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Would it be okay if citizens were forced to vote for a candidate against their will? Of course not.So why do certain NC legislators think it okay to force citizens to financially support candidates against their will?
Published: Wednesday, May 13th, 2015 @ 7:32 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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Two months ago, we featured as a Bad Bill of the Week HB 245, which was a bill that would funnel state taxpayer funds to a local children's museum in the bill sponsor's district.
Published: Monday, May 11th, 2015 @ 10:53 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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The news that North Carolina's state General Fund budget revenue is now predicted to come in $400 million above original estimates caused the Left to go into full spin mode. For months, liberal progressives were fretting about the end of Western Civilization as we know it due to earlier...
Published: Saturday, May 9th, 2015 @ 3:20 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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Imagine a piece of state legislation that could both lower your utility bill and make North Carolina more competitive for jobs.
Published: Thursday, May 7th, 2015 @ 9:38 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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In recent weeks, the small town of Fairmont, N.C. has received what is likely the most national media coverage it has seen in years. The Robeson County town of less than 3,000 is home to Lyndon McLellan, who owns and operates a local convenience store. Last summer, his entire business bank...
Published: Wednesday, May 6th, 2015 @ 11:40 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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Charter schools increase segregation - that's the flawed conclusion of a recent National Bureau of Economic Research report by three Duke University Professors: Helen Ladd, Charles Clotfelter and John Holbein.
Published: Monday, May 4th, 2015 @ 1:01 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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In a free society, employers and employees voluntarily agree to the terms of their relationship. Unfortunately, government has for generations forcibly inserted itself into that relationship with various mandates and restrictions. Minimum wage laws, workplace requirements, and mandatory government u
Published: Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 @ 4:25 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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Now you can learn the school of economic thought that politicians, mainstream economic professors and Paul Krugman don't want you to know about - right in the palm of your hand.
Published: Thursday, April 30th, 2015 @ 1:57 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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In part one of this series we reported on right-of-center political consultants who have created an innovative business model advising a growing number of Republican legislators to turn their backs on conservative, free-market principles to take up the cause of more government mandates...
Published: Tuesday, April 28th, 2015 @ 8:03 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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In recent months, headlines on religious liberty across the nation have referred almost exclusively to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) - both the federal version passed in 1993 and various state versions, or "mini" RFRAs, that have been passed since 1997. These laws, whether enacted...
Published: Monday, April 27th, 2015 @ 4:26 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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What do President Barack Obama and a growing number of Republicans in the North Carolina General Assembly have in common? The answer - their love of major solar energy companies - Big Solar, for short.
Published: Thursday, April 23rd, 2015 @ 4:45 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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Five years ago, in response to a groundswell of parental complaints, Wake County schools finally ended its long-running policy of forced busing. Wake had long been one of a few remaining holdouts still clinging to this failed experiment that disrupted so many lives.
Published: Tuesday, April 21st, 2015 @ 4:47 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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A few weeks ago, I wrote about why I thought President Obama's Community College Proposal was a bad idea. His plan to provide up to two years of free tuition to community college students who maintained a 2.5 G.P.A would cost $6 billion a year, is ill conceived, and based on fallacious assumptions.
Published: Sunday, April 19th, 2015 @ 1:00 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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The glitz and glamour of movie and television production in North Carolina apparently is just too tempting for several North Carolina legislators to pass up. Unfortunately, they are willing to use your tax dollars to bribe more Hollywood big shots to come to the Tar Heel State.
Published: Saturday, April 18th, 2015 @ 9:30 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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For the parents who think data collection and privacy are not significant issues in our public schools, you might want to read HB 13. The bill has already been approved by the House and is working its way through the Senate. In brief the bill amends the current health assessment form requirement...
Published: Thursday, April 16th, 2015 @ 11:42 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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RFRA, once an acronym spoken only in academic halls and legislative debates, has become a household subject across America. The federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act and its state counterparts have been demonized by some and glorified by others. The underlying assumption of these laws is...
Published: Wednesday, April 15th, 2015 @ 6:57 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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Last week, the Civitas Institute dropped our public records lawsuit against the Alamance County Board of Elections and Alamance County attorney. To the credit of the board and county attorney, the entire issue was resolved in less than four months. Unfortunately, this is lightning fast compared...
