It’s got to be a temptation – but it may not have a happy ending. Lately, President Obama’s taken to running the country by Executive Order – for instance, the other day he found a part of Obamacare wasn’t going to work so he simply announced he wouldn’t enforce that part of the law. …
Read MoreLast week summed up the obstacles and opportunities that Governor McCrory faces as he governs in a purple state where politics is played for keeps. And he saw how hard it is, even for a Governor, to dictate the agenda. McCrory started the week trying to shed the Republican Party’s anti-teacher, anti-education label. He…
Read MoreOne protestor waved a sign calling for legalizing medical marijuana and another held up a sign “Stop the War on Women” and Reverend Barber looked out at the multitude of marchers, lifted his arms, and thundered into the microphone how he meant to save the school children and save the poor and see that everyone…
Read MoreInstead of exploiting the Tea Party’s war on Establishment Republicans, Randy Voller seems set on replicating it in the Democratic Party. Behind this week’s chaos is a history of hostilities between some party activists and what they see as the Establishment Enemy: elected officials in Raleigh and consultants who help elect them. It goes…
Read MoreThis blog is a tribute to my late father, Jim. He was a printer all his life, first at Parker Brothers Newspapers in Ahoskie and then at The News & Observer. For many years, he was foreman of the N&O composing room. Those were the days when newspapers were produced with hot metal…
Read MoreJim Hunt still drives Republicans crazy. Governor McCrory and GOP leaders scheduled their pay-raise rollout in Jamestown just as Hunt’s Emerging Issues Forum was starting in Raleigh. They wanted to steal the spotlight. But they just spotlighted their own shortcomings. Just as Hunt was saying ALL teachers should get a raise, McCrory & Co.…
Read MoreIt sure seems like Wallace Cheeves down in Greenville, South Carolina has had his share of ups and downs. Right out of college, Cheeves went to work for the video ‘poker king’ of South Carolina. Then he went a step further and opened his own video poker company – which went out of business when…
Read MoreDemocrats should be feeling good today. Then Randy Voller comes along. First, tens of thousands of people march in Raleigh. Their numbers show the depth of anger at Republicans in Raleigh – and the potential impact in November. Then Governor McCrory and Republican legislative leaders reveal two things: They’re scared that voters will…
Read MoreIt’s a sure sign a politician is in trouble: He gets a new press secretary, communications director or whatever you call it. So Governor McCrory shipped Kim Genardo to Commerce and replaced her with Josh Ellis. I know nothing about the inner workings of this Governor’s Office, nor about the performance of his communications office. I…
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State Representative Joe John, who died today, looked something like a friendly but fierce bulldog. He…
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