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Judges and Legislators

By Carter Wrenn September 16, 2011

You’ve got to admire Judge Howard Manning’s nerve – he’s only a state district court judge but for years he’s been issuing orders to Governors. Judge Manning’s modus operandi is simple: He looks at the State Budget, looks at the Constitution, then declares if the Governor doesn’t spend more on this or that program it’s…

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Priorities, Priorities

By Gary Pearce September 16, 2011

A TAPster notes a striking example of where the state spends and where it cuts:   “Did the Jones Street Honorables notice a political paradox during their recent visit to Raleigh?   “Just a city block away from the Legislative Building, work is concluding on the construction of several gleaming new state government buildings and…

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Who Runs the GOP?

By Gary Pearce September 15, 2011

After the Tea Party debate this week, a Florida Tea Party leader put it bluntly: “The Republican Party isn’t going to pick the presidential nominee. We’re going to pick the presidential nominee.”   The candidates then fell all over each other to show their fealty to the crowd. A crowd that, when a moderator asked…

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NY Wipeout

By Gary Pearce September 14, 2011

Given President Obama’s visit here today, this is a timely and well-put rant from a North Carolina Democrat:   “The head of the DNC - Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz - attributed last night’s staggering loss in New Yorks’ 9th CD to ‘a large number of people who went to the polls tonight who didn’t support the President to…

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Outsmarting Themselves?

By Gary Pearce September 13, 2011

Democrats are high-fiving President Obama’s “American Jobs Act.” Progressive pundits and editorial/op-ed writers are applauding because he took their advice. He’s taking the fight to the Republicans, they all say: bearding the elephant in its own den.   For months, the pundits have been preaching that Americans don’t care about arcane things like deficits and…

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9/11 Tragedy

By Gary Pearce September 12, 2011

At some point this weekend I reached 9/11 overload. It was wall-to-wall remembrances, reflections and recollections. No media outlet, no sporting event and no advertiser could miss the chance to milk as much heartfelt soulfulness as possible.   The focus, of course, was on the heroes, the fallen and the families: “Never forgotten.” “Never forget.”…

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Echoes of the 80s

By Gary Pearce September 9, 2011

The Republican presidential candidates today remind me of Democrats in the 1980s: so in thrall to interest-groups within their own party they’re forced to undermine their chances to win a general election.   In 1984 and 1988, Walter Mondale and Michael Dukakis were crippled by their kowtowing to labor, liberals and Jesse Jackson. By the…

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Not-So-Gay Politics

By Gary Pearce September 8, 2011

Gay-rights supporters are fighting hard to keep the gay-marriage amendment off the state ballot. That’s understandable. Who wants to have prejudice against themselves enshrined in the Constitution?   But I hope the Republicans succeed in scheduling a statewide vote. Not just because Public Policy Polling predicts it will lose. But also because it will hurt…

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A Sign

By Gary Pearce September 7, 2011

This is the perfect opening for Michelle Bachmann. In tonight’s debate, she should say that the Texas wildfires are God’s judgment on Rick Perry for stealing her momentum.   That way, she can put all her opponents – and potential opponents – on notice.  

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Going Too Far

By Carter Wrenn February 3, 2025

Cheeks round, pudgy fingers fumbling, Ellmer took a newspaper article out of his briefcase, pushed it…

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By Gary Pearce February 3, 2025

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By Carter Wrenn January 31, 2025

Addison McDowell worked for Ted Budd, worked as a lobbyist, 31 years old ran for Congress,…

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