Why stop with secret budget negotiations?
Published June 9, 2015
by Rob Schofield, NC Policy Watch, June 9, 2015.
The email chain you wouldn’t be surprised to see on Jones Street
From: Gipper-HUACin2017@NCGOP.com (McCarthy, Reagan – Senate majority staff)
Sent: Friday, June 5, 2015 11:59 p.m.
To: BigBobDDS@AustrianEconomics.net (Rucho, Senator Robert)
Subject: Obvious next steps
Hey Boss – Did you see the latest from the WRAL & McClatchy lefties about the budget in the NC Sen? They’re not even whining anymore about us putting it together w/o any Approps/Finance meetings. All stories reference now is that budget is “being assembled by leading Republicans in closed-door meetings.” Your prediction that media lemmings would cave and get used to new conservative efficiency has come true! Time for next step in your original plan?
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From: BigBobDDS@AustrianEconomics.net
Sent: Saturday, June 6, 2015 12:15 a.m.
To: Gipper-HUACin2017@NCGOP.com
CC: PhilJuniorsDad@PhilBerger.net (Berger, Senator Phil); HarryB@DodgeBoys.com (Brown, Senator Harry)
Subject: Re: Obvious next steps
Good eyes, Mac. I told you those liberal media saps would finally get used to there being some new sheriffs in town – just like their pets Blue and Stein ;)
Think you’re right about next steps. Time to launch Operation Adjust the Rules! With any luck, this time next year, we’ll be saving ourselves all sorts of grief, time and money.
I’m cc’ing the Pro Tem and the Maj. Leader too (also via pvt email) so you can restate the basic plan that we outlined at the leadership retreat.
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From: Gipper-HUACin2017@NCGOP.com
Sent: Saturday, June 6, 2015 2:27 a.m.
To: BigBobDDS@AustrianEconomics.net
CC: PhilJuniorsDad@PhilBerger.net; HarryB@DodgeBoys.com
Subject: Re: Re: Obvious next steps
Dear Senators – As per the above directive from the Finance Chairman, here is the basic outline that staff roughed out this past winter at your request:
North Carolina General Assembly Rule Simplification and Reform Initiative
Objective: Elimination of unnecessary, burdensome and bureaucratic vestiges of Democrat rule in NCGA – esp. obsolete rules crafted to appease lib/Dem media in post-Watergate era.
Problem statement: We have achieved overwhelming, veto-proof majorities in both the upper and lower houses of the G.A. Unfortunately, far too many critically important initiatives (tax/spending reform, voting/election reform, regulatory/environmental reform) continue to be burdened and bogged down by wasteful legislative processes (i.e. time-consuming committee hearings, committee and floor amendments, lengthy floor debates, notice requirements and even on occasion, comments from the general public).
We need to assure that the Democrat/liberal media establishment doesn’t continue to have success in delaying our efforts by shining an unwanted and frequently distortive light on specific legislative proposals that can look less compelling when taken out of context by the general public.
Recent example: Late last month, a Democrat Senator managed to get an amendment to the Property Protection Act considered on the floor. It would have immunized employees who reported illegal activities from liability even though they’ve clearly violated their duty of loyalty to the employer. This could’ve been a disaster! Although we defeated the amendment, the mere fact that debate took place allowed the Democrats and the media to shine a less-than-flattering light on this important property rights bill
Proposed rule alteration: As we have shown in the development of past budget and tax packages and will show soon in this year’s budget, xlnt law can be made when it is drafted by our expert staff, consultants and allied lobbyists without the distraction of repeated and time consuming public meetings.
Senate and House majorities should therefore make it a top priority to enact a new, omnibus rule ASAP – no later than Jan. 2016 – whereby Senate budget rules and practices will be applied generally on all bills in the General Assembly.
Under new setup, ALL legislative proposals will be consolidated each year into a handful of omnibus bills – one per committee – drafted under full leadership control. Amendments will be limited sharply as in budget process (whereby new $ can only be spent if amendment reduces $ elsewhere). As envisioned, amendments that add words to a bill must remove same number of words elsewhere and vice versa. This will drive D’s crazy!
In order to further simplify matters, the number of committees will be reduced drastically – to perhaps four or five. All committees will follow Approps model whereby members are treated essentially as focus group participants and only hold one voice “vote” per year.
Let me know when y’all are ready to launch and when to loop lower house leaders.
-RM
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From: BigBobDDS@AustrianEconomics.net
Sent: Saturday, June 6, 2015 9:30 a.m.
To: PhilJuniorsDad@PhilBerger.net
CC: Gipper-HUACin2017@NCGOP.com; HarryB@DodgeBoys.com
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Obvious next steps
Dear Phil – As indicated in this string of emails, it would appear we’ve softened up media drones sufficiently to make Operation ATR operational. Let me know when you’re ready to launch.
