By LEE BALLARD

In September 1972, I was a luncheon guest (with others) of President and Mrs. Ferdinand Marcos at Malacañang Palace in Manila.  Coincidentally, that same week, Marcos declared martial law. 

The power grab was perfectly orchestrated.  The main national newspaper was closed, and a government paper appeared in days.  Marcos’ harshest critics were imprisoned.  Marcos declared a “New Society” – a flood of “reforms” that changed Philippine life.  Congress was replaced by a parliament.  Many businesses of old Spanish and Chinese families were privatized.  Marcos had efficiently established a totalitarian regime.

Hold it!  Why does this sound so familiar – like déjà vu backwards?

Of course!  It’s like the Republican regime in Raleigh! 

Republicans can’t declare martial law or shut down newspapers, but that’s just a detail.  There’s more than one way to skin the cat named Tyranny.

Tyranny in Raleigh?  Exactly.  Here’s what the Declaration of Independence says about tyranny: “The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.” 

The key word is “usurpations.”  Dictionaries generally define “usurpation” as “wrongful seizure or exercise of authority” or “wrongfully seizing and holding an office or powers.”

Some definitions use “illegal” in their definitions, but that can hardly be Jefferson’s intent.  After all, he’s writing about the king.  Whatever he wanted to do in his colonies was legal.

The usurpations Jefferson had in mind were acts against a higher law than the king.  The king was guilty when his legal actions violated the God-given rights of the American people.

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Over the past three years, the Republican General Assembly has taken actions, legal actions, that have precisely paralleled those of King George and Ferdinand Marcos.

King George, Jefferson says in the Declaration, retained absolute control by squelching opposition.  Specifically, he prevented state legislatures from doing anything that opposed “his invasion of the rights of the people.”   

Marcos changed the Philippine form of government to ensure a friendly legislative branch.  He weakened all opposition to his regime.

Republicans in Raleigh have abused power to guarantee they won’t lose power.  The new GOP voting law, that the League of Women Voters calls “NC’s voter suppression law,” puts severe restrictions on Democratic constituencies – seniors, minorities, young people.

But the big power move was in redistricting.  Majority parties have slanted electoral districts in their favor ever since our nation began, but redistricting in North Carolina has always been reasonable. 

For example, Democrats held majorities in the General Assembly in 2000.  They configured congressional districts so that our 13 members of Congress were seven Democratic and six Republican.  More than fair. 

When the GOP gained control in 2010, they hired Tom Hovelled at the Republican National Committee to draw their redistricting maps.  His computer worked in Washington, without input from North Carolina. 

The resulting gerrymander was stunning.  In 2012, Democrats got 2.2 million votes to 2.14 for Republicans statewide, but Republicans held the state House 77 seats to 43 for Democrats and the state Senate, 32-18.    

This is tyranny.

I predict that for all their talk over decades about wanting nonpartisan redistricting, Republicans will make no effort to pass the bipartisan bill titled, “Nonpartisan Redistricting Process.”   Why give away the gravy train?

I also predict that if Republicans hold the General Assembly in November, they’ll move to rewrite the state constitution to make permanent the changes they’ve made on social issues, schools, state economy, the election process.

One thing to remember about tyranny:  a taste of unchecked power makes the tyrant hungry for more.

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Lee Ballard lives in Mars Hill.