My friend, House Majority Leader Paul Stam, twisted himself into all sorts of knots in his recent letter to the editor, trying to wriggle out of his decades-long previous position that North Carolina should have a Citizen Redistricting Commission.
Not enough time, he says. Needs a constitutional amendment, he says. Neither of these claims is true.
There is plenty of time for a commission to be appointed, to meet and to make recommendations. The General Assembly could then ratify or reject the plans. No constitutional amendment is required for that.
Sunday, January 02, 2011
You Go, Joe
Former Speaker of the NC House (and new Minority Leader) Joe Hackney, calling out new Republican Majority Leader Paul "Skip" Stam on his redistricting hypocrisy:
When a Republican needs to quickly flip-flop his/her position, a constitution (just like a bible)is trotted out to justify the reversal.
ReplyDeleteWhen you have such prime models on the national stage as John McCain and our own Virginia Foxx, how can a local not follow in suit?
People who vote Republican remind me of spouses who cannot leave their abusive partners. They always believe the wonderful speeches and deny the evidence of the behavior.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Biker Bard!
How true with that abusive spouse analogy.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes to you and yours, Brushfire, for a wonderful new year!
Well it's the people of NC who are going to be abused by this new GOPer crew in Raleigh. It's discouraging to see folks like Cullie and Steve Goss, who have really worked to learn the issues, serve their constituents, and made honest efforts to meet the needs of all the people, get blindsided by lying and devious electoral tactics which have led to the current state of affairs. Oh well that's politics. We can just hope there's enough honest coverage of the next two years' shenanigans to so that voters will realize what they put in place in 2010 and buyers' remorse will set in. BTW I hope the GOPers don't waste taxpayers' time and money trying to read the NC constitution on the floor of the Assembly, it's one of the most ramshackled in the country.
ReplyDeleteIt seems some people hate it when the shoe is on the other foot, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteI have never understood this figure of speech: shoes on other feet are in fact very likely to be uncomfortable, so what? When was the last time you put your right foot in your left shoe? Or tried wearing someone else's shoes? There's an old Amerindian saying that the way to understand someone is by walking a mile in his moccasins. But that's not the reference here, right? Very few TPers are willing to walk across the room, let alone a mile, in an effort to understand anyone else except themselves.
ReplyDelete"People who vote Republican remind me of spouses who cannot leave their abusive partners." - Brushfire
ReplyDeleteWhat is it called when one individual identifies and labels a group of individuals, then looks upon and speaks about that group with disdain and ridicule?
I am not entirely sure, but I am relative certain it is not "celebrating diversity". Brushfire, I wish for you a less angry new year, with increased tolerance for those with whom you disagree politically.
BikerBard, you are a pisser! Love you, man! Happy New Year!
"Very few TPers are willing to walk across the room, let alone a mile, in an effort to understand anyone else" - brotherdoc
ReplyDeleteAnd if these "TPers" rose from brooding over their ancient manuscripts, written by the oppressed, white billionaires they call "Founding Fathers", would you be waiting for them with the warm, outstretched handshake of cooperation and compromise in the middle of the room?
Brother, walking a mile in someone's shoes has benefits. When you discover that they (TPers) are mindless, know-nothings with no agenda but ill-considered anger you are a mile away from the dolts AND you have their shoes.
ReplyDeleteHappy new year to you and Biker.
Now we we get to see if the G-NO-P HOUSE has a desire to help or hurt the country. The first test may be whether or not they raise the debt ceiling or mindlessly vote NO! and let the country default on it's debts.
Brotherdoc, maybe some reading comprehension is in order. Nothing in that saying makes the case the wrong shoe is being put on either foot. The saying means that one foot was shod, but is no longer and now the other foot has the advantage of being shod.
ReplyDeleteThe Tea Party changed the political realities in this country and will continue to do it. Both the establishment Republicans and the establishment Democrats fear the Tea Party (just like you do). That means it traveled pretty far.
I predict the Tea Party's over having completed the work the billionaire funders wanted.
ReplyDeleteFox and the other will give them little attention and Palin will self explode with the help of Republican power brokers.
Mike D. - Is it Republicans you think I'm ridiculing or abused spouses? My analogy seems perfectly appropriate. The Republican party is responsible for two wars, the near meltdown of our entire economic system (!!!) and the greatest income inequality since the roaring 20's. Unless you are a billionaire, voting Republican is like saying, "Hit me again."
ReplyDeleteBrushfire,
ReplyDeleteI just enjoyed your posts more when you posted as 'Bridle'. When you posted as 'Bridle', your posts incorporated two definitions of the word. Sure, you "[drew] up [your] head and [drew] in [your] chin, as in disdain or resentment", but you also showed an inclination "to control or hold back; restrain". 'Bridle' fit your contributions perfectly and led to deeply philosophical, thoughtful, convincing posts which frequently swayed my opinion on issues.
Now, posting as 'Brushfire', your posts behave very much like a brush fire, consuming with flames anything in the way and blowing recklessly in the wind.
You certainly have the right to post as you wish, but if you have any desire to change the mind of those with whom you disagree, as you were doing in at least my case, you may wish to consider switching back to 'Bridle'. :)
To my WW friends Mike D., shyster, Liberal POV (good post!), and Brushfire (keep on burning!) a wonderful New Year! Great posts!!
ReplyDeletePS: The Tea Party is a useless group of frustrated senior citizens being used by the Repubs to further their agenda.
Actually,the Republican establishment fears the Tea Party as much as do the Democrat left.
ReplyDelete"The first test may be whether or not they raise the debt ceiling or mindlessly vote NO! and let the country default on it's debts."
ReplyDeleteWas it "mindless" when "senator" Obama voted against it?
From "The Hill"
"Democrats in control of Congress, including then-Sen. Obama (Ill.), blasted President George W. Bush for failing to contain spending when he oversaw increased deficits and raised the debt ceiling.
“Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren,” Obama said in a 2006 floor speech that preceded a Senate vote to extend the debt limit. “America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership.”
Obama later joined his Democratic colleagues in voting en bloc against raising the debt increase."
Mike D. "It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds."
ReplyDeleteSamuel Adams
I'll try to tone it down some for you. :)