Job Killers?

Governor McCrory and legislative Republicans have a theory: Cut taxes and regulations, and jobs will flow in. What if they’re wrong – not only on the economics, but also on the politics?   What if their theory leads to North Carolina becoming a more Democratic state?   The question arises from two recent conversations: one…

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An Old Subject

The way the Tea Partiers see it, to save the country they have to do to the Washington Republicans what General Sheridan did to the Indians during the Indian Wars.   Because when the Tea Partiers say, We can’t vote to raise the Debt Ceiling unless Obama cuts spending – the Republican Bosses say back,…

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Salute

Only one million World War II veterans are still living in America today. My stepfather, Joe Dickerson, is one of them.   Joe was in the first wave to land at Omaha Beach on D-Day. Fourteen of the 30 men on his LCVP died in the water or on the beach. His unit, Company E,…

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In the Tank

Since I’ve been rough on Governor McCrory – and will be again – I’m providing equal time today to a TAPster who makes a valid point:   “Here’s one vote to stop harassing Governor McCrory over expenditures to make the mansion a modern, livable home. In fact, those of us who care about the state should…

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Still Champ

My grandmother, years ago, would regularly tell me, Carter, you’ve got your wants and your needs confused.     It turns out reporters have the same problem.   What reporters need, just about every day, is a story. And what they want is a crisis to make it an interesting story.   Take the newspaper headlines…

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Boone on the Rise

It’s one town and one election, but it was one hell of a shot in the arm for an old Democratic war horse like me.   A dedicated, sleep-deprived, over-caffeinated crew of young organizers and Appalachian State students helped sweep the Boone Town Council races for a slate of progressive, forward-looking candidates, including Andy Ball…

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Grudges

Rob Christensen wrote a tribute to Jack Hawke and in it mentioned hardball politics and Jack’s run-in with the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice – there’s more to the story: During Senator Helms’ 1990 campaign, when Jack was Republican Chairman, I asked him for a favor – to work with…

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Election Takeaways

The Republican civil war takes off, Obamacare takes a hit, Virginia is still purple, a big GOP personality wins big in blue New Jersey, public pollsters lose big and a new generation of Democratic leaders rises across North Carolina. Let’s run it all down.   GOP civil war: The skirmishes are over, and the real…

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Saluting Jack Hawke

Somehow it’s right that Jack passed away at election time. His life revolved around election days. I suspect Pat McCrory would be a better governor if he had listened more to Jack this year. I know politics won’t be as much fun with him gone.

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From Bush to Cruz

Remember when George W. Bush ran as a “compassionate conservative” in 2000? Ted Cruz could run in 2016 as a “cruel conservative.”   The distance between the two Texans shows how far right the Republican Party has gone, thanks to the Tea Party. It’s a hell of a thing when Bush looks good in hindsight.…

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