8
Currents
January 2019
> continued from page 7
cism.
Perhaps they recall North Carolina after 2016.
Once Democratic Governor Roy Cooper won,
Republican supermajorities in the Legislature began
passing bills to dilute his authority. For instance, leg-
islators wrote a law saying the Governor must get his
cabinet picks confirmed by the state Senate. “Our
state government can no longer be classified as a
full democracy,” wailed a professor at UNC Chapel
Hill.
But courts struck down some of the GOP legisla-
tion. Then last month voters rejected two constitu-
tional amendments lawmakers proposed. The first, to
remove the Governor’s power to choose appointees
for the state elections board, lost 62% to 38%. The
second, to give the Legislature a role in filling judicial
vacancies, lost 67% to 33%. Democrats also flipped
enough seats to break the GOP supermajorities in
the state House and Senate.
Republicans in Wisconsin and Michigan ought to
take this news to heart. They are within their rights to
advance reform during a lame-duck session, when
they still have a friendly Governor to sign it. But if
they go too far, they will reap voter anger come
2020. Whatever the case, Madison and Lansing
remain safe for democracy, no matter what the Poli
Sci faculty suggest.
Gene Suppell
Editor & Publisher
We reserve the right to edit all submissions.
The views expressed here are not necessarily
those of Currents magazine. No articles can be
reprinted without our permission.
By: Carol Ann
Two women.
Side by side
Neighbors
One in anticipation of the return of her husband
from a long illness
The other woman anguished about the finality of
her marriage
Both strong women empowered by
their challenges and embarking on
Two different journeys.