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[Vena]

I do hope people in NC protest hard against what their statre government has been doing to limit the power of the incoming governor. I also do hope that what the NC GOP is doing backfires eventually.

Already has in part, their attempts at gerrymandering were so blatantly racist that the entire thing was vetoed and their district lines have to be redrawn by an outside force. All seats are up for re-election in 2017, and you bet your bottom dollar they are going to lose a lot of them.

I have hope that come end of 2017 there's a massive legislative shift, and if these recent bills make it to law for Cooper to deal with, that they are overturned in a night.

They've also lost two parts of the governing body, which is why they are so desperate to shift as much power to their legislature as they can (though its possible Cooper will challenge here on the grounds of their current super-majority being unconstitutionally gained). They lost the governorship, and they lost the Supreme Court.

 

[mike6467]

I really wonder what it's going to take. The general population doesn't seem to care that the process is being compromised at multiple levels. They're subverting the whole system and hurting the vast, vast majority of the population and literally killing others while they do it. They're also doing everything to rig the laws to fall in their favor, so fixing this shit in the future will be more difficult.

I guess we wait for the gap to get bigger, average uninformed joe will join the protests when it hits closer to home. Or not. I don't know, I'm on the cusp of staying out of OT and blocking all my news sites. I'll stick up for my values and do my best to change things in my day to day life, but this continuing wave of injustice and hate (that seems to be getting not just more frequent, but more devastating/effective) is too much sometimes.

 

[Rayis]

We shouldn't be ok with a terrorist organization running the country

 

[Space Wanderer]

Its happening.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article121311118.html

The House approved Senate Bill 4 on a vote of 67-23 and sent it to the Senate for final approval. The Senate signed off on it in the early afternoon and sent it to the governor, who signed it.

McCrory has not said whether he will sign another controversial bill, House Bill 17, which requires confirmation hearings for the new governor’s Cabinet officials and prevents him from appointing members of the UNC system schools boards of trustees.


Democrats disputed the Republican claims that SB4 would create a bipartisan commission merging the current State Board of Elections, State Ethics Commission and the lobbying functions of the Secretary of State’s office..

Some super villain type shit:

While in past protests legislators have largely ignored the disruptions, on Friday, anger broke loose and several Republicans criticized the protesters, saying they prevented school classes on field trips and the general public from watching the proceedings.

“This whole day is a day that will be burned in my memory,” said Rep. Michael Speciale, a Republican from New Bern. “What happened up there this morning was unacceptable. That their views are the only views in North Carolina that we should represent.”

 

[Tallshortman]

See you in court.

 

[digita1alchemy]

I really wonder what it's going to take. The general population doesn't seem to care that the process is being compromised at multiple levels. They're subverting the whole system and hurting the vast, vast majority of the population and literally killing others while they do it. They're also doing everything to rig the laws to fall in their favor, so fixing this shit in the future will be more difficult.

The general population doesn't understand how their government is even supposed to work, let alone how the people in power are subverting it. I feel like for a lot of this stuff, if you could sit most people down and really spell out for them what these people are trying to do, most would agree that it's wrong. Even if it's "their" party that's doing it. But you'd have to really get to the heart of the matter, and cut out all of the rhetoric and fear and partisan bullshit that pervades the conversation literally everywhere else. Which is no easy task.

 

[Alligatorjandro]

America is finally coming into its shit hole potential

 

[Slayven]

So whats the next step?

 

[Escape Goat]

America is finally coming into its shit hole potential

NC thankfully is not all of America

 

[mike6467]

The general population doesn't understand how their government is even supposed to work, let alone how the people in power are subverting it. I feel like for a lot of this stuff, if you could sit most people down and really spell out for them what these people are trying to do, most would agree that it's wrong. Even if it's "their" party that's doing it. But you'd have to really get to the heart of the matter, and cut out all of the rhetoric and fear and partisan bullshit that pervades the conversation literally everywhere else. Which is no easy task.

Exactly, there's no easy way forward, if one even exists. When someone on my Facebook posted this the other day, the response from several people was legitimately "You lost, get over it, we dealt with this for the last 8 years." There's just such a disconnect there. Where do you even start?

