At breakfast, a friend who has worked with the legislature for many years wondered if there is any hope for bipartisanship.

“There are so many leadership-development groups in North Carolina,” he said. “Could they all come together and develop a new cohort of leaders and legislators who can work across party lines?”

Given how toxic, tribal and partisan politics is today, I was dubious.

Another friend at the table was more hopeful. She noted that Margaret Spellings, former UNC System President and U.S. Secretary of Education, was appointed this week as CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington.

Its mission is “to help policymakers work across party lines to craft bipartisan solutions.”

I conceded that President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy last week crafted a debt-ceiling compromise that passed Congress with bipartisan support.

But can Democrats in North Carolina really find common ground with Republicans who ban abortions; gut public schools; demonize and demoralize teachers; subsidize discriminatory private schools; protect AR-15s; bully LGBTQ+ people; interfere with all levels of government; impose their political and religious views on what is taught in schools and universities; pander to the rich and punish the poor; ruthlessly gerrymander districts; turn the Supreme Court into the Supine Court and – now, once again – trample on voting rights?

I’m with a Democrat who said, “We are learning that Republicans are not colleagues with whom we can collaborate. They are enemies we must defeat.”

Spellings appointment: https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000188-8adf-d649-abfa-abff5c3d0000