Posts by Gary Pearce
Drunktown hangover
It’s always an honor when the N&O quotes my blog. But it’s annoying when they put words I didn’t say in my mouth. I’m afraid that’s what Colin Campbell did today in his story “Did the ‘Drunktown’ campaign ads work?” Colin is an A-plus reporter, but I give him a D-minus here. His story focused…
Read MoreVomit politics
Through the fog of over-analysis, misdiagnosis and total BS that comes after every election, one thing is clear about Raleigh’s vote Tuesday: the “Drunktown” ad didn’t work. Its main target, Mary-Ann Baldwin, led the at-large race. Why didn’t it work? Simple: voters didn’t believe it. They didn’t believe for a minute that a member of…
Read MoreMoney grab
Exhibit A: The feds launch a grand jury investigation into no-bid, sweetheart contracts at DHHS. Exhibit B: Republicans ram through a law enabling politicians to raise unlimited money from unlimited special interests and spend it in unlimited ways. From the Grant Administration to Teapot Dome to Watergate to Jim Black, history teaches us where this…
Read MoreFinal days in the legislative bunker
Today’s blog is written by Gene Upchurch, a retired Progress Energy executive who spent many a year as a legislative lobbyist: Videos of state senators throwing footballs and dancing on the Senate floor this week were certainly undignified, and prompted suggestions that it was the first activity on the Senate floor this year that didn’t…
Read MoreThe 60-year war on public schools
This didn’t start when the Republicans took over the legislature in 2010. It dates back to the US Supreme Court decision outlawing segregated schools in 1954. Now, a toxic crew of racists, right-wingers and private-school profiteers smell victory. Back in the ‘50s and ‘60s, Governors, legislators and school boards across the South pulled out every…
Read MoreStrongmen. Or not.
Two would-be strongmen huffed and puffed, postured and blustered on 60 Minutes Sunday night, but neither Vladimir Putin nor Donald Trump could hold a candle to the strength that Pope Francis showed America during his visit. The Pope reminded us that real strength means faith, empathy and compassion, not name-calling, mouthing off and macho posing.…
Read MoreNC Republicans waving white flag on taxes
The blog below is written by TAPster Daniel Gilligan, a policy consultant from Raleigh who has a keen eye for legislative follies: “New taxes shouldn’t be considered tax increases. That was the message from Republican legislators after they unveiled a state budget that includes over $200 million of new sales taxes over the next two…
Read MoreDickie’s dodge
Raleigh City Council candidate Dickie Thompson tried to pull a classic politician’s dodge last week. J.B. Buxton, also a District A candidate, held a press conference to blast what Indy Week called “one of the worst provisions in the new state budget: the sales tax on auto repair, maintenance and installation services that will go…
Read MoreStage frights
Say what you will about Ronald Reagan, he looked like a President. Not a soul on his stage last night measured up. Air Force One was a fitting backdrop. You couldn’t imagine any one of the candidates walking down those steps and representing the United States of America. Trump’s act wore thin. And it didn’t…
Read MoreLeft out
At least Democrats left out of the budget process have company: Governor McCrory. Lobbyists report that, just like them, McCrory was calling around last weekend trying to find out what was in the budget. It wasn’t just that he had no impact. He had no information. Never has a Governor had so little clout with…
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