McCROY IS DICTATOR OVER THIRD WORLD STATE

I see the recent move of State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) into the governor’s office of North Carolina as a consolidating move by Gov. McCrory. Thus, his dictatorial control of and already severely compromised state government is further enhanced. The danger signs are several and we should not treat them lightly:

First: he made a big point of saying that he wanted the position move from under the control of political influence.

Second: he appointed an acting director that would cause no political turmoil now when the focus is on the issue but would be replaced in six months.

Third: the SBI director was under the control of a potential appointment in the 2016 governor election.

Fourth: the legislation cut the budget for the SBI office.

Fifth: the move follows a pattern of the governor taking control of state controlled agencies and commissions such as the election commission and the utilities commission.

I should be obvious that the move will do just the opposite in terms of removing political control. It establishes direct political control and puts it directly in the governor’s hands. It is predictable that in six months the director will be who ever money man Art Pope decides he wants; after all McCrory will still be in office in six months and is clearly Pope’s puppet. In addition, the blah appointment and budget cuts follows the pattern of his administration, along with Thom Tillis—also Pope’s puppet—of controlling elections by voter suppression and direct political influence. We all recall the McCrory campaign insiders in state legislature at the time cut the budget of his opponent, who happened to be lieutenant governor, rendering him ineffective and then they attacked him on his effectiveness. We should not forget that “this” governor took over control of all election commissions, which are now 100% controlled by Republican and the utilities commission, that are supposed to regulate rates, are 100% controlled by Republicans. Is it any wonder that rates went up dramatically for homeowners but fell for businesses without objection from the commission; some commission members objected but in a Republican controlled committee there is no such thing as compromise; the Republican with the gavel is king.

There is a message in all of this the government it sending to business around the nation and the world; come to North Carolina, we have no unions and you can pay starvation wages, we have severely cut educations budgets so our teachers are nearly the lowest paid in the nation, which saves tax dollars. (We make political theater of giving teachers raises after cutting them). We have good charter schools for rich kids supported under the table by state budgets but poor public schools for poor kids. We have lowered income tax but raised sales tax, which means our tax system in North Carolina is not progressive. Reaganomics in action; in our state, all of the money is going to the top. Now we have changed the law in such a way the “you will not be investigated” for breaking the law if you contaminate the environment to increase your profits. I think we are the only state in the nation that has figured out how to destroy federal environmental control regulations; if the state does not you investigate you for breaking the laws it cannot prosecute you. Duke Energy, McCrory’s employer, is giddy with excitement at the prospects of having the Governor excuse them from contaminating rivers—I mean not having SBI investigate them. Oh! By the way, our state legislature is working hard to fulfill Karl Rove’s dream of establishing a permanent Republican majority—a dictatorship.  

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