Jon Sanders

People are going to miss a good mixed drink, and some establishments have their own signature drinks. Others may serve local beers on tap that aren't available in take-home containers. Plus, if you'd care to support your favorite local establishment right now, getting a drink with your meal can't hurt.

The governor is taking good steps to ensure we have access to health care professionals and medical equipment. He's taking the opposite approach to other necessities.

Make no mistake: the state government has no business telling hospitals how many beds they think they need. Why do they do it? Because of Certificate of Need (CON) laws.

The report makes it crystal clear that occupational licensing is an extreme regulation for only the most extreme risks. It's for protecting public safety.

Calling this thing is "an example for other states" is like calling Wile E. Coyote an example for other bird watchers and rock climbers. It's an example of what not to do to your people. North Carolinians need their legislators to avoid Virginia's folly.

Talking about healthy eating on Facebook and getting paid to do it, the department said, could trigger a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail for unlicensed practice as a dietician.

As made clear in the legislative report, licensing is reserved only for those occupations posing the highest perceived risk to public health, safety, and welfare. If that sounds a little familiar, that's because the John Locke Foundation has long pointed to several less restrictive policy alternatives to licensing

The bill would force a massive wealth transfer from honest, hard-working families to unions. Unions are big campaign donors, giving nearly exclusively (over 90 percent) to Democrats.