Opinion
No. 931: Values Apply to All Issues
Regardless of what the mainstream media would have their audiences believe, Christians apply their values across a broad spectrum.
Opinion
No. 908: Cracks in the Crackdown
The Washington Post says the United States is implementing a heartless and futile attempt to stem the tide of illegal immigration.
Opinion
The System Made Me Do It
There is plenty of mocking and sneering in Raleigh these days over House Speaker Jim Black's present difficulties, which surround his questionable practice of handing out political favors concurrently with distributing blank $100 checks to legislative supporters. A lot of people are blaming it on "the system."
News
Coble, Myrick Are “Taxpayer Heroes”
RALEIGH — The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste released its annual grades of congressmen in September, and rated two North Carolina representatives as “taxpayer heroes” for their voting records against wasteful spending and in favor of tax cuts. Rep. Howard Coble, R-6th and Rep. Sue Myrick, R-9th, were among only 59 members of the U.S. House to achieve the distinction, as measured by the Washington, D.C.-based government watchdog organization.
News
Utilities Commission OKs Merger
RALEIGH — The N.C. Utilities Commission last week granted permission for the full merger of a gas startup into its partial owner, Piedmont Natural Gas Corp. Eastern North Carolina Natural Gas, which serves 14 counties in the northeastern part of the state that were previously without service, received $188.3 million of $200 million in gas bond funds that voters approved in 1998. However, ENCNG is unable to continue as a separate entity because it does not have a sufficient number of customers to sustain operations.
News
House Panel OK’s Lobbying Reform
RALEIGH — The N.C. House Finance Committee, with some reservations, passed a lobbying reform bill Tuesday after two days of hearings. The legislation would tighten disclosure requirements for lobbyists of the legislative and executive branches of government. It would also place limits on gifts for public officials and make sure lawmakers and agency heads could not go to work as lobbyists for at least one year after leaving their government positions.
Opinion
No. 833: Stop the onslaught of economic scams
Instead of encouraging “economic development,” recent deals in North Carolina reveal how the culture of corporate entitlement could foster corruption in North Carolina.
Opinion
No. 821: Bootleggers, Baptists, and the Clean Smokestacks Bill
Bootleggers (aka Progress Energy, Duke Power) join hands with Baptists (environmentalists) to push Clean Smokestacks bill.
Opinion
Freedom Writers, Not
Paul Chesser observes that three major newspapers played down a Middle East development showing that President Bush's policy of promoting democracy in the region is taking root.
Opinion
No. 808: Standing Tall Against the Tide of TV Sleaze
Among broadcasters, Jim Goodmon of Capitol Broadcasting sets an example for refusing to air sleazy programming.
Opinion
Troubling Republicans, Sad Democrats
When commenting on allegations of misbehavior by Republicans, The News & Observer is stern. But regarding Democrats guilty of serious corruption and crimes, the language is noticeably different.
News
Voter Trends May Be Overstated
RALEIGH — Despite media reports about recent waves of voter registrations suggesting extraordinarily high interest in the 2004 elections, projections show that the level of attention is in line with the 2000 cycle. Recent anecdotal evidence about a flurry of registrations could signify little more than procrastinators trying to beat a deadline. The rate of increase in NC registered voters over the last four presidential cycles has slowed as well. Voter registrations increased by 11.2 percent in 1992 compared to 1988; by 13.4 percent in 1996 over 1992; and by 18.3 percent in 2000 over 1996. But official estimates of 5.5 million voters would mean only a 7.4 percent increase in 2004 vs. 2000.
