If there was any credibility left to lose, Pat McCrory has done it in. Arguably, the most striking thing about the budget negotiations had nothing to do with the actions of legislators but with the passivity of the governor. He is completely irrelevant.
The lengthy, fraught budget process generated countless news stories. A fair number of them did not mention McCrory at all, and those that did usually referred to him derivatively, as an “ally of the House leadership.” This appeared to have left most observers unfazed. Our state’s top leader has been so marginalized, for so long, that he quite literally vanished without a trace. And no one much cared.
Pompous photo ops aside, he has just reaffirmed his own meekness. As Chris Fitzsimon noted, McCrory’s flacks admitted that he had not read the budget he promised to sign. The implication of this fact is that McCrory trusts the legislature’s judgment entirely, and feels no desire to demand his own input. So much for being “more assertive” and “take[ing] even more initiatives.”
McCrory’s irrelevance may draw jeers, but it is no laughing matter. Especially now that legislative elections are basically rigged, the governor has a duty to provide strong leadership. He is the only official who can claim to represent the will of the people. When he shows no strength, the people’s will goes undone.
Thus, McCrory’s slide into irrelevance is an insult to his office. The man lacks the conviction and even the work ethic to represent us. He is unfit for the governorship. He should be ashamed.
Alexander Jones is an original contributor to PoliticsNC.
Amen, Alex, Amen!
And to Someone from Main Street NC: The GOP is not telling who wrote/championed/inserted the provision that ended auto-enrollment growth. But with so many senior GOP majority folk saying they don’t know, it looks like one of two things is going on: (1) they know, but to protect the imbecile from voters’ wrath, are deliberately playing dumb; or (2) they really don’t know, which means is was a Berger-Tillis, last-minute, “in-your-face-traditional-public-schools-especially-those-in-faster-growing-metro-Dem counties” addition.
great read … excellent points … yes our state is in trouble …
I just want to know who wrote that bit about no longer funding automatic enrollment growth. NCGOP leaders are strangely silent about this significant change in education funding.
Even his irrelevance is irrelevant
That’s a relevant statement, James….