The Daily Haymaker

#ncga: Guess who’s coming to caucus?

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Brant Clifton

(As you know, the GOP House caucus on Jones Street has more moles than a Robert DeNiro look-alike convention. And they’re ALL MINE.) There was a GOP caucus meeting

#ncgop: Gloves coming off in state party leadership races?

Posted on April 21, 2015April 21, 2015 by Brant Clifton

We may have a real-life episode of House of Cards breaking out here. Judging from A.J. Daoud’s Facebook page, “President Frank Underwood” is making a cameo appearance in the nascent

#ncga: A shot across the bow at crony capitalism

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Brant Clifton

We’ve expressed our dismay at recent legislation — sponsored by a hodge-podge of statist Democrats, RINOs, and reputed conservatives — to extend the 35 percent credit for solar energy production for five

#ncga: Why the sudden interest in solar energy?

Posted on April 20, 2015April 20, 2015 by Brant Clifton

Out of the blue, government goodies for solar energy providers has become the rage on Jones Street. No one really saw this coming. It’s not really on anyone’s radar as

(SIGH) GOP looking to lift spending caps

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Brant Clifton

Translation: Them thar’ Republicans want to spend even more of our money. Politico, the Bible of the DC establishment, has all the glorious details: GOP congressional leaders are racing to

#ncga: Lightening some wallets to make NC the “Good Roads State”

Posted on April 17, 2015April 17, 2015 by Brant Clifton

Aaaaaaaaaand the “conservative revolution” rolls on. Rep. John Torbett (R-Stanley) introduced HB 927 that whacks the gas tax down to size but jacks up all kinds of fees for North

#ncgop: She’s OUT! Carolyn Justice backs out of vice-chairman race

Posted on April 17, 2015April 17, 2015 by Brant Clifton

The former Pender County legislator was elected with much fanfare to replace Joyce Krawiec, who left the vice-chairman position to take on a state Senate appointment. Months ago, Justice was

#ncga: A mixed result from Wednesday’s hearings on amnesty bills

Posted on April 17, 2015 by Brant Clifton

A Republican legislator’s bill that would give driver licenses to illegal aliens sailed through a GOP-dominated committee — as did a bill strengthening the requirement for use of E-Verify background

If GOP is so good on taxes, why isn’t Tax Freedom Day getting EARLIER?

Posted on April 16, 2015April 16, 2015 by Brant Clifton

The DC-based Tax Foundation coined the term “Tax Freedom Day” — which denotes the day Americans transition from working to pay their tax bill to working for themselves. The GOP

Extending our sympathies

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Brant Clifton

We get pretty tough on the folks who work in the legislative building in Raleigh. But, sometimes, you have to step back and remember that they are humans — with