Former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory has seized on a new issue in his still-unofficial campaign to be future N.C. Gov. Pat McCrory.
The issue: His contention that Charlotte and N.C. officials -- including Gov. Bev Perdue -- are setting a bad precedent by letting Occupy Charlotte and Occupy Raleigh literally occupy city and state-owned property.
If officials give in now, and let small groups of protesters set up tents in front of the old Charlotte city hall on Trade Street, McCrory asks, what will happen when very large groups of protesters show up in Charlotte next year for the Democratic National Convention?
"Where do they draw the line?" says McCrory. "If they let one, do they let 10 -- or 1,000? . . . That's not good for the economy, for public safety, and it's surely not sanitary for our city."
McCrory even has a catchy line, which he has repeated to TV stations and the Observer. If the city lets protesters camp out on city-owned property during the Democratic National Convention, he says, "it's going to look like Woodstock -- without the good music."
Republican McCrory, who's likely to challenge Democrat Perdue in 2012, says the Occupy Charlotte and Occupy Raleigh forces have every right to protest. "But they do not have as right to occupy" city and state-owned property, he says.
And if Charlotte officials don't feel they have an ordinance on the books to kick the Occupy protesters off city property. McCrory says, "The city council should create an ordinance to deal with it -- today."
And, unofficial gubernatorial candidate McCrory adds, "If the governor allows this in Raleigh, where does it stop?"
What does the City of Charlotte say about this issue?
Here's what Capt/ Jeffrey Estes of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department told the Observer in an email:
"The City Code does not include a time limit in a person’s right to picket on a public forum space," he wrote. "As with any gathering on public property, sanitation must be maintained by the people demonstrating at the Old City Hall lawn. One concern was raised involving sanitation at the site, and notice was given to the group that failure to maintain a sanitary environment could result in a Health Inspection and potential removal from the site."
-- Tim Funk
Home loan forgiven? It may count as income
9 years ago
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48 comments:
Thank you Tim Funk for keeping us all up to date with what Oppie McCrory has to say and what he thinks. That is what I would call free campaign advertising. You are doing good Timmy and you might get a better job when Oppie becomes governor.
McCrory has changed, and I for one don't like it. He is so bitter over his '08 loss and really should go to therapy to work through it. Pandering to the extreme right wing might make him feel better because it gives him a place to vent his spleen, but it is not in the best interest of our state.
Perdue will pound McCrory again which will end his worthless political career. Thank God!
50.3% to 46.9% is hardly a pounding.
She rode Obama's coattails last time. With his numbers where they are and her "performance", I wouldn't expect her to win again.
The police didn't really get rid of the old tasers. They're saving them for the DNC.
Notice that our current mayor hasn't peeped a word or shown any leadership on this topic, perhaps because he's afraid to upset daddy Obama and has done little to lead our city. Our long time mayor is just filling in the vacuum. City will probably only pass an ordinance when republicans want to peacefully protest.
Evidently Freedom and democracy is a really bad thing in McCrory's eyes!
By the way, thank you for not diversifying our town when you were mayor making Charlotte completely dependent on Bank of America and Wachovia. That worked out in spades didn't it!!! Moron.
When is Foxx going to announce how much the city is on the hook for the inability of the dems to raise money for the dnc? My best is that he will cowardly announce after his election as he may lose if announced before,
How could anyone not from eastern NC vote for status quo Bev? Those mush mouthed "land ownas" from down east have run everthing since the 1800's and I, for one, am tired of it. Apart from Wimlington, NC east of Raleigh is nothing but a backwater - yet gets "a proportionate" share of state road $ soley b/c ppl like Bev need to build bridges to their own properties on the coast.
Just dont run Bev - we're going to humiliate you anyway.
Pat just scares me anymore, he acts so smug- but when you dont even when your own home ground in an election thats probably a clue that are not going to win at all- but looks like we will have to see and hear him posturing and frankly looking like/sounding like a whack job for a year until he looses again- give it up Pat- and please- stop speaking in public---
obviously these freeloaders don't have a job, OR unions are sanctioning behind the scenes. They don't want to pay off their student loans and want the taxpayer to, they are "upset" without a cohesive mission. I don't care if they sit there til the sun doesn't shine. They are nothing and contribute nothing.
Hey Pat, why not do something that'll really matter - make fixing the lights on the freeways around this state a priority. Otherwise, just shut up.
I've seen panhandlers arrested at the off-ramp of 485 to S Tryon for being on state land, there is a sign there saying trespassers will be prosecuted. They should have all of those convictions thrown out since they are letting these loafers go on scot free.
You have got to be kidding me. Seriously?
Who here doesn't believe that if this had been an encampment of homeless people they wouldn't have already been "escorted" away??!?
