Archive for 2013
A Wayward Pleasure
Respect for higher education has fostered a long-time tradition of reverence for college professors. They’re honored and pampered. They get tenure and sabbaticals to study and think. Then the other day, out of a clear blue sky, the professors’ placid world rocked – when Governor Pat McCrory announced the way he sees it state…
Read MoreComing to America
Gary is taking a break from blogging. Our guest blogger is Tapster Joe Stewart. I grew up in Raleigh, graduating from Athens Drive High School in 1982. The athletic conference (note singular) at the time was the Cap 8 and included (what seemed like) the remote outposts of Fuquay-Varina and Smithfield Selma. I…
Read MoreThe Sooner the Better
Speaker John Boehner probably never meant to end up being the face and voice of the Republican Party – but he’s the man in the room facing Obama so that’s how it is. Last month, just before the House passed the Speaker’s bill to raise the debt ceiling until May, I asked an old…
Read MoreNipples and College
While I was gone, Governor McCrory came out against college education and Republican legislators came out against women’s nipples. These are two (or three?) big reasons I’m not a Republican. In fairness, the Governor took it back. He said he was for college education after he was against it. Kind of like John Kerry.…
Read MoreSurprise, Surprise
Gary is taking a break from blogging. Our guest blog today is from a Tapster. Republicans won control of the NC General Assembly with a promise to create jobs and improve the state’s economy. So, where is the proposed legislation to do that? Of the 100 or so bills introduced in the…
Read MoreSisters: Defend Yourselves
Gary is taking a break from blogging. Our guest blogger is Joyce Fitzpatrick. The war on women continues. Cokie Roberts spoke Tuesday evening at the Kenan- Flagler School at UNC Chapel Hill about how inhospitable the Romney/Ryan ticket had been to women and immigrants. They responded in huge numbers to give President Obama…
Read MoreThe Next Generation
Gary is taking a break from blogging. Our guest Tapster today is Nation Hahn. It has been clear for several years that the NC Democratic Party has failed to build a deep bench of future leaders. It has become ever more clear during the Chairman race in recent weeks as people have tried to…
Read MoreAmong the Freshmen
Gary is taking a break from blogging. Our guest Tapster today is Joe Stewart of JRS Strategy Group. Part of my work as former Political Director at NC Chamber involved seeking out solid business-minded people to run for the General Assembly. Someone I met in 2010 pursing this goal was Rick Catlin.…
Read MoreA Simple Prayer
Gary is taking a break from blogging. Here’s one from another Tapster. When the legislature makes its biennial return to town, our usual tendency is to ridicule the members’ narrow mindedness, laugh at their lack of political sophistication and hold our collective breath that they won’t destroy the state. The gavel drops…
Read MoreA Train Wreck
The other day down at the News and Observer John Dresher wrote about the most enticing opening to an article I’ve seen in awhile. He wrote: “For their first date, Pat and Tiffany walk to a neighborhood diner for dinner. Pat orders Raisin Bran. Tiffany, perhaps already giving up on Pat, orders tea. They proceed…
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