A team of North Carolina public education officials – led by Gov. Beverly Perdue – has made the pitch for federal education grant money to federal education officials who oversee the Race to the Top grant program. It is the second time North Carolina has tried to obtain Race to the Top funding. The first proposal ended in failure. John Locke Foundation Director of Education Studies Terry Stoops discusses the $400 million proposal, why the state failed to win a grant in the first round, and the so-called charter-like schools the team hopes will put the new proposal over the finish line. Stoops also assesses whether North Carolina’s K-12 program meets the definition of “innovative” and changes that could be made to move in that direction. Next, we’ve all heard that greedy businessmen, left on their own, would destroy the environment. Only government regulation can preserve our natural heritage for the future. As popular as that argument might be, Pierre Desrochers, associate professor of geography at the University of Toronto, says it’s wrong. Desrochers explains how free markets and the profit motive help protect the environment. Then we turn to state politics. The head of the N.C. Republican Party, Tom Fetzer, wants the chairman and executive director of the State Board of Elections to resign. Fetzer cites those election officials’ actions – and inaction – in the investigation of Gov. Beverly Perdue’s campaign finances. You’ll hear highlights from Fetzer’s recent news conference on the topic, including his plea for Perdue to help convince the elections officials to step down. That’s followed by a look at taxpayer funding of political campaigns. Carolina Journal Radio has highlighted key arguments against taxpayer funding of election campaigns. But Harvard Law School professor Larry Lessig, co-founder of the group Change Congress, offers what he calls a libertarian argument in favor of so-called public campaign financing. Lessig describes his proposal and explains that it differs from a taxpayer-funded election system based on “matching funds” or “rescue funds.”  And finally, Chris Hayes, senior legislative analyst for the Civitas Institute, discusses the results of the group’s latest poll, including data on the mood of voters most likely to vote in November, voter opinion on the economy, the race for North Carolina’s U.S. Senate seat now held by Republican Richard Burr, and other pertinent questions and results that could have an impact at the ballot box in November.