Blue states need Washington less | Froma Harrop Apr 3, 2025 Apr 3, 2025 Updated Jul 3, 2025 0 Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Froma Harrop kAmQ|@G6 :E 324< E@ E96 DE2E6D[Q !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A D2JD 23@FE 65F42E:@?[ 23@FE ut|p 2?5[ 2D H:== AC@323=J 92AA6?[ 23@FE |65:42:5] (92E E92E H@F=5 >62? E@ p>6C:42?D 56A6?5D @? H9:49 DE2E6 E96J =:G6 :?] pD E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E >@G6D 7@CH2C5 @? E9:D[ :EVD 2 8@@5 36E E92E 9:89\:?4@>6 DE2E6D 42? 92?5=6 E96 492?86D 36EE6C E92? =@H\:?4@>6 @?6D]k^AmkAm*6D[ :EVD ECF6i %2IA2J6CD :? 9:89\:?4@>6 DE2E6D[ =2C86=J 3=F6 @?6D[ 92G6 366? DF3D:5:K:?8 C6D:56?ED @7 =6DD H62=E9J C65 DE2E6D]k^AmkAmp 76H J62CD 28@[ 2? :?E6C6DE:?8 76F5 6CFAE65 36EH66? y@6 |2?49:?[ D6?2E@C 7C@> (6DE ':C8:?:2[ 2?5 |:<:6 $96CC:==[ H9@ C6AC6D6?ED 2 H6==\966=65 4@?8C6DD:@?2= 5:DEC:4E :? }6H y6CD6J] uF?5D 7@C 2 7656C2= 49:=5 42C6 DF3D:5J H6C6 E@ 36 4FE[ 2?5 |2?49:? H2?E65 E96 A=2? C6;:886C65 E@ D6?5 2 3:886C 49F?< E@ E96 >2?J =@H\:?4@>6 72>:=:6D @7 (6DE ':C8:?:2] %92E H@F=5 92G6 >62?E =6DD 96=A 7@C DF3FC32? A2C6?ED :? }6H y6CD6J]k^Am People are also reading… McDowell high school victim testified before former guidance counselor pleads guilty to sex crimes 5 questions answered about the trial of former McDowell High counselor Jessica Finley Old Fort man charged with threatening clerk of court in McDowell County This new spot in Marion is offering locally grown food and beer, run by farmers and a brewer McDowell County park may get updates to trails, disc golf course, fishing access Former McDowell High volleyball coach, counselor pleads guilty to child sex crimes mid-trial Walt Bagwell named Marion’s Main Street Champion. "His contributions make a meaningful difference." He got a tattoo to commemorate a Fred Durst concert in Morganton. It never actually happened. QB Bryce Young gets honest about Panthers' big change on offense for 2026 McDowell County Schools alum went from Battle of Books to biomedical engineering Trial against former McDowell High volleyball coach accused of sex crimes began Wednesday Brush fire burns along Interstate 40 near Nebo; traffic down to one lane Mission Hospital McDowell’s Emergency Services recognized nationally as Unit of Distinction GOAT Collaborative’s at Resilience Ranch in Marion aims to support farms, environment, community City of Marion issues water shortage advisory due to drought kAm$96CC:== C6DA@?565i Q}6H y6CD6J 2=C625J A2JD >@C6 E92? S`_ 3:==:@? :? E2I6D E92? H6 C646:G6 :? 7656C2= DA6?5:?8[ 2?5 x H:== ?@E =6E 2?@E96C 7656C2= AC@8C2> A2J =6DD E@ }6H y6CD6J E2IA2J6CD E92? :E 5@6D E@ 2== @E96C p>6C:42?D]Qk^AmkAmp44@C5:?8 E@ %CF>AVD G:D:@? @7 }6H u656C2=:D>[ D6CG:46D AC@G:565 3J E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E H@F=5 36 36EE6C 92?5=65 3J DE2E6D] qFE E96 3:==D 7@C E96D6 D6CG:46D H@F=5 2=D@ =2C86=J 8@ E@ E96 DE2E6D] ~3G:@FD=J[ DE2E6D H:E9 9:89 :?4@>6D 2?5 9:89 E2I6D 2C6 36EE6C 6BF:AA65 E@ C6A=246 (2D9:?8E@? 5@==2CD]k^Am kAmu=@C:52 >2J 92G6 2EEC24E65 2 =@E @7 C:49 A6@A=6 D66<:?8 =@H E2I6D[ 3FE :7 E96 u656C2= t>6C86?4J |2?286>6?E p86?4J DE@AA65 D9@H6C:?8 >@?6J 7@C 9FCC:42?6 C6=:67 6G6CJ E:>6 2 3:8 3=@H E62CD FA E96 4@2DE=:?6 \\ 7@C4:?8 u=@C:5:2?D E@ 362C >@C6 @7 E96 4@DE \\ H6==[ 8@@5 =F4< H:E9 E92E]k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAmut|pVD 4@C6 AC:?4:A=6 7@C 5:D2DE6C C6=:67 92D 366? Q=@42==J 6I64FE65[ DE2E6 >2?2865 2?5 7656C2==J DFAA@CE65]Q w@>6 :?DFC2?46 4@DED 92G6 2=C625J D<JC@4<6E65 :? u=@C:52] p55 E@ E92E E96 64@?@>:4 72==@FE @7 >2<:?8 E96 A6@A=6 =:G:?8 E96C6 A2J >@C6 7@C 3F:=5:?8 324<nk^AmkAm!F3=:4 D49@@=D 2C6 >@DE=J 7F?565 3J DE2E6 2?5 =@42= E2IA2J6CD] %96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 t5F42E:@? 5@6D 8:G6 >@?6J E@ D49@@=D H:E9 9:89 A6C46?E286D @7 =@H\:?4@>6 DEF56?ED[ >2?J :? CFC2= 2C62D[ 2?5 A2JD 7@C DA64:2= 65F42E:@?] ~G6C abT @7 |:DD:DD:AA:VD D49@@= 5:DEC:4E C6G6?F6 4@>6D 7C@> 7656C2= 7F?5:?8] qJ 4@?EC2DE[ E96 765D 244@F?E 7@C @?