Published: Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 @ 4:24 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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Former Hewlett-Packard CEO and possible 2016 Republican primary candidate Carly Fiorina closed out the Civitas Institute's annual Conservative Leadership Conference with a rousing talk about the need for a return to individual value in America, along with acknowledgement she is indeed pondering a pr
Published: Friday, April 10th, 2015 @ 11:14 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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They say "timing is everything", but it's hard to understand the timing behind this week's "Bad Bill of the Week"; House Bill 239, Restore Early Voting Days. HB 239's primary sponsors Larry Hall (D-Durham), Marvin Lucas (D-Cumberland), Garland Pierce (D-Hoke) and Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford) are...
Published: Wednesday, April 8th, 2015 @ 10:19 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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On March 26, several members of the North Carolina House of Representatives filed House Bill 348 - The NC Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The bill, with primary sponsors Rep. Jacqueline Michelle Shaffer and Rep. Dan Bishop, is one of several pieces of legislation nationwide that have...
Published: Monday, April 6th, 2015 @ 8:59 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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The Civitas 2015 Conservative Leadership Conference (CLC) this past weekend kicked off on Friday with thought-provoking insights from a range of speakers, including two potential presidential candidates, Dr. Ben Carson and former Sen. Rick Santorum.
Published: Saturday, April 4th, 2015 @ 9:06 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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The most recent Civitas Flash Poll shows Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker with a lead among likely North Carolina Republican primary voters in a survey of selected candidates for the 2016 GOP nomination for president.
Published: Thursday, April 2nd, 2015 @ 5:41 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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This week's Bad Bill has a title only George Orwell would love. Senate Bill 354, sponsored by Angela Bryant (D-Nash) and Ben Clark (D-Cumberland) is titled "North Carolina Healthcare Jobs Initiative."
Published: Wednesday, April 1st, 2015 @ 9:07 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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There's an old saying that says "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink." The phrase is used to emphasize the fact that simply making something easy to do does not guarantee anybody will do it.
Published: Wednesday, April 1st, 2015 @ 3:20 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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An open letter from Mike Adams: Dear University of North Carolina (UNC) Board of Governors (BOG)...
Published: Saturday, March 28th, 2015 @ 12:54 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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America needs a better-educated work force - but President Obama's plan for "free" community college is not the way to get it.
Published: Wednesday, March 25th, 2015 @ 3:57 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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Earlier this month, the NC House introduced the "NC Competes Act," a bill that would expand the state's Job Development Investment Grant program (JDIG), and extend targeted tax breaks for datacenters and a major passenger airline. Yesterday, the Senate introduced two bills designed as an...
Published: Sunday, March 22nd, 2015 @ 12:59 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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Wikipedia defines "pork barrel" spending as "the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative's district."
Published: Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 @ 2:38 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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The most recent Civitas Poll shows North Carolina voters strongly support laws protecting the integrity and stature of the election process.
Published: Monday, March 16th, 2015 @ 2:41 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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In "Maintaining rigor and listening to teachers in the debate over academic standards," Keith Poston of the Public School Forum argues against changing the Common Core math and English standards, since he believes members of the state's Academic Standards Review Commission (ASRC) are working to...
Published: Sunday, March 15th, 2015 @ 2:51 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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Gov. Pat McCrory yesterday released his budget proposal for the next biennium. In odd-numbered years like this one, the legislature passes a two-year budget plan, and the following year will make adjustments to the second year of the plan.
Published: Saturday, March 14th, 2015 @ 8:17 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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Today, the Civitas Institute joins the Cato Institute in asking the United States Supreme Court to clarify its role in protecting Americans from occupational licensure abuse. In a joint amicus brief, attorneys from Civitas and Cato ask the Court to grant certiorari in Vong v. Aune - a case with...
Published: Wednesday, March 11th, 2015 @ 8:14 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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In previous years, Republicans rightly attacked then-Gov. Bev. Perdue's use of economic incentives to promote growth in North Carolina. Since taking control of the state, however, they have regrettably changed their tune. Gov. Pat McCrory and then-Commerce Secretary Sharon Decker last year urged...
Published: Tuesday, March 10th, 2015 @ 6:04 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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In his article "Maintaining rigor and listening to teachers in the debate over academic standards," Keith Poston argues against revisions to the current Common Core standards and the importance of ensuring teachers have a voice in this discussion. In a two-part response, I argue, in part one...
Published: Friday, March 6th, 2015 @ 8:09 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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