He's a little battered, but still beautiful. I took this as he perched on the flowers on our Lugustrum. This was taken with a zoom, but I was still rather close to him. Enjoy on this gorgeous Monday morning.

What's on your mind?

GOP tax laws took effect this week that will mean a net increase for many North Carolina tax payers. For some it may not be a huge increase, but the fact is we are paying more. Republicans will nickel and dime us to death.

Eliminated was the tax-free shopping days scheduled for back-to-school shopping. Many of us saved on clothes, calculators, computers, and basic school supplies. The savings on a laptop for high school and college students was a huge benefit to many of us. You can see the full list of potential savings here.

Also eliminated was the tax-free shopping weekend for those buying certified energy-efficient household appliances. This tax break may not have been as widely enjoyed as the back-to-school tax break, but it was a much-needed incentive to encourage people to buy appliances that are more environmentally friendly.

A couple of months ago a group of Democrats in Mecklenburg County met to select Senator Dan Clodfelter's replacement, after he resigned his seat to serve as mayor of Charlotte. Of the four candidates running, only two had enough support from the delegates to be considered serious challengers. Jeff Jackson was one of the two and while it was not a contentious election, something happened that prompted Jackson to step up and show his true character.

Another candidate, Darryl Bonaparte, had apparently failed to line up anyone to nominate him or to speak on his behalf. Ultimately, Darryl nominated himself, but when it came time for someone to second the nomination there was awkward silence. This is when Jeff Jackson stepped forward and did what may seem unthinkable to most of us in politics - he seconded Darryl's nomination and gave a sincere speech in support of his opponent.

One of the things I have always enjoyed as a perk of writing at BlueNC is learning about candidates and elected officials from different parts of the state. We have an impressive amount of political talent across the state and it includes people we should consider for higher office. The problem? We don't always shine a bright enough spotlight on these candidates and we don't keep track of them after the campaign season is over. I would like to take a step to change that.

An Invitation to the BlueNC Community

You are invited to write blog posts about people serving in your local government, in the state legislature, or who are members of your community interested in political office. Introduce them here and let us know they should be on the 'Dems to Watch' list.

Earlier this week I took a jab at Thom Tillis on Father's Day in honor of all the dads in North Carolina who are struggling under failed Republican policies pushed through the NCGA by Tillis and the Republican leadership. While it was a fun post to write, it really didn't shine a bright enough light on the problems dads (and moms) face in North Carolina. Allow me to close out Thom Tillis Day by correcting that.

The following are just a few of the many ways that Thom Tillis has shown a lack of respect for the citizens of this state and the ways that he has hurt North Carolina citizens and families by attacking them where and when they are most vulnerable.

Follow below the fold for the evidence...