fall is the singer Sting: “Every step you take, every move you make,

I’ll be watching you.”

How can the speaker possibly govern effectively while campaigning for

US Senate and knowing that the Hagan campaign hovers over him like a

drone, waiting to fire a missile at every decision?

This mess creates a climate for two things. One is the possibility for

a screwup when somebody trades campaign favors for legislative

attention.  That’s bad, and means jail time for somebody.

The other possibility is actually worse for all of us. It is the great

likelihood that the House does nothing meaningful. Just when the state

needs creative and bold policy action, a smart politico like Tillis

will be so cautious that nothing much will happen this summer on his

watch.