Comment Archives: Stories: Last 30 Days
Re: “Dissent in the ranks over N.C. Democratic Party Chairman Randy Voller”
Thanks, ProgPitBull, for the backhanded compliment about my thorough research methods. I talked to so many people about this piece, and have so many notes, that I could write a novel -- if only I knew the ending!
Randy Voller is either a great and courageous political leader, and the right man in the right place at a turning point in state Democratic history (as you and others on his side would have it), or he is ... a regrettable mistake which the party will be lucky to survive (which is what I heard from many others). With people whose judgment I respect taking such opposite slants, I will only say that I want a front-row seat as the story unfolds.
Re: “Best of the Triangle 2013: Readers' Choice poll winners and finalists”
I'm confused regarding the best tailor entry.
It's mentioned that Lee's tailors won, and that it has various locations. Two different websites are listed: www.leetailors.com
www.leestailorshop.com
Both of these appear to be separate businesses, with very similar names, and both claim on their respective website to have won the award numerous times in the past. However, complicating matters is that there is a third website: http://www.leetailorshop.com/ belonging to what appears to be yet another separate store (which also claims the awards) that is listed on your website as having won the award in 2010, 2011, and 2012. Are these all the same chain? If they are separate, which was given the award?
Re: “Sturgeon and caviar farming in Western N.C.”
Congratulations Maria. This looks like another great caviar recipe.
http://www.sensationcaviar.com
Re: “Fast-track fracking bill passes House commerce committee”
The time for mass civil disobedience is here (in addition to Moral Mondays). Rise up!
Re: “Dissent in the ranks over N.C. Democratic Party Chairman Randy Voller”
For as long as you and I talked about this Bob, you seemed to have missed some of the very high points. Randy Voller was elected NCDP Chair in the face of OVERWHELMING and IRRATIONAL fear of reform and hatred of what might seen once real sunlight was brought inside Goodwin House. It reminds me of the movie "A New Leaf" - where a new husband found out that his new wife's trusted domestic staff was stealing her blind.
I don't know any of Voller's critics who are really progressive. Name me a couple if you could? Randy is a member of the group formerly known as the Progressive Democrats of North Carolina. I think you mean that some of his critics are really centrists who hide behind progressive issues.
Frank Eaton didn't release his video attacking Voller until the NCDP decided not to hire Frank and two other consultants to do contract work for the Party up $20K and more. And Frank should know that the ED and in fact ALL the NCDP staff work at the pleasure of the Chair. Because it involves personnel stuff, NCDP can't really comment.
But you of all people Bob Geary know about some NCDP staffers starting fights on the 2nd floor, drunk-dialing activists (and Party officers). You were there at the Player's Retreat with myself and three other activists one night in August 2012 and you heard the voice mail message left by one of the NCDP staffers. And you also know that some consultants and staffers were using NCDP resources improperly. One consultant even got a contract staffer to run LexisNexis searches on Randy Voller, Jeff Starkweather and former 1st Vice Chair Gwen WIlkens - and then gave the information to another consultant working for one of the other candidates for NCDP Chair back in January 2013. The same thing happened during the 2012 Primary when they did a similar search on Linda Coleman and passed the info to a consultant working for the other candidate. Randy Voller was elected to clean up and clean out the "frat house".
Did you know that one of the reasons why the NCDP SEC meeting was postponed from June 15th to sometime in August was because the staffer that was supposed to book the conference center for the SEC meeting and the Sanford-Hunt-Frye Dinner had not booked the space YET? Meaning with around two weeks before the meeting was supposed to take place, we didn't actually have a space to hold the functions? That sort of last-minute, hyper-manic, seat-of-the-pants, campaign-mode BS won't play well anymore in the NCDP. I am sure it was a BIG contributing factor in why we lost so big in 2010 and 2012.
My metric was and still is that the consultants and the campaign workers and the staff and the electeds don't run the Democratic Party - the elected officers do. Frank's personal and business perspective might have clouded his judgement. And I for one do feel that Frank's video defamed Randy and others. Just like I feel that the posts on the now-removed Vlaidmir Voller Twitter account defamed Randy and others - including me when they claimed I was robbing the NCDP.
Re: “Best of the Triangle 2013: Readers' Choice poll winners and finalists”
Awesome to see Fiesta Grill defend their title again! Hard to argue with Tasu/Shiki Sushi either, though I voted for Akai Hana. Five Guys taking the Fries category was no surprise... but I am totally mystified how Maple View Farms didn't even get a mention in the Frozen Dessert category.
Re: “Walter Mosley on the return of his most famous character in Little Green”
Great to have Easy Rawlins back, and "Devil in a Blue Dress" is one of the best movies that hardly anyone has seen.
Re: “Dissent in the ranks over N.C. Democratic Party Chairman Randy Voller”
This is a well-written and informative piece. Bravo, Bob Geary, for informing this reader on something I knew very little about. You have portrayed both perspectives on this controversial issue in a light that, to me, seems fair to both. Thank you! It does seem unfortunate that North Carolina Republicans are investing their every minute in the state legislature on setting our state as far back as possible, and (half of) North Carolina Democrat Party Officials seem too disappointed in their leader to focus their efforts on the true threat to our state.
