Column: What the heck is happening with the General Assembly?

The North Carolina Republican Party is filled with sore losers who have a stifling disrespect for the values of this state. The use of special sessions to hide from dissenting opinions and from constituents should be seen as an insult to every citizen of this state.

For anyone who hasn't heard, the North Carolina General Assembly held another special session to pass a “disaster relief” package. Not many would protest helping those affected by one of the worst natural disasters to hit our state in decades.

Sadly, after the disaster relief was passed, 21 bills were proposed to be voted on during the rest of the special session this week.

How can Democrats, or any legislators for that matter, have time to understand and find out where public support lies given these circumstances? 

The short answer is: They can’t. The legislative process should not happen in the course of one to three days — it needs time for deliberation.

The Republicans are continuing to shamelessly exploit those in need to further their conservative agenda and retaliate against North Carolina citizens who elected Roy Cooper as our future governor.

People are saying the Democrats are being sore losers about Donald Trump, but college students protesting in the quad by no means compares to changing policy to protest a democratic election. Especially on the tails of Gov. Pat McCrory's month-long denial of the election results. 

While there is no shortage of issues with many of the bills proposed, the deliberate targeting of Cooper is almost laughably childish and by the far the most insulting.

The proposed legislation, HB DRH30011-MM-5Z, would greatly curtail the future governor's ability to appoint a cabinet or to really do anything, giving the powers to offices held by Republicans. It takes the amount of employees working for him from 1,500 to 300, requires cabinet appointments to be approved by the Senate and takes away the Governor's power to appoint members to the UNC Board of Trustees.

I am willing to admit that the Democrats were petty at times in the past, but no precedent for this can be found in our state’s history. Maybe you agree with the limits on the Governor's powers — frankly, I haven’t had the time to really think it all over, which is exactly why this type of legislation should end. It is moving too fast, and seemingly with no regard to the larger effects. 

Did we learn nothing from the unforeseen fallout following House Bill 2 in March?  

Furthermore, rashly changing long-standing traditions because of one election is ridiculous. I wholeheartedly agree we can improve on our systems and norms, but it needs time to include all North Carolinians.

Please, call your representatives, tweet at them, email them. Do something to restore this state’s image. This is not how our legislators should act, and we are setting dangerous precedents.

We can still find ways to encourage our representatives to do their jobs well, regardless of ideology. I sincerely hope this bill does not pass, and that come next week I look incredibly foolish. I don't mind being wrong.

To the Republicans ruining our state: You won nearly everything else. Quit being sore losers about the governor's office. You lost this one thing, so move on and stop ruining our state with your poor leadership ability.

I once joked that North Carolina is becoming America's new joke state, and it seems our leaders are hell-bent on making that true. After all, esse quam videri, right?