If you are one of those people who tends to get caught up in Democratic Party drama, you would have done yourself a world of good by attending the NC Teen Dems 50th Annual Convention today in Brown's Summit. Not only was it informative and fun, it also was one of the most inspiring events I've attended in years.

NC Teen Dems rock.

North Carolina doesn't have elections, it has auctions. Plenty of evidence below the fold ... along with lots of other bad news.

In my discussions with several North Carolina citizens this week, the mood has been one of resignation, if not depression. The root of the worry can be found in this 12-second clip from Vice President Joe Biden.

"I can't believe these people," one woman told me in reference to the NC House and Senate budgets. "I knew they were callous, but I really am shocked."

I wish I could say I'm shocked too, but I'm not. From where I sit, Republicans in Raleigh are doing exactly what Art Pope promised they would do: trashing public education and the environment while redistributing the burden of funding government to those who can least afford it.

In addition to talking with people about budgets and such, I've also begun discussions about the practical considerations of funding a campaign. The consensus view is that a candidate for governor or US Senate will need to raise $15 million to $20 million. I've known those numbers all along, but until my conversations this week, I hadn't fully embraced the toxic reality behind them. What they say about our government and our political system is repulsive.

Please take a few minutes to read this article by Duncan Murrell. And if you can possibly do so, please arrange to be in Raleigh this coming Monday. If you can participate in the civil action, you'll need to be at Martin Street Baptist Church at 3:00 for a briefing. If you can come as a supporter for those getting arrested, the assembly time is 5:00.

No justice movement that I'm aware of has flourished for long without being joined by the sorts of people who don't normally protest. The vanguard leads the way, and eventually people like me come trotting along behind when the injustice at hand finally outweighs our own dearly held ideas about who we are and the sorts of things we don't normally do.

Mr. Murrell is too modest by a wide margin, but the sentiment nonetheless applies. I hope you will join me in being one of those joining the cause on June 3rd to do something you don't normally do.