I want to respond to raleighnative, who commented here and basically asked Dr. Mike to sacrifice himself (and his volunteers and donors) to save the state from the hell of Perdue.
First, thanks are due for the thoughtful commentary; methinks that if the masses of NC voters would pay attention, as raleighnative clearly has, then we might be discussing whether McCrory (or even Perdue!) might want to consider withdrawing.
There are two things raleighnative missed, an unwarranted assumption and a longer view.
Unwarranted assumption: Is the Libertarian getting votes that would otherwise go to the Republican? With UNC-TV’s debate being focused on fiscal and educational issues, it may have seemed so on that one night. But considering all the issues, many Democrats we know say that Mike Munger is the only liberal in the race. They are afraid Mike is taking votes from Perdue. Glenda Powell, for instance, was the subject of N&O coverage, and is a life long Democrat, who is working hard for Munger. Also, a poll conducted by NC-Civitas in August found a general Democrat plurality of 42 to 40 was transformed to 43 to 41 (to 3) ratio when the question specified the governor’s race and included Munger in the question. There is just no objective reason to believe Libertarians “pull” votes from Republicans.
A longer view: We’ve lived with this D & R duopoly for more than
a century. Sometimes the Ds are in (and things are a little bit more
socially tolerant). Sometimes the Rs are in (and things are little bit more
fiscally tight — except when they’re not). But overall, we just keep getting
more and more nanny government minding everybody’s business; government spending goes up and up; education gets worse and essential government services get lost in the shuffle. McCrory, for all his merits on a subset of the
issues, is part of that and he won’t — he can’t change it. We need another revolution (hopefully, a political, not an actual one!). Ronald Reagan couldn’t do that; Ron Paul couldn’t do it, either. Pat McCrory will not come close. We keep trying to get a better Republican (or a better Democrat) and we keep failing. Try doing something different!
Libertarians are small now, but we have — for the first time — the prospect of skipping the quarter million dollar ballot drive after 2008. We just have to have our man, Mike Munger, beat the 2% threshold and we can then devote all those resources to making real changes in the political landscape in the years ahead.
We need real change — systemic change — the kind of progress that no Democrat or Republican is going to do. So please vote Libertarian and especially for Libertarian Mike Munger.
I have to admit, McCrory was masterful in the UNC-TV debate. He did exactly what he had to do, he created a lovefest with Dr. Munger. His goal was to appear as one and the same with Dr. Munger and his supporters. He never once attacked Munger, not even on the few issues where their differences in position was unmistakenably evident.
And Munger played right into McCrory’s hands. He never really attacked McCrory. He never pressed the differences between himself and McCrory on the many issues facing NC. His goal in the debate was different, he wanted to get his positions out to the voters. And while he attempted to do that in two minute increments, McCrory was very effective at saying, “Hey that’s my position to”. And while he never actually said as much, the inference was, “so why not vote for me since I have a real chance to win the election.”
Here’s why we should support and vote for Dr. Munger over McCrory.
As Charlotte mayer McCrory is part of the political establishment. Munger is not. Munger would bring a change to Raleigh that McCrory is incapable or unwilling to do. A Munger victory November 4th would really “shake things up”.
Don’t tell me for a minute that McCrory would not use corporate welfare to bring a big corporation to Charlotte if he thought it would give him a political advantage. Has McCrory had the ‘nads to speak out against the Dell, Google, or Fedex deals? Would they have got done if he had? If Munger had pressed him would he have done so in the debate? Would he, on that stage, have made a promise to end all cases of corporate welfare?
Is McCrory really for your freedom? Would he favor repeal of motorcycle helmet laws, drug laws, or seatbelt laws? Would he allow folks to choose whom they legally partner with? Would he favor lowering the drinking age so that men and women who are old enough to die for their country could legally drink a beer? The moderator did not present these questions and Munger did not press these issues.
Even on education, Munger did not press the differences between himself and McCrory. Munger didn’t say that McCrory’s plan would not allow every North Carolinian a choice in education, but only those some government body deemed worthy of a choice. Munger didn’t mention how his plan deals with teacher pay by creating a competitive enviroment where various schools are competing for the best teachers, allowing them the opportunity to earn more. Munger got his base position out and allowed McCrory to essentially say, “that’s me too”.
If I were grading the debate I would give Dr. Munger a “D” for allowing McCrory to control the its pace and direction. When Munger once again gets the opportunity to debate I urge him to be more aggressive and stress the differences between he and his opponents. Until he is able to do that many more will take the attitude of the poster of the first comment above.
In the meantime remind yourself of why McCrory nor Perdue are the answer for NC. Remind yourself why we need real change. Until Dr. Munger gets a chance to rewrite this debate remind yourself of why we need Dr. Mike Munger as NC’s next Governor.
The above comment was meant fo raleighnative. I was responding to his comment in a different thread, thus the “to the poster of the first comment above.
Piper Tom, I heartily agree with your “longer view” perspective. I’m spending my vote on Mr. Munger. I was so impressed with him, as I listened to the debate last Wednesday night.
Even if he doesn’t win, I certainly don’t feel my vote will have been wasted. The only way I could waste my vote is by using it to reinforce government as it has always been rather than as I wish it would be.
The idea of having more choice, by electing as Governor, Mike Munger, along with one, two, or more highly qualified Libertarians to the NC General Assembly is the best thing that could ever happen for both the NCGA and the state.
Consider this: With a third party governor and third party legislators elected to the NC House or NC Senate, they would always work across ALL party lines for the good of North Carolina and the citizens. It is the best way to stop all the partisan deal-making.
Now, that is REAL CHANGE to the status quo!
In my own election campaign, I am a centrist Libertarian running against an incumbent republican conservative senator, and the self-described conservative who was the chair of the Wake County Republican Mens Club. Certainly, I should be be pulling a lot of support from independents and democrats, because I actually lean slightly “left”, more than either of my opponents! If anyone should withdraw it is the self-described conservative Mintz. I am as qualified or more qualified and READY as any senate candidate from any party has ever been. This same readiness is even more true of Mike Munger for Governor!
I am in this to WIN. It will take an entirely grassroots effort. Please help Mike Munger and senate candidate Jan MacKay bring government back to the people!
Posted by Jan MacKay on October 11, 2008 at 3:27 pm
