“Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

 From the StarNews, March 1

A source for an article presented an interesting hypothesis on the recent investigative reporting the StarNews has done on salaries of ABC officials and other issues.

Scott Sullivan, chairman of the board of trustees that runs the Cameron Art Museum, said he believes the types of “nitpicky” reports from the StarNews on controversial issues can ultimately deter businesses from moving to Wilmington. He said the reports often don't adequately tell the other side of the story.

His comments came as I was talking to him about a story on the Cameron Art Museum, which is requesting $100,000 from the city this year to help support operations. (Article in today's StarNews).

I asked for the salaries of museum employees because I believed the public has a right to know how the Cameron Arts Museum is spending the taxpayer money it receives, especially if it's asking for more.

The museum denied my request.

So what do you think?

And does the public have a right to know the salaries of museum employees, given that it is requesting public money?

On a side note, Deborah Velders, director of the museum, said she believed it was an “invasion of privacy” for the StarNews to ask for salaries of museum employees. She said she would understand if the city council, which will decide whether to fund the museum, asked for the salaries. She also said she didn't believe it was the role of the local newspaper to be a watchdog of city government.

- Pat Gannon

Both Burr and Hagan voted to confirm Bernanke to another term this Thursday. Burr has co-sponsored S-604, the Senate version of the bill to Audit the Fed, but obviously thinks the man who created the mess should continue to destroy our economy.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00016

The anti-fed stances of Ron Paul (left) and Bernie Sanders resonate with many on Main Street .By This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , senior editor at largeJanuary 25, 2010: 10:18 AM ET

(Fortune Magazine) -- "These are vulgar, obscene people who, in many cases, I really do believe, have serious emotional problems. In this country we have people who have drug problems, people who have alcohol problems."

Just who are the addicts that Bernie Sanders, his white hair mussed, is getting all worked up about on this frigid Washington afternoon? "Compulsive moneymakers," he says. And Sanders, Vermont's independent junior senator and a onetime college radical who still pockets an authentic 1920 EUGENE DEBS FOR PRESIDENT key chain, is just getting started.