North Carolina: The Jurassic Park of Business and Agribusiness Democrats. Extinct. Caused by one of the most avoidable political disasters in state history. North Carolina business and agricultural leaders did not leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left them. John Davis Political Report, July 30, 2012 Post: Monday, July 30, 2012 Vol. V,
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North Carolina: The Jurassic Park of Business and Agribusiness Democrats. Extinct. Caused by one of the most avoidable political disasters in state history.
North Carolina business and agricultural leaders did not leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left them. John Davis Political Report, July 30, 2012
Post: Monday, July 30, 2012 Vol. V, No. 24 11:13 am
Why did business/agribusiness Democrats become extinct?
This report is a continuation of the John Davis Political Report series on the structural deficiencies of the North Carolina Democratic Party, deficiencies that severely limit their ability to keep Republicans from dominating all branches of state government after the 2012 elections.
Thus far, deficiencies have included a loss of political power, loss of the political fundraising advantage, loss of a majority of legislative and congressional districts, and loss of strong leaders.
Today, I am adding the loss of the North Carolina business and agribusiness communities. I consider this the greatest loss. A statewide loss of influential leaders. Contributions.
North Carolina has become the Jurassic Park of pro-business Democrats. An extinct species.
Democrats ignored the warnings. They were cautioned that the balancing influence of business Democrats in their caucuses was needed to keep business/agribusiness on their side.
Now it’s too late. They didn’t recruit business/agribusiness candidates. Today, only 8 of 71 Democrats in the North Carolina General Assembly have pro-business ratings.
Simply put, North Carolina business and agricultural leaders did not leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left North Carolina business and agricultural leaders.
It is one of the most avoidable political disasters in state history.
The proof is in the voting records; Democratic numbers just don’t add up
Of course, all Democrats will tell you that they are pro-business/agribusiness. But listening to a liberal Democrat insisting that they are pro-business is like listening to a conservative Republican insisting that they are pro-environment. Examine the voting records.
The Senate: Based on the most recent business ratings of North Carolina Senators and House members conducted by the North Carolina FreeEnterprise Foundation:
- Of 19 Senate Democrats, 2 have business ratings above 70% (highest category)
- 12 of 19 Senate Democrats have business ratings below 55% (lowest category) (Note: Remaining 5 Senate Democrats have scores between the highest and lowest categories)
Problem: When it’s time to elect the caucus leaders, which ideological group will prevail? The group of 2 senators in the highest business category or the group of 12 in the lowest?
Now you know why Senator Martin Nesbitt, D-Buncombe, with a business rating of 39.7%, was elected leader of the Senate Democratic Caucus. And, now you know why business and agricultural interests lost confidence in Senate Democrats.
The House: Business/agribusiness began to lose confidence in House Democrats in 2007 when Rep. Joe Hackney, D-Orange, was elected Speaker. Hackney, with a life-long record of alliances with groups opposing the business position on issues, has a business rating of 16.1%.
- Of 52 House Democrats, 6 have business ratings above 70% (highest category)
- 42 of 52 House Democrats have business ratings below 55%, (lowest category)
(Note: Remaining 4 House Democrats have scores between the highest and lowest categories)
With half the House Democrats having business ratings between 29.6% and 8.2%, it’s little wonder that Hackney, with a business rating of 16.1%, was elected caucus leader.
The proof is in the voting records; Republican numbers are off the charts
The Republicans: Based on the most recent business ratings of North Carolina Senators and House members conducted by the North Carolina FreeEnterprise Foundation:
- Of 31 Senate Republicans, 100% have business ratings above 70% (highest category)
- Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, has a business rating of 96%
- Of 68 House Republicans, 67 have business ratings above 70%
- House Speaker Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, has a business rating of 96%
Who will rescue North Carolina Democrats in 2012?
Gallup released a national study on Thursday, July 26, 2012 showing that business owners in the U.S. are now among the least approving (35%) of the job President Obama is doing. Only one other occupational group thinks less of Obama (34%): farmers. Business/agribusiness.
Although Obama is certainly most responsible for spoiling the relationship between Washington and the business/agriculture community with regulatory overreach and anti-business political rhetoric and gamesmanship, Democratic legislative leaders in Raleigh are most responsible for spoiling their party’s 100-year-old mutually beneficial relationship with business/agribusiness.
So, who will come to the rescue of North Carolina Democrats in 2012? President Obama is on track to becoming the first president in history to raise less money than his opponent because he alienated business/agribusiness interests. Democrats in the North Carolina General Assembly are on track to becoming the first class since the 19th Century to raise less money than Republicans because they alienated business/agribusiness interests.
