newsobserver.com projects - Jim Gardner - Comments

Re: Pittenger is a bully

riverrd — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 14:08:28 -0400

Pittenger is bought and paid for by the business interest in and out of this state! He has been using a "non-profit group" for years to put his NeoCon ideas in the public discourse by using other people's money to buy ad space in newspapers and air time on Right-Wing repoblican radio. He will just be another puppet of Corporate Board Rooms. His mindless supporters with spread any LIE they can think of against the people's candidate, NC Sen. Dalton.

"90 Percent Pittenger"

scharrison — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:56:47 -0400

"Republican opinions, ideas, amendments and even the opportunity to speak are rarely allowed in the governing body of the Peoples Republic of North Carolina."

And yet, Pittenger voted with the Democratic majority over 90% of the time. Why? Because he got the things that he wanted for him and his rich friends.

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/voteHistory/MemberVoteHistory.pl?sSession=2007&nMMUserID=91&sChamber=S

Re: Pittenger's bully pulpit

tangoz — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:34:25 -0400

It is time to introduce to the NC government reform that will remove all of the Democratic pay to play policies. Transparency is needed that will not happen under a Perdue/Dalton administration.

It is time to throw out the Democrats and bring in some common sense Republican ideals of personal initiative and responsibility. Lowering the spending of our bloated state government will bring somer relief to taxpayers when followed up by returning that money back to where it blelongs. The taxpaying people of North Carolina.

Paul Terrell III
http:terrellforhouse33.blogspot.com

Re: "Status Quo Bev" controlled by Rand

FFC1304 — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 10:24:21 -0400

Bev Perdue is nothing BUT 'MORE CORRUPTION WITHOUT INTERRUPTION!'

her arrogance about trying to deny her power elite inclusion is preposterous!

Pittenger Lt. Gov. LLC

bnartist — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:47:39 -0400

I think it's more likely that he would answer to the name "Robert Pittenger Lt Gov LLC"

Re: Pittenger's bully pulpit

mickiep — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:21:49 -0400

Democrats have had a tight grip on absolute control of the legislature for a very long time. Republican opinions, ideas, amendments and even the opportunity to speak are rarely allowed in the governing body of the Peoples Republic of North Carolina. If comrade Perdue is elected governor, it will just be more of the same old single party control of state government.

What would Pittenger do as Lt. Gov.

domewatcher — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:21:09 -0400

The question asked above is:

"What would Robert Pittenger do as lieutenant governor?"

I really don't know for sure but I doubt he would answer to the name, "Dumpling." If he does we will have some real deep problems.

He really looks more like a "Bob" to me.

Dalton's Conflict of Interest?

PoliticalJunkie — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:51:16 -0400

What is the story on Dalton voting for 200 million incentives for Dell corporation while he owned stock in the company?

Isn't the plant for sale now?

McCrory v. Pittenger?

bnartist — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:26:32 -0400

On Tuesday McCrory railed against candidates who can dip into their own pockets to lend their campaigns money and said he won't go into debt, yet Pittenger kicked off his own campaign with a $500,000 loan and by last report had less money on hand.

"Status Quo Bev" controlled by Rand

concerned53 — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 07:59:03 -0400

Based on Pittenger's comment last night, it appears that despite recent denials, Perdue really is a member of the power elite that controls the corrupt and out-of-control actions in Raleigh. Even worse, she may be at the mercy of another member of that same group, Tony Rand. What does he have over you Beverly?

Unless she can give us some public examples of where she has stood up to Rand, Easley, etc. over the past 8 years, I guess that her new nickname, "Status Quo" Beverly fits her quite nicely. What a shame for North Carolina!

Re: A curse on lieutenant governors?

mickiep — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 11:46:35 -0400

Maybe there's a just a curse on do-nothing career ("seasoned") politicans who collect hefty salaries at the expense of taxpayers all the while making little or no contribution whatsoever.

Re: Rob: Primary runoffs are misunderstood

johnshaw — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 21:06:20 -0500

Runoff elections are important when there is a split in the party. Often that split may be between conservatives vs. liberals, or moderates vs. extreme conservatives or liberals. Or it could simply be east side vs. west side or north side vs. south side of a district (or city or state).

