Bladen County Commissioners will have 4 new commissioners after tonight’s meeting, if all goes as planned. A chairman and vice-chair will be elected.
Numerous Christmas Cantatas were held yesterday and last night. Thanks for the support of all, and especially those attending the Wesley’s Chapel program. Good attendance.
Been thinking about the current state of affairs in North Carolina and was reminded of a similar situation over 20 years ago, 1993 to be exact.
Democrats were in charge and is usually the case, one or two, long term leaders were setting the agenda and you followed or were put in the ‘dog house’. At that time, the Speaker of the N.C. House of Representatives was Liston Ramsey of Madison County, a leader with years of experience and clout.
20 rank and file Democrats, along with 45 Republicans (minority party) planned a coup, and it worked. Ramsey was ousted and new leadership was elected. Included in the coup were, on the Democratic side, Representatives Joe Maveratic, Danny DeVane (Bladen County native representing Hoke County), Roy Cooper, Harry Payne, Dan Blue, Walter Hasty, Walter B. Jones, Jr., Pete Hasty of Robeson County, and numerous others. Some were defeated in the next election, some remain in politics.
Republicans included former House Minority Leader Johnathan Rhyne who led Republicans during the coalition’s rule. Prior to the coup, rank and file members on important committees were given a budget bill, 150 pages with not even an index to look things up, according to some sources.
One account said the budget process went to a painstaking open session and copies of budget documents were readily available to the public.
I am sure it is a gut-wrenching ordeal, but sometimes necessary to allow rank-and-file members to be a part of the process. Sound familiar? I do not believe all Republicans are in agreement with most recent actions, but you stay in line or go to the dog-house. Sometimes the dog ‘jumps the fence’ for the good of the cause.
Never trust a man when he’s in love, drunk, or running for office. Shirley Maclaine
Never be in a hurry to terminate a marriage. You may need this person to finish a sentence. Erma Bombeck
Never argue with a doctor; he/she has inside information. Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding
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