Opinion
A Status Report on NC Debates
Business executives and state leaders continue to disagree about North Carolina’s tax burden and economic competitiveness. Here are some statistics to keep in mind.
Opinion
CSI: Nation Hits the American Market
On the list of things that motivate economic activity, scarcity is number one. It's the condition that we all start with, the one that requires that we cooperate with others in order to satisfy our desire for a better life. Why? Because all things that are desirable—"goods"—are scarce.Market exchange offers the best possibility to coordinate our plans and goals.
Opinion
Papers’ Love of Government Hurts Circulation
I’ve given a lot of thought to the issue of declining circulation among daily newspapers. I was managing editor of one for a 15-year period that coincided with the downward trend. I swear it wasn’t my fault. In fact, what I learned during that period was that newspapers, enamored as they are of liberal orthodoxy and political correctness, are simply unable to solve the problem.
Opinion
No. 823: Partisanship or Patriotism: Why Don’t We Enforce Immigration Laws?
The discovery of illegal immigrants working at the Greensboro airport shows the vulnerability of our immigration system.
Opinion
Spend Some Specie on Spice
For anyone inclined to feast on a tasty melange of history, religion, warfare, and economics, there's an interesting new book to read about the spice trade.
Opinion
Lindalyn’s Journal
Two weeks ago, I alerted you to Governor Easley's misguided proposal to move the Division of Non-Public Education (DNPE)--currently under the Department of Administration--to the Department of Public Instruction. I imagine he was quite unprepared for the melee that followed.
Opinion
Bad Idea on Climate-Change Report
A group of activists wants utility companies, including Progress Energy here in NC, to issue reports on complying with global-warming regulations. This is not the right approach.
Opinion
Something Rotten in the Incubator
If a notoriously reckless recipient of state taxpayers' money can change its name and get back in line at the trough, you can forget getting control of the budget.
Opinion
Media Think the Public is the Problem
The mainstream media are trying to make sense of the brave new world of the internet and bloggers. Old media types are worrying a lot these days about their waning influence, credibility and market share. They’re searching for a magic bullet that will make things “normal” again, meaning give them back their prestige, influence and monopoly.
Opinion
No. 822: Does North Carolina Need an Optometry School?
There is no good reason why the taxpayers of North Carolina should pay for the building of an optometry school at Pembroke.
Opinion
The Price is Right—Three Years in Advance
How much are you willing to pay for U.S. Open golf championship tickets to Pinehurst this June, plus a place to stay during the event? Some tournament patrons have paid up to $50,000 for a one-week rental house in past years. In the rental housing market, prices for the week are determined strictly by "what the traffic will bear."
Opinion
North Carolina’s Untimely Tax Trend
RALEIGH – Is it April 15 already? Just seems like yesterday that I was filling out my tax forms for 2003. Now I’ve got to finish up my taxes for 2004 and pay Uncle Sam and Cousin Mike a tidy sum for the privilege of living in America and North Carolina, respectively.
