Gov McCrory (R-Bathroom) has conceded

[formergothardite]

12 hours ago, candygirl200413 said:

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.

Sadly this has been the normal in NC and is just now getting push back. The Republicans lost their ability to use voting laws to restrict black voter(who are typically not republican), they have lost their gerrymandered districts that made it impossible for democrats to gain any positions, they lost their governor who they were sure was going to win, and some of those newly elected republicans are going to have to face another election next year with fair districts. They are going into freak out mode to try and grasp any way to hold onto the power. But just like McCrory's bathroom bill backfired on him, I suspect doing this is going to end up hurting the Republicans. In my small, pretty conservative town, the comments on FB about this haven't exactly been supportive. Most people seem annoyed. 

[RoseWilder]

Daily Kos published a great article written by a woman who was arrested during the protests: 

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/12/18/1612405/-Santa-a-Breastfeeding-Mother-and-a-Crying-Grandmother-Among-Those-Arrested-at-NC-General-Assembly

She also provides a link for where you can donate to help those who are fighting against this: 

https://naacpnc.nationbuilder.com/donate2016

ETA: I just donated and it felt great!

[RoseWilder]

Well isn't this interesting: 
 

 

[formergothardite]

Seth Myers and Samantha Bee discussing the hot mess that is NC.

 

 

[RoseWilder]

Isn't it sad that comedians are now doing a better job of covering the news than our mainstream media. 

[formergothardite]

MCCrory is now whining about people spending so much time criticizing him for HB2 when they should be proud of him for cleaning the corruption out of the NC government.  Is he really that delusional? HB2 was forced on him because of Charlotte trying to protect gay people. 

 

http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/mccrory-on-hb2-i-was-put-in-a-box/380324925

The comments are amusing because people are tired of him shifting the blame to others.  And people point out that one of the other reasons he got voted out was the damn toll road he was pushing for that nobody wants and will cost NC tax payers millions of dollars. 

[GreyhoundFan]

Wow, McCrory just won't give up: "N.C.’s outgoing GOP governor appears to make one last attempt to stick it to the Democrat who beat him" An excerpt:

Quote

With just one day to go before he leaves office, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (R) threw a legal Hail Mary to the U.S. Supreme Court in another apparent effort to undermine his Democratic successor's ability to govern.

McCrory filed an emergency request to the Supreme Court, asking the justices to pause court-ordered special elections for more than two dozen state legislative districts in 2017 — special elections in which Democrats could have an opportunity to pick up seats in North Carolina's GOP-dominated legislature.

A federal court found in the summer that 28 state House and Senate districts were racially gerrymandered, but the three-judge panel made the unusual decision to let the election go forward in those districts because it decided it was too late to redraw the maps. After the election, the court ordered the legislature to redraw the lines by March and hold special elections later in 2017.

Republicans have a veto-proof supermajority in both North Carolina chambers. Democrats, who seized the governor's mansion this fall, were excited at the prospect of having a rare second chance to pick up state House and Senate seats in 2017. If the Supreme Court grants McCrory's request for a stay, though, Democrats could have to wait until the 2018 midterm elections to try to win more seats under a new electoral map.

North Carolina should be happy to be rid of him. I know I would be.

[GreyhoundFan]

I couldn't resist sharing this. Poor McCrory was unhappy because he came to the coronation inauguration and people yelled at him. So, one of his buddies has introduced a bill in NC to protect him.

Quote

It was a tense confrontation, to be sure.

Pat McCrory, the embattled former Republican governor of North Carolina, was attending President Trump’s inauguration in Washington on Friday when a group of protesters cornered him on a downtown sidewalk and began yelling “Shame on you!” With him was the conservative commentator Lou Dobbs and three unidentified women.

One protester took out a cellphone and started filming. The video, which later went viral, shows McCrory in a black coat walking away as activists call him a “bigot” and a “coward” and shout an obscenity at him. They follow McCrory down an alleyway to the back door of a building, where he smiles at the group, which appears to number about a dozen, and waits for someone to let him and his companions inside.

