Exile on Jones Street

• BCBSNC Blowback

  A sizable number of legislators are asking for a probe of Blue Cross Blue Shield’s efforts against the public option. As a corporation that claims to deliver innovative health care products and services to its members, BlueCross BlueShield appears to be engaging in a blatant political campaign utilizing the premiums paid [...]
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  Posted: November 26, 2009, 11:33am EST
  by kmr

• Water soon to be not wet

  Yes. Lying is now so acceptable that hot is not just cold, it’s the coldest evah. In three separate instances over two weeks, Sean Hannity has baselessly asserted that “this is one of the coldest years on record” to claim that climate change is a “hoax” or not “real.” In fact, [...]
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  Posted: November 25, 2009, 5:33pm EST
  by kmr

• UNC revamps citizen soldier effort

  After a review of the program prompted by complaints to Sue Myrick’s office and an eye-opening story that questioned its efficacy, UNC has announced a restructuring of its Citizen Soldier program. Here’s the release: Goodale to lead Citizen-Soldier program restructuring focusing on behavioral health The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill [...]
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  Posted: November 13, 2009, 11:20am EST
  by kmr

• The speaker’s skillz

  Had a discussion late night about the Health Care Reform bill and Nancy Pelosi’s role in getting it through. Not a lot of people seem to know her background. This WaPo story from when she became speaker is a good backgrounder. Critics deride Pelosi, 66, for a presumed lightweight liberalism they attribute [...]
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  Posted: November 08, 2009, 12:10pm EST
  by kmr

• Some folks not happy with Larry Kissell

  Has NC gone to the dogs. You know, the blue dogs. There was some hope that that at least some of the people the netroots rallied around would play nice, but those hopes seem to be fading. Larry Kissell has been taking some heat from people who backed him in both [...]
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  Posted: November 07, 2009, 10:10am EST
  by kmr

• Tony Rand resigns

  This from the Speaker’s office: Speaker Hackney statement on resignation of Sen. Tony Rand “Sen. Rand served the people of Cumberland County and the state with great distinction in the Senate and he will continue to do so as a member of the parole board. He has dedicated many years of his [...]
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  Posted: November 04, 2009, 4:38pm EST
  by kmr

• EEEEEEElection Day

  It’s GOTV time. Vote. Vote. Vote. • Here in the Piedmont we’re holding municipal and school board elections (the sb’s vary from county to county); • Elsewhere there are some big races the results of which will either be reported by our very liberal media as a sign of doom for the [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2009, 8:25am EST
  by kmr

• NC4 race already going

  Fun. Tea Party Republican George Hutchins is already going at it. Here’s a screen cap from his rather brightly colored web site. [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2009, 1:36pm EST
  by kmr

• State audit calls for tighter controls on Golden LEAF

  State Auditor Beth Wood’s office just released a look at the practices and oversight of the Golden Long-term Economic Advancement Foundation — the state’s Golden LEAF fund — which was set up to utilize NC’s share of the tobacco settlement. The audit cites the need for stricter oversight over investments and [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2009, 12:52pm EST
  by kmr

• Morning Post

  Nasty story out of Mayberry: • Arrest made in killings in Mt. Airy • Binker says the Easley case may cause some long-sought changes to ethics state laws • Rob C. on Larry Leake • Drums along the Blue Ridge: Is Shuler vulnerable? • And if it’s local campaign season it’s time for questionable mailers [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2009, 8:32am EST
  by kmr

• What we do know about the local elections

  Editorial from this week’s paper: The election comes to a close on Tuesday evening. The polls, open since early voting began on Oct. 15, close at 7:30 p.m. We’ll know shortly thereafter who the next mayor of Chapel Hill is and the changes the voters approved in the composition of the [...]
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  Posted: November 01, 2009, 5:02pm EST
  by kmr