NC Gov. McCrory: US Has ‘Executive Leadership’ Gap

States should have more independence and flexibility to spur their own growth, since there is a lack of "executive leadership" in Washington, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory said in Saturday's weekly Republican address.

"When I look to Washington, I see entrenched gridlock and an immediate need for executive leadership," the Republican governor said. "Fortunately, Washington bears no resemblance to states where strong Republican governors are using their leadership skills to improve the daily lives of their citizens."

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McCrory argued the federal government should give states more flexibility in measures such as offshore drilling and Medicaid waivers, The Hill reports, and he urged President Barack Obama to "join us in North Carolina where we're working to make government a partner — not an adversary to progress."

His comments were in response to statements Obama made in a press conference earlier this week in which he defended his leadership abilities and said there are still many things the federal government can do to spur the economy.

McCrory, though, said the government should do a better job at improving efficiency and growth while avoiding tax increases.

“Working together, we can get this nation back on the right track by simply unleashing the unlimited potential of the American people," he said. "This formula has worked before and I guarantee it, it will work again."

In addition, McCrory called for the government to become more accessible to business owners and citizens.

“Today’s smartphones are much more efficient and cost effective than earlier models of mobile phones,” he said. “There is no reason why government can’t be as customer friendly and cost effective as a smartphone. Ultimately, interacting with government should be as easy as checking the latest scores on the internet or even shopping online.”