Yes, please, pass a new ordinance quickly! Before they start demanding hot meals along with the port-a-johns.
If they don't like the accomodations, let them go home!
Go, Pat, go!
Meanwhile, I am "Occupying Reality"-- my home. And tomorrow, I will be "Occupying My Desk" in order to pay for my home.
Try this novel idea, people.
And (>>gasp<<) I do so without so much as an iphone or any apps, whatsoever.
Why didn't Pat the frat not propose somehing like this he speak up when he was mayor with a Republican council back in he day? Why didn't he speak up when the teabaggers were occupying city property a couple years back? I guess i wasn't convenient to grandstand back then. My how out of touch and attention Vinroot-lite has become since he's had extra time on his hands.
Tell you what, Anon, we can go toe-to-toe when you cite for me exactly when the Tea Party folks were camped out on city property all day and all night, on ANY date??!?
I'll wait right here, so you can let me know, ok?
Thank you Pat McCrory for speaking up since no one else has or will. I hope you do run for Gov. again... We need someone in that office with some backbone.
Why do Republicans seem to hate the Constitution so much? It seems like they continually attack the very principles this nation was built upon.
Hey Anon 9:01?
Boolean search taking too long?
Do you need an app for that?
At least I'm glad to 'occupy' these blogs and tell what a useless liberal rag the Charlotte Observer online is.
The United States is a Free Speech Zone. And that includes city and state owned land.
This is a political powderkeg for any Republican as demonstrations like this attack their constituants. Glad Pat had the moxy to address these folks.
They really have no defined agenda beaides rallying against prosperity, hard work and captialism. Their message is one that Socialist and honestly, Communist.
Tell these dirty folks to get off our lawn and go back home.
Free speech, yes. As long as they have any required permits (or notifications) to do so within city limits (notification to police if outside a certain number of people & a permit for amplified sound, if applicable.)
Free camping? No. Let 'em go to a state or nat'l campground if they want amenities.
McCrory is a former mayor. Emphasis on the word "former". He hasn't declared his candidacy for governor, and even if he does, he's still just another private citizen.
Who cares what he wants? STFU, Pat.
Well, for one, I care what he wants, he wants the same as I do.
Pat can speak his mind, same as you.
He doesn't need to STFU. You didn't, why should he?
Get 'em pat! All you libs talking junk about Pat are just upset about your own party's shortcomings and dismal record on economic matters.
Finally a politician who is as sick of watching this garbage as I am. A bunch of wannabe hippies sitting around to protest something that even they cannot explain. And to those who tell him to STFU....feel free to take your own advice. If we all have to listen to your pseudo-hippy ramblings, then this man can speak his mind as well.
As for losing to Purdue again...IT AIN'T HAPPENING. She won on the vote of teachers who thought she supported education. They quickly found up she was using them to get elected and they will be throwing their votes elsewhere this time around.
So, from the sound of it, there's perfectly good reason this guy doesn't hold any political office right now.
Does he think the anti-free-speech platform going to be his ticket in?
So:
-Pat must say something. It would be odd if he had no commentary on camped protesters (gasp!) on the lawn of Old City Hall. (PS: I look fondly on Old City Hall and remember my long-ago youth.)
-Sanitation. That should grab the attention of every true and right-minded (pun alert!)Charlottean. Goodness knows, Charlotte is forever scrubbed squeaky clean and camera-ready. I mean, I kinda like that about Charlotte, but we are a might tad obsessed with it. Pat, if you want some real grunge, check out San Francisco.
-I think "pass a new law right now to deal with it!" plays right into the hands of the protesters. I'd step away from that and figure out something else to do. Like...
-...wait until it gets cold and they disperse. Then, when no one's looking, pass the (sarcasm alert!) critically necessary sanitation laws in time for the DNC next September.
GovCo himself speaks up.
Will Pat run for office in 2012 or take a job with FOX news when the DNC is here???
McCrory is moderate in his own right. Would not make a bad governor with a Democratic or split legislature. Unfortunately, in combination with a GOP controlled legislature a Republican governor would result in complete travesty for our State. The current Republican agenda, in the name of removing a half cent sales tax, has gutted our university system and aims for the ultimate dismantling of liberal arts education at state colleges. Has any body noticed that extra half cent in their pocket? Not to say that Bev Perdue is an excellent choice. One only need look at her ambivalent stand on the gay marriage amendment to understand that.
I agree, 12:04. Pat would be best paired with democratic legislature or at least on that's split between the two parties.
With a GOP-led legislature, he's likely to run amok.
He'd quickly forget any moderation that ever existed in his political soul.
Bev is a weak-sauce sorry excuse for a Democrat.
