•Congressional Staff Pay • Pushing for Carolina Now on Web, P. 5 North, P. 12 ETJ in Angier, P. 16 C A R O L I N A Auditing Sit-In Group, P. 17
Statewide Edition A Monthly Journal of News, Analysis, and Opinion from December 2006 • Vol. 15, No.12 the John Locke Foundation www.CarolinaJournal.com JOURNAL www.JohnLocke.org Legislature: Some New Voices, Same Tune Republican lawmakers may find themselves watching from sidelines
By MITCH KOKAI Associate Editor Members of the N.C. Senate at work during RALEIGH the 2006 session (CJ file photo) ome new voices might join the leadership chorus in the next openly campaigned to succeed Jim Black, General Assembly, but the ba- the Mecklenburg County representative Ssic song will likely remain the same. who has led House Democrats for four That’s the assessment lawmakers and years as minority leader (1995-98) and analysts offered after the election Nov. a record-tying eight years as speaker 7 helped Democrats consolidate legisla- (1999-2006). tive power. By Carolina Journal’s press time, “There is a tremendous agenda- Democrats expected to work with a 68-52 setting power that goes along with majority in the state House, and a 31-19 Democrats in the General Assembly are expected to have a 68-52 majority in the state House being the majority party,” said Andrew majority in the Senate. That means party and a 31-19 majority in the Senate in the 2007 session. (CJ photo by Don Carrington) Taylor, an N.C. State University politi- leaders could pass the most hotly con- Tony Rand, D-Cumberland, who over- delighted with the way things turned cal scientist, “so there’s not really much tested legislation next year, even if seven sees the Democratic caucus as Senate out, but now we’ve got to turn our at- Republicans can do on their own.” House Democrats and five Democratic majority leader. “We worked quite tention to what we need to do now and That means Republicans might senators objected. Democrats worked hard, and we think that our message of how we can continue to move North have to watch on the sidelines as the with smaller margins of 63-57 and 29-21 improving education and job creation House chooses a speaker. As early as during the past two years. and protection of the environment—we election week, a handful of Democrats “We’re very pleased,” said Sen. think these things are important. We’re Continued as “Legislature,” Page 2 Coalition Seeks Redistricting Reform for Voter Choice
By MITCH KOKAI Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Cobey on Oct. chaired the state GOP. “Can you believe “The General Assembly is bur- Associate Editor 24 at a Raleigh news conference for the that more than half of all legislative races dened with the task of redistricting every RALEIGH N.C. Coalition for Lobbying and Gov- in our state this year have no competi- 10 years after the Census,” Valentine oncerned about the shrinking ernment Reform. “But come November, tion?” said. “This gigantic chore usually con- number of competitive races for most voters won’t have a choice. On the other side of the political sumes a huge portion of the legislative the General Assembly, a state- “There’s something wrong with divide, former Democratic U.S. Rep. I. time, and the process bleeds into other Cwide coalition is pushing for redistrict- democracy in our great state when 63 T. “Tim” Valentine agreed with Cobey important public business. ing reform. state House candidates and 22 state that the time has come for a change in “North Carolina’s voters deserve Senate candidates face no competition the way North Carolina draws legislative choice in who they elect,” said former on Election Day,” said Cobey, who also and congressional election maps. Continued as “Coalition,” Page 3 Do you think a Democratic majority 80in Congress will raise your taxes? The John Locke Foundation NONPROFIT ORG. Contents 200 W. Morgan St., #200 U.S. POSTAGE Raleigh, NC 27601 PAID RALEIGH, NC North Carolina 3 PERMIT NO. 1766 Washington Watch 6 Education 8 Higher Education 12 Yes 52% Local Government 16 No 34% Books & the Arts 20 Not Sure 13% Opinion 24 Parting Shot 28 John William% Respondents Pope Civitas in June Institute Civitas Poll, Institute November Poll 2006 CAROLINA C a r o l i n a North Carolina JOURNAL Journal Legislature: New Voices, Same Tune Richard Wagner Continued from Page 1 Editor Carolina forward.” Don Carrington Democrats will continue to focus Executive Editor on familiar goals, Rand said. “I think that has served us well,” he said. “We’re Paul Chesser, Mitch Kokai, still ranked as the best place to do busi- Michael Lowrey, Donna Martinez ness. Obviously a lot of people like Associate Editors North Carolina because our population is growing. They’re electing to come Chad Adams, Shannon Blosser, and be a part of what we’re doing. So I Andrew Cline, Roy Cordato, Paige Holland Hamp, David Hartgen, think our priorities have stood the test Sam A. Hieb, Lindalyn Kakadelis, of time now.” George Leef, Karen McMahan Even some members of the Repub- Karen Palasek, Susan Robinson, lican opposition say they expect the same Marc Rotterman, Mike Rouse, issues to draw lawmakers’ attention. “I Jim Stegall, George Stephens, hope there’s still going to be a continued Jeff Taylor, Michael Walden, emphasis on education and transporta- Karen Welsh, Hal Young tion and jobs and the economy,” said Contributing Editors Sen. Richard Stevens, R-Wake. “Those are certainly things that we all heard about in the campaign—regardless of David Bass, Richard Carney, which side you were on.” Geoff Lawrence, Michael Moore Neither Rand nor Stevens pre- Kati Pharis dicted the larger Democratic majorities Editorial Interns would lead to a wholesale rejection of Members of the N.C. House of Representatives mull legislation during the latter days of GOP input in the legislative process. “I the 2006 legislative session. (CJ file photo) think people expect us to work together,” Published by Rand said, “and we don’t dismiss people and 62 members, a House majority, The John Locke Foundation because of their party orientation. signed on to the proposal filed as House 200 W. Morgan St., # 200 “This last session we had Republi- “We need to advance Bill 55. A bipartisan group of 24 senators Raleigh, N.C. 27601 can [committee] chairmen, and I suspect also endorsed the measure in its Senate (919) 828-3876 • Fax: 821-5117 we’ll continue to do that because we those ideas that we’ve form, Senate Bill 8. Neither bill cleared www.JohnLocke.org want all people in North Carolina to feel a committee. like they’re part of what we’re doing. We been talking about, As the 2007 session nears, North Jon Ham want talent to be recognized wherever it those ideas that we feel Carolina is now surrounded by states Vice President & Publisher is. And I think working together makes that have approved constitutional mar- for a far more harmonious—and I think strongly about. Clearly, riage amendments. But there’s no sign John Hood a better—result.” that House or Senate leadership will Chairman & President Rand’s Republican counterpart they’ve [Democrats] got offer the idea new support. says he and his colleagues will not shy “On the practical level, one reason Bruce Babcock, Herb Berkowitz, away from debate. “We need to advance a majority. They’re going James Culbertson, Jim Fulghum, that might be a problem is that if there Bill Graham, Robert Luddy, those ideas that we’ve been talking to be able to pass what- is no amendment limiting marriage to Assad Meymandi, Baker A. Mitchell Jr., about, those ideas that we feel strongly one man and one woman at a time, there Carl Mumpower, Maria Ochoa, about,” said Sen. Phil Berger, R-Rock- ever they want to pass.” could be a lot of litigation in the state,” J. Arthur Pope, Tula Robbins, ingham, in an interview with News 14 said Erik Root, research director for the Thomas A. Roberg, David Stover, Carolina’s statewide program “Political Sen. Phil Berger N.C. Family Policy Council. “States sur- Robert Stowe III, Andy Wells Connections”. “Clearly, they’ve got a R-Rockingham rounding North Carolina, generally the Board of Directors majority. They’re going to be able to pass whole South, have something similar on whatever they want to pass. the books after the Nov. 7 election. The “To the extent that there are things for failing to act on “important, popular amendment would settle the question Carolina Journal is a monthly journal that we agree with, then we’ll be sup- legislation,” in the words of then-GOP once and for all in North Carolina.” of news, analysis, and commentary on state portive,” Berger added. “To the extent state Chairman Ferrell Blount. and local government and public policy issues that we feel they’re doing things that The news conference highlighted Voting trends in North Carolina. are not in the best interest of North a half-dozen specific measures: a consti- Carolina or not consistent with those tutional amendment defining marriage, Critics could argue that N.C. voters ©2006 by The John Locke Foundation things we believe, then we’re going to a bill requiring a 24-hour waiting period have offered no mandate for the mar- Inc. All opinions expressed in bylined articles riage amendment or any other measure are those of the authors and do not necessarily oppose them.” for abortions, an “Academic Bill of identified primarily with Republicans. reflect the views of the editors of CJ or the Rights,” a driver’s license security mea- staff and board of the John Locke Foundation. GOP bills stall sure, and a couple of bills placing limits The electorate chose Democrats for 62 Material published herein may be reprinted as on taxation and government spending. percent of the state’s Senate seats and 57 long as appropriate credit is given. Submis- Recent history suggests ideas that Each proposal died in committee in percent of the seats in the House. sions and letters are welcome and should be are identified primarily with Republi- 2005. Legislative rules prevented law- But an analysis of the election re- directed to the editor. cans are likely to face obstacles. “Repub- makers from considering the measures sults shows a much closer split between licans will have to wait and pick their last year. the major parties. Voters cast more than CJ readers wanting more information battles,” Taylor said. “On occasion they Lawmakers had filed the marriage 1.7 million votes in Senate races last between monthly issues can call 919-828-3876 might be able to peel off some Demo- amendment in both the House and Sen- month. Just 62,000 votes separated the and ask for Carolina Journal Weekly Re- cratic votes on a particular issue.” ate. The measure would have allowed two parties’ total vote. If Republicans port, delivered each weekend by e-mail, or visit In June 2005, Republican legislative N.C. voters to decide whether the state had cast 18,000 more votes in the seven CarolinaJournal.com for news, links, and ex- leaders conducted a news conference to Constitution should define marriage as districts with the closest Democratic clusive content updated each weekday. Those draw attention to GOP initiatives that the union of one man and one woman wins, the GOP would have won a Sen- interested in education, higher education, or had languished in legislative commit- at one time. ate majority for the first time in more local government should also ask to receive tees. The Republicans blamed Black and Two Democrats and two Republi- weekly e-letters covering these issues. Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight cans served as primary House sponsors, Continued as “Legislature,” Page 3 CAROLINA December 2006 JOURNAL North Carolina Legislature: Some New Voices, Much the Same Tune Continued from Page 2 several of Black’s H o l l i m a n the House is always a puzzle. You never allies for crimes “I would prefer no more said he and fellow know until it’s done what’s going to hap- than a century. linked to the cre- Democrats have pen in the House. I have no idea what’s In House races, voters actually cast ation of the state coalition government at been discussing going to happen on the other side. But more total votes for Republican candi- lottery and the deal the speaker’s race they certainly have the numbers to elect a dates than for Democrats. An additional that helped Black this point. I think I’d like informally. “It’s speaker and leadership for their side.” 9,600 votes spread over nine key districts maintain a share going to have a Black shared the speaker’s job would have given Republicans control of the speaker’s job to just see them elect the great impact,” he with Rep. Richard Morgan, R-Moore, over the House gavel. in 2003. speaker. I’m amenable said. “The speaker in 2003 and 2004. Morgan served as Those statistics are likely to of- Democrats sets the tone for the Black’s speaker pro tempore for the fer little comfort to Republicans, who who have ex- to whoever is elected.” session. He doesn’t last two years. But those arrangements will see their caucus shrink in 2007. “I pressed interest in set the agenda. angered some Republican legislators. guess everybody kind of got punched succeeding Black Rep. Trudi Walend The caucus will They accused Morgan of rejecting the this time,” said Rep. Trudi Walend, R- are Rep. Joe Hack- R-Transylvania set the agenda. But wishes of the GOP caucus to cut a deal Transylvania. ney, D-Orange, the the speaker will with Black. Walend faced no opposition in House Democratic play an important “I would prefer no more coalition her western North Carolina campaign, leader for the past role.” government at this point,” Walend said. but she said straight Democratic ticket four years; Rep. Jim Crawford, D-Gran- That role should include working “I think I’d like to just see them elect voting cut into her vote total. “We really ville, who was a chief budget writer with representatives from both parties, the speaker. I’m amenable to whoever got kicked pretty good,” she said. “And under both Democratic and Republican Holliman said. “I think the speaker has is elected.” hopefully that will make people come speakers; Rep. Drew Saunders, D-Meck- a big responsibility to reach out to the Some warn against assigning too together and take things more seriously. lenburg, a Black ally; Rep. Dan Blue, the other side in a meaningful way. That much importance to the House speaker’s We have two years now to get ready for House speaker from 1991-94; Rep. H. means finding roles for people to play race. “That’s always good theater as ’08, and I’m very hopeful that we’ll have M. “Mickey” Michaux, co-chairman of on committees where they can contribute you watch what goes on in a leadership the right leadership in place and that the Rules Committee; Rep. Bill Faison, to the debate.” contest like I’m sure there will be,” Rand people will come together.” D-Orange, who has expressed interest The growing Democratic majority said. “That’s something that those of in both the speaker’s post and a run for won’t necessarily transform the House us on our side will just sit and watch. higher statewide office; and Rep. Hugh agenda, Holliman said. “It’s not going And when the dust clears, then we’ll get Speaker’s race Holliman, D-Davidson, a Democratic to be a Democratic agenda,” he said. together and go on. As Republicans lick their wounds, Party whip. “It’s going to be more inclusive. A lot of “We’ll be delighted to work with House Democrats are trying to decide Observers agree it’s hard to make people might think that with 68 votes, whoever’s there. We don’t get into who will take the speaker’s gavel when too many predictions about the next we can ignore the other party. That’s not their business, and they don’t get into the Assembly reconvenes Jan. 24. Un- legislative session until the House settles right. We have to come together when ours.” der normal circumstances, a five-seat its leadership issues. “A lot will depend we can. There’s plenty of room to work gain for the party caucus would virtu- on the leadership team that emerges in together on issues.” Budget talk ally guarantee re-election for the sitting the House,” Taylor said. “I think most speaker. people expect that Speaker Black is done End of coalitions? One common item of business for But scandals swirling around Black as speaker. Now we’ll see whether the the House and Senate is preparation of dimmed his chances for returning to the House can have a fairly orderly transi- Even if Republicans play no role the next two-year state budget. That’s speaker’s office, even before voters in tion. in the speaker’s race, the outcome will one area in which the House leadership his Mecklenburg County district turned “If it turns out to be a competitive affect their ability to work on legisla- race could make an impact, Stevens said. his re-election bid into the state’s most process, that could fracture the caucus. tion during the next two years. “That’s “The House starts the budget this time, closely contested legislative race. State If it turns nasty, that could create quite always interesting to watch on the first and federal investigators have targeted a few problems.” day of session here,” Walend said, “and Continued as “Legislature,” Page 4
CORRECTION Coalition Seeks Redistricting A chart that ac- companied the Page One story, Reform to Give Voters Choice “North Carolina Ozone Levels Continued from Page 1 group’s original name: the N.C. Coali- Continue to Plum- tion for Lobbying Reform. met.” in Novem- “The public knows, and the House “The name change is actually for ber’s CJ con- and Senate members know, that the a purpose,” Phillips said, “and that is tained incomplete struggle constitutes a serious conflict to reflect that we are taking on another information for of interest. We’re here today to try to issue in 2007.” part of the ozone season. A revised encourage the General Assembly and Next year’s legislative session chart, shown to try to focus public attention on the marks a good time to push for redis- General Assembly to relieve itself of this here, includes tricting reform, said Phillips, who also updated and noxious task.” is executive director for N.C. Common complete statis- The bipartisan message from Cause. “The timing is right for our state tics. The new data Cobey, Valentine, and Carnell Robinson to begin a thorough conversation on the do not alter the of the N.C. Black Leadership Caucus need for redistricting reform.” overall findings of highlighted one of four news conferences The current redistricting process the story. across the state. Events in Asheville, has generated legal challenges in the Charlotte, and Wilmington also sup- past. A successful court case backed by ported the lobbying and government the minority Republican Party forced reform coalition. the legislature to draw two different “You will note that we have sets of election maps for the 2002 legisla- changed slightly the name of our coali- tive races. Voters never used either set tion,” said coalition member Bob Phil- of maps. A Johnston County superior lips at the Raleigh event. A sign in front court judge instead substituted his own of Phillips had the handwritten words “and government” inserted within the Continued as “Coalition,” Page 4 December 2006 CAROLINA North Carolina JOURNAL Legislature: Some New Voices, But Largely the Same Tune
Continued from Page 3 sure that we continue to be a progressive state, obviously, in terms of education and that’s significant.” “We budget on a conserva- and jobs and transportation, but doing Every two years, the two cham- so with low tax rates.” bers switch roles in initiating work on tive basis, and we will continue No Democrat has proposed keep- the budget. House budget writers will ing those sales and income taxes. “In offer the first blueprint in 2007. “It may to do that. The Democrats in the last session, I would have liked to take a while because the House has got have rolled back all of the temporary to get organized first,” Stevens said. North Carolina have always taxes,” Holliman said. “But this is the “However that happens, it’s going to stood for a balanced budget.” take a while I think to get settled down legislature, and you never get everything and then to develop. I think that will be you want.” Sen. Tony Rand Holliman admits he and his col- a key right there.” D-Cumberland The state’s budget outlook is un- leagues would face a tough choice if the clear. Outside analysts on both the left scheduled tax cuts interfere with plans and right end of the political spectrum for spending on education programs. warn that the state faces a significant The Democrats in North Carolina have and they’re forced to make choices “If it comes down to choices between hole in its 2007-08 budget. They say law- always stood for a balanced budget, and between programs they support, that’s tax cuts and supporting funding for makers created that hole as they spent we’ve done quite well in that regard. more likely to upset the caucus.” education, there’s not going to be a lot of most of the money from this year’s $2.4 “Our staff tells us that we’re a little If outside analysts have predicted support for cutting education,” he said. billion surplus. bit ahead. At this point, the projection the budget hole correctly, lawmakers “But we’ll work through that, and there “If revenue forecasts hold true would be for a slight surplus—nothing will be forced to cut programs or add might need to be some compromises.” and if lawmakers follow through on like what we had last time, but a slight revenues. The state Constitution requires In the end, a hole in the state plans to allow the 2001 tax increases to surplus, which means we have been a balanced budget. budget could force lawmakers to take completely expire, revenues available good stewards of the people’s money. Some fear that a shortfall will a closer look at the tax structure, Holli- for the 2007 budget will be $1.1 billion USA Today is probably right when they prompt one course of action from the man said. “It’s very difficult politically, short of what will be needed to maintain say we’re the fourth-best managed Democratic legislative leadership. “I but we need to make some changes,” he services as established in the 2006-07 state.” would expect some tax increases to said. “It’s so difficult when you look at budget,” according to an August report Other lawmakers in both parties cover the shortfall,” Walend said. “It changing special benefits and loopholes. from the left-leaning N.C. Budget and confirm that legislative staff members would happen, but I think we need to But we’ve had study after study telling Tax Center. have presented positive budget numbers take care of some of our uncontrolled us to make changes. It’s time for us to A John Locke Foundation expert in recent months. “I’ve been told that spending first.” take the bull by the horns, even if it’s a agrees the shortfall could top $1 billion, Medicaid payments are running $50 mil- One possibility for generating tough thing to do.” and he said even the best-case scenario lion a month less than projected, based new tax revenue is another delay of Holliman would not need to would leave the state scrambling to find on some of the new changes that took state sales and income taxes that are look far to find some agreement on the $300 million. “Analysts inside and out- place in Medicaid and Medicare rules scheduled to disappear. “I think there other side of the political fence. “The tax side government, and across the political and regulations,” Stevens said. will be a continued emphasis on trying structure itself is still archaic and needs spectrum, recognize the problem,” said to make sure that we do in fact eliminate to be examined and perhaps a different system put in place,” Stevens said. “I JLF fiscal policy analyst Joseph Coletti. Setting priorities the sales taxes and income taxes that “Whatever the final amount, legislators were partially reduced this past time,” think there’s going to clearly be a need will need a shovel to start filling the Lawmakers will fare much better Stevens said. to continue to make sure we take care of fiscal hole.” next year if they can avoid a budget “It’s always a worry,” he said. “I rainy day funds, that we have completed Legislative leaders are singing a crunch, Taylor said. “A healthier fiscal hope that we don’t put additional tax the process of restoring all of the trust different tune. “That’s contrary to every- climate makes it easier to govern,” he burdens on individuals and small busi- funds that were borrowed from during thing we’re getting from our fiscal staff,” said. “As long as the fiscal climate is nesses in particular. Individuals and the last financial crisis. I hope we can Rand said. “We budget on a conservative healthy, Democrats should remain rela- small businesses already have enough trust that we will finish that process as basis, and we will continue to do that. tively united. If they’re short of money tax burden, I think. We’ve got to make promised some years ago.” CJ Coalition Seeking Reforms Stay in the know with the JLF blogs Visit our family of weblogs for immediate analysis and commentary on issues great and small Continued from Page 3 the models that are out there,” he said. maps for the 2002 election and forced “The 12 states that have independent lawmakers to draw another set of maps redistricting commissions each have a for 2004. The 2004 maps covered this different plan.” year’s races. Phillips and Valentine both noted The Locker Room is the blog on the main JLF Web site. All JLF employees and many friends of the foundation post on this site every day: http://www.johnlocke.org/lockerroom/ Despite the legal hassles, Demo- interest in selecting an independent cratic leaders in the House and Senate redistricting commission from a pool of have ignored past efforts to change the prospective candidates. Valentine com- redistricting process. Phillips thinks 2007 pared the process to choosing a jury. might produce a different result. The coalition has more than 50 “That trend of increasingly less members with a range of political views. competition, as we talk about that more Members include groups such as the and people understand that, that’s John Locke Foundation and N.C. Justice The Meck Deck is the JLF’s blog in Charlotte. Jeff Taylor blogs on this site and has made it a must-read another part of our effort,” he said. Center, which often disagree on other for anyone interested in issues in the Queen City: http://charlotte.johnlocke.org/blog/ Some lawmakers also worry about the public policies. example set in Texas, where lawmakers Interest in redistricting reform drew new congressional district maps unites the groups. “Far too often, the several years after the last Census. sheer desire to control — to control Federal courts have allowed that Texas the wealth of the state or to control the redistricting effort to stand. congressional delegation —becomes a “Some people interpret that mid- priority, and somehow our voice and Squall Lines is the JLF’s blog in Wilmington. Zeb Wright keeps folks on the coast updated on issues fac- ing that region of the state: http://wilmington.johnlocke.org/blog/ decade redistricting will be OK,” Phillips our vote become irrelevant,” Robin- said. “What we want to do is look at all son said. CJ The John Locke Foundation, 200 W. Morgan St., Raleigh, NC 27601 | 919-828-3876 CAROLINA December 2006 JOURNAL North Carolina Site Gets ‘Intense Interest’ of Congressional Staff
