Archive for June 2014
A McCrory Comeback?
The prevailing Democratic view of Governor McCrory is summed up by this bumper sticker a friend saw: My child is an honor student. My Governor is a moron. But Governor McCrory has a chance to mount his own “Carolina Comeback” in the next few weeks. He could stand up to the legislature…
Read MoreIt Wasn’t 12,000 People…
The Old Bull Mooses in the State Senate had seen enough so they went on a rampage to repair Medicaid and, before they were done, they’d gored hospitals, doctors, the Governor and just about everyone in sight except the people who’d written the budget that made them mad in the first place. Surveying the…
Read MoreHouse of Cards?
It turns out there’s a three member state commission (named the ‘Board of Review’) – where each Board member is paid $120,000 – for working part-time. Of course, three appointments of that magnitude had to be a temptation to any keen-eyed politician – so, as might be expected, a month ago a committee of…
Read MoreCantor’s Pollster Explains
Great glee erupted among Democrats over Eric Cantor’s defeat – and also over the embarrassment to his pollster, who had predicted a landslide Cantor win. Cantor’s pollster is John McLaughlin of New York, a Republican with whom I’ve worked on non-partisan projects. Full disclosure: I like John personally, and I greatly respect him professionally. …
Read MoreStirred up into a Fever
Kay Hagan didn’t put it quite this bluntly but, basically, what she said was Thom Tillis is a Neanderthal. Now, no one, except for State Senators, believes being called a relic of the Stone Age is a compliment so, understandably unhappy, Tillis blasted Hagan right back saying the environmental regulations she supports (to end…
Read MoreRob Goes Hollywood
The most startling news of the day came at the very end of Rob Christensen’s column: “Full disclosure. Last year, I signed a contract as co-producer with a major Hollywood producer for a movie that may be made in North Carolina….” Zounds! Stop the presses! This is a bombshell. And inquiring minds demand to…
Read MoreGerrymandering and Immigration and the GOP
Eric Cantor’s defeat, immigration reform, gerrymandering and Republican presidential hopes all got rolled up together last week in a classic demonstration of the Law of Unintended Consequences. Cantor’s opponent, David Brat (I love that name), attacked him for being soft on immigrants. That struck fear in the hearts of other Republicans in Congress. That…
Read MoreAn Earthshaking Shift…
In May as soon as the Notables and Honorables who serve in the State Senate arrived in Raleigh and settled into their seats, they glanced at Governor McCrory’s Budget, flipped it into the waste bin, and substituted their own budget. What happened to Medicaid’s an example. With their usual delicacy, the Old Bull’s in…
Read MoreHiring and Firing
Thirty years ago it sounded fine when Democrats set out to save North Carolina from the wickedness of a Republican Governor firing Democratic state employees – they were ridding state government of nasty old politics. But it didn’t turn out quite the way they expected because, when all was said and done, they’d…
Read MoreTales of Corruption
Republicans made great hay in 2010 and 2012 over then-ongoing investigations of Democratic politicians, like John Edwards, Mike Easley and appointees of Bev Perdue. Suddenly the shoe is on the other foot. Such are the perks of high office. Now there are two investigations of possible illegal activity, one involving the coal ash spill…
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