Blogs

A few weeks ago, I was lamenting the fact that the media seems to be under a false impression that just because gas prices were historically low during the 90's, that the current price level must some how magically drop to the mid $1 range in the near future. This obviously flawed logic was leading the "journalists" to conclude that now is the best time to start a long commute/ buy a gas guzzling SUV, since the prices of far out houses and Hummers have taken a nose dive. Because who wants 10 miles to a gallon when a gallon is going to cost over $3?

Being able to final get back on the site for the first time since emerging from my two week bar studying cocoon, I figured that I will lead with this little nugget that I found this morning:

According to the poll, 65 percent say they feel less confident that life for their children's generation will be better than it was for them. In December 2001, the last time this question was asked, respondents — by a 49-42 percent margin — said they were confident life would be better for their children.

So after 9-11, Americans were in doubt about the country, and now after

When did being called a liberal or, God forbid, an ultra liberal get to be a bad thing? Why is it such an insult and candidates run away from being called that? According to Webster's, liberal means "1. giving freely; generous. 2. more than enough or than might be expected. 3. open to new ideas; broad-minded; tolerant. 4. broad in range; not limited. 5. in favor of reform or progress in politics or religion. n. a person who is in favor of reform and progress.

Wouldn't you think being called a liberal would be a good thing? Why have we let the Republicans make it into something bad? Why

OK, OK, so they didn't exactly call it the "Art Pope" bill, but I'm almost positive house members had him in mind when the new bill was pushed through on Wednesday. This comes from the Charlotte Observer/Associated Press.

Lawmakers took another strike against "527" groups in North Carolina, agreeing Wednesday to require the politically active organizations or individuals to reveal more information about how much money they give or spend.

A bill heading to Gov. Mike Easley would require groups or individuals that spend more than $10,000 in an election year on commercials, mailers or phone banks that identify a candidate to report their expenses to the State Board of Elections. Donors who contribute more than $1,000 also would be identified.

More below the fold...

If you track the rhetoric of government haters at the John Locke Foundation, you know that one of the things they hate most is planning. Just ask their "expert" from Houses R Us, an objective group of homebuilders who think nothing should stand in the way of them throwing up more houses wherever they want. These folks are fundamentally opposed to smart growth because it costs more than stupid growth. Imagine that! Well, hold on to your hat, because stupid-growth advocates are also hot and bothered about transporation planning. Consider John Hood's silly column today.

Foolish or dishonest advocates of transit argue that there is a huge pent-up demand for bus or rail just waiting to be tapped if only those skinflint conservatives would get out of the way. More sensible advocates realize that building transit must be only part of a far-larger agenda of transforming the way most of us live, work, shop, and recreate.

What Hood doesn't understand - on purpose I assume - is that no "responsible advocate" has a far-larger agenda of transforming jack shit. "Responsible advocates" understand that the path we're on is leading over a cliff. From global warming to dependence of foreign oil to the massive loss of productivity resulting from poor transportation systems, the costs of our current development model are unsustainable. And we can't wait until the the problem is acutely destructive before we act.

Today, an NC House subcommittee adopted a 12 month moratorium on the building of new landfills.

A House committee Wednesday adopted a one-year moratorium on new landfills, scaling back a Senate version but still infuriating lobbyists for the solid waste industry.

The Senate had unanimously adopted an 18-month moratorium. Both bills halt the permitting process of some proposed projects and implement a study to determine the environmental implications of landfills on North Carolina.

More on the flip...

Have set up this website. The woman who set it up seems to really know him well. She says that she knew him in high school and has continued to visit him over the 12 years that he's been in prison. From what I've seen, even if he committed this crime, Flippen is certainly not the worst of the worst offenders. Our system is broken and this is another example of that. If our state-wide Democratic leaders were really Progressives, issues like those found in Mr. Flippen's would have been solved long ago. Maybe if we had a governor who wasn't a form

In North Carolina we are doing great things to continue our growth as one of the leaders in biotech research. Those on the right would like to forget that without the RTP we would have the economy of South Carolina or Georgia. Without the RTP we would be dependent entirely on farms instead of pharms.
I plan on writing much more about farms (good things), but for now will focus on Pharms and biotech in NC.

This is an open invitation for everyone to join the Kissell campaign for a wonderful barbecue cook-off fundraiser on Saturday August 5, 2006 at 6:00p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and $12 for students. Chilren 16 and under eat free. It will be held at the W. Kerr Scott building at the N.C. State Fairgrounds. You can order your tickets through the Kissell for Congress site.

This is also an invitation for those of you in the Charlotte/Concord area to join Working for Change and yours truly on a road trip. We are renting a 15-seat van and will leave south Charlotte around 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. We will also have a pick-up spot near Concord. We will return that evening. Cost for the van trip is $25 which is less than the cost of gas if you were to drive alone. If you are interested let me know in the comments.

45. NORTH CAROLINA-08 (Hayes-R) Last Ranking: 47

Hayes is probably not as safe as some Republicans would like to assume

Way to go. More. More. More.