Commentary/Opinion
Minimum Wages Are Popular — And Unwise
By John Hood RALEIGH — As a Freedom Conservative, I recognize that some policies I favor are broadly popular, others draw mixed reviews, and a few are broadly unpopular. I…
Raleigh Seeks Clarity From NC Courts About Who Can Sue Over Zoning
By Mitch Kokai The city of Raleigh has no dog in the legal fight between Rockingham County commissioners and opponents of a casino proposed in 2023. Yet the capital city…
Voting By Foot Works Quite Well
By John Hood RALEIGH — Did you know that the voters of San Francisco will decide this fall whether the city will set up its own municipal bank? Or that…
You Decide: How Will Social Security Be Fixed?
By Mike Walden In nine years, Social Security will celebrate its 100th birthday. An estimated 69 million people receive monthly Social Security checks. Full disclosure: I am one of them.…
On Road Funding, Something’s Gotta Give
By John Hood RALEIGH — Fred Astaire is one of my favorite entertainers of all time. For one of his later films, the romance Daddy Long Legs (1955), Johnny Mercer…
JCAR: New Homes Are Helping The County Catch Up, Not Get Ahead
This article was submitted by the Johnston County Association of REALTORS® (JCAR) and is published as submitted. JOHNSTON COUNTY, N.C. — Growth is one of the most talked-about issues in…
Local Newspapers Play Essential Roles
By John Hood RALEIGH — It was 40 years ago this week that I wrote my first column for North Carolina newspapers. Still in journalism school at UNC-Chapel Hill, I…
Free Markets Can Promote Affordability
By John Hood RALEIGH — If formal surveys and social-media tracking offer useful signals — flawed as they may be, they’re superior to motivated reasoning or rank speculation — affordability…
You Decide: What Are The Benefits And Costs Of Immigration?
By Mike Walden Immigration of foreign-born individuals moving to the U.S. has sparked serious debates about the pros and cons of the movement. Of particular concern has been the large…
The Public’s Sense Of Betrayal At Wasted Taxpayer Money
By David Larson Carolina Journal Not everything we cover in the news business makes it through to the average person on the street. They have so many things competing for…
Bar Owners’ Complaints Could Play Role In Marquee NC Election
By Mitch Kokai Roy Cooper relies on his record as North Carolina’s governor to support his campaign for US Senate. But an ongoing lawsuit raises questions about Cooper’s resume. A…
Hospital Market Needs More Competition
By John Hood RALEIGH — When the leaders of WakeMed, one of the three hospital systems with large facilities in North Carolina’s most populous county, announced plans to merge with…
