Sluggish economy is not political
The economic recovery from the Great Recession is painfully sluggish — and it’s not all Barack Obama’s fault. Nor can the fault be laid solely at the feet of George W. Bush, or North Carolina... Read More
NC SPIN Posts by John Hood
Even our best unemployment numbers aren't good
When I go on the air or in front of audiences to discuss North Carolina’s sluggish economy, one response I often hear is that the problem isn’t really statewide. The state’s major metropolitan... Read More
It's Not Just Obama's Fault
The economic recovery from the Great Recession is painfully sluggish — and it’s not all Barack Obama’s fault. Nor can the fault be laid solely at the feet of George W. Bush, or North Carolina... Read More
Liberals need to do their homework and stop preening
After the 2010 elections put North Carolina's legislature in the hands of Republicans for the first time in more than a century, state policy began a turn to the Right — that much is indisputable... Read More
Keep Your Mistakes to Yourself
We all make mistakes. We err as individuals and as members of groups. All businesses commit errors. All churches, charities, and voluntary associations stumble. All governments screw up. Of course... Read More
Preening Is Not A Rebuttal
After the 2010 elections put North Carolina’s legislature in the hands of Republicans for the first time in more than a century, state policy began a turn to the Right — that much is indisputable... Read More
Back to court on pre-k
The North Carolina Supreme Court has never ruled that the state constitution requires the delivery of early childhood services to all preschoolers, or even to all low-income preschoolers. I know that... Read More
What a colossal mess
In case you’ve been too busy with real life to keep track of the political dramas of the past two weeks, here’s a brief recap. The rollout of Obamacare has been a colossal mess. By trying to use a... Read More
Political Grudges Are Nothing New
Politics can be a brutal, bruising enterprise. If you said that you found the current political climate in Raleigh and Washington to be frustrating, dispiriting, and often juvenile, I’d second that... Read More
Pat McCrory, Jim Martin not so different
See if you can identify this N.C. governor. During his successful election campaign, he argued that business taxes were discouraging employers from locating or expanding in North Carolina. “I’m... Read More
