Devilment
2013-08-02 - by
An old friend who now lives in Maryland wrote the other day and asked, What in blazes is going on in the North Carolina legislature?
Well, right now, thankfully, nothing. The legislators have decamped.
But what kind of devilment went on in the legislature before the peace of August southern afternoons was restored?
Not exactly what you’d think.
One group of politicians has been howling that legislators (of the Republican stripe) laid waste to the ‘old ways’ of North Carolina – that, like Viking helmeted Vandals, Republicans descended on Raleigh in hordes and sowed mayhem on the poor, children and women – on everybody but old rich white men and corporations.
Answering the howlers, the other group of politicians say after a long hegira in the wilderness they’ve restored North Carolina’s true path, revived our struggling fortunes, and, now, we are walking down the road to the Promised Land.
Let’s take one issue at a time.
State Spending – There was a reduction in the rate state spending increases. There was no spending cut. State spending actually increased. Just less than Democrats thought was proper.
State Tax Revenues – The same is true of tax revenues. There was a reduction in the rate state tax revenues increase. More taxes will be paid to the state this year than last year and next year than this year.
Neither of those changes is particularly revolutionary. Or radical. Government is going to continue to grow and get bigger. But it will grow and get bigger more slowly.
And, my guess is, politically, most people will be happy with government growing a bit slower – if they ever get beyond the howling and figure out that’s what happened.
Tax Reform – Republicans ‘reformed’ the tax code. The income tax is an example. North Carolina has had a progressive income tax (where the wealthy paid a higher tax rate than the unwealthy) for years. The legislature replaced that with a ‘Flat Tax.’ The new rate is so low everyone’s income taxes will go down but, my guess is, politically, opposing a progressive tax code is going to be a heavy load to bear at the ballot box next election.
Unemployment Benefits – The state ‘owes’ Washington $2.5 billion for unemployment benefits – so Republicans cut benefits and did it in such a way that 170,000 people lost their federal unemployment benefits. They argue that will create jobs. Let’s hope so.
Medicaid Expansion – President Obama wanted to expand Medicaid to provide health insurance to uninsured people. It was government run healthcare – so Republicans voted it down. But, on the other hand, I wouldn’t want to bet on denying insurance to 500,000 people being popular.
Education – To hear Reverend William Barber, the ‘star’ of the Moral Monday protests tell it, Republicans ruined North Carolina’s public schools (which were not in all that great shape to start with). In fact, Republicans increased spending on education by $400 million this year. Again, that’s not as much as some folks felt was necessary – but it’s not exactly ruining education.
Abortion – Republicans set out to limit abortions (not a bad or even unpopular idea) but then slipped into a political hedge, claiming their real goal was to protect women’s health. No one was fooled. Republicans took it on the chin.
Voter Laws – Republicans changed a number of election laws and Reverend Barber howled they were turning back the clock to the days of Jim Crow and branded everything Republicans did as voter suppression.
In a way, Democrats have a point. The changes impact Democrat demographics more than Republican demographics. But, that said, it’s a stretch to call it suppression.
For instance, Republicans ended ‘Straight Party’ voting. I guess a Democrat can say denying a voter the opportunity to go into the polling booth and mark one block to vote a Straight Party Ballot is suppression. But it’s hardly taking away anyone’s right to vote. They just have to mark more blocks. Beyond that, how many Democrats are likely to sigh, Well, if I can’t go to the polls and vote a straight party ballot I won’t go at all.
If Republicans’ goal was voter ‘suppression’ – that was a pretty inept way to go about it.
All in all, the election law changes won’t make much difference. They won’t do what (some) Republicans hope. Or what Democrats fear.
The actual devilment spawned by the General Assembly was more intangible. Legislative politics made a kind of unexpected quantum leap, going overnight from old-fashioned backroom deal-cutting skullduggery to modern age politics and the howl. The ‘howl’ now rules state politics. And it may be years before we have another sensible political debate in North Carolina.
