Rep. Mike Hager, the House Majority Leader, is the latest big government conservative to try to strip power from local governments and give it to the legislature. Hager introduced a bill that would take away local appointments to the Isothermal Community College Board of Trustees and give them to the General Assembly. It’s a pure power grab. Nobody on the board of trustees was aware Hagar was going to introduce the bill and nobody asked him to file it.
Republicans say they’re just doing what Democrats did. That’s a lame excuse even if it was true. But it’s not.
When Democrats controlled the legislature, they never redistricted school boards, county commissions or city councils. In fact, local bills almost always needed the support of all members of a county delegation, regardless of party affiliation, to get heard. Republicans are denying any voice to Democrats in the legislature, ignoring the desires of local officials, and disrespecting voters.
These authoritarian moves set a terrible precedent. North Carolina has historically been wary of centralized power. We had the weakest governor in the country until relatively recently and we elect ten constitutional officers, keeping power diversified. Until now, the General Assembly has largely stayed out of local politics, letting municipal and county governments determine their own agendas and fates. We don’t need heavy-handed egos from Raleigh dictating how counties and municipalities should operate.
Unfortunately, democracy doesn’t always protect us from authoritarians. Hitler became Chancellor of Germany under a democratic system and then manipulated the system to consolidate power. The Bolsheviks tried to marginalize Joseph Stalin by making him a party functionary but he used his power of appointment to make Secretary-General the most powerful position in Communist Russia.
I’m not comparing the Republicans in the legislature to Hitler or Stalin. But I am saying that most people who want to consolidate power and stifle dissent turn out to be huge assholes, regardless of where they fall on the political spectrum. I see no reason to expect anything different from the GOP.
Thomas Mills is the founder and publisher of PoliticsNC.com. Before beginning PoliticsNC, Thomas spent twenty years as a political and public affairs consultant. Learn more >
Just looked up the exact definition of fascism…..yep, these guys are definitely trending that direction.
(1) To Ty- Anyone who says the two parties are exactly alike really isn’t outfitted properly to participate in a political discussion (and “parties” isn’t capitalized, unless I’m missing some kind of tenuous irony).
(2) To Karl, Thomas explained that the Hitler and Stalin references were being used as examples and as a warning, you just weren’t listening.
(3) To Danny (and Thomas). It IS so refreshing to hear the Republicans described as just what they are- “huge assholes”. I would add “gaping” and “flaming” to that. I think that otherwise quite professional people should be allowed to let off steam on once in a while.
(4) I know, this thread is probably done, but sometimes I, too, need to let off steam.
“Isothermal” Community College ?!? So named because it’s in a “thermal belt” ? Fascinating. Google it.
Why doesn’t the Republican Party change its name to the Hypocrite Party (or even the Asshole Party)?
Since there’s not a dimes worth of difference between the Parties, people might get confused.
I like that you used the word assholes.
First they came for Buncombe, and then they came for Mecklenburg, and then they came for Greensboro, and then they came for Wake…. And I did nothing. And then they came for me. (With apologies to Dietrich Bohoeffer.)
I just love how these anti-big government Republicans keep ramming big central down our throats. Tillis let it start, Moore needs to temper it. They’re not governing, they’re ruling.
I have been saying for several years that if the modern GOP was operating in Europe, it would be labeled as a “fascist party.” They are proving that statement to be true. Considering that the party encourages party members to marginalize “the other” to win elections, the GOP has also turned itself into a “hate party.”
Let’s tell every County Commission and Municipal government to send their meeting agendas to the GA for approval before each meeting. Then the GA could run everything.,
Ugliest power grab I have ever seen,.
Please don’t give the GA any more ideas; the ones they’re coming up with on their own already are bad enough.
Listen, when you bring up a comparison of Hitler or Stalin to any modern politician, you come off looking childish. I like this website. I’m support your ideas. You can do better.
You are altogether too kind to these unashamed, authoritarian, power grabbing individuals.