• Professors Debate • Pope Scholars Weigh Education of Teachers C A R O L I N A Academic Freedom No Votes for ‘Smart Growth’ Junk Science Judo Volume 11, Number 12 A Monthly Journal of News, December 2002 Analysis, and Opinion from JOURNAL the John Locke Foundation www.CarolinaJournal.com www.JohnLocke.org Easley, Basnight Guide Golden LEAF Funds, Papers Show companies with plant construction and State leaders have sway equipment. Hamner outlined for Easley a plan that included the need for millions of over foundation’s grants dollars to create biotechnology-related edu- and investment decisions cational programs and facilities and other biotechnology investments. By PAUL CHESSER Politicians incubate a plan Associate Editor RALEIGH After his conversation with the gover- he Golden LEAF Foundation, which nor, Hamner said he received a phone call administers half of North Carolina’s from Rolf Blizzard, Basnight’s director of Tshare of the national tobacco settle- special projects and research, asking ment, claims to operate independent of po- Hamner for an outline in writing of the litical persuasion. But documents obtained ideas he gave Easley. by CAROLINA JOURNAL suggest that Gov. Mike “The governor, I guess, went and talked Easley and N.C. Senate President Pro Tem to Mr. Basnight and Mr. Black,” Hamner Marc Basnight wield significant influence said. over the private foundation. In his letter to Blizzard, Hamner pro- The centerpiece of their involvement — posed a $150 million plan to fund educa- a recent $85.4 million Golden LEAF pro- tion and training facilities for biosciences posal to invest in biotechnology initiatives and biomanufacturing. His proposal said in North Carolina — was part of a larger the state should “find a mechanism to es- plan by state Democrats seeking to cam- tablish a $150 million investment fund,” paign on a platform of creating jobs in the and that “a finance professional should midst of the state’s troubled economy. work with the legislative leadership/ A Winston-Salem Journal article Aug. 25 Gov. Mike Easley and Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight steered Golden LEAF funding. Treasurer’s office/Governor’s office to de- offered insight into Basnight’s motives as termine an appropriate financing vehicle.” he pursued a multipronged strategy to get As North Carolina’s attorney general in ests, reflects the vision of Dr. Charles Hamner wrote that once the financing public money directed to biotechnology in- 1998, Easley persuaded the General Assem- Hamner, who retired in May as president was available, the Biotechnology Center terests. The newspaper detailed issues that bly to create Golden LEAF as an indepen- of the North Carolina Biotechnology Cen- (working with the Department of Com- Republicans and Democrats planned to em- dent organization that would distribute half ter after 14 years. Some details of Golden merce) should serve “as an initial screen- phasize in the state’s fall campaigns. ($2.3 billion over 25 years) of the state’s por- LEAF’s program are nearly identical to a ing and company source point.” Basnight cited business incentives as among tion from a lawsuit settlement against large proposal Hamner made to Basnight’s staff. Specifically, the plan would call for: his party’s major issues. tobacco companies. At the press conference NCBC was created by the legislature in • Community colleges to create eight “The issues that we run on are jobs — Easley said he wanted Golden LEAF cre- 1981 to help spur the economic develop- to 10 regional training facilities; putting people back to work,” he said. The ated because the state needed an aggressive ment of the biotechnology industry in the • Universities to provide appropriate newspaper reported that Basnight listed economic development engine, “one that state. The center employs about 45 people bioscience degree programs and build bio- “the recruiting incentives and biotechnol- operates outside the grasp of political pres- and in FY 2001-02 had a budget of $8.7 mil- science facilities and laboratories; ogy proposals as Democratic initiatives.” sure, as this one does.” lion, most of which was taxpayer funds. Its • The state to build a biopharma- Basnight appears to have achieved part The legislature created the nonprofit board of directors comprises several lead- ceutical/bioprocess manufacturing training of his goal by pressuring Golden LEAF’s foundation with the stated intention that its ers in bioscience, finance, higher education, center. leaders, threatening to intercept its tobacco board of directors would decide how its economic development, and government. The document apparently became a settlement payments this year unless the funds would be spent — even though the In March, North Carolina Citizens for game plan for Basnight for the 2002 legisla- foundation immediately devised a $150 15 board members would be appointees of Business and Industry held its annual meet- tive session. million biotechnology investment plan. the state’s three top Democrats: the gover- ing, which, news reports said, was marked When the Golden LEAF