The Legislature has already proven that they don't care about democracy. They immediately took power away from the Governor, Attorney General, and Superintendent of Public Instruction because they are Democrats who won. They gave it to a Republican who knows nothing just to screw the will of the voters.
This is just one more egregious step. And I think that Griffin should lose his seat on the Appeals Court for his actions.
Historically, the Republican Party's approach to crime and justice has been characterized by a commitment to maintaining public safety, supporting law enforcement, and ensuring that the criminal justice system serves as a deterrent to crime and a means of delivering justice to victims and society.
However, they elected a man who has been convicted of thirty-four felonies involving moral turpitude, has a history of running swindles and regards the common person as beneath him. A man who encourages his followers to storm the capital, beat up cops, vandalize irreplaceable artwork and historical public properties, hang the vice president just to maintain his political power.
These folks have adopted the notion the president of the leader of their party can use any method necessary to maintain power and achieve goals, even if those methods are criminal, unethical, or immoral.
All this clearly points to a group of voters who choose not to respect the rights of their fellow citizens, are willing to threaten with death or grievous bodily harm those who do not believe as they do and have little respect for the constitution or the platform of their own party.
So, what difference could it make to rewrite NC election laws to serve a political end? Even if it may place unnecessary financial burdens and inconvenience to the people of NC. It is about time we start asking ourselves, is this the country we want to live in and leave for our descendants?
All you have to do to know this lawsuit is a farce is look at the facts. He isn't asking the court to throw out election day votes with the same problems on voter registration forms, because those votes favor Republicans. But he IS asking the court to throw out early votes because those votes favor Democrats. The NCGOP is a lying bunch of hypocrites.
The Old North State is where I was born and have lived for the better part of my 87 years. The region of my birth, and my parents, voted republican. The Broyhill family was icons in the party. My support for the party waned when Jesse Helms invaded the political scene. His racism, homophobia, and hateful rhetoric repelled me. I registered as a Democrat. I was attracted to the emphases on education, on fairness, on improving the quality of life for my family, and resolving racial inequality. In the twilight of my life a Red Cloud has enveloped the Old North State. The lust for power is the engine. Winning at all costs is in Griffin’s playbook. Do whatever it takes. The republicans in the state house suffer from the same malady. Clearly Griffin’s actions demonstrate pushing aside democratic principles for a WIN. Shame on him and those who support him.
I grew up in San Francisco and am old enough to remember the Summer of Love. And I spent a summer in rural Georgia in 1970, where I enountered a prominent billboard that read "N!gger don't let the Sun go down on you in Forsythe County."
I hadn't lived in the South since until 2018, when I managed two democratic congressional campaigns within 100 miles of the Triangle. I can say that the public racism I encountered in NC wasn't particularly far removed from 1970 Georgia.
I was shouted at in a rural grocery store for (unwisely) wearing a pink t-shirt and San Francisco Giants ball cap. My assailant yelled "That N!gger-lover Nancy Pelosi!" He had an unsafetied pistol tucked in his jeans, I later discovered.
Another time at a gas station near Southern Pines, a man approached me holding a gas pump like a pistol handle and a lighter flame. He'd seen a democratic campaign sign under my arm and made references to "N!ggers and queers" in a stream-of-consciousness rant.
I can't say either man was a Republican, but both nearly violently shouted hate for the Democratic Party. When I discuss NC Republicans, I say "They're not even pretending not to be racist".
I think Thomas is a wise and brave voice of dissent. We need him to remind us of the theft of our democracy in NC.
I believe we will survive Trump 2, but at great cost and risk to our progress as a nation. The World is watching what America does next.
Thomas, isn't amazing that the party founded to end slavery has become the party of the oppressor. I recall a statement attributed to the late Bill Moyers, President Lyndon Johnson's press secretary at the time the Civil Rights Act was signed into law. According to Moyers Johnson reportedly said "There goes. the South." Your final paragraph says it all.
The leadership of the GOP, and the Republican members of the court, are basically weighing whether flouting the will of the people and judicially stealing a seat on the court would produce more negative voter turnout than they could overcome with another Republican on the court supporting decisions for more extreme gerrymandering and voter disenfranchisement.
A decision overturning the will of the voters here would basically be an affirmation that no free , fair, and representative election in North Carolina is possible with the GOP in control of the court and the legislature. A vote to seat the winning Democratic candidate sends the message that they think they won't need that extra Republican to continue thwarting democracy in the state.
I’ve been following Andrew Dunn for years. He’s a thoughtful Republican voice in NC politics. I hope that Judge Griffin heeds his and the Carolina Journal’s words.
The Legislature has already proven that they don't care about democracy. They immediately took power away from the Governor, Attorney General, and Superintendent of Public Instruction because they are Democrats who won. They gave it to a Republican who knows nothing just to screw the will of the voters.
