Be helpful" GOP: Republicans should act like a respectable minority

A note to the Republican Party of North Carolina: Cool your jets.

State Republicans filed a resolution on June 18 ""inviting"" Gov. Bev Perdue back into the budget discussions to inform the General Assembly of what she agrees with and what she disagrees with.

It's nice to hear that Republican lawmakers have enough free time to make resolutions reminding the governor that she should keep an eye on the budget.

Good work.

The problem is that Perdue does not create the budget by herself. The General Assembly has a say as well.

The resolution" which claims that the House of Representatives' tax increases are making North Carolina a more expensive place to live and work is a partisan move that is only making a tense situation worse.

What Republicans say is mostly true of course but that's not the point.

Higher taxes do make North Carolina a more expensive state but they also make it a better one.

Democratic lawmakers would rather have people shell out more money than cut important programs and funding from places such as public education.

How awful.

But Democrats aren't perfect either.

More and more budget woes seem to come up each week.

As fear and tension grow in the state the Democrats seem to have only one response" ""Things are worse than ever. Just do what we say"" and we'll all be OK.""

It's understandable that the Republican Party feels strongly enough to file a resolution criticizing Perdue. Being the minority party in a two-party system doesn't offer much hope.

But there is a way to get the Republican voice heard in the budget. It's the great American tradition of compromise.

Republicans should sit down with Democrats and talk. Speak out against raising flat taxes like the sales tax" but vote in favor of higher taxes for the wealthy.

Be honorable about being the minority. People will notice if Democrats ignore the effort.