The Southern Dem's good work on behalf of Larry Kissell generated a bit of coverage in the Charlotte Observer for BlueNC yesterday. If you're a new reader, thanks for stopping by our online forum for progressives in North Carolina. You're welcome to register and join the conversation!

There is a regular feature at DailyKos called the frameshop, based on the work of George Lakoff, that seeks good phraseology for fighting republican talking points. Well, I've got a suggestion.

For so long, it seems like every time we turn around we are backpeddling or fighting back against the latest Republican outrage. The latest Rumsfeld comments about Democrats being appeasers is the latest example. Once again, we are faced with the equivalent of "Are not!" or "No, you are!" type comebacks. If you remember back to your elementary playground days you will no that these comebacks are laughable and those that utter them are the biggest of weanies.

As such, my framing suggestions after the break.

Democracy took a sucker punch this week when the North Carolina State Board of Elections voted to allow the sale of legislative seats to fat-cat corporations. In an embarrassing display of incompetence, board chairman Larry Leake and his hapless colleagues went through the motions of hearing Richard Morgan's complaint with barely a nod in the direction of decorum or seriousness. Loony Larry even had this to say to a reporter from the Southern Pines Pilot:

Asked if the board could not really have ruled just the same way in about 20 minutes - without all the testimony and argument - Leake just smiled.

"Maybe five," he said. "But people have a right to a hearing."

I'll bet he smiled ... just like he did throught the sham hearing ... pretending to be taking the matter seriously, but having already made up his mind. This comment alone would seem sufficient for overturning the decision on appeal.

But in addition to having a closed, narrow mind, Mr. Leake failed We the People on many other fronts. For example . . .

Fayetteville Observer, September 2, 2006

Bragg expects another big cut

By Henry Cuningham
Military editor

After scrimping and saving in 2006, the people who operate Fort Bragg are looking for ways to get by on about 14 percent less money in fiscal year 2007.

Fort Bragg's operating budget has been cut $14 million this year and another $57 millon next year. These cuts are being made as the population of Fort Bragg is going to increase due to the new Brac assignments. Employee's are being laid off, hiring frozen, contracts cut.