A Toast to the New North State

Here’s to the new North State, a land of freedom, home of the blessed

Less taxes, less regulations and less government mess

Where people are in control of their lives and their money

Rather than bureaucrats dealing favors like honey

 

Here’s to the land of transformational reform

Where freedom and markets and recovery are reborn

Where jobs are what matter and kids are taught well

Where entrepreneurs have opportunity; success stories to tell.

 

Here’s to going from 44th to 17th and the ground that we’ve gained

Business rankings up, unemployment down- all worth the pain

Taxes, regulations, infrastructure, skilled workforce, a union ban

What’s working is working – stick with the plan.

 

Here’s to research, the truth, information to trust

To know, understand, comprehend as we must.

Where to go? Who’s to help? Which way can you turn?

As the torch of freedom catches fire, starts to burn.

 

Here’s to the John Locke Foundation and its twenty five years

Fighting for less government, free markets, allaying taxpayers’ fears

Thought leaders, the anchor, a compass, the beacon’s light

The conservative flag raised by the Knights of the Right

 

Here’s to the General Assembly since two thousand and ten

Less government, more freedom for all women and men

Economic recovery, jobs. We’re ahead of the rest

Hold steady. In freedom, we’ll soon be the best.

 

Here’s to the governor, the executive branch chief

A broken state government is your biggest beef.

So paying down debt, getting things in good shape, you’ve taken the lead

With the Carolina Comeback quarterback, a win’s guaranteed!

Forget the Monday blues, the alarmists, the big spenders on deck

Don’t expand Medicaid. Keep incentives in check

Fix the roads and the bridges, make the budget tight and lean

And you’ll be in good shape come 2016.

 

Here’s to the wisdom of the judges and courts

Vouchers, redistricting, property rights of all sorts

Election integrity, safety and freedom at stake

North Carolina’s Constitution is the foundation of all decisions you make.

 

Here’s to Carolina Journal – real facts, real news with never a slant

Corruption, reforms, reports. The real deal 4th branch

Incentives, streetcars and Hagangate tales

The story you can trust when all else fails.

 

Here’s to the Locke donors, supporters and friends

We’re in this together from beginning to end

Without you our thinking would just be a tank

You give us our voice. We’ll take that to the bank!

 

Here’s to John Hood, a writer, a mentor and boss

His wisdom and words – there’s never a loss

For twenty-five years through blood sweat and tears

He built the nation’s best free market think tank – Three cheers!

His guidance will continue, his hand ever steady

The John Locke Foundation is built and now it stands ready

To continue the mission, rights and freedoms we’ll enable

For another twenty five years, even stronger more able

 

Here’s to the last four years, with leadership that’s bold

Ideas of freedom, markets and liberty never get old

To the thinkers, the doers, the supporters, the statesmen

A new direction for today, for tomorrow, forever and then again.

 

Here’s to our home, the new North State

To the ideas, the work, the values that make her great

To the people and leaders who believe we should be free

To pursue happiness, to be our best. A land of unlimited opportunity.

 

Here’s to the new North State.