Moral and Political Failure

The casinos-for-Medicaid deal collapsed in the state legislature partly because it was an epic political miscalculation. It was also profoundly cynical and morally wrong. The Republican leaders, Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger and Speaker Tim Moore, did the impossible: They united Trump Republicans and almost all Democrats against the deal. Democrats were outraged by…

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Cooper’s fight echoes Terry Sanford’s

Governor Roy Cooper has picked the same fight over North Carolina’s future that Terry Sanford picked more than 60 years ago. The issue is the same. Then, powerful people in Raleigh wanted the legislature to pass corporate tax cuts. Sanford said that was wrong. He said North Carolina needed to invest in education. This year,…

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They Hate Teachers Too

Last week, I blogged that a lot of Republican politicians “hate public schools.” A reader agreed, but asked: “Why?” Well, it’s not just public schools. They hate teachers too. Before, during and after the teacher rally last week, the politicians and their John Locke-Civitas amen chorus hammered away at what Senator Phil Berger called “the…

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High Court, Low Politics

It’s one of the great all-time political ironies. Years of Republican legislators’ efforts to pick and pack North Carolina’s judiciary have led to a (wait for it) 6-1 Democratic majority and one of the most progressive Supreme Courts in our history. No wonder Senate Boss Phil Berger was in such a lather about the courts…

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And the Oscar goes to…

If the State of the State was the Oscars, Governor Cooper won Best Performance, Democratic women legislators won Best Costume and Phil Berger was hands-down Best Villain. Once derided as dry and wooden, Cooper has transformed himself into an animated, engaging speaker. He’s got a bit of Andy Griffith in him. Berger was more like…

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2 Tyrants, 1 Leader

Trump saw the FBI on his trail. So he fired Comey. Senate Boss Berger was enraged that Democrats had the gall to propose amendments to his budget. So at 3 am he rammed through an amendment taking money away from schools in Democratic districts. Those were the actions of tyrants. There’s another way. Governor Cooper…

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HB2 courage

Governor Cooper and Democratic legislators showed something last week that is so rare in America today we hardly know it when we see it. Political courage. Political courage is when you do what you believe is right. Even if it disappoints your strongest supporters. Even if it could cost you an election. Name another politician…

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Roy vs Phil

Phil Berger can take away Roy Cooper’s powers. But he can’t take away his microphone. And he can’t match the Governor on TV. Democrats will happily take the contrast every day through the 2018 and 2020 elections. Last night, the Governor was smiling, positive and optimistic. The unshaven Senate boss was dark, negative and partisan.…

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The HB2 “trust” canard

This is a case of false equivalence. Republicans say it and reporters buy it, but Democrats should reject it. The canard – a big lie, really – is that the failed HB2 repeal has led to a regrettable lack of trust between Democrats and Republicans in Raleigh. And, by extension, that both sides are equally…

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Coop’s Coup

Last week Republican legislators stripped Governor-elect Roy Cooper of power. This week Cooper showed he still has the power to beat them. Cooper’s strategy was simple and elegant: If the Republicans repealed HB2, he won. If they didn’t, he won bigger. They didn’t. He won. Big time. The Republicans had said – over and over…

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