North Carolina Republicans with a veto-proof majority in the state house overturned vetoes from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper this week. They implemented a variety of controversial changes, stripping powers from the governor, advancing a pipeline project and overhauling election rules. Because the only way they win is to cheat! Via the News & Observer:

Before one vote, the House’s Democratic leader said the bills give too much power to top Republicans and said lawmakers are creating “a monster.” Protesters gathered outside the Legislative Building ahead of the veto override votes.

“We feel strongly that America is at a tipping point between democracy and autocracy, that the Earth herself is at a tipping point towards destruction and that the leadership of the General Assembly is pushing at that tipping point in the wrong direction towards autocracy, towards environmental destruction and climate collapse,” Karen Ziegler, a protester with Democracy out Loud, said. In the first veto they completed, lawmakers took away appointments from the governor, setting up a test of North Carolina’s separation of powers.

The office of the North Carolina governor is already weak by design compared to other states. Lawmakers have gradually taken away power from Cooper, including some measures prompted by Cooper’s COVID-19 pandemic response. Cooper isn’t running again, but the latest changes will also affect the next governor’s administration. Republicans, who dominate the General Assembly with a veto-proof supermajority, have overridden 19 vetoes from the governor this session alone.

This was why they pushed the formerly pro-choice State Rep. Tricia Cotham to become an anti-abortion Republican. (We found out later Democrats hurt her feeling.)