The 2012 presidential race is already in full swing. More than half a dozen Republicans are seeking the GOP nomination and Democratic President Barack Obama is seeking a second term. With the race underway, is the public getting an objective view of the candidates and their policy views? Carolina Journal Publisher Jon Ham assesses the media coverage so far. Then we turn to the state’s stubborn dropout problem. The General Assembly has scrapped a program of public school dropout prevention grants, but lawmakers hope to reduce the dropout rate with a new pilot program targeting four counties. Rep. Bryan Holloway, R-Stokes, explains the reason for the change, while Rep. Susan Fisher, D-Buncombe, shares her concerns. Terry Stoops, John Locke Foundation Director of Education Studies, analyzes the dropout grants and the new pilot program and offers his own ideas about targeting the state’s dropout problem. Next is a look at the latest high-profile entrant into the 2012 presidential race – Texas’ Republican Gov. Rick Perry. Some Charlotte-area voters recently had a chance to hear Perry discuss his focus on job creation and limited government during a campaign stop just across the state line in South Carolina. You’ll hear highlights. Then, if you’ve spent much time investigating conservative public policy positions, you’ve likely encountered research from the Washington-based Heritage Foundation. A sister group, Heritage Action for America, works to transform those policy ideas into political reality. Deputy political director Jessica Anderson explains why and discusses how voters in North Carolina can help. And finally, making sense of monthly unemployment data can be tricky, especially when progressives attempt to draw a causal relationship between people without jobs and the state’s new budget. Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson explains what average North Carolinians should and shouldn’t take away from the confusing numbers.