In North Carolina, we could add, Tar Heels rose dramatically to defeat a loathsome 16-year Republican war on constitutional democracy - a crusade aimed at crushing the poor and the marginalized and lionizing the wealthy and the white. Our Democrats, and their compatriots, delivered a new U.S. Senator, a massively altered and dominant congressional caucus, an inspiring NC Supreme Court justice, a politically balanced state senate and, astonishingly, a boldly Democratic state house. I can barely type the words.
It is easy, these days, to look past Roy Cooper - so marvelously he has performed. Almost as if we had a right to expect it. I have great affection for Cooper, in part because he is so different than I am. Cooper is calm, steady, trusted, strong, measured, unflappable, and perpetually committed to the people of North Carolina. Even more important, as governor he saved us, for eight years, from some of the most extreme cruelties and transgressions of Republican lawmakers. Now he has wrested a senate seat from a hack of the worst sort.
Anita Earls is the most highly regarded state supreme court justice in the United States. Beyond that, Earls is so profoundly committed to a lifelong service to the people of North Carolina that she has campaigned from Murphy to Manteo as if she were a 20-year old prairie populist. Never has there been such a chasm, on the merits, between a judge and her electoral opponent. Even in a Paul Newby era, she gives hope to the rule of law.
A new crew of congresspersons stretches our imagination, and our prospects. Gov. Josh Stein is newly empowered. Robert Reives will become the speaker. Sydney Batch can't be far behind. The literally indefatigable Anderson Clayton has made it exciting to be a Tar Heel Democrat. Black North Carolinians have again taught our Republican adversaries that race discrimination can bite you. Latinos, apparently, haven't warmed to having their loved ones beaten and murdered on the streets. A gale force wind has swept across our politics. And, as we've always hoped, it blows from the South.
"Say glory": North Carolina has so much to celebrate about this election
For the country, we need to lessen the power of the Presidency, and stronger rules against corruption in all 3 branches including the repeal of Citizens United. We need more paper trails to be public, so that we can follow the money and identify other problem areas of corruption. Term limits for the Court, House, and Senate. Rules limiting how early one can declare their candidacy and rules limiting campaign ads. Laws to better ensure that companies that claim to be news media are a separate entity from the government and not propaganda arms.