newsobserver.com projects - Pearce: Perdue's commission won't help - Comments

Re: Still doesn't get it

Isaac136 — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 23:21:55 -0500

Correct. Bev is backed by the good ole boys. She represents their interests, will continue their networks, and will ensure the same old turfs protected.

She won't rock their boat.

They'll still tell lurid jokes about her behind her back, but they'll turn right around and pat her on the head, as they have for years, because she'll never threaten their institution with an independent thought, much less an independent program.

The right hands

Anglico — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 12:22:42 -0500

I wouldn't trust any governor, past, present or foreseeable future, with a line-item veto.

James

Re: Still doesn't get it

liam — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 12:07:27 -0500

But another commission won't help anything. Pearce is right about that. Commissions will only take us so far, bold leadership is what will be required to put north carolina on top. Line item veto power for the governor would be a perfect tool in the right hands.
And, btw, Bev Perdue IS the old guard.

Still doesn't get it

Anglico — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 10:37:26 -0500

Politics aside, Mr. Pearce badly misses the boat with regard to the substance of the matter. Perdue isn't talking about cutting that budget, she's talking about saving money in some areas so it can be reallocated to others.

More to the point, what's wrong with staff reductions in state government? I work with global businesses that reduce long-term operating costs by 1% every year. They generally use technology and supply-chain investments to automate certain activities that used to be done with pure people power. And they almost always use attrition instead of layoffs to reduce payroll. Quality improves, performance improves, service improves. Sure it takes an initial investment, but the long term benefits are clear and well-documented.

The job of state government is not to employ people. It is to serve people. If that can be done better by having a leaner organization backed by effective technology and innovation, then so be it.

There comes a time when members of the old guard need to look in the mirror and ask themselves if they're still serving a useful purpose. In my view, people who think that the Democratic Party shouldn't be continually focused on efficiency and performance in government are part of the problem.

Perdue's plan isn't perfect, but it's a heck of a lot better than "we-can't-do-better" hand-wringing from people who don't understand the nature of performance improvements in modern organizations.

Re: Pearce: Perdue's commission won't help

twoshadesofblue — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 10:35:58 -0500

So Gary Pearce is now criticizing the BRAC budget reform idea as a Republican idea. Yet his boy Richard Moore still supports it at the federal level. And Moore opposes it at the state level only because Bev Perdue is leading on it. Pearce and Moore need to regroup and get their stories straight...

Re: Pearce: Perdue's commission won't help

liam — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 10:09:54 -0500

And this is exactly what I fear will happen if Bev Perdue is elected governor, more of the same. Now, that might not be an entirely bad thing. Governor Easley has had a pretty good run. But Bev Perdue will not be the bold leader that this state needs.
I think Richard Moore is much more of a Sanford or Hunt type of leader and Bev Perdue is more of a Mike Easley figure. Again, not a bad thing necessarily, but not what I, and a lot of NC Democrats are looking for in this upcoming election.

Pearce: Perdue's commission won't help

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 09:11:56 -0500

Gary Pearce says Beverly Perdue's plan to cut pork won't help.

The Democratic political consultant writes that the Democratic gubernatorial candidate's proposed commission to trim the state budget is "one of the oldest and tiredest campaign proposals there is."

"This retread comes back up every few years—usually from a conservative or a Republican," he writes. "It's total bull."

Pearce says he doubts the commission can find $250 million in savings without eliminating state workers or cutting education, mental health or Medicaid.

"In other words, whack the people Democrats are supposed to help. And who vote in Democratic primaries," he writes.