Fayetteville Observer

From the Fayetteville Observer

North Carolina Republicans know what it's like on the receiving end of a gerrymander. They decried it. In 2009, they filed bills seeking a constitutional amendment creating an independent redistricting commission. The measure's Senate sponsors included Minority Leader Phil Berger, likely to become Senate president pro tem in January. Its House sponsors included Minority Leader Paul Stam and Rep. Thom Tillis, probably next speaker of the House.

The redistricting bills died, of course. Democratic leadership wasn't about to loosen its grip on the mapping pen that kept the party mostly in command since before the turn of the 20th century.

But in a year when voters are angry and incumbents wear targets on their backs, even the best gerrymander isn't bulletproof. So Republicans will rule the General Assembly when it returns to session next month. And they will rule redistricting.

How will they do it? Will they quickly approve the amendment changing redistricting in North Carolina? And if an amendment can't be ratified by the voters in time for this redistricting, will they at least vow to follow the principles set forth in the bill, which include compact districts, no irregular shapes and minimizing "split counties, municipalities and other communities of interest"?

Republicans are already whining that they don't have enough whatever to do what the promised. Poor Mr. Tillis. So many things to destroy, so little time.

Joining the growing list of media outlets who wouldn't know an expert if he sat in their laps:

Chris Hayes, a legislative analyst for Civitas, said Parfitt's low name recognition because of having never run before could be one of the reasons for the difference - as could Dawkins' familiarity among voters from his time on the City Council and the fact that his father was mayor for six terms.

But there could be other factors that come into play, too, Hayes said. "Unaffiliated voters, who are currently divided in their choice of candidate," he said, "may play a crucial role in this race."

In one little blurb, Hayes has cast the Democrat as having no experience, and the Republican as having both experience and well-loved father/mayor.

Our beloved Lovex7 sent me an email and asked that I post this letter here at BlueNC. Here is part of the letter but follow this link to read it all.

As a candidate, I promised to never vote to cut Medicare. I believe promises must be kept, even when it is not easy. In keeping my promise to defend Medicare, it is impossible for me to support the current health-care bill. Though I believe in reform, it must not be achieved at the expense of senior citizens.

http://www.fayobserver.com/Articles/2010/02/09/974836

Here's a good, simple article about healthcare reform and small business - from a Fayetteville Observer staff writer. I'd say it's mostly on the mark. I'd also say it's time to disconnect healthcare from personal employment status in every way possible.

A smattering of opinion from hither and yon . . .

The Old Reliable has not much of interest to say:

This old world has had a tough year, from the war in Iraq to natural disasters to assassinations to continued tensions in a hundred or so of what the experts call "hot spots." Somehow, and they deserve credit, people in those hot spots manage to find a few joys and a few hopes here and there to keep them going, because they do carry on. And the world keeps spinning. Perhaps that's why, after so many challenges, so many really dire things facing this planet, we trust that it, and we, will endure -- because we have.

We'll endure because . . . we have? Tell it to the dinosaurs, Steve.