Conservatives have lost the big argument over healthcare
Nothing lays bare the ideological divide between conservatives and liberals like a healthcare debate. We are now in the third major debate in my lifetime. The first happened when Bill and Hillary Clinton failed to implement healthcare reform in 1993. The second...
Learn to compromise
After four years of controlling every branch of state government, Republicans in North Carolina are having a hard time understanding compromise and bipartisanship. They’ve passed legislation at will with very little successful resistance. That power led to overreach...
A tale of two speeches
In his state of the state address last night, Governor Roy Cooper laid out a hopeful vision for the state, mixing Democratic policy proposals for the base while offering conciliatory language aimed at building a working relationship with Republicans. He irked GOP...
Our deteriorating democracy
Republicans in North Carolina have already tried to rig the electoral system to maintain power through gerrymandering and voter suppression laws. Now, they’re trying to reduce the checks and balances in our government by reducing the power of the executive branch and...
Facebook fiasco
To watch Senate President Pro-Tem Phil Berger in an interview or on the senate floor, you would think he’s a thoughtful, measured, and serious man. He’s generally considered one of the three most powerful people in the state. To read his social media accounts, though,...
Who knew?
While most of the press, the progressive establishment and even some traditional conservatives have watched Trump in horror, his base has watched him with satisfaction. He’s building the wall, banning Muslims, and rounding up illegals, just like he said he would....
The leader of the NC GOP
Lt. Governor Dan Forest has gone down to Texas to promote the Lone Star State’s version of HB2. In the eyes of Forest and social conservatives across the nation, the law is a booming success. In their view, it may be costing North Carolina hundreds of millions of...
The Russian investigation, focus on the forest, not the trees
The Russian ties to the Trump administration are increasingly disturbing. The Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, seems to have been a Zelig-type character in the Trump campaign, popping up all over the place. Most recently, it turns out he was at the Republican...
HB2: Some options for compromise
It seems that most people in the General Assembly want to get rid of House Bill 2 despite accusations to the contrary from both sides. Sure, there are some social conservatives who would prefer to stand on principle while the reputation of the state goes down the...
Trump’s speech upended both parties last night
Donald Trump had the best night of his presidency so far. Though expectations were historically low, he looked presidential by staying on message and on subject. He didn’t insult his enemies with petty nicknames and he kept his bragging to policy accomplishments, not...
