Here's a fact, the office of Lieutenant Governor is that one office on the council of state that combines an impressive title with virtually no responsibility and even less power.
Evidently Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, in advancing her inevitable candidacy to be governor, hoped to demonstrate that she has some mojo with the legislature. After all, it would be nice to show everyone that the entrenched leadership in the general assembly would be inclined to follow her initiative if she should be elected governor.
Therefore, Perdue wrote the script for a play to be performed in public that would have her make a high minded proposal, of little practical significance, and the legislative leadership would pay her idea the honor of a salute. They could say that her idea was, "interesting" or "had merit," before totally ignoring it and returning to the business of legislative sausage making.
Perdue's "proposal for positive press" was to create a commission made up of civic leaders who would offer ten government efficiency recommendations at the start of each new session of the legislature. Of course, the general assembly would have to approve these pearls of wisdom, and the governor - presumably Bev Purdue - would appoint the menagerie of civic leaders.
A Citizens Efficiency Commission sounded harmless enough, but Marc Basnight flatly refused to do Bev Perdue the courtesy of playing his part. Instead, he rather condescendingly lectured the Lieutenant Governor about the separation of powers in North Carolina state government. He polished off his brief dismissal with the reminder that governors can carry out government efficiencies on their own - evidently without further distracting the boys in the legislature who do the real governing.
The whole episode wound up making both Perdue and Basnight look bad. On the one hand, Perdue looked feckless and irrelevant, and it seemed odd that she hadn't done the behind the scenes preparation that might have won the greater courtesy, if not the outright cooperation, of Marc Basnight. On the other hand, it made Basnight look like a pedantic little weasel not about to take advice from the little woman with big ambitions.
At the end of the whole affair you were left to ask the obvious question..."OK, so who is Basnight supporting for governor?"
Probably not the response hoped for by Lieutenant Governor Perdue.
Comments
I think you mean
Perdue. I know, I know.....it's the chicken and after Anglico's story........well, I think I would have called her Purdue too. :)
Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.
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Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
Purdue to Perdue
Sorry... you're right. Thanks for noticing.
I'm 56 years old. I moved to North Carolina five years ago. The previous twenty-five years I spent as a resident of Chicago's north shore and before that Wisconsin, Utah and California. I live in Moore County. My Congressman is Howard Coble, my State Sen
You're a tough audience, George
I read this story as one step in the inevitable dance of year-round campaigning. Everybody wants everybody else's support, but they also want to demonstrate their own independence . . . especially when it involves relationships among the various branches of government. That said, from all I know, Marc Basnight is behind Perdue 100%.
I fully expect to see a steady barrage of proposals, trial balloons, whatevers, from both Perdue and Moore over the next 18 months. I don't like it, but I fully expect it.
This is one of the costs of the Moore-Perdue primary. Look for Moore to come back - and soon - with his own new ideas to one-up Perdue's idea.
A
PS I think there's merit in the core of Perdue's drive toward improving efficiency, but I'm not sure the mechanics are right. But at least the conversation has started.
Disclosure: I contributed to the Perdue campaign in 2006.
Your right
the minute I saw the word "commission" I blocked out the idea. I'm sure others are the same way.
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Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
Tough?
I may be a tough audience, but I think this analysis of what happened was fair. I too have a disclosure to make... I will probably be voting for Perdue, or is it Purdue, or is it Perdue...???
However, I do wish that she had a somewhat more palatable position on gun control. She has an A+ rating from the NRA, my God, even the bluest of blue dog Democrats has only an A rating. I just don't understand where she's coming from on that issue.
I'm 56 years old. I moved to North Carolina five years ago. The previous twenty-five years I spent as a resident of Chicago's north shore and before that Wisconsin, Utah and California. I live in Moore County. My Congressman is Howard Coble, my State Sen
Lt. Gov. Perdue, care to comment?
C'mon we know your reading, what up with the NRA lovefest?
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
I don't see Basnight's bad light
You describe Basnight as saying exactly what I was thinking by the time I got to that paragraph in your post. Of course, my sympathies usually lie with the legislature over the executive.