By PAUL CHESSER Associate Editor NC Congressional Delegation’s RALEIGH Staff Payroll and Number of Employees he passage of federal legisla- tion at the end of September SENATE that establishes a database of April 1, 2005-March 31, 2006 Tfederal contracts and earmarks, acces- sible by the public through the Internet, Elizabeth Richard overshadowed the creation of another Dole Burr 52 staffers recently launched Web site that lists Carolina’s delegation, at $596,944. 60 staffers $2.12 million $1.93 million salary information of congressional staff After Coble, Rep. Mike McIntyre, members. D-NC, had the second-highest-paid staff, According to a report Sept. 27 in Senate total (12 months) at $734,373. McIntyre has 25 employees. 112 staffers, $4.05 million The Washington Post, the unveiling of Le- Rep. Sue Myrick, R-NC, paid $720,906 giStorm (http://www.legistorm.com/) to her 23 staffers, while Brad Miller, created such “intense interest” among HOUSE D-NC, had the fourth-highest payroll, July 1, 2005-March 31, 2006 Capitol Hill workers and watchdogs at $709,103. that it temporarily shut down the Web Miller was in his second term. GK. Howard Bobby site’s servers. LegiStorm listed a staff of 25 for Miller. Butterfield Coble Etheridge The Web site showed that North The four staffs were the only ones paid 23 staffers 20 staffers 22 staffers $678,951 $754,648 $646,213 Carolina’s members of Congress pay more than $700,000 during the nine- their staffs, generally, according to the month period measured. length of time a legislator has been in As for the most frugal House Virginia Robin Walter Congress. Legislators having shorter members, Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-NC, Foxx Hayes Jones tenures generally pay less, although paid his staff of 27 $496,003. McHenry 25 staffers 18 staffers 27 staffers they might not necessarily have smaller was tied among the N.C. delegation $539,050 $596,944 $676,767 staffs. for most employees paid. Rep. Virginia The most generous boss among the Foxx, R-NC, paid $539,050 to her staff N.C. delegation is Rep. Howard Coble, Patrick Mike Brad of 25. Both McHenry and Foxx are in McHenry McIntyre Miller R-NC, who paid his staff of 20 more than their first terms. 27 staffers 25 staffers 25 staffers $754,000 during the nine-month period Not all the staffers that were $496,003 $734,373 $709,103 ending March 31, 2006, the most recent reported worked the entire period figures available to LegiStorm. The Web measured. site has posted only quarterly figures for Sue David Charles Sen. Elizabeth Dole and Sen. Myrick Price Taylor the period from July 1, 2005 until the end Richard Burr, both Republicans, employ 23 staffers 27 staffers 27 staffers of March 2006 for House members. For much larger staffs than do House mem- $720,906 $684,240 $636,590 Senate staff, LegiStorm listed payroll bers. Dole’s office team of 60 was paid figures for April 1, 2005, through March just over $2.1 million for the full year 31, 2006. The figures do not include pay that LegiStorm reported. Burr paid his Melvin for the congressmen themselves. 52 employees $1.93 million during the Watt House total (9 months) Despite having the highest payroll same period. 26 staffers 315 staffers, $8.57 million $698,612 in dollars, Coble had the second-least Washington, D.C., was ranked number of employees paid for the time sixth-highest in 2005 among U.S. cit- frame. Only Rep. Robin Hayes, R-NC, ies for its cost-of-living index by the paid fewer staff members: 18. Hayes had American Chamber of Commerce Re- Source: LegiStorm.com the third-lowest payroll among North searchers Association. CJ
Visit the JLF’s two newest blog sites “Right Angles” in the Triangle and “Piedmont Publius” in the Triad join our other fine blogs
Right Angles is the John Locke Foundation’s blog in the Triangle. Three JLF staffers — Jon Sanders in Raleigh, Jon Ham in Durham and Donna Martinez in Chapel Hill — offer commentary on the news of the day in each of the points of the Triangle. Enjoy it at http://triangle.johnlocke.org/blog/
Piedmont Publius is the JLF’s blog in the Triad. Longtime Greensboro blogger Sam Hieb blogs on Pied- mont Publius, commenting on issues in Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point and points beyond. Join him at http://triad.johnlocke.org/blog/
Be sure to visit our other fine blog sites The Locker Room: The John Locke Foundation’s main blog, http://www.johnlocke.org/lockerroom/ The Meck Deck: The JLF’s blog in Charlotte, http://charlotte.johnlocke.org/blog/ Squall Lines: The JLF’s blog in Wilmington, http://wilmington.johnlocke.org/blog/ The John Locke Foundation, 200 W. Morgan St., Raleigh, NC 27601 | 919-828-3876 December 2006 CAROLINA Washington JOURNAL
NC Delegation Watch Emissary to Denmark
Jones, Myrick defend agents Changing Role of a U.S. Ambassador, Part 1
Two N.C. congressmen on By PAIGE HOLLAND HAMP Oct. 24 requested a presidential Contributing Editor pardon for two Border Patrol agents RALEIGH who are scheduled to enter federal mart, politically savvy, articulate, prison in January. and engaging, Jim Cain pos- Rep. Walter Jones, R-NC, and sesses all the attributes a president Rep. Sue Myrick, R-NC, joined 10 Swould look for in an ambassador. But other congressmen to ask President who could have predicted, when Cain Bush to investigate the cases of took the post of ambassador in idyllic Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Denmark, a self-admitted “plum assign- Compean. ment,” that this little country would The agents were convicted of become the center of world attention shooting an illegal alien after he fled and Islamic anger. from them. The suspect, Osbaldo Historically, a U.S. ambassador’s Aldrete-Davila, had carried 743 key responsibility revolved around pounds of marijuana across the promoting trade; however, Sept. 11 border near El Paso, Texas. significantly changed the ambassador Ramos and Compean were role. As outlined by President Bush in sentenced Oct. 19 to 11 years and his appointment letter, Cain was charged U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Jim Cain, right, recently visited the Danish Army training 12 years, respectively, in federal with fighting the War on Terrorism, center, Oksbøl, where troops are preparing for deployment. (Submitted photo) prison. Both are appealing their protecting America’s global interests, convictions. and working to create freedom around events, Denmark provided more troops, Denmark and Europe as they face the The congressmen defended the world. The Muhammad cartoon per capita, than any other EU country challenge, and opportunities, of a grow- the agents, saying they were prop- crisis that exploded shortly after Cain to the War on Terror. According to Cain, ing ethnic population.” erly carrying out their duties. took his post thrust Denmark and its Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Danish One of Cain’s signature projects “During this case there have new U.S. ambassador onto the global prime minister, as well as all but a few uses sports to bring different nation- been numerous questions raised center stage and made these charges of the major politicians, stand with the alities together for healthy competition. about the accuracy of the charges extremely relevant. United States in commitment to freedom The former Carolina Hurricanes execu- against the agents, the conduct of The cartoon crisis has been a major and democracy. tive said he has witnessed the power the prosecutor, and whether the global story since Sept. 11. Demonstra- The prime minister defines the of “the ball” to bring people together. drug smuggler was armed and tions and protests by Islamic followers in Danish position: “It has become clear “Sports have a unique ability to nur- dangerous at the border,” the letter 27 countries have resulted in 108 deaths. that we are in the middle of a global ture attitudes of tolerance, inclusion, from the congressmen read. Fortunately, Cain has a long history of struggle of values. It is not a struggle of teamwork, compassion and the rule of According to a report in the consensus building, in addition to well- values between cultures or religions. It is law,” Cain said, “in essence, the values Inland Valley (Calif.) Daily Bul- honed public relations and marketing a struggle of values between enlightened of democracy.” The ambassador has letin, in February 2005 Ramos and skills that allowed him to quickly step reason and the darkness of fundamental- traveled across Denmark promoting Compean pursued Aldrete-Davila, up to the plate, partnering with key ism. Between democracy and dictator- youth sports activities. whom Ramos thought was bran- Denmark leaders working to defuse the ship. Between freedom and tyranny. In This summer 2,000 people attend- dishing a gun and threatening the volatile situation. this struggle, there is no neutral position. ed a sports-focused event, “American agents. Ramos shot the smuggler He has made numerous trips to We must make active efforts to support Spirit Celebration,” that Cain sponsored as he fled back into Mexico. visit American and Danish troops to freedom and democracy.” at the ambassador’s home. He invited “According to the U.S. attor- thank them and show support for their According to Cain, the media is NBA and WNBA stars to be part of the ney who successfully prosecuted commitment. On the afternoon of this a big part of the problem. The media lavish event created to celebrate both the agents,” the newspaper re- interview, he was returning from a trip constantly focuses on cultural differ- America and the Kingdom of Denmark. ported, “the man they were chasing to Camp Oksbøl, where additional ences and rarely highlights the many The ambassador hopes events such as didn’t actually have a gun; shooting troops were preparing to leave for Af- similarities and commonalities between this will encourage people to put aside him in the back violated his civil ghanistan. cultures. As a result, Cain has worked to differences and work toward under- When asked whether the large rights; the agents didn’t know for create a media blitz promoting America’s standing and cooperation. He also be- Muslim presence in Denmark is affect- a fact that he was a drug smuggler; positive qualities. lieves that engaging youth is a natural ing national policies on terrorism, Cain and they broke Border Patrol rules “We need more salesmen for starting point. said, “I have such respect for the Danish America,” Cain said. Since taking office, While Cain is working hard to about discharging their weapons political leaders who, on a bipartisan there have been more than 330 news ar- develop relationships with the Muslim and preserving a crime scene.” basis, refused to back away from global ticles on the ambassador, more publicity community, he realizes that some people “Even more broadly,” As- activism in the face of torched embassies, than the last four ambassadors garnered think Muslims are well on their way to sistant U.S. Attorney Debra Kanof burned flags, and organized protests. collectively. transforming Europe from a Christian said, “Ramos and Compean had They recognized that much of this vio- But Cain is more than just talk; continent to an Islamic one. The am- no business chasing someone in lence was organized by regimes that, he is a man of action. Recognizing that bassador believes that over the years, the first place.” using the excuse of ‘cartoons,’ attempted Denmark has a fast-growing Muslim Europe, where only a minute percent- Aldrete-Davila was granted to intimidate Denmark into withdraw- population, he is creating initiatives to age of the population attends church, immunity in order to testify against ing from active engagement in global help connect the two cultures in hopes has moved from what was historically the agents. affairs. These regimes believed, based on of building a better understanding. He a Christian continent to a more secular “We are confident that during their prior successes, that they could ‘di- has spent significant time meeting with society. such an investigation you will find vide and conquer’ and thus destroy the Muslim political and business leaders to Therefore it is not that the Muslim that these Border Patrol agents were coalition of democracies that had been understand more clearly and be able to faith is transforming the Christian faith, acting within the scope of their duty working for peace and modernization articulate their perspective. In addition, he said, but instead it has filled what and were unjustly prosecuted,” in the Middle East and other oppressed he hopes to share strategies with key has become somewhat of a religious the congressmen’s letter said. places in the world.” leaders in Denmark. vacuum. “There are many redeeming “Also, we ask that you use your The ambassador also believes that, “The Danish leaders are acutely qualities of the Muslim faith, and the power of Presidential Pardon…to in the wake of a foiled terrorist plot on aware of America’s several-hundred vast majority of Muslim followers be- pardon these two border patrol their own soil in early September, Dan- year struggle with racial integration,” lieve in peace and harmony,” Cain said. agents.” CJ ish leaders realize they are not immune Cain said. “I am working to share les- “We must not confuse those of Muslim to attacks. But even before these recent sons learned that could be helpful for faith with the Islamic extremists.” CJ CAROLINA December 2006 JOURNAL CJ Interview Continetti: Neither Party Has a Monopoly on Human Weakness
atthew Continetti, associate — from the fed- little naive about surprised. editor of the Weekly Standard, eral government how Washington recently delivered a Headliner to the states, and worked and the Kokai: There have been some Mlecture to the John Locke Foundation they were also Abramoff scan- who have suggested — even among on the topic The K Street Gang: The Rise going to drain dal in particular, conservatives — that it might be good and Fall of the Republican Machine. He the swamp. And which is the focus for Republicans to lose. Have you run also discussed the topic with Carolina over the last of The K Street into that idea as you’ve talked to people Journal associate editor Mitch Kokai. two years we’ve Gang. around the country? Are there some (Go to http://www.carolinajournal. found that they The audac- folks who would kind of like to see com/cj radio/ to find a station near you have been up to ity with which them lose so they could regroup on the or to learn about the weekly CJ Radio their necks in the Abramoff and principles? podcast.) muck. his accomplices committed the Continetti: I’m not sure that people Kokai: First, let’s start with the K o k a i : crimes to which so much want the Republicans to lose issue that took up a lot of your time. Now of course they have plead- as think that they deserve to lose. And That was looking into the Republican beyond the basic ed guilty is strik- I think that sentiment is strong among establishment through a book called issue of the K ing. I mean if many conservatives to the point now The K Street Gang: The Rise and Fall of the Street Gang, the you read these where you also have a reaction among Republican Machine. In putting together whole [lobbyist e-mails that, the conservative pundits. this book, what are some of the things Jack] Abramoff way in which In fact a recent editorial in the you learned about the way things work scandal, we’ve they say that they Weekly Standard argues with that idea in D.C. that folks might not know? had [Florida Rep. can’t wait to get that the Republicans deserve to lose, Mark] Foley. Are their hands on saying that you know Democratic con- Matthew Continetti, associate editor of the Continetti: I guess the chief lesson you surprised Weekly Standard, speaking at a John Locke the money that trol of the Congress would be far worse is that things haven’t really changed in with what we’ve Foundation Headliner luncheon on Oct. 23 in they’re taking than any kind of remaining hubris the Washington since the Republicans took seen with this Raleigh (CJ photo by Don Carrington) from the Indians Republicans might have from escaping power in 1994. And of course when the Congress based illegally, or the this electoral trap. Republicans came into power after the on the research that you did? way in which they plot strategy with the I am of the mind that at the end Republican revolution, they promised members of Tom DeLay’s staff. of the day it would probably be better to change the way business was done in Continetti: Well, I was a little bit Rep. Bob Ney recently pleaded for Republicans to kind of have to re-en- Washington. They said they were going surprised. I mean I came to Washington guilty and is on his way to prison for gage with their founding ideas; it would to clear up public corruption. They were only a few years ago to write for the taking bribes from Abramoff. That was certainly generate new leadership in the going to move power — shift power Weekly Standard, and I guess I was a really eye-opening to me. Of course, one Republican Party. consistent theme in politics I think since But you know in politics the best the beginning of the American republic thing is to win. And that is what mat- has been scandal. The fact is that human ters. We are definitely in for some very weakness, human avarice, human greed, exciting years ahead. all of these are universal phenomena. They are found in any place. The great, Kokai: Do you get the sense that reassuring thing to me anyway is that books like yours, reporting on the Foley we do clean house. scandal and what has happened — do you get the sense that this type of new headliner series Kokai: One of the reasons that the knowledge of what is going on in D.C. Republicans were able to win power in will help Republicans regroup in some GeorGe MAson: ForGotten Founder 1994 was by portraying the Democrats sense and get focused on issues, rather who had power for 40 years in Congress than corruption and scandal? headlineR luncheon as being the party of corruption. Do you Continetti tuesday, Jan. 9, 2007 think that supporters of the Republicans : Right, well I mean and the ones that you’ve talked to have the always reassuring fact to me is that bRoWnstone hotel, Raleigh been surprised that things turned out the there are self-correcting mechanisms FeatuRing JeFF bRoadWateR, authoR, histoRian way they did under GOP leadership? in democratic politics. And you look at and associate pRoFessoR oF histoRy at baRton The K Street Gang, all of the members of college in Wilson, nc. bRoadWateR Will dis- Continetti: Well, there is no ques- that gang that I wrote about in my book, cuss his book on viRginia’s geoRge mason. tion that there is a huge amount of they’ve either been forced from politics conservative discontent with the way like Tom DeLay, or they are on their way that the Republicans have handled to jail, like Jack Abramoff, Bob Ney, David themselves in power, in particular over Safavian, a former White House official. John loCke FoundAtion’s the last two years. Ralph Reed is someone who has Now some of that has to do with been a former director of the Christian 17th AnniversAry CelebrAtion corruption, there is no doubt. We should Coalition; he has been driven from poli- remind ourselves, though, that the cor- tics. He lost a primary battle in Georgia Reception and dinneR ruption issue usually is trumped by this summer that he was widely expected FRiday, Feb. 23, 2007 actual policy issues. And even though to win. But the corruption issue played a FeatuRing columnist and authoR geoRge F. The K Street Gang involves one or two, role in that campaign and in his loss. So Will. as a columnist, television peRsonality three or four members of Congress, at the end of the day I am reassured that and authoR, Will is one oF the most Widely that is still a relatively small minority, once you have this cleaning house take Recognized, and Widely Read, WRiteRs in the not only in proportion to the rest of the effect, then new faces come to the fore. WoRld. With moRe than 450 neWspapeRs, a GOP membership but also in the House These new faces are probably just biWeekly neWsWeek column and appeaRances as at large. as susceptible to the types of corrup- a political commentatoR on abc, Will may be And of course there are Democratic tion that we see in Washington today. one oF the most inFluential WRiteRs in ameRica. scandals as well. So I’d say the discontent But they are new. And more important is more over other issues like Iraq and I think is that we see signs that the spending than it is over this scandal voters are holding the representatives hone for ticket information (P 919-828-3876 ) issue. There is no doubt that people are to high standards. CJ December 2006 CAROLINA Education JOURNAL
