Plain Talk Politics

Plain Talk Politics is plain talk about the people, the process and the facts so you can  make an informed decision.

“Conservative” divisions and outside influence culminate in renewable energy debate

The divisions and internal battles of the NCGOP in the House are alive and well, evidenced in the high profile fight over the state’s renewable energy portfolio standard.

Commentary

Commentary – Op-Eds, NC Spin and Plain Talk Politics Commentary

100 days and Counting

Governor Pat McCrory’s first 100 days in office have been largely uneventful, except for a few highlighted, loosely-worded interviews, press dodges and misspeaks. Large raises for his cabinet, loosely phrased expressions about education, several pre-announcement videos and some plans lacking specific details against an ever-spoken desire to “rebrand North Carolina: have certainly given fodder for political play as Democrats test the waters of messaging for 2014.  But overall the first 100 days of the Republican Governor’s term have been pretty uneventful.

Short-sighted politics threatens to unravel Renewable Energy

The triple threat -Americans for Tax Reform, Americans for Prosperity and the John Locke Foundation – are all coming together in a “save the day” siege on the State’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) with their usual loose language combined with

The Governor’s Budget: The Good, Not-So-Good and the Ugly

Governor McCrory presented his budget to the NC General Assembly today. It is a proposed general fund budget totaling $20.6 billion with more than half earmarked for education. The McCrory budget does not include tax increases and has no in-state tuition increases at UNC system schools. He specifically noted that his office is still working on tax reform, possibly signaling on-going differences between the NC Senate pre-proposal of eliminating corporate and personal taxes, the bulk of our state revenue, and a position

Political Choices have Political Consequences

I am a moderate Democrat on fiscal issues, leaning progressive on social issues. I did not attend a liberal Journalism School, rather I am a UNC Chapel Hill Economics major with an MPA (public policy) also from UNC.  I tend to analyze things from a mathematical perspective and a people perspective. So here’s the deal from my middle row seat: the appointment of Art Pope is a political choice Governor-elect McCrory made and it will have political consequences.  The extent of those consequences may not be felt immediately but the chatter will make it harder for him to get his message out, something he and his cohorts have already plotted out with the introduction of a new 501c4 foundation.