Don’t Debate Her. RUN OVER HER.

 

 

Our highly unpopular governor is passing on running for reelection.  Our state’s economy is in the tank.  Our unemployment rate is higher than the national average.  The Tea Party pushed a GOP majority into power in the General Assembly with a clear mandate to cut taxes and government.  So, what do legislative GOP leaders want to do? They want to debate  Lame-Duck Bev:

Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger and House Speaker Thom Tillis on Tuesday renewed their call for a public debate with Gov. Beverly Perdue on taxes and public education, they said in a news release.

On Monday, Perdue blasted a new ad campaign praising the legislature for adding more teachers. Perdue said the ad “distorts the truth and muddies the water.”

Berger and Tillis fired back on Tuesday in what has continued to be a heated back and forth between the governor’s office and the legislature.

In a statement, Berger and Tillis said they believe Perdue’s proposal to raise taxes will kill jobs and halt economic recovery.

“Even Gov. Perdue’s spin machine can’t change the fact that our budget funds more teachers at the state level than any of the budgets she signed – and it does so without raising taxes,” said Berger. “Instead of crossing the state reciting false talking points to TV cameras, Gov. Perdue owes it to her constituents to engage in a substantive, open dialogue with the leaders of the legislature. If she’s really serious about working across the aisle to do what’s best for our children, then she will agree to a public debate on this very important issue.”

So, Berger thinks spending MORE MONEY than Bev wanted to is a good thing? *GREAT.*  And you’re spending more money without raising taxes?  Are you telling us that you’re sinking US and our descendants deeper into debt? 

Instead of busting your rump to appease the NCAE — which will be campaigning its rump off against the GOP in November — how about taking steps to ensure: (1) that those teaching jobs ARE needed and are not just payroll-padding patronage,and (2) that the money is staying out of the bureaucracy and IN the classrooms?  READ ON: 

“Based upon her remarks yesterday, it seems that Gov. Perdue may be accepting our request for debate, or at the very least, she is now open to the idea,” Tillis said. “Rather than her common practice of holding press conferences based on rhetoric, we encourage Gov. Perdue to join us in a public discussion of education issues. Our students and teachers deserve more than the governor’s scripted pleas for the status quo, which amounts to raising taxes with little regard for how the money is spent. A debate is the perfect setting to enable us to make progress on this issue, rather than resorting to press conferences and talking points. We look forward to the possibility of working with her staff to coordinate this event.”

Berger issued the original call for a debate in January, according to the release.

If Perdue agrees to a debate, Berger and Tillis’ staffs will work with the governor’s staff to determine the schedule, format and other details.

Great.  Just great.  These guys DON’T have time to give us relief against an obscenely-high state gas tax.  They DON’T have time to cut taxes and regulations to spur business activity and get this record number of North Carolinians OFF of unemployment.  But they have time to debate  this widely-despised joke of a governor.

Maybe that debate — if it ever happens — will give you some comfort as you struggle to pay your bills during this economic nightmare.

Listen up, THOM and PHIL:   We gave you guys some crystal clear instructions in 2010.  So far, you’ve tip-toed around, worrying about offending The N&O and Lame-Duck Bev. (No one outside of The Raleigh beltline gives a hoot about either of those two.)

Put together a free market agenda and shove it down Bev’s throat.  Make her veto it.  You’ve got the votes.  She doesn’t.

Don’t debate her. Run over her.  Her folks did it to Jim Martin.  (If you don’t do it, BarryO and the liberal interests and their CASH will do JUST THAT to you when their convention rolls into Charlotte this summer.)