Moving On. Not.

Now that the Case of the Not-Blueprint Memo has been solved, Democrats and progressives can move on to important issues like what Republicans are doing on education, Medicaid, unemployment assistance, tax reform and … hold on, what’s that?   Never mind. Apparently, we will move on to the new state Democratic chairman owing almost $290,000 in…

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Local Politics

Two years ago, Republicans controlled the County Commissioners and the School Board and were happy.   Then Democrats won the next School Board election – so they were happy and the Republican County Commissioners were unhappy.   Next the Republican Commissioners decided to redraw the Democratic School Board members’ Districts to get them out of…

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The Politics of Mean

Being mean is not a formula for success in politics, and Governor McCrory may learn that lesson the hard way.   Hold on, you say. What about Jesse Helms? He made a 30-year career out of being mean and picking on politically weak victims.   Glad you asked. Here’s the difference: What works for a…

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A Curveball

Back in 1980, Senator Helms’ political organization had won elections in 1976 and 1978. And after Reagan won, we figured the conservative millennium had dawned and we’d mastered the art of politics. Next election we lost five races.   Back in 1980, Jim Hunt had built the most powerful political machine ever seen in North…

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Kamikaze Republicans

Why do congressional Republicans keep jumping off the cliff – and taking the country with them? Don’t they see the political trap that President Obama has sprung on them?   You could enjoy what they’re doing to themselves politically if you didn’t hate what they’re doing to the country economically.   Here’s just part of…

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A Dead End

President Obama’s in full campaign mode with his eyes fixed on taking control of the House of Representatives next election. He’s put his campaign to work targeting Republican Congressmen and he’s telling voters because of the Sequester 7,450 children in Florida won’t receive vaccinations, 800 victims of domestic violence in North Carolina won’t receive care,…

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From Hack to Flack

Kim Genardo of NBC-17 is following a well-trod path from capital reporter to Governor’s communications director. Most every governor hires a capital reporter to tame the savages. I made that switch from the N&O to then-Lt. Governor Hunt in January 1976 – 37 years ago! (As I recall, I was about 13 years old.)  …

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When Liberals Attack

Oh my goodness gracious, Republicans are all aflutter and Twitter is all atwitter over a leaked memo by liberals to “attack…cripple…eviscerate” GOP leaders and even, worst of all, “mitigate the worst legislation.”   I haven’t heard so much caterwauling since Jesse Helms was screeching that Ted Kennedy, liberals, blacks and queers were attacking him so…

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GOP Unemployment Hypocrisy

Sarah Ovaska at NC Policy Watch reveals that one Republican legislator who voted to cut unemployment assistance was himself getting that assistance last year.   Rep. Jason Saine, a Lincolnton Republican, collected unemployment checks for 15 months while he was out of work. But now that he’s in the legislature, he voted with his GOP…

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‘People of Earth!’

What do Marco Rubio and Larry Hall have in common? They made the mistake of giving their party’s response to the State of the Union and State of the State speeches, respectively.   Inevitably, this ends up looking like a hostage tape or the speech given by the leader of space aliens who just invaded…

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