Posts by Gary Pearce
Layoff Numbers Game
Here’s a TAPster’s interesting talk on the flap about how many job layoffs the legislature caused: “Sometimes it’s hard to tell who has better aim at their feet these days, the Democrats or the Republicans — and whether there’s anyone out there holding them accountable for their poor politics or obfuscating rhetoric. The latest…
Read MoreMy Date With Natalie Wood
News that the investigation has been reopened into Natalie Wood’s death recalls what might have been. As a young man, I had a serious case of the hots for Natalie. Some years later, around 1981 or so, she was in the Triangle filming “Brainstorm,” which would be her last movie. Governor Hunt, then…
Read MoreFracked Up
For all my digital-media enthusiasm, I still have one foot firmly planted in the old media world. Especially when I can spend a fine Sunday morning perusing the N&O and New York Times. And especially when it leads to a realization like yesterday’s: North Carolina will have a war over fracking in 2012. …
Read MoreThe 9 Percent
Everybody’s talking about the 99 percent and the 1 percent. I’m interested in the 9 percent: the percentage of Americans that polls say approve of Congress’ performance. Who are these people? What are thinking? And what will the percentage be when the congressional budget supercommittee, as appears inevitable, fails to reach a Grand…
Read MoreNC’s Clout is Sky-High
Want to see how important North Carolina will be in the 2012 presidential race? Read this New York Times dive into how the Obama Administration backed down on tougher smog-ozone standards. Especially this: “One of the strongest appeals (against tougher rules) came from North Carolina, a state Mr. Obama narrowly won in 2008. The…
Read MoreAttack Machine
Democratic oppo researchers should be reveling in what Dome called Pat McCrory’s “shout out” to Heather Lusordo: “I just think unwarranted personal attacks against you hurt our democratic system. I feel for your and your family for what you had to go through. I commend you for the courage to stand up to it.…
Read MoreLayoff Politics
Today’s N&O story (“Data show fewer state layoffs”) puts pressure on Governor Perdue and legislative Democrats to show they weren’t crying wolf about Republican budget cuts. Republicans sounded delighted with the report that 1,630 people have been laid off: “’The wild allegation has been that 30,000 state jobs were going to be eliminated,’ said…
Read MoreI’m on Twitter
Thanks to encouragement from my young mentors Nation Hahn and Luther Snyder – a Democrat and a Republican – I’m on Twitter now. Here’s the link. Follow me (I’m advised to say) @jgaryp. Follow Nathan and Luther, too. Follow all of my followers. Follow the yellow brick road. Twitter makes the highest use…
Read MoreNo Love for Mitt
There’s something about Mitt Romney that Republicans just can’t love. Their nomination fight is a series of anti-Mitts rising in the polls, then self-destructing. First there was Michelle Bachmann. She scared everybody. Then Rick Perry. But he can’t even remember his own proposals. Then Herman Cain. But he allegedly can’t keep his hands off…
Read MoreMargiotta Gerrymandered?
Here’s an interesting twist on the Wake school board outcome. A Republican friend (not the same one who contributed the item below; I actually have many Republican friends) says Ron Margiotta was an unintended victim of the Republican-run school board redistricting. Here’s the back story: Deborah Goldman demanded that the redistricting plan move…
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