Re: “Dissent in the ranks over N.C. Democratic Party Chairman Randy Voller”
Randy Voller is reforming the party using the county partys to elect Democrats as county commissioners, as state legislators, etc. This will rebuild the NCDP, these victories are his vision for the NCDP future. The GOP GA is destroying the fabric of people's lives. Democratic victories in the counties will restore the legislature to the citizen's interests.
Moderate Democrats arguing against Voller's viewpoint to reform the NCDP won't acknowledge that it was their centrist position that led directly to the massive GOP gains recently. Look at their records, look at our current GA. This is the result of centrist Democrats' work. Democrats need a new path. We need reform. We elected Voller as our chair to do this work.
The moderates of the past led the NCDP into defeat, swallowed by the Republican behemoth. NC can't take any more of this path to GOP destruction. We need change, and the new chair understands that.
"That's Voller's job. His critics should give him a fighting chance to get it done. Only then, if he fails, can they be sure it was his fault—and not theirs."
Re: “Dissent in the ranks over N.C. Democratic Party Chairman Randy Voller”
The grassroots guy won.
Voller proposed investing and building party infrastructure in each county including GOTV operations, and there is no mark up for that work. Voller wants to invest in the County Parties.
Could that explain the whole attack thing?
Re: “In voting no on 751, Durham expects retaliation from lawmakers”
What is the point of a local municipality when the state legislature can do what it wants. The state legislature has gone nuts with power if they push this and both republicans and democrats will not be happy about having local sovereign rights taken away.... so much for less government
Re: “151 arrested at Moral Monday protest”
I started a petition back in December concerning this issue before the stinky stuff hit the fan. Please visit and show support by signing. This is an opportunity to be heard without leaving your house or risking arrest. Here is the site http://signon.org/sign/systematic-destruct…
Re: “This week in disappointment: the budget, fracking again”
Wright School...
- is a state-operated facility that provides services free of charge to children placed from anywhere within NC
- is the only facility of its kind in NC for this age group
- provides both mental health and educational services to students in a unique and effective combination; this would not be offered by the new institution in Morganton
- has been funded for 50 years - 50 years - and I for one refuse to believe that things are so much worse now than any time in the last five decades that we cannot afford to keep it open
- has a national reputation as one of the most effective programs in the country, and its faculty and staff are widely considered to be among the very best in their profession
Please visit www.savewrightschool.com for more information!
Re: “Gov. McCrory disses the Senate budget and the Dix Park do-over. Is it a new day in Raleigh?”
Until I see something more, I am going to assume that all the Repubs in the legislature are using the shock and aww tactic. The shock part is that they all push and pass the craziest laws they can so long as they line their pockets in the process with zero regard to the impact on the state, then McRory talks about compromise for a few minutes and everyone who isn't paying attention to what's really happening says "aww" because he appears normal by comparison.
McCrory is a puppet for Art Pope in the same sense that Bush Jr. was a puppet for Cheney. Even if we ousted all these tea-bagging fools on the next election cycle, the damage to the economy, public services, and our environment will not be so easily cleaned up. Thus begins the cycle of Republican opportunism. Make a mess, complain about the budget when Democrats try to clean your mess. Damage our government intentionally and then sell folks on the idea that government is dysfunctional.
Do you remember when the biggest scandal was our state officials taking weekend trips to Asheville on our tax dollars? I do. Now I just hope my home's drinking water stays potable in the face of completely unregulated frackapalooza.
Re: “In voting no on 751, Durham expects retaliation from lawmakers”
Thanks, Lisa. By the way, I never said by voting against this tonight we will give the finger the General Assembly. Thay's not my style. I said "some would believe it is the equalivant of giving the finger to the GA, but they may respond with their fist..." EAB
Re: “Bologna burgers hit the blacktop at Orange County and South Boston speedways”
Dontcha know that Snoopy's in Raleigh now has a bologna burger on the menu, and it's the Special this month.
Re: “151 arrested at Moral Monday protest”
Maybe the NCGA could improve efficiency by arresting all 2.1 million citizens who voted Democrat in 2012. http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NC…
Re: “151 arrested at Moral Monday protest”
The City police get overtime, but the State Capitol police don't? Hmmm, that doesn't sound fair....oh wait, welcome to NC
Re: “151 arrested at Moral Monday protest”
In a move of extreme empathy for the rights of all citizens, South Carolina sent at least two buses of a labor union to assist North Carolina with our fight for human and constitutional rights for all citizens. Strange that Goolsby (Wilmington), Tillis, Berger, McCroy and others in the this immoral corrupt legislature can turn a deaf ear to its own citizens, while proud, and many elderly citizens from South Carolina, gave their day for this great injustice to North Carolina. Please let us make sure that this current "unmoved" legislative body (by their words and actions) NEVER have the pleasure of serving North Carolina again. Thank you, South Carolina, for bringing your support, hopes and dreams to assist us.
Re: “151 arrested at Moral Monday protest”
Unless the arrests increase dramatically, this will never get the full attention of the people in North Carolina.