Gov. Beverly Perdue told her Cabinet Monday morning to be aggressive in searching for federal money for the state.
She urged them to become familiar with all the federal rules, to get to know leading federal officials, Rob Christensen reports.
She said she was reaching out to neighboring governors Tim Kaine of Virginia and Phil Bredesen of Tennessee, in searching for federal money for joint projects that would benefit North Carolina.
"It's important to be as aggressive as we can be," Perdue said.
And where possible and legal, Perdue said, make sure that contracts from the stimulus package go to Tar Heel companies.
"Make sure North Carolina people get the work," Perdue said.
Acting on a campaign promise to make state government more transparent, Perdue opened up her Cabinet meeting to the news media for the first time on Monday.
"This is what happens when you open the doors to sunshine," Perdue told her Cabinet when noting the presence of a reporter.


Comments
Re: Perdue: Go for stimulus money
March 3, 2009 - 9:54am — CitizenOpinionatedReal American, please continue to post your insightful propaganda. Let's take your previous post and inform you on a few things.
I will break your post into three different points for me to factually disprove you and show America what a 14 year old hinted at during the CPAC gathering. Republicans is party of facts, while the Democrats and liberalism is based romanticism. Well I hate to tell you buddy, this is reality.
Real-American states:
"Repugnant-CANTs think that the solution to every problem is tax cuts for the rich. When anyone argues against such nonsense, the Repugs cry about "class warfare." Apprently it is okay for the Repugs to have a 30 year old war on the middle class, but if anyone has the temerity to complain it is class warfare against the wealthy. Repugs have demonstrated their inability to govern or lead, and their vacuum of any useful ideas."
There have clear examples of socialism around the world and the only successful experiment is Sweden. I consider Sweden the only successful is because they are the only country that has been able to enjoy the same sort of lifestyle as Americans. We know that once you give Americans something, it is damn hard to take it back. Anyways, I love how liberals love to cite Sweden as an example as to why Obama's shift towards socialism will assist us out of these current economic times. Ironically, it is funny the no liberal has taken into the account that Sweden is a homogeneous population that is approximately the same size as North Carolina. Almost anyone could create a viable socialist society out of such variables, but lest not forget the total population and those that make up the American melting pot. Every single has its own issues and ideas, thus socialism and this current experiment will be a enormous failure. The Republicans in the House did offer new ideas to the Stimulus Package. I heard one GOPers offer a six month tax holiday. There was one that wanted more tax cuts, not welfare checks to people that do not pay taxes.
Real American - would you mind if I came and took twenty dollars from you to give to someone that was not you, perhaps your neighbor, that you know does not work as long and hard as you? Well neither do Republicans, especially to bailout people that made poor financial decisions.
"War based on lies."
What war was based on lies? I am sure you are referring to Iraq, but that clearly shows how ignorant or oblivious you are. George Clooney is lobbying Obama to help out in Darfur, because of the genocides and human rights violations. The same thing was happening in Iraq. But I guess you are referring to the fact that there "were no weapons of mass destruction." Well, I hope you can read, because I suggest you read "Suddam's Secret." This is a factual account from Suddam's right hand man, who says for certainty that the UN's lethargic approach towards Iraq enabled them to ship out the weapons 3 to 6 months prior to our invasion. Look it up and educate yourself, because the media sure as hell not informing the American population. Plus, GWB and his war was only costing us taxpayers $90 Billion a month. Obama has almost multiplied that number by ten in his first three months. I am sure that you will respond that this economy is GWB, well this economy is the fault of Congressional Democrats and Republicans alike, and the President for not standing up for what he believed in. But Obama has promised transparency, bipartisanship, yet he can not even control Nancy Pelosi nor even stand up to here.
"Snooze during Katrina. Send the global economy into meltdown. Can't wait for their next accomplishment! Their recent attempts to appoint a few token minorities in GOP positions are laughable but failed attempts to pander - as if they actually care! Having Jindal give a totally asinine speech is one such example. Why can't Repugs admit to their failures and plead for forgiveness and then slither away into their ooze of greed? They keep forgetting they got their collective rear ends handed to them in the November election. Still haven't figured out why, I bet. It took Georgie 8 years to ruin the country - it will take Obama some time to bring our nation back from the Repugnant-CANT abyss."
