McCrory's machinations
Submitted by James on Wed, 07/22/2009 - 8:41am
It's hard these days to get worked up over Republican hypocrisy, especially when it comes to Mayor Pat McCrory. As the chief executive of North Carolina's largest city, he has failed again and again to represent Charlotte's interests in both Raleigh and in Washington, even as he whines today about finding himself on the short end of the stimulus stick. And even as he calls for for "Eisenhower-type" spending for the next generation.
“This is a nationwide trend on how the money was divvied up – everyone is getting a little bit, and in the end there will be nothing to show for it,” said Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, a Republican. “We should have spent it in Eisenhower- and Roosevelt-type projects for the next generation.”
For the next generation? This from a man who has built his career shilling for one of the largest carbon polluters on the planet? This from a man who has spent the last few weeks lobbying Congress on Fox News to avoid any additional stimulus spending?
McCrory has the same problem that his twin Tom Fetzer has when it comes to understanding stimulus spending. The original goal was to get a quick infusion of cash into the system, while also helping those most at risk from the collapsing economy. That is exactly what has happened, and it is exactly what could NOT have happened with an "Roosevelt-type" project like, say, the interstate highway system.
Instead of waiting years to plan that kind of massively large investment, much of the stimulus money was pushed immediately into markets through maintenance, rebuilding, rehabilitation and system upgrades of all kinds of infrastructure, including roads, bridges, transit systems, water treatment, and even information technology systems that suffered from inattention under the war-crazed Republican administration. Which is exactly what should have happened.
Now that we're seeing the beginnings of recovery, I'd like nothing better than to invest in a "Roosevelt-type" project. For example, investing trillions of dollars in a massive alternative energy program or a single-payer public healthcare system would suit me just fine.
But that's not what Myers Park Pat means. In fact, he doesn't really want any kind of stimulus spending program to continue ... unless of course it happens to pour money into Mecklenburg County. All he's really looking for is a way to keep his name in the news, something I'm glad to help him with.
Good morning, Pat!
How many years have you been mayor of Charlotte? One would think that after all that time, you would have built bridges to policy makers in Raleigh and Washington to make sure that your city's interests would be well represented in budget decisions. From out here, it looks like you'd rather spend your time complaining after the fact than doing the hard work of effective governance up front.
To my knowledge.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Speaking of Pat
Here's his love crush in action. Very much on the mark.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Like FDR, Like Eisenhower
Apparently Poor Pat doesn't have any shovel-ready projects ready of FDR- and Eisenhower-like funding.
Oh, so sad. He'll have to take what he has and hide the fact that it comes from Obama's recovery funding.
Just like Haley Barbour, just like Mark Sanford, just like Bobby Jindal, and yes, just like Sarah Palin.
50 states, 210 media market, 435 Congressional Districts, 3080 counties, 192,480 precincts
Too much credit
James,
Being a former elected municipal official, I am surprised you would say,
Charlotte, like most other local governments in NC is a Council-manager form of government. The "chief executive" is the manager, who is hired by the Council. The manager actually "runs" the town our county.
Other than the one in charge of running meetings and being authorized to call meetings, most Mayors/Chairs have no more statutory power than any other individual council/board member. In some cases they have less as they only vote in the case of a tie.
While clearly the general public has a different impression, being a mayor or board chair in NC doesn't mean the individual is really "in charge" or has the authority to do much on their own.
Good points
Having been on the city council in Chapel Hill, I know the statutory limitations of the mayor's position. But I've also seen mayors use their bully pulpit (as well as their parliamentary skills) to push agendas, spin the media, manage relationships, and even make bold commitments in public.
This would be doubly true in wielding the kind of influence I'm talking about. McCrory complained throughout his campaign that Raleigh hasn't given Charlotte the attention it deserves, but I've never seen him reaching out to build relationships and educate legislators at any level about the needs of the city.
All that said, you're right. McCrory is not a chief executive, either by statute or demeanor. Chief Whiner, maybe, but not chief executive.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.