Brushing aside the governor, again

Published August 31, 2013

By Chris Fitzsimon

by Chris Fitzsimon, NC Policy Watch and NC SPIN panelist, August 30, 2013.

It now seems very likely that Republican lawmakers will ignore the wishes of Republican Governor Pat McCrory next week and vote to override his vetoes of two bills, one that would require drug testing of some applicants for public benefits and one that would expand the exemptions under the E-Verify system to make it easier for growers to hire temporary workers.

News accounts previewing next week’s session make it clear that most legislators who supported the bills originally plan to vote to sustain the vetoes.

McCrory urged legislative leaders not to convene at all. That would mean the vetoes would stand. That is clearly not happening as the House and Senate are both returning Tuesday and at this point seem likely to hold votes that McCrory will lose.

It’s a scenario that speaks volumes about who really runs Raleigh these days. And it is not Governor McCrory.

That was clear the first month of the 2013 legislative session when McCrory sent a letter to Senate leaders asking them to delay consideration of a bill to refuse Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act that would have provided health care coverage to 500,000 low-income adults who are uninsured.

Senate leaders completely ignored McCrory’s plea and passed the bill the same day they received his letter asking for a delay. They are ignoring him again now.

A panicked administration attacks the media

Speaking of the governor, what would a week be without another off the cuff comment that makes you wonder what he’s thinking?

McCrory reportedly told a business audience in Asheville recently that his critics, including members of the media, simply don’t understand his economic agenda that includes the tax plan passed by the General Assembly that gives big breaks to wealthy individuals and out of state corporations while asking low and moderate income families to pay more.

McCrory added that it was “too complex” for journalists because they don’t have economics degrees.

That prompted one reporter to point out that McCrory doesn’t either. He graduated from Catawba College with degrees in education and political science.

McCrory’s spokesperson also attacked the media this week, criticizing a straightforward story by the Associated Press that pointed out the incorrect claims McCrory made about how two 24-year-old former campaign staffers were placed in top positions at the Department of Health and Human Services and given massive raises.

It’s always a sign that politicians are panicking when they start bashing the media that covers them.

Never mind those pesky facts

McCrory’s insult to reporters comes the week after he told WLOS in Asheville that the reason teachers didn’t receive a pay hike this year was that he “inherited a terrible, terrible budget from the previous administration and I’ve got to rebuild that budget.”

As several reporters and columnists pointed out, McCrory did not inherit a budget from the Perdue Administration. He inherited a budget from the Republican General Assembly that adopted it over the objections and veto of Governor Perdue.

The governor is apparently not going to let the facts stand in the way of what he thinks is a good sound bite, whether it’s his absurd claim about wading out among the Moral Monday protesters or that it was President Obama’s fault that people lost emergency unemployment benefits because he didn’t issue the state a waiver for the cuts the General Assembly made to the state unemployment program.

Only Congress can issue that waiver, not the president, as McCrory’s press office was forced to admit, calling McCrory’s remarks a misstatement. Two days later McCrory said the same thing to a Wilson Daily Times reporter.

McCrory said on several radio stations that concerns about the reduction in the number of days for early voting in the voter suppression bill he signed were overblown because “every precinct” would be open every day in the two weeks before an election.

That’s ridiculous of course, but he said it multiple times in multiple interviews.

Then there is McCrory’s repeated assertion teachers will receive the equivalent of a one percent pay increase in the tax plan that he signed.

The tables released with the tax plan show that an individual must earn $250,000 a year to receive a one percent tax increase. So maybe it’s partially true.

Maybe all the public school teachers in North Carolina who make $250,000 will get that pay hike.

The real question is when will the governor stop playing fast and loose with the facts?

September 1, 2013 at 9:45 pm
Bill Evans says:

Seems to me that since we have a Republican Governor for the first time in many years. NC Spin has quite a few pent up issues. They never held Mike Easley or Bev Perdue accountable for there campaign promises, or the lies that they told on a daily basis. Along comes a Republican and suddenly the have an attack of conscience and must make up for the past sins of omission.

Would be great if you would get a life and treat our governor with the respect he deserves.

September 2, 2013 at 4:38 pm
Richard LeDuc says:

Nice attempt at misdirection, but I'm not buying it!

September 2, 2013 at 12:42 pm
Barbara Hallman Dantonio says:

Bill Evans, what this administration has done is wrong no matter what party you belong to. I don't think NC Spin has pent up issues, it is the Republican Party of NC that has them. They are hurting themselves and the people of NC with their new laws. I don't think they thought the laws they passed through with any regard to North Carolinians, especially the students, the elderly and the poor. I know what the author of this article has said is a true statement of the state of our state. We are an embarrassment to the United States. However, I can tell you that the Democrats are united and will make serious changes in 2014 and 2016. The tactics of the Republicans will be short lived as they will be voted out of office. Did you look at the make up of the Moral Monday participants. We are retired, we are students and we are involved people who have the time to get out and change the landscape of the Governorship and the Legislature. We are fed up with the treatment and you will know we are united, we are going to move NC forward, Not One Step Back. It is immoral to quote Reverend Barber, what they have done and we have had enough. Governor McCrory does not deserve respect from any NC citizen for the things he has done to the unemployed, the uninsured and the voters who do not have Voter ID's. That is over 1 million just in that group. Good luck with the respect thing, it has to be earned and it has not.