State School Briefs Report delayed W-S allocates bond money JLF Analysts Say Student Testing Has Failed When the final tally for the Winston-Salem-Forsyth County By CJ STAFF the test. So there really aren’t any stricter school-bond vote came in Nov. 7, RALEIGH standards being put into play.” the work was over for hundreds of tate education officials canceled a Outside observers have a hard time volunteers who had successfully news conference Nov. 1, a move determining how the state sets its stan- campaigned for the $250 million apparently intended to hide prob- dards, Stoops said. “There’s a lot about in construction money. Slems with new statewide math scores, this program that’s still secret,” he said. But the work was just starting according to two analysts of the John “And they refuse to release the data that for school officials, the Winston- Locke Foundation. The scores show how would allow us to see exactly how the Salem Journal reported. North Carolina’s education testing pro- standards are set and how students are Within days, Assistant Super- gram has failed parents, students, and doing on the test. They claim that the tests intendent Gene Miller was looking taxpayers, according to a new founda- have become more difficult, but without into hiring agents to find and buy tion Spotlight report. progress. “After a decade of rising test releasing the data and information to the land for schools, architects to de- Experts at JLF and the North scores, Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s minor- public, we have little sense of whether sign schools, and two new construc- Carolina Education Alliance say it’s time ity and low-income students saw much that’s true or not.” tion managers to help oversee the for the state education establishment to of their progress vanish with a tougher The math score problems continue work, which will total $100 million change. “After seeing these problems state math test,” according to the news- a pattern for North Carolina’s school in the first year. continue for 10 years, someone needs paper report. testing program, Kakadelis said. “We’ve School officials plan over the to take responsibility,” said Lindalyn Superintendent Peter Gorman seen fiascos with writing scores and next seven years to build seven Kakadelis, NCEA director. “We need called the result “‘devastating news for graduation rates,” she said. “This is just to see someone stand up at the N.C. the latest problem. Year after year, as schools, replace three, and renovate the progress of some of our children,’” Department of Public Instruction and problems arise, no one is held account- and build additions at 14 schools. according to The Observer. “‘We can’t say, ‘I should resign.’ Now there’s more take a false positive of low expectations able. It’s just excused, and we move One of the first things they evidence than ever that this account- and turn it into a joyful moment,’” Gor- on. At some point, the public is going will do is work with real-estate ability program is flawed.” man said. to demand that the N.C. Department agents to buy four pieces of land Scores from the state’s latest stan- The state’s largest school system of Public Instruction hold someone ac- for new schools, Miller said. dardized math tests show that student is not alone. N.C. Board of Education countable for these fiascos.” gains have been misrepresented in Chairman Howard Lee predicted many In the announcement of the can- the past, Kakadelis said. “The truth is school systems across the state would celed media briefing, the N.C. Depart- these scores were set low in 1996,” said get “a painful reality check,” according ment of Public Instruction said new Administrator tries EOGs Kakadelis, who served on the Char- to the newspaper. scores “will reflect higher proficiency lotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education More students are failing the tests, standards for the state’s new end-of- Alice Wilson confessed that at that time. even with minimal changes to the state grade mathematics assessments that when she quickly skimmed through “Everyone knew these minimal standards, said JLF education policy were approved by State Board members a sample question from the 2005-06 expectations were too low 10 years ago,” analyst Terry Stoops. “The bar hasn’t in October.” Education officials say third-grade end-of-grade math test, she said. “They have not been raised been raised very high,” Stoops said. those higher proficiency standards align she got the answer wrong at first, for 10 years. So to now say that we’re “Students need to answer only 9 percent N.C. scores more closely with national the Winston-Salem Journal reports. raising the bar just a little bit and hav- more questions correctly in order to pass norms. The state’s math curriculum ing so many of our poor and minority the latest end-of-grade math test. Kakadelis and Stoops did not buy is harder, the test’s questions are students not meet that new standard “So that means a student can still that argument. “What this program real- harder, and the scoring is tougher shows us that little has changed. The answer fewer than 50 percent of the ly shows is that we’ve lowered standards than it has been in more than 10 rhetoric from state education officials questions correctly and still pass the test. so that almost everyone can meet them,” years, Wilson, the Winston-Salem- doesn’t match reality.” When you factor in guessing, a student Kakadelis said. “That means we’re not Forsyth County school system’s Top state educators had sched- can get a quarter of the questions correct really getting the bang for our bucks director of accountability, told uled a media briefing Nov. 1 to discuss — then guess the rest — and still pass — our taxpayers’ dollars.” CJ members of the school board Nov. the most recent results from North 14. Carolina’s ABCs school accountability Students in Forsyth County report. The state has used ABCs results and across the state did much worse to determine hundreds of millions of on the test last year than in previ- dollars of bonuses for teachers in recent ous years. In Forsyth County, for years. The briefing was postponed until example, just 69.6 percent of third- Nov. 9. graders were found to be proficient “Postponing this media briefing in math in 2005-06, compared with until after next week’s elections means 84.4 percent the previous year. parents and voters will be left in the dark It’s not a reflection on the about the ongoing failure of the testing school system’s teachers or stu- program,” Kakadelis said. “Thousands dents, Wilson said. State officials of low-income families still don’t know headliner series whether they’ll be eligible for supple- decided to redo the math tests mentary school services or school choice. John loCke FoundAtion’s partly because of the high number It’s time to shed some light on this long- 17th AnniversAry CelebrAtion of students, more than 90 percent in standing problem.” Reception and dinneR some grades, who were considered In part because of pressure from FRiday, Feb. 23, 2007 proficient across the state last year, the John Locke Foundation, Department FeatuRing columnist and authoR geoRge F. she said. of Public Instruction officials decided Will. as a columnist, television peRsonality This year, state officials decid- later Nov. 1 to release the revised scores and authoR, Will is one oF the most Widely ed that the top 60 percent of scores online, calling them “preliminary.” Recognized, and Widely Read, WRiteRs in the would be considered proficient, Some details about the math scores WoRld. With moRe than 450 neWspapeRs, a and the bottom 40 percent would had already emerged. The Charlotte biWeekly neWsWeek column and appeaRances as get a score that indicated the stu- Observer reported Oct. 27 that a new, a political commentatoR on abc, Will may be dent was not at grade level. CJ tougher state math test exposed prob- one oF the most inFluential WRiteRs in ameRica. lems with past assessments of student (Phone 919-828-3876 for ticket information) CAROLINA December 2006 JOURNAL Education Guilford Schools Ease Path Commentary For Minority Subcontractors Looking Back on a Dismal Year By SAM A. HIEB To discourage bid shopping, John- s predictable as the passage and crowding, North Carolina Contributing Editor son recommended that general contrac- of time itself, December teachers were shown the money. GREENSBORO tors submit all subcontractor bids, not commentaries invariably Thanks to Gov. Mike Easley, all aced with a pressing need to build just those from minorities. Aoffer reflections on the outgoing public school teachers received more schools for a burgeoning “You’re looking for a pattern to see year. In a nod to that time-honored an average 8 percent pay raise. It population, Guilford County if minorities are getting the same breaks tradition, here’s my take on 2006. would have made better sense to FSchool officials are planning to make as other contractors,” Johnson said. This past year ushered in little reward consistently high-perform- it easier for minority subcontractors to But the plan involves more than that was fresh or innova- ing teachers rather than participate in the construction boom. just submitting paperwork. It suggests, tive: high spending, inef- raising the pay of every Businesses owned by minorities among other things, that contractors fective legislation, and good, bad, and mediocre and women would have to gain certifica- help minority contractors by purchas- incremental policy shifts teacher in the state. tion as a Minority or Women or Socially ing supplies and materials, making were all the educrats had North Carolina’s and Economically Disadvantaged Busi- plans, specifications, and requirements to offer. Nationally, the biggest education news ness Enterprise to qualify for advantages available for review, and assisting in federal education budget story of 2006 involved in the awarding of getting required ballooned from $74 bil- revisions to the state school contracts. bonding and in- lion in 2005 to $88.9 bil- math test. The Depart- But the majority surance or provid- lion in 2006. The majority ment of Public Instruc- of the burden to “Finding the balance that ing alternatives to of the increase went to tion chose to shift its fund the No Child Left longstanding policy and achieve diversity such bonding and Lindalyn Behind Act, requiring administer a new math through “good makes things work for insurance. Kakadelis faith efforts” falls While the states to establish stan- test aligned with recent on general con- all our contractors is the Small Business Ad- dards and test students curriculum revisions. tractors. key.” ministration helps annually. Test results were dissem- At a recent provide bonding Higher spending failed to inated in November after several meeting, the board for small business- yield better results, however. inexplicable delays from the State Alan Duncan NCLB’s implementation has been Board of Education. of education ap- School Board Chairman es, Johnson asserts peared dedicated that many big con- riddled with problems. In an In hindsight, it’s clear that to the cause. tractors don’t want acknowledgment of states’ rights, officials didn’t like what they saw Contractors them to get bond- NCLB leaves states to develop their and knew the public wouldn’t, have expressed concerns about the plan, ing, citing a “good old boy” network. own standards. Some states have either. Test scores were shockingly school board Chairman Alan Duncan Ozment acknowledged that secur- risen to the challenge and pushed bad, with academic performance said, but he thinks all parties will be ing bonding for small companies is a for greater rigor. Unfortunately, plummeting across the state. Only satisfied with the outcome. concern for the school system. other states — such as North Caro- 64 schools earned top ratings, “Finding the balance that makes Those “obvious reasons” recently lina — have chosen to “game” the compared with 496 in 2005. In things work for all our contractors is hit home with the Guilford County system with weak content stan- 2005, only four schools statewide the key,” Duncan said. System when structural flaws were dards, thereby inflating academic were considered low-perform- “If it’s ever going to be any differ- found at three middle schools earlier in performance and masking achieve- ing; in 2006, 52 schools earned this ent, we have to take steps that will create the year, which the school system will ment gaps. Such a misalignment dubious distinction. Particularly a paradigm change,” board member Dot have to spend at least $9 million to fix. between state standards and federal concerning was the fact that racial- Kearns said. Guilford Schools has filed one lawsuit accountability creates confusion socioeconomic achievement gaps But board members Deena Hayes in the matter, against Winston-Salem- categorizing schools, especially were much wider than expected: and Amos Quick were more adamant based Lyon Construction, which built in states such as ours. While the The majority of students who failed and asked system CFO Sharon Ozment Eastern Middle School. The school sys- federal government might target a the new math standards were poor hard questions during her presenta- tem also is considering filing a lawsuit school as “needing improvement,” or minority students. Both Meck- tion. against the architect and engineer who North Carolina’s standards often lenburg and Wake counties posted “We are severely lacking in this, designed Eastern as well as Kernodle indicate this same school is one of a whopping 39-percentage-point and it’s frustrating,” Quick said. “We and Hairston middle schools. “excellence” or “distinction.” achievement gap between white can be innovators and changers. There Guilford school officials passed up At the state level, 2006 educa- students in grades three through are internal things we have to do.” a prime opportunity to improve minority tion spending reached its highest eight and their black or low-income Hayes challenged Ozment’s un- hiring practices when bidding the repair level ever. A total of $6.7 billion peers. There’s little justice to a sys- derstanding of the problem. work, Quick said. alone came from North Carolina’s tem that promotes such a glaring “Do you and your staff have an “It evolved and morphed into a budget, but that figure doesn’t stratification in achievement. understanding of how we got here? If situation no one imagined,” Ozment include the millions of local dol- Education developments you don’t know how we got here, I’m said. “Did we miss an opportunity? I lars allocated for K-12 education by in 2006 confirmed what many of not sure we can move forward,” Hayes won’t dispute that. But the emergency county budgets. us have known all along: Public said. nature of the situation dictated that we Although several counties ex- schools aren’t getting the job done, The strategic plan, authored by focus on safe schools.” perienced a massive boom in their and more money isn’t fixing the Raleigh-based consultant Kenneth As it turned out, Guilford school student populations, the General problem. Instead, government edu- Johnson, is intended to enhance GCS’ officials found out later that day they Assembly refused to eliminate or cation needs fundamental, systemic good-faith effort goals when awarding were in yet another emergency situation, raise the cap on charter schools. reforms, such as rigorous academic school construction bids. A major step this one more extreme than the structural Legislative intractability on this standards, merit pay for teachers, toward that goal is requiring contrac- flaws at the three middle schools. Just matter is even more troubling, since and competition through school tors to submit documentation of the as the meeting was adjourning, Eastern the current legislative cap of 100 choice. We at the Alliance will con- good-faith efforts with their bids. Now Guilford High School caught fire and charter schools is already maxed tinue to fight the good fight. Join us contractors can provide the paperwork burned throughout the night. out, leaving hundreds of children in 2007. CJ 72 hours after submitting bids. Officials not only had to place the to languish on waiting lists while That’s a problem, Johnson said, school’s 1,000 students in classrooms willing charter school applicants because general contractors are focused somewhere, but also had to deal with are shown the door. on being the low bidder. Once they get the prospect of building a school to But while students were left to Lindalyn Kakadelis is director of the bid, they’ll shop around to find the replace Eastern. contend with cramped classrooms the North Carolina Education Alliance. cheapest subcontractor. In a hurry. CJ December 2006 CAROLINA 10 Education JOURNAL
School Reform Notes Has filed lawsuits
Super proposes changes CMS Family Wants School Choice to Help Son Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Peter By KAREN WELSH Gorman says district officials will Contributing Editor spend more money on relieving RALEIGH suburban crowding, remove more t would be interesting to ask 5-year- disruptive students from class- old Brandon Petruk about school rooms, and create a new way to choice. Although he cannot speak, Ihe has plenty to say. help low-performing schools. The Charlotte Observer report- The problem is, the special-needs ed Gorman’s proposals include: student in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg • Adopting a new formula Public School System isn’t allowed to that would mean about 80 percent talk. of the next batch of school construc- Each and every school day the tion money goes toward building nonverbal student with an XYY chromo- suburban schools. In a bond pack- some and severe apraxia, a condition that age that voters, particularly those in affects speech, sits in a classroom of 23 the suburbs, trounced in November children with various levels of disability. 2005, new schools would have got- He tries to learn, but except for a word ten about 60 percent. or two there’s no one who understands • Providing a broader series or uses sign language, which he uses to of alternatives to conventional communicate. classrooms for students consid- His parents, Trevor and Leslie ered disruptive or dangerous. Petruk, refuse to remain silent, having filed local and federal lawsuits against The harshness of the punishment Trevor and Leslie Petruk have been fighting for two years to get Charlotte-Mecklenburg would depend more on the sever- the school system in order to have a Public Schools to provide funds to help their son, Brandon (on right). (Submitted photo) voice and a simple choice in their son’s ity of the offense and the students’ him or provide money for a private “We try very hard to reach parents.” records. education. For two years they have asked education.’” As Brandon’s case lingers, it is • Appointing a respected Since then, the family has experi- estimated that the school system has former principal to oversee several school administrators to provide the money to send Brandon to a private enced one frustration after another. spent more than $100,000 of taxpayers’ low-performing schools. Curtis Brandon is working from an in- money to fight the Petruks. The couple Carroll, who in August left Hard- school near their home, one that is well-equipped to handle his special dividualized educational program that said that’s enough money to pay for ing University High School, will is almost 1 1/2 years old because the at least 10 years of Brandon’s private supervise the “achievement zone,” educational needs. Mrs. Petruk recently testified on behalf of school choice before school’s lawyer, Gil Middlebrook, has education. modeled after an idea used in other insisted the child “stay put” until the “There’s a lot of political issues tied cities. the Legislative Educational Committee in Raleigh on behalf of school choice. lawsuit, which is now filed in federal to this,” Mrs. Petruk said. “What’s the • Giving parents and teach- court, is finished. logic? There is none. Their fear is that this ers more say in hiring principals. The new bill, authored by Rep. Paul Stam, R-Apex, would provide a tuition “The whole purpose of ‘stay put’ is going to open up the floodgate. They Internal candidates would now is for the benefit of the child, so the don’t want to set a precedent….” apply for jobs at specific schools credit of $3,000 per semester to parents of children with individual educational school can’t yank the child out of his or In the meantime, the Petruks are to help match the best person with her classroom and put them in another worried because an outside specialist the right setting. programs (IEPs) who require services outside the public school system. class during litigation,” Mrs. Petruk said. hired by the couple has reported Bran- “It’s the difference between be- “The CMS lawyer has misused this as don is regressing. CMS seeks contracts ing educated or not,” Mrs. Petruk said. a weapon, refusing to do an IEP, which Stam’s bill would open up possi- the law says needs to be done every six bilities to parents and would eventually Charlotte-Mecklenburg “We want to give Brandon the intense months….” save local governments throughout the Schools is asking parents with intervention he needs.” CMS in-house counsel Michele state millions of dollars, the legislator students at four struggling high Not only are the Petruks dealing Morris said the entire situation is a said. schools to sign a contract agreeing with Brandon’s severe difficulty to legitimate disagreement as to what’s in “I have two interests in present- to do their part to boost achieve- speak, but he also suffers from poor bal- the best interest of Brandon. She said ing this bill,” Stam said. “I want to help ment, the Charlotte Observer re- ance, another side-effect of his condition, school officials have done everything children with special needs, and I’m ports. making it dangerous for him to be with they could in good faith to provide trying to help with school choice. This The document, introduced at a large group of children. appropriate placement and settle the bill will not drain the school of resources. West Charlotte High last week, asks At first the Petruks were told Petruk’s claim. In fact, it will save the school system’s parents to monitor homework, get nothing could be done for Brandon, but “We have absolutely tried to re- money.” their children to school on time, and his parents knew their son’s rights and solve our obligation,” she said. “Our Lynette Estrada, a special-educa- support high behavior standards, pushed for the school to pay for their obligation is to meet the needs of every tion teacher who is also the mother of a among other things. son’s education. child and we are prepared to meet special-needs child from Florida, one of It’s part of a push, demanded “The school needs to provide him [Brandon’s] communication needs. Our the states where a precedent for school by a judge and the governor, to the ability to learn how to speak cogni- ultimate responsibility is to the child, choice has already been set, understands turn around CMS’s lowest-scoring tively,” Mrs. Petruk said. “He gets it. He not to the children’s parent.” the uphill battle the Petruks are facing. high schools. understands, but he’s trapped in his own Jane Rhyne, assistant superinten- She spent many years labeled a Superintendent Peter Gor- body. He just can’t express it back. He dent for exceptional children at CMS, “problem parent” at the school where man has told staff at those schools also needs to be in a small class environ- said the Petruk’s case is one of only she worked and her autistic child at- that their jobs are on the line. He ment with speech intensive training with a handful of unresolved cases out of tended. wants families to know teachers a prompt-trained specialist.” 15,000 special-needs children within the “Unfortunately it takes a parent can’t make changes without their School officials wouldn’t budge, school district. She said, however, that that’s not going to stop to make the help. forcing the Petruks to file a lawsuit. school officials will not compromise on change,” she said. “My advice to the “We’re looking for a com- “Initially [CMS] didn’t want to the Petruk case. Petruk family is to keep fighting it. It’s mitment,” he said, “and we’re provide services to him,” Mrs. Petruk “We’ve spent hundreds of hours not just their son they’re fighting for, it’s looking for (parents) joining the said. “That’s against the law. I knew with many professionals and there was other children. Be the squeaky wheel and team with us.” CJ what our rights are. I said, ‘You can and will provide services for him. You, a genuine effort to try and get the family don’t give up. It’s a very long battle. They by law, have to provide placement for to understand what we felt,” she said. need to know they’re not alone.” CJ CAROLINA December 2006 JOURNAL Education 11 Research: Certification Doesn’t Ensure High Quality
By KAREN McMAHAN interpreting the results of state teacher Contributing Editor quality (Title II) reports. RALEIGH By the end of the 2005-2006 school year, federal leg- Several states reported a 100 per- ound research over decades has islation mandated that every classroom nationwide cent pass rate on teacher certification substantiated that high-quality tests. However, the report’s authors teaching is the single most im- have a “highly qualified teacher.” cautioned that these data are misleading Sportant ingredient, apart from family because many states have “embarrass- background, in producing academically ingly low” cutoff scores and the content successful students. The Center for Edu- certification improves either teacher advanced degrees, professional develop- in the subject-matter tests is similarly set cation Reform reported in 2006 that the quality or student performance. ment, years of experience, and teacher at an absurdly low level to ensure high “most effective teachers can produce as In a 2001 study, Kate Walsh of the test scores. passing rates. much as five times the learning gains as Abell Foundation examined rigorously Such findings are supported by The National Research Council the least effective teachers.” designed studies of the effects of teacher data from the 2005 Digest of Education in 2001 compared teaching licensing By the end of the 2005-2006 school education on student performance and Statistics. Characteristics of elementary requirements to those of other profes- year, federal legislation mandated that found that certified teachers did not and secondary public school teachers in sions, such as CPAs, nurses, professional every classroom nationwide have a produce greater student gains than did the United States, as reported every five engineers, and architects. Findings “highly qualified teacher.” This provi- those who were uncertified. years between 1961 and 2001, showed indicated that these professions, unlike sion of No Child Left Behind has placed Walsh disputed the claims that that the percentage of teachers who hold teaching, require a single, rigorous exam greater scrutiny than ever before on “there is a body of research proving the a master’s degree or specialist degree has across the country. teacher quality and certification, yet value of teacher certification” and that steadily increased from 23.1 percent in Moreover, professional standards many states have failed to achieve the by “insisting that teachers be certified , 1961 to 56 percent in 2001. Even though in these fields require substantial field goal. . . . we will guarantee children, most im- the percentage of teachers nationally and experience before candidates can earn As a result, education reform ef- portantly children who are poor, teachers in North Carolina who have advanced certification. forts continue to focus on increasing the of quality.” Walsh contended that the degrees continues to increase, student Unlike teacher tests, the test format number of state-certified and National research, consisting of an estimated 100 performance and test scores continue in other professions does a much better Board certified teachers. The premise is to 200 studies, is “specious” and “built to decline. job of assessing knowledge, by requiring that having teachers pass standardized on quicksand.” Assessing teacher quality becomes vignettes, essays, short answers, and tests, such as the Praxis II and Praxis Moreover, traditional measures of problematic because credentialing problem-solving in addition to multiple III, and state-developed teacher exams, teacher quality used for credentialing standards vary widely from state to choice. identifies highly qualified teachers. purposes have no significant effects state. State licensing requirements are As part of NCLB, Congress de- However, a growing body of re- on student performance. Examples of described on the Educational Testing veloped a framework for a national search shows no evidence that teacher standards include teacher portfolios, Service Web site under Praxis. North standard to evaluate teachers’ subject- Carolina has nearly 70 areas and lists matter knowledge in an effort to en- them, along with their associated test sure high-quality teachers. States were and qualifying scores. Some states, granted flexibility to construct their such as Maryland, have more than 100 own HOUSSE (high, objective, uniform licensing requirements, according to the state standards of evaluation)plans. Abell Foundation. According to a 2004 report from Critics argue that passing or quali- the National Council on Teacher fying scores on tests also differ widely Quality, many states have not imple- among states, making it appear that mented sufficiently rigorous systems teachers are highly qualified when, in to assess teacher quality objectively. 7/Ê7 Ê 6 fact, they likely are not. A 2002 report on North Carolina received an F from the the quality of teacher preparation from NCTQ for its efforts to gauge teachers’ 4HE *OHN ,OCKE &OUNDATION BELIEVES THAT OUR SOCIETY MUST RETURN TO The Education Trust advises caution in subject-matter knowledge. CJ OUR vÕ`}Ê«ÀV«iÃ
