Opinion

Federalist 17: Insufficiency of Present Confederation to Preserve Union cont..

It will always be far more easy for the State governments to encroach upon the national authorities than for the national government to encroach upon the State authorities. The proof of this proposition turns upon the greater degree of influence which the State governments if they administer their affairs with uprightness and prudence, will generally possess over the people

Alexander Hamilton
Opinion

Can government make you happy?

Is it the job of government to make you happy? While it may seem like a straightforward question, there are some important subtleties packed into those few words. On the face of it, “no” feels like the obvious answer. The Declaration of Independence states that governments are instituted to secure our rights to “life, liberty,...

John Hood
Opinion

Freedom fosters a culture of giving

When natural disasters or other emergencies hit our state, North Carolinians respond in droves — and I’m not just referring to the crucial and praiseworthy work of public employees who work in emergency management, public safety, and public works. North Carolinians respond in many other ways, large and small. They form, fund, and staff nonprofits...

John Hood

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News

N.C. Supreme Court Democrats order forced money transfer for Leandro spending

The N.C. Supreme Court is ordering state government officials to transfer what is likely to be hundreds of millions of dollars out of the state’s treasury to fund a court-ordered education plan. In a 4-3 party-line vote, the court’s Democratic justices overruled Republican colleagues and rejected Republican lawmakers’ arguments in the long-running Leandro case. GOP lawmakers had argued that a forced money transfer would violate the state constitution’s separation of powers.

CJ Staff
Opinion

Virtues of freedom are timeless

In what had once been a land of opportunity and progress, the state had grown large and oppressive. Its leaders lost their way. Its people nearly lost their freedom. How oppressive had the state become? No matter how you chose to make your living, government officials made constant demands on you. Every major transaction was...

John Hood
Opinion

How can we slow the increase in house prices?

In 2020, the average house price rose 11%. In 2021 home prices jumped another 19%. And, if the price gains in early 2022 continued for the entire year, the price of the average home will increase by 28%. Including compounding, this would mean an astounding 69% rise in home prices over three years. Importantly, the...

Michael L. Walden
Opinion

Cryptocurrency and the government’s desire for control

The benefit of blockchain is found in its transparency as a public ledger. This is beneficial if it is not controlled or limited by a central authority. If it were centrally controlled and limited, it could quickly become a weapon against private property, individual liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is in this point of contingency that lies...

Joshua D. Glawson
News

State says nearly $800 million from Leandro order remains unfunded

State officials report that close to $800 million remains unfunded from a judge’s $1.7 billion state education spending order. That assessment resulted from a court-ordered comparison of the spending plan and the new state budget. The $1.7 billion order was designed to fund items from the second and third years of a court-imposed Comprehensive Remedial...

CJ Staff