Black and White

Bowater is a wise old soul with a unique way of looking at the world. He’s an older white gentleman who grew up in Northeastern North Carolina but grew out of the political views that his peers espouse over coffee at Bojangles. I wanted his take on Ferguson.   He smiled. “Well, I must be…

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The Best and Worst Days

Thanksgiving is the best. Black Friday is the worst.   Thanksgiving is the best of all holidays. It’s family, food and football. It requires no angst and anxiety about giving and getting presents. It does require a lot of cooking, so a big thank-you to all who are spending today in the kitchen. Those of…

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Democrats and Education

One thing Democrats did right this year was push education onto the public agenda. But will it last? And the key question: Where do they take it now?   The Hagan campaign came close largely because they almost turned a United States Senate race into a school board election.   The same thing was true…

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The Obama Factor

All American politics today – the battle over immigration, the election two weeks ago and even legislative elections in North Carolina – is all about Barack Obama.   Presidents always dominate the political scene. But this is a special case. Yes, it’s about race. But it’d also about something more, something deeper in America’s psyche.…

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Straight Out of the Dark Ages

Fleeing toward the mountains from her burning village, fifteen years old and trapped on a dusty road packed with refugees, she was captured and carried across the border to a town on the Euphrates River filled with captive women from other towns.   The soldiers sold part of the women at an auction as slaves…

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Did Pat Pick Right Fight?

Governor McCrory’s political instinct is right, but his choice of battlefield is puzzling.   The Governor seems to understand that the best way to get reelected is to pick a fight with the legislature. Governors are always more popular than legislatures. McCrory’s approval ratings are twice as high as this legislature.   But why not…

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A Waste of Time

The Governor sent a letter to Thom Tillis and Phil Berger taking the legislature to task for asking for an independent audit of the Department of Health and Human Services.   Then the next day, when the Governor needed it least, the News and Observer reported that when DHHS’ new computer didn’t work the Department…

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The Whole Tarbaby

Pat McCrory had one of those days.               First, a typist switched an ‘h’ for an ‘f’ so he sent out a press release announcing a Wilmington company was ‘firing’ 1300 new workers instead of ‘hiring’ 1300 workers.   Then a passing photographer snapped a photo of the Governor with his arm draped across…

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Democrats Need a Leader

Since the election tsunami, Democrats have been scouring the rubble for answers. Liberals say the party needs to take on Wall Street. Moderates say retake the middle. Labor says raise the minimum wage and stop trade deals. Hispanics say push ahead with immigration reform. Millennials say get rid of the old crowd. The old crowd…

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Cloud Cuckoo Land

  President Obama set out to restore his political fortunes by going to China – and announcing a new climate change agreement.   Then, still intent on repairing his fortunes, he traveled on to Australia where he announced he was giving $3 billion to the U.N to help poor nations fight the harm done by…

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