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7E ARE A vÀiiÊ>ÀiÌ IN WHICH PERSONS INDIVIDUALLY OR COLLECTIVELY HAVE THE NATURAL RIGHT TO SELL GOODS AND SERVICES TO WILLING BUYERS AND IN WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL PURSUIT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY BENElTS ALL
!ND WE ARE A vÀiiÊÃViÌÞ WHERE CITIZENS SOLVE SOCIAL PROBLEMS NOT ONLY THROUGH \ehj^[jhkj^GOVERNMENT BUT ALSO BY WORKING TOGETHER IN FAMILIES NEIGHBORHOODS CHURCHES CHARITIES AND OTHER PRIVATE VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS
&OR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT / iÊ Ê ViÊÕ`>Ì 7EST -ORGAN 3T 2ALEIGH .# CALL US AT OR VISIT US AT WWW*OHN,OCKEORG December 2006 CAROLINA 12 Higher Education JOURNAL Bats in the Belltower Recommendation likely in January
Common sense has Carolina North Project Divides Town and Gown left the building! “Politics may not be in the blood, By BRIAN SOPP but it could be in the genes. That’s the Editorial Intern theory a team of political scientists CHAPEL HILL and geneticists is trying to prove with NC-Chapel Hill officials want extensive studies of twins, genes and to create a research campus at brain scans. ... Genetic researchers are the former Horace Williams UAirport in Chapel Hill, but the most trying to prove that social attitudes can be inherited, and have discovered strong recent conflict between the university correlations between the two.” and Carrboro and Chapel Hill — over —”Scientists study political- housing — is far from settled. genetic link,” Associated Press report, Carrboro and Chapel Hill repre- Nov. 2, 2006 sentatives on a Carolina North com- mittee are pressuring the university to A song about academic build low-cost housing for 20,000 people researchers trying to prove your and to minimize parking spaces in order political views are genetically de- to reduce the use of cars (commonly termined: called in this setting “single occupancy vehicles”). The university is balking at a From the Get-Go commitment to house all those people, by Devlish Pressthink estimated at 10,000 dwelling units, and to promise specific cost categories for An architect’s renderings show several areas of the proposed Carolina North project. As genes don’t lie ... the homes. (Courtesy of UNC) Cut and dry, there’s no alternative The university plans to build If a baby’s born conservative housing for employees of the research From the get-go. park, many of whom will be university some concerns about those proposals. more likely to attract young people with- employees. University officials want to The two sides eventually agreed af- out families. Families might not want Let his mama cry — build the housing, but they don’t want ter discussion at the November meeting to live in a large apartmentlike build- ‘Cause there’ll be one thing that she can’t hush, to set a specific target of how many low- that mixed-income housing should be a ing, she said. It is likely that Carolina It’s her little brat who’ll listen to Rush cost houses would be constructed. part of Carolina North and that the Cha- North would offer both single-family From the get-go. The university wants the flexibility pel Hill Transit bus system, rather than homes and apartmentlike buildings on to put up the number of units as needed cars alone, should be viewed as a way the property. People, don’t you understand and to sell them for a variety of prices, to handle trans- In addition That mom needs a helping hand what university officials call “a mixture portation needs at to supporting af- Or she might raise a Republican some Carolina North. fordable housing, day! of market, work force and affordable Take a look at you and me — housing.” But they disagree [R]epresentatives on the representatives Are we too blind to see? To sort out these and other issues, on specifics about committee from Carrboro on the commit- Do we simply turn our heads UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor James housing, specifi- tee from Carrboro And look the other way? Moeser established a Leadership Advi- cally flexibility. and Chapel Hill worry and Chapel Hill sory Committee in March, comprised of Chilton said worry about the Should our heads turn? representatives from UNC-Chapel Hill, he thinks Caro- number of auto- Should this funny little boy with the about the number of au- funny views Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Orange County, lina North should mobiles generated Votes in the polls, cause some libs to and area businesses. Moeser charged have “a housing- tomobiles generated by by the new cam- lose the committee with getting “community cost distribution the new campus. pus. Originally From the get-go? input on Carolina North from as broad a that reflects the UNC-Chapel Hill range of interests as possible.” The com- income distribu- wanted to have For his mind’ll burn mittee aims to “develop principles that tion of University 17,000 new park- And he’ll start to roam the Internet will guide the University in preparing employees generally, in each phase of ing spaces created and planned to build And he’ll learn how to blog And he’ll learn how to write plans for submission to the local govern- development at Carolina North.” He roadway connections to the Carolina From the get-go. ing bodies,” according to the Carolina argues that more affordable housing is North site as well extensive roads on North Web site (cn.unc.edu). needed to meet the needs of university the campus. Then one night in desperation The latest skirmish stems from a employees, many of whom, he said, can’t Carrboro officials insisted that The kid’ll break away — housing proposal submitted by Mark afford to live in Chapel Hill. Chilton told UNC-Chapel Hill make a commitment He’ll buy a gun, work for pay, Chilton, mayor of Carrboro, in October. the story of one employee who, he said, to public transit at the research campus Go to church, he might even pray ... was forced to live in Virginia to have an and discourage automobile use. They And his mom’ll cry. It proposed the following principles: Carolina North would not add to the “affordable” place to live. contend that one way to do that is to Oh, the Left will fret this conservative “crisis in housing” in the Chapel Hill The university’s position, stated make housing less expensive so that — and Carrboro area; housing would be in Evans’ response to the Chilton docu- people will choose to live closer to the Face up, on his feet, independent of affordable for all income levels; and ment, is that Carolina North “will be a campus. them — the number of homes should equal the mixture of market, work force and af- Regardless of the number of park- From the get-go. number of positions created by Carolina fordable housing,” but that “we don’t ing spaces or affordable homes that are As this fetus lies North. It also softened these demands know enough now to set percentages created, committee member Holden In the warm and comfortable slightly by saying that any housing for the three categories.” Thorp, chairman of UNC-Chapel Hill’s womb untorn, created in Chapel Hill adjacent to a bus Some members of the committee department of chemistry, said employees Should we risk another conserva- line operated by the Chapel Hill Transit shared university officials’ concern that are going to live where they desire. tive born system should count toward affordable the types of housing at Carolina North Chilton and Evans agreed to meet From the get-go? housing at Carolina North. cannot be proportional to the incomes privately to work out housing concerns In response, Jack Evans, executive of employees. and present final details to committee John Locke Foundation research edi- director of Carolina North, submitted Sharon Myers, an environmental members. Housing is a key element tor Jon Sanders was inspired to song writing a document of his own at a meeting in specialist at UNC-Chapel Hill, said most in the committee’s plans to complete by the above-mentioned AP report. November to members of the Leadership of the housing at Carolina North would a development plan by the end of the Advisory Committee. His counter-docu- have to be condominiums because of year. A formal recommendation is likely ment indicates that UNC-Chapel Hill has space limitations, and these would be to be submitted in January. CJ CAROLINA December 2006 JOURNAL Higher Education 13 Democrats Now Formulating Commentary Their Higher-Education Agenda Market Will Test Online Education nline education has largely something of a surprise to me, but By SHANNON BLOSSER for tuitions paid by families that earn been treated like a stepchild if true, that would be a strong plus Associate Editor up to $160,000. in the world of higher edu- since many college students gradu- WASHINGTON “We want to lower interest rates Ocation. It gets a bit of food and some ate with woeful writing skills these ays after securing control of on the cost of college for students who old clothes, but not much attention days. Congress for the first time since are now turned away from college be- in comparison with the university’s A further testament to the edu- 1994, Democratic leaders in the cause of increased debt that they have real children. A new online initiative cational value of online courses is DHouse and Senate began to formulate to absorb,” Miller said in an interview begun by the University of Illinois, the rapid and sustained growth they their agenda for the upcoming 110th ses- Nov. 9 with Oakland, Calif., Fox affili- however, might give this Cinderella have experienced in the last decade. sion, which convenes on Jan. 3. Among ate KTOV. a more prominent place Online enrollments the top agenda items for Democrats are Richard Vedder, director of the than it has had before. grew at a 23 percent higher-education initiatives that could Center for College Affordability and Announced last annual rate between increase federal spending. Productivity, said some of the Demo- May, the university’s 2002 and 2005. It is hard Chief among the higher-education cratic proposals could be a launching Global Campus Initia- to believe that so many projects for Democrats is an attempt to pad for institutions to raise tuition. He tive is a remarkable people would be sign- make college more affordable by slash- said the issue is not that too few stu- undertaking that should ing up for online classes ing interest rates and increasing funds dents go to college, but that too many give online educa- if they didn’t think they for Pell Grants. Republicans cut $12 are admitted. tion more prominence. were getting something million from the “The Demo- What’s more, the GPI is of benefit. program to reduce crats are making intended to be a profit- Officials say the budgetary spend- college afford- making venture and GCI will be “market- ing. Other plans “We must give our stu- ability a big issue, the startup capital will driven.” Not only will include increased dents more opportunities which is a good be raised from private its offerings reflect the funding for teach- thing,” Vedder sources. The tuition desires of students for e r e d u c a t i o n , to be highly trained in said on his center’s paid by students — and no breaks serious and useful courses (account- higher-education blog. “However, for Illinois residents — are expected ing and information technology, yes; research, and tax math, science, and tech- the solutions to to cover all costs. Implicitly, Illinois women’s studies and history of rock deductions geared the problem that is saying, “We music, no), but toward math, sci- nology ...” they propose may think we have its personnel ence, technology, be worse than the Democratic position paper an educational policy will also and engineering disease.” product that Is online education worth be consistent students. Democrats will pass the the effort? It has often with the need It’s an agen- also want to im- test of the to operate in da that will be spearheaded by George prove K-12 education with initiatives market.” That’s been derided as “educa- a business- Miller, D-Calif., in the House and Ted geared at increasing the number of interesting, like fashion. Kennedy, D-Mass., in the Senate. students who are in college. Some of since several tion lite.” Employment Miller will chair the House Com- the proposals, teacher scholarships high-profile on- will be at will mittee on Education and Workforce after specifically, have been championed by line education and no one will serving as the ranking Democratic mem- UNC officials. ventures have failed. have tenure. ber during the 109th Congress. He was a One such scholarship includes a Preparations for the GCI will On one page of the GCI Re- vocal critic of Congressional Republican proposed cooperation agreement among take place in 2007 and the first port, a chart shows University of efforts to cut Pell Grant funding as well the states, businesses, and universities classes are expected to be conducted Illinois peer institutions with respect as other proposals that were included in for students who aim to study science, in January 2008. to their involvement in online edu- the yet-to-be-passed reauthorization of engineering, or mathematics. The pro- The GCI is primarily aimed at cation. Michigan State has 42 online the Higher Education Act. posal seeks to benefit 100,000 students “non-traditional” learners. It will of- degree and certification programs. Kennedy will chair the Senate over the next four years, according to fer accredited baccalaureate, mas- Penn State has 50. The University Committee on Health, Education, Labor the Democratic plan. Also, there are ter’s and doctoral degrees as well as of Texas has 22; Wisconsin 15. The and Pensions. plans for additional tuition-assistance certificate and professional develop- University of North Carolina is on Other key committee assignments funding for teachers. ment programs, mostly aimed at the chart, near the bottom, with zero that will dictate higher-education policy “We must give our students more business and technology fields. This programs. and funding include David Obey, D- opportunities to be highly trained in will allow the GCI to tap into the That isn’t to say that UNC Wis., who is slated to chair the House math, science, and technology so they fast-growing demand for corporate needs to replicate the GCI, which Appropriations Committee. Obey is a can turn ideas into innovation,” the e-learning and other markets where has a big head start and can enroll former chairman of the committee and Democrats said in their policy paper. convenience for the student is a key any student who meets the admis- is likely to promote education issues. Democrats also want to increase concern. sion requirements. With online In the Senate, Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., funding for research initiatives, which Is online education worth the education, location doesn’t matter. will chair the Senate Appropriations would likely benefit research institutions effort? It has often been derided If a citizen of North Carolina wants Committee. such as UNC-Chapel Hill and North as “education lite” by people who an online course or degree program Much of what Democrats attempt Carolina State University. Specifically, maintain that true education re- offered by GCI, there is no reason to to accomplish in higher education is Democrats want to double funding for quires students and teacher in the lament the fact that he isn’t enroll- centered on affordability and improving the National Science Foundation and same room, face to face. The GCI ing in “our” university. The point, K-12 education with involvement from create regional so-called Centers for Final Report argues, however, that rather, is that UNC should be look- universities. Excellence to promote technological such direct contact is neither neces- ing for new, original ways of using In the area of affordability, a House advances. sary nor sufficient for learning. As the Internet to connect students, Democratic leadership position paper, “Independent scientific research the report says, “Online learning wherever they might be, with good “A New Direction for America,” cites provides the foundation for innovation is more about connecting people learning experiences. CJ a proposal to cut interest rates on col- and future technologies,” the Democrats than connecting computers. It is lege loans to 3.4 percent for students say in their agenda. “But federal funding much more a community experi- and 4.25 percent for parents, a savings for research and development has de- ence than a solitary routine.” GCI George C. Leef is vice president for of $5,600. Democrats also want to in- clined steadily over the last decade, and also contends that online courses research at the John William Pope Center crease the maximum Pell Grant award sound science has been compromised by can be “writing intensive,” which is for Higher Education Policy. to $5,100 and increase tax deductions political interference.” CJ December 2006 CAROLINA 14 Higher Education JOURNAL Course of the Month With Budget Shortfall Looming, No book, no second test, UNC, Bowles Seek More Funding
By SHANNON BLOSSER public institutions. UNC-Chapel Hill and — frequently — no class! Associate Editor would receive more than $20 million, CHAPEL HILL the most of the 16 institutions. he occasional student post- themes. Here are some quotes: hen the General Assembly “Faculty are the University’s great- ing online looking for an • “instructor comments: considers the University of est asset,” UNC officials say in the bud- easy class yields good in- Cake” North Carolina budget re- get request, repeating a line often said Tformation not only for disengaged • “Great class, great instruc- Wquest in January, UNC President Erskine by Bowles during Board of Governors students, but also for CM. tor. You’ll laugh and learn a bit.” Bowles will once again be at the center meetings. “If the University is to help The “Study Hall” forum of the • “He is a cool guy...cancelled of attention. North Carolina compete and prosper in a Wolf Web site for North Carolina State class a lot. You just have to get Earlier this year, Bowles was still global knowledge-based economy, UNC University students has been a good past all of the writing on the tests in the early months of his presidency, campuses must recruit and retain the source for CM. to appreciate the class...and that is spearheading a fiscal 2006 budget very best faculty. To do that, we must pay It’s where CM learned about hard for me. He likes to talk about request in which UNC asked for $299 them competitively, since the University the environmental ethics class where marijuana and drugs and stuff...so million in combined new recurring and is recruiting in direct competition with “EVERYONE GETS AN A+,” the he knows how to keep the students nonrecurring funding. The end result public and private universities across the freshman lecture course interested.” showed that Bowles, a North Carolina nation and around the globe.” that guarantees students This process was native and former Clinton administra- Including faculty salary increases, “SLEEP AND LOTS OF shown in the famous tion chief of staff, could garner legislative much of UNC’s request focuses on IT,” and the sociology pot-smoking scene in support. UNC re- priorities Bowles course that lets students the movie “Animal ceived 55 percent has talked about “watch music videos of House,” where Pinto of its funding re- for the past year. [Pres. B]ush-slamming.” and Professor Jennings quest, and UNC’s “This is a big budget. Those priorities And it’s where CM are discussing the pos- total general fund include funding found out about this sibility that “our entire increased by 7.8 This is a bold budget. for new research, percent, taking the assuring that stu- week’s winner, an associ- solar system could be, Jon budget to $2.2 bil- Now is not the time for dents graduate, ate professor of botany Sanders like, one tiny atom in lion. teacher education, who reportedly “cancelled the fingernail of some small steps.” How suc- and expansions in class so much that we other giant being … cessful Bowles health care. didn’t have a second test (he counted This is too much! That means that Erskine Bowles will be this year UNC President Come Janu- our best score twice) and he gave one atom in MY fingernail could be remains to be seen, ary, if the budget away stuff that went along with the —” (the professor finishes Pinto’s especially with shortfall exceeds lectures — food, clove cigarettes, thought) “could be one little, tiny, a likely budget the estimated $300 alcohol, etc. There was no book and universe!” shortfall for the state of at least $300 mil- million, two areas to watch are UNC’s the test questions came straight from Back to student reviews: lion, according to some estimates. new programs to improve retention the lecture.” • “I thought the material was UNC has submitted a budget rates and teacher recruitment. Both areas The professor is Robert Beck- interesting and easy. Interestingly request that would seek more than could be cut. man, whose teaches, among other enough this course had very little to $270 million—an increase of about To improve retention, the UNC courses, a course called Botany do with Botany.” 8.2 percent—in new funds and a total funding request includes a program, at 319: Plants in Folklore, Myth and • “He frequently cancelled general fund budget of $2.57 billion a cost of $6.38 million in 2008, to help Religion. (If English “literature” class. Between snow days and him for fiscal 2008. The key factors in the students who are among the first in their classes can be about video games, canceling we probably missed 5 or budget request will be how much the families to attend college. This would be we suppose botany courses can be 6 days and that’s a lot for a T/H shortfall is in January and whether the an “intensive, rigorous summer program about folklore, myth and religion.) class.” Democratic-controlled Assembly will for students who are first generation The course description is a hoot: • “Dr. Beckmann is crazy but tighten education spending, an area college students who require additional he’s fun. He keeps class interesting. where legislators traditionally have been academic preparation to transition from This course offers students the He is always willing to talk outside big-spenders. the high school classroom to the college opportunity to develop an apprecia- of class which is nice.” Bowles said the funding increases environment.” In the initial stages, the tion and understanding of the histori- • “Unbelievably easy class. are needed to prepare students for the program would be operated at Eliza- cal context in which humans relate to No excuse whatsoever to get less “knowledge-based global economy.” beth City State University, Fayetteville plants. The course addresses the forma- than an A. Lots of times he would Bowles has said that the state faces an State University, North Carolina A&T, tive influences of the human-plant cancel class, or let out early, or go impending crisis if it doesn’t educate its North Carolina Central, UNC-Pem- symbiosis upon the evolution of cos- hold class outside.” citizens effectively. broke, Western Carolina University, and mological and theological constructs. • “Hilarious — I went to talk “This is a big budget,” Bowles said Winston-Salem State University, seven during a policy meeting of the Board of institutions that have been targeted in Students assess the impacts of plants to him about my test and he ended Governors in November to discuss the the past to increase enrollment and re- on the emerging human consciousness, up telling me a story about how his budget. “This is a bold budget. Now is tention. Additional programs could be which attempts to define its place in the fraternity got in trouble...’A friend not the time for small steps. When you added at a later date. This is similar to cosmic order. The expressions of these of mine and his lady decided they are in a crisis, you need to treat it like summer programs that are conducted at attempts as plant metaphors are the were going to get it on right there a crisis.” other campuses across the country. foundations of enduring myths (e.g., in front of everyone, so we were all The biggest test of the battle be- Bowles also wants to create creation myths, myths of the origins of standing around, yelling, pouring tween the budget shortfall and legisla- scholarship programs aimed at teacher food plants) and icons (e.g., Tree of Life, beer on them...’” CJ tive spending priorities could come with recruitment. The two scholarships, Tree of Knowledge) that persist in and the university’s request to raise academic one for high-need areas, the other for organize the fabric of diverse human salaries. Faculty salary increases have teachers coming into the profession cultures. been a longstanding wish-list item for from other fields through the lateral- Jon Sanders, research editor for both UNC and legislators. In the 2008 entry program, would cost $13.8 mil- Student reviews on the Wolf the John Locke Foundation, tracks budget, UNC is seeking $116 million lion in 2008. The North Carolina High Web of Beckman’s classes, going to down a college course of dubious value for faculty increases. Need Teacher Scholarship would add 2001, contain a couple of recurring each month. The request is part of an effort to 150 scholarships in 2008 and 300 in raise salaries to the 80th percentile of peer 2009 throughout the system. CJ CAROLINA December 2006 JOURNAL Higher Education 15 Opponents point to excessive ‘autonomy’ Alexander Hamilton Center Stirs Hopes — And Fears — at College
