Carolina Journal Radio No. 854: Constitution Day reminds us about the document’s importance

Constitution Day earlier this month reminded us of the importance of the United States’ governing document. Jon Guze, John Locke Foundation director of legal studies, emphasizes constitutional provisions that protect the nation from damaging policies put forward by elected officials. Guze touts the value of these constitutional safeguards. Jesse Helms departed the American political scene long before Donald Trump started his campaign for the White House. But at least one man who worked for Helms believes the late U.S. senator would appreciate much of what Trump is trying to accomplish in the White House. Marc Thiessen followed his work for Helms by becoming President George W. Bush’s chief speechwriter. He’s now a Washington Post columnist and American Enterprise Institute fellow. Thiessen explains how his work with Helms influences his assessment of Trump. During an ongoing state budget impasse, N.C. lawmakers nonetheless moved forward with pieces of the budget dealing with hurricane and disaster relief. You’ll hear highlights from their debate. North Carolina ranks No. 18 among the states when it comes to freedom. That’s according to a report prepared for the libertarian Cato Institute. Freedom in the 50 States co-author Jason Sorens recently shared details during the annual meeting in Winston-Salem of Classical Liberals of the Carolinas. Sorens, director of the Center for Ethics in Business and Governance at Saint Anselm College, explains what N.C. policymakers have done well, along with areas that could use improvement. From the inception of the N.C. state lottery, critics have contended that state-run gambling would thrive only by relying on money from low-income customers in low-income counties. Jon Sanders, John Locke Foundation director of regulatory studies, reviews recent data that suggest critics have been correct.