What the GOP Does with a Supermajority: North Carolina tells us what to expect

American Thinker ^ | 03/26/2014 | Marguerite Creel

[SeekAndFind]

The ultimate party litmus test: given a veto-proof legislature, will Republicans finally start to reduce the scope and size of government?  It looks like the answer is no.

In 2013, North Carolina was just one of 25 states where Republican governors were given historic opportunity to govern alongside Republican-controlled legislatures.  Despite conservative voters’ best hopes, any sensible mandate to restore individual and economic freedom flew out the window when the FY 2013-14 budget was approved, reauthorizing the formerly Democratic state’s blueprint budget with a tragic 2.0-percent increase in general fund appropriations.

North Carolina’s state spending is increasing at a record pace, on both a per-capita and an inflation-adjusted basis.  The total budget peaked in 2012 at $51.7 billion, and, according to Sarah Curry, director of fiscal policy studies at the John Locke foundation, this represents a per-capita financial obligation of $5,348.  Incredibly, another compounding 2-percent increase was approved for FY 2014-15 in the biennial budget by a Republican government.

Lack of Fortitude

The inability of a state legislature to exercise self-discipline in budgetary matters is not a new phenomenon.  However, if the NC GOP is not willing to buck special interest groups now, when they control all three branches of government, when will they have the fortitude?

North Carolina, like other red states, is awash in risk-averse career politicians who fear negative publicity.  Legislators are not seriously motivated to reduce the public footprint, enabled by business leaders’ cowardly refusal to publicly call a spade a spade.  Fear of attracting the big, bad liberal press is rampant.

Electing a majority of Republican state representatives does not necessarily equate to a vanquished Democratic agenda.  Moreover, falsely claiming a conservative victory in North Carolina is dangerous.

[Theodore R.]

It looks like the “growth” has gone out of the Club for Growth. Unsurprising about the American people; the Texans’ support for Cornball and George P. probably scared the Club for Growth out of its senses.

[VRWC For Truth]

Power sharing part deux.

[Breto]

“The article confuses Republicans with Conservatives.

Common mistake”

So true. Republicans love big government. Liberty... not so much.

[Reeses]

reduce the public footprint

The public footprint also has a huge carbon footprint, larger than any other source, and also has the least to show for it. If leftists were honestly concerned about carbon emissions and energy waste, they'd fight to reduce the size of big bloated government. As a rule of thumb, services provided by the government cost 10 times more and have 10 times the pollution output than superior services provided by the free market.

[JSDude1]

Wrong, if constitutional conservatives had a supermajority it would be GREAT.

COMMO/FASCISTS should not have a super majority of any state or municipality, ever!

[BillyBoy]

>> North Carolina, like other red states <<

Yep, it's "red" alright. Kay Hagan is "red" as well. If you're wondering why Republicans act like Democrats, look no further than the color scheme used in this article to describe the political parties.

[Resettozero]

Like I’ve said before, the repubs and Dems are two sides of the same coin. Don’t expect them to behave any differently because they never have and never will.

Yep. I always wished that Reagan-type conservatives had taken over the Democrat Party, instead of it falling totally to the communists. Like my dad said: "Republicans have done the workingman no good."

[sarge83]

We have a winner here!

Republicans want the same things Democrats want, they just sell themselves as being a little cheaper. And all want their turn at the trough.