North Carolina needs big changes, too
My column today:
Many voters want a federal government that works better and think it's time for a change in Washington.
That's a big reason for Barack Obama's success in the Democratic presidential primaries so far.
At the same time, North Carolina voters should cast wary eyes toward Raleigh. It's becoming more apparent that state government isn't performing well, either. ...
Who's going to be the Tarheel Barack Obama rallying voters behind a call for change?
Anyone paying attention should have seen trouble coming. The first ingredient of good government is honesty. North Carolina lately has experienced an outbreak of corruption with several state officials going to federal prison: former Agriculture Secretary Meg Scott Phipps, former Congressman and state Sen. Frank Ballance, former state Rep. Michael Decker, former Lottery Commissioner Kevin Geddings and former state House Speaker Jim Black. State Rep. Thomas Wright is likely to be expelled from the legislature this week and faces criminal charges. Who knows who might be next?
Some of these cases exposed a pay-to-play culture in Raleigh where special interests buy favors -- just like in Washington. Maybe it's coincidence, probably not, that serious management issues have come up at the same time.
Despite the highest gasoline tax in the Southeast, the state has fallen far behind in meeting highway and bridge maintenance needs. Yet part of the job of some transportation board members seems to be raising money for the governor or top candidates.
Public schools continue to struggle. Guilford County Board of Education Chairman Alan Duncan complained at last week's One Guilford program that state funding increases pay mostly for teacher raises -- not bad in isolation, but the need to match them for local teachers causes local systems to lose ground in trying to meet other priorities. While almost everyone agrees the federal No Child Left Behind requirements are terrible, the state isn't helping. For example, its writing test "is so far out in left field it's out of the ballpark," Duncan said.
A Charlotte Observer investigation found serious and under-reported safety problems at chicken-processing plants and an appalling lack of concern by the state's labor commissioner, Cherie Berry.
On a larger scale, The News & Observer of Raleigh reported massive failure and waste in the state's mental-health system. The News & Record and other media have noted problems for years. But Gov. Mike Easley was taken by surprise, feebly claiming he opposed the 2001 reform plan that produced this debacle. Yet, he signed the legislation and his administration was supposed to carry it out.
Just last week, the tragic consequences of another failure by state government came to light with the arrests of two suspects in the murder of UNC-Chapel Hill student body president Eve Carson. One of the men charged, and maybe both, should have been in prison for probation violation.
This is about public safety, one of government's most critical responsibilities. Here in Greensboro, the police have taken the heat for crime rates. It's time to hold Raleigh accountable, too. Police can't be blamed if they arrest dangerous criminals but the state turns them loose.
State leaders can't even use lack of money as an excuse for failures. They've fattened the state budget by 30 percent since 2004 and even now, while ordinary people tighten their belts, are building a tax-revenue surplus.
This isn't partisan politics. Although the governor and most elected and appointed leaders in Raleigh are Democrats (Labor Commissioner Berry is a Republican), the problem is entrenched power. When those in public office serve their own interests instead of the people's, it's time for them to go.
Voters have to elect leaders who know how to manage effectively and demonstrate personal integrity. The people deserve good government at all levels, and lately they're not getting it in Raleigh. It's time for a change.
Contact Doug Clark at dgclark@news-record.com or 373-7039.
Addendum: John Thompson of the N.C. Center for Voter Education pleads for more resources fo the N.C. State Board of Elections as it "investigates an underbelly of political corruption that has emerged from the back ally of state politics, exemplified by the dramatic fall of former Speaker Jim Black and the current controversies surrounding state Rep. Thomas Wright."
The state agency currently has a two-year backlog of cases. The corrupt are way ahead of the cops in North Carolina politics.
Further addendum: Via the Locker Room, a riff by Democratic political consultant Brad Crone about the party's failures to control state spending and "Gov. Rip van Winkle."
Comments (12)
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Great article.
Wondering if you'll be publishing an article such as this a few days prior to the November election?
You might have made mention that possibly one of the reason our roads and bridges are in the sorry state they're in is because Gov Easley and the Dem legislature raided the NC Highway Trust Fund in prior years to the tune of between 1-2 billion dollars to fund projects other than our highways. I wonder when or if those funds will ever be repaid?
Posted on March 19, 2008 10:25 AM
Thanks.
This is a theme I plan to pursue all year, yes.
You're right about raids on the highway trust fund, definitely part of the problem.
Posted on March 19, 2008 10:37 AM
I agree 100%, while all eyes remain on the race for the "White" House it is the "State" House and the policy and procedure created in Raleigh that affects our lives on a day to day basis ... Politics as usual in Washington AND Raleigh have eroded the trust and integrity that people expect from their elected officials ... when pay to play politics wins over honesty and integrity to serve the needs of everyday people, coupled with divisive words and actions played by some politicians during election time, ... its a wonder the good people continue to want to serve ... but we still do, despite it all ... for the Good of us All.
Posted on March 19, 2008 1:14 PM
Olga Wright, may I add a great amen. I can read a zillion articles and lte on how bad the feds are. Yet all the shams in Raleigh get a free pass.
Posted on March 19, 2008 2:22 PM
Even closer to home we have a similar culture here in Greensboro. When a petitioner gives money to a city council candidate, the elected councilman/woman is under no obligation to recuse themselves when that same petitioner appears before them requesting approval for either a budget item or rezoning request. No one even thinks it represents a conflict of interest. This is a culture of corruption no matter how it's spun by the 'it's always been done that way' crowd.
