Is North Carolina the best at undermining democracy? Others think so. | Opinion

It is interesting, on occasion, to see what others think of our political battles in North Carolina. An outside look. Often, the horrified glance.

We’re accustomed to the abuse of democracy in the Tar Heel state. We’ve been at it for many years — even before Donald Trump came down the escalator, spitting invective. It’s nice to see others weigh in. Voices beyond the usual whiners (like me).

Last month, the Center for American Progress published an extensive report entitled, “Threats From Political Minority Rule in Wisconsin and North Carolina.” As you might guess from the heading, it wasn’t exactly chamber of commerce fare.

The study opens by noting that “The United States has been on a long arc toward achieving a multiracial democracy that can effectively represent all Americans, including long-marginalized communities.” Still, “opponents of pluralistic democracy are erecting barriers designed to lock in political minority rule.” This aggressive counter-majoritarian movement, the report asserts, “can be seen most starkly in Wisconsin and North Carolina.” Poor Badgers.

Both states are found to have deployed an endless array of tools — extreme gerrymandering, voter suppression, election sabotage, state judicial manipulation, the removal of established powers from Democratic governors, the threatened impeachment of judges — to “stack the political deck, even if a majority of voters do not support their candidates.”

Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt have labeled the goal as the creation of “Tyranny of the Minority.” Ari Berman described the move as construction of “an almost-impenetrable anti-democracy feedback loop,” crushing opposition in an evenly divided state.

In North Carolina, “a swing state with a record of competitive statewide elections,” where Trump won by 3.6% in 2016 and 1.3% in 2020 and Roy Cooper gained narrow victories in 2016 and 2020, Republicans enjoy “a veto-proof supermajority.” The state Senate is controlled 30-20 and the House 72-48. New judiciary-abetted gerrymanders are predicted to move the U.S. House delegation from 7-7 to an 11-3 Republican advantage.

The Center for American Progress report says the manipulation is designed to thwart growing “coalitions of racially diverse voters who are young, more educated, and centered in urban and suburban areas” and to permanently advantage “core Republican voters who are overwhelmingly white, less educated and largely rural.” Pretty much sums up North Carolina.

The report concludes that “democracy suffers when political parties take extreme measures to entrench minority rule.” Lawmakers “rig the rules to lock in power.” In the process, they impede the “will of the people to choose their representatives” and “prevent the emergence of a multiracial and pluralistic democracy.” Nasty work.

The Center for American Progress’ effort will, of course, be ignored by our leaders. Or, if pressed on it, they’ll call the authors names and dismiss their liberal leanings. But they won’t challenge the facts. They are what they are. And the blatant and oft-repeated mission will be left unstated. Oddly, this absolutely core tenet of North Carolina Republicanism — democracy destruction — is not to be publicly embraced or admitted to. I suppose it’s unseemly to declare that you are out to ditch the American experiment. Better to pull it off on the sly. Lying along the way.

Republican leaders Phil Berger and Tim Moore, along with Republican N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby, aren’t the sort to storm a capitol wearing masks and toting bear spray. But they are happy, enthusiastic and now adept at undermining democracy with statutes and disingenuous judicial opinions. Best in the nation apparently, or at least tied for it. It’s quite a legacy to bequeath to one’s children (though Berger’s son is joyously in on the deal). It foully betrays our past as it dismembers our future. Hark the sound.