Mattie's Remarks: Paul Tine Leaves Democrat Party | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: Conservative politician Mattie Lawson sent these well considered words as a comment to the post, Paul Tine Leaves the Democrat Party. Since far more folks will read a post over a comment, and since Mattie is well known, in Conservative circles, across the state of North Carolina, I thought it wise to feature this commentary in both the Comments section and the Post section of BCN.

    This move was a surprise to me as Tine's opponent in 2012 and 2014. I am very interested in this change because if Tine had run as a Unaffiliated (as he claims is more closely aligned with his beliefs) I would be the District's current House Representative. And the NC Republican House Caucus would have had an actual Republican in it's ranks rather than making room for a liberal Unaffiliated who will just muddy the waters.

    My supporters and I worked hard and lost against a super well-funded Democrat and voters cast ballots for someone who wasn't really what he said he was. Politics aren't fair. It's hard to make this look like anything but an opportunity for Tine to use donors and use the political system to gain power for himself. Hopefully, this will somehow bode well for District 6 in the end.

    Although Tine didn't beat the Democrat drum as much as I've heard other politicians during the campaigns, I found his ideas leaned far left: the answers to our problems are more government involvement.

    Politically, he made a smart move as someone who wants to be a mover and shaker, which he clearly does. Getting into the Republican Caucus won't hurt him though I fail to see how it helps the Republicans who don't need his vote and will find he doesn't help bolster conservative ideas of less government involvement in our daily lives. Look at this voting record in the past. Civitas gave him an "F" rating for good reason.

    In making this announcement Tine claimed he wasn't free to vote as he chose as a Democrat. That's quite a condemning statement on Democrats. Maybe his most significant contribution to his home District might have been to remain a Democrat so he could reform it from the inside allowing politicians to vote their conscience rather than follow lock-step in line with the party.

    He voted against keeping Sharia Law out of NC courtrooms. His position on Common Core has him aligned with the NC Department of Instruction rather than with parents. He can't run from the $2000 he gave from his personal resources to elect 0bama.

    I imagine the NC and outside NC Dems that gave him thousands and thousands of dollars to beat me twice are not happy right now.

    Bottom line: I'm glad he did it and am not disappointed he didn't switch to Republican because he kept some credibility.

    It will be interesting to see what legislation he sponsors and who the "Dare Care" Dems will find to run against him in 2016. Becoming unaffiliated makes him more beatable by a hard-hitting Republican candidate regardless of which race he tackles next.

    Keep on eye on his voting record. Talk is cheap. Action is what matters.