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Gary Pearce One of North Carolina’s most enduring political alliances – teachers and the Democratic Party – is being tested by today’s debate over reopening schools. The ties, which go back decades, have been strained before, and survived. But this may be the toughest test. I was surprised recently when three Democrats, in separate conversations, complained about the “teachers’ union” resisting reopening schools. The N.C. Association of Educators isn’t a union; that’s prohibited by state law. And “teachers’ union” is a term you usually hear from Republicans — never a...

On Wednesday, Gov. Roy Cooper announced that teachers and school staff would be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccines, beginning on Feb. 24.

Pro-Trump Republicans in one NC county go dark on social media, in protest Mark Price Party leaders announced the blackout Saturday and said it will be in place for 30 days. The move comes as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have taken action to block or permanently ban President Donald Trump in the wake of a deadly insurrection Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol. Twitter said the decision was made “due to the risk of further incitement of violence." Some Republicans and free speech advocates have criticized the bans, among them Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who said “the Ayatollah can...

Gary Pearce A “transition” is the time after an election when you stop fighting your enemies and start fighting your friends. This year, Donald Trump’s attacks on the election have kept Democrats and Republicans fighting each other. But the fights within each party also have begun, or will soon. Nationally, moderate and liberal Democrats have tussled over President-elect Biden’s appointments. Republicans largely are holding their fire over the party’s future until Trump leaves office, although some are distancing themselves from him. One battleground for both parties could be the 20...

Likewise: Why don’t we have a national strategic plan to fight the pandemic while we await vaccinations, which could take until mid-2021 before most Americans are vaccinated? It boils down to personality and politics.    Trump has ignored the pandemic, stating repeatedly that it will simply vanish. Democrats have done better on the state level where they control the legislative and executive branches but have only emphasized economic relief on the national level. Meanwhile, the pandemic has gotten much worse.   Both parties must bury their differences and have a consensus long-range vi...