When a bit player from the Art Pope Puppetshow starts spouting lessons in economic theory, it's always a good idea to bring your hip waders. You can be sure you'll hear a lot about the power of free markets and enough trickle down bullshit to float any right wing boat. Which is exactly what Jon Sanders at the John Locke Foundation does this morning. Sanders has been an adjunct at NCSU in economics (which most likely means he couldn't get a real faculty job) and now he's paid to shill for the Puppetmaster. Today's missive starts with the obligatory swipe at a dedicated public servant, John Edwards, who does more in one day to help people in North Carolina than Jon Sanders will do in a lifetime.

If you aren't registered to vote where you live by this afternoon, no primary for you! If you are registered, get someone else registered today. Also, today is the last day to change your party affiliation before the May primaries.

Apparently, the free speech zone in Charlotte was close enough for protestors to be heard. They shouted, "Do your job," at the motorcade as it passed. There were 300-400 people in the middle of a work day standing on Elizabeth Avenue in front of the community college where Bush was to speak. "Worst President Ever," was shouted by many in the group. The Charlotte Observer has this story.

As a contrast, there were 1000 tickets available and organizers were calling local dignataries multiple times trying to give away the tickets.

I don't know what to say, so I'll just quote:

"We've done nothing wrong, veterinarians will find no evidence—DNA or otherwise—showing that horses have been assaulted, and of course no charges have been filed," said senior Nat Hennerty, captain of Duke's equestrian squad and a two-time Most Valuable Rider, in a prepared statement to the press Tuesday. "I urge the media, the alumni, and the people of the community to remember that we at Duke are an elite university and disregard any obvious hearsay."

Read on.

Our own Richard Moore is going to sit on the New York Stock Exchange Regulation board. According to the Triangle Business Journal, "[t]he board is charged with regulating the activities of NYSE-listed companies, investment bankers and other NYSE member organizations by enforcing marketplace rules and federal securities laws." Sounds good, right? We'll have to see whether Moore will be able to make a dent in the notoriously intractable problems of corporate governance. This isn't a day job, and there's no reason that his spot on the board should be anything but good for his 2008 run for Governor.

I won't offer one word of excuse for what Cynthia McKinney did. She was wrong. She should never have hit a police officer. I don't care if he called her every vile racist name in the book. She put herself in the position of going from victim to offender in one swift punch. I have no sympathy for her at all. Not one little bit. I hold her to that same high standard that I would hold any other elected member of congress. No exceptions.

All that aside. I will also say that I believe racism is rampant in the halls of the capitol. I'm just not so certain it is the Capitol Hill police that are the racists. Take this quote from Tom DeLay found in just about every media source printing the story. I found it in USA Today. It can also be found in The Washington Post.

"Cynthia McKinney is a racist," Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, said on Fox News Channel's Fox and Friends, a day after abandoning his re-election bid under a cloud of ethics charges. "She has a long history of racism. Everything is racism with her. This is incredible arrogance that sometimes hits these members of Congress, but especially Cynthia McKinney."

Muuuuch more on the flip side

Roy Cooper warns North Carolinians to avoid lottery related scams:

“Lottery crooks are betting that North Carolinians will fall for their tricks,” Cooper said. “Don’t let these scammers get rich off of you.”

What is on your mind?

I know Anglico said it was a slow news day when he posted the castration story but, still, I have to say it seems like fun and games in comparison to this horrible Duke lacrosse team debacle. At least there, the survivors were willing.

Maybe I missed the discussion of this topic. Or maybe we're all too repulsed to comment? I sure am. I just hope the sentence for rape in North Carolina is appropriate to these alleged crimes.

Finally, it's time again for Drinking Liberally Chapel Hill! This whole "only meeting twice a month" thing is kind of a drag. Our goal for tonight has got to be to get enough people out to Tyler's to justify at least one more monthly meeting. And to show up the Repubbies who mocked—that's right: mocked—our flyer while I was at Kinkos. Yes, it's truly hard to be enlightened these days. For most folks, anyway. For the rest of us, there's Drinking Liberally. Who's With Mah!?

Oh, I almost forgot—don't forget the words of the dread Pirate Robert: Ye'll walk yourself home with heart heavy and black if ye forget the Speakeasy's in the back!

The boys over that the John Locke Foundation are in a swivet this morning about the fact that two North Carolina wingnuts fought hard to pull in some pork barrel money for the Sparta Teapot Museum. It's a recycled story from last year, but it does warrant thinking through.