By alienating business/agribusiness, the federal and state Democratic parties have lost their most reliable source of political contributions. It’s their greatest loss.
North Carolina has become the Jurassic Park of pro-business Democrats. Extinct.
– END –
Thank you for reading the John Davis Political Report
John N. Davis, Editor
Premium Annual Subscription is $245. Subscribe online at www.johndavisconsulting.com/subscribe, or mail your check to John Davis Political Report, P.O. Box 30714, Raleigh, NC, 27622. P.S.: Need a speaker? Let me know if you need a speaker or a moderator for a political panel. Audiences are particularly interested in politics this year due to the nation’s economic crisis and the many other uncertainties. Inquire about availability here. JND
UPDATE: North Carolina Governor’s Race is McCrory’s to Lose; Democrats are Not Structurally Capable of Rescuing Dalton Sen. Basnight reported $1,086,815 cash in July 2008; Sen. Nesbitt reported $45,000 cash in July 2012. No power, no money. John Davis Political Report, July 16, 2012 UPDATE Post: Monday, July 16, 2012 Vol. V, No. 23 3:13
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UPDATE: North Carolina Governor’s Race is McCrory’s to Lose; Democrats are Not Structurally Capable of Rescuing Dalton
Sen. Basnight reported $1,086,815 cash in July 2008; Sen. Nesbitt reported $45,000 cash in July 2012. No power, no money. John Davis Political Report, July 16, 2012
UPDATE Post: Monday, July 16, 2012 Vol. V, No. 23 3:13 pm
Structural Deficiencies Seen in State Party Fundraising Results
“The North Carolina Democratic Party … is well behind in the race for money” AP, 7/13/2012
Last Wednesday, July 11, the John Davis Political Report concluded that if the elections were held today, the structural deficiencies of the North Carolina Democratic Party are so profound that they would be incapable of stopping a Republican takeover of all three branches of North Carolina state government.
There is no greater indicator of structural deficiencies than fundraising results. According to The Associated Press, “The North Carolina Democratic Party, which has staggered through months of infighting in the wake of sexual harassment allegations at party headquarters, is well behind in the race for money with Republicans heading into the fall election.”
The AP story reported the following campaign fundraising results from the latest reports filed last week with the State Board of Elections:
- NC Democratic Party has raised “a little less than $185,000” during the second quarter of 2012, and had “$188,000 in cash on hand.”
- NC Republican Party has raised “nearly $772,000” during the second quarter of 2012, and had “$965,500 in cash.”
- When it comes to individual contributors, “The reports show Republicans raked in $212,000, while Democrats brought in a meager $2,700, the reports said.”
Game Changing Structural Deficiencies Seen in Legislative Leaders’ Fundraising
Sen. Basnight reported $1,086,815 cash in 2008; Sen. Nesbitt reported $45,000 cash in 2012
Four years ago, when the July report was filed with the State Board of Elections, then-Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight, D-Dare, reported $1,086,815 cash. Last week, NC Senate Minority Leader Martin Nesbitt, D-Buncombe, reported $45,000 cash on hand.
Money flows to those with power. Democrats no longer have power. No power, no money. No money, no resources to do political battle. That’s a game changing structural deficiency.
Conversely, NC Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, reported $770,000 cash on hand in last week’s campaign finance reports. Four years ago, then-Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger reported $92,404 cash on hand.
NC House Speaker Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, reported raising $945,942 this election cycle, with $491,877 cash on hand. Four years ago, then Republican House Minority Leader Paul Stam, R-Wake, reported $43,312 cash.
If you will recall, I reported last week that Pat McCrory, GOP nominee for governor, reported $4.4 million cash. Walter Dalton, Democratic nominee, reported $714,000 cash.
Add last week’s report to this one and you will see why I continue to believe that for the first time in the lifetime of any North Carolinian, if the elections were held today, voters would likely elect a Republican Governor, Republican majorities to the Council of State, state Senate, state House of Representatives, state Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals.
Democrats are not structurally capable of rescuing Dalton … or anyone else for that matter.
– END –
Thank you for reading the John Davis Political Report
John N. Davis, Editor
Premium Annual Subscription is $245. Subscribe online at www.johndavisconsulting.com/subscribe, or mail your check to John Davis Political Report, P.O. Box 30714, Raleigh, NC, 27622. P.S.: Need a speaker? Let me know if you need a speaker or a moderator for a political panel. Audiences are particularly interested in politics this year due to the nation’s economic crisis and the many other uncertainties. Inquire about availability here. JND