Opportunities
There was a similar group in 2002 that issued a Final Report in early 2003:
Final Report - Governor's Commission To Promote Government Efficiency And Savings On State Spending (01/03)
I don't think there has ever been any shortage of ideas. Few people understand how State Government has evolved over the years in response to competing needs and statutory obligations.
There are always opportunities for efficencies in any operation but expectations are often exceeded by the opportunity cost.
For example, the sale of the Blount Street properties brings a "windfall" but there will be a critical need for parking structures and the State Motor Pool is no longer located near State employees, leading to inefficiency in normal travel.
Why have a Lt. Governor?
If you are not going to give the position any power, just like the VP, then why have one? I think Lt. Gov. Purdue should have worked with Easley five years ago to stake out a claim, then worked her fingers to the bone on that one area.
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
Ya mean like
this?
I saw that page...
it was her website where I got the quote from.
I'm not saying she doesn't do a little on a lot, but does she do a lot on a little?
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
Governance
If North Carolina were run like a country there might be a more cohesive political leadership team. As things stand there are too many people competing with each other to be "Prime Minister". Maybe we'd have a cabinet instead of a Council of State where everybody is looking over their shoulder when they're not looking at the camera.
The News and Observer
The News and Observer article says that Basnight is backing Perdue for governor.
Frankly, I'm impressed that she is going her own way with this idea instead of playing easy politics.
Classic ADHD-Beverly
"Ole Bev", as she is known to the possum huntin' crowd, is a standard issue dumbass. She got up some danged "military commission" for Gawd knows what, went and got some stuffed shirts and over brassed brass so they could meet and suck up to her. I would be much more impressed if this broad worked.
She was part of the crowd which misspent the tobacco money few years ago, tell me if I am wrong. I sorta think she should favor the major cash crop crowd, marijuna. Now, if we coud just get her to promote hemp - we could keep from killing as many trees.
There do not appear to be many, if any, of the silly assed "do good" programs she does not patronize. Thought struck me: Jr Leaguer in a bigger league. The gun thing is stupid - guns kill people. This civilization is fundamentally brain damaged about guns. Come the apocalyse, does it not bother you that there are more guns than people. Oh, well I suspect we don't deserve continuation as a species anyway. 6.5 billion on a planet designed for max 3.5 billion - wonder what Bev would say about that? "Do they vote"?
I often wonder what gets in people when they get near power - their brains go soft, although I confess, I was not sure Bev had one, or was it already goo. Poor thing. Is it my imagination or does Lord Easley sort of ignore her? Thought so. Well, my candidate, which would set off the right right well, would be Pricey Harris of Greensboro. Can you hear it now.
Fortunately, NC is about 55% women and climbing as us drones fall off the tree. Might as well elect them, they cannot do worse than men. But, lets not forget our favorite Salisbury carpet bagger cheerleader -- Liddy Dole (drum roll) who was elected by a clutch of women who were out to make the mark, do the deed, set the precedent. Oh well, stuff happens (a version of what my son says). Bev for dog catcher, has sort of a ring. Let's hear it for uh, uh, uh-oh heck. I like Roger.
wafranklin
what exactly is meant by the word broad?
I've never understood that one.
And why are there so many derogatory words for women only and so few that apply only to men?
I'm no Bev supporter. She seems too much of female edition of the Good ol' Boy. BUT, I'm not sure she deserves the venom in your post.
Are there hard facts that justify your tone?
“All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.” So enjoy the Drama.
I can think of plenty of derogatory terms for men
and most would incur FCC fines if said on the teevee. :)
Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.
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Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
call out seconded
Drama Queen, I don't think the above post by wafranklin was ever meant to be read by other people. It sounds more like a train of throught journal than a blog post for others to read.
I second your call out. That was a messed up personal attack which revealed a lot of misogyny.
"Repealing the estate tax is like choosing the 2020 Olympic team by picking the eldest sons of the gold-medal winners in the 2000 Olympics". - Warren Buffett
"Repealing the estate tax is like choosing the 2020 Olympic team by picking the eldest sons of the gold-medal winners in the 2000 Olympics". - Warren Buffett
Who is Roger?
n/t
Lovex7
Perdue is going to be in Charlotte
speaking soon, so I will try to go and get an earful.
Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.
***************************
Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
Do go . . .
I'd love to hear what you think.