A remarkable glimpse into the fucked-up situation in Raleigh this week. Bruce Siceloff at the N&O reports that McCrory couldn't even pronounce the name of the guy he just named to head the Department of Transportation.

Gov.-elect Pat McCrory nominated Tony Tata as his transportation secretary Thursday but didn't know how to say his name. At the press conference, McCrory repeatedly pronounced it "TATT-ah" with a short-A syllable. Tata didn't flinch and didn't mention the mistake when he took the podium.

That's okay, Tony. McCrory truly has no idea who you are, and you were probably just as confused about him as well. Deputy Assistant Governor McCrory had nothing to do with choosing you for the job. Governor Pope should have made the introduction.

I know I'm breaking my own rule by linking to the N&O, but some stories just have to be told.

Progressive Pulse has the story.

Party leaders denied that the measure was politically motivated, but in a private caucus meeting that was inadvertently broadcast to the press room, House Speaker Thom Tillis said, ““The reason we’re doing it is because the NCAE has gone into all five districts with mailers hammering these Democrats. It’s just a little taste of what’s to come.”

The new Pope administration, enabled by Tillis and Berger, is well on track to set a new record for corruption and incompetence.

First he screwed over Washington DC public schools, then he did the same at Wake County public schools. And now Mr. Logistics Expert is going to do the honors at the North Carolina Department of Public Transportation, as only a trough-slopping GOP hack can do. Nice going, Governor Pope. At this rate, you'll be able to shut down the whole Puppetshow and transfer the entire staff to your new and improved personal estate government. Daddy would be proud of all the wonderful things you're doing with the silver spoons he left you.

I was glad to see that Brad Miller voted against the "Avoid the Cliff" compromise that passed through Congress like so much shit through a goose last night. (Mike McIntyre also voted against it, but I'm guess he was probably just confused.) The process was sausage-making at its worst, producing a rank piece of legislation that offered as much to corporate interests as it did to actual people, while doing nothing to rein in our insanely bloated defense budget, the grand-daddy of all special interests.