Issues
The Senate Race – 5
You have to give Kay Hagan credit: A year ago the Swing Voters were ready to roll down the track and vote her out of office – and for a year Hagan kept those voters out of Thom Tillis’ camp. The one big change in the Senate race – Tillis’ rising unpopularity with Independents…
Read MoreIn Praise of Pat
Stop the presses. I have something nice to say about Governor McCrory. Unlike his Republican colleagues Thom Tillis, Phil Berger and Dan Forrest, McCrory said he will respect and obey the court decision on gay marriage, even if he doesn’t like it. Good for him. But why? I asked a couple of…
Read MoreOdd and Odder
If you think about it DENR’s proposal was pretty odd. Last winter, when tons of water from a coal ash pond poured into the Dan River, there was consternation and gnashing of teeth. The U.S. Attorney started investigating. The Governor ordered every coal ash pond cleaned up. The legislature said Amen. Then, with…
Read MoreOctober Surprises
First ISIS. Then Ebola. Now men marring men and women marrying women. What’s next? “Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria!”? More to the point, will video and big Page One pictures of newlywed men kissing each other sway this election? Consider three things here. First, yes, Amendment One passed…
Read MoreStates’ Rights Redux
Some North Carolina politicians sound today just like their predecessors in the 1950s, railing against the Supreme Court and rallying behind “state’s rights.” Then it was racial discrimination. Today it’s same-sex marriage. Then – as today – the politicians were on the wrong side of history. They say the state’s ban on gay…
Read MoreMcCrory’s Road Map
Give Governor McCrory credit for proposing something big and bold, a $1 billion transportation bond issue. It sounds like a stimulus program, but that would be the kiss of death in the Republican legislature. He may find himself needing some Democratic allies. He and Secretary Tata will have to answer a lot of questions:…
Read MorePopular but Ineffective
The other day our top General went over to the Senate and said turning the Iraqi army into a real fighting force may not be possible ;–then he said no one knows who the ‘moderate’ Syrian Rebels will attack once they’re armed – they might attack ISIS or might attack Bashar Assad and, regardless of…
Read MoreClose Combat Advisors
Two things happened the other day: One nasty. The other confounding. First ISIS posted a video on the Internet telling President Obama (in no uncertain terms) to watch out – it is going to target every American soldier he sends to Iraq. Second, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, our top General, added…
Read MoreA Nosedive
The way the President figures it the Iraqi army’s going to supply the ‘boots on the ground’ to whip ISIS but the other day, up in Congress, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs said half the Iraqi army isn’t fit to fight and the other half will have to be rebuilt “with U.S. training and…
Read MoreFUBAR
This came as a surprise: Iraq’s new Prime Minister does not want American troops in Iraq. They’re not welcome. And, he says, not needed. It’s tempting, since Prime Minister al-Abadi figures he can whip ISIS on his own, to just say, Yes, sir. We’re out of here. But, on the other hand, we landed…
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