North Carolina – Democrats – Page 115

Ups and Downs

By Carter Wrenn | March 14, 2011 |

UPS – The Governor’s up for somehow convincing House and Senate Republican leaders to attack her for juggling the state’s books to send out $300 million in tax refunds. The Republicans are up for raiding (or trying to raid because they failed) the Governor’s Golden Leaf pork-barrel fund to use the money to pay…

Political Point Scoring

By Carter Wrenn | March 11, 2011 |

Having a Republican legislature and a Democratic Governor fighting over how to best save North Carolina has sure made our politics more entertaining. The Republicans passed a bill to save us from Obama-care – which didn’t go down at all well with Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper who the Republican legislative leaders ordered to…

Veto Calculus

By Gary Pearce | March 11, 2011 |

Governor Perdue won her first veto fight. And Raleigh’s political chemistry is in flux. Despite their majorities, Republicans now face a Governor who looks stronger than she did a week ago. And then there is the swing power of a handful of conservative Democratic legislators. For Perdue’s part, she has to be careful…

Failing the School Test

By Gary Pearce | March 9, 2011 |

As Stephen Colbert would say, a tip of the hat to Democrats in the legislature who are fighting Republican bills that would hurt public schools: teacher layoffs, larger class sizes, less early education and private-school vouchers. But a wag of the finger to those same Democrats who would hurt public schools by eliminating state…

A Healthy Veto

By Gary Pearce | March 7, 2011 |

Legislative Republicans seem bound and determined to reelect Governor Perdue. By placating their base on Obamacare and giving her another easy veto, they enabled her to effortlessly shore up her base. That’s her most pressing political need right now. Soon, you’ll probably see her poll numbers rising. Which will help her start-up fundraising.…

Bev Gets a Break

By Carter Wrenn | March 3, 2011 |

Governor Perdue must be happy. She’s had a hard two years but she’s finally gotten a break. Two of them. Her stand to extend the ‘temporary’ sales tax increase (in order to lessen spending cuts) has turned out to be popular. Voters – 60% of them – agree with Perdue and disagree with…

One Term By Choice

By Gary Pearce | March 3, 2011 |

A long-time friend and supporter of Governor Perdue said something surprising the other day: She might decide not to run again. Like everybody else, I’ve assumed that Perdue – like Governors Hunt, Martin and Easley – would automatically seek reelection. Suppose she doesn’t. Suppose she looks at her situation this way: “I’ve…

The Worst Idea Since Reconstruction

By Carter Wrenn | March 2, 2011 |

Over the last three years Wall Street has taken it on the chin – what with bank bailouts and corporate subsidies and Stimulus Bills corporate America has become about as popular as, well, politicians. In fact, a recent Gallup poll showed that big business has almost caught up with Congress – in unpopularity. That…

Primary for Perdue?

By Gary Pearce | March 1, 2011 |

With her right hand, Governor Perdue has to deal with the Republican legislature and a Republican challenger next year. Now she may have to put her left hand to work. The buzz on the left – what Howard Dean memorably dubbed “the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party” – is that Senators Dan Blue…

Trial Lawyers

By Carter Wrenn | February 28, 2011 |

To my chagrin I haven’t written a syllable in weeks but at least the reason makes a curious story; – for a month I’ve been camped out with a tribe of trial lawyers, trying to explain the foibles of politicians in general and Republican politicians in particular. I’d like to say how I came…