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Not So Fast

By Gary Pearce February 18, 2013

The Economist newspaper says North Carolina has bid “farewell to purple.” But an article in The New York Times Magazine gives Democrats reason for optimism.   The Economist notes: “North Carolina has a Republican governor, a conservative majority on the state Supreme Court and Republicans controlling both legislative chambers.” Plus, Republicans have nine of our…

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A Poster Child for Ineptitude

By Carter Wrenn February 15, 2013

Cautiously holding their fingers to the wind most politicians avoid controversies like the plague – but State Auditor Beth Wood, a farm girl who put herself through East Carolina University, has a trait that’s all but extinct in politics: Grit.   Last year, after Wood audited the state’s new Medicaid Processing Computer System, she blistered…

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GOP ‘Compassion’

By Gary Pearce February 15, 2013

“We are being compassionate,” said state Rep. Mike Hager of Rutherfordton. “We have a mindset of pulling…government burden off these small businesses.”   Well, that sums it up. Republican compassion is for businesses and corporations, not people.  Remember: People aren’t corporations, my friend.   First North Carolina Republicans slashed help for people who can’t find…

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Reasonable and Petty

By Carter Wrenn February 14, 2013

I settled into my chair, rocked back, opened a book, and a few minutes later Obama’s measured voice floated across the room saying John Boehner ought to delay the Sequester, then Obama explained how government ought to do more for people with less and it’s only fair the well off pay a little bit more…

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Listening to McCrory

By Gary Pearce February 14, 2013

After receiving a typically enthusiastic introduction from former Governor Jim Hunt Tuesday, Governor McCrory said, “Note to staff: Never have me speak after Jim Hunt again.”   Here’s another note he should send them: Know my audience.   McCrory was speaking at N.C. State’s Emerging Issues Form on manufacturing. He seemed to think he was…

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Older and Wiser

By Carter Wrenn February 13, 2013

After Tea Party candidates rolled to victory in 2010 they headed for Congress to cut spending, and late one night, six months later, President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner announced they’d made a deal to pass the biggest annual spending cut in history.   Now, two years later, it turns out the cuts were…

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Obama’s Edge

By Gary Pearce February 13, 2013

Thanks to the 2012 campaign and Mitt Romney, President Obama has found his voice. That gives him a big advantage over Republicans the next two years.   For all his writing and oratorical skills, Obama never found a way in his first term to effectively tell his story – and sell his message. That led…

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Stupid Is As Stupid Does

By Gary Pearce February 12, 2013

Some Republicans seem determined to be “the stupid party,” in Bobby Jindal’s memorable phrase.   Like U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx.   The Sunday New York Times took a look at how some students today pay for college. The story focused on Steve Boedefeld, an Appalachian State University student who wants to avoid graduating with a…

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The Only Casualty

By Carter Wrenn February 12, 2013

War’s broken out in Raleigh.   The Republican County Commissioners launched a blitzkrieg, hiring a lobbyist (for $25,000) to get the Republican legislature to redraw the districts of the Democratic School Board members – then the Democratic School Board struck back (to keep their districts) by spending four times as much ($100,000) to hire their…

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Education Governor

By Gary Pearce March 13, 2025

With a better General Assembly, Josh Stein could join Jim Hunt and Terry Sanford on North…

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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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