biotechnology Once the plan was in place, members nor, the Senate president pro tem, and the by fretting over the decline of the state’s press conference was held Aug. 14, board of Easley’s staff and associates stepped in speaker of the House, Jim Black. economy. Hamner told CJ that Easley ap- chairman S. Lawrence Davenport told re- to guide where the money would flow. However, an investigation by CJ re- proached him during the meeting and porters that Golden LEAF remained sepa- vealed that political influence upon Golden asked him what could be done to immedi- rate from political influence. “It’s certainly On the surface, optimism LEAF extends beyond mere appointments ately help keep business and industry in the more independent than anything else we by politicians. state. have in this state,” he said. When the Golden Long-term Economic Hamner told Easley he knew of bio- Events leading up to the announcement Advancement Foundation announced its The biotechnology vision technology companies in various stages of of the biotechnology proposal indicate oth- immediate $85.4 million investment in bio- development that would like to expand in, erwise. technology initiatives in August, Easley and Specifics of the state plan, which in- or move to, the state. However, Hamner Basnight shared in the optimism of the cludes the Golden LEAF initiative to “in- said North Carolina lacked a trained press conference. vest” public money in biotechnology inter- workforce and financial programs to help Continued as “Easley, Basnight,” Page 4 State Should Have Which Legislature? The John Locke Foundation NONPROFIT ORG. 200 W. Morgan St., # 200 U.S. POSTAGE Part-Time, Session Limits 42% Contents Raleigh, NC 27601 PAID Part-Time, No Limits 13% RALEIGH NC PERMIT NO. 1766 Full-Time Legislature 27% Calendar 2 Not Sure 18% State Government 3 Education 6 Higher Education 10 Local Government 14 Books & the Arts 18 Opinion 20 % of N.C. Respondents in Oct. 2002 “Agenda” Poll Parting Shot 24 C A R O L I N A Contents ON THE COVER tion, and along with the Student Citizen Act despite setbacks, North Carolina’s main air- JOURNAL of 2001, promotes target behaviors that suc- ports remain attractive — and busy — •When Golden LEAF announced its $85.4 cessful character education students should places to fly from. Page 15 million biotechnology “stimulus” initiative exhibit. Page 8 in August, its leaders claimed that they op- • Wilmington-area officials are re-examin- erated independent of political influence. HIGHER EDUCATION ing their transportation priorities after dis- Richard Wagner However, documents related to the stimu- covering that a planning document for- Editor lus deal reveal that intense pressure was • A panel of academic thinkers discussed mally adopted in 2001 contains cost esti- placed on the foundation by North academic freedom in the wake of Septem- mates that are grossly inaccurate. Page 17 Paul Chesser, Michael Lowrey Carolina’s two most powerful politicians. ber 11 as part of the Pope Center for Higher Associate Editors Page 1 Education Policy’s conference in Chapel THE LEARNING CURVE Hill. Page 10 NORTH CAROLINA • A book review by Carolina Journal’s Karen Palasek, Erik Root, • Academics also addressed several chal- George Leef of The Strange Death of Ameri- Jon Sanders •After the North Carolina House majority lenges facing higher education at the Pope can Liberalism by H. W. Brands, and a re- Assistant Editors swerved to Republicans Nov. 8, political ob- conference, including answering calls for view of the HBO documentary “Journeys servers at a John Locke Foundation lun- increasing accountability, restoring liberty with George.” Page 18 Rheta Burton, Andrew Cline, cheon in Raleigh heard election analysis and dignity, and translating lofty goals into Roy Cordato, Charles Davenport, from state and national pundits. Page 3 practical application. Page 11 • Review of the books Junk Science Judo: Self- Ian Drake, Tom Fetzer, Defense Against Health Scares & Scams by Nat Fullwood, John Gizzi, •The United States hung a big “kick me” • House Undergraduate Library at the Uni- Steven J. Milloy, and The Death of the West: David Hartgen, Lindalyn Kakadelis, sign on its backside in the Middle East, and versity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will How Dying Populations and Immigrant Inva- George Leef, Donna Martinez, the Arab world has obliged, former CIA Di- receive an endowment worth at least sions Imperil Our Country and Civilization by Kathryn Parker, Marc Rotterman, rector R. James Woolsey said at a Locke $20,000 from the senior class of 2003. Patrick J. Buchanan. Page 19 Jack Sommer, George Stephens, Foundation dinner. Page 3 Page 12 John Staddon, Jeff Taylor, OPINION Michael Walden, Karen Welsh Contributing Editors EDUCATION • The saga of Michael Bellesiles appeared to come to an end in late October when the • Locke Foundation adjunct scholar • Professors and deans of schools of edu- antigun scholar resigned from the faculty Michael Walden says business incentives Jenna Ashley, Hans Hurd, cation heatedly disagreed over the direction of Emory University.