 

[Barzul]

The founders really should've seen this hyperpartisanhip stuff coming and instituted stronger controls against it. It's almost like they want America to turn into a one party state.

 

[Alligatorjandro]

NC thankfully is not all of America

I hope it's not

 

[exmachina64]

Uhhh... straight ticket voting is bad. I don't give a fuck if it black people use it more than white people - it shouldn't exist.

Tell me more.

 

[Finalizer]

NC thankfully is not all of America

we're just ahead of the curve

 

[NYCmetsfan]

The founders really should've seen this hyperpartisanhip stuff coming and instituted stronger controls against it. It's almost like they want America to turn into a one party state.

They did

All obstructions to the execution of the laws, all combinations and associations, under whatever plausible character, with the real design to direct, control, counteract, or awe the regular deliberation and action of the constituted authorities, are destructive of this fundamental principle, and of fatal tendency. They serve to organize faction, to give it an artificial and extraordinary force; to put, in the place of the delegated will of the nation the will of a party, often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community; and, according to the alternate triumphs of different parties, to make the public administration the mirror of the ill-concerted and incongruous projects of faction, rather than the organ of consistent and wholesome plans digested by common counsels and modified by mutual interests.

However combinations or associations of the above description may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely, in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.

Literally George Washington called this

 

[Vena]

The founders really should've seen this hyperpartisanhip stuff coming and instituted stronger controls against it. It's almost like they want America to turn into a one party state.

The autonomy of the larger population centers/states would prevent this in the long run anyway (the one party that rules everything, that is). Too many highly educated people in centralized locations with states that they control, and with power to stand up for themselves. They'd either eventually push back incredibly hard or completely oppose federal control.

What will end up happening is going to be an internal cold war if politics continue to radicalize with Republicans continuing to feed/survive off of the under/uneducated that they can effectively "militarize" for politics on fear and ignorance, and physical labor forces of the midwest and central states.

The progressive states will move further and further towards self-reliance and stronger infrastructure and upgrading their labor force to cope with the changing (and unstoppable) global movements.

Of course, this would shatter the United States but that's been going on for years now with Republicans radicalizing and tribalizing their constituents.

 

[Space Wanderer]

NC thankfully is not all of America

This is just a preview of what could very well happen in other states. Don't underestimate how much the GOP doesn't give a shit about the people they are supposed to represent.

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

Clinton gets 3 million more votes and loses presidential race
Cooper wins governor race gets stripped of all power

America

 

[Slayven]

Can Cooper sue to get this over turned?

 

[Vena]

Can Cooper sue to get this over turned?

He's looking to do just that, yes. But he needs to find the best argument.

 

[abundant]

This is just a preview of what could very well happen in other states. Don't underestimate how much the GOP doesn't give a shit about the people they are supposed to represent.

Exactly. If this passes with no opposition against it, then that tells the GOP that they can try the same tactic all across America.

 

[Ekai]

The Republican Party is no longer about the will of the people. Only stupid people think they are.

They have been blatantly anti-democracy for decades.

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

He's looking to do just that, yes. But he needs to find the best argument.

Because everything Republicans did is technically legal, going to be a very hard case to win

 

[Vena]

Because everything Republicans did is technically legal, going to be a very hard case to win

He can probably attack it from the gerrymander supermajority perspective. Since their supermajority is already ruled as gained illegally and on unconstitutional and racist grounds, he can potentially challenge the attempt to take his power as being based on an unconstitutional basis.

That's one he could look to attack it.

I think there's also some holes he can look to attack in how these bills attempt to do the even/odd year split that clearly favor Republican control of the Election Board unilaterally on election years as obviously biased and therein unconstitutional.

As noted, he's going to have to spend a lot of time with much more law-educated people than I to find an attack vector but given how rushed these bills were... you'd have a decent enough chance at finding something potentially compromising. I've forwarded it to my cousin who works in Constitutional and State Law, I'll be curious to see if she can find holes in it and if she can, she'll be forwarding it to Cooper's team.

