Can higher ed revive rural North Carolina
Many rural counties in the United States—including those in North Carolina—are on life support. They are struggling with shrinking and aging populations, shuttered businesses, disappearing job... Read More
NC Spin Articles
Project to rebuild I-95 long overdue and sorely needed
Editorial by Fayetteville Observer, October 7, 2018, reprinted in Wilson Daily Times. A decade ago, a plan to widen Interstate 95 in North Carolina, and pay for the work with tolls, stoked an angry... Read More
UNC Board of Governors overhauls chancellor search process
The UNC Board of Governors is changing the process by which it selects chancellors for UNC system schools, opting for a process that’s more confidential and includes more rigorous background checks... Read More
Voter ID amendment debate
Last week, Civitas President Donald Bryson participated in a debate on the merits of the voter ID constitutional amendment that will be on the ballot this fall. The debate was the second of the four... Read More
Building back better than the status quo
After a natural disaster, most people strive to restore their normal lives. But, in some cases, the return to normal might not be the best option. A particular challenge for those leading the recovery... Read More
Lawmakers must change course
While we await the estimates of the full economic impact of Hurricane Florence — a number likely to total in the billions and to exceed Hurricane Matthew just two years ago — it is clear that the... Read More
Spare us the sanctimonious lecture, Senator Tillis
It would be bad enough if North Carolina’s junior senator, Thomas “Thom” Tillis, had merely voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to a lifetime appointment on the U.S. Supreme Court this past... Read More
Isn't it about time to review our Constitution?
The founding fathers envisioned two kinds of constitutions. The one for our Republic was a broad umbrella for a universal (national) social contract. The other kind, state constitutions, were to be... Read More
State should continue conservative reforms
Do political movements ever really accomplish anything? The English writer G.K. Chesterton had his doubts. “The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives,” he wrote... Read More
Both parties should prioritize savings
As the North Carolina General Assembly gathered for its Oct. 2 special session on Hurricane Florence relief, the state’s rainy-day fund stood at $2.01 billion. There was another $737 million in... Read More
