Opinion: Cooper needs to take charge for N.C. to recover

Attorney General Roy Cooper should be our next governor. Cooper has a history of standing for what is right.

His steadfast opposition to House Bill 2, in spite of pressure from Gov. Pat McCrory and the Republican legislature, reflects an important existential stand in the face of evil. Given HB2’s discriminatory nature, Cooper’s firm call for the immediate repeal of the policy is essential to creating an inclusive state.

Such a principled stance is one in a long line of important ethical positions Cooper has taken to aid marginalized communities.

He refused to fight for North Carolina’s unconstitutional same-sex marriage ban in the Supreme Court and pushed for the Address Confidentiality Program, which increased safe houses for survivors of domestic violence. For individuals targeted by predatory lending practices, Cooper fought and won a national settlement to prevent foreclosure abuses.

His record reflects values that this board sees as integral to an ethical governor. In showing sympathy, adroitness and initiative, Cooper has the character necessary for governance, unlike his opponent.

Looking toward the future, Cooper is committed to policy initiatives that will improve North Carolina.

Whereas McCrory has denied the Medicaid expansion that is provided and funded by the Affordable Care Act, Cooper supports the policy.

However, Cooper is not without faults. As attorney general he supported a firm “tough on crime” stance, something that he continues to run on during this election cycle. He increased penalties for drug dealers, which, given the over-policing of black communities, targets and imprisons black people at disproportionately high rates. Despite his position on crime, Cooper still epitomizes all of the qualities that a governor should embrace.

The supreme necessity of ousting McCrory cannot be understated. McCrory may tout his record on economic growth, but this growth has been restricted to already high-income communities. He fundamentally neglected the state’s poorest and most destitute areas, especially in light of the 2008 recession.

McCrory’s support of HB2 is sickening. He took advantage of the worst types of prejudice to produce an abhorrent law and further his political aims.

Beyond this, HB2 has led to corporate flight from North Carolina and sullied our state’s image nationally. For the travesty of HB2 alone, we recommend McCrory enjoys a long, if not permanent, vacation from politics.

While we could write all day long about our problems with McCrory, we also legitimately think Cooper has the ability to turn our beloved state’s reputation around.