North Carolina lawmakers who support a form of short-term consumer loan called a payday loan have taken fierce criticism from those who say the loans prey on the poor. But Jon Sanders, director of regulatory studies for the John Locke Foundation, says the loan is an option consumers should have and that analysis shows consumers are aware of the higher costs when they choose a payday loan. Next is a look at education choice in North Carolina. This year could be another good one for advocates of choice, according to Darrell Allison, president of Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina. Now that North Carolina has lifted its charter school cap and created education tax credits for parents of children with special needs, the state still has opportunities to expand parents’ choices in education. Then we turn to efficiency in government. State lawmakers are pushing a bill designed to improve efficiency and save money in management of state government’s fleet of motor vehicles. Some legislators would like to go even further. You’ll hear highlights from a recent debate about the topic. That’s followed by a look at an iconic North Carolina senator, the late Jesse Helms, who delivered a number of memorable speeches during his three decades representing North Carolina on Capitol Hill. The Helms Center has collected 30 of those speeches in a new book. Helms Center Foundation President John Dodd shares highlights from the book titled “30 For 30.” And finally, a recent report from the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association purports to show that subsidizing renewable energy sources in North Carolina has been an incredible shot in the arm of the state’s economy. John Locke Foundation Vice President for Research, Roy Cordato, says that report turns economics on its head. He lays out the flawed economics and discusses why advocates for subsidies have a vested interest in keeping the money flow coming.