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Wed: Last Word
posted at 2010-06-30 23:55 | Last modified 2010-07-01 08:48
Dairy of a Madman?
The Senate won its third consecutive title in the annual legislative milk-chugging contest, and Sen Andrew Brock (R-Davie) was once again the deciding factor.
Brock was the lone Republican in the contest, a fact he blames on “increasing partisanship.” He joined fellow Sens Joe Sam Queen (D-Haywood) and Bob Atwater (D-Durham) to defeat the House team of Dewey Hill (D-Columbus), Bill Brisson (D-Bladen), and Arthur Williams (D-Beaufort).
Brock says the key factor in the Senate win was the fact that this year’s House team did not include Rep. David Lewis (R-Harnett). “I’ll tell you, he’s a human vacuum,” Brock said after the win. “They left their secret weapon in committee. So we were lucky this year.”
Truth hurts
Robeson Dem Ronnie Sutton gave what may have been the most honest floor speech ever today. He’d run out of patience with the third-reading floor debate on the budget. Which was a fair point – even though no one was saying anything new, the speakers were clearly enjoying rehashing everything they said yesterday.
Sutton’s always been plainspoken. But having lost a primary unexpectedly, he’s a lame duck this session. That means he’s free to be even more frank than usual. And today, he was.
"I think we’re wearing folks’ nerves out here with all this political posturing and speech-making and all of that stuff.
"Those who favor the budget are talking about it like they do their grand-children. Those that hate the budget are talking about it like the guy who broke into their house two weeks ago.
"We need to knock this stuff off and get on with the program. … we’re not going to change anybody’s mind, and I doubt many of you are going to be elected because of these smooth political speeches you’re giving here on the floor."
More here.
Listen Now!
I don’t care what you think of Sutton. It's moments like this that’ll make me miss him.
Don’t leave home without it
The bill passed third readings in both chambers by big margins. Govenor Perdue held a dog-and-pony signing show this afternoon, complete with grateful teachers and cute if gratuitous children. All it lacked was a balloon release. And an ethics bill. Perdue was unequivocal on that count.
"The House has passed an ethics bill. The Senate must pass an ethics bill. They need to conference that bill, and by the time we go home, the people of North Carolina MUST have an ethics bill. It HAS to be done."
Perdue also urged legislators to approve tax incentives for film and digital media companies, saying the state could "kiss those industries goodbye" if lawmakers don’t take action.
You ate what?
It was food day all 'round at the legislature, also known as Agriculture Lobby Day. The Ag folks handed out free pork biscuits for breakfast and free roast beef sandwiches for lunch. There was ice cream this afternoon after the milk-chugging contest, which is meant to promote the state's dairy industry. And who can forget the Krispy Kreme Cheerwine doughnuts that kicked off the day at the Gov’s office?
Greensboro’s Mark Binker won’t. He ate one and lived to tell the tale. As he puts it, KK took the syrup from Cheerwine and added it their regular cream filling, topping it with frosting and sprinkles. The resulting sugar rush could fuel a kindergarten class for weeks.
The Governor ate one, too – after which she reportedly didn’t touch her plate at this afternoon's Gephardt luncheon in Raleigh today. Coincidence?
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