“Shame,” the protesters continue to chant, before police officers in bike helmets arrive to break up the crowd.

The whole encounter lasted three and a half minutes, and the video showed no sign of violence.

But it was all too unsettling for North Carolina state Sen. Dan Bishop.

On Monday, Bishop, a Republican from Charlotte, said he was planning to introduce legislation to protect the former governor — or any other current or former state official — from such encounters. Specifically, Bishop said, his bill would make it a crime to “threaten, intimidate, or retaliate against a present or former North Carolina official in the course of, or on account of, the performance of his or her duties.”

In a post on his website, Bishop said the video showed “rioters” chasing McCrory down a blind alley and threatening his safety.

“Lines are being crossed,” Bishop wrote. “Other governors never faced riotous mobs in their post-service, private lives, without personal security.”

McCrory, who lost a bitterly contested bid for reelection in November, became the target of intense criticism last year after he signed a law making North Carolina the first state to require transgender people to use the bathroom that matched the gender listed on their birth certificates, rather than the one with which they identify. House Bill 2, also known as the “bathroom bill,” stoked backlash from LGBT groups and other advocates, and prompted widespread boycotts against the state.

McCrory also came under fire over the state’s voter identification law, found by a federal court to have systematically discriminated against black voters, as well as his handling of the protests and riots that broke out in Charlotte after police shot and killed an armed black man in the fall.

Bishop was among the sponsors of HB2, which also barred municipalities from enacting their own LGBT anti-discrimination ordinances.

In his post Monday, Bishop said he would model his new legislation on a similar measure in D.C. designed to protect government officials. District law allows up to five years imprisonment for anyone who threatens, intimidates or retaliates against current or former District employees in the course of their duties.

“So should it be in North Carolina,” Bishop wrote. “This is dangerous.”

“I will also urge my colleagues,” he continued, “to take other appropriate steps to guarantee the personal safety of Gov. McCrory by all necessary means.”

The North Carolina General Assembly reconvenes Wednesday, at which point Bishop said he will float the bill. He told the News and Observer that in the meantime he hoped North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein would investigate whether the protesters who confronted McCrory violated any federal laws.

“I’m sure a referral from him to appropriate federal authorities would be very influential,” Bishop said.

A group called the Greensboro Socialists — ISO claimed credit for the video, saying on Facebook that it had gone viral “thanks to the dedicated and timely work of our comrades.” The video was posted by a user named Udai Basavaraj, who told The Washington Post that he believed McCrory deserved to be accosted.

“That was nothing compared to the way he and his posse cornered, marginalized and shamed millions of taxpayers in this state with vicious legislation and made North Carolina and its legislature the laughing stock of the nation,” Basavaraj said.

McCrory’s former spokesman told the News and Observer that the incident was “regrettable,” and thanked police for intervening.

Bishop went farther. In his post, he questioned whether Basavaraj and his group “stalked” the former governor and claimed their conduct might have landed them in jail if McCrory had been a former District official.

Bills similar to the one Bishop is planning to introduce have cropped up in other states in recent months. Most aim to limit the rights of protesters or expand law enforcement power at a time when demonstrations against police shootings, energy projects and other issues have grown into nationwide movements.

In Minnesota, the legislature advanced a bill this week that would would allow cities to charge protesters for police services if they are found guilty of illegal assembly or public nuisance, as the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported. In North Dakota, a Republican lawmaker recently floated a measure that would protect motorists who hit protesters blocking a roadway, after activists opposing the Dakota Access oil pipeline swarmed cars during demonstrations last year. And an Indiana bill would allow police to shut down traffic obstruction from protesters “by any means necessary.” Similar measures have been brought up in at least five other states.

In North Carolina, the state American Civil Liberties Union chapter balked at Bishop’s proposal. Sarah Gillooly, the organization’s policy director, told the News and Observer that any attempt to criminalize peaceful speech would violate the Constitution.

“People’s right to criticize politicians — whether in a newspaper, at a meeting, or on a public street — is the very heart of what the First Amendment protects,” Gillooly said. “Everyone deserves protection from violence, but politicians who run for and serve in public office shouldn’t get special treatment to shield them from criticism.”

