North Carolina – Democrats
The State Senate Whacks Governor Easley
After weeks of lobbing grenades – on video poker, eye exams and the teapot museum – at their fellow Democrats in the House the state Senate just lobbed one at Governor Easley. For years, going back to the days of Governor Hunt, the governor has been chairman of the N.C. Progress Board which reports to…
Read MoreHockey and Gifts to Legislators
The State House passed a ‘Reform’ bill to clean up government by limiting lobbyists’ gifts to legislators. How much good has it done? The newspapers report spotting five legislators attending the Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup finals. According to the News and Observer (6-10-06) Democrat Representative Jim Harrell – who voluntarily signed a list to put…
Read MoreThe Most Interesting Thing in State Politics…
…is the way the Senate Democrats are hammering House Speaker Jim Black. Marc Basnight, the Senate leader, is one of the all-time North Carolina political powerhouses, wheeler-dealers. He is also interesting. Because he has the ability to surprise. Basnight’s surprise this year is all the punches the Senate is throwing at House Speaker Black. First,…
Read MoreJim Black Attacks Art Pope
Art Pope must be tickled to death. Last month he lead a campaign to defeat five Republican legislators – saying they were really pawns of Democratic House Speaker Jim Black – because three years ago they voted for a coalition that elected Republican Richard Morgan and Democrat Black Co-Speakers of the House. Of course, the…
Read MoreIndictments Galore
The indictment of Kevin Geddings in the lottery scandal has opened a unique window on Democratic politics in North Carolina. There are probably only two dozen Democratic consultants and strategists in North Carolina. They live in a small world. They are friends, acquaintances and rivals. A year ago, many of them were swept up in…
Read MoreOutfoxing the Tax-and-Spend Dog
Last week on this blog, Carter did that voodoo he does so well: attack tax-and-spend Democrats. His target was Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker Here was the money punch: “From 1992 to 2001, under Republican mayors, Raleigh never raised property taxes. Now, under Mayor Meeker we are staring at the second tax increase in three years.…
Read MoreOutfoxing the Tax-and-Spend Dog
Last week on this blog, Carter did that voodoo he does so well: attack tax-and-spend Democrats. His target was Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker Here was the money punch: “From 1992 to 2001, under Republican mayors, Raleigh never raised property taxes. Now, under Mayor Meeker we are staring at the second tax increase in three years.…
Read MoreEye Exams and Video Poker
You have to give Jim Black credit he doesn’t scare easy or at all. Earlier this year, Speaker Black, his optometrist allies and his video poker supporters testified at State Board of Elections hearings investigating allegations of corruption growing out of the ‘pay to play’ scandals. There were revelations of blank checks (without the recipients…
Read MoreQuote of the Day
This is from Charles Sanders, chairman of the North Carolina Lottery Commission – and one of the most honest and capable people in North Carolina. He was talking about indicted former commissioner Kevin Geddings, but could have been talking about a lot of people in politics today: “I don’t understand how people like that get…
Read MoreEthics In Its Mildest Form
Members of the North Carolina House of Representatives – both Democrats and Republicans – showed this week that they just don’t get it. They have no idea how little confidence the public has in them now. The representatives passed a new ethics law, but did everything they could to protect themselves against any real change…
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