Will she or won’t she? National media outlets continue to tout former U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan as the Democrat with the best chance to oust incumbent Republican Sen. Richard Burr in 2016. Hagan has yet to opt in or out of the race, but Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson explains that that hasn’t stopped the media cheerleading for a Hagan run. He also looks at the Democratic bench for the Burr race and discusses how Burr is situated heading into the race. Then we turn to health care policy. Proponents of Medicaid expansion in North Carolina tout potential economic benefits for the state. But Scott Moody, CEO and chief economist of the group State Budget Solutions, estimates Medicaid expansion would lead to a long-term negative impact of $6.4 billion on the state’s personal income growth. Moody explains what those numbers mean for the state’s bottom line. Next is a broader look at public policy. One of the most active ongoing political debates worldwide involves the proper role of government in the economy. George Mason University economist Peter Boettke recently tackled that topic during a speech at Duke University. You’ll hear highlights. That’s followed by a riveting look at one woman’s quest for freedom. Discussions about North Korea often focus on the Hermit Kingdom’s military threats and secretive dictator. We rarely hear from those who have escaped from the oppressive regime. But North Korean refugee Cherie Yang recently shared her story with Carolina Journal Radio, with the help of Casey Lartigue, director of international relations for Freedom Factory in South Korea and an Atlas Network fellow. And finally, we look at the status of negotiations over the new state budget with John Locke Foundation Vice President for Outreach Becki Gray. As the state Senate prepares to take its turn at the table, she discusses proposals from Gov. Pat McCrory and the big-spending plan issued by House Republicans.