Appointmen­t is not democracy

On July 26, 2011 the following was printed in the Mountain Xpress article “Field of Schemes?” about the proposed new Statehouse districts: “‘Less than a quarter of Buncombe County's population is Republican,’ noted Register of Deeds Drew Reisinger, who was Democratic Rep. Patsy Keever's campaign manager. ‘Yet they've drawn the districts so there will likely […]

The national election begins locally

Gen. William T. Sherman wrote to encourage his friend, Gen. U.S. Grant, saying that Grant’s “chief characteristic is the simple faith in success.” For example, Grant arrived in besieged Chattanooga after the Union defeat at Chickamauga, replaced the general in command and set out to remove Confederates from mountains around and lift the siege. And […]