Archived Opinion

North Carolina’s great balancing act

To the Editor:

Since they took over control of the North Carolina Legislature, there has been a great cry among Republican ranks to get our fiscal house in order. They have cut spending on schools, they have cut spending on health care, and they have frozen government hiring for much of their term in office …. well, with a few exceptions of friends of the governor. In the process, these guys got into bed with energy companies and decided that fracking — the energy recovery process that has polluted much of the Southwest and Northeast — is a good idea for North Carolina. Our own state senator describes this as the new “… energy revolution.” He says that with a smile.     

Democrats, now a minority in the legislature, protested the blocking of the Affordable Healthcare Act. Democrats railed against the real cuts to education and voted against a sham raise for teachers. And Democrats came down against fracking in the state, along with a lot of Republican citizens who recognize this as a bomb under our bed.

Rarely have citizens of North Carolina had such a clear-cut choice in an election. We can choose to elect people who are driven by money, or we can choose to elect people who are concerned about the wellbeing of citizens and our environment.

What does your conscience tell you to choose?

Rick Bryson

Bryson City    

Smokey Mountain News Logo
SUPPORT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS AND
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Go to top
Payment Information

/

At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mountain News.

The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.