There are certain essential expectations voters have of those who want their votes as they seek public office and how they behave once in public office. These expectations transcend ideology or partisanship.
They don’t arise out of an unrealistic hope for perfection but rather an expectation of basic decency.
Show up and do the job. Be demonstrably competent. Be responsible. Be honest, transparent and direct.
These attributes apply to Democrats as much as Republicans. They don’t have any ideological or political party bias.
Coming into sharper focus, voters are more clearly recognizing the more they learn about Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee to be governor, the more he fails to meet even the most minimal standards in these most reasonable of expectations.
The only state constitutional duty of the lieutenant governor is to be “President of the Senate.” According to the state legislature, “the Lieutenant Governor is President of the Senate and presides over the daily session.”
Yet Robinson hardly shows up. In fact, when he does appear at a session of the state Senate, it is major news — as it was a month ago. His presence was described in news accounts as “a rare public appearance.”
North Carolina doesn’t need a governor who only checks in on occasion but one who knows the job is 24-7. Mark Robinson doesn’t have the right stuff.
In his business and personal financial dealings, he has filed for bankruptcy three times — in 1998, 1999 and 2003. He didn’t file tax returns for five years.
As recently as 2018, he was delinquent in paying local taxes. When asked, Robinson said: “I’m not very good at math.”
North Carolina’s annual budget, including all state and federal funds, exceeds $60 billion. Being good at math is an essential qualification. Mark Robinson lacks it.
It recently has been disclosed that the childcare center — “Precious Beginnings” that he and his wife operated and ended up in bankruptcy — was cited for a series of violations and concerns.
When asked about those matters, Robinson denied any problems. “People are slinging mud at the wall.”
Another business, “Balanced Nutrition” food program has been ordered to repay the state $132,000 after a compliance review found numerous problems related to the state’s federally funded Child and Adult Care Food Program.
Robinson says the concerns are “politically motivated at the core.”
Taking charge is the job of governor. Mark Robinson is all about scapegoating and finger-pointing.
In a campaign video, Robinson talks of the abortion he paid for his wife to undergo and says, contrary to repeated unequivocal anti-abortion declarations, he “stand(s) by our current law and it provides common sense exceptions for life of the mother, incest and rape which gives help to mothers and stops cruel late-term abortions.”
Robinson has called abortion “murder” and “genocide.” In a Facebook video he said: “Abortion in this country is not about protecting the lives of mothers. It’s about killing a child because you weren’t responsible enough to keep your skirt down.”
After much bombast, Robinson suddenly is hedging on where he stands.
Real leaders stand by their principles, acknowledge when and why they change positions. There’s no evidence of any of that from Mark Robinson.
In four years, Mark Robinson has failed to meet the most basic standards for public leadership. He has not earned, nor does he deserve, the votes of North Carolinians.
Local News
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