North Carolina – Republicans
More Stormy Weatherly
I got a nice email from Keith Weatherly thanking me for posting his response to my blog. So I almost feel guilty extending this matter. But I heard from three different TAPsters in response to Keith’s response. And, you understand, my day goes much more easily when I let other people do the work.…
Read MoreMore on Concealed Handguns…
After passing new laws making it legal to carry concealed handguns in bars and restaurants and holding a ‘how to get a concealed handgun permit class’ at the State Legislature it would seem by now House Speaker Thom Tillis and company would have passed enough new gun laws to rest for awhile – but not…
Read MoreThe Great GOP Budget Gamble(s)
In Raleigh and Washington, Republican lawmakers are moving forward confident in the belief that – this time – the American people are really, really ready to really, really cut spending. They better hope so. Historically, we elect politicians who promise to cut taxes and cut spending. Then we revolt when we see the…
Read MoreKeith Weatherly Responds
I received this email from Keith Weatherly re my blog on “The Tillis Retirement Home”: “You need better informed TAPsters. I work for Majority Leader Stam – not the Speaker. Past 2 years I worked for Minority Leader Stam. I had floor privileges as staff for minority (as does current Minority Leader’s staff). Majority Leader’s…
Read MoreWhat’s Running NC Politics…
Cynics laugh and say no good deed ever goes unpunished and I’m beginning to think they have a point: Last year for the first time since Reconstruction voters elected a Republican legislature, which looked like a near fatal political blow to Governor Perdue but now, instead, it looks like voters may have thrown the Governor…
Read MoreThe Tillis Retirement Home
Here’s an interesting tip from a TAPster: “Has anybody noticed that the cozy corner office of the NC Speaker of the House has become a retirement home for wayward ex-legislators? At last count, the Speaker has three of the lost souls on his staff. Charles Thomas and Bill Daughtridge were recently joined by Bruce…
Read MoreThe Elephant in the Corner
Decades ago I attended a meeting on redistricting over at State Republican headquarters and a bright, sharp young man whipped out a stack of maps of Congressional Districts and happily announced he had figured out a way to create three minority districts in North Carolina. Then he whipped out more maps of State House…
Read MoreOut-organized?
State GOP Chair Robin Hayes says President Obama carried North Carolina in 2008 because of simple political mechanics. He told McClatchey reporters: “The president and his group did a much better job of organizing through the Internet, through social networking, through every possible means to identify and get their folks to the polls. They…
Read MoreAn Odd Confluence of Events
Duke Energy plans to build a new nuclear plant and to pay for it it’s sponsored a bill in the legislature to raise electric rates, which it says is reasonable because nuclear power plants are good things and a public benefit so why should it have to borrow money on Wall Street for its plant?…
Read MoreA Stunning Turn of Events
A Civitas Institute critic of Smart Start has twisted himself into an interesting position. In an N&O op-ed, Andrew Henson acknowledges that “early child care investment has proven to have an effect on children’s lives and should be a key priority for the legislature.” He then proceeds to argue that Smart Start, which…
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