Energy, illegal immigrants, gas tax

Best part of the debate so far -- Perdue was telling us why she is qualified to handle water shortages in NC by saying that she has handled this most recent shortage. Munger just called her out by stating that she has been Lt. Gov. for 8 years and we have had many shortages, and he asked why she hasn't done anything earlier. The whole room just burst into applause.

THE GAS TAX

Bev Perdue states that the tax is so high, and that's why she supports "a freeze on gasoline". She wants us to come up with a different way of financing roads in NC instead of the gas tax, but she doesn't give an example.

McCrory says the gas tax is too high, but he would rather cut the income tax before cutting the gas tax, as that will affect many more people. He also thinks the Highway Trust Fund has been abused and wants to stop that in the state legislature.

SHOULD NC COLLEGE ADMIT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

Perdue would rather discuss the gas tax.

McCrory doesn't want illegals to attend our universities, those slots should be left open for NC residents, especially since our university system has been strained (esp. during hard economic times).

Munger thinks we should admit them, because apparently illegals that don't go to college get into drugs. Ehhh....

ENERGY

McCrory believes in off-shore drilling and natural gas. The number one issue is jobs, and those should be created through our energy policy.

Perdue refuses to address off-shore drilling because Congress has repealed the moratorium, and therefore it doesn't matter what she thnks. McCrory rebuted and pointed out that the states will still have some control over whether this is drilling off the coast of NC -- Perdue just doesn't want to have to take a stance.

Health care -- illegal immigration

The current question is the affordability of health care. McCrory wants to institute as many incentives as possible for small businesses to give health care to employees. He wants to do this by offering tax credits for health care and also reducing the mandates in NC which make our health insurance some of the highest in the nation. He also wants tort reform to protect doctor's and nurses from lawsuits which raise the cost of health insurance.

Democrat Perdue wants to push prevention to lower cost. She believes that the mandates are critical to health insurance in NC. She wants to work together to make sure that "everyone gets a chance to see a doctor" -- but doesn't quite explain herself.

McCrory attempted to tell us that he doesn't know where she is getting her data, but said he's "used to it" :)

The question now is about illegal immigrants. Munger just wants to make it easier to be legal.

Perdue just accused McCrory of using "undocumented workers" in Charlotte, and urges that everyone needs to "play by the rules" when it comes to illegal immigration.

McCrory responds and states that the "net cost of illegal immigrants" is greater than any gain, and it is imperitive to stop illegal immigration.

Live blogging the LAST gubernatorial debate

I'm blogging the final gubernatorial debate at Dilworth Grille in Charlotte, NC. Thanks to a bad internet connection, I've missed the first 15 minutes, but hopefully not too much. For the first time in this election season, Pat McCrory, Bev Perdue, and Mike Munger are all debating each other on the same stage at the same time (Perdue has skipped the last two debates, while Munger was invited to and attended both).

While screaming at my internet connection, I've witnessed Bev Perdue flub over several lines while delivering her usual talking points. Pat McCrory, on the other hand, has successfully showed the audience that he has the experience to lead the state, as seen most recently by his meeting with the head of Wells Fargo, which has recently announced it's plan to buy Charlotte's own Wachovia.

They just asked a question about what should change in regards to the income tax and corporate taxes in NC, and Perdue is talking about how she handled Hurrican Floyd. I'm really not sure that was part of the question, but that was her answer.

McCrory basically addressed Perdue's answer and explained that she is part of the wasteful spending that has helped raise NC's taxes. When he becomes governor, he wants to get rid of the secretive wasteful spending in order to help lower all taxes, which as Munger pointed out, are some of the highest in America.

Three down, one to go

Unlike my favorite driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and my football team, the Carolina Panthers, at least my choice for the next governor of North Carolina enjoyed a successful weekend marked by three major newspaper endorsements:

The Winston Salem Journal (10/12/08) -- "North Carolina enjoys a gubernatorial election this year with three candidates who would make good governors. The Journal thinks that Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory is the best qualified of the three to be a very good governor...

"The Journal was especially impressed with McCrory's promises to rethink our transportation needs and make long-range plans to meet them. He also impresses us with promised policies of an open office, thus allowing the public to see how its government operates."

The Greensboro News & Record (10/12/08) -- "Pat McCrory's stump speeches and debate performances make a good case for his candidacy. But his record as the longest-serving mayor of North Carolina's largest city makes an even better one. McCrory, 51, a Republican who grew up in Jamestown, has won seven consecutive terms as Charlotte's mayor.

"You don't receive that many votes of confidence without doing something right.

