North Carolina – Republicans

Attention must be paid when the Republican legislator who wants to roll back ethics laws questions Speaker Tillis’ ethics.   It could just be sour grapes. But someone needs to pursue Rep. Robert Brawley’s written statement about Tillis “slamming my office door shut, standing in front of me and stating that you have a business…

A TAPster and long-time legislative lobbyist notes that, in politics, you must sometimes rise above principle:   “A pair of current debates in the General Assembly – when studied together – demonstrate that lofty political principles and high-minded ideals are quickly abandoned when they conflict with the reality of local politics.   “Tesla, the maker…

Americans have a fine tradition of demonstrating, protesting, sitting-in and getting arrested when their government does something they don’t like. And we always have a great debate about whether the tactics help or hurt.   Do they? Look at what we’ve seen over the years: suffragettes, civil rights, anti-Vietnam, gay rights. And the Tea Party,…

The N&O headline said “Tax plan creates more losers than winners,” but the only real winners and losers from the Senate tax proposal will be Phil Berger and Thom Tillis.   As a wise Raleigh vet observed over breakfast, the plan won’t pass. Too many special interests gored, too many lobbyists working and too much…