The budget debate, politics, and the Republican Revolution

by | Jun 27, 2014 | Budget, Editor's Blog, NCGA

Schadenfreude-a feeling of enjoyment that comes from seeing or hearing about the troubles of other people.

That’s the feeling I get watching Budget Director Art Pope doing battle with the Senate leadership. Oh, I know it’s a cheap thrill derived from being a member of the party out of power. But, still, I can enjoy myself a bit, can’t I?

The whole debate seems to be based on which budget carries the most political risk for Republicans in November. The Senate forced Pope to testify before them yesterday to explain why he would use gambling proceeds to try balance the budget. Pope countered that it’s better than laying off teachers’ assistance and then repeated a line that will almost certainly be heard from Democrats this fall: 

“The cost in the Senate budget is firing teacher assistants…The Senate also pays for its budget by changing the Medicaid eligibility laws. That would require not underfunding Medicaid but removing 5,200 aged, blind and disabled low-income residents from the Medicaid safety net.

So the debate is less about what’s good for North Carolina but what is good for people running for office this fall. In particular, what is good for Speaker Thom Tillis and his bid for the US Senate. Which plan carries more risk: funding the budget by trying to ratchet up proceeds from the state lottery or funding the budget on the backs of school kids, the poor and disadvantaged?

The debate, though, lays bear the difference between running in a heavily gerrymandered district verses running in a statewide campaigns. The Senate is secure in their ability to hold their majority since few districts are competitive. They can make draconian cuts that are at least fiscally sound without worrying about the impact on voters. However, encouraging people to play the lottery may upset a portion of the GOP base and cause problems in the future. 

The House and the Governor, though, are looking at it with an eye toward statewide elections. The Republican agenda, particularly its cuts to education, has very limited support. Tillis knows that too much pain from the legislature will hurt his chances in November. Pat McCrory, for his part, needs to dig out of a hole to get re-elected in two years. 

Phil Berger and his lieutenants just want to push the Republican Revolution of smaller government and less taxes. If that means hurting people, well, that’s the price we pay. They’re just not that concerned about the political careers of Pat McCrory and Thom Tillis.

And that’s what the budget debate is really about.

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