N.C. Senate Pro-Tem Phil Berger, left, and N.C. House Speaker Thom Tillis announce a joint budget during a press conference held at the Legislative Building in Raleigh, NC on June 20, 2012.
Chris Seward — cseward@newsobserver.com
House Speaker Thom Tillis issued a warning last weekend to his fellow Republicans about overreaching with their supermajority power.
“I was the GOP minority whip in 2009,” he began in a Facebook post. “My job was to get conservative Democrats to help us defeat liberal legislation. The Democratic leaders, heavily influenced by their most liberal members and far-left groups, could not resist the pressure to move too far to fast. They did not compromise and they went too far.
“They got out of step with the citizens of NC and they lost their majority as a result. It was their lack of discipline that laid the groundwork for Republicans to have House/Senate super majorities, a GOP Governor, and Lt. Governor,” he concluded. “Our lack of discipline will lay the groundwork for their ascendency and if they succeed we will only have ourselves to blame.”
“The Democratic leaders, heavily influenced by their most liberal members and far-left groups, could not resist the pressure to move too far to fast. They did not compromise and they went too far.”
“They got out of step with the citizens of NC and they lost their majority as a result. It was their lack of discipline that laid the groundwork for Republicans to have House/Senate super majorities, a GOP Governor, and Lt. Governor,” he concluded. “Our lack of discipline will lay the groundwork for their ascendency and if they succeed we will only have ourselves to blame.”
Take heed; gutting e-verify by redefining “employee” and giving employers immunity from prosecution (Section 8 – HB786) and offering licenses to illegal aliens (Section 9 – HB786) IS out of touch with the citizens of NC. If you continue with this course, you WILL lose your majority and only have yourselves to blame.”
James Johnson
President-NCFIRE
North Carolinians For Immigration Reform and Enforcement
In the meantime, The Speaker Prepares to Jam a “Gamefish” bill through the Legislature.