N.C. Puts Past, Budget Behind It

But without a doubt, the most exciting happening of all -- one befitting Tar Heel-blue streamers and a statewide barbecue with enough vinegar to throw off heaven's pH -- is the mass convergence of the specters of finance, revenue and balance sheets.

It's a friggin' budget.

A state budget -- you know, the document that dictates why Elizabeth City State University doesn't get a pharmacy school or why the state is cutting 24 positions from the chaplain program in the Department of Corrections.

Still, the collective sigh of relief from the electorate might be enough to vary weather conditions in the Atlantic for the remainder of the hurricane season.

Hold up now, folks -- this budget has an $800 million hole, so let's suspend that breath. That $800 million chasm exists because this year's $14.3 billion plan uses that much money in the form of nonrecurring revenue.

And we're already a projected $1.5 billion in the red for next year.

So now aren't you happy you re-elected Ellie Kinnaird to the Senate? After all, she spat in the face of partisanship and voted against the budget.

Big deal. A month ago people might have cared. Now she just comes off as the woman with typically Ellie ideals -- poorly timed and holier-than-thou ones -- and 119 votes.

But lately all we seem to have around here is debate, and not good debate. Everyone is talking, maybe listening and drowning in the inflexibility of everyone else.

It would be hasty to decry this as indicative of a greater trend in North Carolina politics, but why not? If the theory is wrong, all's well.

As the legislative strife hit the fan this past month, voters realized: We don't have water, we don't have manufacturing jobs, but we sure as heck have pork. Enough for each and every last resident to choke on.

The pork "phenomenon" is when politicians do things for their future benefit. But it connotes a whole mess of dung. It's similar to pork-barrel politics, but barrels usually bring more public works.

From the lottery debate to the Edwards versus Helms prizefight over judiciary confirmations to this forsaken budget, the bureaucracy in Raleigh (and Washington) has grown far too bureaucratic, even malevolent, as voters gripe about their representatives, representatives moan about revenue limitations and everyone hates Gov. Mike Easley. Everyone.

The epitome of any apathetic governing body is a statement like this, as reported in The (Raleigh) News & Observer, from Rep. Bill Owens, D-Pasquotank, a lottery supporter: "Everybody is happy. The lottery supporters, we're happy because it's finally over. The lottery opponents are happy because they won. Only Bubba is unhappy because he'll have to find another job this fall."

There you have it -- concise, smacking of fatigue and the absurd.

Meanwhile, in Washington, Sen. John Edwards is holding up a nomination for the U.S. District Court that serves eastern North Carolina.

The court's caseload is backed up beyond disbelief; it has been shorthanded since early last year.

Edwards and Helms have universally rebuffed nominees by presidents of the opposing party. Yes, it's their job and ideological duty, but does it need to be this catty?

Plus, we do need some judges.

Lethargy and prominent partisanship are a dangerous tonic. In the pursuit of accountability -- by selecting an almost equal number of Democrats and Republicans -- North Carolinians are now suffering the suffocating effect of omnipresent divergence.

A summer of disagreement takes its toll. See the budget.

No need to worry, though; this happens in every state at some point.

Yet, we had all hoped we were above it. After all, it rained a bit, Misty Clymer placed in the top 15 in Atlantic City, and the Panthers have three wins and no losses.

Football aside, our state is far from perfect.

Nathan Perez can be reached at nperez@email.unc.edu.