Will the last one out of North Carolina please turn off the lights?
i'm not a lib nor a rep., What I am is a human being with something that most people on here seem to lack there of. A brain, This reminds me of that hick moron toby Keith back in mid 00's when he said they need to seriously restrict or get rid of the 1st amendment. Yeah after that comment his career kinda slowed to a halt (remember when ya knew he was coming to town front page an all). Yeah thanks Pat for throwing yourself under the proverbial political suicide bus. Because a comment like that just gave ammo to your opponent. I admit I can't stand the hippies up there (get a haircut lol)but they like me and everyone have a right to protest freely as long as they aren't committing a crime (incite a riot ect ect). But my guess is someone from the other side will go down there make an idiot of themselves and the whole bit will get WAYYY out of hand. Or we can just wait for the DNC and let them handle it.
at Anon @ 10:56. Yes, teachers voted for Perdue because we thought she was pro-education and have seen her through us to the wind when it suited her goals and courted us when it suited her goals.
The difference is we have seen the out right hatred of us by the Art Pope funded Teapublican legislature. Perdue is indifferent to teachers, but the radical right is Raleigh wishes us dead. So I know that I and most of my colleagues will be voting against McCrappy and anyone else funded by Pope in 2012.
I love how the Teapublicans are for less government when it interfers with big bidness, but let something piss them off (abortion, gays, free speech) and they are quick to pass a law or amend a constituent against it.
Pat, you stood a better chance of fooling the populace as a moderate. Keep pandering to the right and giving Bev campaign fodder for 2012 or otherwise STFU.
These comments about Perdue winning are laughably ignorant. I would same dumb, but that would be redundant coming from the left. She was rated as the most vulnerable Gov next year by the right leaning Politico and hs rallied behind President Nitwit from supporting his Obamacare that is falling apart at that seams, no new drilling, keep fracking illegal, no joking about suspending elections, etc etc. Perdue will be thrown on the democrat heap next year more results of the carnage that Barry is going to reap on your clueless Party.
The vast majority of Americans see who OWS is and what it has become, low life socialists who don't want to pay for their college loans co-opted by the SIUE thugs and Code Pink.
Hardly mainstream, not even close to what this country is all about. So Dimwits, keep embracing, we beg you.
Send them all to Mexico. They hate America and hate capitalism.
With about 30 million illegals in this nation it would get rid of all protestors who hate the 1776 created America and who refuse to work for a living and feed off govt taxes.
I'm voting for Pat in the next election!!!
The Tea Party never "occupied" city property. We held our rally, made our points and left. The FLEA Party on the other hand have left their parents basement, and set up camp. Don't worry the first freezing rain or snow and the FLEA's will be gone. OBTW, Pat please remove the Joker from the governors residence.
We are now witnessing what President Obama’s good friend and adviser, Communist Van Jones, said that we were in for an October surprise. The surprise may be here with radical out-of-control “filthy” militants living on public property at taxpayers’ expense.
Many of us served in the Military to protect our US Constitution, our American flag, and our defined freedoms from within. What has happened to some in the political process who choose to allow criminal activity for their own personal gain?
It seems to me the protesters basically do not like capitalism and want a communist society. Last I heard the Soviet Union did not work and the people decided they wanted freedom. I say protest all you want Occupy Wall Streakers but they should not be allowed to camp overnite on government property. I think it is called loitering. So OWS wave the Hammer and Sickle Flag until next spring for all I care. You will become the bottom 1% if you don't go get jobs.
"letting" people occupy state and city property??? You're d*** right, we own that property and pay for it in taxes! I will never occupy wall street, but this sounds like a dictator move. I liked pat in Charlotte, but it sounds like he has joined the hating America camp.
I still can't believe the City of Charlotte turned their backs on him during the last election. Hopefully the people have woken up and realized what they did and what they should do next year. And that goes for the state of NC also!
Tea Party protests are fine despite the fact that their arguments are legitimately nuts versus the Occupy movement which has a platform that affects all of us or at least the 99% of us.
Most of us posting here paid more in federal income taxes than General Electric despite their $3 billion in profitis.
Corporations hide money offshore through accounting tricks and await a tax holiday.
Wall street loves socialism when they need bail outs but hate it when they get their million dollar bonuses without accepting any of the risks of their reckless trading.
Corporations and banks give massive golden parachutes when you fail to managers and evidently do not believe in demotion. While the minimum wage earner is denied health benefits or pension assurances.
Give me a break. All of us need to be angry at this current standard in America. The wealthy 1% benefited from the 99%. Their effective tax margin should NOT BE LESS than middle America. Nor should corporations crying about paying taxes when they have the privilege of being in the US economy- still the greatest and most stable economy in the world. Membership has it's privileges and it's costs. GE needs to start paying to reap all the benefits they do.
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