Saturday, February 05, 2005

Elizabeth B points to a Craigs List ad for two primo tix to Duke-Carolina at Cameron for a mere $1,950...and another less fabulous pair for just $850, and another for $1,000. (She doesn't use permalinks -- post is from 11:14 AM yesterday.) 2:39:34 PM    comment []

I emailed Howard Coble to ask for his views on private accounts and Social Security, noting that this info would inform comment at my blog and/or newspaper column. It was a nice note, I thought, mentioning our conversation at a recent event. I got an email in return from his staff, saying Howard prefers to communicate by snail mail. Whatever. More than a week later, I got a "Dear Mr. Cone" letter bearing Coble's signature that seems rather formulaic in its response. First things first: Coble backs away just a bit from the crisis rhetoric, saying, "The Social Security program is facing a long-term problem that will become a crisis if is not addressed now." He also says, "Creation of personal accounts will not dismantle the Social Security program but will make it stronger for the future." He doesn't say how transition costs will be covered, but notes that "Numerous options on how the Social Security program should be designed and financed...will be part of the debate in coming months. It is important to note that not one proposal currently being considered would decrease or eliminate benefits for current Social Security beneficiaries." (emphasis added) I'll follow up, and keep you posted. Previously: Coble sounds cautious note in N&O. 2:20:27 PM    comment []

Correction in the Winston-Salem Journal (via The New Yorker): "Because of a transcription error, a Nov. 28 letter to the editor from Joseph Cutri said that Jesus was an Orthodox Jew. It should have said that Jesus was an unorthodox Jew." 2:05:16 PM    comment []

Press release: "The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is launching a Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity that will be led by former U.S. Senator and vice presidential candidate John Edwards." One of the things I like about Edwards is that he really seems to care about economic opportunity for everyone -- he made his pile, but he didn't pull up the ladder and forget where he came from, he wants others to have the same chance. A good move by the nation's first public university. 11:02:36 AM    comment []

Also at Doug Clark's blog, this nugget from the North Carolina constitution: "Article VI Section 8 disqualifies from office 'any person who shall deny the being of Almighty God.'" Wow. How un-American. That would rule out Buddhists, I believe, and maybe Hindus, and agnostics and atheists as well. I would love to see somebody challenge that provision. Preferably someone who doesn't want to hold elective office in NC anytime soon... 10:50:56 AM    comment []

Doug Clark links to the conversation at Gate City about a gay marriage referendum in North Carolina. The legalistic tone of Doug's arguments -- "But the law says Jake can't marry Fred, either. So how is the law treating John any differently than it is Jake?" -- and the alarmist rherotic deployed by Gate ("If everything is okay to do, will eventually nothing be not okay?") show a movement in intellectual retreat. Meanwhile, in Raleigh, a change to the rules of the Senate mean that it will now take a 2/3 vote to bring something out of committee, versus 3/5 last session, when a similar bill pushed by Forsyth County's Hamilton Horton almost made it to the floor. In the the House , which has no such rule (called a petition to discharge), there are fewer house co-sponsors this year than last. Yet the bill is seen to have broad support among voters -- another reason to be glad we live in a representative republic, not a pure democracy. 10:46:16 AM    comment []

No time to watch TV? Don't worry, Crooks and Liars is watching it for you. I run into some problems with some of the videos, but this is already an indispensable site. 10:23:44 AM    comment []

States Writes is a directory of local media and liberalish blogs across the country, brought to you by the folks at The American Street. 9:59:27 AM    comment []