-Bob
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From: PhilJuniorsDad@PhilBerger.net
Sent: Saturday, June 6, 2015 11:30 a.m.
To: BigBobDDS@AustrianEconomics.net
CC: Gipper-HUACin2017@NCGOP.com; HarryB@DodgeBoys.com
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Obvious next steps
Thanks Bob – I like it. If possible, have staff further develop idea we discussed of expanded version of Tillis’ “veto garage” idea. Want to be able to quickly override vetoes at any time we have votes, day or night – even by conference call.
Also tell them to look at Tillman’s idea of enacting “preemptive override” rule — vetoes of bills passed by sufficient margins are automatically overridden unless we pass a motion “not to override.” Have legal staff explore whether we need const. amendment and if so whether we can use voice vote to pass.
-PB
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From: BigBobDDS@AustrianEconomics.net
Sent: Saturday, June 6, 2015 1:45 p.m.
To: PhilJuniorsDad@PhilBerger.net
CC: Gipper-HUACin2017@NCGOP.com; HarryB@DodgeBoys.com
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Obvious next steps
Xlnt. My staff already developing the details. Can launch de facto dry run in Finance Cmte this week. Have some more solar energy programs to kill ?
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From: HarryB@DodgeBoys.com
Sent: Saturday, June 6, 2015 2:22 p.m.
To: PhilJuniorsDad@PhilBerger.net; BigBobDDS@AustrianEconomics.net
CC: Gipper-HUACin2017@NCGOP.com
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Obvious next steps
Hey Gentlemen – I like where this is headed, but don’t you think we should take this to the full Republican caucus rather than launching in Finance?
BTW – I’m on a test drive with a customer right now and reception is spotty but will try to check my email later.
Harry
Sent from my iPhone
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From: BigBobDDS@AustrianEconomics.net
Sent: Saturday, June 6, 2015 2:25 p.m.
To: PhilJuniorsDad@PhilBerger.net; HarryB@DodgeBoys.com
CC: Gipper-HUACin2017@NCGOP.com
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Obvious next steps
Mr. President – This is ridiculous and an insult! If you go along with this kind of cowardly, socialistic idea I will resign from my leadership position immediately!
RR
P.S. Test drive, shmest drive. I’m replacing a crown in someone’s mouth as I write this.
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From: PhilJuniorsDad@PhilBerger.net
Sent: Saturday, June 6, 2015 4:05 p.m.
To: BigBobDDS@AustrianEconomics.net
CC: Gipper-HUACin2017@NCGOP.com; HarryB@DodgeBoys.com
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Obvious next steps
Now Bob – hold on. Harry has a point. We’re still taking grief over that doggone Observer cartoon that made you look like some weird Star Wars character. Let’s do this: You go ahead and ram whatever you need to get through Finance and we’ll hold off on formally deploying the new rule/rules until after the budget is passed. I need to loop the Lt Gov. in anyway to make sure the Christian Action League is on board. And Lew Ebert told me ALEC has some model language we can use. We might even be able to spin this as a fundraiser with Pope-Luddy et al.
-Phil
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From: BigBobDDS@AustrianEconomics.net
Sent: Saturday, June 6, 2015 6:36 p.m.
To: PhilJuniorsDad@PhilBerger.net
CC: HarryB@DodgeBoys.com; Gipper-HUACin2017@NCGOP.com
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Obvious next steps
Dear Phil – While I have grave doubts about any further delays as playing right into the hands of our leftist opponents, I will reluctantly defer to your plan – PROVIDED you assure me that I get to personally inform that sell-out in the mansion of the new world order when it’s rolled out. I can’t wait to see his moderate, accommodationist, mass transit-loving face when he gets his latest reminder of who’s the real boss in Raleigh.
RR
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From: PhilJuniorsDad@PhilBerger.net
Sent: Saturday, June 6, 2015 8:12 p.m.
To: BigBobDDS@AustrianEconomics.net
CC: Gipper-HUAC2016@NCGOP.com; HarryB@DodgeBoys.com
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Obvious next steps
No problemo, Dr. B. You know you are always my enforcer. You can even deliver the news to Moore and Lewis if you want to when the time comes. See you Monday!
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From: BigBobDDS@AustrianEconomics.net
Sent: Saturday, June 6, 2015 10:19 p.m.
To: Gipper-HUACin2017@NCGOP.com
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Obvious next steps
You copy all this, Mac?
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From: Gipper-HUACin2017@NCGOP.com
Sent: Friday, June 6, 2015 11:26 p.m.
To: BigBobDDS@AustrianEconomics.net
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Obvious next steps
Roger boss. We still on for coffee in the morning to discuss deep-sixing the solar tax credits?
