What Are They Smoking in the Eighth Congressional District?

Well, now you know.

With all the national, statewide, and regional headscratching going on about North Carolina politics, namely in the Eighth Congressional District's 2010 Republican primary runoff election, it should come as no surprise that in Richmond County, the heart of the district, Sheriff deputies have discovered 60,000 marijuana plants.

The latest bust of a large field of marijuana by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office yielded more than 26,500 two-to three-foot tall plants, driving the total number of plants seized over the past month to well over 60,000.

“In my 40-year career, this is the most I’ve ever seen being grown in one area, and it means there’s probably a lot more out there that we just haven’t found yet,” Richmond County Sheriff Dale Furr said Friday. “You can see why marijuana has become the number one cash crop in North Carolina.”

Of course, we don't know what South Carolina's excuse is for the Mark Sanford, Nikki Haley, and Alvin Greene episodes!

While the Tar Heel state's political arena deals with allegations of garden-variety marital infidelity and general government corruption, the Palmetto state appears to be indulging in whatever bordering Richmond County has growing in its garden.

Groundhog Doesn't See GOP Shadow, Dems Elated

Today, February 2nd, is traditionally Groundhogs Day.

Though Democrats have had a lot to be nervous about over the last few months – including the loss of the Kennedy seat in the U.S. Senate and two governorships - a partisan Punxsutawny Phil and Democratic Donkeys should see yesterday’s item from Politico.com and Gallup instead of their shadow. (After all, even groundhogs and donkeys have Internet access these days!)

Entitled “Poll: Most States Remain Blue,” Andy Barr’s column goes to prove that things aren’t necessarily as bad as they seem in 2010 for the Democratic Party.

In sum, it says that America remains in the Democratic camp nationally. Those findings are based on state-by-state polling statistics that involve a poll universe of 353,849 adults in all 50 states last year and the District of Columbia.

For Punxsutawny Phil, Democrats and progressive unaffiliated Americans, it sure beats another six weeks – or ten months – or two years – of a Republican winter!
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(c) Wayne Goodwin. All rights reserved.