Republicans

NC Democrats Need To Call Up Some Fresh Faces

Michael Bitzer — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:43:27 +0000

With the release of the provocative and no holds barred “NC 2013 Legislative Strategy” memo as reported by The Charlotte Observer, liberal advocacy groups are finally learning the lessons that conservative groups have been teaching them for some time: Be prepared to play the same game and have a playbook.

GOP Lawmakers' Message Clear: Do As We Say, Not As We Do

Michael Bitzer — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 18:51:29 +0000

When the constitution’s framers developed the American system to handle governing power, they divided power in two distinct ways: the first is horizontally, by giving pieces of different powers (law-making, law-executing, law-adjudicating) to different branches of government. Hence, our “checks and balances” approach to government.

The second distinct way is by dividing power vertically, through a system we now call federalism on the levels of national, state, and local.

Republican Lawmakers Demonstrate An Old Adage

Michael Bitzer — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:01:15 +0000

Back in 1831, U.S. Senator William Macy coined the phrase “to the victor go the spoils. In a war or other contest, the winner gets the booty.” In our modern times, “other contests” can be thought of as election contests just as easily.

With the recent legislation by Republicans in the NC State Senate to strip clean a significant number of state commissions and boards, the saying about “elections having consequences” is as important as the spoils going to the victor.

Republicans Hold Edge In State Government Power

Michael Bitzer — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 18:02:14 +0000

While the national electorate returned a divided government to Washington, D.C., state capitals reflect a new norm in unified political party control, with North Carolina being a prime example.

Blue = Democratic Unified Party Control; Red = Republican Unified Party Control; Purple = Divided Party Control (Nebraska’s unicameral legislature is non-partisan)

In 15 states, Democrats control both the legislature and the chief executive, while in 23 states, the GOP controls both branches of state government.

Expect Republicans To Keep Control Of General Assembly

Michael Bitzer — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 02:41:23 +0000

Along with the various congressional races that could help the GOP keep control of the U.S. House, there are many state legislative races in which districts were redrawn to benefit the party in power.

One way to classify these new districts is to use the partisan voting index system developed by Charlie Cook, of the Cook Political Report in Washington, to classify U.S. House seats.

NC 'Pre-Registers' More Than 100K Teen Voters

Julie Rose — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 21:22:11 +0000

In the past two years, more than 100,000 16 and 17 year olds in North Carolina have registered to vote. Of course they can't actually cast a ballot until they turn 18, but North Carolina is one of just five states that allows teenagers to "pre-register" and the only state that requires local elections offices to conduct voter registration drives in public high schools.

The non-partisan group Democracy ~~Now~~ North Carolina pushed for the program to counter a history of poor voter participation in North Carolina.