North Carolina – Republicans
A Train Wreck
The other day down at the News and Observer John Dresher wrote about the most enticing opening to an article I’ve seen in awhile. He wrote: “For their first date, Pat and Tiffany walk to a neighborhood diner for dinner. Pat orders Raisin Bran. Tiffany, perhaps already giving up on Pat, orders tea. They proceed…
Read MoreTwo Views of the World
Gary is taking a break from blogging. Our guest blogger today is Nation Hahn. In recent weeks North Carolinians have heard two inaugural addresses. One, from Governor Pat McCrory spoke to “Unlimited Opportunity.” The other, from President Barack Obama, was a call for the “country’s reasonable majority” to act. For North Carolina Democrats,…
Read MoreMcCrory’s Mouthpiece
Gary is taking a break from blogging. Today’s pinch-hitter one of our Tapsters. The choice of a press secretary is a blip on the personnel radar of North Carolina’s new governor, but this choice provides insight into the kind of governor Pat McCrory may become. McCrory’s choice for media mouthpiece has plenty of…
Read MoreJim Hunt’s Pope
Gary’s taking a break from blogging. Pinch-hitting today is a TAPster with a long memory: Re your blog posting about Art Pope (“The Budget Pope”): A lot of people either aren’t old enough to remember, or simply don’t know, that another wealthy Raleigh businessman was indispensable to Jim Hunt in that role. John…
Read MoreRepublican Tax-Raisers
This headline is off-message: “NC Republicans want tax hikes on food, services” (WRAL). At a time when Washington Republicans are cementing reputations as anti-tax hardliners, how did Raleigh Republicans get plunged into this morass? The answer: a member of their caucus, Senator Bob Rucho, dragged them to the cliff. Question: Will Governor McCrory,…
Read MoreTax Gamble
North Carolina Republicans are stepping out on a political high-wire. Surely, most people love the idea of not paying personal or corporate income taxes. But then you start looking at the details. Every business would pay a receipts tax. Everybody would pay (and businesses bill and pay) a tax on services – medical…
Read MorePatience
Sometimes the hardest and smartest thing to do – in politics as in life – is just to watch and wait. Some patience now will pay off in the long run for North Carolina Democrats. Governor McCrory already stumbled by giving his new Cabinet big pay raises. Dick and Jane at home get…
Read MoreWhere’s the Party?
As Carter notes in his blog below, the boom in outside political groups is eclipsing the traditional parties. You can see three recent examples in Raleigh. The big event Inaugural weekend wasn’t the traditional Junior League Ball or a Republican Party event. It was the Foundation for North Carolina (“F”-NC) fundraiser. Last week,…
Read MoreGrumpy
The Democrats in Raleigh are grumpy because Speaker Thom Tillis has set up a new nonprofit to be the ‘Voice of House Republicans.’ Now, like ‘em or not, Super PACs, IE’s, and 527’s are the new political reality – Obama had ‘em, Romney had ‘em, and now Speaker Tillis has one. The more curious…
Read MoreGame Time
Raleigh was electric Saturday. The crowd was huge and enthusiastic. The stars outdid all their fans’ hopes. Not the inaugural. The State-Duke game. (Go Pack!) Governor McCrory’s early-season performance is like a basketball team that makes a brilliant play on one end, then commits a bonehead turnover. His speech and its “Main Street”…
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