By ROBERT PAQUETTE graduate of 1818, the omy” of the center, accountability of the center’s operation, Guest Columnist abolitionist Gerrit they complained, and insulates it from the vicissitudes of Smith. demanded that the personality in the administration and n Oct. 13, the institution where Our second charter be amended from politicized factions of the faculty. I teach, Hamilton College, an- year will investi- to ensure far greater The faculty resolution declared it to be nounced that an alumnus had gate property rights faculty input and “crucial” that “representatives of the Ocommitted $3.6 million to support the — how the Founders oversight. Hamilton College community have in- creation of the Alexander Hamilton Cen- understood the im- What subver- put into the operation and governance ter for the Study of Western Civilization. portance of private sion does AHC seek of the AHC.” The center’s charter clearly states its rea- property rights as to promote? Why, But who counts as members of son for existence: “The reasoned study a guardian of our nothing less than the Hamilton community? Apparently of Western civilization, its distinctive other rights, and the history of the Fifth “excellence in scholarship through not the trustees and alumni, nor, for achievements as well as its distinctive Amendment that bears on the contro- the study of freedom, democracy and that matter, students or staff. By infer- failures, will further the search for truth versial Supreme Court decision in Kelo capitalism as these ideas were devel- ence from the resolution, they have and provide the ethical basis necessary v. New London. We plan to devote our oped and institutionalized in the United all suffered a kind of social death. The for civilized life.” third year, the bicentennial of Abraham States and within the larger tradition of founders of AHC have a more inclusive In the past, most colleges required Lincoln’s birth, to an examination of Western culture.” The central concerns definition and will recruit trustees and a core curriculum that provided students Garry Wills’ central argument in his of the center include the meaning and distinguished alumni to the board of with a proper grounding in Western book Lincoln at Gettysburg: the notion implications of capitalism, the moral overseers. civilization. Over the last 40 years or that Lincoln pulled a sleight of hand and basis for democracy, government as a Several Hamilton faculty members so, a cafeteria-style model of education, redefined the meaning of the Union by potential threat to justice, and the role have risen to demand changes in the touted at Brown University and other folding the Declaration of Independence of merit and hierarchy in the formation governance of the center, prefacing their prestigious universities, in which stu- into the Constitution. We will explore of civilization. remarks by saying they have “no prob- dents now enjoy the freedom to pursue how this country’s greatest statesmen Somehow, to the resolution’s lem” with the center’s creation, but are their own tastes by choosing from an have understood the relationship be- signatories, the investigation of these merely concerned about its autonomy. ever-expanding menu of courses, has re- tween those hallowed documents. and related issues by the center por- Perhaps, but I propose a little test. Can placed a required, coherent set of courses You wouldn’t think that the tends dire consequences. Among the any faculty member at Hamilton pro- that privileges Western civilization. center’s creation would stir up any con- signatories were tenured faculty whose duce from his or her personal archive, AHC follows the lead of sev- troversy — unless you’re familiar with own programming and research in the or from the archive of any relevant eral other schools that have established the prevailing academic culture. Alas, recent past had been responsible for faculty committee, or from the files of similar academic centers. Princeton, Hamilton’s faculty has not embraced bringing or attempting to bring to the the dean any piece of paper expressing for example, has established the James the enterprise. Indeed, one faculty com- college as teachers or speakers Brigette concern about the autonomy of any other Madison Program, which has brought mittee, apprised of the center not as a Boisselier, the high priestess of cloning faculty programmatic initiative in the some excellent scholars and a different requirement but as a matter of collegial for the Raelian cult movement; Susan last 25 years? Without such discovery, I point of view to that campus. What we etiquette by one of my cofounders, re- Rosenberg, a felon; and Ward Churchill, remain dubious about the consistency intend to foster, again quoting from the sponded by rewriting the charter within one of the most clever academic poseurs of principle in the motives of some AHC charter, is “an educational environ- a fortnight and submitting it to us for of his generation. opponents. CJ ment of the highest standards in which acceptance. We said, “No thank you.” Is there really any need to worry evidence and argument prevail over ide- At October’s faculty meeting, the about the governance of the AHC? An ology and cant.” The AHC is not a right- first since the college announced the outside board of accomplished scholars wing think tank, but a vehicle to pursue AHC’s creation, faculty members de- advises the director of the center on Robert Paquette is a professor of a clearly defined educational mission. bated and voted on a resolution signed programming and initiatives. A nine- American history at Hamilton College We will begin active programming in the by two dozen of my colleagues. The “un- member board of overseers supervises and the executive director of the Alexander fall of 2007, with a focus on a Hamilton precedented and unacceptable auton- the director, ensures transparency and Hamilton Center. December 2006 CAROLINA 16 Local Government JOURNAL Town and County Are ETJ Regulations Stifling Growth in Angier? Conference center proposal By DAVID N. BASS contractor. Editorial Intern “It seems like the town of Angier A new study prepared by RALEIGH “The staff has not re- is pushing everything away,” Gregory an Elizabeth City State University ituated near the intersection of two said. “I could name you several subdi- professor suggests that Elizabeth country roads in Harnett County, viewed any information visions that have not come [to Angier] City build a conference center Holly Gardner’s one-story ranch simply because of the massive amount instead of the larger convention Shouse and surrounding farmland could that leads to the con- of money that it’s going to cost to put center endorsed by local economic easily be described as the perfect rural them together.” Daily Ad- development officials, the setting. clusion that there are Michael Sanera, research director vance reports. How local politicians The idyllic pastureland has been in extraordinary and excep- and local government analyst for the respond to the recommendation the Gardner family for four generations, John Locke Foundation, said that includ- remains to be seen. going back to parents who donated a tional conditions pertain- ing curbs and sidewalks would drive up Under the proposal advanced one-room schoolhouse to the nearby costs and make competition with nearby by ECSU professor George Jackson, town of Angier and grandparents who ing to the parcel in ques- neighborhoods more difficult. the city and Pasquotank County bought lights so the community could tion. ... Economic factors “Houses constructed outside the should build a 4,150-square-foot play baseball at night. ETJ and in Harnett County will not be facility with a 52-room hotel and But in this quiet country setting, are not considered to be required to have curbs and sidewalks,” 92-seat restaurant. “The niche en- Gardner, a recently widowed mother- he said. “Thus, the same house a short visioned in this study contemplates of-two, says she has become the victim special circumstances.” distance outside the ETJ will have a an affordable facility that attracts of a local zoning ordinance imposed by price tag significantly less than those small group meetings, tourists Angier that is preventing her from sell- Travis Morehead inside. Which house will sell? Angier and local meetings and events,” ing a portion of her land for residential Angier City Planner is imposing costs that others do not Jackson wrote. development. have to pay.” Earlier, Tourism Director Until recently, the farm was de- The requirements for curb, gutter, Russ Haddad and Albemarle Eco- voted to tobacco, corn, wheat, and soy- and sidewalk were originally drafted nomic Development Commission beans. But in a state economy quickly to participate in a public hearing” prior into Angier’s subdivision ordinance in Director Ray White had endorsed outgrowing its agricultural roots, Holly to approval of the ordinance. August 2002, according to Morehead. a waterfront 150-room hotel and Gardner and her husband of 24 years, A study conducted by the UNC- “Curbs, gutter, and sidewalks are fairly 15,000-square-foot conference Eddie, decided earlier this year that a Chapel Hill School of Government found indicative of urban development,” he center. Such a facility would cost new direction was necessary. In an effort that 62 percent of local governments said. “Sidewalks facilitate safe pedes- $25 million to $30 million. to reduce mounting farm debt, the family take advantage of the ETJ provision. Dr. trian traffic into and out [of] areas, Previous to the release of initiated plans to sell a four-acre plot of David Owens, UNC-CH professor of whether those areas are in residential Jackson’s report, a majority of offi- their farmland for housing construction. public law and government, concluded or non-residential districts.” cials had supported the convention But the situation turned sour when Eddie in a January 2006 research paper that The ETJ standards also add to the center proposal. was diagnosed with terminal cancer and while ETJ rules occasionally trigger aesthetic appeal of potential subdivi- One official, County Com- given only a short time to live. controversy, policies are routinely used sions, Morehead said, although the missioner Marshall Stevenson, “[My husband] was just trying to without public outcry. policy was not implemented to attract however, said he would oppose any figure out a way to help with some of the But to Gardner, who faced the upper-income residents. “Curb, gutter, government-founded facility. farm expenses that have been accrued hurdle of obtaining a zoning variance and sidewalks are not a socio-economic “Convention centers are fail- since the tobacco program was phased shortly after losing her husband to can- issue,” he said. “These developmental ing across the state,” Stevenson out,” Gardner said. “That’s about the cer, the reality of ETJ powers was not an standards are not unique to Angier, but said. “It will not pay for itself.” same time that he was diagnosed with academic matter but a brute reality. in fact…are very common to other lo- cancer, so he put it on the fast track to get Gardner and her brother-in-law cal municipalities in the Triangle area. the project done while he had time.” countered the ETJ requirements by Having development standards helps Sewer recommendations Gardner and her brother-in-law, petitioning Angier for a variance, citing ensure that the quality of life of the Ben, hired a surveyor to mark off a small town’s current and future residents are A Raleigh engineering firm the cost-prohibitive nature and environ- section of land on the southern end of the [sic] maintained and perhaps improved has completed its assessment of mental risks the board’s demands would farm for development. But to Gardner’s upon.” Wilmington’s sewer system, the entail. City Planner Travis Morehead surprise, the powers that be in Angier But Gardner sees irony in the Wilmington Star-News reports. The issued a memorandum dated Sept. 6 threw up a roadblock — a law known requirements given the rural nature of study comes after a series of large recommending that the board deny the as extraterritorial jurisdiction, which her farm’s setting. “You can imagine a sewage spills in recent years. request. allows municipalities to exert control development with two sidewalks — one The firm of Camp, Dresser & “The staff has not reviewed any beyond their city limits. on each side of the drive — out in the McKee found that the city’s public information that leads to the conclusion The requirements put forth by the middle of the country,” she said. “And utilities department spends almost that there are extraordinary and excep- Town of Angier Planning Board were they can’t even put sidewalks in the all of its money, 95 percent, on fixing tional conditions pertaining to the parcel simple — redraw the proposed develop- town of Angier hardly unless a federal problems after they happen rather in question,” Morehead wrote. “There ment lines to include sidewalks, curbs, grant is written.” than in engaging in preventive are no special circumstances, which re- and gutters. Living so far outside the An- Ben Gardner put it even more maintenance. sult in this parcel warranting a variance. gier city limits, Gardner was surprised bluntly. “Angier wants to be like Holly The consultants recommend- Economic factors are not considered to and upset to learn that the town could Springs or Cary,” he said. ed that the department should be special circumstances.” impose restrictions that would make eventually aim at spending 80 On Sept. 12, Gardner made her ap- construction costs too high to consider. percent of its budget of preventive peal before the Angier Planning Board, Future development But under ETJ law, they could. but board members unanimously voted maintenance, which saves money Given the regulatory roadblocks, in the long run. to turn down the variance, according to Fighting for a variance The Angier Independent. Gardner said that she is not planning to The company also recom- move forward with development plans mended the city replace 1 percent State statute § 160A-360 governs for a while. Last summer, the family to 2 percent of its sewer lines a municipality’s use of ETJ. The law Financial feasibility leased out the farmland to cultivate every year, thereby replacing stipulates that a city, depending on its Including amenities such as curbs sod, which is helping to pay some of all piping over 50 to 100 years, population, may use the ETJ power up and sidewalks can range in cost any- the bills. But Gardner still considers which is about its life expectancy. to three miles from its border. The statute where from $7,000 per lot to as much Angier a prime region for growth with Wilmington has not been re- also requires municipalities to notify all as $17,000 per lot, making the entire its centralized location between Raleigh placing its sewer infrastructure at landowners within the proposed exten- construction project cost-prohibitive, and Fayetteville — if only the town that high a rate. CJ sion and to inform them of their “right said Donald Gregory, Gardner’s general would be flexible. CJ CAROLINA December 2006 JOURNAL Local Government 17 Audit Questions Sit-In Group Commentary
By PAUL CHESSER in which invoices had not been marked Associate Editor as “paid” to prevent the possibility of Corruption Ignored RALEIGH duplicate payments. No double pay- ow that the cacophony of questions. What’s worse, Easley tate Auditor Les Merritt has ments were found, according to the voices dominating the air- and members of his administration called into question expenditures auditor’s office. waves for votes has ended, know the press will stop asking and accounting practices of the Three expenditures were pay- Nconstituents are now gifted with questions if the governor’s office SGreensboro-based Sit In Movement, Inc., ments totaling $2,330 to Executive Direc- the same voices chattering about holds out long enough. which plans to turn the city’s former tor Amelia Parker, which Merritt said blame or credit for the outcomes. At the local level, city and downtown F. W. Woolworth’s store into had no supporting documentation. Republicans are walking through county governments are often less a civil rights museum. Also, Merritt said, a lack of plan- the valley of the shadow of doubt, than candid with newspapers in In a letter to Melinda Coleman, ning by the Sit In Movement’s board and Democrats are dancing through their respective towns. In some grants administrator for the state De- and management led to unnecessary the streets of Oz. Though I’m often cities, the government’s policy is partment of Cultural Resources, in expenditures, including additional costs an optimist, there is little to give essentially to “not speak with the early November for construction me optimism in North local paper,” one public Merritt said the and renovation. Carolina. official told me. nonprofit organi- The nonprofit has We are a state A public records zation commin- “We could not be sure had to pay for capable of greatness. survey performed by the gled grant funds storage of exhibits We have technologi- North Carolina Press As- with other monies, what payments were and equipment cal ability, wonderful sociation and the Associ- maintained an in- made with grant funds that have already cultures, educational ated Press several years adequate chart of been purchased, opportunities, and ago offered a perspective accounts to track and what payments were because of mois- diverse talents. In on the problem. In the the spending of ture problems in spite of this, it appears survey, cities and coun- grant funds, failed made with other funds.” the downtown we are also one of the ties throughout the state to obtain approval Greensboro build- most corrupt states each received requests by organization Les Merritt ing that is sup- in the union. For all for at least six items, leadership for State Auditor posed to house of this, the print or as denoted in the open some invoices, and the museum. Five television media does records laws. They were used insufficient large-screen tele- little reporting. For the most part, given up to 24 hours to comply planning that led to unnecessary ex- visions were purchased to test presen- from the Executive Mansion down with the requests. Overall, 88 of the penditures. tations and films, the timing of which to the smallest of city councils, our 100 counties were included in this The Sit In Movement received Merritt questioned, “due to rapidly elected leaders know that if they survey, yet only 27 percent of cities grants of $1.5 million in 2005 for con- changing technology….” ignore the tough questions, report- and counties complied. Where was struction of the International Civil Rights Merritt said many invoices were ers will stop asking them. the outcry? Center & Museum, and $500,000 in 2006 only partially paid because “lack of Readers of Carolina Journal Most local papers operate on for final renovations for the museum. available funds,” which he said could should be well-aware of the on- a shoestring budget. Typically, they “We could not be sure what pay- harm the museum’s viability because going troubles of Speaker of the are staffed by a handful of reporters ments were made with grant funds and contractors and vendors might be re- House Jim Black. Business associ- who cover a few beats. Sadly, inves- what payments were made with other luctant to continue working for the Sit ates and friends of Black indicted tigative journalism—which could funds,” Merritt wrote. In Movement. and convicted are but the begin- clean up cesspool politics—falls But in a response to the auditor’s “The Movement may want to ning. He will most likely be re- victim to a meager, yet question- review, both the Sit In Movement’s trea- consider hiring a professional planner to elected anyway. able set of budgetary priorities. It surer and its accountant disputed some create a formal strategic plan to address Readers are also aware of the appears that many elected officials of the allegations. Daniel P. Duncan, a the current issues plaguing this most bizarre twists and turns of an illegal know this. North Carolinians end partner with the nonprofit’s account- deserving project,” Merritt wrote. ferry dredging in Currituck County up paying the price by having no ing firm, Williams Overman Price, In a separate response from Dun- that was linked to Speaker Pro Tem- recourse by which to hold their LLP, “[took] exception to the use of the can’s, Obrie Smith, treasurer for the Sit In pore Marc Basnight. The $800,000 elected officials accountable. term ‘commingling’” because the state Movement, explained that the purchases operation triggered numerous Nationally, accountability allegedly did not require that the Sit In of large items such as the televisions guilty pleas from employees in the caught up with several folks in- Movement keep grant funds in a sepa- were made in anticipation of a Febru- N.C. Ferry Division. Yet there has volved in the Abramoff and Foley rate bank account. Also, Duncan said ary 2005 opening date for the museum. been no accountability for the total scandals. There has been little, if the Sit In Movement has had only one Sit In Movement had contracted with money authorized and spent on any, accountability in North Caro- program for which its funds are used: an architect to determine the condition this endeavor. lina. the civil rights museum. of the building for the museum. But Then there are the ongoing Recently, former Gov. John “The grant received from the state structural problems found in the former financial dealings of Gov. Mike Rowland, having served time in was expressly used for this purpose,” Woolworth building caused the delays Easley. New reports show that he prison for his own scandals in Duncan wrote. and the need for storage services — and apparently received special favors Connecticut, looked at the current He added later in his letter, “all a change to a new architect with “a ma- from donors at the Cannonsgate scandals surrounding N.C. officials, construction expenditures and exhibit jor museum and historic preservation land development in Carteret and said, “I went to prison for far fabrication costs are charged to easily portfolio.” County. At the state level (as briefly less.” With the political elite still identifiable accounts, and there were “We are concerned about the value written in the Charlotte Observer), in power, one wonders when their more eligible expenditures than were judgment on a construction matter when Easley’s donors with the Mingo arrogance will have political, if not needed to support the funding from the organization made every effort to Tribal Preservation Trust turned criminal, repercussions. CJ the state….” exercise due diligence,” Smith wrote $56,000 in donations into a $20 According to Merritt, auditors to Merritt. million profit when the governor’s reviewed a sample of 58 expenditures, Smith also explained that the tele- office pushed several state agencies and found in 11 cases that either a board visions were plasma screens for exhibit to purchase their land. Chad Adams is vice chairman member or the executive director failed use, and their purchase was timed for Despite the magnitude of of the Lee County Board of Commis- to approve invoices. Five payments were the debut in February 2005. the scandals, newspapers haven’t sioners, director of the Center for Local made for items or services that had no As for invoices that had not bothered to follow up on the story, Innovation, and vice president for supporting documentation, and seven been approved, Smith said “every and they haven’t demanded that development of the John Locke Founda- expenditures “did not appear reason- check issued” is approved in writing the governor answer any tough tion. able….” by two board members and by the Investigators found 20 instances executive director. CJ December 2006 CAROLINA 18 Local Government JOURNAL
