Keith Ellison Just Made North Carolina Politics a Democratic Party Fight

[LongTomH]

No, not everyone on our side is lying down rolling over for a Republican takeover!!!

WASHINGTON ― The wild battle over the future of North Carolina state politics became a central fight in the future of the Democratic Party on Friday, as Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) joined state lawmakers to denounce Republican efforts aimed at eliminating the political power of incoming Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat.

..........//snip

The Republican-controlled state legislature introduced bills on Wednesday evening designed to undercut the administrative abilities of the state’s governor, giving outgoing incumbent Gov. Pat McCrory (R) the power to sign away his successor’s authority. The bills drastically limit Cooper’s ability to make appointments to various state boards and departments and require confirmation hearings for the appointments ― giving GOP lawmakers an opportunity to stifle basic state government staffing decisions.

Ellison is running to head the Democratic National Committee ― a race that has become a flashpoint over the direction of the party. Ellison, a prominent supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in the Democratic presidential primary, has racked up endorsements from establishment figures, including Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), his successor Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and a host of key labor figures who had backed Hillary Clinton in the primary. Those include the formal endorsement of the AFL-CIO, the nation’s largest federation of unions. His most serious challenger is Labor Secretary Thomas Perez, who is being boosted by President Barack Obama.

..........//snip

“The DNC has an election protection program and this is at the heart of their mission,” Ellison said. “It needs to step up right now to say this is outrageous, and get lawyers to oppose this undemocratic action that is happening right now. You gotta be in the fight … I will be.”

Edited to add link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/keith-ellison-north-carolina-gop_us_58545841e4b08debb78910aa

[elleng]

1. GOOD! As he should!

[napi21]

2. Is it true that some years ago the dems did the same thing and this is payback?

One of the Pub legislators was on MSNBC tonight and that's what he said.

[appal_jack]

7. To the small extent I have done research, no, not the same.

Republicans are trying to use the Democratic additions to the NC Court of Appeals Court as a precedent, but the two examples are not at all the same. In the 2000 case of the Appeals Court, there was good reason to appoint more justices due to a big increase in the cases coming before the Court of Appeals. Plus, I don't think that back in 2000, there had been a hotly contested election for justices, which is the case now (where voters expressed a clear preference, that legislators are now attempting to undo).

This article provides some context:
http://www.journalnow.com/news/local/will-special-session-skew-nc-supreme-court-lawmakers-remain-vague/article_99a90a0d-332e-58b5-a1e2-c4d022f79392.html

Good question! I hope my limited answers are of help,

-app

[Lithos]

11. If you want to go back to a different time and place

The Democrats did this in Texas at the end of Reconstruction where they severely limited the role of the Governor (then a carpet bagger Republican) and elevated the role of the Lt. Governor.

However, to be honest, this was the time when Democrats were the Conservative Party and Republicans were the Left-Center party. Times have of course shifted significantly since then with the infamous Dixie-crat role reversal where Democrats became the party of the People and the Republicans the Fascist party..

L-

[napi21]

12. Thanks. I heard tthe guy on MSNBC, who was introduced as one of the Pub legislators,

babbling about "The Dems did this when they took charge so we're doing the same thing. I live in Ga. but am not educated enough about Npolitics to know if he was BSing or not. Thee host did ask him if he thought the Dems did the wrong thing when they did this, and the guy wouldn't be trapped by that. The host finally said if this so wrong, how is it EVER going to end if you continue this tit for tat?

[LongTomH]

13. How do you know when a Republican is bullshitting?

His mouth is open!

[Boomerproud]

3. Someone has to do something smart and effective to stop the NC Legislature.

It's that important.

[aidbo]

4. Link to article from HuffPo below.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/keith-ellison-north-carolina-gop_us_58545841e4b08debb78910aa?section=us_politics

[hollowdweller]

5. Good for him. I'm seeing a lot of stuff now the dems need to hilight.

[elleng]

6. Good. There is a lot of such stuff, imo, for example:

'What I've said is that I can maybe give some counsel advice to the Democratic Party. And I think the -- the -- the thing we have to spend the most time on -- because it's the thing we have most control over -- is, how do we make sure that we're showing up in places where I think Democratic policies are needed, where they are helping, where they are making a difference, but where people feel as if they're not being heard?

And where Democrats are characterized as coastal, liberal, latte- sipping, you know, politically correct, out-of-touch folks, we have to be in those communities. And I've seen that, when we are in those communities, it makes a difference. That's how I became president. I became a U.S. Senator not just because I had a strong base in Chicago, but because I was driving downstate Illinois and going to fish fries and sitting in V.F.W. Halls and talking to farmers.'

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/12/16/transcript-obamas-end-of-year-news-conference-on-syria-russian-hacking-and-more/?utm_term=.a3f6a252e8bf

[spanone]

8. it 1000% should be!!!!

[The Wizard]

9. election nullification

It's what they do.

[bekkilyn]

10. I'm so happy this terrible situation is not being ignored!

With Reverend Barber and other organizations getting people out to Raleigh to protest, and now Ellison giving support, Democrats and other progressive allies have really been showing a presence. At least two dozen people were arrested today during GA proceedings and that's on top of the 17 from yesterday.

I really hope these extremists are voted out next year during the special election we are supposed to have in NC due to the racist gerrymandering. NC needs to be taken back from the Koch's and so-called tea party candidates. These people are literally ruining this state.

[azmom]

14. Kick