I am vitally concerned about the state of democracy (little d) in this country, and particularly in North Carolina. I can’t recall a time when I felt that the right to vote, and that each vote counts, was in such jeopardy.

Two of my former Congressional representatives withdrew from office due to gerrymandering when their districts were redrawn in previous decades. I’m wondering how long it will take before you completely block me from voting. That’s a particular concern since I’m registered as an Independent. This type of governing builds a distrust of how our government works and whether it is done in the public interest or for partisan gain.

We went through this in the last round, and the gerrymandering was thrown out. I’m not sure what will happen this time. The process has not been transparent, which increases my concern about what goes on behind closed doors. The public has not been informed. I thought this process only occurred every ten years. Why now?

Trump continues not only to maintain a strangle hold on the Republican Party but also on the national news. Everyone was breathless over the fourth set of formal charges against a former President. One case has tentatively been set for a trial date. He ignored the GOP debates, which most people did also. He brags about these charges as badges of honor. He may feel differently when he lands in jail.

One judge has told him to keep his mouth shut so he would not intimidate potential witnesses or limit the search for potential jurors. She probably will formally go ahead and issue a gag order since he can’t keep his mouth shut.

He has lots of company with 18 co-conspirators in the Georgia case. They’re trying to break away from him and from the judge, but no luck so far. Of course, lots of people are speculating that he never will be convicted and will win the election. At this point he seems to be favored at least to win the GOP nomination. The other candidates with a show of hands indicated they would support him even if he is convicted. The debate over the application of the 14th Amendment continues.

The Republicans stacked the US Supreme Court through a series of tricks in the US Senate. They overturned Roe vs Wade after 50 years of precedents, and they got justices who feel they can hob-nob with billionaires and not recuse themselves when applicable cases come before them. Anita Hill was pilloried, but she probably was telling the truth. When you have no ethics rules for members of the court, they enjoy exceptions not found in any other branch of government. When you have the wife of one of the justices supporting an insurrection, what’s the limit?

The North Carolina General Assembly hasn’t been able to pass a budget that’s 7 weeks overdue because they’ve been too busy meddling in social issues. It’s not just the standard anti-LGBT, anti-abortion, voting rights, and interfering in educational institutions, now they want to stick their fingers into almost every aspect of society. They want to let three people fire a school superintendent, let a handful of parents of students challenge administrators and teachers on how to do their jobs, and dictate who the UNC System Schools can hire. They haven’t moved the Systems office to Raleigh yet, but they’re trying. They want to just cross the street and not bother with having to go to Chapel Hill to meddle. Talk about political patronage!