Posts by Gary Pearce
Dogs of War
One thing Trump did right his first term was not starting a war. This time, he – and his national security gang that can’t text straight – are determined to let slip the dogs of war all over the world: Greenland, China, Canada, Panama and Gaza. He wants to take over Greenland: “I think there’s…
Read MoreThe Old Rebel
Jefferson Griffin is certainly consistent in his beliefs. In college, he celebrated the “Lost Cause” myth of the Confederacy. Now he champions the myth of his Lost Election. Griffin lost his race for Supreme Court, just as the South lost the Civil War. But he won’t accept his defeat, just as his Kappa Alpha fraternity…
Read MoreSignals Crossed
Who among us hasn’t accidentally hit “reply all” on a group text or email? Or sent a message to the wrong person? Of course we have. Of course, we didn’t disclose a military operation’s timing, targets and weapons on a hackable, non-secure messaging platform – and put a magazine editor on the text chain. If…
Read MoreBernie and AOC
Are Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez too far left? Many Americans think they’re right. An astounding 86,000 people turned out in Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico last week for “Fighting Oligarchy” rallies starring the 83-year-old Senator and 35-year-old Congresswoman. “We will not allow you to move this country into an oligarchy,” Sanders thundered to Trump.…
Read MoreHope
I have hope – despite what Trump is doing. I have hope because of what he’s doing – and what he promised to do but isn’t doing. I have hope because, in politics, the pendulum always swings back. I’ve seen it all my life. We had JFK and LBJ, then Nixon, then Carter, then Reagan…
Read MoreEducation Governor
With a better General Assembly, Josh Stein could join Jim Hunt and Terry Sanford on North Carolina’s Mount Rushmore of Education Governors. While the Governor set a bipartisan tone in his State of the State speech last night, he set out a clear challenge on education to Republicans who control the legislature. He challenged them…
Read MoreThe N&O Story
Once upon a time, there was a great and powerful newspaper: The News & Observer. Everybody from the Governor on down read it every morning. It covered everything that moved in state government and politics. Its investigations took down crooks, incompetents and corrupt politicians. Its editorial pages stood up for the little guy and stuck…
Read MoreHow Democrats Win Again
The shouting, sign-waving and cane-wielding by congressional Democrats at the State of the Union isn’t a winning strategy. Senator Elissa Slotkin’s serious, substantive and straightforward response is. Put her on the list for President in 2028. Democrats need to be disciplined in our messaging. We need to put forward our best messengers, not the loudest…
Read MoreDeborah Ross’ Rx
Curmudgeonly Cajun James Carville says Democrats just need to “roll over and play dead” and wait for Trump’s inevitable collapse in the polls. Curmudgeonly Senator Bernie Sanders vehemently disagrees: “Democrats have been playing dead for too many years.” He’s waging war on “the oligarchy.” Curmudgeonly me thinks Rep. Deborah Ross of Raleigh has a better way:…
Read MoreVanished
Ronald Reagan stood at the Berlin Wall and stood up to what he called the “Evil Empire.” Trump and Vance sat in the Oval Office, set up Ukraine’s President Zelensky and sucked up to Evil Emperor Putin. Reagan demanded, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” Trump and Vance complained that Zelensky was “disrespectful” and didn’t…
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