If a state government agency wants to avoid complying with N C law it might be able to accomplish its goal through a collusive lawsuit settlement But state lawmakers could take steps this year to strike back against those settlements Andy Jackson director of the Civitas Center for Public Integrity at the John Locke Foundation explains why the General Assembly should address the issue The recent addition of Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the U S Supreme Court has revived discussion of the legal concept of originalism One ongoing debate among constitutional theorists involves the importance of court precedents for [... more]

President Trump holds slim leads well within the margin of error over several major Democratic contenders for the presidential race in North Carolina That's according to the latest Civitas Poll Rick Henderson Carolina Journal editor-in-chief analyzes those numbers and other poll highlights As thousands of college students head back to campus it's a good time to remind you about a recent report questioning the politicization of education schools in North Carolina Jay Schalin director of policy analysis at the James G Martin Center for Academic Renewal recently compiled a report detailing the problem Schalin shares highlights from his research and [... more]

Gov Roy Cooper's administration ended months of speculation by approving a key water-quality permit for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline While complaints from environmental activists grabbed headlines Cooper also raised eyebrows by announcing the creation of a new fund totaling nearly million Cooper says the money can fund more than just mitigation of the pipeline's environmental impact The funds might also pay for economic development and renewable energy projects Critics contend this money represents a slush fund Rick Henderson Carolina Journal editor-in-chief analyzes the pipeline's latest developments Much has changed in N C politics during the past years The NC SPIN [... more]