In our opinion: We are the cavalry

This is not a message of alarm or concern. It is one of resolve, conviction and determination.

In normal times, the function of good government is to bring the sides together and forge solutions that best meet the needs of all its constituents. But repeated efforts to find common ground between democracy’s allies and the cult once known as the Republican Party have largely failed, because MAGA’s only goal is to enrich themselves by exploiting the power of elected office.

The time for reconciliation is past. MAGA’s policies and outright corruption are plain for all to see. The fix is in, and government at all levels is endangered, unless we step up.

This perilous situation is doubly disappointing because our leaders have ignored the needs of entire communities. Whether it’s uncontrolled development, lack of clean water or insufficient sewer access, our elected politicians are either stuck in neutral or only too eager to surrender their authority to the powers-that-be in Raleigh. 

The problem extends far beyond the commissioners’ meeting room in Bolivia. In Washington, our congressional delegation stood by while the Trump Administration took a hatchet to democracy and ethical behavior. In Raleigh and in Brunswick County, politicians – having sold their souls to developers and other special interests – no longer represent the will of the voters who elected them. So, pardon us if we feel disenfranchised.

Washington retreats on forever chemicals

We don’t need to look very far to find other examples of government that isn’t working. Just recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it has withdrawn Biden Administration guidance on how to prevent PFAS pollution in our drinking water, effectively eliminating any influence the federal government had in banning forever chemicals polluting Cape Fear River. This while our congressman, David Rouzer, stood by and, as usual, did nothing.

We are now, says Clean Cape Fear co-founder Emily Donovan, living in the “PFAS sacrifice zone” of southeastern North Carolina.

Gerrymandering

Before that, there was the gerrymandering blitzkrieg, when MAGA politicians charged through our area for performative hearings on their ham-handed efforts to redraw highly partisan congressional district boundaries. Instead of facing electoral reality, the state’s General Assembly overrode our views, approving maps designed to make the North Carolina congressional delegation as unrepresentative as it’s ever been.

Private school vouchers

Meanwhile, you have to wonder why the members of the Brunswick County Board of Education – charged with providing quality standards for our children – can’t set aside their partisanship long enough to call out the MAGA crowd in Raleigh for its ill-conceived private school voucher system. It’s the nation’s only welfare program for rich members of the religious right, and it has to stop.

Replacement bridge tolls

Just days ago, the state’s Department of Transportation held hearings in Wilmington and Leland on two proposed options for financing a replacement for the Cape Fear  Memorial Bridge. One by one, dozens of people expressed concerns about limited design options, about tolls, about foregone conclusions. 

But the meetings felt performative, with no senior officials on hand to hear our views. Attendees who had hoped for a sympathetic hearing felt a palpable sense of inevitability. They left believing the meetings were held to check off another box on NCDOT’s to-do list.

It’s worth noting that Rep. Frank Iler and Sen. Bill Rabon – both chairs of the transportation committees in their respective chambers – have not lifted a finger in support of their constituents on the tolling issue. It’s a clear abdication of responsibility – no public support, no appearances at hearings on the issue, not even a letter to the state DOT suggesting fairness or reconsideration.

So, is it any wonder residents of the Cape Fear region feel ignored and deserted? We’re living in a laissez fair age; no one will be interested in supporting our cause unless we act intelligently, positively and quickly.

Fortunately, our time is coming. Early voting for the midterm election begins October 15, not a moment too soon for Brunswick County residents concerned about the direction their county, state, and country are taking. Perhaps now, voters will replace our current crop of self-interested elected officials with citizens who believe government works best when it acts fairly. Perhaps this election will mark the moment when ethics and honesty return to government. Perhaps the Democratic Party will be rewarded for sticking with democracy and fighting for all the American people.

It’s up to us to do the right thing. There is no one else who can help. We are the cavalry. Now, as they say, it’s time for us to come to the aid of our country.