North Carolina – Republicans
We Don’t Hear You, Raleigh
It’s a rite of summer. The House, the Senate and the Governor can’t agree on a budget. They tell themselves that millions of North Carolinians are in suspense, following the latest twist in the budget deliberations like they’re binge-watching Netflix. This year, Governor McCrory and Speaker Tillis decide a bold stroke is needed to…
Read MoreTwo Sides to Every Coin
When the ‘anti-frackers’ launched their million dollar ad campaign to defeat Chad Barefoot and three other Republican State Senators the Senate Republican Caucus returned fire, calling on Barefoot’s opponent to denounce the flood of “special interest money” pouring into the district then added, “Who knows what Sarah Crawford (Barefoot’s opponent) has promised these people.” …
Read MoreSoul Mates Fall Out
For years they’ve been the best of buddies. Soul mates. Like peas and carrots. But, now, they’ve had a falling out…followed by blows being struck. Reaching into the treasury in Washington and pulling out a wad of other people’s money to give to your friends is as old an American tradition as apple pie. …
Read MoreCrocodile Tears?
Each year hospitals pay the state $135 million which, through some mysterious alchemy, morphs into the federal government paying the state a second $135 million (to care for Medicaid patients). Trying to decipher the magic a newspaper described a circular flow of money that seems to work like this: 1) The hospitals pay the state…
Read MoreA McCrory Comeback?
The prevailing Democratic view of Governor McCrory is summed up by this bumper sticker a friend saw: My child is an honor student. My Governor is a moron. But Governor McCrory has a chance to mount his own “Carolina Comeback” in the next few weeks. He could stand up to the legislature…
Read MoreIt Wasn’t 12,000 People…
The Old Bull Mooses in the State Senate had seen enough so they went on a rampage to repair Medicaid and, before they were done, they’d gored hospitals, doctors, the Governor and just about everyone in sight except the people who’d written the budget that made them mad in the first place. Surveying the…
Read MoreHouse of Cards?
It turns out there’s a three member state commission (named the ‘Board of Review’) – where each Board member is paid $120,000 – for working part-time. Of course, three appointments of that magnitude had to be a temptation to any keen-eyed politician – so, as might be expected, a month ago a committee of…
Read MoreStirred up into a Fever
Kay Hagan didn’t put it quite this bluntly but, basically, what she said was Thom Tillis is a Neanderthal. Now, no one, except for State Senators, believes being called a relic of the Stone Age is a compliment so, understandably unhappy, Tillis blasted Hagan right back saying the environmental regulations she supports (to end…
Read MoreAn Earthshaking Shift…
In May as soon as the Notables and Honorables who serve in the State Senate arrived in Raleigh and settled into their seats, they glanced at Governor McCrory’s Budget, flipped it into the waste bin, and substituted their own budget. What happened to Medicaid’s an example. With their usual delicacy, the Old Bull’s in…
Read MoreHiring and Firing
Thirty years ago it sounded fine when Democrats set out to save North Carolina from the wickedness of a Republican Governor firing Democratic state employees – they were ridding state government of nasty old politics. But it didn’t turn out quite the way they expected because, when all was said and done, they’d…
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