G.K. Chesterton once said that if you see a fence, ask why someone built it before you tear it down. This wise advice also applies to political philosophy. Very often, what may seem like meaningless technicalities in law are actually crucial bulwarks against state overreach and essential to the preservation of liberty. One of these...
A new study of occupational-licensing laws is out — and the results aren’t pretty for North Carolina. According to a report by the Archbridge Institute, which studies barriers to economic mobility, the Tar Heel State has the eighth-highest level of occupational licensing in the country. That’s higher than any of our neighboring states. Indeed, one...
Rep. Keith Kidwell, R-Pamlico, chair of the North Carolina House’s conservative Freedom Caucus, has declared his intent to run for House speaker to succeed Speaker Tim Moore. First elected to the House in 2015, Moore has said he will not run again. Moore set the chamber’s record at five terms as speaker. “We need to...
The N.C. House budget plan would increase the standard and child deductions.
We’re in the heat of summer here in North Carolina, and people of all walks of life are taking time with their friends and families. Some travel to the beach. Others can’t stand the crowds, sand, and heat, so they prefer a mountain lake. Wherever you end up parking your folding chair, you’re probably going...
With my longtime friend Andy Wells, a former state senator, joining the Republican primary field for governor and Supreme Court Justice Mike Morgan publicly considering a run for the Democratic nomination, now seems like an opportune time to answer a frequently voiced question. Why in the world would anyone want to be governor of North...
Previously, we featured some of North Carolina’s eyepopping ag economy statistics and offered, “It’s not hard to see why rural North Carolinians register massive favorability numbers for the farmers in their area.” So what happens when a big city paper airdrops into ag country to stir the pot? Nothing good. *** First, a reminder of...