 

[Escape Goat]

This is just a preview of what could very well happen in other states. Don't underestimate how much the GOP doesn't give a shit about the people they are supposed to represent.

Specifically, where else could it happen?

 

[Steejee]

It's like the NC GOP basically couldn't stand the idea that NC could become a nice state young people wanted to move to and had to fuck it up.

 

[abundant]

Specifically, where else could it happen?

Any state that bleeds red (basically any state in the south).

 

[Jeffrey]

Man I always tend to get calls from recruiters asking if you want a dev job in Charlotte whenever NC GOP fuckery is in the news lol.

Such a shame, I like that city the last time I visited.

 

[ezrarh]

Things were looking up for NC 6 years ago (despite the recession)...then 2010 happened and blah.

 

[mike6467]

It's like the NC GOP basically couldn't stand the idea that NC could become a nice state young people wanted to move to and had to fuck it up.

My buddy moved out there because of the music scene 2 years ago and promptly got into a band. I made a trip out there for work around the same time. Charlotte seemed like a place I could see myself, that combined with the cost of living made me seriously consider it. Recent news obviously deterred me from that idea.

My friend got really pissed the night of the election, and has recently said there's definitely an influx of younger liberals out there who are beyond pissed at this and taking action. Though I don't know how big of a bubble he's living in. It still surprised me how much action they've taken recently, like they're actively trying to be on the forefront of regression.

Edited for clarity but already quoted. Booooo

 

[KernelPanic]

They have been blatantly anti-democracy for decades.

Because in a true democracy they'd never win. Their policies only benefit the people at the very top.

 

[Mike M]

Specifically, where else could it happen?

NC will serve as the model for all the dark red states in this map.

 

[TheCochese]

Specifically, where else could it happen?

It happened to some extent in Georgia in 2002. Specifically, to the Lt Gov.

GA was the first test, NC was the second. The US is next up.

 

[Vena]

My buddy moved out there because of the music scene 2 years ago and promptly got into a band. I made a trip out there for work around the same time. Charlotte seemed like a place I could see myself, that combined with the cost of living made me seriously consider it. He got really pissed the night of the election, and has recently said there's definitely an influx of younger liberals out there who are beyond pissed at this and taking action. Though I don't know how big of a bubble he's living in. It definitely surprised me some of the action they've taken recently though, like they're actively trying to be on the forefront of regression.

Well they seemingly did a lot, since they ousted McCrory. The biggest litmus test will be the 2017 re-election for the entire legislature. NCAAP will certainly also be a major force in this as the new districts won't be gerrymandered to hell.

 

[Escape Goat]

NC will serve as the model for all the dark red states in this map.

Note of them have democratic governors. And likely wont.

 

[FStubbs]

The autonomy of the larger population centers/states would prevent this in the long run anyway (the one party that rules everything, that is). Too many highly educated people in centralized locations with states that they control, and with power to stand up for themselves. They'd either eventually push back incredibly hard or completely oppose federal control.

What will end up happening is going to be an internal cold war if politics continue to radicalize with Republicans continuing to feed/survive off of the under/uneducated that they can effectively "militarize" for politics on fear and ignorance, and physical labor forces of the midwest and central states.

The progressive states will move further and further towards self-reliance and stronger infrastructure and upgrading their labor force to cope with the changing (and unstoppable) global movements.

Of course, this would shatter the United States but that's been going on for years now with Republicans radicalizing and tribalizing their constituents.

Nice theory, and I mostly (and sadly) agree, but with one caveat.

Republicans get one more state legislature and start passing constitutional amendments making their bigoted corporatist orthodoxy enshrined in the constitution and unassailable by any state.

Also, what happens when the GOP and the Trump administration actively prevent minorities from voting?

 

[toadsworth]

I've lived in Charlotte for most of my life and have been planning to move for awhile. The political situation is solidifying my decision. It's a shame the Republican party in this state is more interested in control rather than the better interest of it's citizens.

Is there any battleground state where the good of the citizens raises above party?