What if most of the voters preferred to elect someone from the east side of a district, and geography was the only important issue? If two east side and one west candidates ran, the east side candidates could split the vote, giving the west sider the plurality. Without a runoff, the west side candidate would take office. With the runoff, the favorite of the east side candidates would face the west side candidate. If the majority preferred the east side, their candidate would win.

For similar reasons, both major political parties require that, in the nominating convention, one person must receive a majority of the votes. Multiple ballots are used until one receives a majority (although this hasn’t been necessary for the last half century). Many other organizations require a majority vote for election of officers.

Re: GOP: Drop Beason

beason_is_slime — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 18:13:58 -0400

I hope this is not the end of the N&O's coverage of this issue.

This man is the reason that we needed to pass ethics legislation in NC last year.

He is the lobbyist who delivered cash in brown paper bags to legislators.

He is the lobbyist who brown-nosed the Capitol Press every Tuesday at lunch...buying their lunches to make sure they never wrote a negative article about him or his clients. Maybe that's why they "speculated" it was Lynwood Mercer (a dead man), rather than the guy that they eat lunch with every week - and the guy everyone else in the lobbying world knew was the $500k man.

He is the lobbyist who regulary paid for the tabs at legislative meetings in Asheville or Greensboro so that he was welcomed into the legislator's offices when he had an issue. (check out the N&O archive for articles on this issue).

He is the lobbyist who can be traced as the root of almost every problem any lobbyist in Raleigh has had when one of his/her bills have been "killed" or "changed" behind closed doors...and it happend both in the Senate and House.

He is the lobbyist that had a standing dinner every Monday night at the Glenwood Grill with President Pro Tem Marc Basnight and Senator David Hoyle...and whatever other Senators he needed to strong-arm...until the ethics laws changed and took away that "in".

He is the lobbyist who has been seen around town - breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinks - with the former chief of staff of Co-Speaker Morgan, and the current Senate Finance Counsel...I wonder why bad bills for his clients never appear in the Senate Finance Committee?

Wow...I wonder why the N&O and every other new source in the state hasn't at least done a check of their own news archives for stories on Beason over the last week or two. It's not like he was an "unknown source" before Jim Black was convicted.

Re: GOP: Drop Beason

goldiemorris — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 22:46:57 -0400

I wouldn't think he would be welcome in either party. I don't believe he can ever again be an effective lobbiest, especially with the new ethics rules! He has none!!!

Re: GOP: Drop Beason

kimkim — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 13:56:47 -0400

Hmmm....

BEASON, DON

Total Given to Date: $28,750 (17 records)

Address: RALEIGH, NC 27608

Employer: THE CAPITAL GROUP

Occupation: CONSULTANT

Breakdown by Political Affiliation
Party Counts Total % of Overall
Democrat 10 $17,750 61.74%
Republican 7 $11,000 38.26%
Third Party 0 $0 0.00%
Ballot Measures 0 $0 0.00%

Contributions to Candidates
Total number of records: 15

BLACK, JAMES B (JIM) HOUSE Won DEMOCRAT NC $4,000 05/07/2004

MORGAN, RICHARD T HOUSE Won REPUBLICAN NC $4,000 05/04/2004

BASNIGHT, MARC SENATE Won DEMOCRAT NC $4,000 04/22/2004

CULPEPPER, BILL HOUSE Won DEMOCRAT NC $4,000 10/21/2003

SMITH, FRED SENATE Won REPUBLICAN NC $2,000 08/21/2003

BRUBAKER, HAROLD J HOUSE Won REPUBLICAN NC $2,000 09/30/2003

STEVENS, RICHARD SENATE Won REPUBLICAN NC $1,000 11/28/2003

THOMAS, SCOTT SENATE Won DEMOCRAT NC $1,000 01/08/2003

SMITH, FRED SENATE Won REPUBLICAN NC $1,000 08/10/2004

EDDINS, RICK HOUSE Won REPUBLICAN NC $500 09/27/2004

GIBSON, PRYOR HOUSE Won DEMOCRAT NC $500 08/25/2004

COBB, BRITT AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER Lost - General Election DEMOCRAT NC
$500 05/03/2004

GIBSON, PRYOR HOUSE Won DEMOCRAT NC $500 02/09/2004

MCCOMAS, DANNY HOUSE Won REPUBLICAN NC $500 10/11/2004

COATES, LORENE T HOUSE Won DEMOCRAT NC $250 04/26/2004