Hanging Chads
Let’s play a game. Pretend you’re a conservative, bigoted, Southern legislator looking to balance the budget on the backs of the poor. Your options are a) institute a new tax, b) cut pork out of the budget, or c) require recipients of TANIF to submit to drug tests, on the assumption you could weed-out thousands …
Stubborn Facts
As Mark Twain was quoted as saying, “Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” So too have rumor of the death of the Affordable Care Act, or the ACA. For those unaware (and don’t feel bad.. there are lots of people who have no idea) what the ACA is and does, it is the …
Maths of War
When a President proposes a sweeping, highly progressive new tax plan to a deeply divided conservative Congress smack in the middle of a presidential campaign season, it is pretty clear that he doesn’t actually think he can get it passed. It is a converstaion starter. Or an opening shot for further negotiations. Or, more directly, …
Seasonal Adjustment
Drama! Intrigue! Politics! No, we’re not talking about the newest blockbuster movie, but rather this week in North Carolina. While we are still a few days away from the official start of Fall, we feel comfortable paraphrasing Shakespeare and saying, “Now is the Autum of our discontent.” And while King Richard was speaking about the …
In the Heat of the Night
I have previously written about the possibility of NC succumbing to southern peer pressure on same-sex marriage. Well, the process is off to a good start for supporters of the constitutional amendment. In a move that will surely upset opponents, about 5 hours after the bill was introduced, it had passed the House by a vote of 75-42. …
Double Encore
As if the previous two were not enough, the NCGA is returning to town next Monday to take another curtain call. Yes… it’s not over yet. The primary political reason for the session is to attempt to get a number of constitutional amendments on upcoming ballots for approval by voters. However, the GA also has …