Introduction The politics of North Carolina are varied highly from the other states in the South. The Old North State is historically more progressive than the rest of its southern counterparts, while also keeping the conservativeness an underlying motif that southern states depend on. The public policies that have been put into place by the government are a product and portrait of the influences that the various ethnic groups, non-profit organizations and political action committees in the state have lobbied and advocated for in the past. Looking forward, North Carolina has become the mecca for small business growth and development, a geographical oasis that attracts Americans from all backgrounds and social classes to live and prosper and a balanced atmosphere for the political efficacious North Carolinians. The research question that I explore in this paper is the effects of the conservative agenda and why North Carolina should continue the southern motif of laissez-faire politics. The issue is important because from the birth of our nation, the founding fathers had an idea independence from overreaching government and the state having the appropriate leeway for governance. The state should have the sovereignty because the elected officials can modify and mold federal legislation to the needs of the constituents of that state.

Education North Carolina’s public school system is renowned nation-wide for producing high competence leaders in professional fields as well as skilled workers in every other occupation. The systems, both kindergarten through twelfth grade as well as the higher education program are giving young North Carolinians a competitive edge that they will need to be global leaders in today’s economy and job market. North Carolina ranks in the top five for state pre-kindergarten preparation programs by the National Institute for Early Education Research. However, there are flaws that keep the program from reaching the full potential. The Division of Child Development and Early Education of the Department of Health and Human Services oversees the operation of the three main pre-kindergarten programs: pre-school for exceptional children, title one pre-school and Head Start. The initial eligibility requirement for a child to qualify for pre-kindergarten is approximately fifty thousand dollars for a family of four. The program can enroll up to twenty percent of the student population that are labeled as “at-risk.” The term “at-risk” is defined by the North Carolina general assembly as the a student with a disability, chronic health condition, developmental need, limited English proficiency or one or both parents in the military. The issue with the program is that according to research performed by the Department of Health and Human Services, there are no lasting effects that can be recorded past the completion of the first grade. The Carolina Abecedarian Project tracked two groups of low-income students from infancy until age thirty. The group that was more likely to attain a higher education degree, steadier employment and were less likely to obtain public assistance were the students that went to pre-kindergarten. Although those statistics are positive, there was no profound difference between the amount of criminal activity and level of income between the two groups. There should be more longitudinal observational studies conducted of the students to gain more prolific statistics as to whether or not the program is really worth the millions that North Carolina taxpayers cover annually. Another of the highly regarded sectors of the state’s educational infrastructure is the University of North Carolina school system. The University of North Carolina school system, which is acclaimed, is still not flawless. The main issue that is being addressed by the state legislature is the wasteful spending that is seemingly unaudited. The solution would be to cut costs responsibly, meaning it will not hurt the mission