Forbes Rankings: From Worthless to Worth Quoting

Since I showed up in North Carolina last year, I've been fascinated by the adamance state GOP leaders have displayed in arguing that the state is, in fact, a terrible place that hates capitalism and lies in ruin solely due to decades of Democratic control of the state government.

And I kept saying, "Then how come you and 9 million other people live here? How is it the state does so well each year in Forbes' ranking of best states to do business? How have all these America-hating North Carolina commies managed to fool Site Selection Magazine into naming the state No. 1 in business climate 9 out of the last 10 years?"

And I learned that Forbes was just "some magazine." That taxes are far too high. That outsiders don't fully understand the problems Democrats have created for North Carolina businesses.

Which is why I was surprised today when I came to the fourth paragraph in House Majority Leader Paul Stam's press release on the General Assembly move to prohibit gay marriage:

"According to Forbes Magazine ranking of best business climates, eight out of the top 10 states have defined marriage in their state constitution."

Interestingly, of the other two states in the Forbes' top 10, 50 percent of them are North Carolina.