Gov. Beverly Perdue stunned North Carolina when she announced she will not seek re-election. Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson assesses the governor’s statement and reaction to it, as well as the political implications for both sides of the aisle. Henderson also analyzes Perdue’s recent call for a sales tax hike as part of her next budget. Then we turn to energy policy. A state renewable energy mandate is pushing utility companies to look into wind power options along the North Carolina coast. Two recent John Locke Foundation workshops in Wilmington and Morehead City questioned wind power’s viability, cost-efficiency, and potential environmental benefits. You’ll hear highlights from presentations by David Schnare and John Droz of the American Tradition Institute, along with JLF’s Daren Bakst. Next is a look at highlights from a pointed discussion about a costly state project. State lawmakers learned recently that a new computerized Medicaid claims system will cost the state $495 million, 85 percent more than originally expected. Contractors also will need two years more than anticipated to finish the project. The delays and cost overruns led to questions during a legislative debate. That’s followed by analysis of intellectual thought behind America’s founding. The 17th-century British philosopher John Locke undoubtedly influenced America’s Founders. John Mueller, Lehrman Institute fellow in economics and director of the Economics and Ethics Program at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, asks whether Locke and the Founders should be described as “Lockean” or as “Scholastics.” And finally, we turn to the growing problem of North Carolina local governments that fail to adhere to state laws. John Locke Foundation Director of Legal and Regulatory Studies Daren Bakst hones in on recent examples related to gun law and election law that lead to serious questions about localities that fail to adhere to adhere to state laws.
What’s Behind Perdue’s Stunning Decision?
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