Issues
The Gift Horse
Sometimes when you expect it least your worst enemy hands you a gift. That just happened to Donald Trump. Trump’s adroit. In the blink of an eye his days of tweeting ‘no meddling’ and ‘no collusion’ vanished. Suddenly, Trump was singing a new song on Twitter: Obama knew about the Russian meddling – but did…
Read MoreCommon Sense in Government
For years Johnston County’s school superintendent accepted fringe benefits as a compliment to his salary then, just before he retired, he turned $94,000 in ‘fringe benefits’ into salary to increase his pension to $143,000. The State Treasurer then told Johnston County, We’re not going to pay that. That’s pension spiking. Johnston County didn’t say, Whoops.…
Read MoreThe Queens Boy Syndrome
Chuck Schumer couldn’t believe his luck – when Trump said he was willing to testify, as fast as Schumer could he said, Come on over to the Senate and we’ll swear you in. A born showman, Donald Trump craves attention. But that need lands him in messes. Once he boasted he drew bigger crowds than…
Read MoreTeacher pay politics
“If teachers were motivated by money, they wouldn’t be teachers.” – A motivated teacher Republican legislators brag about their pay raises for teachers. Governor Cooper says teachers deserve more. But what do teachers want? It’s more than more pay. If you talk with concerned, motivated teachers, they care more about: too much testing arbitrary standards…
Read MoreCreating a Myth
One can’t help feeling Ned Barnett down at the News and Observer was a little relieved when he read the Duke professor’s report. ‘Only 1 in 4 of Trump’s voters were working class people,’ Ned wrote quoting the professor. ‘The claim that working class voters elected Trump is a myth.’ Unfortunately, there was a bit…
Read MoreContradictions
A frustrated Donald Trump called Jim Comey a no-good liar but, in the next breath said Comey’s testimony proved he hadn’t colluded with the Russians. The words of a liar proved he was innocent, Trump said. Next Trump’s lawyer said he was filing a legal complaint against Comey for leaking ‘privileged information.’ But Trump, himself,…
Read MoreBig Time College Sports
When an outspoken critic of UNC’s ‘athletic scandal’ decided he’d teach a course called ‘Big Time College Sports’ it was bound to rub some people the wrong way. Jay Smith, a professor of French and European History, wrote Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham about his new class and asked if he could bring his students over…
Read MoreWaiting to Know
Each looked into a camera and each said the other was a liar. Comey said Trump, sitting in the Oval Office, asked everyone to leave the room but him then, when the door closed behind the Attorney General, turned to face him and said, I hope you’ll let go of the investigation of Mike Flynn.…
Read MoreGeorgia 6: The Debate
Karen Handel stood in front of the cameras looking grumpy and, beside her, Jon Ossoff looked pleasant but far too young to be on that stage. He said, You’ve got Super PACs. You’re a politician. She said, You’ve got Super PACs too. You’re Nancy Pelosi’s pawn. He said, I’m Independent. She said, How can you…
Read MoreSvengali or Bumbler?
Was Michael Flynn Svengali? Donald Trump’s back door conduit to the Russians? To get them to help him defeat Hillary? And if Flynn was Svengali does he now know – as David Axelrod has hinted – Trump’s worst secret? Is he whispering to Trump, Protect me or I’ll tell all? Does that explain Trump’s stubborn…
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