Elections for president, U.S. Senate, and governor grabbed the headlines. But North Carolinians addressed many other items during the recent election, including local referendums on issues such as taxes, bonds, and alcohol. Joseph Coletti, John Locke Foundation senior fellow, analyzes the results of local referendum votes across the state. While…
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper will serve a second term as North Carolina state government’s chief executive officer. But voters have added three new Republicans to the group of elected executives making up the Council of State. Rick Henderson, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, discusses Cooper’s re-election victory, the historic election of Mark…
Amy Coney Barrett has joined the U.S. Supreme Court as its 115th justice. She has said her judicial philosophy mirrors that of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, and supporters characterize her as an originalist. Jon Guze, John Locke Foundation director legal studies, analyzes Barrett’s record. He discusses the new justice’s…
The races for president, governor, and U.S. Senate have been dominating N.C. headlines. But voters are making other important decisions in the next week. Rick Henderson, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, assesses recent developments in races for offices such as lieutenant governor, superintendent of public instruction, state treasurer, and labor commissioner. North…
Debate about the COVID-19 pandemic has featured plenty of data involving case numbers, deaths, and hospitalizations. Dig into the details, and you learn that the numbers might not be as useful as they first appear. They might even portray a misleading picture. Jon Sanders, John Locke Foundation director of regulatory…
Federal taxpayers cannot afford another bailout of state and local governments. Joseph Coletti, the John Locke Foundation’s senior fellow, explains why in a column he co-wrote for TheHill.com. Coletti contends most state governments have fared better than expected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Throwing more money at them now would lead…
Reaction to the nomination of federal Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court offers a reminder of progressives’ continuing attacks against the U.S. Constitution. Jon Guze, John Locke Foundation director of legal studies, analyzes Barrett’s nomination. He discusses the attacks Barrett faces because of her conservative jurisprudence. As…
Gov. Roy Cooper and other advocates of Medicaid expansion in North Carolina argue consistently that expansion would not cost any state taxpayer dollars. A new analysis from the John Locke Foundation and the Ohio-based Buckeye Institute call that claim into question. A model based on enrollment estimates and Medicaid costs…
The outcome of North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race could help determine which party controls the chamber for the next two years. Incumbent Republican Sen. Thom Tillis faces a tough challenge from Democrat Cal Cunningham. Carolina Journal Editor-in-Chief Rick Henderson analyzes recent developments in the hotly contested race. It’s safe to…
A Union County judge has approved a deal calling on the state of North Carolina to boost education spending by more than $400 million a year. It’s the first stage of a plan that would lead to billions of dollars of new spending. The money is tied to the long-running…
