drive but doesn’t store data. Its purpose: delivering a flavored nicotine hit. Called a JUUL, it’s a hipper iteration of the e-cigarette, which debuted a decade ago. Adolescents, who…
North Carolina’s constitution clearly gives legislators some latitude when it comes to defining the powers of executive officers. Don’t like that? Amend the constitution.
It seems reasonable to expect that public school students who achieve the highest-level scores on standardized math tests ought to get the first shot at placement in advanced math classes the following year. A measure moving through the General Assembly would turn that reasonable expectation into state…
Progressive and populist populations have frequently cited the expansion of the gig economy as a justification for pet policies ranging from expanding health insurance to strengthening labor unions and restricting international trade.
Here’s a simple illustration of the urban/rural population divide in North Carolina: The state’s two most-populous counties — Wake and Mecklenburg — are home to about as many people as the total number of residents in the 18 smallest counties. The spread between dense and sparse is growing. …
Recent rhetoric from Gov. Roy Cooper attempts to pit North Carolina taxpayers against one another. His comments target individuals earning more than $100,000 and married couples earning more than $200,000. The Democratic governor suggests Republican leaders of the N.C. General Assembly favor those groups over people with lower incomes. But…
North Carolinians can easily diversify their survey diet, as we are well served by a stable of reputable pollsters who take the political temperature of our state on a regular basis.
When a recession comes, North Carolina won’t have to resort to panicky cuts or costly tax increases, thanks to a disciplined approach to spending and saving taxpayers' money.
Just when things were going so well. … Since 2011, the Republican-led General Assembly has restrained the growth of government, brought spending in line with revenue, paid down debt, put more money in savings than ever, and restored voter approval for new debt.