=J 23@FE fT @7 }6H *@C< DE2E6VD]k^Am kAm|62?H9:=6[ =@@< 2E @FE4@>6D] %96 E@A DE2E6 7@C E6DE D4@C6D :D |2DD249FD6EED[ 7@==@H65 3J }6H y6CD6J[ r@??64E:4FE[ }6H w2>AD9:C6 2?5 }6H *@C<] %96D6 DE2E6D H@F=5 AC@323=J 5@ ~z H:E9@FE 2 s6A2CE>6?E @7 t5F42E:@?]k^Am kAm%96 w@FD6 3F586E C6D@=FE:@? E2C86ED 4FED E@ |65:42:5 @7 FA E@ Sgg_ 3:==:@? @G6C `_ J62CD] |65:42:5 :D ;@:?E=J 7:?2?465 3J DE2E6D 2?5 E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E 3FE 25>:?:DE6C65 3J E96 DE2E6D] x7 2 DE2E6 H2?ED E@ >2<6 FA 7@C =@DE |65:42:5 7F?5D[ :E 42? C2:D6 E2I6D] ~C :E 4@F=5 4@G6C 76H6C A6@A=6[ 4FE 36?67:ED @C A2J 5@4E@CD =6DD]k^Am kAms6DA:E6 2 >F49\AF3=:4:K65 >@G6>6?E @7 C:49 A6@A=6 7C@> 9:89\E2I A=246D DF49 2D }6H *@C< 2?5 r2=:7@C?:2 E@ =@H6C\E2I u=@C:52 2?5 %6I2D[ E96 3:8 >@?6J 92D =2C86=J C6>2:?65 :? E96 FC32? 46?E6CD H96C6 :E H2D >256]k^Am kAmQ%96 &=EC2\#:49 2C6 u=@FC:D9:?8 2?5 $E:4<:?8 pC@F?5 :? r2=:7@C?:2[Q q=@@>36C8 }6HD C6A@CED] s6DA:E6 >6D@DA96C:4 9@FD:?8 AC:46D[ D@>6 4@CA@C2E6 56A2CEFC6D 2?5 9:89 E2I6D[ q=@@>36C8 HC:E6D[ Q:E C6>2:?D @?6 @7 E96 >@DE A@AF=2C A=246D 7@C 8=@32= H62=E9]Qk^Am kAmp?5 E96 DE2E6 :D CF? 3J s6>@4C2ED] %6I2D >2J 36 2 C65 DE2E6[ 3FE :ED 64@?@>:4 6?8:?6D 2C6 E96 3=F6 4:E:6D @7 pFDE:?[ s2==2D 2?5 w@FDE@?]k^AmkAm%CF>AVD a_`f E2I 4FED @G6CH96=>:?8=J H6?E E@ E96 FAA6C :?4@>6D] tIE6?5:?8 E96> ?@H H@F=5 5@ >@C6 @7 E96 D2>6] (96C6 5@ E9@D6 FAA6C :?4@>6D =:G6n W$66 23@G6]Xk^Am kAmx >2J 36 E96 E9@FD2?5E9 AF?5:E E@ ?@E6 E92E %CF>A\@\?@>:4D 9FCED H@C<:?8 A6@A=6 >@DE[ E92E :D[ 9:D G@E6CD] (92E 42? J@F D2J 6I46AE E92E 6=64E:@?D 92G6 4@?D6BF6?46D]k^Am Harrop, who lives in New York City and Providence, Rhode Island, writes for Creators Syndicate: fharrop@gmail.com.   0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular What does the way we treat our pets say about us? | The Ethical Life podcast 🎧 Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada examine modern pet culture, from rising spending to emotional bonds and the ethical tensions between care… Are we turning too much of life into a wager? | The Ethical Life podcast 🎧 From sports apps to election forecasts, the hosts discuss how expanding betting options influence decision-making, encourage risky habits a… Have we forgotten how to live with reverence? | The Ethical Life podcast Episode 240: In a fast-moving world filled with distractions, it can be easy to lose sight of what truly matters. In this episode, hosts Richa… Hospital CEO: This is why Mission Hospital McDowell stresses evidence-based care "In addition to the most advanced treatment recommendations, evidence-based care also takes into account a provider’s individual expertise and… McDowell legal leaders: Justice denied is a public shame With this freeze, we are now the only state in the country to not provide free civil legal services through IOLTA.
What does the way we treat our pets say about us? | The Ethical Life podcast 🎧 Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada examine modern pet culture, from rising spending to emotional bonds and the ethical tensions between care…
Are we turning too much of life into a wager? | The Ethical Life podcast 🎧 From sports apps to election forecasts, the hosts discuss how expanding betting options influence decision-making, encourage risky habits a…
Have we forgotten how to live with reverence? | The Ethical Life podcast Episode 240: In a fast-moving world filled with distractions, it can be easy to lose sight of what truly matters. In this episode, hosts Richa…
Hospital CEO: This is why Mission Hospital McDowell stresses evidence-based care "In addition to the most advanced treatment recommendations, evidence-based care also takes into account a provider’s individual expertise and…
McDowell legal leaders: Justice denied is a public shame With this freeze, we are now the only state in the country to not provide free civil legal services through IOLTA.
