Evidence of How the Right Wing Governs - Extremism Causes Extreme Responses

North Carolina's Governor Pat McCrory is ignoring his responsibility to lead all of his state constituents.  

McCrory's right wing agenda is only favoring those constituents who voted for him. Meanwhile, he's creating turmoil with minority populations and progressives in his state.  

Unfortunately, Governor McCrory isn't the only governor misusing his power.  Maine's Governor Paul LePage is trying similar uncompromising political tactics, but his damaging momentum stopped when his party lost both houses of the state's legislature to Democrats, half way though his first term. 

Although Governor McCrory still has a right wing legislature to back up his extremist policies, he'd do well to take a look at what happened in Maine, where the governor is, now, nearly powerless.

Republicans controlling the legislative branch of North Carolina's government, for the first time in more than a century, have forced through a wide range of conservative change.  Just this week, McCrory signed into law strict voter identification requirements, prohibiting same-day registration and cutting early voting. Requiring onerous proof of North Carolina citizenship is among many initiatives that are simply rubber stamped by the governor's legislature, without regard to how passing these and other laws impact on all constituents.

There's a tired cliche about how people who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. Well, it seems North Carolina Republicans don't "get" how to govern, so they're eventually doomed to failure. Rather than become benevolent leaders, after sweeping into the executive and legislative branch of state government, they're acting, instead, like the Morisi government in Egypt. Sure, Morisi won the most recent Egyptian election, but he sure didn't make many political friends. Likewise, North Carolina's Governor McCrory received a rare political gift in having his right wing agenda rubber stamped after his election. But winning elections is also about governing. McCrory won't sustain the long term goals of Republican leadership in the wake of the turmoil he's causing as a result of ignoring the constituents who are fed up with his leadership. 

As a matter of fact, if it weren't for American Flags portrayed in the New York Times picture (below), showing North Carolinians in Raleigh, protesting Governor McCrory's policies, the picture could be mistaken for rebellions in Cairo, Egypt.  

McCrory's opponents are creating a North Carolina Spring. They are taking to the streets and risking jail time to oppose the Governor's right wing public policy initiatives.

What can Americans learn from Governor McCrory's tumultuous Republican leadership?  It's evident from the New York Times photograph.  Right wing leadership eventually leads to rebellion.

Right wing political leaders, like Governor McCrory, Governor Paul LePage, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) and Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), and their extremist colleagues, just can't govern.  These right wing politicians lead their right wing extremists, but they don't govern.

In the sad event that more right wing extremists are elected to state or federal government, the responses to this extremism will eventually generate more turmoil.  

In Maine, the state's voters finally woke up, half way through Governor LePage's term, so the state hasn't seen many street demonstrations.  North Carolinians, who oppose Governor McCrory, on the other hand, are taking to the streets, like the citizens protesting in Egypt. 

Americans who are enlightened and progressive will hearken whenever the late President John F Kennedy's inaugural quote is broadcast: "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country."

Right wing Republicans who are entrusted with political power should learn from history.  Extremism of any sort just doesn't work. In fact, political extremism leads to extreme opposition.  

On the other hand, those who rise to the inspiring message by President Kennedy will build successful coalitions and garner confidence in their competence to govern. 

A non-partisan leadership oath, taken after elections, could even be built into the swearing in ceremonies.  

"I pledge to ask what I can do to help all of my constituents," is a nice phrase to consider adding to public swearing in pledges.

Meanwhile, right wing extremism is severely polarizing government and this is absolutely and definitely no way to govern.