Gov McCrory (R-Bathroom) has conceded

[47of74]

A bit of good news out of North Carolina...

nytimes.com/2016/12/05/us/north-carolina-governor.html?_r=0

Quote

RALEIGH, N.C. — Ending an acrimonious stalemate that dragged on for nearly a month, Gov. Pat McCrory, a Republican, conceded in his bid for re-election here on Monday, clearing the way for the ascension of his challenger, the Democrat Roy Cooper, and giving the national Democratic Party a rare cause for celebration.

Mr. Cooper, the state attorney general, declared victory on election night, but Mr. McCrory’s allies lodged election challenges in dozens of North Carolina counties, enraging Democrats who accused Republicans of being sore losers, or worse, in one of 2016’s closest statewide races.

Most of the challenges proved to be of little consequence, however. And by Monday, as partial results of a recount of more than 90,000 votes that Republicans had demanded in Durham County showed no significant change in the results, Mr. McCrory — whose one term was buffeted by nationwide anger over a law he signed that curbed anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people — had little choice but to admit defeat.

“Despite continued questions that should be answered regarding the voting process, I personally believe that the majority of our citizens have spoken and we now should do everything we can to support the 75th governor of North Carolina, Roy Cooper,” Mr. McCrory said in a video statement released on Monday.

Now go home and get your fucking shine box McCrory. 

[smittykins]

Nothing to add here except I'm totally losing it over "R-Bathroom."

Carry on...

[RoseWilder]

I was reading an article about this earlier, and in the comments section people were talking about how the Governor gets to appoint the people who are going to be the head of each counties election board, so the 2018 and 2020 elections should be a lot more fair for the people of North Carolina than this farce of an election was. 

[Childless]

Congrats NC!  At least someone gets good news this election cycle.

[Howl]

20 hours ago, smittykins said:

Nothing to add here except I'm totally losing it over "R-Bathroom."

Carry on...

Ditto! 

[bashfulpixie]

On 12/6/2016 at 7:02 PM, smittykins said:

Nothing to add here except I'm totally losing it over "R-Bathroom."

Carry on...

Glad I'm not the only one.  I practically snorted at work when I read that.  Good thing no one heard me!

[formergothardite]

On 12/6/2016 at 10:17 PM, RoseWilder said:

I was reading an article about this earlier, and in the comments section people were talking about how the Governor gets to appoint the people who are going to be the head of each counties election board, so the 2018 and 2020 elections should be a lot more fair for the people of North Carolina than this farce of an election was. 

2017 elections! NC was so gerrymandered that they have been ordered to draw new districts and have another election for house and senate positions. So a lot of those republicans just who got elected because of gerrymandering are having to fight to hold onto their spots next year with fair districts. 

It shows how much people hated McCrory that with all the messed up election stuff in NC, he still got voted out. 

 

 

[GreyhoundFan]

1 hour ago, formergothardite said:

2017 elections! NC was so gerrymandered that they have been ordered to draw new districts and have another election for house and senate positions. So a lot of those republicans just who got elected because of gerrymandering are having to fight to hold onto their spots next year with fair districts. 

It shows how much people hated McCrory that with all the messed up election stuff in NC, he still got voted out. 

 

 

I'm glad to read that the redistricting and new elections will happen sooner, rather than later. The people of NC deserve better representation. Hopefully it will help with the distribution in Congress as well.

[formergothardite]

Well McCrory and the rest of the GOP is trying to make it impossible for the new governor to do anything:

Quote

 

In a last-last-minute special session, Republicans introduced a series of bills late Wednesday that would:

—Require the governor's Cabinet appointments to be approved by the state Senate
— Limit the number of members the governor can appoint to powerful board of trustees at the University of North Carolina school system and the state Board of Education.
— Significantly cut the number of positions who work directly for the governor, from 1,500 (a number Republicans approved when they had a Republican governor) to 300.
— Divide members of the Board of Elections, typically appointed by the governor, between parties in a way that gives Republicans control during election years.

Obviously Cooper won't be there to veto all this; the man he defeated, Gov. Pat McCrory (R), is still governor for a few more weeks.

 

NC is fucked. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/12/15/a-coup-a-power-grab-theres-some-serious-political-drama-in-north-carolina-right-now/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_northcarolina-935a%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.c223fa14e37e

[RoseWilder]

12 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

Well McCrory and the rest of the GOP is trying to make it impossible for the new governor to do anything:

NC is fucked. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/12/15/a-coup-a-power-grab-theres-some-serious-political-drama-in-north-carolina-right-now/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_northcarolina-935a%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.c223fa14e37e

Something similar to that happened in Indiana a few years ago, on a smaller scale. A Democrat won head of the school board, so the GOP changed the laws so the head of the school board has to have every decision they make approved of by the GOP first, effectively rendering them powerless. 

