William E. Jackson Jr.: Don’t talk, vote out GOP

I regretfully conclude that Taylor Batten’s June 7 reprinted column “So a liberal and a conservative walk into a bar ...” touting the N.C. Leadership Forum is politically naive, based on the realities of the governmental situation in Raleigh as ably reported in the two major McClatchy newspapers over the last four years.

The main faulty assumption the argument embraces is that of an easy moral equivalency between the two political parties. The semi-religious symbolism of the headline is heretically invoked, given the utter failure to govern humanely by the leaders of the legislature and Gov. Pat McCrory.

Rather, it sounds like a utilitarian banner from the Chamber of Commerce. Bipartisan ideas and civil discourse over how to enable more North Carolinians to earn enough to support their families? It is late for that in the summer of 2016.

Yes, indeed, a lot of people for good reason are disenchanted with the state government. In the harsh light of the divisiveness in Raleigh, one simple fact is obvious: The extreme Republican leadership in the General Assembly is not interested in governing constructively.

The only recourse residents have is to gradually sweep out the Republican majority in the legislature.

This story was originally published June 16, 2016 at 6:00 PM with the headline "William E. Jackson Jr.: Don’t talk, vote out GOP."