There is no promised land. (landscaping, school, subdivisions)

[Teressah]

Well...I've found out all I need to know about NC from this board and am finding out more and more from a popular Earth spirituality egroup I've joined....yes 'bible belt', you are surrounded by us!

It is obvious to tell who on these threads welcome out of towners and who are a little bitter. Well, anyways...see ya in NC!

[Markh]

Originally Posted by Teressah

It is obvious to tell who on these threads welcome out of towners and who are a little bitter. Well, anyways...see ya in NC!

If I were a native I'd probably be bitter too seeing the strain that all the growth has put on the system. Other than the convenience of the first shopping plaza that was built near home, the new construction probably has little value or benefit to a native and is probably a detriment in traffic, taxes and loss of open space. Sorry, not trying to speak for anyone, just thoughts.

The state probably won't stop growing as long as the housing and taxes are still affordable.

I heard something about Huntersville putting a stop on all new building projects but don't know where I heard it, maybe in here?

NC Government is just like any other money hungry organization. The more growth, the more money, the more money the more handouts and more need to raise taxes again and again. This certainly doesn't apply to just NC, any state that is growing is going to keep raising taxes as costs increase. Illegals, homeless and welfare recipients are all attracted to growing areas because there's usually money available. I'm not against any programs to help people in need but I am against the abuse of the programs. The bigger an area gets, the more abuse there'll be and it'll get harder and harder to control. The whole system is like a jet engine that just keeps spinning faster and faster, sucking in stuff on one end and spitting stuff out the other.

[CharlotteAgent]

Markh,

That is Cornelius that is trying to do that. It was in the Huntersville Herald as well as the local newscast.

Go Colts!

[Skipstone]

Markh, that is well said and you're so right. Everyone I know here is welcoming of newcomers, but if problems increase due to too much growth too soon or if people coming strain the system (as in the case of illegals) - then it changes the landscape so dramatically that the benefits disappear.

I haven't seen any post where someone said they're bitter, but as you said Markh, it's only normal if some people grow increasingly concerned.

[ReaderReader123]

These posts have all been very eye-opening and helpful. Thanks everyone.
When you say gas is expensive, what does that mean in NC? It's actualy been a little better in Michigan lately, it finally droped below $2/gal.

[ncsu99]

Originally Posted by ReaderReader123

These posts have all been very eye-opening and helpful. Thanks everyone.
When you say gas is expensive, what does that mean in NC? It's actualy been a little better in Michigan lately, it finally droped below $2/gal.

It's down to about a $2.15 average around the Raleigh area. A few places have it for under $2.00 near Zebulon and Spring Hope.

[debct]

Originally Posted by ncsu99

It's down to about a $2.15 average around the Raleigh area. A few places have it for under $2.00 near Zebulon and Spring Hope.

WOW! only 2.oo a gallon! In ct 2.37 is a good deal.

[brichard]

Originally Posted by Skipstone

Li-Sung made some great points.

Negatives:
3. An easy state for illegal immigrants to come to and 2,000 out of 7,000 new students every year in the schools are undocumented

4. I think NC is the only southern state outside of Florida that has not adopted a Marriage Amendment due to a corrupt legislature that ignores the will of the majority opinion

Is that negative enough?

Comments like the two above make me very sad and reflect attitudes I feel are still pervasive in North Carolina that make me wary about moving back. I grew up in NC but haven't lived there in almost 20 years. I keep hoping that with the growth of the cities, these attitudes will change. With regard to the comment about illegal aliens, I agree we need order in our society and this is a problem that needs to be dealt with. But I'm not exactly sure what the point of the comment above is. I do find a general attitude that we should simply be going after the illegal aliens themselves rather than the companies who encourage them to come here in the first place. If they weren't being given jobs here, they wouldn't come. Period. And our current government is doing a lousy job of cracking down on those companies that entice them to come here.

As to the second comment, I must say I'm glad we have a Constitution that protects individual rights and protects individuals against a mob mentality. There was a time very recently in the South when the majority opinion was that African Americans should sit in the back of the bus and be segregated into their own schools. Fortunately, the Constitution prevailed and the Supreme Court recognized that the majority opinion ran counter to the constitutionally-guaranteed rights of African Americans and other minorities. The Constitution always trumps majority opinion, which is the thing that makes this country great. So if North Carolina is taking a position not to sign on to an amendment that treats a segment of our society as second class, I would have to say that's a positive, not a negative. But if North Carolians at large still support this or any other kind of discrimination, then that's a negative.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by debct

WOW! only 2.oo a gallon! In ct 2.37 is a good deal.

I paid $2.19 today in Charlotte

[Bull City Rising]

Originally Posted by brichard

Comments like the two above make me very sad and reflect attitudes I feel are still pervasive in North Carolina that make me wary about moving back. I grew up in NC but haven't lived there in almost 20 years. I keep hoping that with the growth of the cities, these attitudes will change. With regard to the comment about illegal aliens, I agree we need order in our society and this is a problem that needs to be dealt with. But I'm not exactly sure what the point of the comment above is. I do find a general attitude that we should simply be going after the illegal aliens themselves rather than the companies who encourage them to come here in the first place. If they weren't being given jobs here, they wouldn't come. Period. And our current government is doing a lousy job of cracking down on those companies that entice them to come here.

As to the second comment, I must say I'm glad we have a Constitution that protects individual rights and protects individuals against a mob mentality. There was a time very recently in the South when the majority opinion was that African Americans should sit in the back of the bus and be segregated into their own schools. Fortunately, the Constitution prevailed and the Supreme Court recognized that the majority opinion ran counter to the constitutionally-guaranteed rights of African Americans and other minorities. The Constitution always trumps majority opinion, which is the thing that makes this country great. So if North Carolina is taking a position not to sign on to an amendment that treats a segment of our society as second class, I would have to say that's a positive, not a negative. But if North Carolians at large still support this or any other kind of discrimination, then that's a negative.

I wouldn't take the opinion on Skipstone -- or me, or any other poster on an Internet message board -- as reflective of the will of the state as a whole. There are conservative areas in N.C., and liberal areas. I know I live in the latter (by choice) and I suspect Skipstone the former (probably also by choice.) Heck, Carrboro -- one of the more liberal enclaves in the Triangle -- is trying to fight the Federal authorities who want to deport a town resident who overstayed her student visa. You wouldn't see that in some other parts of the state, but it goes to show that there is a real mix of opinions here.

On a statewide level... looking at the political climate as a whole, I think N.C. is decidedly middle-of-the-road. Florida, N.C., and Virginia are probably the three most politically moderate-to-progressive states, but all three are relatively polarized. My gut instinct is that all three will grow more politically liberal over time due to the nature of in-migration, while states like Texas, Miss., Tenn., and Georgia feel like they'll edge more to the right.

In the end... we're a country divided 50/50, right down the line on so many issues, and I think anywhere you go you're likely to find people on both ends of some sort of political spectrum.