Local Innovation Bulletin Board From Cherokee to Currituck Charlotte Mill Venture Costly Congestion Pricing harlotte is likely out most of the rules. Among the violators were three nearly $6 million it put up in a captains, two lieutenants, 18 sergeants, tockholm recently tested a new The price for heavy-melt steel public-private partnership to and 16 detectives. dynamic-pricing system for has been more than $200 per ton each Crefurbish two old mills into affordable A lieutenant and a sergeant, who traffic management to reduce month in 2006, whereas the average housing apartment buildings. One of the retired in August, face misdemeanor Sgridlock, lower smog levels, and monthly price in 2003 was $120. buildings was recently declared unsafe larceny charges. The charges allege that improve quality of life in the city, the Economic incentive is helping and residents forced out, the Charlotte the officers were paid for services they Wall Street Journal reports. clean up areas that many local officials Observer reports, shortly after the devel- did not perform. Specifically, they are ac- Under the test, drivers were have been trying for years, doing so oper defaulted and cused of “double charged different amounts for tolls, without any need for governmental the city assumed dipping,” being depending on the time of day. Travel- mandate. management of the paid for working ing the city center at the busiest time “This is the market at work, properties. two jobs at the ex- of the afternoon rush, from 4 p.m. to and not a deliberate act of the gov- In the ear- “This was one of the first act same time. 5:29 p.m. would cost the equivalent of ernment,” said Jane S. Shaw, former ly 1990s, the city Under the $2.76. Waiting until 6:30 p.m. to travel senior fellow at the Property and entered into an deals [we] ever entered new guidelines, the same roads would be toll-free. Environment Resource Center. agreement with into for affordable hous- employers want- To deduct the appropriate fees, developer Jim ing to hire offi- transponder boxes, laser detectors, Mezzanotte to turn ing, so we did not have cers to provide and cameras tracked the path of every Wildlife as a polluter the former Meck- security will have car in the city or used a windshield- In the Washington area, viola- lenburg and John- a great deal of experi- to contact the po- mounted transponder. tions of the bacteria standards have ston mills in the ence.” lice department, Before the trial, a drive into the put more than two dozen streams, NoDa arts district which will par- city during morning rush hour used including the Potomac and Anacos- into 150 apartment Pat Mumford cel out the work to take almost triple the time of a tia rivers, on the federal “impaired units. Charlotte Charlotte City Council on a first-come, nonpeak trip. By the end of trial, the waters” list, the Washington Post lent $5.8 million to first-serve basis. morning rush was just over double reports. convert the mills, The officers must the time of an off-peak ride. Traffic So who, or what, is responsible and private inter- be paid by check passing over the cordon, the rings and for the contamination? The answer ests invested $2.3 from a business zones that make up Stockholm’s cen- has become much clearer in recent million in the proj- account. An officer tral roads, decreased by 22 percent. years, as high-tech tests have become ect. Mezzanotte, meanwhile, put up $600 will, however, be allowed to work up to The test also allowed the city available that pinpoint from which of his own money. 16 hours a day. to collect data on how the system af- animal a particular sample of bacteria The city foreclosed on the mills in fected air quality, parking, and public came. January. In May, an engineering report Currituck horse farm purchase transportation use. Traffic accidents One recent study found that showed termite damage so severe at the Several Republican Currituck involving injuries fell by 5 percent, humans are responsible for 24 percent Mecklenburg Mills that city officials or- dered residents out immediately — with- County commissioners are defending to 10 percent. of the bacteria in the Anacostia and 16 out even the opportunity to remove their their decision to spend $3.2 million in Exhaust emissions decreased percent of the Potomac’s, whether the belongings. It would be weeks before government money to buy a horse farm. by 14 percent in the inner city and by source is a broken septic tank or the they could get their things out, with Critics of the deal question the wisdom of 2 percent to 3 percent in Stockholm District’s sewage overflows. many items being lost or damaged. the transaction and whether the county County. Use of all forms of public Livestock were also a major “This was one of the first deals [we] overpaid for the property, which might transportation jumped 6 percent and problem, responsible for 10 percent of ever entered into for affordable hous- not be useable in the manner the county ridership on inner-city bus routes rose the Potomac’s bacteria, for instance, ing, so we did not have a great deal of intended. 9 percent during the period. because their manure washes out of experience,” City Council member Pat “It’s almost like we don’t have pastures and the farm fields where it Mumford said to the newspaper. schools in Currituck to build [or] police is spread as fertilizer. “We understand the economic and sheriff’s departments,” Commis- Recycling for profit Then there are nature’s own models much better now. We under- sioner Paul O’Neal said to The Daily polluters. In the Potomac and the stand the characteristics of what made Advance, defending the purchase. More metal is being recycled Anacostia, more than half of the bac- that particular project not successful,” “The only thing we have is a horse today than just a few years ago, and teria in the streams came from wild Mumford said. farm paid out of occupancy taxes that for no reason other than economic creatures. City Council member Andy Fox cost no one in this county one penny,” self-interest, says Michael Coulter, Environmental Protection put it differently: “The city’s not a real es- he said. political science professor at Grove Agency documents show that simi- tate developer. And it never will be.” The county bought the 102-acre City College, in Environment and lar problems were found in Mary- horse farm in Harbinger in August from Climate News. land, where wildlife were more of a Raleigh police off-duty rules Bob DeGabrielle using funds from the While some observers might be problem than humans and livestock county’s 6 percent tax on hotel stays and surprised that a government program combined in the Magothy River, and The Raleigh Police Department is cottage rentals. is not behind the increased recycling, in Northern Virginia tributaries such changing its policies on officers moon- DeGabrielle paid $834,000 for the said Bob Garino, director of commodi- as Accotink Creek, where geese were lighting after an internal audit showed land, which he had acquired in stages ties at the Institute for Scrap Recycling responsible for 24 percent of bacteria, that many cops were not following the between 1992 and 2003. He also made Industries, the reason is simple: Scrap as opposed to 20 percent attributable rules. The changes centralize the process substantial improvements, includ- supply responds positively to price. to people. of hiring cops to perform security work ing putting up a building to display The monthly average price for How to correct the problem is during their off-duty time, the News & horses. copper in 2003 was $0.81 per pound; in uncertain. Suburbs support higher Observer of Raleigh reports. County commissioners appar- 2005 it was nearly twice that amount, deer, raccoon, and Canada geese than Under the old policy, officers had ently envisioned using the facility as $1.59 per pound. During the same might otherwise exist, but reducing to have a contract with an off-duty em- an equestrian center. The arena, how- period, the price of aluminum has suburban wildlife populations may be ployer, and couldn’t work more than a ever, cannot be used for public events increased about 32 percent, zinc by politically difficult. It‘s also possible combined 14 hours a day. Officers were because because it lacks a sprinkler 60 percent, and nickel by nearly 30 that federal water-quality standards responsible for finding their own off- system, which is required by state law. percent. are unrealistic. CJ duty work and could be paid in cash. It was built and originally inspected as The audit found that 110 of 745 of the a “residential accessory structure,” not city’s cops, or 14 percent, violated the a commercial facility. CJ CAROLINA December 2006 JOURNAL Local Government 19 State Loses Class-Action Battle in Appeals Court By MICHAEL LOWREY General Assembly has since changed the Associate Editor period to challenge a tax from 30 days to RALEIGH Without class-action status, the small out-of-pocket three years. The Court of Appeals was n a decision Oct. 17, the N.C. Court not swayed by this argument. of Appeals rejected an attempt by benefit to individual taxpayers of eliminating an un- “Had the General Assembly North Carolina to prohibit a class- constitutional tax compared to the expense of suing wanted to modify the notice require- Iaction lawsuit challenging the constitu- ments of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 105-267 and tionality of taxes. The ruling comes in an makes it much less likely that the tax will be chal- thus weaken the Bailey II decision, we as-yet undecided case about the legality believe it would have specifically and of state income taxes on out-of-state but lenged in court. directly done so, rather than leaving not in-state issued bonds. it to litigants and Courts to speculate In November 2003, Lessie J. Dunn that, by increasing a taxpayer’s protest and Erwin W. Cook, Jr. asked North After the case was certified as a From this, the high court reasoned period, the Legislature also changed the Carolina to refund to them income taxes class action by Superior Court Judge that it was unjust to limit recovery only statutory notice requirement as defined they had paid on interest from state and Lindsay Davis, the state appealed to the to those that had filed a claim objecting by our Supreme Court,” Stephens wrote. municipal bonds they held that were state’s second highest court, the N.C. to the tax. “Other than argument, Defendants issued outside North Carolina. When Court of Appeals. Court of Appeals Applying this precedent, the Court offer no evidence that this is what the the state refused, Dunn and Cook sued, rulings are binding legal precedent on of Appeals would (and did) have little Legislature intended, and we decline to contending that the preferential tax treat- questions of North Carolina law unless trouble in finding that those individual make this leap.” ment for bonds issued in-state violated the decision is reviewed and overturned taxpayers who didn’t challenge the The state also argued that if a the Constitution’s Commerce Clause. by the N.C. Supreme Court. tax might be included in a class-action class action were certified, it should not The courts have not addressed Whatever determinations the lawsuit against the state. extend to include corporations, estates, whether there is indeed a Commerce Court of Appeals made regarding the The state, however, argued that and trust. The Court of Appeals rejected Clause violation. North Carolina, how- procedures for challenging the consti- the Supreme Court’s holding in Bailey this argument. ever, is not contesting just the consti- tutionality of a state tax in this case will II should not be applied in this case “Most significantly, however, -al tutionality of the tax. It is also seeking likely be the rules in force for any future because the underlying facts were differ- though individuals, estates and trusts, to prevent Dunn and Cook’s challenge challenges as well. ent. These differences, the government and corporations pay tax under different from proceeding as a class-action law- On appeal, the state contended that argued, included the uncertainty of the statutory provisions, in this litigation, suit, a single challenge to the tax for all each person affected by the allegedly total amount the state might be liable each group is contesting the adjustment taxpayers who had paid the tax, regard- unconstitutional tax was required to for if the tax were declared unconsti- to taxable income under N.C. Gen. Stat. less of whether they had previously individually object, or, in other words, tutional and the recent changes in state § 105-134.6(b)(1)b and N.C. Gen. Stat. § contested the tax. that a class-action suit to recover money law giving taxpayers much longer to 134.6(c)(1), that is, each group is alleging If the state’s challenge is successful, challenging the tax was not allowed protest a tax. that the same law… is unconstitutional,” it would greatly reduce the state’s finan- under state law. The appeals court, however, found Stephens wrote. cial exposure if the tax were ultimately This same issue has arisen previ- that the underlying rationale in Bailey II “Therefore, the named Plaintiffs found to be unconstitutional, as those ously. In 1998, the N.C. Supreme Court, still applied — that the state was being have more than a technical or official who had not taken the time, effort, and in a case called Bailey II, held that the placed upon notice by a lawsuit being interest in the subject matter of this expense to contest the tax payments “purpose underlying the requirements filed that the constitutionality of a tax lawsuit affecting corporations or estates within the three-year deadline would of section 105-267 is to put the State was being questioned. and trusts; their interest is personal. not be entitled to a refund. on notice that a tax, or a particular ap- “Once notice is received, the Accordingly, once the named Plaintiffs Without class-action status, the plication thereof, is being challenged burden is on the State to determine its established standing to proceed on the small out-of-pocket benefit to individual as improper so that the State might potential exposure and to plan accord- individual claims, they were entitled, taxpayers of eliminating an unconstitu- properly budget or plan for the potential ingly,” Judge Linda Stephens wrote for under Rule 23, to represent not only other tional tax compared to the expense of that certain revenues derived from such the Court of Appeals. individuals, but also non-individual suing makes it much less likely that the tax have to be refunded.” (Emphasis in The state also argued that the Bailey taxpayers, specifically, estates and trusts, tax will be challenged in court. original ruling.) II decision is distinguishable because the and corporations.” CJ
Since 1991, Carolina Journal has provided thousands of readers each month with in-depth reporting, informed analysis, and incisive commentary about the most pressing state and local issues in North Carolina. Now Carolina Journal has taken its trademark blend of news, analysis, and commentary to the airwaves with Carolina Journal Radio. A weekly, one-hour newsmagazine, Carolina Journal Radio is hosted by John Hood and Donna Martinez and features a diverse mix of guests and topics. The pro- gram is currently broadcast on 18 commercial stations – from the mountains to the coast. The Carolina Journal Radio Network includes these fine affiliates:
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From the Liberty Library Book Review
• Infamous Scribblers: The Street Smart Authors Make Case for Private Roads Founding Fathers and the Rowdy Be- ginnings of American Journalism, ex- • Street Smart: Competition, Entrepreneur- profitable). plores the most volatile period in the ship, and the Future of Roads; edited by Fred Foldvary contributes a chap- history of the American press. News Gabriel Roth; Transaction Publishers; ter on streets as private-sector public correspondent and media historian 2005; 564 pp goods, looking at numerous free-market Eric Burns tells of Ben Franklin, Al- developments where the streets are exander Hamilton, and Sam Adams By GEORGE C. LEEF owned and managed by the enterprise. — the leading journalists among Contributing Editor Walt Disney World in Florida is a prime the Founding Fathers; of George RALEIGH example, but there are many others. Washington and John Adams, the uppose that the production of Readers will probably be surprised leading disdainers of journalists; clothing had been a government to learn that in Sweden, private road and Thomas Jefferson, the leading monopoly in the United States associations manage two-thirds of the manipulator of journalists. These Sfor the last century. Given what we country’s road network; another essay men and the writers who abused know about government monopolies, shows that to be the case, and with fa- and praised them in print included we can confidently predict that the vorable results. the incendiary James Franklin, Ben’s U.S. clothing industry would be highly The final section of the book takes brother and one of the first muck- inefficient, with acute shortages of some on the vital question: How do we get rakers; the high-minded Thomas items and an overabundance of others, there from here? One essay, by J. K. Paine; the hatchet man James Cal- poor quality, and scant attention for the McLay, who has held numerous govern- lender, and a rebellious crowd of possibilities of innovation. If people ment positions in New Zealand, recounts propagandists, pamphleteers, and were convinced that clothing had to be the history, successes, and setbacks of his publishers. Learn more at www. produced by government, they would country’s steps toward privatization. He publicaffairsbooks.com. put up with those inefficiencies and give shows that New Zealand made consider- no thought to the vast improvements able strides over the span of a decade, but that free enterprise and competition Street Smart is a valu- recently obstructionism from “greens” could bring. has prevented further progress. Other • Someday soon, you might Substitute “roads” for “clothing able compilation of theo- essays look at the measures that have wake up to the call to prayer from industry” and you have the subject been taken in Great Britain, under the a muezzin. Europeans already are. matter of Street Smart. In this compre- ry, arguments, and evi- Blair government, toward putting pri- And liberals will still tell you that hensive volume, editor Gabriel Roth has dence in support of the vate enterprise back into the highway “diversity is our strength”— while assembled 20 essays that collectively system, and at the road privatization Taliban enforcers cruise Greenwich make a powerful case that streets and proposition that privately efforts under way in nations as disparate Village burning books and barber roads can and should be provided by as Finland, Ghana, Australia, and South shops, the Supreme Court decides the free market. Other than K-12 educa- owned streets and roads Africa. With the idea of road privatiza- sharia law doesn’t violate the “sepa- tion, it’s hard to think of any sector of tion popping up all around the globe, it ration of church and state,” and the American life where the market is so operating on the user-fee is hard not to think that this is an idea Hollywood Left decides to give up thoroughly stymied as in the provision principle is feasible. whose time has finally come. on gay rights in favor of the much and maintenance of roads. In the book’s penultimate chapter, safer charms of polygamy. If you Roth, a research fellow at the In- Robert Poole and Kenneth Orski explain think this can’t happen, you haven’t dependent Institute who worked for 20 right-of-way purchases of private prop- how high-occupancy toll networks could been paying attention, says colum- years as a transportation economist for erty or a government monopoly on greatly reduce traffic congestion in nist Mark Steyn in America Alone: the World Bank and has authored several roads. David Levinson then examines urban areas. In many cities, we already The End of the World As We Know previous books in this field, leads off the political economy of private road have high-occupancy vehicle lanes that It, his first book on American and with an excellent essay, “Why Involve provision and says that it is possible are supposed to encourage car-pooling global politics. Available at www. the Private Sector in the Provision of to envision political coalitions forming and reduce the number of vehicles on regnery.com. Public Roads?” His answer is that we pay that would push the United States to- the road at peak times. Poole and Orski a high price for our reliance on political ward commercialization and eventual argue at length in favor of transforming control. It leads to excessive congestion privatization of roads. HOV lanes into a network of HOT lanes. because road users don’t pay for their The next group of essays delves Their goals are to generate new revenue • A sweeping narrative his- use, but to a large extent impose costs into the fascinating history of private to build today’s fragmented HOV lanes tory of the events leading to Sept. on others. Furthermore, maintenance roads. In Britain, Bruce Benson shows, into a seamless network that is more 11, The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and costs are higher than they need to be private roads were common well into efficient and affordable than light-rail the Road to 9/11 looks at the people because of the well-known political the 18th century. They were developed systems. and ideas, the terrorist plans and tendency to skimp on such hum-drum initially because it was in the interest In the last chapter of the book, Peter the Western intelligence failures, budget items until there is a “crisis.” A of members of communities, particu- Samuel examines the prospects for road that culminated in the assault on third cost is that government planning larly merchants, to contribute to their privatization. One obstacle he identifies America. Lawrence Wright bases and funding lead to wasteful projects, construction and maintenance. The In- is populist demagoguery. his book on five years of research such as Boston’s “Big Dig.” dustrial Revolution, Benson also argues, Street Smart is a valuable compila- and hundreds of interviews that In the first of a series of chapters could not have proceeded if it had not tion of theory, arguments, and evidence he conducted in Egypt, Saudi Ara- dealing with theory, arguments and been for the existence of private roads in support of the proposition that pri- bia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan, ideas, John Semmens contends that to transport raw materials and goods. vately owned streets and roads operat- England, France, Germany, Spain, roads “can and should be treated as Why did the private road system even- ing on the user-fee principle is feasible and the United States. The Looming profit making assets.” He concentrates tually collapse? Benson shows that the and far superior to the old model of tax- Tower tells the story through the on the undesirability of funding roads reason was interference by the govern- financed, government-operated streets interweaving lives of four men: the through taxes. Semmens shows why the ment, especially in refusing owners to and roads. Road privatization should be two leaders of al-Qaeda, Osama market’s profit signals are the key to a collect tolls in accordance with market to the early 21st century what the com- bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri; road system that operates efficiently, and demand. munications revolution was to the 20th the FBI’s counterterrorism chief, then tackles several myths that cause Daniel Klein and John Majew- and this book will play an important John O’Neill; and the former head many people to dismiss the feasibility ski examine the history of toll roads in role in bringing it about. CJ of Saudi intelligence, Prince Turki of a private road network. America. Free enterprise built many al-Faisal. At www.randomhouse. Professor Bruce Benson contrib- roads in the United States in the first half George C. Leef is vice president for com/knopf. CJ utes an essay arguing that the “holdout of the 19th century and they proved to research at the John William Pope Center problem” does not justify compulsory be popular (although not always very for Higher Education Policy. CAROLINA December 2006 JOURNAL The Learning Curve 21 Quotes Illustrate Importance of Fighting for Freedom, Liberty
any times, nothing proves Rights. This election let us exert our- The Declaration of Independence and Heel often considered the founder of a point better than a good selves, and show, that we will not through thereby giving North Carolina a pri- post-World War II conservatism. At a quote. Anything else — a Fear, Favour or Affection, bow and subject mary role in fostering and nurturing Young Americans for Freedom award Mparaphrase or an explanation — only ourselves to those who, under the Mask of an American spirit of liberty. banquet on March 7, 1962, the man dampens a literary passage’s verve or Friendship, have long drawn Calamities Let’s fast-forward to 1937. from Weaverville said: weakens an argument’s persuasive- upon us.” Frustrated with corruption at the “It is our traditional belief that man ness. In his essay “Principles of an highest levels of government, North was given liberty to ennoble him. We may So with American Whig,” written in late 1775 Carolina Sen. Josiah Bailey wrote to infer that those who would take his liberty brief contextual or early 1776, fellow Sen. Peter away have the opposite purpose of degrad- background, James Iredell, then G. Gerry (RI): ing him. . . There can be no worth of man here are four a practicing lawyer “In God’s name, do not “We do not have unless there is an inviolable area of free- quotes from and later a leading a Government at dom in which he can assume the stature North Carolin- proponent of the do nothing while America Washington. It is a of man and exercise choice in regard to his ians regarding U.S. Constitution gift enterprise and work, his associates, his use of earnings, the importance and justice on the drifts down to the inevi- the gifts are at the his way of life. Little by little this area has of liberty and first U.S. Supreme expense of those been traded away in return for plau- the imperative Court, wrote: table gulf of collectivism who earn and sible gifts and subventions, urged on by to defend it Dr. Troy “That govern- ... Give enterprise a save.” slogans. . . . The past shows unvaryingly against corrupt Kickler ment being only the In hopes of that when a people’s freedom disappears, it government. means of securing chance.” stopping what he goes not with a bang, but in silence amid Herman Husband, a leader of freedom and happi- considered the jug- the comfort of being cared for.” the Regulator Rebellion of the late ness to the people, Sen. Josiah Bailey gernaut of govern- Liberty should be cherished, and 1760s and early 1770s, encouraged whenever it deviates Reacting to FDR’s New Deal ment intervention its protectors should always be wary colonial Tar Heels to protest against from this end, and and FDR’s New of political favors and promises. May excessive fees and corrupt govern- their freedom and Deal, Bailey ex- we be at least half as bold as former ment: happiness are in great danger of being claimed in the Senate chamber: Tar Heels and invoke their legacy “Are you not sensible, Brethren that irrevocably lost, the government is no “In God’s name, do not do nothing of timeless wisdom to protect our we have too long groaned in Secret under longer entitled to their allegiance, the only while America drifts down to the inevita- cherished liberties from their enemies, the Weight of these crushing Mischiefs? consideration for which it could be justly ble gulf of collectivism . . . Give enterprise wherever they may be found. CJ How long will ye in this servile Manner claimed or honorably pledged being basely a chance, and I will give you the guaran- subject yourselves to Slavery? Now shew and tyrannically withheld.” tees of a happy and prosperous America.” yourselves to be Freemen, and for once Doubtless “Principles” influ- Here’s one of my favorites by Dr. Troy Kickler is director of the assert your Liberty and maintain your enced Thomas Jefferson when drafting Richard M. Weaver, a native Tar North Carolina History Project. mmm$@e^dBeYa[$eh] 9"1,Ê" Ê" Ê/ Ê7 Ê",ÊÊ ",/Ê ," Ê*1 Ê*" 9