Posted on March 19, 2008 2:28 PM
A very good writing. Political greed/selfeshness is running rampant throughout all levels of government whether it be local, state, or federal. Todays politician's have a self imposed empowerment of being of an elitist class, above the peon rank and file population. They also deal with large budgets and monetary expenditures and I'm sure get complacent with the peoples money, first of all they think it's thiers and secondly what's a million here and there, with little or NO accountability. Who's watching the hen house, but another politician. Last we need more corporate types in government and less legal (attorney's), logical reasoning being that corporate people are busy running a business, whereas legal types are always looking for loop holes. Government no longer possess, old time, common sense but rather everything is run by political correctness, and that's what needs to be changed. The American Empire is on a progression schedule much like all the Empires of the past, and we too some day will come to an end by our own hands.
Posted on March 19, 2008 4:53 PM
Voters in Greensboro started to make a lot of noise last year. Not all of them were happy were how every election turned out, but they were heard. That has yet to happen in state elections. Leaders in Raleigh don't believe voters notice or care what goes on.
Posted on March 19, 2008 4:56 PM
The people deserve good government at all levels, and lately they're not getting it in Raleigh. It's time for a change.* Doug
Well Doug! If the below party of change won't let the constitutionists in! What other political party is a option to the corruption in this state?
Paularoid Thinking Deemed "Superfluous" by Wake Co. GOP
Flash! At its annual county convention last night, the Wake County Republican Party averted having to deal with the opinions of Ron Paul supporters by adjourning their convention before 12 Paularoid resolutions could be heard and voted on.
Miz Katy thought such outlandish ideas had no business offending the virgin ears of a county Republican Party: "...they had no business at a county party's once yearly convention. Katy's Conservative Corner suggests that they take their beefs to the Republican National Committee."
Accomplished buck-passing, that!
But it was late and no one wanted to miss News at 11.
Posted on March 19, 2008 7:35 PM
"This is a culture of corruption no matter how it's spun by the 'it's always been done that way' crowd."
That's the way Dems do business in this state, Roger.
The Black, Wright, and Phipps cases are just the ones you know about because they got caught.
There's any number of others out there who have not (yet) been caught.
We have not even begun to talk about the practices that are merely unethical, let alone such things as the way Tax Hike Mike eliminates any evidence of problems whenever he can.
Posted on March 19, 2008 9:41 PM
There's any number of others out there who have not (yet) been caught.* Bubba
Right Bubba! So how many neo-con republicans do you fiqure that have not been caught? Frankly! I wouldn't worry since it appears that the present state republican party is in another soviet style party purge after watching the Wake County Republicans move next year convention to a smaller phone booth.
Posted on March 19, 2008 10:46 PM
roger greene, you must be talking about zack " i should have recused myself" matheny , all you have to do is look at his campaign contributions which are below
Contributions range from $50-$500, most in the $250-500 range.
Spence Broadhurst-Banker
Stephen Klee- Attorney
Bejamin Sydnor- Financial Planner
Ricky Hopkins-Property Management
Robert Mcintosh-Lumber Importer
Preston Young- Attorney
Craig Ragsdale-Banker
Thomas White-Property Management
Thomas White Jr.- Prop.Management
Harold KernIII-Real Estate Broker
Kurt Kronfeld- Senn Dunn Insurors
Wiliam B Hayes-CF0, Lab Corp.
Charles Melvin- Jr, Attorney
Alexander Audilet- Attorney
Gregory Holland- Attorney
Dennis Quaintance- Hotel Magnate
Dwight Stone- Builder
Richard Montana,RealEstate Broker
Charles K. Blackmon- Attorney
Derek Allen - Attorney
Scott Bayer - He's a Developer
Rani Hussami - He's a Developer
James Melvin - Construction
Chester Brown III- Brown Investment Properties
Ralph Jones III - Broker
Allen Sharpe - Real Estate/Develpment
Evan Bell- Property Management
Justin Conrad, Pres. Libby Hill
Ronald Nelson- Prop. Management
James Black- Commercial Property
Bradley Field- Timber Broker
James Lomax- Construction
Johnathan Bell- Prop. Management
Robin Tyler- Prop. Management
William Black,Jr. Mortgage Broker
Michael Winstead- Mega Builders
Steven D. Bell- Prop. Management
Scott Wyatt- Attorney
Jeffery Oleynick- Attorney
James Phillips- Attorney
Michael Shannon- Attorney
Joseph McKinney- Mega Builders
Frank Auman- "Self Employed" Ha!
Hardin Blackwell - Terminex
Carole Bruce- Attorney
Charles Hagan III - Attorney
Cooper Brantly Jr. - Real Estate
Bradford Deaton- Prop.Development
Three Lorillard Attorneys
George Aycock- Attorney
E.S. Melvin, Pres. Bryan Foundation
Derek Albright - Attorney
and there are a few who say self employed who are developers.
Posted on March 19, 2008 11:21 PM
I will make this prediction, Come Oct. the Greensboro News and Record will find that the North Carolina Democrat Party will be the saviors of us all. They will endorse one or two undefeatable Republicans like Howard Coble, but will find an excuse.. any excuse to keep the Dems in power in Raleigh.
And, the Culture of Corruption in Raleigh will continue thanks to their slanted reporting pushing their liberal agenda.
They do this every time. And, Olga you know I love you but the News and Record Will NEVER endorse anyone over Queen Alma. They haven't the intestinal fortitude to tackle a prominate Dem or one that with their leadership could be replaced. They NEVER will They haven't the integrity to do it.
I'll copy this and keep it until November and we'll see.
Posted on March 20, 2008 9:47 PM