The Rand Corporation

No one is better than Chris Fitzsimon at understanding the budget stakes in Raleigh right now between the (Democratic) grandees in the state Senate and the (Democratic) dissidents in the state House:

Lower taxes on millionaires, higher taxes on thousands of working families, fewer services to help children, the mentally ill, and kids at risk of dropping out of school -- that is essentially the Senate position in budget negotiations with the House at the end of the week....

[The proposed Senate budget] is a regressive recipe for disaster opposed not only by House leaders, but Governor Mike Easley and dozens of public interest groups across the state.

Chief among the Senate offenders: Tony Rand.