Mark Walker’s truth
If it weren’t for Mitch McConnell, Mark Walker would be having the worst week in Washington. McConnell’s week has been rough because of events caused by forces bigger than him like the failure of another repeal-and-replace bill and the loss of his chosen candidate in...
Budget-busting tax cuts for the rich
Republicans in Washington are about to undertake tax reform. As we in North Carolina know, that means a massive tax cut for the rich and massive budget cuts for programs that help the rest of us. The GOP will, of course, call it a middle-class tax cut, but that will...
McConnell’s very bad week
Yesterday, Mitch McConnell had the worst week in Washington and it’s only Wednesday. First, Graham-Cassidy, the latest bill to repeal Obamacare, died when Maine Senator Susan Collins announce she wouldn’t support it. Then, Tennessee Senator Bob Corker announced he...
Like 1968
The division in this country right now seems similar to the division that led to the election of Richard Nixon in 1968. Back then, we faced a backlash from social progress and social legislation that inflamed passions of both the right and left. Today, instead of...
Monumental cynicism
Yesterday, the Republicans leaders of the legislature told the State Historical Commission to deny Governor Roy Cooper’s request to move Confederate monuments from the grounds of the state Capitol to the Bentonville Battlefield. Their request makes two things clear:...
McHenry: End Social Security and Medicare
Republican Congressman Patrick McHenry said out loud what most Republican only say in private. He wants to end Social Security and Medicare. He told Charlotte Observer political reporter Jim Morrill, “I would rather have complete control of the social safety net given...
The GOP road to Medicare for All
Republicans are again trying to repeal Obamacare. This time, they don’t know how much the effort will cost or what the impact will be. We only know that a lot of people will lose insurance coverage and that premiums will almost certainly rise for those who keep it....
The original Fake News
A few years after the invasion of Iraq, I was talking to an acquaintance outside a bar in Chapel Hill. We had engaged in brief conversations over the years, but never discussed politics. When the subject turned to how poorly the war was going, I said we should never...
One size doesn’t fit all
There’s a narrative that runs through conservative social media that claims Democrats don’t understand how to win elections anymore. While it might be overstated, it has serious merit. Democrats understand policy but don’t understand much of the electorate. They latch...
Trump’s pivot to the middle–or wherever
Donald Trump is having the best few weeks of his presidency. Given his demeanor, it probably won’t last but he’s getting good news and good press. As president, he’ll get credit for some economic news that should go to Obama, but he’s also going to get credit for...
