North Carolina – Republicans

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…

This week’s headlines tell a tale of the priorities and problems of North Carolina’s top three Republicans.   Governor McCrory, like all new governors, is focused on getting his cronies into state jobs and frustrated that he can’t fire current state employees fast enough. (A TAPster noted that McCrory’s off-with-their-heads story came out on State…

A TAPster notes that the House’s gun bill allows concealed weapons at sporting events, adding: “I wouldn’t want to be a ref.”   Anyone who has been at a game and witnessed the raw anger that can erupt gets the point.   How would you like to be the ref who makes an unpopular call…

Governor McCrory went to Texas to push for off-shore drilling, but where does he stand on deep-sixing renewable energy?   His old boss at Duke Energy opposes the bill. So do some legislative Republicans. But McCrory, the jobs and energy governor, is silent.   Does he agree with the argument made by Republican Rep. Mike…

Raleigh Republicans’ once-united front is fraying. There was Rep. Larry Pittman’s non-apology apology to Speaker Tillis (“I’m not sorry I said it; I’m sorry I got caught.”) One wit noted that it read like a hostage letter. Was he waterboarded?   Then there’s renewable energy. Some Republicans chafed at the pressure behind the bill to…

Is this what Governor McCrory means by government serving its customers? It’s certainly as blatant a statement of pay-to-play as has ever been made.   Sweepstakes operator William George of Rock Hill, S.C., who gave $4,000 to McCrory’s campaign, told AP: “We didn’t give them money because we liked them. We just knew they were…