With North Carolina carrying the moniker of “battleground state” and with three hotly contested statewide races (president, U.S. Senate and governor), political communications have surged, bombarding many independent households with unwanted mailings and commercials.

As somewhat of a political junkie (one of my undergraduate degrees is in political science) — I get a kick out receiving these slick, costly and highly doctored direct mail pieces. Most political mail this election year appears to be coming from “independent” third parties and not from the candidates themselves. Groups like Majority Action, N.C. Republican State Executive Committee, Freedom’s Watch and the Associated Builders and Contractors Free Enterprise Alliance have all gotten in on the action. The diversity of the groups mailing this propaganda is intriguing, but the headlines they are exploiting are even more fascinating:

“After 43 years in Washington, the only job Elizabeth Dole hasn’t done is protect ours. She’s sending N.C. jobs overseas instead.”

“Seven of the September 11th hijackers had driver’s licenses acquired through fraudulent means. Kay Hagan does not support tougher requirements for acquiring state driver’s licenses.”

“Beverly Perdue. More of the same…higher taxes. More spending. Taxpayer beware. Giving Beverly Perdue a job in Raleigh just may cost you yours.”

“Can you trust Obama to make the right decisions? Dangerously inexperienced.”

Then there was an innocent little piece paid for by the N.C. Democratic Party. It shows a smiling Barack Obama with his arm around democratic gubernatorial candidate Bev Perdue. “Barack Obama and Bev Perdue…The Change We Need.”

Bev Perdue represents change? Bev Perdue is a lifelong member of the good ol’ boy network. And yes I know that seems hard because Perdue is a woman — but that hasn’t stopped her from playing a prominent role in the Senate — Democrats stranglehold on political power in N.C.

Perdue is just a stooge for Senate president pro tempore Marc Basnight and Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand. Each rules N.C. like it’s their own fiefdom. Their “crimes” are a laundry list of abuses of power.

They gerrymander voting districts to entrench themselves into power — both Basnight and Rand have no opposition in November’s general election. They engage in nepotism and unethical activities by appointing their friends, business partners and relatives to prominent positions in state government. They scuttle the freedom of press by barring them from open legislative meetings. They hide legislation in inactive committees, don’t allow the opposition to speak against legislation and alter legislation even after it has passed the General Assembly. They even go as far as to fire state employees who speak up against them. And to top it all off, Perdue, Basnight and Rand are all Carolina fans.

A vote for Bev Perdue is not a vote for change. It is a vote for Marc Basnight. It is a vote for Tony Rand. It is a vote for Jim Black (Democrat and former N.C. House Speaker serving a five year prison sentence for taking bribes). It is a vote for everything that is wrong with NC politics. Remember what former Democratic Speaker of the NC House Joe Mavretic said about Perdue? “I don’t trust her and haven’t for two decades.”

I don’t trust either, and neither should you.

E-mail Andrew about state politics at letters@technicianonline.com.