In today’s Pope Center piece, my colleagues Jenna Robinson and Jay Schalin write about the nasty fight in North Carolina over proposals to squeeze more funds out of citizens and students for the UNC system.

Of course, lowering costs is extremely difficult, so the discussion is about getting more money. As the authors write, “The economic downturn is no time for politicians and bureaucrats to be picking the pockets of students and taxpayers to pay for their profligate ways.” It is no time, but that’s exactly what they want to do.