And the beatdown goes on ….

(No that’s not me misquoting some famous song lyrics by The Whispers. Or was it Sonny & Cher ?)

We’re talking about the action today at the legislative building in Raleigh.  The legislature convincingly overrode THREE more of Madame Governor’s vetoes. We here at the DH sincerely believe that — if this keeps up — Madame will soon be in need of medical attention.

Override #1 involved limiting damages against doctors in medical malpractice lawsuits.  The conservative majority touted the bill as a responsible way to keep health care insurance costs down, and attract more doctors to North Carolina:

“This cap is reasonable. This cap is tested and proven” since more than half the states similarly limit malpractice awards, said Rep. Johnathan Rhyne, R-Lincoln.

The Democrats — in their losing effort —  took a different, more hysterical, more out-in-left-field, ridiculous stance:

“The most severely injured patients are not protected by this bill. It discriminates against them, children, stay-at-home mothers and the elderly – people who in the tough, tough parlance of the courtroom have no economic value,” said House Minority Leader Joe Hackney, D-Orange. “I think it’s a shame and I think we should stop.”

(Wait, what is going on here?  I don’t see one mention of  Hitler.  You guys are slipping. )

The state House voted 76-42 to give the judges more authority to resolve disagreements between citizens and state agencies involving government rules and regulation. The House also voted 74-41 to override a Perdue veto on Medicaid-provider rules.

Perdue fought the regulation and rules revamp legislation because she contended it was unconstitutional to end the ability of executive agencies and commissions to reject or modify the rulings of administrative law judges, who hear appeals on matters such as Medicaid coverage denials or environmental permits.

Environmental groups fear the legislation will discourage regulations that preserve clean air and water.

“Starting now, safeguarding our health and natural resources will be much, much more difficult,” said Sam Pearsall, a senior scientist at Environmental Defense Fund.  (???)

Rep. Rick Glazier, D-Cumberland, said while no one likes regulations, they’re necessary for an orderly society. Traffic cops who enforce rules of the road are necessary so that everyone is safe, he said. Republicans had come to control the General Assembly this year for the first time in more than a century and soon launched “a legislative jihad” against regulation, Glazier said.

Republicans countered that reducing state regulations would make North Carolina more business friendly.

Rep. Marilyn Avila, R-Wake, said companies had complained to her not that state regulations were unfair, but the process of complying was too often confusing and repetitious. Companies complained of “vague rules, multiple entities who put them through the same hoops to get to the same end,” she said. “We need to help them rather than hinder them from doing business.”

The other bill establishes criminal background checks and other requirements required by federal law for Medicaid providers who want to enroll in the program. New applicants must attend training that describes Medicaid billing and fraud. The state health agency will be allowed to suspend payments to providers who owe an overpayment refund or fine.

The measure previously passed the House 115-0 and the Senate voted 47-1 to override Perdue’s veto earlier this month.

“The governor’s veto would have held up much-needed legislation that ensures we have the procedures in place to reduce Medicaid fraud and abuse,” said House Speaker Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg.

Okay.  So we got “jihad” in there.  I guess that’s almost as scary and demagogic as “Hitler.” We also got a quote from a liberal activist suggesting the veto override on environmental regulation reform legislation signals the end of the world.

These people have called the shots for decades on Jones Street.  They have run rough-shod over Republicans and job-creating taxpayers.  Now, they find themselves on the outside, receiving some of the same treatment they dished out for decades.

Instead of pitching in and trying to solve some of our state’s most serious problems, these people are clinging to the hysterical hyperbole that has worked so well for them over the years.

November 2010 should have been plenty of evidence that the voters are TIRED of the same old tactics.  You’ve got to give GOP legislators some kudos for differentiating themselves from the Jones Street liberals, pushing a strong conservative agenda, and showing the people of North Carolina there IS a difference between the two parties.

This is the exact opposite of what the “get something done crowd,”  — featuring Richard Morgan, Harold Brubaker, Paul Shumaker, et al. —  tried to force down our throats about eight years ago.   This is a common sense conservative state — outside of the Triangle — and people will embrace principled conservatism when they see it.  They gave Jesse Helms 30 years in the U.S. Senate after all.

Hopefully, some of the weak sisters in our House delegation — Walter Jones and Richard Burr, to name a couple — will take note and influence their colleagues in Washington.