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Sunday Roundup
posted at 2009-03-15 15:00 | Last modified 2009-03-15 15:10
Some really excellent reporting by the N&O tops the roundup this weekend:
- Ben Niolet had a great set of budget stories today that offer an in-depth look at how small cuts could hurt, not help, the bottom line – not to mention jobs and lives.
- Rob Christensen had my favorite profile in recent memory – Budget Chief Charlie Perusse, a low-key guy in a very high-profile job.
- Kristen Collins had a smart, thoughtful, balanced front-pager about connecting rising unemployment to rising tensions between US low-wage workers and their undocumented counterparts.
"Boycott!"
The headline of Collins’ story – “Citizens, illegal immigrants jostle for jobs” - provoked an instant, near-viral reaction among my Facebook friends across the political spectrum. Those on the left called it xenophobic and inflammatory. Those on the right said it soft-pedals a serious problem. I don’t see either argument. See what you think.
I find the whole uproar disheartening, but predictable. In the age of “pre-spun news” like Drudge and the Huffington Post, partisans on both sides have come to expect “news” that's tailored to their ideological positions. How dare the local newspaper fail to follow suit?
If my friends, right and left, follow through on their threats to cancel their subscriptions, it'll be everyone's loss. Real journalism is about telling people what’s going on, even when it makes them uncomfortable. Call me old-fashioned, but I think that’s worth something.
Elsewhere, in actual news:
Charlotte’s Jim Morrill kicks off Sunshine Week with an update on NC’s progress in putting public info online.
Char-O's Jack Betts says it’s time for the US Senate to quit “bickering” over NC’s federal judicial nominees.
Greensboro’s Mark Binker reports a battle is brewing over the state’s beer distribution laws.
Winston-Salem’s James Romoser covers the growing opposition to proposed changes to the State Health Plan.
Governor Bev Perdue had a close encounter with a black bear this weekend in Asheville. The Citizen-Times' Jordan Schrader has the details.
Bears aside,
Perdue’s had a busy few days in the lead-up to the release of her budget proposal, set for this Tuesday.
- Thursday, she outlined her budget plans for economic development.
- Friday, she unveiled her plans to reform the probation system, and announced the co-chairs of her Budget Reform panel.
- Yesterday, she posted an online audio address about support for military families in NC.
- Tomorrow, she’ll talk about her reform plans for education.
It might seem like slow-drip politics, but it’s strategically very smart. When her actual budget comes out, the headlines will almost certainly center on what Perdue’s cutting, not what she’s fixing. This slow-motion rollout ensures plenty of airtime for her reform proposals before the bad news rolls out Tuesday.
Comments? Drop me a line.
