The Republicans’ authoritarian instincts have been on full display during the short session. First, they passed a budget chock full of pork and policy without any debates or amendments. Now, they’re about to redistrict the judiciary to make it more political and more favorable to Republicans. Rumor has it that a bill that was introduced to change the way judges are elected in Charlotte will now include judicial districts across across the state.
Republicans have been trying to rig elections throughout the state since they took control. They’ve gerrymandered legislative and Congressional districts. They re-drawn local school board, city council and county commission districts without the support of people who live in them. They’ve made nonpartisan races partisan, including the judicial contests. Now, they’re redistricting judicial seats eight years after the last census.
Let’s be clear. None of this is normal and it’s certainly not good for democracy. Our government relies upon an independent judiciary. Republicans are trying to reduce that independence. They’re tired of courts that have been ruling against them. That said, the District Courts and Superior Courts that they’re rigging this year deal mainly with criminal and civil cases, not political ones.
They’re just trying to stack the courts to shut Democrats out of government altogether. They’re less concerned about impartiality than they are about partisan ideology. That’s bad for the people of the state and another example of GOP overreach.
Democrats should push back hard, especially in the black community. GOP efforts will sharply curb the number of African-American judges on the bench. For a community that’s seen too many people go to prison for too many minor offenses, this move should strike a chord. If anything should get them to the polls in November, stacking the court with members of a hostile party should do it.
As Republicans work to re-segregate our schools through voucher schemes and charter schools, they’re trying to protect their programs by preventing courts that would hand down decisions like Brown v. the Board of Education. They prefer judges who would agree with the court in their 1896 decision to uphold separate but equal in Plessy v. Ferguson. You know, because states’ rights and all that.
Nationally, the GOP has been trying to undo the economic framework of the social contract established by the New Deal. Politically, Republicans have diminished democracy through extreme gerrymandering of Congressional and legislative districts. Now, they’re going after justice. If they’re successful, they will give Trumpists an advantage in every branch of government. It won’t end well for our state or nation.
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 >
There’s a difference between having and making use of a legislative super-majority and having “authoritarian instincts”, but the distinction is undoubtedly lost on someone on the outside looking in. Be that as it may, if you don’t like it, scratch that veto-proof super-majority come November and you’ll be in business. You only have to reclaim four seats in the House.
No, it won’t end well but it may well end.
Why did we work so hard to elect a D governor and a D AG if they are completely toothless? Fight and stall the time till November! We will be there on voting day!
Not sure how we “push back” between now and election day…
Call members of the NC General Assembly expressing your displeasure at their actions , write them as well, submit opinion pieces to the newspaper, and volunteer to help register voters!
There is a lot to do!