newsobserver.com projects - George Cleveland - Comments

Re: Dome Memo: Promises and counting

bnartist — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 05:34:57 -0400

It doesn't help when you claim the state wasted $635 million and the link substantiating the claim puts that number between $177 and $226 million. The fact that it's spread over three years is lost in the confusion. The Beaufort Observer explains it thus:

First, they looked at how much money could have been saved had the cost controls that should have been put in place which were ultimately installed had actually been in place from the beginning. That number came to $635 million, of which North Carolina's share was $226 million.

Then they looked at what would have happened had there been earlier detection and reaction once the soaring expenditures began. That number was $498 million, of which $177 million was state money.

The annualized "waste" is thus $59-$75 million at best. Also lost in the confusion is the fact that many Republicans voted for the Mental Health Reform bill that pushed these services in the direction of private providers. These Republicans included free market champion James Arthur Pope. Now Tom Fetzer & his Republicans want to claim there wasn't enough of the government red tape they constantly decry. Also forgotten is the fact that Fetzer was part of the Martin administration that "raised" taxes including the Highway Use Tax, another much abused political football. Fetzer is a professional spin doctor and McClatchy has been spun.

Re: Dome Memo: Promises and counting

TheNextCalifornia — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:11:44 -0400

Hhhhm, so bniolet, do you suggest that because the constituents are making less money and spending less money that the answer is for the government to take more money from them through taxation?

That doesn't sound like a formula for success in my book. We cut our household budgets and our personal spending, the government should do the same.

Re: Dome Memo: Promises and counting

bniolet — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:39:32 -0400

dahedgehog,

If you follow the link provided in the Dome Memo, you will see the following paragraph:

Revenue next year is expected to be more than $4 billion behind what it would have taken to keep funding programs and services at recent levels. Even measuring against this year's spending, which has been cut from what was approved in this year's budget, revenues are nearly $3 billion behind. Those figures do not account for approximately $1.3 billion in federal stimulus money, as the state historically has not calculated federal money in totaling up the general fund budget.

We wish there was a simple answer. But the fact is the size of the deficit depends on how you calculate it. Each side of this argument has their own way of crunching the numbers.

Re: Dome Memo: Promises and counting

dahedgehog — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:34:00 -0400

Meanwhile, Rep. David Lewis, a Dunn Republican, launched a campaign to show that the Democrats are using faulty math in describing a budget deficit.

This seems like a great opportunity for a reporter to step up and inform his or her readers! Are Democrats using faulty math? Is Rep. Lewis wrong? As a reader, I'm unable to make any sort of informed opinion from the reporting offered via this blog.

Given that this is an argument over math, there is presumably an objective answer. As a reporter, you should work to provide your readers that answer, and serve your primary function of informing your readers.

By presenting this issue in terms of he said/she said, you do nothing to better inform your readers. Instead, partisans leave here assuming that their opponents on the other side are lying. Nonpartisans just throw their hands up in the air in frustration. It's a lose-lose situation. But it's a lose-lose situation that could be rectified....with actual reporting!

Step up and be a reporter, bniolet! Your readers need you!

Re: Laws could some day be gender-neutral

grinder — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 07:32:14 -0400

Gender-neutral is the wave of the future and I credit the gay movement. It no longer matters if you are a male or female and the laws should reflect our ambivalence.

Re: Laws could some day be gender-neutral

Gosh — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 07:22:44 -0400

That's hilarious, and so typical of Ferengi George who I'm told doesn't have a problem with the Hu-Mons either.

Re: Laws could some day be gender-neutral

scharrison — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:19:55 -0400

"I have no problem with the female race whatsoever."

Psst. George. Female is not a race, it's a gender.

Re: Resolution: Honor the 10th Amendment

Gosh — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 08:01:04 -0400

The crazy looking old guy that forgot to shoot Jack Ruby has a point. It's on FFC1304's head.

"It's time for the states to start telling the federal government that they don't run us," he said. "We run our own states."

Well, Onslow County Republican... start running it.

Your county unemployment just went up again.

What's your plan to fix it? Build a time machine, join the Rat Pack and rob a Casino?

Seriously. Lasik already.

Re: Resolution: Honor the 10th Amendment

FFC1304 — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:32:05 -0400

NC will follow about 22 or so other states who've taken this precaution to
federal usurpation of power in today's world. Cant imagine any legislator not supporting it.

www.912project.com

www.CampaignforLiberty.org

www.Wethepeople.org

Re: Lawmaker works to ban illegal immigrants

CarltonH — Wed, 21 May 2008 06:50:01 -0400

The point is illegals have NO business whatsoever being in the country and theres no dollar amount that's an acceptable substitute for them obeying the law. They don't need an education they need a date with ICE and a deportation court.

Re: Lawmaker works to ban illegal immigrants

dahedgehog — Tue, 20 May 2008 18:59:42 -0400

Wildgoose, reading comprehension is fundamental. Look at the post again. Note the part where illegal immigrants have to pay out-of-state tuition. They are not getting "a free pass" nor is their attendance being subsidized by North Carolina taxpayers. Out-of-state tuition is greater than the cost of attendance. Therefore, those who pay out-of-state tuition actually subsidize attendance for those who pay in-state tuition.

Re: Lawmaker works to ban illegal immigrants

Wildgoose — Tue, 20 May 2008 16:05:36 -0400

It's about time some of our legislative electees got around to putting a stop to illegals getting what amounts to a free pass. Way to go! Now lets see if the Dem's will let it pass. Amazing that we don't subsidize bank robbery in NC because it requires banks to add more security personnel.

Re: Smoke-free UNC?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 16:29:08 -0400

There was no floor debate on the bill.

— RTB

Re: Smoke-free UNC?

lefaim — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:46:52 -0400

did they say why they voted against it?

Or is George Cleveland still fuming over his racism being exposed?

Re: Western Union tax?

Thomas_Brock — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 10:27:46 -0400

It's nice to know that Mr. Cleveland understands discrimination so well.

It's sad that he's the representative from my part of NC (Onslow County).