Last week, I conducted a Twitter poll asking a simple question: Does American conservatism require some level of belief in capitalism and free markets? With 434 votes cast, 79.5% said yes — an overwhelming supermajority that would melt the brains of NCPOL journos if it were Republican General Assembly election results. What does this anecdote...
Andre Beliveau, John Locke Foundation strategic projects and government affairs manager, speaks in favor of Senate Bill 678, Promote Clean Energy. Beliveau offered these comments during an April 25, 2023, meeting of the Senate Rules Committee.
The General Assembly proposed two policies so far this session that would repeal Jim Crow-era laws that are still on the books in North Carolina: the pistol purchase permit and the literacy test requirement in the N.C. Constitution. First up was repealing the pistol purchase permit. Versions of this proposal differed slightly, with bills submitted...
We all appreciate IKEA for its mostly simple-to-assemble, cost-effective furniture. IKEA almost entirely furnished the first apartment I had back in 2010. It was a quick solution to my furniture needs. While the furniture I purchased “performed as expected,” it was not the best quality. It worked fine for a few years but then needed...
Andre Beliveau, John Locke Foundation strategic projects and government affairs manager, testifies about Senate Bill 49, Parents’ Bill of RIghts, during a Feb. 1, 2023, committee meeting. Video courtesy of ncleg.gov.
El pueblo de Carolina del Norte, a través del proceso electoral democrático, decidió que cree que los jueces deben hacer interpretaciones claras de la ley, no crear leyes o políticas enteras legislando desde el estrado. El activismo judicial puede terminar en el tribunal supremo de nuestro estado, siempre y cuando los originalistas en el tribunal...
The people of North Carolina, through the democratic electoral process, decided they believe judges should make clear interpretations of the law, not create law or policy whole-cloth by legislating from the bench. Judicial activism can end in our state’s highest court — as long as the originalists on the court stick with originalism. Starting this...
Contrary to what North Carolina progressives seem to think, the truth is that the Republican-controlled General Assembly now has a governing supermajority. This dynamic threatens Gov. Roy Cooper’s ability to continue building upon his record of having the most vetoes of any state governor. Tuesday’s electoral results also put state public policy outcomes in North...
More government, centralized power in Washington, overreaching government intervention in the market, state-enforced indoctrination of subjective morality, centering the collective over the individual, and coercing an anti-liberty agenda into the American polity. You would be correct if you read that and thought it described progressive leftism in America. You would also be correct if you...
From July 11 through August 23, the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) conducted several public comment hearings regarding the state’s plan to reduce carbon emissions. At these meetings, members of the public could (or should have been able to) freely speak out and address the commission on their implementation of the carbon plan, which the General Assembly...
The Democrats pride themselves on being a big-tent party; they claim to be the most diverse and welcoming among the two main political parties. However, they’re only welcoming and inclusive in practice if you are flying the same banner of progressive ideology and purist loyalty. The “NCPOL Universe” got a dose of this in the past primary election...
Gov. Roy Cooper announced the appointment of Peter Ledford to take over as his Clean Energy Director. Ledford previously worked for the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association. Ledford replaces Dionne Delli-Gatti, who left for another position. The clean energy director role was initially created for Delli-Gatti, who first was Cooper’s appointee to lead the Department of Environmental...