Matthew Boyle has an interesting story in the Daily Caller about North Carolina governor Bev Perdue’s remarks at a Rotary Club meeting. You know, the remarks where she called for suspending congressional elections for two years. Perdue’s press team said it was just a joke, but Boyle says the audio tape of the speech he reviewed contradicts that claim. Perdue’s tone in the audio is “matter-of-fact and her comments are part of a serious speech,” according to Boyle.
Besides being anti-democratic, Perdue’s proposal is also quite ironic. At the end of June, Perdue issued a press release trying to justify her veto of a voter-ID bill passed by the state legislature. In it, she said that the “right to choose our leaders is among the most precious freedoms we have — both as Americans and North Carolinians. North Carolinians who are eligible to vote have a constitutionally guaranteed right to cast their ballots, and no one should put up obstacles to citizens exercising that right.” She also erroneously claimed that the bill would “unnecessarily and unfairly disenfranchise many eligible and legitimate voters.”
Contrary to Perdue’s mistaken claim, voter-ID requirements have been proven — in the courtroom and the polling place — to pose no obstacles to voting. The same cannot be said of suspending elections in violation of the Constitution. Talk about your insurmountable obstacle to Americans being able to “choose our leaders” and “exercising that right” to vote. And it wouldn’t just disenfranchise “many” voters, it would disenfranchise all voters.
From the article:
"..." Lockwood adds. “... We’ll just call it an unconstitutionally bad idea.”
I think Lockwood misspelled "She will be charged with treason" (which it is).
(Are there any spare lampposts available in NC?)
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseEvery Governor who opposes "voter id" places in jeopardy the vote of every legitimate citizen. What has always griped me is that for every felon and illegal immigrant who gets away with casting a ballot, there is a GI/Veteran who has his vote negated. I understand that Lib's want illegals and felons to vote, for they figure they will vote for the Democrat, and because of that they must be defeated so reasonable ID requirements can be implemented.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI live in NC, and that is the thing that infuriated me the most about her! I can't believe she vetoed that Voter ID bill, but I'm trying to remember that will be another great campaign issue along with her stupid comment. I understand that what she likely meant was that sometimes you have to do what's hard politically to truly solve a problem, but it truly did sound like she wouldn't have a problem with calling off the next election. At least this next election ought to show her what we do to people who don't want elections, and I hope it'll be our last one without Voter ID!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSo Governor Dumplin’ was kidding? Maybe. But remember Pelosi’s muse from earlier this year when she stated, "But the fact is that elections shouldn't matter as much as they do."
This idea of trivializing elections and their results is becoming a theme among Dems. Coincidence or a look into their hearts?
"I believe in coincidences. Coincidences happen every day. But I don't trust coincidences."
— Garak, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
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Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhy let a silly thing like elections get in the way of ruling, er, governing?
Who knew Evita lived in the Carolina?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe audio is available for now...and it was no "joke" or "hyperbole" as her people are saying. It was an idea that she hoped others in the audience would agree with. She said as much herself.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe Democrats know that their policies are getting increasingly unpopular, which is why they are going into over drive to try and invent ways to protect their members from having to suffer the wrath of the voters.
If the voters don't like our policies, the obvious soloution is to no longer give the voters the chance to express their disproval.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGov. Perdue, Peter Orszag, Elizabeth Warren, Cass Sunstein, ... ad infinitum, plus King Putt. Have you spotted a pattern yet, dear reader? The hour is late ..
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseLast year one of the NYT columnists wished that the US could be more like China, where they don't have to worry about electoral politics and can just force the citizens to accept what is good for them.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThat would be Thomas al-Friedman.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIs it Thomas al-Friedman, or Thomas Hu Friedman?
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuseal-Friedman, Hu Friedman, whatever it takes.
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Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI don't know why I have so much trouble remembering the dude's name.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMaybe it's because I don't like thinking about any of them, any more than I have to.
Whoever runs against her next time needs to throw this statement in her face at every opportunity.
A great campaign ad would go along the lines:
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"If Gov. Perdue fears that you might vote her out of office, will she try to cancel our elections as well?"
What she is really calling for is a solution to special interests having too much influence over the process in that candidates spend a lot of time seeking money for re-election. Of course, the fact that she surely advocates suspending elections when her party is in power doesn't figure into this./sarcasm off.
Term Limits, baby.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAs PJ O'Rourke said, "When govt controls buying and selling, the first thing bought and sold will be politicians."
The very idea that it is even possible to get money out of govt, when govt controls the economy itself is so absurd that only a liberal could come up with it.
If I'm a businessman, and tomorrow's law, or tomorrow's regulation can put me out of business, then heck yes, I'm going to be pumping as much money into Washington as I can spare, just out of self defense.
The only way to get corruption and money out of politics, is to get politicians out of our lives and out of our pocket books.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIn addition to the illegal aliens that SURELY vote (probably with a regularity that would make us all vomit), I wonder how many people vote in multiple states.
What's to keep a Florida snowbird from voting in Palm Beach and New York or New Jersey? As best I can tell, nothing except their promise that they're only registered to vote in one place. Put another way, how many people voted against Bush in 2000 in the winter home as well as in Palm Beach?
And, how do you really stop that absent some kind of national registry - something that Ron Paul would never allow. Personally, I'm ALL FOR a national ID card that you must present to vote in any federal election.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse>>Personally, I'm ALL FOR a national ID card that you must present to vote in any federal election.
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I am right there with you, Scott. A modern civilized society requires that government be able to identify its citizens. The solution to our problems is not a rural fantasy of unfettered freedom; it is harnessing the government to behave with restraint rather than with ineptitude.
The libertarians would turn us in to Greece or Mexico, countries where freedom abounds, taxes are voluntary, and, if pressed, a bribe will always buy you out of trouble.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAs a long time North Carolina resident I’d like to personally thank our Governor Beverly Perdue for replacing the “I saw Bigfoot!” guy as the primary media ambassador for our fine state. In fact, in her honor, I’d like to coin a new term for when someone does or says something so stupid they become noted nationally for it: Embarassador.
Perdue is on borrowed time in North Carolina and knows it. Her latest approval poll - conducted before this wonderful suggestion of hers - was a mere 42%. Her governorship was a coattails gift from Emperor Five Iron, though his coattails did not extend into State Congress, where Republicans took control of both houses for the first time since…. it’s been so long this may be the first time.
Perdue is a garden variety liberal of no distinction who was once suggested as a presidential candidate by the New York Times. No, really. Her 2008 gubernatorial campaign was fined $30,000 for 'irregularities' and investigations continue. We all hope she shares the same fate as several other recent statewide Democrat office holders here who’ve gone off to investigation, indictment, and prison in several cases. (A former governor, ag secretary, house speaker, congress critters, lottery officials, etc., all in the last ten years or so - it’s a Democrat Party tradition in NC).
Thanks, Bev, for giving me yet another reason to claim I’m really from West Virginia when I’m out of town.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe Democrats, across the board, are in panic mode, and when people are panicked, they are in danger of saying something inconvenient. For instance, they might, no matter how hard they try to suppress it, tell you what they really think.
Can't wait to hear the ads from her Republican challenger.
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