States of Conservatism

National Review ^ | 2/25/2013 | John Hood

[Servant of the Cross]

Beyond the Beltway, the Right is thriving

Inauguration Day 2013 was a moment of jubilation for conservatives. After four years of lackluster economic growth and a series of personal and policy mistakes, the incumbent chief executive, a history-making Democrat, was replaced by a conservative with an attractive policy agenda and a skillful campaign team. In a concise, hopeful inaugural address, the newly elected Republican leader of the executive branch promised to focus the administration’s attention and resources on job creation and economic growth in the short run, while setting the stage for long-term solutions to the government’s fiscal woes.

I’m describing the inauguration of Pat McCrory, North Carolina’s first Republican governor in 20 years. His election to replace retiring one-term Democrat Bev Perdue, the state’s first female governor, was one of the few bright spots for the GOP last November, so McCrory got more national attention than the incoming governor of the nation’s tenth-largest state would normally have received.

In general, however, Republican success in state and local politics is an underreported story. It extends far beyond the Tar Heel State. The post-2012 talk of conservatism’s electoral weakness and policy failures is disconnected from the personal experiences of many politicians, journalists, analysts, and activists who work at the state and local levels. While grassroots conservatives were disappointed at the reelection of President Obama and Republican misfires in races for the U.S. Senate, they continue to enjoy unprecedented influence and success in state capitals — while local liberals feel alienated from the governments and institutions they long dominated.

Even after giving up some of their 2010 legislative gains thanks to Obama’s 2012 coattails, Republicans still control more state offices than they have in generations. They hold 30 of 50 state governorships and 58 of 98 partisan legislative chambers. (snip)

[Servant of the Cross]

Some perspective of possible silver linings. When I think of the electoral map, county by county, I can't help but think we can take back our country.

[Servant of the Cross]

North Carolina ping. Do you mostly agree with the author of this long article?

[C. Edmund Wright]

I’ll review and let you know...I do know that John Hood (author) is okay, but sort of an establishment type Republican, and has been doing what he’s been doing for a long time with little impact.

[C. Edmund Wright]

I mostly agree, but I have to warn you that McCrory is not particularly conservative and is sort of a “chamber of commerce” Republican. He is a vast improvement over Bev Perdue, who is a lot like Kathleen Sebelius...a dumb ditzy tool who knows how to follow orders from the powerful. McCrory also has probably the most conservative combined legislature in my lifetime, and that’s very important. He can be blown about by the breezes, and the strongest breezes are from the right. Thus, he made the right call on Obama Care and medicaid...which was touch and go for a while.

[Adder]

So far so good.

We have turned aside the medicare expansion which, under dumplins Purdue was going to be some weird hybrid mess of a solution. We have decided to pay back the unemployment funds to the feds that we borrowed...some 2 billion...unfortunately, we had to cut max bennies to $350 a week to do it.

We are working on education initiatives also.

The downside is that some state agencies like dmv are bound and determined to issue drivers licenses to illegals and other agencies are pushing for illegals to be de facto citizens with things like in state tuition rates etc.

I would like to see this legislature and governor take a much harder line against illegals....something akin to Alabama. They come here in droves because its so easy for them here. I’d rather see them deported back to the southern border or DC...whichever costs less.

[Servant of the Cross]

Bummer. Thanks for the NC insight. There's always a 'rest of the story' it seems. Sigh.

Regarding Governors 'blown by the breezes' on medicaid, I've been really disappointed in Kasich here in OH, Scott in FL, and others in MI, AZ, NM, NV and ND! What's up with that?!

[C. Edmund Wright]

The evils of Obama Care are what’s up with it: the way its structured, the money is “free” to the states (meaning not out of their budgets) so the governors can “look good” by securing Federal money for their citizens....and the piper won’t be paid until they are out of office....at least, out of the governors mansion.

Diabolical.