Start up the rural economy
During most of its history, North Carolina was a state of widely dispersed residents. There were no truly big cities, many small towns, and fewer sparsely populated counties than, say, Virginia or... Read More
NC SPIN Posts by John Hood
Look B4U leap 2
I know my advice is fated to be hated. I know it’s hard to follow. But I’m going to offer it, anyway — again. Politicians and pundits across the ideological spectrum should avoid drawing... Read More
If it weren't for bad luck
Gloom, despair, and agony on me,” sang the corn-pone troubadours of “Hee Haw,” TV’s long-running variety show. “Deep, dark depression, excessive misery. If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d... Read More
Give the President more power
Congress should give President Barack Obama more power — when it comes to the issue of free trade, that is. Conservatives and constitutionalists are rightly concerned about recent arrogations or... Read More
Parties to battle in counties
Because I enjoy watching and analyzing legislative politics, it pains me to say this: for the 2014 election cycle in North Carolina, the most competitive and fateful races will be found at the top and... Read More
It pays to look before you statistically leap
In late February, some 44,000 discouraged North Carolina workers suddenly disappeared. Relax. It’s not as mysterious as it sounds. What happened was the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its... Read More
Dumb claims about political smarts
One of the cheapest shots in politics is to claim that only the unschooled and ignorant could possibly side with the other team. Both Democrats and Republicans make the claim about the other party... Read More
Does N.C. need an energy policy?
Does North Carolina need an energy policy? In my view, it depends on what you mean by the phrase. If by “energy policy” you mean a detailed plan of requirements and timetables for producing and... Read More
GOP likely to lose seats in N.C.
If North Carolina Democrats were to gain some legislative seats this year, state and national pundits would probably spill gobs of ink — or at least fill gobs of pixels — with elaborate... Read More
Obamacare is being repealed
Remember all the brouhaha from last fall’s Washington showdown and government shutdown? The dispute purportedly pitted Republicans intent on repealing Obamacare against the president and Democrats... Read More
