Posts by Gary Pearce
The Gang of Five
Governor Perdue says you can “take it to the bank” that the five Democrats who voted for the House budget will be with her in a veto fight. She should be right. And this will be a test of her political muscle. I ask myself: What would Jim Hunt do? Back in the…
Read MoreSacred Cows
“All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.” – George Orwell, Animal Farm Legislative leaders said everything would be on the table for budget cuts. But a Democratic TAPster sent these “quick, back-of-the-envelope numbers” on how deeply the House budget cut agencies headed by Republicans: Department of Labor cut…
Read MoreThe Obama Bump
A caution for giddy Democrats who think the killing of bin Laden will reelect President Obama: This too shall pass. Remember President George Herbert Walker Bush. Eighteen months before the 1992 reelection, right after the four-day Iraq war, his approval ratings were at an astronomical level, near 90 percent. A friend reminded…
Read MoreMorning in Young America
The media and political elites’ reaction to Osama’s killing was predictable. Not so that of Real America. Especially Young America. Democrats – understandably – were all but gloating that it was President Obama, the supposed Muslim Manchurian Candidate, who “got” bin Laden. MSNBC endlessly reminded us that President Bush had minimized the importance of…
Read MoreMission Accomplished
It’s been a bad week for the Obama-haters. First it turns out he was born in America. Then he orders the raid that kills Osama. Curses, foiled again! Now, how long will it take Donald Trump & Co. to question whether that really was bin Laden’s corpse? I was struck by…
Read MoreThe Binary Budget Choice
Every now and then you read a sentence that hits you like a hammer. So it was the other day when I thumbed through the April 17 Newsweek, which I hadn’t picked up in many moons. I chanced upon an essay by Niall Ferguson, “Doing the Right Thing: America finally comes to its senses…
Read MoreBirthers and Shariah Law
The N&O front page today showed how Republicans are frittering away their once-in-a-blue-moon political advantage. The more they talk about Obama’s birth certificate and the threat of Shariah law in America, the less they can take advantage of his real vulnerability, which was captured in an inside-page story: Americans are losing confidence in his…
Read MoreFor Sale
A TAPster notes that the House’s proposed budget includes a provision that would direct the Department of Administration to look into selling “state-owned land, buildings, and other assets that are unused, underused, or do not involve a core function of government.” It did not take this wag long to come up with some suggestions:…
Read MoreMayoral Jockeying Begins
An active Raleigh Democrat and TAPster reports “there is quite a flap among the local Dems” over reports that outgoing Mayor Charles Meeker will back Nancy McFarlane, because she reportedly is registered as unaffiliated. But our source adds, “Apparently McFarlane’s husband is a Dem, and has given lots of money to the party,” which makes…
Read MorePerdue-McCrory Poll Nuggets
A TAPster found the nuggets below in Public Policy Polling’s crosstabs on 2010 Governor’s race between Pat McCrory and Bev Perdue. They illustrate the challenge the Governor faces. 29% of self-identified President Obama voters disapprove of Governor Perdue’s job performance 18% of self-identified Obama voters say they will vote for McCrory for Governor over Perdue…
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