North Carolina – Republicans
Trading Punches
When Reverend William Barber steps up to a microphone wearing his vestments and clerical collar and lets fly with a haymaker calling Republicans immoral or characterizing Republican legislators as George Wallaces who want to turn back the clock to the days of Jim Crow – it’s just natural some Republican’s going to feel an itch…
Read MoreWhere Do You Stand, Pat?
Governor McCrory’s waffling on the abortion bill recalls the old mountaineer who listened to a slick politician give a long-winded, on-the-one-hand, on-the-other-hand answer to a tough issue. Finally, the mountaineer demanded: “Son, are you fer it or agin’ it?” McCrory shouldn’t kid himself that he can pass off the bill as protecting women’s health.…
Read MoreShooting the Reasonable Fellow
Colon Willoughby, the District Attorney, is catching it from all sides. Faced with the chore of prosecuting hundreds of ‘Moral Monday’ demonstrators, Willoughby suggested to the protestors they were wreaking more havoc on the Wake County Courts than on Republicans and politely suggested maybe they ought to reconsider the virtues of getting themselves arrested…
Read MoreHagan for Governor
A TAPster offers an intriguing strategy for Democrats: “Kay Hagan should run for governor. “She should forget the US Senate, where nothing ever happens and there’s little chance to help her fellow North Carolinians, and come home. She can beat Pat McCrory, especially if his leadership continues to be weak or he is…
Read MoreHolding Rides Again
Congressman George Holding richly deserves a second blog-whacking for this. He wrote a letter to the N&O criticizing President Obama for spending tax money to go to Africa. (Why didn’t he criticize the President’s trip to Europe?) Holding wrote: “We need to rein in government spending – and this trip shows a lack…
Read MoreShades of Texas
Since Republicans stuck abortion restrictions on a bill about Islamic law, why don’t they go ahead and make women wear veils, scarves and robes? Apparently they’re inspired by Texas Governor Rick Perry. Now watch North Carolina women get fired up like Wendy Davis. This will be a test for Governor McCrory. Will he…
Read MoreArt Pope the Moderate?
A Republican lobbyist wondered: “What has the world come to when Art Pope is a voice of restraint on cutting taxes and spending?” Art Pope? The Democrats’ favorite demon? The radical, anti-government archfiend? Has he become a big government liberal? Or is this just a sign of how far off the edge of the…
Read MoreUp, Down, or About the Same
The Republican powers-that-be in Raleigh – the House, Senate and Governor – locked horns last week in a three-way tug-of-war, each offering their own road to economic salvation. In a matter of hours the conflagration (over tax reform and whose loopholes to close or not close) spawned a welter of statistics and charts even…
Read MoreEnd Games
Having bullied their foes all session, legislative Republicans now have turned to bullying each other. And Governor McCrory did what he does best: he left town. As legislatures often do at the end of session, this one has deteriorated into disagreement, dissension and mutual disgust. Chief Senate Bully Tom Apodaca took all House…
Read MoreRestless Natives
Gary is taking a break from blogging. Our guest blogger filling in for Gary is a Tapster. The recent dustup about so-called ‘outside’ agitators spear-heading the Moral Monday protests has spotlighted a significant trend in North Carolina: the state actually is being run by outsiders. Each of the last two Gov’s were born in other states, and…
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