By JOHN NORTH
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As a result of the Republican Party’s takeover of North Carolina’s legislature in 2012, the state government is clicking on all cylinders, according to speeches by Gov. Pat McCory and Sen.-elect Thom Tillis — both Republicans — Dec. 12 at the 22nd annual Charles H. Taylor Holiday Dinner in Asheville.
The keynote speaker was Tom DeLay, former Republican Party Majority Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, who ripped President Barack Obama in particular and progressive-liberals in general. (See other story on this page for DeLay’s comments.)
When inaugurated in January 2013, McCrory said he noticed that two fountains near the Capitol were not running and were trash-filled.
He added, “That’s the culture that we walked into after 23 years of ... the other party controlling the governor’s office. If something was broken, they just said, ‘We’ll fix it later.’”
Now, “the fountains are working and state government is starting to work for the first time” in two decades.
McCrory then told the party faithful, “When we (Republicans) came into office, our (state) economy was broken from 20-plus years of the other party (Democrats) ruling. Teachers hadn’t been given pay raises for five years.”
Now, McCrory contended, North Carolina’s economy is roaring and the teachers have received a raise.
Later, Tillis said that the results from the November 2014 election “put (Democratic House Majority Leader) Harry Reid on notice that he has fewer options anymore.
“We are going to put this great nation back on the path... Everyone should be in a position to realize the American Dream. It’s not to give it to you, but to give you a chance to realize the American Dream....
“We’ve got to get government out of the way. That’s what’s wrong with this nation today,” Tillis said to loud applause.
McCrory, a Republican, drew laughter from the start by quipping, “You know, my security almost didn’t let me come tonight. They literally said, ‘We will not let you come to this, if you let Congressman Taylor drive you....’
“I’m so proud of Susan Tillis (wife of Thom),”he said. “Election night they were down nine points with a number of the precincts in. I walked up to her and said we were down and came back (in his own election a few years ago). She said, ‘But you lost in 2008.’ I forgot about that. Damn, what a comeback.” The crowd laughed again.
Also, McCrory said, “I just want to let you know when we became governor, I’d be in the west a lot. We come here (to the governor’s western residence in Asheville) about every other weekend. The west is where I see my wife — and the west is where I see the bears.”
He then cited a number of accomplishments of the GOP-dominated state legislature and the governor’s office.
“The first and biggest decision we made” was to not extend the period in which jobless workers could receive unemployment benefits and instead work on paying off a $2.6 billion debt — for the state’s jobless program — to the federal government, he said.
“We decided to tear up the credit card to the federal government” and, he added with a wide smile, the state is now six months away from retiring the debt.
North Carolina’s jobless rate has plummeted and the state’s Medicaid program has moved from an unexpected shortfall of $535 million to recording a budget surplus, McCrory said.
“Most importantly, North Carolina’s not fifth-highest (in unemployment) in the country, as when I came in. North Carlina has had the highest unemployment drop since I got elected... Guess what, for the first time, we’re below South Carolina (in the jobless rate) — and I let my friend (S.C. Gov.) Nikki Haley know, too...
“We’re introducting a transportation plan. We’re building roads where they’re needed. I couldn’t have done it without (then-House) speaker Tillis. But let me tell you, I’m proud that he’s our senator now.”
Next, Tillis, elected last November, began by noting, “When Pat came in, we started a tradition of getting together for dinner every Thursday morning” in the Governor’s Mansion. “We had a great relationship. As the governor said, we’ve done some amazing things here.”
Tillis later said that “I especially want to thank (former state Reps.) Tim (Moffitt) and Nathan (Ramsey). I was deeply saddened that the voters in Buncombe County missed the opportunity to send them back. They were such great leaders to Raleigh.” The crowd applauded.
Tillis said he is excited “to have the opportunity to go to Washington and do exactly what we said we’d do,” including “putting the president on notice that he has taken this country in the wrong direction....
“I want you to pray for this president that he’ll have the wisdom to change direction and join us... And pray for our country,” he told the audience.
“I’m going to come back here next year and I’m not going to talk about the reasons we didn’t get things done. I’m going to talk about what we got done,” Tillis vowed.
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