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Short Takes on Culture Movie Review ‘SPACE’ Worth a Look ‘Facing The Giants’ Surprising • “SPACE: A Journey to Our Future” making outrageous requests, repeat- Oct. 7, 2006–Feb. 11, 2007 edly drawing Andy away from her To Viewers and Reviewers Alike Adults $6, Students $4, Children $3 personal plans. Both women perform professionally, but naturally there are • “Facing the Giants”; starring Alex Kendricks wrote, directed, produced, The N.C. Museum of Natural personal costs to both and to those Kendrick and Shannen Fields; Sherwood acted, and edited the film for free. Alex Sciences is sponsoring the traveling around them. Productions; rated PG even wrote part of the musical score. exhibit “SPACE: A Journey to Our The film raises interesting ques- More than 500 volunteers, including Future” until February. The exhibit is tions about women, men, and per- By HAL YOUNG all of the actors and all but five of the designed to show “where we’ve been, sonal vs. career choices, among other Contributing Editor production staff, made it happen for where we are, and where we’re going things. It addresses significant aspects RALEIGH just $100,000. with space exploration.” For only $6, of what we do when we choose to rant Taylor is a coach with is- Does it work? Definitely. Six weeks SPACE is definitely worth a look. pursue something professionally for sues. His football team at Shiloh after its release Sept. 29, the film had The exhibit’s interactive fea- which we have a true passion, as well Christian Academy has a six- grossed more than $8.2 million, still rank- tures make space more interesting as what happens when we follow a Gyear losing streak, his one star player just ing in the top 20 films in mid-Novem- and accessible for those who have career in something we don’t care transferred to a rival school, and angry ber. Kendrick and Fields handle their always found it light years away. about at the heart-and-soul level. parents are recruiting his assistant to take roles capably as a jock with a breaking Like most exhibits, SPACE has a lot Andy eventually does pursue his position. He makes $24,000 a year, heart and a young wife yearning for to see, but also a lot to do. It features her career passion, as does her boy- his car has a terminal illness, major ap- children but determined to be there for rocks from the surfaces of the moon friend, her co-workers, and Miranda pliances are failing at home, and he and her husband. and Mars. Visitors are invited to Priestly. It’s not all pretty, but it is wife Brooke S t i l l , touch the rocks. There’s also a life-size worth a look. are unable to “Facing the prototype of a Mars Base Camp with — KAREN PALASEK have a baby. Giants” has re- a build-your-own camp computer And things are ceived mixed simulation. Children also may ride a about to take reviews, even bicycle-powered centrifuge, or look • “Akeelah and the Bee” a turn for the within the into the future of space exploration Lions Gate Films (Video) worse. Christian com- in a 360-degree theatre. Directed by Doug Atchison In “Fac- munity. Different stations around the ing the Giants”, To b e exhibit explain important concepts for “Akeelah and the Bee” is a Grant (Alex sure, a couple understanding the cosmos, including movie that Bill Cosby would love, Kendrick) is of the actors the various kinds of light, space-time, because it portrays a black middle- a decent man were less than and gravity. The exhibit also includes school student who attains academic sinking in de- Oscar-caliber. a wide range of artifacts from the excellence despite her current par- feat on nearly Grant’s doc- space program, including history and entage, her neighborhood, and her every front tor, in his brief future plans from NASA. school. I wanted badly for it to be when he realiz- appearance, is — JENNA ASHLEY based on a true story, like so many es that his grief as wooden as a ROBINSON films of this genre are, yet apparently might not be due to his opponents or his fence post. The wheelchair-bound father it is not so. inability, but his sense of purpose. Strug- of the team’s place kicker is unpolished, But that’s OK, because despite gling through his personal problems, though likable. the obstacles in her life, Akeelah (Keke he challenges his team with a different Reviewers unfamiliar with South- • “The Devil Wears Prada” Palmer) convincingly shows how a philosophy that centers not on winning, ern culture might not recognize the man Fox Home Video student with a drive to achieve can but on striving, not on ambition, but who walks the school halls after hours, Directed by David Frankel navigate the worst of circumstances. devotion. praying quietly for the students, as a Not only that, but she demonstrates It will still be grueling on the field real person in the Deep South. And A million other girls would die that even among the most challenging and off, as the team, the coach, and his while Grant’s life, and the team’s, does to land the job of personal assistant to families, schools and neighborhoods, wife find out, but the focus becomes the turn around when the coach’s spiritual Runway magazine’s editor Miranda there are human angels. Akeelah finds journey, not the destination. priorities change, there are still uncer- Priestly (Meryl Streep). But would-be the right friends to help her succeed, Producers Alex and Steven Kend- tainty, hard work, and confrontation to news journalist Andy Sachs (Anne but even more impressive, she gets rick are associate pastors at Sherwood address along the way. Hathaway), who lands the job despite inspiration from the unsavory folks as Baptist Church in Albany, Ga., and over- The resolution is by no means cer- the fact that she is all wrong for it, well — in ways you don’t expect. see the church’s media programs. The tain until the final moments of the film. is bemused by the serious world of By the way, Akeelah is a speller, two brothers are also part of a growing What is definite is Coach Taylor’s change the fashion magazine, to say noth- not an apiarist. Her passion is words, movement of independent filmmakers in focus, and a philosophy that encom- ing of the ferocious attitude of her and her goal is the National Spelling who are bypassing Hollywood to take passes much more than football. a practical and muscular Christian mes- new boss. Bee. She presses toward the mark “We’re not just here to get glory, sage to the wide screen. This is their Andy is happy just to be em- with the help of her principal and earn money, and die,” he tells the team. second feature film, and “Facing the ployed. She is far less impressed with main cheerleader (played by Curtis “Football is just one of the tools we use Giants” has become one of the surpris- her installation at the right hand of Armstrong, “Booger” from “Revenge to honor God ... If we win, we praise ing movies of the season. the high-fashion authority (Priestly of the Nerds”) and academic coach Him. If we lose, we praise Him. I’ve The film made headlines in June is a good name for Streep’s character) Dr. Larabee (played by Laurence resolved to give it all to God and leave when the Motion Picture Association than everyone else at Runway is. Her Fishburne). Angela Bassett plays her the results to Him.” co-workers can’t believe she’s not troubled mom, who wants success for of America gave it a PG rating because of its religious content, probably the But it’s also means giving your wowed, and she can’t appreciate how Akeelah, but not at the cost of games best effort, and it’s still about foot- seriously they take the business of and competition. first instance of this kind. Even more remarkable are the circumstances of ball. Arkansas’ Coach Houston Nutt dressing to dazzle and impress. The entire supporting cast is would agree; the night before his Andy makes excuses to her excellent, but Palmer carries the film. the film’s creation; in a sense, it was unranked Razorbacks faced the unde- family and boyfriend, on many oc- She shows her character’s humility a Sunday school project, as evidenced feated No. 2 Auburn Tigers in Octo- casions, about the demands from her and doubts while simultaneously con- by four classes that shared the closing ber, Nutt picked the team’s road trip boss. Calls at unreasonable hours and veying a subtle confidence. It really is credits. movie himself — “Facing the Giants”. travel plans during horrid weather an impressive performance. Bypassing Hollywood’s culture Twenty-four hours later, the Ti- conditions don’t stop Miranda from — PAUL CHESSER CJ also means giving up its resources; there are no Mel Gibsons here, and the gers weren’t undefeated any more. CJ CAROLINA December 2006 JOURNAL The Learning Curve 23 Iraq Similarities in ‘Flags of Our Fathers’ Coincidence
• “Flags of Our Fathers”; directed by on James Bradley’s best-selling book of he said. He battled other demons, both military whim. Soldiers had already Clint Eastwood; produced by Clint the same name. It tells the story of the internal and external, while he was being hoisted one flag atop Mount Suribachi Eastwood and Steven Spielberg; Star- six brave men, one of them Bradley’s paraded around the country. One was when a colonel saw it flying and decided ring Ryan Phillippe, Adam Beach, Jesse father, who raised the flag atop Mount alcohol — he throws up on the party he wanted it for himself. So another Bradford and Barry Pepper; Rated ‘R’ Suribachi as photographer Joe Rosenthal train and gets into a barroom brawl group of soldiers, with Rosenthal tag- snapped the picture that would become when he’s refused service because he’s ging along, hauled another flag up the By SAM A. HIEB the rallying cry for an increasingly un- Native American. His heritage produces mountain. Contributing Editor popular war. the external demons. His fellow soldiers “We just put the damn thing up,” GREENSBORO That was a hauntingly familiar affectionately call him “Chief,” but while the captain said when informed of the hen reading about World backdrop, as the war in Iraq approaches on tour he’s constantly dealing with colonel’s desire for the original flag. War II, it’s sometimes hard to its fourth year following an election that insensitive comments from his handlers That’s the military for you. get a true visual of the mas- certified public dissatisfaction with U.S and the public at large. I was eager to take note of a politi- Wsive mobilization of manpower and strategy there. In 1945, just as in 2006, Hayes was drunk when he, Brad- cal message in “Flags of Our Fathers”, materiel necessary to fight enemies on the public was growing weary of death ley, and Gagnon rushed up Mount since Eastwood’s politics are a bit of a two fronts. That’s where movies such and destruction, the United States was Surabachi again, this time on a paper mystery. He was a target of the left in the as Steven Spielberg’s going deeper into debt mache replica sitting in the middle of early 1970s when he was “Dirty Harry.” “Saving Private Ryan” to pay for the war, and Soldier Field, yet another indignity he His movies also are often the story of a and, more recently, Clint providing troops with had to suffer during his triumphant flawed individual fighting for redemp- Eastwood’s “Flags of the proper equipment return home. tion while bucking a crazy system. But he Our Fathers”, are of they needed to fight Spielberg coproduced the movie has mellowed over the years, and I find valuable assistance. An the war was a major with Eastwood, so “Flags of our Fathers” it interesting that two of his more recent aerial shot of the seem- concern. definitely has that “Private Ryan” feel movies, “Space Cowboys” and “Million ingly endless fleet of So the government to it. The tension builds as Marines land Dollar Baby” featured characters that ships approaching Iwo hatched an incredible on Iwo Jima, which by that time had opted for death instead of life under a Jima says more about plan — summon home sustained weeks of bombing. Just like in compromised medical state. that effort than any the three surviving flag- “Private Ryan”, you know what’s com- I didn’t see a partisan political mes- words on a page. raisers and parade them ing, the same way you knew what was sage. The movie portrays America in a In February 1945, around the country in coming for the soldiers hitting Omaha simpler time — certainly not as sensitive more than 77,000 Ma- order to raise billions in Beach. The battle scenes, shown in flash- or politically correct. But Eastwood, as rines landed on Iwo war bonds. back form, are intense and gruesome. usual, makes no judgments. American Jima, which was defended by 22,000 As one can imagine, it was difficult Just like in “Ryan”, you’re amazed that society at the time was what it was Japanese troops who, as one Marine for the surviving soldiers — Ira Hayes the invading troops are able to secure — a war-weary country summoning commander put it, were “not going to (Adam Beach), John “Doc” Bradley the beach under such intense fire. the resolve to continue fighting for what leave politely.” Casualties were high on (Ryan Phillippe), and Rene Gagnon Eastwood also gives us a feel for is right. It certainly wasn’t the perfect both sides. The United States lost 6,800 (Jesse Bradford) — to go from grunts on the bureaucracy that evolves when a society, but we know now that, after men in the monthlong battle, while the the battlefield to national heroes. Gagnon country mobilizes such a sizable mili- defeating external enemies, it would Japanese lost 18,000. Despite the intense coped best with his newfound celebrity tary force. Commanders are constantly have the humility to improve itself danger of the operation, “uncommon and hoped to take advantage of postwar cussing orders directed over the phone. internally. valor was a common virtue” among opportunities thrust in front of him. One sergeant, played brilliantly by Barry The parallels to the war in Iraq are, the men who fought on Iwo Jima, Ad- Bradley was more subdued about Pepper (the sniper in “Ryan”) uses it for lack of a better term, a coincidence. miral Chester W. Nimitz said. More his experiences and would remain so the for practical joking purposes when Some might say that’s merely evidence than 25 percent of the Medals of Honor rest of his life, declining to share those he informs one young Marine that his that history is a series of mistakes made awarded to Marines during World War experiences with the son who would “masturbation papers” had to be in order over and over again. I see it more as II were given for conduct during that write a book about them. before he could ship out. evidence that our country has and particular battle. Hayes did not see himself as a Rosenthal’s famous photograph always will confront brutal enemies “Flags of our Fathers” is based hero. He was just trying to stay alive, is basically the result of bureaucratic- that threaten our way of life. CJ Books authored By JLF staFFers Books authored By JLF staFFers Selling the Dream Free Choice for Workers: A History of the Right to Work Movement Why Advertising is Good Business
By John Hood President of the John Locke Foundation By George C. Leef Vice President for Research at the John William Pope Center for Higher “[Selling the Dream] provides a Education Policy fascinating look into the world of advertising and beyond ... “He writes like a buccaneer... Highly recommended.” recording episodes of bravery, Choice treachery, commitment and April 2006 vacillation.” Robert Huberty www.praeger.com (Call Jameson Books, 1-800-426-1357, to order) Capital Research Center December 2006 CAROLINA 24 Opinion JOURNAL
Commentary Values Apply to All Issues
iberals aren’t the only ones my family? No. 2 (and closely relat- who think evangelical Chris- ed to No. 1): Can I afford in the cur- tians are simpletons who have rent economy to meet my family’s La narrow list of “morals” issues on needs? From there the answers will their minds when they enter the vary, but among the next few will voting booth. be the topics that are currently hot You need only watch the be- on talk radio: immigration, the war havior of the dominant media, who in Iraq, national security, and public monolithically follow a tired report- corruption. The point is, you won’t ing template, to realize that most hear in unison from the churchgo- don’t bother to look any further ers, “Abortion!” “Homosexuals!” than the same old talking “Pornography!” “Evo- heads and public policy lution!” — but that’s organizations. And what the current media it isn’t just the liberal emphasis would have media (Washington Post, you think. New York Times) who are So how do you in lockstep; others like develop proper God- Editorial the Washington Times and fearing conservative Fox News don’t deviate advocacy without com- much from the pattern ing across as limited, Paul How to Make Bonds Appealing either. Chesser irrelevant, and ignorant The talking heads to the “bigger” issues? n Nov. 7, North Carolinians will pay for five new schools, additions, are most frequently the Revs. Jerry The answer is, all the issues voted on four school bond ref- renovations, support facilities, and sta- Falwell and Pat Robertson, and have moral implications, so don’t erendums, the fewest since 2003. dium improvements. Dr. James Dobson. The conserva- ignore the ones that are of broader OLast year’s defeat of the $427 million Approval of the bond went hand in tive social concern. For Charlotte-Mecklenburg bond and this hand with the county’s attempt to restrict issue advocacy example, is year’s defeat of the $45 million Franklin growth. The Union County Commission organizations [A]ll the issues have redistributing County bond prompted some public recently lifted a 15-month moratorium are the Family wealth in order school systems to rethink plans to hold on subdivision permits to pass an Ad- Research Coun- moral implications, so to help the im- bond referendums this year. equate Public Facilities ordinance. The cil, Concerned poverished the Voters bucked the trend, though, ordinance coerces developers into either Women for don’t ignore the ones moral thing for and passed four bond requests, in Hoke delaying construction until area schools America, the that are of broader con- government to County ($20 million), Union County are built or paying a fee of $15,000 per Traditional Val- do? Or should ($174.5 million), Forsyth County ($250 new home. ues Coalition, cern. government million), and Wake County ($970 mil- Rather than waiting for schools to and the like. let individu- lion). be built, most developers will simply pay I guess als have more What made these bonds appealing the fee and pass it onto the homebuyer if you say of their own to voters, and what can we learn from in the form of higher prices. With an loud enough and long enough that money to determine which charities the votes? Adequate Public Facilities ordinance you represent “values voters,” the are most worthwhile to receive their Hoke County: Voters will support in effect, residents felt comfortable media will believe you and come dollars? a school bond that addresses immediate supporting a school bond as long as running. It’s not too difficult to con- Or the war: Is the moral posi- needs and does not raise taxes. they believed that the county’s school vince them. Add to that the findings tion to intervene in foreign coun- Of the referendums, the Hoke construction burden would soon fall that in the last presidential election tries where dictators trample hu- County bond was, by far, the least on someone else’s shoulders, namely voters said they made their choices man rights and commit genocide? controversial. Voters overwhelmingly developers and newcomers. predominantly based on “moral Or is the moral high ground with passed the bond with “yes” votes total- Forsyth County: Voters will sup- values,” and you complicate the those who avoid foreign entangle- ling 78 percent. port a bond if the school system is ef- situation. But what that meant from ments? Due to steady population growth ficient and gives choices to parents. the perspective of each individual What the “religious right” in neighboring Cumberland County, Forsyth County’s $250 million voter is unclear. pundits and organizations should the Hoke County school system has bond overwhelmingly passed with 65 The problem is, the “religious do is apply their worldview to grown by more than 600 students in percent of the vote. The funds will pay right” talking heads are all too everything that concerns mankind the last five years. To accommodate the for the construction of 10 new schools, glad to perpetuate their unwritten — not just their limited “family growth, school leaders recently used three replacement elementary schools, agreement with the media orgs just values” list — and then crank out existing resources to add 73 classrooms and renovations to 14 other schools. so long as they get their regular papers and opinions that reflect to a handful of school buildings. Since 1995, voters have passed $244 exposure. While doing so, however, those beliefs. Wisely, they put a bond referen- million in school construction bonds to they leave the impression with the Perhaps then they will be dum before voters that addressed only accommodate about 9,000 additional broader news-consuming popula- viewed as more relevant, and their the school system’s most immediate students. tion that those few “family” issues “values” won’t be limited to abor- needs and one that would not require The strong support for the bond are all they care about. tion and family in the eyes of the a tax increase. The county will use rev- was not surprising. Parents have had But go to your local evangelis- media and the overall public. And enue from the local sales tax and lottery many reasons to be pleased with the Win- tic Christian church on any Sunday those churchgoing constituents may proceeds to repay the debt. ston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. As and ask the politically aware (few be romanced more frequently than Union County: Voters will sup- I have pointed out elsewhere, Forsyth are, sadly) what their chief concerns just in election years. CJ port a school bond if someone promises County’s building program is a model are about the country, and the an- “easy” solutions, like sticking it to de- of efficiency and excellence. swers will be little, if any, different velopers and/or newbies. Wake County: Voters will support a from what you hear from anyone Union County voters easily passed bond if proponents outspend opponents else. Issue No. 1 likely is: Do I have Paul Chesser is an associate edi- a $174.5 million school bond, as 60 per- 15 to 1. the promise of a job to provide for tor of Carolina Journal. cent supported the plan. Bond funds Enough said. CJ CAROLINA December 2006 JOURNAL Opinion 25 Robust Debate Here to Stay Commentary No election will end discussions of ideology and public policy Trade Is Now a Partisan Issue he 2006 electorate repudiated Re- tion to implement those ideas. publican control of Congress but So when these conservative intel- lthough most of the post- used to vote that way have either not the conservative movement or lectuals and activists look at the 2006 election talk about electoral left Congress or joined the free- Tthe case for limited government. election returns, they see a complex and partisan realignment trade caucus. Now, with a Demo- This statement has already been picture, not a yes-or-no national refer- Ahas been hooey — just as it was cratic majority in both houses of repeated so much as to become a cliché endum on ideology. when exuberant GOP operatives Congress for the first time in 12 — in part because prominent conser- They see pre- and post-election talked about a “permanent Re- years, there appears to be some- vative leaders, commentators, and polls that confirm a continued voter publican majority” in recent cycles thing like a majority on Capitol Hill think-tankers were stating it long before preference for limited government. A — there is a trend that for slowing trade liberal- Election Day. Indeed, a telling sign that good example was an interesting survey was codified in the 2006 ization, and perhaps even Democrats were likely to make substan- conducted for the Club for Growth in outcomes. The trade issue for repealing some prior tial gains this year was that so many 15 battleground House districts around has become partisan. agreements. conservatives, by late summer or early the country. A majority of these districts We’ve gone through It’s understandable. autumn, were saying that it wouldn’t be went Democratic on Election Day. But periods of consensus and Free trade is indisputably at all bad for their movement, and the most of the voters said they favored a periods of partisanship good for the vast majority country, if Democrats won. smaller federal government and lower on free trade throughout of people in any society, But is the cliché nevertheless true? taxes. American history. In the industrialized or devel- The proper answer is “sort of.” Asked which was the “party of 19th and early 20th centu- oping, because it allows As to the electorate repudiating big government,” 