He genuinely helped in the struggle to expose and compensate for the NC sterilization horror. In some ways it makes it worse. As you say, he knows what’s right. He brought Hegseth’s nomination to the brink of defeat. But then he rolled over anyway. It’s heart-breaking, really.
I think when the Southern Strategy started taking shape, as time progressed it became apparent to those canny enough to smell it for the undermining of the party that it was, that the emphasis on integrity and empathy was making a subtle shift away from such values. They were framed as weak. One needed moral character, preferably cloaked in the robes of religious morality. As for Tillis, he’s an acolyte of the Heritage Foundation, taught to do and say all the right things in order to get elected and move up in government. As bad as it’s been with the majority R legislature, I’m just thankful the voters got a quick belly-full of Pat McCrory. The damage that was done to NC by Rs having control of all three branches still hasn’t been addressed and I fear that after this disaster of a regime in DC, our great grandchildren will still be paying off ignorant voter’s folly.
There used to be liberal Republicans, too, in the Senate. Lowell Weicker. Edmund Brooke. Not since the rise of Newt Gingrich and John Boehner has it been okay to be anything other than a lockstep Republican. While the Bible may say you can get religion just before you die and still be saved, in the case of politics, Tillis is too little too late.
"He takes shots at Trump by criticizing those around him." This is key. Tillis voted for Bondi, for Noem, and then he showboats in hearings "taking them to task." Fun to listen to, but worthless. What is he hoping to gain by muting any criticism of Trump? Whatever happened to "The buck stops here." Oh, right--it was a Democrat who said that.
I agree with you on Tillis. I’m not sure he will ever be able to redeem himself in my eyes, but I will take whatever he gives us now because he owes it to the people of North Carolina and the military he professes to love. Budd is a different animal and unredeemable. I keep trying by including him in my messaging, only to receive his ridiculous answers. It would behoove the voters in NC to turn as many Republicans out in the next election as we can, both on the state level and the federal level. Our country deserves our help in taking our government back. VOTE BLUE UP AND DOWN THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER.
We have a chance to take back our Legislature and to elect more Democratic Congress people this time. Democrats need to get out and vote. And vote THE WHOLE ballot. Vote for our judges - Anita Earls, John Arrowood, Toby Hampson, and Christine Wolzak.
Blind partisanship is a terrible drug. It applies to every party. Republicans have been especially egregious and deserve no sympathy. I hope Democrats will learn from the GOP's disgusting decline.
Rick. I agree but I’d say that anyone still running as a Republican is giving a stamp of approval to the Trump agenda. I feel safe voting Democrat in nearly all cases. ( Excluding Fedderman.)
Linda, yes, Republicans who have never publicly repudiated Trump are at least OK with what he does. That goes with the ones still in or seeking office who didn't vote to impeach or convict in 2021. He's shown who he is. They can't be allowed to merely change the subject and move along.
There hasn’t been a principled NC Republican in Congress since Walter Jones left. And he was effectively homeless politically. McCain — for all his many faults — did at least have convictions. Mitt Romney tried to convince us he had core values, but like Tillis he only had them when he didn’t have anything to lose. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger both did great work on the J6 committee, but voted for Trump’s priorities in an overwhelming majority of cases.
Republicans have been disingenuous at best since the Nixon era, but I do believe that the MAGA era is worse. They didn’t even bother with a platform in 2020 other than “Whatever Trump Says”. If there were any principles left they burned away as soon as that happened. They decided that Trump was the party and that absolved them of any responsibility for doing their jobs.
Burr is another one who found his sack right about the time he decided he’d made enough to retire from Congress. But he had a good many extremely “well timed” stock trades particularly when COVID became real, and just before the rest of us knew how real. Not the first time, just the most obvious.
He genuinely helped in the struggle to expose and compensate for the NC sterilization horror. In some ways it makes it worse. As you say, he knows what’s right. He brought Hegseth’s nomination to the brink of defeat. But then he rolled over anyway. It’s heart-breaking, really.