They got away with it too. For some reason, no matter how corrupt the GOP is, 98% of the time, they get away with it. 

[GreyhoundFan]

1 hour ago, RoseWilder said:

Something similar to that happened in Indiana a few years ago, on a smaller scale. A Democrat won head of the school board, so the GOP changed the laws so the head of the school board has to have every decision they make approved of by the GOP first, effectively rendering them powerless. 

They got away with it too. For some reason, no matter how corrupt the GOP is, 98% of the time, they get away with it. 

I don't know how anyone could not see how corrupt the GOP has been for a long, long time. They are the Grand Obstructionist Party.

[47of74]

1 hour ago, GreyhoundFan said:

I don't know how anyone could not see how corrupt the GOP has been for a long, long time. They are the Grand Obstructionist Party.

Abraham Lincoln would have died of shame if he could see what happened to the Republican party.  The party is a corrupt, hollow shell of what it was when it was first founded to fight slavery.  Hell the Republicans of today would probably repeal every amendment except the 2nd if they could, and rewrite the second to make sure women, LGBT, and non whites have no rights to keep and bear arms.

[Audrey2]

49 minutes ago, 47of74 said:

Abraham Lincoln would have died of shame if he could see what happened to the Republican party.  The party is a corrupt, hollow shell of what it was when it was first founded to fight slavery.  Hell the Republicans of today would probably repeal every amendment except the 2nd if they could, and rewrite the second to make sure women, LGBT, and non whites have no rights to keep and bear arms.

I don't think Teddy Roosevelt would be happy either. He was a Progressive, something that is now a very dirty word in Republican politics. Roosevelt was the trust buster, who went after Rockefeller and others, forcing them to break up their monopolies. Now, the Koch brothers and others dream of monopolies and reinstating them. Teddy Roosevelt retreated to North Dakota after his first wife died, and found healing in the land. As President, he signed bills that started the United States Forest Service, and protected 230 million acres. The Republicans are trying to allow development, mining, and   logging in these public lands. 

 

Yes, I'll admit it- Lincoln and T. Roosevelt are my two favorite Republican Presidents. If that party has to win, I wish they could find more like them. 

 

https://www.nps.gov/thro/learn/historyculture/theodore-roosevelt-and-conservation.htm

 

Quote

Conservation increasingly became one of Roosevelt's main concerns. After becoming president in 1901, Roosevelt used his authority to protect wildlife and public lands by creating the United States Forest Service (USFS) and establishing 150 national forests, 51 federal bird reserves, 4 national game preserves, 5 national parks, and 18 national monuments by enabling the 1906 American Antiquities Act. During his presidency,Theodore Roosevelt protected approximately 230 million acres of public land.

 

[GeoBQn]

I have already left phone messages at my state rep and senator's offices.

[formergothardite]

5 minutes ago, GeoBQn said:

I have already left phone messages at my state rep and senator's offices.

So have I, but since mine are all Republicans I rather doubt it will do any good. 

[Childless]

5 hours ago, RoseWilder said:

Something similar to that happened in Indiana a few years ago, on a smaller scale. A Democrat won head of the school board, so the GOP changed the laws so the head of the school board has to have every decision they make approved of by the GOP first, effectively rendering them powerless. 

They got away with it too. For some reason, no matter how corrupt the GOP is, 98% of the time, they get away with it. 

Which is why I kill myself working 12 hours a day in order to afford private school tuition for my kids.  Republican corruption is destroying primary and secondary education in this state.  Until we're able to get out of this hell hole, my kids will not be going to public school.

[GeoBQn]

1 hour ago, formergothardite said:

So have I, but since mine are all Republicans I rather doubt it will do any good. 

Well, mine too.  I guess it's more to make myself feel like I did something.  One of my friends is there giving updates on Facebook Live.  She said that all of the spectators and protestors were just kicked out of the main room, so they can't listen to what the legislators are saying.

[RoseWilder]

5 hours ago, Childless said:

Which is why I kill myself working 12 hours a day in order to afford private school tuition for my kids.  Republican corruption is destroying primary and secondary education in this state.  Until we're able to get out of this hell hole, my kids will not be going to public school.

My brother is a teacher and he's been on a pay freeze for 12 years now. Plus, they took away some of their benefits. Good teachers are never going to teach in this state. 

Of course, in his case, he's stupid enough to keep voting Republican. So I don't feel sorry for him at all. He deserves what he gets. But unfortunately you and I and the rest of the sane people have to suffer along with the morons in this state who keep voting against themselves. 

