The recent episode with Braeburn Pharmaceuticals makes clear that it’s Republicans that are driving businesses away from and out of the North Carolina, not Democrats. Pat McCrory and his misguided legislative allies keep blaming the damage of House Bill 2 on Democrats but that’s clearly wrong. Braeburn rebuked McCrory’s spin and said that the only reason it was staying is because it believes the law will be found unconstitutional.
Republican leaders and their allies at the North Carolina Chamber have a misguided philosophy that government can treat groups of people poorly and businesses will turn a blind eye as long as taxes and regulations are low. That may have been true at one time, but it’s not true now. Increasingly corporate America believes that a social conscience is both good for business and good for society.
Companies like Braeburn aren’t factories that are just making stuff. They are trying to solve larger societal problems. In the case of this pharmaceutical company they want to address the problem of opioid addiction that’s plaguing so much of the country. In short, they’re using the free market to help drug addicts. They’re not likely to condone beating up on other people in society who have been marginalized.
That said, opponents of HB2 should stop applauding companies and performers who decide to boycott North Carolina. The economic recovery in North Carolina is still too fragile. Republican policies have left us trailing the rest of the country with an unemployment rate well above the national average. We need jobs because too many North Carolinians have been hurting for too long.
The other reason we need companies like Breaburn to locate and expand here is that they will lead the fight to prevent bills like HB2 in the future. A critical mass of progressive companies in the state can put pressure on the Chamber to adopt more a progressive posture, finance progressive campaigns, and oppose regressive legislation. We should welcome and encourage allies to the state to fight the anti-intellectual and discriminatory forces dominating our government.
Personally, I welcome anyone to North Carolina who will stand up to the forces of regression that have so battered the state I love. We need all the allies we can get. Welcome to fray, Braeburn. Thanks for the help.
Thomas Mills is the founder and publisher of PoliticsNC.com. Before beginning PoliticsNC, Thomas spent twenty years as a political and public affairs consultant. Learn more >
The nation has suffered more than 7 years of an unprecedented experiment in self-destructive GOP spite. The Bush Administration put the economy in freefall and left D,C. after the country hit rock bottom.
Every state economy was in a deep recession, unemployment was at record highs, the stock market was half what it is today and the real estate market was in shambles. The Republicans knew that efforts to bring jobs and relief to Americans would make the Democratic President look successful so they conspired to work against the interests of the nation. They fought jobs bills. They fought every measure that would have helped Americans. Their policy of obstruction was anti-American and, at its base, racist. They were not going to allow President Obama to look like a hero compared to the bumbling President George Bush. The Republicans chose to let Americans suffer so that the party could avoid admitting the absolute failure of the Bush Administration.
Democrats are better than that. The vindictiveness of the GOP is a terrible governing strategy. The state should welcome any business opportunity and any company offering jobs and high pay to our fellow North Carolinians. A rising tide lifts all boats.
In the case of Braeburn Pharmaceuticals, the governor is taking credit where credit is not due. His band of religious zealots is driving business away from North Carolina, and Braeburn would not be here if HB2 had been signed into law before they signed a lease in Durham. They were shocked by the Jones Street raid on good sense by the GOP in the dark of night. Braeburn considered taking a loss and leaving the state.
Braeburn remains in North Carolina because they have been persuaded that reason will ultimately prevail, not because of anything charming the governor may have said.
If a company like Braeburn elects to stay here because they (and their attorneys) believe HB2 will be found unconstitutional, because they were heartened by their discussion with AG Cooper, and because they want to be part of changing the way the current intolerant state leaders think and act, I say that’s fine. As the blog says, their continued presence in NC will just help to build the forces against intolerant legislation and narrow-minded NC Chamber reaction in the future.
And if a company (like PayPal) chooses to withdraw from an earlier commitment to expand its presence and jobs here in NC because it finds HB2 to be intolerant, discriminatory, and insulting to a class of people, I say that’s their right, and that it is fine, too. Their choice is one that demonstrates how legislation enacted out of mean-spiritedness can cost the state jobs, and thus serves as a cautionary tale for lawmakers in the future.
How does coming to NC effect change? It won’t. Braeburn said they would have left if they had known about HB2 prior to signing the lease.
NCGOP has dug a very deep trench. They’re thinking like the leaders of Europe in 1914 – shocked at the opposition, but in it for the long haul. I hope the NBA pulls the All-Star game. Sticking around gives Pat and friends the opportunity to crow about it.
NCGOP policies are toxic. I would not encourage anyone to come to this state right now until those people are voted out. And given the rabid madness of the NCGOP base, those leaders may be in power for a good long time.
I myself have asked for invaders. I get lonely. I write my friends in ROC, or in the Twitter verse. I have an Australian friend. I heard you can reincorporate if your business was incorporated, but failed. NYC has changed.
Worked IATSE Union which does the shows at Greensboro’s Coliseum, and am sure the boycotts hurt my old friends in the union. Labor is hurt by the boycotts.
Cyndi Lauper was great about it. Heroic really because performing is a great deal of work and she gave work to people who needed it, plus gave the money away.
I’d rather Yankee invaders.
Too bad the Yankees & Keynes economics run out for William Petty economics. MBAs wedded to never paying labor above subsistence wages does not hold. Lot of culture war we can talk about if we have some extra years.
All the goals are supposedly to simply make it a low wage state for businesses that care little for working conditions. Hog gas systems to replace forever fracking gas and give workers consistent work are not happening because Hogs and the labor aren’t to be part of consciousness at all. It is so terrible for labor and the livestock.
No need for NC to “Race” to the bottom. One little step and we are there.
25 percent of the people of NC are living in poverty. Stoic about it all but gets to me. You would want a government that knew common sense wasn’t creating problems for people when there were enough problems for real for people.
Daily Show Trevor pegged it the other night. People like him would be good to have living here. Course show business people are only wanted for hotel rooms and rent of locations.
HB 819 was very flawed and was supposed to have been revisited for revision or scrapping in March 2016. Passed in like 10. Was the start of the decline of NC. Great territory, land, except for what will be under water.
Only certain boats that some freaks decide ought be kept floating while all the others get holes drilled in them is the way it is going. Has gone.
The high rate of poverty gets to me too. But I want NCGOP out of office. That won’t happen until the masses get mad. NCGOP job increases have been predominantly in the low-wage sector. Art Pope needs poor people to shop at his stores. We need the business sector to put pressure on these idiots – and coming here to set up shop is the wrong message.
I’ve NEVER seen such idiocy in office ever. The Republican party has become a vile, unAmerican party – devoted to hatred, racism and the protection of wealth for the currently wealthy and the increase of poverty for everyone else. Reagan’s rising tide has been a tsunami of a disaster.