 

[digdug2k]

Lol. At this point, I'm surprised they aren't just passing laws that say its illegal for anyone who's not a Republican to be governor. And it would be perfectly legal for NC to do that.

At this point its basically a game of chicken. At what point will people actually revolt?

 

[abundant]

Note of them have democratic governors. And likely wont.

Depending on when they try it, swing states could be in trouble too. All it takes is another midterm fiasco for what's happening in NC to spread to other states that aren't die-hard Republicans.

 

[Vena]

Nice theory, and I mostly (and sadly) agree, but with one caveat.

Republicans get one more state legislature and start passing constitutional amendments making their bigoted corporatist orthodoxy enshrined in the constitution and unassailable by any state.

Also, what happens when the GOP and the Trump administration actively prevent minorities from voting?

Such an extreme situation would probably end in (or insight) outright revolt, though, and the nation would buckle if the major cities and their states just said: "Fuck you". They produce too much money for the nation whereas most red states are negative on government.

Rather than a cold civil war between urban and rural regions and party lines, you'd insight an outright civil war.

NC is already teetering on such a precipice. I don't think it will take much more abuse from an already-ruled illegal legislature for the people to just torch the whole thing to the ground. These actions have made people on both sides of the party line get infuriated because such plays shatter illusions. They're too brazen and in obvious contempt of the people who voted.

 

[Apt101]

The Republican Party is no longer about the will of the people. Only stupid people think they are.

It has been that way since the first year of the Dubya administration.

 

[Sobriquet]

Note of them have democratic governors. And likely wont.

In NC the current Republican governor successfully sued the GA for taking away too much of his power. Then he signed this...

 

[Vincent Alexander]

I missed the update last night that these corrupt pieces of shit actually went through with some of this. Saw it just a moment ago in bed and now my mood is ruined for the day. They don't even give a shit about being subtle anymore, do they?

 

[abundant]

I missed the update last night that these corrupt pieces of shit actually went through with some of this. Saw it just a moment ago in bed and now my mood is ruined for the day. They don't even give a shit about being subtle anymore, do they?

The past 8 years have showed the GOP that their base doesn't care what they do, as long as they stay in power.

 

[Vincent Alexander]

The past 8 years have showed the GOP that their base doesn't care what they do, as long as they stay in power.

True. I wish we didn't live in a country that rooted for political sides and their politicians as if they're rooting for fucking football teams. They don't care what they are up to on or off the field. They just wanna win.

 

[Psamtik. Death's Demise]

So whats the next step?

Declaring opposition parties illegal.

 

[BriGuy]

I view Republicans as a hostile, occupying force that has illegitimate claims to governing. I fear their policies and machinations more than ISIS, and that isn't hyperbole.

 

[Kinsei]

The GOP will eventually push too far and someone will start actually fighting back instead of just protesting. The fuckers deserve everything they're going to get.

 

[Lubricus]

We will work this out eventually. The pendulum will swing back.
The southeast US was under the control of the Democrats for almost a 100 years. Not a Republican in sight all those years. The Democrats created Jim Crow laws and intensified the oppression of the blacks. Now the Democrats are the good guys.

 

[StrikeNinja24]

The GOP will eventually push too far and someone will start actually fighting back instead of just protesting. The fuckers deserve everything they're going to get.

Well, how about this then?

http://time.com/4605453/north-carolina-pat-mccrory-governor-legislature/

Governor Pat McCrory and the Republican-controlled General Assembly blocked Medicaid coverage for a half-million North Carolinians, passed a voter ID law designed primarily to disenfranchise African American voters (the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled in North Carolina NAACP v. McCrory that Republicans had “target[ed] African Americans with almost surgical precision”), transferred $90 million from public schools to voucher schools and cut pre-K for 30,000 children, repealed the earned tax credit for 900,000 people, constitutionally banned gay marriage and signed into law the notorious HB2 bill, which denied, among other things, victims of employment discrimination the ability to sue in state courts, blocked municipalities from raising the minimum wage and banned transgender people from using bathrooms that matched their gender identity.