Art Pope Puppetshow

Even Pope himself doesn't lay it on this thick:

It's painfully hard to understand why detractors demonize a man for providing affordable goods in low-income areas and why they want to jeopardize the jobs of the 7,000 people he employs with a boycott.

Okay, Burgetta, let me explain it to you, since you apparently don't have the capacity to grasp how political influence impacts the lives of citizens:

After parading a list of hot-button troublemakers to prejudice readers:

In fact, the opponents of voter ID are a small, but loud, alliance of Democratic leaders, ultra-liberal activists and the mainstream media. Across the country, groups like the ACLU, League of Women Voters, NAACP and AARP work together to form a powerful and well-funded coalition to stop voter ID legislation.

The puppet on duty proceeds to reference a "converted" Democrat who now "sees the light":

And will the squarepants still fit?

Former N.C. Supreme Court Associate Justice Bob Orr is stepping down as executive director of the N.C. Institute for Constitutional Law, according to an announcement on the nonprofit organization's website. Orr, who had been the group's founding director and ran the organization for seven years, will return to private practice.

I was going to say, "I'm glad to see him pursuing an honest living", but then I remembered he was a lawyer, so... :)

Oh yeah, everything's just fine:

Economists are still studying the data, but North Carolina State University economist Dr. Mike Walden said another report, which is given to employers, shows something different. He said that survey includes more accurate numbers and indicates there is less unemployment in the state.

What this (alleged) economist is referring to, which is supposed to be more accurate than actual people showing up at the ESC to file a claim, is a survey that employers fill out. Not a legal filing mind you, a survey. Here's the report:

WRAL drinks at a tainted watering hole:

Any long-term improvement in the U.S. economy will require painful choices, the kinds of choices that politicians have been thus far unwilling to make, according to Mike Walden, an economist and professor at North Carolina State University.

It looks like we're headed back to the bad old days, where media failed to inform readers that the "expert" they interviewed was in the employ of Art Pope. Not only is Doctor Mike and adjunct scholar for the John Locke Foundation, he's been producing tainted research for them for at least fifteen years:

Trying to tie a ribbon on cuts to state parks:

Have you ever been to a state park in South Carolina? In virtually every case, I've paid an admission fee. I was glad to do it. For one thing, I feel responsible for paying for the costs I imposed and the benefits I received. For another thing, I know that properties primarily supported by donations and user fees are usually better-run and better-maintained than properties primarily supported by involuntary "contributions" from uninvolved taxpayers.

Aside from the (what should be) embarassing admiration of South Carolina, Hood gets several other things wrong, as well.

Rob Schofield has the disgusting details:

For those of you trying to keep score, that makes 11 Pope people (including J. Arthur himself) - at least according to our count. Let us know if we’ve missed anyone.

UPDATED — We’ve just discovered two more Pope people — bringing the total to 13.

I'm sure Pope's people feel they are highly qualified and up to the tasks at hand. But the sad truth is, this is just one more example of the scarcity of talent the NC GOP has from which to draw.

Little Ricky spins out of control over bin Laden death:

President George W. Bush invaded only our enemies. President Barack Obama invades our allies.

Obama didn't let pesky international concepts like borders or sovereignty stand between him and a promise to kill Osama bin Laden, even if it was on Pakistani soil and even if it meant doing so without our ally's permission or knowledge.

In his defense, Martinez apparently wrote this diatribe during a nervous breakdown of some sort; a sparking robot head comes to mind. Compare this newfound love of Pakistan with what he said less than a year ago:

A doctored photo of the Governor with a Chinese military cap on her head. Isn't that just wonderful? This was included in a propaganda e-mail I received this morning from the "think-tank". What's worse than this picture, though, is the story behind it. A study in the use of xenophobia to attack the political opposition, using one of North Carolina's larger employers as the fall guy:

Argumentum ad hominem, Puppet style:

Civitas Institute, a conservative advocacy group, put out a release this morning listing the salaries of the top employees of the N.C. Association of Educators, the teachers group which is organizing the rally.

"The trend lines certainly indicate considerable growth in compensation benefits for NCAE executives, and I wonder if NCAE members are comfortable with those trends," said Civitas Institute policy analyst Bob Luebke, clearly trying to stir up trouble.

Clearly. And it's also clear their always dubious status as a "think tank" has now been demolished, and media should now refer to them as a political PR firm that represents the world's smallest union: Art Pope and a handful of his wealthy friends.