Let’s all put our hands together in applause for Gov. Mike Easley, who has made the wise choice this week not to call yet another special session of the NC General Assembly so they can talk about repealing a law that prevents the state from blocking the federal government’s use of land it owns in the state. The repeal was supposed to allow opponents of a new Navy outlying landing field (OLF) slated for Washington County to organize an effective lobbying effort against the project. But Easley, himself already on record as an opponent of the OLF, correctly saw this as a futile waste of time. Even with the law’s repeal, the Navy was going to get an OLF in Washington County if it wanted one (and it does). Some politicians down east were pandering to some loud NIMBY protesters and the governor decided not to expend state taxpayers’ money just to pander.

I know, I know, but there’s a first time for everything.