Goodbye to an intensive, divisive and devastating year

There are some years when we are almost wistful seeing the calendar year flip, but 2024 isn’t one of them. Most of us are happy to bid adieu to a year that was intensive, divisive and, to a large number, devastating.

We hadn’t finished the New Year’s Eve champagne before facing the 2024 elections. We knew the national candidates and neither of them were the first choices for most. State elections vied for attention as our primary was staged for March 5^th in an attempt for North Carolina to have some voice in the determination of presidential candidates. It didn’t.

Most of us would prefer to forget the campaigns. State Republicans nominated a clown show of nominees for Governor and Superintendent of Public Instruction, ensuring that once again North Carolina would elect a Democrat for Governor and capture 5 of the 10 Council of State races. While Republicans still prevailed in the legislature Democrats were able to elect enough legislators to potentially sustain gubernatorial vetoes. There was no surprise that only 4 Democrats won congressional seats. The surprise would have been if Republicans had lost a fifth.

The elections were proceeding along as expected until President Biden had a miserable performance at the first debate on June 27^th and we witnessed a national political party crumble before our eyes. Trump just sat back, continued his tirade of outlandish statements and reveled in what he knew would be the outcome. Even so it was intense, divisive and one we hoped to soon get behind us, but some of the nasty campaign ads will be hard to forget.

What was surprising was that America was not the country many thought it to be. We discovered there is widespread angst pretty much across the board. People have lost trust in most all institutions and politicians. They were eager for a new approach. They got it. The coming months will reveal whether the change they got is the change they wanted.

The economy was one of two major issues in the election. Inflation, which resulted from the government flooding the nation with COVID relief funds, was an issue around which people coalesced. Suddenly there was major concern over the cost of a gallon of gas and a dozen eggs. And even though the nation was recovering, even greatly improving in many areas, voters weren’t willing to listen and voted accordingly.

North Carolina’s economy was extremely strong. We saw many a new company announce expansions and not just in major metropolitan areas. Unemployment was at levels not seen in decades, help wanted signs were omnipresent and consumers were spending. Our state economy was could be described as booming.

Our legislature, meeting in what is farsically named the “short session” continued their on-again, off-again schedule of meeting. They waged their campaign of taking away all power from the executive branch of government, while simultaneously continuing the dismantling of traditional public schools. Overturning Governor Cooper’s veto of $463 million in additional voucher funding, we now provide $825 million of vouchers to private schools a year. Meanwhile, public schools rank 48^th in the nation in per capita funding. And now appointments to important boards and commissions will be made by anyone not a Democrat.

September 24^th will be a day long remembered, as Hurricane Helene dumped record amounts of rain throughout our state, most prominently in the western third of North Carolina. The devastation was unlike anything since Hurricane Hazel struck in 1954. Houses fell off mountains, landslides washed out roads and structures. Floods ruined homes and buildings all over the region.

We witnessed the better angels among us, individuals and groups who responded to provide financial aid and labor to those impacted by Helene. They came back with incredible stories of loss and equally incredible tales of heroes who helped save lives and repair damages. Surprisingly, some with great losses refused aid from federal sources like FEMA because of untruthful rumors and distrust.

At year’s end, estimated damages in dollars is more than $60 billion, but no value can be placed on the loss of life and disruption of living. This will be a major continuing story in 2025.

Not all was negative. In August, North Carolina observed the 250^th anniversary of our state’s major role in the Revolution, the first provincial congress held in New Bern. Our state provided great leadership in the Revolutionary War.

Most of us will say good riddance to 2024 and look hopefully ahead to 2025.

Tom Campbell is a Hall of Fame North Carolina broadcaster and columnist who has covered North Carolina public policy issues since 1965.  Contact him at tomcamp@carolinabroadcasting.com