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Someone asked the obvious question: “Why do Democrats elect fools like David Parker and Randy Voller chairman?” writes veteran Democratic consultant Gary Pearce in his blog Talking about Politics.

It’s a “governance crisis,” said one thoughtful Democrat and former statewide candidate. “The chairman is selected by 600 people on the executive committee, most of whom know nothing about getting elected statewide.”

There always has been tension between Democratic activists and Democratic elected officials. Party people blasted Governor Hunt for his “keys” organization, built around people who were leaders in their cities and communities, but not necessarily party activists.

Gary Pearce, a Democratic consultant, writes in his blog, Talking About Politics, about all the GOP legislation.

"A group of Democrats was decrying the blizzard of bad bills they see from the legislature: cutting education, attacking renewable energy, making it harder for teens to get health care, loosening gun restraints, on and on. They were talking about what could be done to slow down the storm or persuade Governor McCrory to exercise some judgment.

Raleigh Republicans’ once-united front is fraying. There was Rep. Larry Pittman’s non-apology apology to Speaker Tillis (“I’m not sorry I said it; I’m sorry I got caught.”) One wit noted that it read like a hostage letter. Was he waterboarded?

Then there’s renewable energy. Some Republicans chafed at the pressure behind the bill to abolish the renewable-energy portfolio, especially those whose districts have jobs and investments at stake. There are also those who worry about the signals the legislature is sending to companies looking at North Carolina (“We’re in a race to the bottom with Mississippi” and “No contract is safe with us in town.”)

The party that once chided Democrats for heavy-handed rule now routinely gavel through bills regardless of how members voted, including their own.

"The Republicans’ education agenda finally comes into focus: It’s about creating a market for private enterprise. They want to privatize Medicaid and privatize the Department of Commerce, so why not privatize schools?" So writes Democratic political consultant in his blog Talking About Politics.

It’s the only thing that makes sense. You might be wondering: How do they propose to make public schools better when they demonize and demoralize teachers, take teacher assistants out of the classroom and increase class sizes? (And, at the same time, demand that schools teach the Bible, cursive writing and, for all we know, creationism.)

I admired Roy Parker Jr. so much I almost moved to Fayetteville," writes veteran Democratic consultant Gary Pearce in his blog Talking About Politics.

"Roy, who died this week, was one of North Carolina’s great reporters and editors. He was founding editor of the Fayetteville Times. Back in the 1960s, he was a political reporter at The News & Observer – and a classic newsroom character.

Terse and sardonic, Roy would stalk in late in the day and go into a manic two-fingered typing trance, turning out page after page of copy. He had more sources and more scoops than any reporter in Raleigh.

In those days, Under the Dome ran on page one every day. It was a place for rumors, trial balloons and gossip that would never get in the paper today. Legend had it that Roy made up some of the items but, to give them credibility, would walk over to Capitol Square, mutter to himself: “I heard such-and-such today,” then go to the newsroom and write, “It was heard on Capitol Square today that ….”

Senator Phil Berger says national Republicans have a messenger problem, not a message problem. Democrats might well hope he believes that, writes Gary Pearce, a Democratic consultant in his blog, Talking About Politics.

After attending CPAC – the right-wing Woodstock – Berger told Travis Fain at the Greensboro News & Record: “It’s not just a communication problem. Sometimes it’s the individual messengers ... (and) some folks who lend themselves to caricature.”

Berger said Republican policies “are supported by a broad spectrum of people.”

Democratic strategist Gary Pearce says N.C. Democratic Party Chairman Randy Voller needs to resign after the disclosure Wednesday that he owes back taxes. On his blog Talking Politics, Pearce offers Voller some advice: "The best thing you can do for your party, state and country is resign, go back to work and pay off your taxes."

Gary Pearce, the Democratic strategist, was more impressed with the Wolfpack than with Pat McCrory's inaugural. Here was his take on his blog, talkingaboutpolitics.com.

He writes: Raleigh was electric Saturday. The crowd was huge and enthusiastic. The stars outdid all their fans’ hopes.

Not the inaugural. The State-Duke game. (Go Pack!)

Governor McCrory’s early-season performance is like a basketball team that makes a brilliant play on one end, then commits a bonehead turnover.

His speech and its “Main Street” trope was good. But he said no money is “falling from the sky” right after he rained big pay raises on his Cabinet.

Gary Pearce, a veteran Democratic strategist, writes in his blog that the late Insurance Commissioner John Ingram was a colorful but erratic politician. The item appeared in talkingaboutpolitics.com. "The late Insurance Commissioner was a populist, an eccentric, a scourge of insurance companies and – regrettably – a big reason Jesse Helms was U.S. Senator for so long. Elected commissioner in 1972, Ingram waged a 12-year crusade against auto insurance companies, claiming they gouged customers. “Fighting for You” was his mantra. But his management style was so chaotic and his rulings so erratic he lost nearly every rate case in court. Eventually the legislature took away his rate-setting power.

Gary Pearce, the veteran Democratic strategist, gives his take on some of GOP Gov. Pat McCrory's Cabinet picks on his blog, Talking About Politics, which can be found at www.talkingaboutpolitics.com "Some critics forget a big point about Governor McCrory’s appointments: He won. He gets to pick who he wants. No matter what you think. That said, three questions arise. First, Tony Tata? Really? The knock on Tata as Wake school head was that he was a bully who brooked no dissent or disagreement. And that led directly to the school bus debacle. Did McCrory check that out? That style won’t work at DOT. Worse for McCrory, it could anger legislators, DOT board members and campaign contributors.