Daily Archives: May 20, 2011

Cato expert touts Medicare reform

Written on May 20, 2011 at 3:55 pm, by

Dan Mitchell of the Cato Institute uses his latest video to discuss the need for Medicare reform. In a related blog entry, he offers a strategy to fight criticism of U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan’s plan for enacting real reform: While reformers obviously should avoid the unseemly rhetoric associated with the current Administration, they should copyContinue Reading

Cato offers a new online tool for legislators

Written on May 20, 2011 at 3:38 pm, by

State lawmakers looking for good ideas to promote liberty and protect individual rights can find plenty of options from the John Locke Foundation, including the proposals put forward in the latest Agenda document. Now the Cato Institute has developed its own 2011 Legislative Guide, available only online so that it can be updated easily. CatoContinue Reading

The Rare Hamburger Controversy

Written on May 20, 2011 at 1:24 pm, by

There’s been national attention focused on North Carolina regarding our law that prohibits restaurants from serving rare and medium-rare hamburgers. The story seems to be getting attention, in part, because it was featured on AOL’s Weird News.  After all, I didn’t know such a rule existed in this state and I imagine other North CaroliniansContinue Reading

New at CJO: This week’s top legislative news recapped

Written on May 20, 2011 at 10:39 am, by

David Bass’ latest Carolina Journal Online report reviews the top news this week from the N.C. General Assembly.

N.C. official unemployment rate remains at 9.7 percent

Written on May 20, 2011 at 10:14 am, by

The latest figures from the N.C. Employment Security Commission report an official unemployment rate of 9.7 percent for April. That rate is unchanged from March. The rate is still higher than the national rate of 9 percent. The state rate has exceeded the national rate for the last five months. The ESC reports private-sector jobContinue Reading

Malkin finds lesson in story of 350-pound diaper-wearing man

Written on May 20, 2011 at 8:43 am, by

Want to find a poster “child” for the entitlement mentality? Michelle Malkin might point you to 30-year-old Stanley Thornton Jr., a self-proclaimed “Adult Baby.” Profiled on a recent National Geographic reality television show, Thornton claims to suffer from a bizarre infantilism that leads him to wear diapers, lounge around in an oversized crib and seekContinue Reading

York says U.S. Senate Republicans have learned from their Democratic counterparts

Written on May 20, 2011 at 8:30 am, by

Byron York‘s latest Washington Examiner article explores the filibuster that killed an appellate court nomination for Berkley law professor Goodwin Liu. Liu’s nomination was blocked by a Republican filibuster Thursday — the first successful filibuster against a judicial nominee since Democrats stopped all 10 of George W. Bush’s appeals court nominees from 2003 to 2005.Continue Reading

This weekend on Carolina Journal Radio

Written on May 20, 2011 at 7:38 am, by

Much of the debate about the impact of the N.C. House’s budget and tax plans has involved a mix of economic fact and fantasy. John Hood distinguishes the fact from fantasy in the next edition of Carolina Journal Radio. Daren Bakst discusses property-rights legislation moving through the General Assembly, while Joseph Coletti reacts to theContinue Reading