By Scott Mooneyham
Published: November 5,2011
RALEIGH — They won’t say it, but it’s obvious what is wanted by a portion of the business community in North Carolina and their backers at the state legislature. It’s that most volatile of words in the political world these days, a word sure to rile up conservatives and liberals alike. Dare I even tap [...]
By Scott Mooneyham
Published: November 1,2011
RALEIGH — It’s relatively recent history, but some of our state legislators need a lesson in it nonetheless. In 2003, Forsyth County legislator Michael Decker tapped his campaign fund to fly to Florida, buy a van and drive back to North Carolina. Decker also wrote checks from his campaign account to pay hotel bills while [...]
By Scott Mooneyham
Published: October 29,2011
RALEIGH — Too often, the debate over big-time athletics at university campuses — and the ensuing scandals that accompany it — seem controlled by those who have an interest in maintaining the status quo. Sports network ESPN invites tarnished coaches on the air to explain how the scandals are overblown. A talking head on that [...]
By Scott Mooneyham
Published: October 25,2011
RALEIGH — Shhhh. Don’t tell anyone. Some state legislators aren’t thrilled with the idea of limiting the terms of legislative leaders. No, I’m not talking about the ones like former House Speaker and current House Minority Leader Joe Hackney, who show open disdain for the idea. Some of the honorables who have voted for limits [...]
By Scott Mooneyham
Published: October 22,2011
RALEIGH — It would be interesting to know whether the executives at Continental Tire are laughing themselves silly. Laughter is one possible reaction to all the finger-pointing and back-biting that has occurred as a result of those executives’ decision to build a tire plant in Sumter, S.C., instead of southeastern North Carolina. The decision, which [...]
By Scott Mooneyham
Published: October 18,2011
RALEIGH — House Speaker Thom Tillis has a way of shooting from the hip. It’s a trait that endears him to some and occasionally enrages others. It also causes him to spend a lot of time clarifying words that he previously spoke. The Mecklenburg County Republican’s most recent foray into a political minefield occurred while [...]
By Scott Mooneyham
Published: October 14,2011
RALEIGH — Back in June, I was among more than a few political observers who weren’t impressed as legislators patted themselves on the back for passing in a state budget well before the start of the July 1 fiscal year. Democratic legislators, Gov. Beverly Perdue and advocates on the left had been arguing for weeks [...]
By Scott Mooneyham
Published: October 11,2011
RALEIGH — The big talk and news around the state capital last week was … the news. Or, maybe it wasn’t really news. The New Yorker magazine published an extensive spread on Republican Party activist/retail magnate/political financier Art Pope. The response from the Raleigh political crowd: “What, you’re paying attention to little ol’ us?” Covering [...]
By Scott Mooneyham
Published: October 7,2011
RALEIGH — State officials in Virginia seem to have figured out a way to pay for road improvements in that state: Stick it to North Carolinians. North Carolina officials, in turn, are now considering a brilliant idea to pay for road improvements here: Stick it to Virginians. Why didn’t they think of this stuff before? [...]
By Scott Mooneyham
Published: October 4,2011
RALEIGH — Let me begin with a caveat: I agree with Bev Perdue. The country probably would be better off if U.S. House members — and state legislators, for that matter — were elected to four-year terms instead of two-year terms. In such a world, congressmen and legislators might spend at least a couple of [...]
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