“Reverse Logrolling” shows the best option for government spending and tax reform

The Reverse Logrolling applied to the current state budget would result in a General Fund budget of $20.6 billion in the first year and $20.8 in the second, leaving surpluses of approximately $590 million in the first year and $940 million in the second year without tax reform adjustments.
How sunset laws can improve North Carolina's regulatory climate

Overregulation is a well-recognized problem by members of both political parties and imposes significant costs on the economy through deadweight loss. A stronger form of periodic review, sunsetting is having government regulations, programs, and agencies conclude after a set period of time unless positive action is taken by the government to reauthorize them.
Medicaid Reform that Works for Patients, Providers, and Taxpayers Alike
The Partnership for a Healthy North Carolina infuses the Medicaid program with winning market-based strategies of competition, accountability, transparency and a common-sense funding structure. Although policymakers should explore additional ways to make the Governor’s proposal even stronger, the Partnership for a Healthy North Carolina represents a major step forward in transforming Medicaid into an affordable and successful health care safety net.
Bringing Transparency to Hidden Taxes

North Carolina excise taxes generated $2.4 billion in revenue in FY2011, amounting to 13 percent of total tax revenue collected. They are used to manipulate choices freely made by taxpayers.
The Power To Heal Through Consumer-Driven Medicaid

Medicaid’s ineffective utilization of its unpredictable budget has left the state facing a budget overrun of more than $248 million. Consumer-driven Medicaid reform emphasizes principles of choice, competition, and fiscal responsibility for beneficiaries and providers, giving patients would be able to choose benefits and services that best fit their medical needs from multiple health plans with defined block grants.
N.C.’s Common Core-based English tests disregard grammar, spelling, mechanics, and usage

Contrary to the Common Core State Standards themselves, Common Core-based tests developed by the NC DPI include relatively few English language questions and no traditional grammar, spelling, mechanics, or usage questions. Legislators and the members of the State Board of Education should ensure that the state adopts a testing program that places a greater emphasis on these areas.
What Government Costs in North Carolina Cities and Counties FY 2011

Counties and towns are critical levels of gov- ernment in North Carolina, providing or admin- istering many services while taking in billions of dollars of revenue. This is especially true as the state government has increasingly shifted more taxing authority to localities to make up for money kept by the state. While the importance of county and municipal government is great, obtaining compara- tive data is difficult. To help address this problem, By The Numbers provides information on how much local government costs in every city and county in North Carolina.

As a longtime leader of the Democratic Party and key member of Woodrow Wilson's cabinet, North Carolina native Josephus Daniels was one of the most influential progressive politicians in the country, and as secretary of the Navy during the First World War he became one of the most important men in the world.
Before that, Daniels revolutionized the newspaper industry in the South, forever changing the relationship between politics and the news media.
Daniels edited and partially owned the Wilson Daily Advance, the Kinston Free Press, and the Rocky Mount Reporter. He next owned the Raleigh News and Observer.
A man of great contradictions, Daniels--an ardent prohibitionist, free trader, and Free Silverite--made a fortune in private industry yet served as a persistent critic of unregulated capitalism. He championed progressive causes like the graded public school movement and antitrust laws even as he led North Carolina's white supremacy movement. Author Lee Craig pulls no punches in his definitive biography of this political powerhouse.
Lee A. Craig, an expert on economic history, delves into Daniels's extensive archive to inform this nuanced and eminently readable biography, following Daniels's rise to power in North Carolina and chronicling his influence on twentieth-century politics.
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John Locke Foundation analysts and staff have traveled to every corner of North Carolina. We’ve listened to your greatest hopes and worst fears for our state, and we’ve heard a consistent message: You want JLF to be a more prominent resource in your community.
JLF's regional clubs will host meetings for like-minded conservatives, on your home turf. We'll bring you events with well known thinkers and writers, give you reports on our activities and new research, update you on issues that impact your neighborhood and wallet, and learn more about the threats to liberty you face in your city and country.
We have established 7 regional clubs covering every part of North Carolina.
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Jun 12, 2013
An April survey of likely 2014 voters found many worried about government violations of free speech and privacy rights.
Jun 06, 2013
The 2013 General Assembly has an opportunity to offer tangible relief to the living victims of a shameful chapter of North Carolina history.
May 30, 2013
North Carolina has fallen behind our neighbors in competing for new businesses and expanding existing ones, resulting in a sluggish economy.
Sep 06, 2012
The N&O buries the one moment of real drama at the Democratic National Convention.
Mar 21, 2012
The world's media found the neo-Nazi meme in stories about the school shooting in France just too enticing.
Jan 16, 2012
In a Sunday piece, <i>The Charlotte Observer</i> employs all the steps used by the mainstream media to mislead readers.