A Big Win for Big Business

Tonight starts the new phase of More from Orr as I am no longer constrained by my position as a candidate (and since I haven't decided what I'll do with the rest of my life, I'm unrestrained by employment). This entry will mark the first of numerous postings reflecting back on the 2008 primary races, particularly the governor's race, giving readers my perspective on how it all happened.

My first observation is that the primary was a huge victory for big business in North Carolina. While businesses generally can be reasonably pleased, it's the mega-corporations both in and out of state that were smiling broadly on Wednesday morning. And for those folks interested in incentives, it's wide open in N.C. (Be sure and read today's Charlotte Observer article on the Bruton Smith $80 million incentives package)

On the GOP side Pat McCrory for governor and Robert Pittenger for Lt. Governor give the Charlotte big businesses a lot to crow over. Someone over at BlueNC described politics in Charlotte as having 3 political parties: Democrat, Republican and Chamber of Commerce. The poster noted that Pat's first loyalty is to the Chamber and I believe the same can be said for Robert Pittenger. Just follow the money to those two campaigns and that should verify the observation.

On the Democratic side, much to the dismay of the liberal - excuse me, the Progressive - wing of the Democratic Party, Bev Perdue and Walter Dalton are just as indebted and entrenched with big business as McCrory and Pittenger. They both are from the Mark Basnight school of politics and one only has to see how effectively big business falls all over (and funds) the Senator from Dare, to see the truth in this statement. Dalton raised over a million dollars for a position that has virtually no power (another topic down the road) and Perdue got her share of the $4000 loot from corporate North Carolina.

Despite Bev's "aw shucks, I'm all about the middle class", she will walk a fine line between taking care of the liberal wing of the party by throwing a few bones and sound bites their way, but ain't about to buck the big boys with the big checks and big clout.

Orr's first prediction: Either Perdue or McCrory will be Mike Easley on steroids when it comes to handing out big "incentive" packages and real tax reform will not happen because big business will make sure their interests will be taken care of. So, the political wisdom of the ages holds true again. Money drives politics and big business has most of the big money and big influence over the nominees for Governor and Lt. Governor in both parties.