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Is North Carolina just as progressive compared to the other states, such as Georgia, Virginia, South Carolina, Tennessee? Or has North Carolina made some terrible decisions making the other states look down on us? Just curious.
Is North Carolina just as progressive compared to the other states, such as Georgia, Virginia, South Carolina, Tennessee? Or has North Carolina made some terrible decisions making the other states look down on us? Just curious.
NC used to be viewed as the most progressive southern state. Once the gop took control of state government in 2010, the began dismantling that distinction. HB2 was a prime example. Others are ridiculously partisan redistricting, funneling tax dollars away from public schools and towards private (usually religious) schools, midnight votes with no public vetting, packing the state board of elections with republicans, passing laws limiting the power of the democratic governor, laws changing judicial selection designed to increase the number of conservative judges, inappropriately interfering with the UNC Board of Governors, passing laws severely restricting the ability of cities and counties to rule themselves, etc., etc.
NC used to be viewed as the most progressive southern state. Once the gop took control of state government in 2010, the began dismantling that distinction. HB2 was a prime example. Others are ridiculously partisan redistricting, funneling tax dollars away from public schools and towards private (usually religious) schools, midnight votes with no public vetting, packing the state board of elections with republicans, passing laws limiting the power of the democratic governor, laws changing judicial selection designed to increase the number of conservative judges, inappropriately interfering with the UNC Board of Governors, passing laws severely restricting the ability of cities and counties to rule themselves, etc., etc.
passing laws limiting the power of the democratic governor
It was comical how fast they scrambled to do that right after McCrory conceded. They were in full panic mode!
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passing laws severely restricting the ability of cities and counties to rule themselves
Heh, Wilson still hasn’t forgiven Thom Tillis for railroading through the General Assembly the statewide ban on municipal-owned internet services while preventing existing ones (like Wilson’s Greenlight) from expanding. So much for the GOP looking out for rural counties...
The NC legislature, who have governed slightly to the right of Attila the Hun, have damaged the progressive reputation of North Carolina and set it back perhaps 10 years. HB2 cost the state jobs and money to a degree that can't accurately be measured. NC's chances of winning Amazon's new headquarters are gone with the wind!
Among the neighboring states, North Carolina falls in the middle, politically. It's more liberal than South Carolina, but not by much. It's about the same as Georgia with the big cities blue islands - in a sea of red. NC is a tad more liberal than Tennessee, but more conservative than the much bluer state of Virginia. Over time, I suspect North Carolina will become increasingly blue.
The reality in almost all Southern states is that rural areas wield a disproportionate amount of political power due to the South's agricultural history. So you really have to consider how progressive localities are in addition to state legislatures, but the potential of cities to be more progressive is often hampered by conservative state legislatures which is rather unfortunate.
Location: River's Edge Inn, Todd NC, and Lorgues France
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Originally Posted by dontstressem22
Is North Carolina just as progressive compared to the other states, such as Georgia, Virginia, South Carolina, Tennessee? Or has North Carolina made some terrible decisions making the other states look down on us? Just curious.
Does progressive mean the same as liberal ?
If not, how are the two term different different ?
Historical North Carolina was always conservative we are the same state of Jesse helms. I think it’s a farce to act like we are some progressive utopia we just had strong roots in the southern democratic mindset which is NOTHING like being liberal today
Social conservative but also a muscular state regulatory scheme and programs. Maybe one could say in 2010 we lost any claim to the latter
Historical North Carolina was always conservative we are the same state of Jesse helms. I think it’s a farce to act like we are some progressive utopia we just had strong roots in the southern democratic mindset which is NOTHING like being liberal today
Social conservative but also a muscular state regulatory scheme and programs. Maybe one could say in 2010 we lost any claim to the latter
Nobody is, so put the strawman away. The fact is, NC was also the state that produced Frank Porter Graham, Kerr Scott, Terry Sanford, Jim Hunt, etc. Progressive ideas (and I'm not using that term as a political descriptor, or a substitute for "liberal") such as the largest state highway system in the country (originally designed to allow farmers to get their products to market), the UNC system, Research Triangle Park, an outstanding state park system, etc. were the hallmarks of NC from the 1950's through the 1990's.
Sure, there were really few differences between most democrats and republicans during that era, but that was part of NC's magic. People didn't focus on political labels, they focused on improving the lives of the people of this state. We've now lost that.
^^ I especially agree with the second paragraph. The examples you mentioned like to work together to get things done for the benefit of the citizens. They didn't always see eye to eye, but they could build a reasonable consensus on behalf of their constituents and work out a plan to be helpful to the state. On the conservative side, Governor Martin was that way as well.
Last edited by Jowel; 05-06-2018 at 05:57 PM..
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