Did you even watch what Bobby Jindal had to say with an open mind? Did you know that LA is the only state in the Union with positive job growth? Have you seen what he has done with one of the most corrupt states of America? Have you seen the job he has done cleaning up the mess left by LA Democrats? Or are you simply bashing a guy that you have never met, know little to nothing about, but you can read DailyKos and HuffPo.
Keep living in your dream world. I can not wait for the Obama Administration's mistakes to become apparent. CBO has stated that we would have stopped bleeding already had nothing been done......
Open the doors to sunshine....
March 3, 2009 - 8:32am — domewatcherFrom the above post:
"This is what happens when you open the doors to sunshine," Perdue told her Cabinet when noting the presence of a reporter."
I would not read too much into this statement. Thinking of some of the reporters I know, it may simply have been an effort to "air out" the room.
Re: Repugnant-CANT view of the world
March 3, 2009 - 1:26am — bwh0069you are a fool
Repugnant-CANT view of the world
March 3, 2009 - 1:12am — Real_Americans_ThinkRepugnant-CANTs think that the solution to every problem is tax cuts for the rich. When anyone argues against such nonsense, the Repugs cry about "class warfare." Apprently it is okay for the Repugs to have a 30 year old war on the middle class, but if anyone has the temerity to complain it is class warfare against the wealthy. Repugs have demonstrated their inability to govern or lead, and their vacuum of any useful ideas. War based on lies. Snooze during Katrina. Send the global economy into meltdown. Can't wait for their next accomplishment! Their recent attempts to appoint a few token minorities in GOP positions are laughable but failed attempts to pander - as if they actually care! Having Jindal give a totally asinine speech is one such example. Why can't Repugs admit to their failures and plead for forgiveness and then slither away into their ooze of greed? They keep forgetting they got their collective rear ends handed to them in the November election. Still haven't figured out why, I bet. It took Georgie 8 years to ruin the country - it will take Obama some time to bring our nation back from the Repugnant-CANT abyss.
Re: Perdue: Go for stimulus money
March 2, 2009 - 10:12pm — peterlyonDemocrat = Spend as much as you can; Dang the consequences!! Somebody else be gonna pay the for it or the consequences. You know sorta like Bush paying for the brashness, over spending and the fiscal stupidity of forcing mortgages to be made to unqualified borrowers. They all fell thru the crack at the first signs of financial weakness and exerbated the financial crisis - Bush gets blamed and we elect one of the most unqualified people to run for President ever!! Good we have been able to elect a black man bad that the man we elected ain;t got a viable paln!!
Re: Perdue: Go for stimulus money
March 2, 2009 - 5:38pm — Real_Americans_ThinkWhy should Perdue refuse the stimulous money when Repugnant-CANT poster-boy Louisiana Gov. Jindal rails against it during an immature Rush-like partisan speech but says he'll take it anyway. May as well get our share, and keep some of the money out of the hands of the Repugs who created this economic crisis in the first place.
Re: Perdue: Go for stimulus money
March 2, 2009 - 2:38pm — FFC1304Governess Perdue, you would be FAR more NOBLE to resist taking any of this NONstimulus money...its tainted debt for your grandchildren to pay back for decades to come...You should be embarrassed and outraged!
Re: Perdue: Go for stimulus money
March 2, 2009 - 12:47pm — robdarichThis portrays a selfish disposition during systematic crisis. This can't be what the governor intended, even if it is true; such a disposition is sure to backfire sooner or later and any injuries will be on a national stage. NC seems to applaud floppy-footed approaches to public services, but that doesn't mean the US will stand around acting stupid.
Frankly, it's absurd that NC would suggest benefitting by influencing people with aggression. It's also goofy to think that if such a stance is pursued, then other states (that are better at it) will take an aggressive stance.
Let noone ask the obvious question... has NC a track record of good performance in the National arena by exhibiting aggressive tactics?
I can almost smell the backfire.