The recent firing of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services’ top spokeswoman revealed that Gov. Mike Easley’s administration has made a systematic effort to block JLF’s Carolina Journal from obtaining information from the executive branch. The Associated Press picked up comments from that fired spokeswoman, Debbie Crane, during a Sunshine Day luncheon this week at Elon University. Crane confirmed that Easley’s press office warned public information officers throughout state government not to return calls from the John Locke Foundation. Also in the “no respect” department, a letter this week in the Sylva Herald blasts an earlier letter writer for sounding too much like the Locke Foundation and “its core belief in the ‘free market.'” Despite the writer’s intent, he shares a sensible notion: “We all have
the ‘natural right to sell goods and services to willing buyers, and the individual pursuit of economic opportunity benefits all.'” The Locke Foundation draws more respect this week from the Charlotte Observer, which notes that WBT afternoon radio host Jeff Katz is one of the new class of E.A. Morris Fellows associated with JLF. Carolina Journal Editor Richard Wagner has been invited to serve as an associate member of the Legislative Committee of the N.C. Press Association. Speaking of respect, John Hood might still retain some respect among News & Observer readers, even after he explained in the newspaper’s “What’s Up?” section this week that he has been busy clearing his home of old Star Trek books.