No way to govern
Republicans in the legislature just can’t help themselves. They overreach at almost every opportunity and eventually pay a price. They’ve done it with voting bills, redistricting, House Bill 2 and now in the special session as they try to amass power at the expense of...
The politics of power grabs
After the sweep of yesterday’s special legislative session to weaken Governor-elect Roy Cooper’s hand, everybody needs to take a breath. Certainly, the GOP is doing a lot bad stuff from the perspective of Democrats. Some of it is also bad for our democracy and state,...
Spreading rumors or sounding alarms?
Yesterday, the Republican Party released a statement ridiculing the press for covering speculation that the legislature might pack the Supreme Court by adding two new seats during the special session that opened yesterday. NCGOP Executive Director Dallas Woodhouse...
They’re baaaaack
Little unnerves North Carolina Democrats more than the General Assembly coming back for a special session. Last time it happened, we got HB2. The Republicans went into session to fix a local Charlotte ordinance and came out with sweeping bill that undermined the...
The Obama treatment
The election of Donald Trump has thrust the United States into crisis before he even takes office. Not only did we elect a president who is clearly a habitual liar and looking to profit from his office, but he’s attacking our intelligence agencies and defending a...
More work to do
Progressives in North Carolina are spending a little too much time patting themselves on the back. Sure, they took back the governor’s office and held onto the attorney general's office, but they lost the Commissioner of Insurance, State Treasurer, Superintendent of...
No, Democrats didn’t pack the court in 2000
Republicans in North Carolina like to justify their excesses by saying “Democrats did it, too.” Not only is that a lame excuse, but it’s usually false. For instance, Republicans claim Democrats gerrymandered before they did. That may be true, but Republicans took it...
An open letter to America from North Carolina
Dear America, North Carolina here. You’re in for a rough ride for the next few years. We should know. Just a few years ago, we were the moderately progressive state known for great beaches, mountain vistas, a world-class university system, and a welcoming environment....
Losing trust
The most disturbing and damaging aspect of the modern Republican Party is its intentional destruction of the public trust for political gain. We saw it here in Pat McCrory’s false accusations of voter fraud and voter irregularities prior to his concession yesterday....
That time a judge drew legislative districts
The Republicans screaming about judicial overreach in the current redistricting case sound remarkably like Democrats from fifteen years ago. Back then, the court didn’t just order the legislature to draw new maps; a judge actually drew new districts for them. It could...
