“Clearly the Gov Ops Commission is going to use its new invasive powers to harass organizations and individuals that serve women’s health care, the LBGTQ community, the transgender community, minority communities, our educational institutions and anything and anyone else that the far right decides is too ‘woke.’”
“I am an independent voter, and I don’t feel the Democrats or the Republicans represent my voice, protect anyone’s rights or anyone’s future.”
Over 140 people responded to an Xpress questionnaire designed to learn more about Western North Carolina’s unaffilaited voters. Their answers show that, at least in WNC, the simple label of “unaffiliated” elides a wide diversity of ideologies and concerns.
“Regarding the midterm elections, it is essential that we choose candidates who share our values. Do you want a party in control that wants to destroy our democracy or do you want a party that wants to maintain our democracy?”
“The core of any democracy is participation by we the people in stating our preferences through the ballot box.”
“Asheville needs better representation that represents the values of the people living here, and as long as people vote party over policy, there won’t be a government here that actually feels responsible to the demands of the people rather than the party.”
“I don’t know what Big Pharma, health professionals and lobbyists asked of McHenry for their $824,680. But reasonable people can assume it wasn’t to reduce the exorbitant cost of prescription drugs, improve the Affordable Care Act or expand Medicaid.”
“Oddly enough, the future of the Republican stranglehold on North Carolina and the nation can be glimpsed through Meadows and the 11th District.”
“The thuggish behavior of the North Carolina GOP has been a disaster, making us a national laughingstock, and there needs to be some kind of reckoning, and soon.”
“Though progressives love to march, scream, ridicule, deceive and knit pink vagina hats, experience tells us there’s a big difference in motion and action. Your side has a growing attachment to distraction over productive social action.”
“It seems that any patriotic American, although they may be disappointed at election results, has a duty for the greater good of our country to accept the will of the people as demonstrated by a fair Democratic voting process.”
“In reference to the Antichrist from the Bible’s Book of Revelations, perhaps today’s anti-Christs are those people who reject the teaching of Christ while asserting they are Christians. “
It is my understanding that the political party in power appoints its people to head boards, commissions, offices, etc. This is the first time in [many] years that the Republican Party has had this opportunity. This is an important obligation; but it appears some Republicans feel embarrassed by the need. Trena Parker has been director […]
The Sunlight Foundation recently released extensive data on “the political 1 percent of the 1 percent,” the 31,385 people responsible for over a quarter of political donations nationwide during the 2012 elections. Fifteen of them are in the Asheville metro area, including developers, retirees, a minister and a well-known local philanthropist.
A friend of mine who lives near A.C. Reynolds High School passed along a mailer that was sent out by [N.C. House candidate] Nathan Ramsey. This mailer was touting the need for laws that require state residents to show an ID to vote. Shame on Nathan Ramsey for buying into the GOP's voter-suppression efforts that, […]
The proposed platform of the North Carolina Republican Party includes the following language: "Government should treat all citizens impartially, without regard to wealth, race, ethnicity, disability, religion, sex, political affiliation or national origin. We oppose all forms of invidious discrimination. Sexual orientation is not an appropriate category." So, here we see their true colors. We […]
Democrats controlled the N.C. Legislature for 140 years. Less than two years after Republicans took control of the North Carolina General Assembly, they skillfully managed to get a constitutional amendment passed, voiding all civil unions as well as guaranteeing [that] gay men and women in North Carolina have no equal protection under the law and […]
If you want the government to come between a woman and her doctor in personal matters of family planning; if mandating a trans-vaginal ultrasound is more important than the economy and creating jobs; if you want Raleigh to control local issues; if you want offshore drilling of the N.C. coast instead of wind power that […]
In the President’s State of the Union speech, he masterfully called America to rally to the vision of inclusiveness and fairness he has sought to implement through his presidency. Despite shrill Republican propaganda to the contrary, Obama has accomplished saving the country from complete financial meltdown, even over the unbridled and, at times, irrational opposition […]
Cecil Bothwell is running for U.S. Congress in Western Northern Carolina. He is looking to unseat the conservative pro-corporate Blue Dog Democrat Heath Shuler in the next Democratic Party primary to be held on May 8, 2012. This is a rare opportunity for the people of Western North Carolina to elect an honest and forward-thinking […]
Now we know: The Republican Party and tea party, locally and nationally, have promulgated a draconian agenda of repressive and mean-spirited legislation that must not go unchallenged. Some examples of this agenda include voter ID, overriding Gov. Bev Perdue's veto of HB 854, restricting a woman's right to choose and eliminating numerous programs for the […]