Couldn’t agree more with this column
Isn’t it amazing how those in the party opposing slavery have switched sides and show fealty to a President who is a racist
I think when the Southern Strategy started taking shape, as time progressed it became apparent to those canny enough to smell it for the undermining of the party that it was, that the emphasis on integrity and empathy was making a subtle shift away from such values. They were framed as weak. One needed moral character, preferably cloaked in the robes of religious morality. As for Tillis, he’s an acolyte of the Heritage Foundation, taught to do and say all the right things in order to get elected and move up in government. As bad as it’s been with the majority R legislature, I’m just thankful the voters got a quick belly-full of Pat McCrory. The damage that was done to NC by Rs having control of all three branches still hasn’t been addressed and I fear that after this disaster of a regime in DC, our great grandchildren will still be paying off ignorant voter’s folly.
One of your best. Thanks.
Perfect summation of my thoughts, though I'd throw in a few choice expletives.
Fuck Tillis.
Fuck Trump.
There used to be liberal Republicans, too, in the Senate. Lowell Weicker. Edmund Brooke. Not since the rise of Newt Gingrich and John Boehner has it been okay to be anything other than a lockstep Republican. While the Bible may say you can get religion just before you die and still be saved, in the case of politics, Tillis is too little too late.
"He takes shots at Trump by criticizing those around him." This is key. Tillis voted for Bondi, for Noem, and then he showboats in hearings "taking them to task." Fun to listen to, but worthless. What is he hoping to gain by muting any criticism of Trump? Whatever happened to "The buck stops here." Oh, right--it was a Democrat who said that.
I agree, it isn't the same Republican party. That's why the term "GOP" should be repudiated. It ain't the same old party, and it sure ain't grand.
Amen! You are an NC treasure👍
I agree with you on Tillis. I’m not sure he will ever be able to redeem himself in my eyes, but I will take whatever he gives us now because he owes it to the people of North Carolina and the military he professes to love. Budd is a different animal and unredeemable. I keep trying by including him in my messaging, only to receive his ridiculous answers. It would behoove the voters in NC to turn as many Republicans out in the next election as we can, both on the state level and the federal level. Our country deserves our help in taking our government back. VOTE BLUE UP AND DOWN THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER.
We have a chance to take back our Legislature and to elect more Democratic Congress people this time. Democrats need to get out and vote. And vote THE WHOLE ballot. Vote for our judges - Anita Earls, John Arrowood, Toby Hampson, and Christine Wolzak.
Blind partisanship is a terrible drug. It applies to every party. Republicans have been especially egregious and deserve no sympathy. I hope Democrats will learn from the GOP's disgusting decline.
Rick. I agree but I’d say that anyone still running as a Republican is giving a stamp of approval to the Trump agenda. I feel safe voting Democrat in nearly all cases. ( Excluding Fedderman.)
That may change when/if the Dems regain control.
Linda, yes, Republicans who have never publicly repudiated Trump are at least OK with what he does. That goes with the ones still in or seeking office who didn't vote to impeach or convict in 2021. He's shown who he is. They can't be allowed to merely change the subject and move along.
There hasn’t been a principled NC Republican in Congress since Walter Jones left. And he was effectively homeless politically. McCain — for all his many faults — did at least have convictions. Mitt Romney tried to convince us he had core values, but like Tillis he only had them when he didn’t have anything to lose. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger both did great work on the J6 committee, but voted for Trump’s priorities in an overwhelming majority of cases.
Republicans have been disingenuous at best since the Nixon era, but I do believe that the MAGA era is worse. They didn’t even bother with a platform in 2020 other than “Whatever Trump Says”. If there were any principles left they burned away as soon as that happened. They decided that Trump was the party and that absolved them of any responsibility for doing their jobs.
There's Richard Burr. Voted to convict Trump after Jan 6.
Burr is another one who found his sack right about the time he decided he’d made enough to retire from Congress. But he had a good many extremely “well timed” stock trades particularly when COVID became real, and just before the rest of us knew how real. Not the first time, just the most obvious.
Well said. It's exactly how I feel about him. Tillis needs to read this!