Away we go: North Carolina General Assembly is now back in town

It is too early to draw a conclusion or to wonder out loud what life is going to be like with a Republican legislature in town and a governor of the same party at the helm.

But what is true is that the party that has not been in charge for decades will now get the chance to prove that it has the smarts to make this state a better place and to give it a more solid future.

The legislature has already taken a couple of stands against big government and unchecked spending. And it has also signaled that some issues will be up for debate this year.

That shift is to be expected. And we should watch closely.

So far, the new governor has signaled that he is open to all ideas -- no matter from which side of the aisle they come -- and that anyone can work for his administration, if "what's best for North Carolina" is his or her first priority.

But make no mistake -- he will make mistakes, and he will stick his foot in his mouth. That is the nature of the beast.

But in the end we will see which philosophy works better -- and if there is room for bipartisanship and anyone's good idea in this new administration.

It might just become another example of why state government works better, and why Washington politics should stay in Washington.

Published in Editorials on January 31, 2013 10:46 AM