[RoseWilder]

The newly-elected Governor plans to sue: 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/roy-cooper-north-carolina-governor_us_5852f7b3e4b039044707b4d8

Quote

Republican lawmakers hastily introduced Senate Bill 4 and House Bill 17 in the state legislature late Wednesday night. Both bills would heavily limit the governor’s power if passed. The incoming governor would not be able to make appointments to certain departments, the State Board of Elections would be effectively rendered useless and potentially unconstitutional bills would be more difficult to challenge in the courts.

But Cooper made it clear during a press conference on Thursday that if he believes any legislation pushed by the Republican-controlled state Congress is unconstitutional, he will sue the parties responsible.

“They will see me in court,” he said. “And they don’t have a very good track record there.”

 

[formergothardite]

Even Santa got arrested for protesting these new bills.

 

[RoseWilder]

Daily Kos has a live blog with links to more information on this: 

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/12/16/1611478/-Live-reporting-from-DocDawg-in-Raleigh

[candygirl200413]

Like how much of an asshole do you have to be to do all of this?! It's times like this I'm like this can't be our new normal.

[FloraKitty35]

I hope Cooper sues and wins.  This sets a very dangerous precedent.  

[GreyhoundFan]

The Washington Post published a good article about the ridiculous power grab by NC Republicans.  A couple of excerpts:

Quote

With protesters knocking on the door to locked galleries, the North Carolina legislature pushed through controversial legislation aimed at dialing back the powers of the state's incoming Democratic governor and reorganizing the state's elections oversight body.

The legislature, meeting in a last-minute, year-end special session, approved a proposal along party lines Friday that would effectively give Republicans control of the state Board of Elections during election years. Outgoing Gov. Pat McCrory (R) signed the bill into law Friday, despite not issuing any comment on the drama that has been wracking North Carolina politics since Wednesday.

Lawmakers also passed a bill that, for the first time in decades, would require the governor to get approval by the state Senate for his Cabinet appointees and end his ability to appoint members to the board of trustees of the powerful UNC school system. The measure would also drastically reduce the number of state employees the governor can directly hire and fire, from 1,500 to 425.

 

 

Quote

Bob Hall with Democracy North Carolina echoed other nonpartisan watchdogs in saying the changes went "far beyond the normal partisan wrangling and change of power."

Hundreds of protesters heeded Democrats' calls and packed the capitol on Thursday and, to a lesser degree, on Friday. Police arrested more than 50 people after they refused to stop booing, chanting and cheering from the public galleries while lawmakers debated the bills. Several times, GOP lawmakers ordered the galleries to both chambers cleared.

In a news conference Thursday, Cooper warned Republicans they could be overstepping their bounds, politically if not constitutionally.

"This is about thwarting the governor's ability to move us forward," he said, promising to sue lawmakers for passing any law he deemed unconstitutional. "Most people might think that this is a partisan power grab. But this is more ominous."

What the courts will make of these changes remains an open question, said UNC law professor Michael Gerhardt. He said it's notable McCrory never went to the legislature over the last four years and claimed: "I think I'm too powerful and you should look for ways to weaken my office."

 

Quote

This week's moves may be unprecedented in the state, but the process isn't. In 1972, when Jim Holshouser became the first Republican governor of North Carolina in the 20th century, Democrats in the legislature moved swiftly to give the Democratic lieutenant governor more control over the state. A decade later, the Democratic-controlled legislature tried to roll back those powers after voters elected the state's first lieutenant Republican governor of the 20th century.

Republican Jim Martin was governor during that tumultuous time, yet he told told the Raleigh News & Observer he thinks his party's proposal to take away the governor's ability to appoint members to the UNC board of trustees goes “too far.”

Indeed, the consensus in North Carolina political circles is that no power-stripping attempt has been as brazen as this one - a fight that may offer a glimpse of even more bruising battles to come next year between the governor and the legislature, with a Republican supermajority that can veto Cooper anytime they want. Before Cooper was even sworn in, they signaled they have little intention of playing nice with him.

The message Friday was clear, Gerhardt said: “We have a legislature intent on keeping the score politically.”

 

[RoseWilder]

Keith Ellison, who is running to be the new head of the DNC, has weighed in on what's happening in North Carolina: 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/keith-ellison-north-carolina-gop_us_58545841e4b08debb78910aa

Quote

“It’s wrong,” Ellison told reporters on a conference call. “And we have to stand against it. It’s undemocratic. It’s un-Republican. It’s un-American.”

He then goes on to say: 

Quote

“The DNC has an election protection program and this is at the heart of their mission,” Ellison said. “It needs to step up right now to say this is outrageous, and get lawyers to oppose this undemocratic action that is happening right now. You gotta be in the fight … I will be.”