Down the river we go
Published May 12, 2016
by Gary Pearce, Talking About Politics, May 10, 2016.
When Carter and I speak to groups, we often compare politicians to ants on a log floating down a river. The ant thinks: “I’ve got this log going good!”
But the river is running things.
So it is this election.
A year ago, everybody thought it would Jeb Bush vs. Hillary. In North Carolina, we thought Pat McCrory and Roy Cooper would be battling over the “Carolina Comeback” and education funding.
Instead, we get Donald Trump and HB2. Potty mouth and a potty law.
And nobody knows where this river is taking us.
Consider two views I heard within just a few hours yesterday.
A Democrat called, worried about the U.S. Justice Department suing North Carolina over discrimination:
“We had this thing going good. It was business fighting with McCrory and the legislature. Now it’s North Carolina against Obama, Washington and the federal government. That worries me.”
Sure enough, the front page this morning was McCrory (white) versus Loretta Lynch (black).
Then a Republican TAPster emailed:
“Gary, you and I don’t see eye to eye on much, but Ole Pat has gone off the deep end on this one. Instead of focusing on the ‘Carolina Comeback’ and bringing jobs to NC, he’s waded off into the quicksand of social issues. And this one is a loser and a ‘no way out.’ Now they’re standing on principle and the entire state is suffering for it. And for what? Why did he go there? It makes me wonder who is advising him? He could have taken the high road and stayed above the fray and let the mean-spirited General Assembly be the bad guys. But no, he jumped right in with them. Problem he’s got on his hands now, is he has to run statewide in a 50/50 state and there are a lot of people, middle of the road people that could go either way , and they wonder, why? Why are you doing this Pat? We always assumed he was a middle of the road conservative, pro-business Republican. This kind of extreme action and thinking is exactly what is propelling Trump. People are sick and tired of extreme positions, from both sides. I think Pat has gotten himself in a heap of trouble. It may very well cost him the election.”
If you’re not confused enough, now try to figure in the impact of Donald Trump on down-ballot elections. Will he revitalize Republican chances, or sell them down the river?
Only the river knows.
May 12, 2016 at 7:18 pm
Norm Kelly says:
Standing on principle. Sounds like a good thing. Unless you are a lib. Then it's foreign to you. Something you know nothing about. So you end up wondering why someone else even cares about principle.
Why did HE go there? The mayor of Charlotte is a HE? Funny. I thought the mayor who created this debacle was a SHE! You need to remember the truth and facts of this issue. Something you will NOT find in local editorial or 'news' stories. Something you will not find from ANY lib. Something you will not find from activists. And definitely NOT something you will find from central planners! HE didn't do there, the FEMALE mayor of Charlotte CHOSE to go there. The mayor of Charlotte decided that a non-issue was an issue for HER. The mayor of Charlotte decided to over-step her authority, granted by the state, and create an issue that lib voters could rally around. The mayor of Charlotte decided that the Raleigh Noise & Disturber needed several months worth of front page stories to mislead readers, to provide misinformation about, to point the finger of blame at the wrong party. Also, something else for the buffet slayer to rally the troops around.
Who is advising Pat? Someone with integrity. Someone with common sense. Someone with values. Someone who is willing to fight FOR the citizens of North Carolina. Someone who understands that this is NOT an issue. Someone who understands that protecting citizens, even women and children, is something that our government is SUPPOSED to do. Something our government is NOT supposed to do is create a new protected class of people. Especially a class of people that DO NOT need protecting.
Will a majority of voters understand the truth about Charlotte and the proper response by our legislators who passed HB2? Yes, provided they are careful about what is allowed into their minds - like avoiding rags like the N&D, like avoiding lib writers and their constant whine cuz their allies are no longer in power, like ignoring central planners who don't understand the difference between sex and gender.
What's right with Charlotte's ordinance? Simple answer: nothing. Nuff said!