Devilment
2013-08-02/
An old friend who now lives in Maryland wrote the other day and asked, What in blazes is going on in the North Carolina legislature?
Well, right now, thankfully, nothing. The legislators have decamped.
But what kind of devilment went on in the legislature before the peace of August southern afternoons was restored?
Not exactly what you’d think.
One group of politicians has been howling that legislators (of the Republican stripe) laid waste to the ‘old ways’ of North Carolina – that, like Viking helmeted Vandals, Republicans descended on Raleigh in hordes and sowed mayhem on the poor, children and women – on everybody but old rich white men and corporations.
Answering the howlers, the other group of politicians say after a long hegira in the wilderness they’ve restored North Carolina’s true path, revived our struggling fortunes, and, now, we are walking down the road to the Promised Land.
Let’s take one issue at a time.
State Spending – There was a reduction in the rate state spending increases. There was no spending cut. State spending actually increased. Just less than Democrats thought was proper.
State Tax Revenues – The same is true of tax revenues. There was a reduction in the rate state tax revenues increase. More taxes will be paid to the state this year than last year and next year than this year.
Neither of those changes is particularly revolutionary. Or radical. Government is going to continue to grow and get bigger. But it will grow and get bigger more slowly.
And, my guess is, politically, most people will be happy with government growing a bit slower – if they ever get beyond the howling and figure out that’s what happened.
Tax Reform – Republicans ‘reformed’ the tax code. The income tax is an example. North Carolina has had a progressive income tax (where the wealthy paid a higher tax rate than the unwealthy) for years. The legislature replaced that with a ‘Flat Tax.’ The new rate is so low everyone’s income taxes will go down but, my guess is, politically, opposing a progressive tax code is going to be a heavy load to bear at the ballot box next election.
Unemployment Benefits – The state ‘owes’ Washington $2.5 billion for unemployment benefits – so Republicans cut benefits and did it in such a way that 170,000 people lost their federal unemployment benefits. They argue that will create jobs. Let’s hope so.
Medicaid Expansion – President Obama wanted to expand Medicaid to provide health insurance to uninsured people. It was government run healthcare – so Republicans voted it down. But, on the other hand, I wouldn’t want to bet on denying insurance to 500,000 people being popular.
Education – To hear Reverend William Barber, the ‘star’ of the Moral Monday protests tell it, Republicans ruined North Carolina’s public schools (which were not in all that great shape to start with). In fact, Republicans increased spending on education by $400 million this year. Again, that’s not as much as some folks felt was necessary – but it’s not exactly ruining education.
Abortion – Republicans set out to limit abortions (not a bad or even unpopular idea) but then slipped into a political hedge, claiming their real goal was to protect women’s health. No one was fooled. Republicans took it on the chin.
Voter Laws – Republicans changed a number of election laws and Reverend Barber howled they were turning back the clock to the days of Jim Crow and branded everything Republicans did as voter suppression.
In a way, Democrats have a point. The changes impact Democrat demographics more than Republican demographics. But, that said, it’s a stretch to call it suppression.
For instance, Republicans ended ‘Straight Party’ voting. I guess a Democrat can say denying a voter the opportunity to go into the polling booth and mark one block to vote a Straight Party Ballot is suppression. But it’s hardly taking away anyone’s right to vote. They just have to mark more blocks. Beyond that, how many Democrats are likely to sigh, Well, if I can’t go to the polls and vote a straight party ballot I won’t go at all.
If Republicans’ goal was voter ‘suppression’ – that was a pretty inept way to go about it.
All in all, the election law changes won’t make much difference. They won’t do what (some) Republicans hope. Or what Democrats fear.
The actual devilment spawned by the General Assembly was more intangible. Legislative politics made a kind of unexpected quantum leap, going overnight from old-fashioned backroom deal-cutting skullduggery to modern age politics and the howl. The ‘howl’ now rules state politics. And it may be years before we have another sensible political debate in North Carolina.