Tagged: Politics

  Our guest today suggests that our problems in Washington can be fixed by adapting our democracy to new information technology. John McGinnis, former Justice Department official in both Reagan and HW Bush Administrations, is now a law professor and author of a book that argues better decisions can be made about government policies when citizens are able to access information to bet on the consequences of specific decisions. We'll talk about Accelerating Democracy: Transforming Governance through Technology.

Last weekend, a report in the Raleigh News and Observer caught our attention.  State Senator Fletcher Hartsell of Concord had apparently spent nearly $100,000 of his campaign money to pay personal credit card bills over the last two years.

Republicans now hold the North Carolina Governor’s Mansion and have majorities in both the state House and Senate for the first time in more than a hundred years. This week, Pat McCrory was sworn in as governor and the General Assembly convened its 2013 session. So now, the question is, “what will the GOP do now that it has control in Raleigh?”

Professor Michael Bitzer talks to Morning Edition host Duncan McFadyen.

Former Nebraska Republican Senator Chuck Hagel is the President’s choice to be the next Secretary of Defense. This bi-partisan appointment is not being well-received on the GOP Side of the aisle. An outspoken critic of some Republican ideas, he didn’t support John McCain in 2008. We spoke to Senator Hagel just days before the 08 election and talked about many of the things that concern Senate Republicans today. We'll hear part of that conversation, then political analyst Michael Bitzer joins us to discuss why the President's nomination of Hagel has turned out to be so controversial and the process that the Senator will have to endure before ultimately being confirmed or rejected as Defense Secretary.

When the North Carolina General Assembly gaveled the two chambers into session, the leaders of the House and Senate took to their respective podiums to deliver their outlook on the upcoming biennium session of the legislature.

And it was clear that both leaders had distinct visions for their chamber’s work.

House Speaker Thom Tillis of Mecklenburg delivered an address aimed at both sides of the political aisle.