This is just one more egregious step. And I think that Griffin should lose his seat on the Appeals Court for his actions.
Historically, the Republican Party's approach to crime and justice has been characterized by a commitment to maintaining public safety, supporting law enforcement, and ensuring that the criminal justice system serves as a deterrent to crime and a means of delivering justice to victims and society.
However, they elected a man who has been convicted of thirty-four felonies involving moral turpitude, has a history of running swindles and regards the common person as beneath him. A man who encourages his followers to storm the capital, beat up cops, vandalize irreplaceable artwork and historical public properties, hang the vice president just to maintain his political power.
These folks have adopted the notion the president of the leader of their party can use any method necessary to maintain power and achieve goals, even if those methods are criminal, unethical, or immoral.
All this clearly points to a group of voters who choose not to respect the rights of their fellow citizens, are willing to threaten with death or grievous bodily harm those who do not believe as they do and have little respect for the constitution or the platform of their own party.
So, what difference could it make to rewrite NC election laws to serve a political end? Even if it may place unnecessary financial burdens and inconvenience to the people of NC. It is about time we start asking ourselves, is this the country we want to live in and leave for our descendants?
All you have to do to know this lawsuit is a farce is look at the facts. He isn't asking the court to throw out election day votes with the same problems on voter registration forms, because those votes favor Republicans. But he IS asking the court to throw out early votes because those votes favor Democrats. The NCGOP is a lying bunch of hypocrites.
The Old North State is where I was born and have lived for the better part of my 87 years. The region of my birth, and my parents, voted republican. The Broyhill family was icons in the party. My support for the party waned when Jesse Helms invaded the political scene. His racism, homophobia, and hateful rhetoric repelled me. I registered as a Democrat. I was attracted to the emphases on education, on fairness, on improving the quality of life for my family, and resolving racial inequality. In the twilight of my life a Red Cloud has enveloped the Old North State. The lust for power is the engine. Winning at all costs is in Griffin’s playbook. Do whatever it takes. The republicans in the state house suffer from the same malady. Clearly Griffin’s actions demonstrate pushing aside democratic principles for a WIN. Shame on him and those who support him.
I grew up in San Francisco and am old enough to remember the Summer of Love. And I spent a summer in rural Georgia in 1970, where I enountered a prominent billboard that read "N!gger don't let the Sun go down on you in Forsythe County."
I hadn't lived in the South since until 2018, when I managed two democratic congressional campaigns within 100 miles of the Triangle. I can say that the public racism I encountered in NC wasn't particularly far removed from 1970 Georgia.
I was shouted at in a rural grocery store for (unwisely) wearing a pink t-shirt and San Francisco Giants ball cap. My assailant yelled "That N!gger-lover Nancy Pelosi!" He had an unsafetied pistol tucked in his jeans, I later discovered.
Another time at a gas station near Southern Pines, a man approached me holding a gas pump like a pistol handle and a lighter flame. He'd seen a democratic campaign sign under my arm and made references to "N!ggers and queers" in a stream-of-consciousness rant.
I can't say either man was a Republican, but both nearly violently shouted hate for the Democratic Party. When I discuss NC Republicans, I say "They're not even pretending not to be racist".
I think Thomas is a wise and brave voice of dissent. We need him to remind us of the theft of our democracy in NC.
I believe we will survive Trump 2, but at great cost and risk to our progress as a nation. The World is watching what America does next.
"... Dunn pointed out that following through with the lawsuit could damage the GOP’s credibility." Uhh, kinda late for that one buddy.
"If the Supreme Court sides with Griffin, they will strip away any veneer that the GOP is a pro-democracy party."
They'll also strip away the veneer that they, SCOTUS, gives a hoot about 'rule of law'.
BTW, The Guardian, UK paper, also ran a story yesterday on the Riggs/Griffin story.
Thomas, isn't amazing that the party founded to end slavery has become the party of the oppressor. I recall a statement attributed to the late Bill Moyers, President Lyndon Johnson's press secretary at the time the Civil Rights Act was signed into law. According to Moyers Johnson reportedly said "There goes. the South." Your final paragraph says it all.
The leadership of the GOP, and the Republican members of the court, are basically weighing whether flouting the will of the people and judicially stealing a seat on the court would produce more negative voter turnout than they could overcome with another Republican on the court supporting decisions for more extreme gerrymandering and voter disenfranchisement.
A decision overturning the will of the voters here would basically be an affirmation that no free , fair, and representative election in North Carolina is possible with the GOP in control of the court and the legislature. A vote to seat the winning Democratic candidate sends the message that they think they won't need that extra Republican to continue thwarting democracy in the state.
I’ve been following Andrew Dunn for years. He’s a thoughtful Republican voice in NC politics. I hope that Judge Griffin heeds his and the Carolina Journal’s words.
Is there really any question that the GOP doesn’t believe in democracy?