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Shades of Texas

By Gary Pearce July 3, 2013

Since Republicans stuck abortion restrictions on a bill about Islamic law, why don’t they go ahead and make women wear veils, scarves and robes?   Apparently they’re inspired by Texas Governor Rick Perry. Now watch North Carolina women get fired up like Wendy Davis.   This will be a test for Governor McCrory. Will he…

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Art Pope the Moderate?

By Gary Pearce July 2, 2013

A Republican lobbyist wondered: “What has the world come to when Art Pope is a voice of restraint on cutting taxes and spending?”   Art Pope? The Democrats’ favorite demon? The radical, anti-government archfiend? Has he become a big government liberal? Or is this just a sign of how far off the edge of the…

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If You Don’t Fight, You Can’t Win

By Carter Wrenn July 2, 2013

Back during the Korean War, when the Marines were surrounded by the Chinese at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, a reporter asked Major General Oliver P. Smith if he was retreating and Smith said, “Retreat, hell! We’re not retreating, we’re just advancing in a different direction.” That was tough leadership.   Back in the 1990’s…

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Up, Down, or About the Same

By Carter Wrenn July 1, 2013

  The Republican powers-that-be in Raleigh – the House, Senate and Governor – locked horns last week in a three-way tug-of-war, each offering their own road to economic salvation. In a matter of hours the conflagration (over tax reform and whose loopholes to close or not close) spawned a welter of statistics and charts even…

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End Games

By Gary Pearce July 1, 2013

Having bullied their foes all session, legislative Republicans now have turned to bullying each other. And Governor McCrory did what he does best: he left town.   As legislatures often do at the end of session, this one has deteriorated into disagreement, dissension and mutual disgust.   Chief Senate Bully Tom Apodaca took all House…

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How Lucky Can a Fellow Get?

By Carter Wrenn June 25, 2013

So John Kerry flies all the way to Qatar to meet with the Taliban and the Afghan government for three-way peace talks. But, when he gets there he finds the Taliban’s opened an office with its flag flying on top of the building like it’s an embassy, and the moment the Afghan government negotiators lay…

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Restless Natives

By biglu June 25, 2013

Gary is taking a break from blogging. Our guest blogger filling in for Gary is a Tapster. The recent dustup about so-called ‘outside’ agitators spear-heading the Moral Monday protests has spotlighted a significant trend in North Carolina: the state actually is being run by outsiders. Each of the last two Gov’s were born in other states, and…

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The Best Years of Our Lives

By Carter Wrenn June 24, 2013

  About two weeks ago one of the cable TV channels ran old Elvis movies every night which was a happy event until the night my wife walked into the room, saw Elvis singing “Return to Sender,” and asked diplomatically if, since I’d seen four Elvis movies that week, I’d like to watch the Billboard…

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The Last Thing Pat McCrory Needed

By Carter Wrenn June 21, 2013

All last year Democrats hammered away at Pat McCrory saying, Disclose, disclose, disclose – demanding McCrory disclose the clients he worked with at the Charlotte law firm of Moore and Van Allen.   Apparently, no one gave a toot and, after the election, the Governor may well have thought and he’d heard the word disclose…

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The N&O Story

By Gary Pearce March 12, 2025

Once upon a time, there was a great and powerful newspaper: The News & Observer. Everybody…

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How Democrats Win Again

By Gary Pearce March 10, 2025

The shouting, sign-waving and cane-wielding by congressional Democrats at the State of the Union isn’t a…

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Deborah Ross’ Rx

By Gary Pearce March 7, 2025

Curmudgeonly Cajun James Carville says Democrats just need to “roll over and play dead” and wait…

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