"In a city, which unlike Greensboro, holds partisan elections for its leaders, McCrory has worked effectively across party lines to get things done on a majority-Democratic city council. Also unlike Greensboro, where the mayor is merely one of nine equals, Charlotte's mayor wields veto power to go with the title...

"McCrory's skills and experience are best suited to provide what Raleigh needs most right now: a broad view, a clear plan and an ambitious vision."

Charlotte Observor, 10/05/08 -- "N.C. voters face a difficult choice for governor on Nov. 4. We recommend a vote for Republican Pat McCrory. We believe McCrory's experience, approach to government, outsider perspective and willingness to take a stand make him a better choice than Democrat Bev Perdue.

"McCrory would bring an urgently needed energy to the office. While we don't agree with him on every issue, he knows where he stands on most aspects of state government and why he stands there. He's too sure, sometimes, that his position is right, but that certitude is preferable to Perdue's tendency to base her stands on what she believes is politically expedient.

"As Charlotte mayor for 13 years, McCrory, 51, has shown steady leadership. He has presided over a prosperous age for the city driven in large part by people and factors that had little to do with him. But he has generally kept city government clean and helped make Charlotte a place where people want to live, and one which has attracted thousands of newcomers."

Easley throws away $250,000 in taxpayer money -- Perdue complains debate stories "not fair"

State's jet purchase dropped

State officials are scrambling to recover a $250,000 down payment after canceling an order for a new $9 million jet.

Gov. Mike Easley on Wednesday ordered the N.C. Department of Commerce to scrub the deal after reporters asked about the Cessna Citation jet, called the Encore+. The reversal came during a week in which Easley told agencies to prepare for a 3 percent budget cut.

"A plane is not necessary," said Easley spokeswoman Sherry Johnson. "It's not going to be purchased in this economy."

[...]

"If it was wrong when the media found about it, it was wrong before the media found out about it," said Jack Hawke, senior adviser to Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, the GOP candidate for governor. "It's part of the culture of secrecy that covers up these things and wastes taxpayer dollars."

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I don't think I need to even COMMENT on that story.

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Perdue protests debate story

Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue says she has debated plenty.

The Democratic nominee for governor criticized an N&O/Charlotte Observer story Wednesday on how U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole has largely avoided debates and how Perdue is skipping the only live statewide televised debates.

"It took me almost three or four minutes to get to the part that said, 'Oh by the way, she's done four [debates],' " Perdue said during a meeting with the N&O editorial board Wednesday. "'She's done one every month. She's doing one next week.'"

Perdue and McCrory have faced off in four debates that were televised in individual TV markets, such as Raleigh, which sometimes were picked up by stations elsewhere in the state.

Perdue said that five debates, counting one next week in Charlotte, is more than any governor's race in history. She said the article wasn't fair, but added: "I'm a grownup. Things don't need to be fair."

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Really? Then why go running to the editorial board to complain that the News & Observor is reporting the truth? Grown-ups realize that there are consequences to their actions. Bev Perdue wants to avoid interviewing for the state's highest executive position, and she expects everyone to overlook her absence.

Guess what, Bev? We've put up with 8 years of that kind of government, and we're sick of it.

Transparency in North Carolina government

As I write this, gubernatorial candidates Republican Pat McCrory and Libertarian Mike Munger are participating in their second televised debate without Democrat Bev Perdue. It's fairly obvious that the moderator has chosen questions on topics that McCrory and Munger disagree upon (as opposed to the last debate, where they agreed much more than they disagreed), but it's clear that BOTH candidates agree we need more transparency in North Carolina state government.

During one of the first segments, Munger announced that the state of North Carolina recently sought to buy a private jet, only to nix their plans once the media got wind of the deal.

Just a few moments ago, McCrory pointed out that Bev Perdue was scheduled to attend a fundraiser hosted by a controversial Board of Transportation member, and only canceled once the media found out about it.

It seems that Bev Perdue is more like Governor Mike "Tax-Hike" Easley than she would like people to believe.

Polls looking up for Pat McCrory

McCrory leads in Rasmussen poll

Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory has edged ahead of Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue in the gubernatorial race with less than five weeks until the election, according to a new WRAL News poll.

Polling firm Rasmussen Reports surveyed 700 likely voters statewide Tuesday and found that McCrory, the Republican candidate, holds a 50 to 46 percent lead over Perdue, the Democratic candidate...

The only segments of voters where Perdue holds a lead, according to the poll, are those under age 30, unmarried voters and those making either less than $20,000 or between $60,000 and $75,000 a year.
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So basically, the only voters who are voting for Perdue are people who are already planning to vote straight-ticket Democrat. I wonder if they would be so gung-ho to vote for her if they knew how reluctant she is to have anything at all to do with the party's presidential nominee, Barack Obama.