newsobserver.com projects - Pittenger: Russian legislators more free - Comments

Re: Pittenger: Russian legislators more free

FFC1304 — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:11:15 -0400

open democracy in NC is an unknown term...but we DO hope that Pittenger can take that gavel!

has Mr. Dalton challenged Mr. Pittenger to public debates yet?

Re: Pittenger: Russian legislators more free

Proctor — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:58:57 -0400

Then there's the problem of the illusive and mysterious state government bureaucracy that one can encounter in Raleigh which can remind you of the bewildering workings of governmental administration that Russian writers have sought to address in the past two centuries.

You could even write a novel about this. Just imagine a family in Warrenton trying to line up a tour of all the colleges and universities in the Raleigh area to find just the right place for their son or daughter to study for four years. Wait, an idea is emerging for a title in the classical Russian literary tradition:

"Warren Peace."

David McKnight

Pittenger: Russian legislators more free

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:47:03 -0400

Robert Pittenger took a swipe at the state Senate.

Speaking at a Raleigh rally today, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor and former state senator said that the Democratic majority in the Senate has overruled the GOP minority, especially during the recent budget negotiations.

"There's less freedom of speech in the North Carolina Senate than there is the Russian Duma," he said.

He said that Senate Democrats have "ramrodded" the budget and other bills, ruling Republican amendments out of order "on a daily basis." He said Democrats have avoided voting on serious issues and called his opponent, Sen. Walter Dalton, the "No. 2 pork barrel spender" in the state.

"When I have this gavel in my hand, we're going to have an open democracy in North Carolina," he said.