General
Bad Move, Bad Excuse
This is why Governor Perdue has problems. She is one of six Democratic governors who didn’t sign a letter supporting health-care reform. That makes Democrats mad. But her spokesperson says Perdue agrees with the points made in the letter: “She did not sign it, but wants to make it clear that…
Read MoreThe Beltline Divide
Inside the Beltline may be the place to live. But it wasn’t the place to be in Tuesday’s elections. One new school board member summed it up after Charles Meeker, Jim Goodmon and other prominent people spoke out for the diversity policy: “Do you know who cares about those people? People inside the…
Read MoreFlimsy Perdue
Here’s one reason Bev Perdue has collapsed in the polls: Today’s headline in the News and Observer reads – Perdue Too Busy on Trip to Back Health Reform. The Governor told the press she was too busy on a trip to New York to join other Democratic Governors in signing a letter to support…
Read MoreThe Politics of Resentment
Sometimes I hate to be right. Like on the Wake County school board races. But you could see it coming. Even supporters say the present board has been arrogant and high-handed. Exhibit A: One diversity supporter explained the election by saying, “It’s the result of people not knowing what the issues are.”…
Read MoreEthics or Taxes
Tom Campbell at NC Spin has an interesting alternative to my Perdue Comeback Plan. I suggested she gamble on tax reform. Tom suggests ethics reform. He’s right. She should. But I doubt that gets her far enough. Cynical voters will never believe the stable has been cleaned up. For good reason. Pass a…
Read MoreRepublican Reason
News flash: There are sane Republicans! Tommy Thompson, Bill Frist and Michael Bloomberg (sort of a Republican) all say they like the health-care bill emerging in the Senate. Of course, none of them can vote there. If they did, the GOP Jacobins would take their heads off. Why is Can Obama…
Read MoreWho’s Corrupt
An alert reader spotted this “Income Opportunities Available” banner on the WakeUp America TV ads about “corrupt Democrats.” The reader followed the link to: http://www.wakeupamerica.com/income-opportunities. There he read: If you are interested in becoming a Team Leader, and building a team of commission fundraisers to help air Wake Up America TV…
Read MoreElection Outlier?
In 1993, Tom Fetzer’s election as mayor of Raleigh proved to be a portent of a national Republican tide the next year. Tomorrow’s Wake school board races could be the same for 2010. I haven’t seen any polling. But I have a bad feeling that the bad guys – the anti-diversity crowd – will win.…
Read MoreRadical Socialists?
I got worried when I saw the “corrupt Democrats” ad sponsored by the North Carolina conservative group Wake Up America. But I felt better once the ad ended. The ad’s beginning goes right at a real Democratic vulnerability in North Carolina: the combination of corruption and higher taxes. “Are state Democrats the most…
Read MoreThe Raleigh City Election
First time candidate for City Council Champ Claris has spoken the tabooed words ‘Don’t build it downtown.’ Since Charles Meeker was elected Mayor (which seems like it was not long after General Sherman marched through Raleigh) Meeker’s been trying to turn downtown into the southern equivalent of the ‘Great White Way.’ It’s a mystery…
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