39 percent said the ries, the Republicans were them to use comparative the conservative movement, the word Republicans and 28 percent said the the protectionist party. advantage in production “repudiate” is inapt. Self-identified Democrats. Nearly two-thirds agreed Representing manufactur- to get high-quality goods conservatives have never been a major- with this statement: “The Republicans ing interests who wanted at the lowest possible ity of Americans or North Carolinians. used to be the party of economic growth, to restrict consumer access price. But comparative Certainly, they have outnumbered self- fiscal discipline, and limited govern- to better or less expensive advantages fluctuate. identified liberals by a large margin, 2- ment, but in recent years, too many foreign goods, Republican presi- Markets are dynamic. A given to-1 or greater in some states, but that’s Republicans in Washington have become dents and members of Congress individual or firm may be best at not the same thing. just like the big spenders that they used consistently sought higher tariffs something today but, comparative- Exit polls found little ideological to oppose.” — meaning, actually, higher taxes. ly, not the best tomorrow. It can be difference in the electorate this year Finally, many conservatives look at Democrats typically favored lower a painful or jarring change to adjust compared to 2004; the number of self- the Democratic newcomers to the U.S. tariffs and greater economic free- to these changing conditions, and identified conservatives dropped two House, and notice that 16 were endorsed dom (too bad that wasn’t accompa- some will respond not by making points (34 percent in 2004, 32 percent in by at least one of two centrist groups: nied by a commitment to freedom the necessary adjustments but by 2006) and the number of self-identified the New Democrat Coalition (Clinton- for everyone, particularly in the lobbying politicians to keep their liberals dropped one point (21 percent era Dems, pro-growth, pro-tax reform, South). customers captive. Forcing competi- to 20 percent). Going back further in pro-free trade) or the Blue Dog Demo- The role that trade restric- tors out of business is no long-term time doesn’t offer any more evidence crats (culturally conservative, spending tions played in the global eco- solution. It’s no way to build a of conservatism’s demise, with exit hawks, anti-free trade). These centrists nomic downturns of the early healthy, productive economy. It can polls finding 31 percent conservatives embraced at least some recognizably 1920s and throughout the 1930s make short-term political sense, and 19 percent liberals in 1998 and 29 conservative ideas in their successful helped discredit the old mercantil- though not always. percent conservatives and 20 percent campaigns. That doesn’t make them ist arguments for protectionism. I’d be more worried about the liberals in 2000. conservatives. What it makes them is A bipartisan consensus for trade Democrats’ lurch towards economic Nor has the “conservative move- evidence for the proposition that the liberalization emerged after World illiteracy if I thought Congress had ment” ever been elected by the majority policy debate remains shifted somewhat War II, challenged primarily by the power meaningfully to restrict of any electorate, so voters can’t be said to the Right of where it was a quarter- labor unions and a few holdovers the advance of global capitalism. I to have repudiated it this year. Move- century ago. from earlier times, mainly among don’t. It can muck things up on the ments aren’t on the ballot. Candidates That’s not the whole story. For sheltered businesses and isolation- margins, sure, but that’s about it. and parties are. example, while most Americans are ists. The consensus broadened and Michael Mandel is economics writer A plurality of voters nationally, and philosophically opposed to a big-spend- deepened during the 1970s and for the Democratic-leaning maga- a significant share in North Carolina, ing federal government — or state 1980s, in part because pro-protec- zine Business Week (that’s right, if identifies as moderate, by which they government for that matter — they tion industries and interests had you want a Republican-leaning mean a variety of different things. Some often endorse a lot of specific spending declined in economic and political business mag, try Forbes). In his moderates have what are usually called programs that add up to big budgets. In significance and in part because a latest cover story, Mandel argues conservative views on fiscal issues, but addition, some non-conservative ideas flood of academic studies confirmed that international competition has not on social or foreign policy. Others were endorsed by the 2006 electorate, the net benefits of expanded trade. become an unstoppable force. “The are cultural conservatives who favor too, such as minimum-wage hikes on When Bill Clinton was elected idea of a national economic policy government growth in the economic the ballot in six states. president in 1992, he ran as a trade may be fundamentally out of date sphere (populists). Still others are secu- When conservatives distinguish advocate, not a protectionist. His in a world of global markets,” he rity-oriented voters who only embrace the validity and salability of their ideas administration negotiated the writes. “Washington is no longer conservative ideas on fighting crime or from the performance of the Republican North American Free Trade Agree- the center of the economic universe. fighting terrorism. Party, they are sincerely expressing a ment and set the stage for subse- That’s a basic fact that Democrats Thus, individuals or institutions reasonable proposition — just as liberals quent trade deals. and Republicans alike will need to in the modern conservative movement have often defended the validity and My, how things have changed. get their heads around.” — representing either free-marke- salability of their ideas during periods The majority of votes in Congress Well, they’ll need to get their teers, cultural conservatives, or hawks when Democrats have lost major elec- for the Clinton administration’s heads around it if they want to do — aren’t necessarily hoping to convince tions. trade policies came from Repub- something other than demagogue most Americans to become thorough- There will never come a time licans, but there were also Demo- the issue, yes. CJ going, ideological conservatives, much when our society lacks a robust debate cratic votes. These were bipartisan less to endorse a particular political party about political ideology and public measures. No more. Democrats or candidate. policy. No election will end it. Elec- have become increasingly protec- Hood is president of the John They are attempting to identify, tions merely decide who will wield the tionist, while GOP members who Locke Foundation. justify, and promote discrete ideas. They coercive power of government at a par- don’t much care who may be in a posi- ticular moment. CJ December 2006 CAROLINA 26 Opinion JOURNAL
Editorial Briefs
What makes a successful terrorist? Some economists argue that U.S. officials need to think about what makes a successful ter- rorist. The economists warn against extrapolating from captured terrorists. It is a problem economists typically refer to as “selection bias,” says Austan Goolsbee, a professor of economics at the Univer- sity of Chicago Graduate School of Business. In their new study, Attack Assignments in Terror Organizations and the Productivity of Suicide Bombers, economists Efraim Benmelech of Harvard University and Claude Berrebi of the RAND Cor- poration analyze the productivity of terrorists in the same way economists might analyze the auto industry. But Berrebi and Benmelech defined the success of terrorists by their ability to kill. They gathered data on Palestinian suicide bombers in Israel from 2000 to 2005 and found that for terrorists, just like for regular workers, experience and education improve productivity. Suicide bombers who are older, in their late 20s and early 30s, and better-educated are less likely to be caught on their missions and are more likely to kill large numbers of people at bigger, more difficult targets than younger and more poorly educated bombers. Whereas typical bombers were younger than 21 and about 18 percent of them had at least some college education, the average age of the most successful bombers was almost 26, and 60 percent of them were college-educated. Who’s Winning the Economic Race in N.C.? Experience and education also affect the chances of being caught. Every additional year t’s hard to believe that half of the 21st century’s down by 16 percent. Is hasn’t been a pretty picture of age reduces the chance of arrest by 12 percent, first decade is over. The decade has been a chal- for these households. and having more than a high school education lenging one for the economy. First was Sept. 11, Differences are also seen this decade in the Ithen the recession hit and was followed by a slow wage rates of workers in different occupations. cuts the chance by more than half. recovery, and finally hurricanes Katrina and Rita Only full-time workers in professional occupations brought sky-high gasoline prices. (engineers, architects, lawyers, managers, etc.) and In North Carolina, we’ve had the added chal- sales occupations have enjoyed improvements in Paying tomorrow’s military lenge of the transition out of our tradi- their hourly earnings (after adjusting for All workers receive a mix of immediate tional economy (tobacco, textiles, and inflation). The pay of other occupations cash, deferred cash, and non-cash compensation. furniture) to new manufacturing (phar- in the service sector, farmers, and “blue But for military personnel, noncash and deferred maceuticals, technology, food process- collar” workers has fallen behind. benefits make up a much larger share of the mix ing, machinery parts) and the service What about the longstanding dif- than they do for private-sector or other govern- economy. ferences in earnings of male and female ment workers, says Cindy Williams, a principal It shouldn’t be surprising, there- workers? Have N.C. women workers research scientist for International Studies at the fore, that the economic progress of N.C. made progress in the 21st century? Massachusetts Institute of Technology. households this decade has been uneven. The answer is a definite “yes.” About 51 percent of every military compen- Average household income, after adjust- Among women working full-time, infla- sation dollar goes to noncash or deferred benefits. ing for inflation, fell by 8 percent from Michael tion-adjusted hourly wages are up by 5 For civilian government workers, the benefits 2000 to 2005, and the inflation-adjusted Walden percent this decade, versus no change account for 33 percent. In the private sector, such average wage rate of all workers was flat. for full-time male workers. Indeed, in benefits typically account for only 18 percent of Of course, as is often said, no one is average. the last 25 years, inflation-adjusted wages of women total compensation. These income statistics mask considerable differ- working full-time in North Carolina have increased Such large differences in the structure of ences going on beneath the surface among N.C. more than twice as fast as for men. compensation relative to that of other U.S. em- households. So who has been moving ahead, and A big reason comes back to education. Since ployers can make it difficult for service members who hasn’t? 1980, the percentage of people in North Carolina to see the full value of their total compensation, One of the biggest winners in the N.C. econo- with a college degree has increased more rapidly for Williams said. my has been workers with more education — spe- women than for men. In fact, the percentage of N.C. The pay structure weakens the competi- cifically those with a college education. In the last women with a college degree has doubled in the tiveness of the armed services as employers, she five years (2000-2005), both the incomes and wage last 2 1/2 decades, and this has opened up a greater said. rates (each adjusted for inflation) of full-time work- number of higher-paying jobs for females. In addition, such benefits are inefficient from ers with a college degree have climbed. This con- The message of all these numbers and statistics an economic point of view. Subsidized housing, tinues a trend we’ve seen in the nation and North is clear. This is not your grandparent’s North Caro- grocery stores, and day-care centers cost taxpayers Carolina over the last 25 years of college-educated lina. It isn’t even your parent’s North Carolina. The substantially more than they are typically worth workers doing well in the modern economy. three “Big T’s” — trade, technology, and teaching to either the individuals who receive them or the By comparison, full-time workers with less — have made today’s North Carolina more open services as institutions. than a college degree have fallen behind this de- and more competitive. But individual progress isn’t The Defense Health Program’s comparably cade. Average inflation-adjusted incomes and wage guaranteed unless workers are prepared for the new low premiums and copayments lead to overuse rates of high school dropouts, high school gradu- economic realities. CJ and migration out of civilian plans into DHP’s, ates, and even workers with some college training costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dol- but no degree have dropped. Dr. Michael L. Walden is a William Neal Reynolds lars a year. CJ In particular, the wage rate of high school distinguished professor at North Carolina State Univer- dropouts is off by 10 percent and their income is sity and an adjunct scholar of the John Locke Foundation. CAROLINA December 2006 JOURNAL Opinion 27 Republicans, Not Conservatives, Lost on Nov. 7
he election returns are in and give cover for big government in- hind and the prescription drug bill. One final nail in the coffin of the Democrats have captured tervention in both the domestic and They could not understand why the GOP was the failure “at all levels both the U.S. House of Repre- foreign-policy arenas. “conservative” leaders such as Tom of government” in responding to the Tsentatives and the U.S. Senate. The neoconservatives support Delay carried the water for the presi- aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. One But make no mistake about it. open borders, expansion of the edu- dent on behalf of this massive expan- note: In my opinion this emphati- While this was a Republican loss, it was cation bureaucracy, and promoting sion of government. cally excludes the leadership by Gov. not a conservative loss. democracy in the Mideast through Conservatives were perhaps Haley Barbour of Mississippi in efforts Republicans military intervention. most dismayed with the administra- exhibited in rebuilding his state. lost because the Republicans paid a heavy price tion’s failure to secure our borders and In short, the mid-term elections Bush adminis- at the ballot box for their failure over to deal with illegal immigration. Many can be summed up as a crisis of confi- tration and the the last few years to live up to the conservatives such as Bill Buckley, dence in the GOP-controlled Congress Republican leader- ideals and standards that Americans Brent Scowcroft, and Pat Buchanan and the Bush White House. ship often cavalier- believed the GOP represented when were skeptical early on about the war Sadly, it seems that the Party of ly abandoned the Republicans took the House from the with Iraq, which they viewed as un- Reagan has been hijacked by the neo- populist conserva- Democrats a decade ago and when necessary and not a part of the War on cons, the big-government crowd and tive message and Bush won the presidency in 2000. Terrorism. pragmatists. policies of Ronald Marc The election turned out to be To further complicate matters, The debate for the heart and soul Reagan. Rotterman what many conservatives had feared Republicans — who were elected of the Republican Party and the con- For too long — a referendum on the performance by promising the highest standards servative movement has begun. Let’s Americans have of the Bush White House and the of integrity — were involved in one hope we are up to the job. come to view the conservative move- Republican Congress, rather than a scandal after another involving mem- The question is this… ment and the Republican Party as one contest between the competing partys’ bers of Congress, Republicans, lobby- Do we want do the stay the and the same. Indeed, they are not. visions for America. ists, and some members of the Bush course, or do we want to want to re- Conservatives need to re-es- Republicans lost touch with administration. turn to the Party of Reagan? CJ tablish their identity and indepen- almost every element of their base. Exit polls indicated that the dence from Republicanism. The Bush Economic conservatives could American electorate had become more administration has been hijacked by not understand it when the Bush than skeptical regarding the war in Marc Rotterman is a partner in neoconservatives who believe in “big White House teamed up with Sen. Iraq, concerned about the War on Rotterman & Associates, a public rela- government conservatism.” The very Teddy Kennedy on “big government” Terrorism, and the scandals in Wash- tions company, and a senior fellow of the phase is an oxymoron — designed to legislation such as No Child Left Be- ington. John Locke Foundation. Medicaid and Markets, ABC Stores, and ‘Colorful’ Politicians
To the editor, that even folks in Washington would drugs. But they would also discourage But “price negotiations” are hardly learn the lessons of history. But they research spending on new life-saving a solution. Indeed, nearly all economists Emboldened by their landslide haven’t. Instead, they’ve simply learned and life-extending medications. Worse agree that they’re incredibly damaging. victory, the Democrats have vowed to to disguise their true intentions. still, price controls for Medicare prescrip- Those who want to improve the Medi- put prescription drugs back on the con- That why the leading voices in this tion drugs would force companies to care drug benefit should focus their gressional agenda. But this time, they’re effort aren’t calling them “price con- divert research funds into less-risky, but efforts instead on transforming it into back with an old and unwelcome twist: trols” any more. They’re now using the also less promising, product lines that a truly market-based, consumer-driven price controls. term “price negotiations,” insisting that are not under price controls but are of program. For those of us who are old enough government should simply be allowed less value to seniors. Lawrence A. Hunter, Ph. D. to remember the gas crisis of the 1970s, to “negotiate” drug prices. Take Alzheimer’s disease, which Washington, D.C. “price controls” are a four-letter word. But the federal government is far affects 10 percent of those over 65 and Dr. Hunter is a consultant to the They were meant too powerful to negotiate on a level half of those over 85. If the government pharmaceutical industry. to control 1970s- playing field. Indeed, it even has the decreed that a drug designed to alleviate era inflation, but power to impose legal regulations on Alzheimer’s be sold at a below-market they actually re- Letters its contractors. price, drug companies wouldn’t be able To the editor, sulted in higher One such regulation almost certain to recoup their investments. With caps pump prices and to the to result from “negotiated prices” would on prices, they would focus on markets A great topic for discussion is the shortages, which be the creation of a single national list of unaffected by price controls and shift existence of state controlled alcohol weren’t alleviated Editor drugs, the so-called “formulary.” Seniors resources to develop drugs usable by beverage stores. Think of the private until President would then be forced to choose their younger people covered by private in- sector opportunities if they were pri- Ronald Reagan drugs from the list rather then from the surance. Seniors with diseases like vately owned and operated. Salaries, removed the con- wide variety of formularies that vary Alzheimer’s would be out of luck. rent, property tax, advertisiing revenues, trols in the 1980s. from insurance plan to insurance plan The end result would be out-and-out truck deliveries, etc, etc. I would love to The same thing happened with under current law. Thus, “negotiated drug rationing to old people. be a part of an organized movement to airfares. When price controls were prices” will lead directly to the ration- But that’s not all, folks. Price con- affect the change. finally removed in 1981, prices fell ing of drugs that are not included on the trols also would add more bureaucratic Frank Morris dramatically. national formulary. red tape, cause shortages of existing Winston-Salem, N.C. In fact, even the prospect of price In other words, negotiating with drugs, and interfere with individual controls creates havoc. Research and the government is like playing baseball decisions on healthcare. development on new drugs plummeted against a team whose pitcher is also the If you think the outlook for the new To the editor, in 1993 after President Bill Clinton an- umpire calling the strikes. The game is Medicare prescription drug program is nounced a proposal to let the govern- fixed. By forcing the nation’s pharma- complicated now, wait until price con- I don’t care for either Black or Blue. ment set prices for “breakthrough” ceutical companies to sell drugs below trols are in the mix. The Medicare drug Any other choices? Is there a Gray? A drugs. It wasn’t until Congress rejected their market value, Washington’s efforts benefit certainly has its problems. It’s Brown? A White, or Redd? I do recall a Clinton’s health-care proposal in 1996 would come with a host of other unin- the most expensive government entitle- Greene lieutenant governor. As Chub that R&D on new drugs returned to its tended consequences. ment program in history, and will soon used to say, ”Call your next case!” normal level. There can be little doubt that price surpass Social Security as the nation’s George E. Meier With all this evidence, you’d think controls would raise prices and ration largest unfunded liability. Charlotte, N.C. December 2006 C a r o l i n a 28 Parting Shot Journal Gov. Mike Easley on the Gift That Keeps on Giving (a CJ parody)
Dear North Carolinians, get. I am not sure exactly how much my Christmas is a very special time in lot is worth but I thought I would show North Carolina. It is a time of giving, you a recent picture of how the project is and, believe me, I like the tradition of coming along. I took the picture myself giving. But mostly I like the tradition from the state helicopter on my way to of getting things from friends and as- the coast. sociates. Nothing beats having someone I would have taken a state car, surprise you with, say, a great deal on but all those sinkholes and dips in the a home renovation or a great price on a interstate might have caused some wheel waterfront lot. These are the things that -alignment problems. See, I’m always make this time of year special. thinking of the taxpayers. I’m a firm believer that if you’re a Anyway, the marina is finished and good person good things will happen to the roads are ready to be paved. Homes you. No matter what your station in life, will be started soon. Now all I have to you too can be the beneficiary of largesse do is hope my good friends in real estate from friends and cronies. That’s what’s will tell me when’s the best time to sell so great about America. Everyone has my lot to some crazy Yankee. the opportunity to grab a piece of the That’s my lot outlined in white above. You can see where they’ve put in the marina and On the one-year anniversary of my pie — or have it handed to them.. all the roads. It didn’t look at all like this when I bought it. (Submitted photo) special Christmas gift I want to publicly I’m also a big believer in the adage give thanks to the citizens of North Caro- that good things happen to good people. after retirement. mas season. lina who put me in this special position Why, once I became governor, lots of The lot was in something called Like I said, good things happen to as your governor. good things began happening to me. I Cannonsgate, a new waterfront commu- good people. Being your governor is hard work, think they call that karma. nity on the Intracoastal Waterway near Many folks thought I was actually and my annual salary is certainly not For instance, last December I was Emerald Isle. I paid $550,000 for my lot, going to build a house there. But I already enough to ensure a comfortable retire- very fortunate to have had the good which seemed expensive to me but news have two coastal homes in Brunswick ment for anyone, especially someone sense to purchase a vacant lot down on stories claim it was a bargain. County. My friends told me if I just held who likes coastal living. But unexpected the coast. The average person would As luck would have it, other lots the lot for a few years I could double my gifts like my Cannonsgate lot can cer- have looked at this lot and seen noth- around mine began selling for much investment. tainly help take up the slack. ing but sand and mosquitos. But to my more than I paid for mine. I didn’t know Now, that is a gift that keeps on trained eye, it looked like a good place how good a deal it was at the time, but giving. It’s a whole lot better than the Merry Christmas! for maybe someone to put down roots I do now. I really appreciate the Christ- fruitcakes and cheese balls I usually Gov. Mike Easley
We Have North Carolina Talking!
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