The editors of the News & Observer did it! The N&O is now the journalistic equivalent of the Weekly World News. Consider…
– The N&O published an editorial titled, “The Bush library and the darker legacy,” on the same day that they ran another story, “Politics on hold at the dedication of Bush library.”
– Another editorial proclaims, “Prosecution of Perdue supporters exceeded the offense,” questioning whether enforcing campaign finance laws is worth all the time and trouble.
– One letter to the editor declares that white lawmakers are racists. Never mind, they publish letters like this all of the time. Take this recent letter, for example.
– Another letter to the editor, well, must be read in its entirety to be appreciated.
The take-no-prisoners governing style of North Carolina’s (and the nation’s) Republican lawmakers has made me realize that perhaps one day the United States could break into two separate countries.
Conservatives will take the states in the South and Southwest, and liberals can have the Northeast and West.
In Tea Party Land, the free market reigns supreme. Guns and weapons are legal and plentiful. Christianity is the national religion, and English is the official language. State-sanctioned “personal responsibility” lectures for the less well-off are the only government benefit. Minorities and homosexuals won’t be coddled. Exploitation of natural resources won’t be hindered by protections for the air, sea or land. Tax rates will hover near zero, and all revenue pays for a bloated, aimless armed force.
In Liberaland, we’ll trade McMansions and attack helicopters for peace, harmony and inclusion. Democracy will trump capitalism, as money is valued but not life’s sole pursuit. We will safeguard our environment. We’ll protect our vulnerable citizens. And most of us will be happy.
I wonder which nation will last longer? Let’s put it this way: When Tea Party Land wants to rejoin us, we’ll graciously take it back.
– A former commerce secretary claims that felon and former governor Mike Easley’s class size reduction efforts, among others, helped to attract businesses to North Carolina. Let’s put this theory to the test by transferring all economic development money to our public schools. In fact, that idea raises an interesting question. Why didn’t the author of this letter agree to do that when he was in charge of the Department of Commerce?
