DAG McCrory

According to the National Council on Teacher Quality, DAG McCrory's alma mater (Catawba College) received ZERO stars in terms of quality of teacher preparation. With that kind of foundation, it's no wonder Mr. McCrory has no idea about the value of excellence in teaching and public education.

(Follow the link and scroll down a bit to the heading: CONSUMER ALERT!)

CORN HOLE, NC - When Pat McCrory made a surprise visit to this small town today, most people thought he was simply dodging the Moral Monday protesters in Raleigh. That may be true, but the Deputy Assistant Governor also came prepared with a major policy speech and a new economic development plan called Three Points of Prosperity. According to McCrory spokesman Ima Lyre, the three points of prosperity represent unique competitive advantages North Carolina has over all other states.

Point 1. No climate change.
Last year the legislature voted to make climate change illegal in North Carolina, with a special prohibition on sea level rise. "This means businesses can come to our state and build on our shores with no fear of being washed away or flooded by rising oceans," said McCrory. "Climate change may be a scourge in other states, but it's not happening here. Not on my watch."

Poor guy. Can't keep track of who's paying him to do what. This is a screenshot of McCrory's current profile on Linked In. No wonder he paid a $100 million bribe to Met Life. They're still his client!

Allowing various words to tumble out haphazardly:

McCrory said since he took office in January, special interest groups vowed to “fight us.” He said critics also have targeted the GOP leadership in Raleigh: House Speaker Thom Tillis and Senate leader Phil Berger. “Let me tell you something. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have always been one of my favorite groups. One of my favorite songs is ‘I Won’t Back Down.’ Tom Tillis won’t back down. Phil Berger won’t back down. The Senate and the House won’t back down. We want to change the status quo in state government and change this economy. That’s what we’re going to do.”

Dude, if you really were a Tom Petty fan, you'd know that Full Moon Fever, the album that contained said favorite song, was a solo effort. There might have been a Heartbreaker or two helping out in the studio, but the band itself was a memory. Okay, that was me just having fun with a rock&roll poseur. This is McCrory placing land mines in his own path:

And Democratic leaders had a few words for the Deputy Assistant Governor:

In anticipation of public outcry, General Assembly legislative assistants were summoned to a meeting held by Assistant Secretary of Commerce, Dale Folwell, in which they were given talking points on how to respond to angry callers. These talking points did not direct callers to individuals with the authority to
change this policy, but said merely to acknowledge the loss of benefits without explanation or assignment of responsibility. In short, these talking points provided political cover for the McCrory administration and legislators who support cutting the benefits.

Here's a thought: if you know something is going to hurt people so much you need to start doing damage control before the pain even begins, then maybe you've made a horrible mistake. Here's the letter in its entirety:

What McCrory said:

Gov. Pat McCrory said he welcomed lawful demonstrations, but said the civil disobedience of Moral Mondays should not be given “credence.''

“Unlawful demonstrations should be unacceptable,'' McCrory told reporters Tuesday morning following a meeting of the Council of State on Tuesday morning. “But lawful demonstrations we welcome. That is the great part of our democracy.''

What McCrory should have said:

I understand the frustration of the demonstrators. Having exhausted all reasonable requests, they are turning to civil disobedience to ensure that their voices are heard.

And law enforcement officers know how foolish that would be:

This week, we've learned that the Chief of the Apex police department John Letteney and the Mecklenburg County Sheriff, Daniel E. Bailey, Jr., have partnered with NAMI North Carolina and its affiliates to stand up for all mental health patients in the state. They penned letters expressing concern that 69% of patients who face barriers to access to medications end up facing adverse events such as emergency room visits, hospitalization, or imprisonment.

Another empathy-lacking and counter-productive move by the man who is rewriting the record book daily on stupid moves. Not only will it increase costs substantially via hospital and correctional involvement, it also (unnecessarily) puts patients and other citizens at risk. Once again, it ain't rocket science, but it still eludes our intrepid leaders.

The exact number would be 1500.

And the takeover couldn't have happened without some Judas Iscariots to betray our freedoms:

Phillips declined to say how much money AFP, which isn’t required to disclose its contributions and spending, spent in the state. “It was significant,” Phillips said. “There will be more old conservative policy changes in North Carolina than in any other state this year,” said Dallas Woodhouse, AFP’s state director. “We have a lot of ground to make up. We have the right mix of state leaders and governor to pass some earth-shattering reform.”

Yeah, that's just what you need when you're trying to struggle your way out of a recession; "Earth-shattering". And just for those Republican lawmakers who happen to be reading this (I know some of them do), I want you to pay special attention to not-the-bus-driver's wording: "We have". That's possessive, meaning Dallas and his paymasters believe you are now a possession. And possessions do as they're told. You don't agree? Prove it.