General
Defending Andy Jackson
First Rob Christensen defended keeping Alexander Hamilton on the $10 bill. Then I suggested taking Andrew Jackson off the $20. Now a TAPster speaks up for Jackson. Old Hickory, he said in a voicemail, was “a man of the people who saved America from a plutocracy.” Plus, when Jackson was President, “the common man could…
Read MoreThe New N&O
Long-time reader J. Fred doesn’t like the new-look N&O. “They can spin it all they want, but all I see is less news. It looks like a coloring book, not a newspaper.” I didn’t know whether to be offended or complimented when he added, “Hell, you and Carter have more to read in one of…
Read MoreTrumped
Democrats are cheering and Republicans are chafing as Donald Trump hogs the spotlight. Presumably, at some point he will implode or get tired of the game. But how much damage will he do to the Republican brand by then? And suppose he keeps going through the debates, through the primaries and maybe even through November…
Read More$8.3 Million Each
Here’s all you need know about the President’s plan to defeat ISIS: Right now, he’s training 60 rebels in Syria to whip ISIS. The cost? $500 million. Or $8.3 million per rebel. Meantime, after we’ve lost two wars (in Afghanistan and the first war in Iraq) he’s decided to cut the size of our army…
Read MoreAtticus Finch, a racist?
Say it ain’t so, Harper Lee. How can the upright icon of To Kill a Mockingbird become the twisted racist of Go Set a Watchman? Your fans are gobsmacked. But Southerners of a certain age get it. Take two TAPsters who recall their grandfather, a prominent judge and Democratic Party power back in the day.…
Read MoreA Blessing in Disguise
According to PEW Research, during the past two Congresses 19,709 bills were introduced – and only 3% were enacted into law. Which sounds pretty abysmal. But stop to think about it: How much more harm could Congress have done if they’d passed, say, 4%?
Read MoreSince Little Bighorn
Since Little Bighorn The President trooped over to the Pentagon to work on his plan to whip ISIS then came out of the meeting and announced: We’re leading a 60 member coalition against ISIS. Huh? Who’re the other 59 nations? That ideas – not guns – defeat ideologies. You go to Ramadi and…
Read MorePure Power Play
Flexing its muscles, the Republican Establishment decided to put Donald Trump in his place – but missed that while Trump may be part whacko he’s also pure cutthroat: When the GOP Doyens sitting around the bar in the Capitol Hill Club in the basement of the Republican Headquarters in Washington tore into Trump (on immigration)…
Read MoreTrump Up
How is this possible? How can this poll be right? How can Donald Trump be leading the Republican presidential race in North Carolina with 16 percent of the vote? Why isn’t his lead much bigger? How can Republicans not support the self-described “most successful person ever to run for President”? A “really rich man.” A…
Read MorePlaying with Fire
Like him or not, Phil Berger’s about the most powerful politician around; last year, just so no one got confused about who rules the roost in Raleigh, he and the Senate Bull Mooses put the kibosh on the Governor’s pet ‘puppy mills’ bill and, this year, they’re creatively discovering ways to expand their power no…
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