So, you can spout ignorant and biased nonsense, but want to criminalize it if others say things you don't like? Yeah, sounds fair to me. And, to be clear, I'm against violence, but it doesn't appear there was any threat of violence, just shouting. McCrory needs to grow up.

[Childless]

4 minutes ago, GreyhoundFan said:

I couldn't resist sharing this. Poor McCrory was unhappy because he came to the coronation inauguration and people yelled at him. So, one of his buddies has introduced a bill in NC to protect him.

So, you can spout ignorant and biased nonsense, but want to criminalize it if others say things you don't like? Yeah, sounds fair to me. And, to be clear, I'm against violence, but it doesn't appear there was any threat of violence, just shouting. McCrory needs to grow up.

Apparently these delicate conservatives need those safe spaces they like to sneer at.  Poor little men. 

[candygirl200413]

I'm finally realizing that many old white republican men that want to remove rights for many people are the most thin-skinned weakest people I have ever heard of.

[RoseWilder]

There's an update on the situation in North Carolina, and it's good news: 

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/2/8/1631408/-Judges-slap-down-North-Carolina-law-usurping-governor-s-power-GOP-throws-tantrum

Quote

A North Carolina court temporarily blocked a new state law on Wednesday that stripped the new Democratic governor of some of his powers. [...]

Legislative leaders lashed out at the three judges, calling their decision "a blatant overstep of their constitutional authority."

House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger said in a joint statement the "judges are not legislators, and if these three men want to make laws, they should hang up their robes and run for a legislative seat."

This is still an ongoing case. The court will be hearing more arguments on Friday. But I'm glad to see the judges have done the right thing for now. I hope they do the right thing in the end as well. 

[Childless]

15 hours ago, RoseWilder said:

There's an update on the situation in North Carolina, and it's good news: 

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/2/8/1631408/-Judges-slap-down-North-Carolina-law-usurping-governor-s-power-GOP-throws-tantrum

This is still an ongoing case. The court will be hearing more arguments on Friday. But I'm glad to see the judges have done the right thing for now. I hope they do the right thing in the end as well. 

Why do Republican politicians do this?  Why, when a court decision goes against them, do they rail that judges are legislating from the bench?  The judges are determining the legality/constitutionality of a law.  They aren't legislating.  If they were, they'd be enacting new laws which I've never heard happen.  When Republican politicians say this, they look like idiots who don't understand how the government they are a part of works.  I wouldn't want a legislator in office who doesn't understand how our government functions.

[RoseWilder]

15 hours ago, Childless said:

Why do Republican politicians do this?  Why, when a court decision goes against them, do they rail that judges are legislating from the bench?  The judges are determining the legality/constitutionality of a law.  They aren't legislating.  If they were, they'd be enacting new laws which I've never heard happen.  When Republican politicians say this, they look like idiots who don't understand how the government they are a part of works.  I wouldn't want a legislator in office who doesn't understand how our government functions.

I think the problem here isn't that they don't understand how the law works, but that they don't care how it works. They know the judge wasn't trying to make laws. They're just playing dumb to try to further their cause. I'm not sure why they're so willing to make complete and total asses of themselves like this. 

[formergothardite]

McCrory is now complaining that because of his insane bathroom bill, no one will hire him. 

Quote

Former Gov. Pat McCrory says the backlash against House Bill 2 is making some employers reluctant to hire him but he’s currently doing consulting and advisory board work.

Quote

The former Republican governor says HB2 “has impacted me to this day, even after I left office. People are reluctant to hire me, because, ‘oh my gosh, he’s a bigot’ – which is the last thing I am.”

 

Quote

 

the former governor said that he’s been considered for part-time university teaching positions – he wouldn’t say where – but that academic leaders “have shown reluctance because of student protests.”

“That’s not the way our American system should operate – having people purged due to political thought,” he told The N&O.

McCrory said he’s also “had ongoing discussions with the Trump administration, but at this point in time nothing has come to fruition.”

 

So he thought he could get in with Trump, but not even Trump wants him. 

Quote

 

The N.C. Democratic Party issued a statement Monday responding to McCrory’s job search troubles.

“North Carolina has already lost hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity and thousands of jobs as a direct result of House Bill 2, but I guess we can start adding Gov. McCrory’s career to the total as well,” spokesman Mike Gwin said.

 

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article138266443.html

[fraurosena]

Apart from the newsworthiness of this MoJo article, I have another reason.

Quote

My brain is imploding. HHS Secretary Tom Price said today that CBO's estimate of insurance losses under the Republican health care bill "defy logic." But it turns out the White House—which Price works for—agrees with the CBO. In fact, they think CBO is a little too optimistic. Here is Politico:

The White House's own internal analysis of the GOP plan to repeal and replace Obamacare show even steeper coverage losses than the projections by the Congressional Budget Office, according to a document viewed by Politico on Monday.

The executive branch analysis forecast that 26 million people would lose coverage over the next decade, versus the 24 million CBO estimate — a finding that undermines White House efforts to discredit the forecasts from the nonpartisan CBO.

But...no...that's completely...it doesn't make...it's...it's...it's...I mean...WHAT THE FUCKITY FUCKING FUCK-ALL FUCK IS GOING ON HERE?

Sorry about that. But I'm afraid this is about the most incisive analysis I have to offer. The Republican health care effort is a fiasco beyond even my wildest imagination.

@Destiny... that sentence could have been written by you!

 

*whispers conspiratorily*

Are you secretly also a correspondent for Mother Jones?    

[Howl]

The WTF factor has been pegged in the red zone for so long, we need something new.  Thank you so much; we are now moving into the WHAT THE FUCKITY FUCKING FUCK-ALL FUCK factor.  When that pegs into the red zone, we are at the nuclear option and heads will explode. 

[Destiny]

4 hours ago, fraurosena said:

Apart from the newsworthiness of this MoJo article, I have another reason.

@Destiny... that sentence could have been written by you!

 

*whispers conspiratorily*

Are you secretly also a correspondent for Mother Jones?    

I am not, but I'm thinking of filing a plagiarism suit for taking all my fucks! LOL. 

[candygirl200413]

My favorite is when people like McCrory and Trump are like "I'm the least bigoted person ever!" or "I am the LEAST anracist/xenophobic/insert any word here!". Like will one day they learn that the more you say that it isn't going to be true? I also think with this article he interviewed for McCrory's stock will drop even more. Sucks to be a hateful asshole

[Cartmann99]

6 hours ago, formergothardite said:

McCrory is now complaining that because of his insane bathroom bill, no one will hire him. 

 

So he thought he could get in with Trump, but not even Trump wants him. 

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article138266443.html

Maybe he should quit whining to the media, accept that his days of power are over, and lower his expectations about where his career goes from here? 

I, for one, will not be crying in my beer over his self-inflicted wounds. 

[onekidanddone]

8 hours ago, formergothardite said:

McCrory is now complaining that because of his insane bathroom bill, no one will hire him. 

 

So he thought he could get in with Trump, but not even Trump wants him. 

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article138266443.html

Maybe I'm just dense, but isn't this just a tiny, just a itty bitty bit hypocritical of him?  He thinks it is just fine to discriminate against people who are gay, or people of color because of "religious freedom"? Well gee wiz (former) Gov, karma sure did come back and bite you on the ass eh? People don't want to hire you because you are a toxic waste dump of bigoted racist ooze 

[GreyhoundFan]

28 minutes ago, onekidanddone said:

Maybe I'm just dense, but isn't this just a tiny, just a itty bitty bit hypocritical of him?  He thinks it is just fine to discriminate against people who are gay, or people of color because of "religious freedom"? Well gee wiz (former) Gov, karma sure did come back and bite you on the ass eh? People don't want to hire you because you are a toxic waste dump of bigoted racist ooze 

Um, hello @onekidanddone, don't you know that if you look up the word hypocrite in the thesaurus, Republican is the first synonym?

[RoseWilder]

Fantastic news: