Seeing Red Again

N.C. Democrats Jettison Gas Tax Relief

2009-06-09T11:11:00.002-04:00

As we begin the hot summer months, North Carolina Democrats have acted to prevent working families from receiving much needed relief at the gas pump. State taxes were scheduled to drop 2 cents on a gallon of gas in July. So what did N.C. Democrats do? They stopped it from happening. That would be against their apparent policy preference when it comes to taxes: not a dime left behind. Democrats also put in place new legislation to prevent any relief for consumers through 2011, likely as a precursor to eventually raising the gas tax.

NC gasoline tax change gets final legislative OK

By Gary D. Robertson
Associated Press
June 8, 2009

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Lawmakers gave final approval Monday night to change North Carolina's gasoline tax, three years after their decision to cap the tax pleased motorists but sent road-building revenues nearly a half-billion dollars lower than projected.

The bill passed the House by a 64-52 vote and is likely to be signed into law by Gov. Beverly Perdue. It would mean taxes at the pump won't go down 2 cents a gallon to 27.9 cents on July 1 as expected under current law.

The change would turn a cap on the gasoline tax at 29.9 cents per gallon into a floor - meaning it could go no lower than 29.9 cents through the middle of 2011. ...

Easley Scandal Fallout Continues

2009-06-08T15:41:00.001-04:00

N.C. State fires Mary Easley

By Jay Price & J. Andrew Curliss
News & Observer

N.C. State University's Board of Trustees has terminated the contract of Mary Easley.

The trustees said the duties of Easley's job no longer exist and her departure from N.C. State would be in the best interest of the university.

Records: Mike Easley involved in hiring

By J. Andrew Curliss
News & Observer

New documents show that the Mary Easley job at N.C. State University was orchestrated at the highest levels of state government, and included the direct involvement of then-Gov. Mike Easley.

E-mail messages show the creation of the job for Mary Easley was orchestrated in April and May of 2005 by the governor and that her job formation also included his wife, Mary; the chancellor at N.C. State, James Oblinger; a key trustee, McQueen Campbell; a senior adviser to Easley who now heads the Golden Leaf Foundation, Dan Gerlach; and an NCSU lobbyist at the time, Andy Willis.

Until now, officials have all denied any involvement in the hiring other than by former Provost Larry Nielsen, who the records show was also involved in creating the position that gave Mary Easley an $80,000, three-year contract to oversee a speakers series and help teach a class.

Click here for the full article...

NCSU loses third top official amid Easley questions

Cover-Up Coming Unraveled

2009-06-08T15:21:00.002-04:00

Senate Republican Leader Press Release
June 8, 2009

New documents released by N.C. State University officials as part of a federal investigation show that former Governor Mike Easley and members of his administration were directly involved in the creation of a position for his wife and her subsequent hiring by the university. In addition, N.C. State Chancellor James Oblinger resigned today on the heels of weekend reports in The News & Observer that he misled the public regarding the size and length of the severance package given to former N.C. State Provost Larry Nielsen.

Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger issued the following statement:

“There clearly has been a concerted effort to cover up the circumstances surrounding Mary Easley’s hiring and employment at N.C. State. The new revelations that Mike Easley was directly involved in the hiring of his wife only confirm many of our worst suspicions. Powerful Democrats in state government have ceased pursuing public service and begun trading exclusively in privilege and power. Meanwhile, Democratic legislative leaders have become co-conspirators in this corruption by turning a blind eye to wrongdoing and adamantly refusing to ask the questions that might uncover the truth.”

“The revelations in The News & Observer this weekend that Chancellor James Oblinger illegally changed the terms of former N.C. State Provost Larry Nielsen’s severance package and misled the public regarding the terms of that package are another black mark on NC State resulting from the Easley Scandal. This weekend’s reports left Chancellor Oblinger no choice other than to resign.”

“The News & Observer has done the public a great service by doggedly seeking to uncover the truth in the face of this cover up. The N.C. State Board of Trustees, interim Board Chairman Bob Jordan, and University System President Erskine Bowles also deserve credit for constructively working to end this embarrassment.”

“Unfortunately, Governor Bev Perdue and Legislative Democrats continue working to cover up the Easley Scandal. Legislative Democrats must begin an exhaustive investigation into this scandal or get out of the way so Republicans can.”

“Accountability begins at the top levels of leadership. Governor Perdue should provide the leadership North Carolinians want from her and immediately demand the resignation of Mary Easley. Governor Perdue was not elected to watch as a scandal rages on and the fallout deepens. She was elected to provide accountability and now is the time for her to prove she is willing to do so.”

“It is time for Governor Perdue and Legislative Democrats to do three things: 1. Join University President Bowles, legislative Republicans, and newspaper editorial boards across the state in demanding Mary Easley’s resignation. 2. Move immediately to defund Mary Easley’s faculty position. 3. Join with Republicans to hold legislative oversight hearings seeking to end corruption in State Government by determining how Mary Easley’s contract was agreed to and how the State Highway Patrol ‘lost’ more than a year of Mike Easley’s travel records.”

Pat McCrory to Address Republicans at 2009 NCGOP Convention

2009-06-08T13:54:00.009-04:00

RALEIGH—Mayor Pat McCrory will address grassroots Republicans at the 2009 NCGOP Convention to be held from June 12-14 at the Raleigh Convention Center. Mayor McCrory will kick off the convention by speaking to delegates at the top of the first business session on Friday afternoon. He will deliver an address entitled "The Road to Victory." For a full schedule of events for the 2009 NCGOP Convention, click here.

Chairman Linda Daves, North Carolina Republican Party, made the following statement:

"I am extremely excited to have the mayor of my hometown and a good friend addressing the 2009 NCGOP Convention. As a highly effective mayor and visionary leader, Pat McCrory is just the right person to help North Carolina grassroots Republicans set a course for the future. Pat is the kind of leader that makes fellow Republicans proud to be on his team. It will be an honor to have him with us for our convention."

Honoring the 100th Anniversary of Ronald Reagan's Birth

2009-06-02T16:42:00.003-04:00

President Ronald Reagan, in a way unlike anyone else, defined what it meant to be a Republican and a conservative. President Reagan faced every crisis with dignity, optimism, a belief in the inherent righteousness of the American ideal, and a belief in the enduring goodness of the American people.

There is no better way to honor the man than to study the timeless truth of the principles he espoused during his lifetime. This passage comes from a section of President Reagan's First Inaugural Address delivered on January 20, 1981.

"Idle industries have cast workers into unemployment, causing human misery and personal indignity. Those who do work are denied a fair return for their labor by a tax system which penalizes successful achievement and keeps us from maintaining full productivity.

But great as our tax burden is, it has not kept pace with public spending. For decades, we have piled deficit upon deficit, mortgaging our future and our children's future for the temporary convenience of the present. To continue this long trend is to guarantee tremendous social, cultural, political, and economic upheavals.

You and I, as individuals, can, by borrowing, live beyond our means, but for only a limited period of time. Why, then, should we think that collectively, as a nation, we are not bound by that same limitation?

We must act today in order to preserve tomorrow. And let there be no misunderstanding—we are going to begin to act, beginning today.

The economic ills we suffer have come upon us over several decades. They will not go away in days, weeks, or months, but they will go away. They will go away because we, as Americans, have the capacity now, as we have had in the past, to do whatever needs to be done to preserve this last and greatest bastion of freedom.

In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem."

Congressman Mike Pence to Speak at 2009 NCGOP Convention

2009-05-30T14:52:00.005-04:00

Congressman Mike Pence (R-IN) will speak to North Carolina Republicans during the 2009 NCGOP Convention held June 12-14 at the Raleigh Convention Center. Congressman Pence will be a special guest at the evening banquet on Friday, June 12.

Pence was first elected to Congress in 2000 and was most recently elected to a fifth term in November of 2008. He also was elected unanimously by House Republicans to serve as House Republican Conference Chairman in November 2008. In his role as Conference Chairman, he helps to develop and disseminate the message of the Republican Conference and to promote its members.

Congressman Pence describes himself as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order."

Chairman Linda Daves, North Carolina Republican Party, made the following statement:

“We are incredibly pleased to have Congressman Pence join us as a special guest and speaker at our 2009 convention. Congressman Pence is not only a visionary and a bold advocate for conservative principles, but he is also a man of great humility and integrity. We are honored to have him as a guest in North Carolina and look forward to hearing him cast a vision for making our party stronger and better."

Teachers and Students Suffer While Democrats Protect Easleys

2009-05-29T13:37:00.001-04:00

RALEIGH— At a meeting today, Terri Lomax, vice chancellor for research and graduate studies at N.C. State University, announced a moratorium on the creation of new academic centers. This announcement will have a direct impact on the job of former first lady Mary Easley. When Easley was promoted and given a five-year contract and an 88-percent raise last year, her new duties included creating the Public Safety Leadership Center at N.C. State. That center will no longer be created, and therefore, one of the substantial portions of Mary Easley's $170,000 a year job will not be performed. It is uncertain how the change will affect Mary Easley's job status.

The NCGOP has begun the "Perdue Watch" on its Seeing Red Again blog to mark the time that Governor has been watching instead of acting to end the Mary Easley scandal. You can view the blog here.

Chairman Linda Daves, North Carolina Republican Party, made the following statement:

"It has been more than nine days since this issue first came to a head and calls for Mary Easley's resignation began piling up. Governor Perdue has refused to do anything about the situation but watch from the sidelines while tolerating corruption and mismanagement of taxpayer money. It was outrageous to spend $850,000 to pay Mary Easley to create the center. It is incredulous that the state would pay Mary Easley $850,000 to not create the center while public school teachers are taking a pay cut and resources are being drained from our children's classrooms. For Governor Perdue and Democrats in the General Assembly to ask teachers and students to bear the burden of a $4 billion budget deficit while they continue to protect the Easleys proves just how out of touch they are with the challenges facing North Carolina's working families. Governor Perdue can act to end this scandal or she can continue to watch it happen. It's her choice."

Old Dogs, New Tricks

2009-05-28T14:11:00.004-04:00

There are two reasons you may find it difficult to teach an old dog new tricks. First, the dog is old. It doesn't want to learn new tricks. Or second, the dog doesn't see anything wrong with the old tricks and wants to keep using them.

Carter Wrenn has the breakdown on the political elites who form the Democrat leadership in state government and why they just can't seem to learn any new tricks to stop the cycle of corruption.

A Democratic Congressman, Agriculture Commissioner, Speaker of the House and two legislators have all gone to prison; as a result the surviving Democrats over in the General Assembly have taken to pounding their breasts about how they’re fighting corruption – but, in fact, they haven’t done anything. ...

The reason the Democrats have done nothing – other than posture – is they just can’t see that there is any corruption.

In their eyes junkets to Italy and giving state jobs to the governors’ wife are just two of the natural emoluments of political power;—indulging in a little ‘honest graft’ is a just one of the defacto rights that comes with getting elected and it’s neither unusual or wrong.

For instance, take a look at the Democrats reaction to Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger’s saying he wants to defund Mary Easley’s job.

The very idea sent the Senate Ethic’s Committee into a paroxysm of rage – it promptly told Berger if he even dared to try to eliminate that job he’d better get ready to get hauled up before the tribunal himself – for violating the Ethics Laws.

So here’s the Senate Ethics Committee’s official position: There’s nothing wrong with the governor influence peddling to get his wife a $170,000 job – but if Phil Berger tries to eliminate that job he’s violating State Ethics Law. ...

Early Bird Registration Extended for 2009 NCGOP Convention

2009-05-28T11:23:00.004-04:00

Early Bird Registration has been extended to June 5!

Register today for the Early Bird rate!

North Carolina Republicans will meet for the 2009 NCGOP Convention on June 12-14 at the Raleigh Convention Center. The NCGOP is pleased to announce that motivational speaker, author, and talk show host Mason Weaver will join us for the Saturday evening banquet. We are also pleased to announce a Jesse Helms tribute luncheon on Saturday. More details are soon to follow. We look forward to seeing you in Raleigh for the 2009 NCGOP Convention! Don't miss this exciting opportunity to shape the future of the North Carolina Republican Party!

REGISTER TODAY!

**Note: If you choose to pre-register for the 2009 NCGOP convention, you must still check-in and pick up registration materials during the appointed times. Check-in and registration will close at 11:00 AM on Saturday. No exceptions will be made. Click HERE for the 2009 NCGOP convention schedule.

NCGOP Announces Mason Weaver as Special Guest and Speaker at 2009 NCGOP Convention

2009-05-27T10:54:00.004-04:00

Mason Weaver will speak to North Carolina Republicans at the 2009 NCGOP Convention held June 12-14 at the Raleigh Convention Center. He will be a special guest at the Saturday evening banquet. Mr. Weaver is a motivational speaker, author, and talk show host. He has been training, educating, teaching and reaching thousands with his messages of hope for the future and empowering individuals with the tools they need to become the driving forces for positive change.

After approximately 2800 pounds of steel and iron plates fell on him, while on active naval duty in San Diego, California, the Navy classified him disabled and discharged him. However, Weaver turned his story of tragedy into a story of triumph as he graduated college, won a position with the U.S. Department of Energy, and later became a business consultant and entrepreneur.

Mason Weaver has appeared on national TV, cable and news programs. He is often contacted by national news organizations to comment on breaking stories. Weaver has also hosted a live call in radio program and wrote a weekly column on social and political issues. He soon became a sought after public speaker and lecturer for his extraordinary view of government and business. Noted for his quick wit, vigorous debate and forceful oratory, Mason is a challenge to the opposition and an instructive persuasive counselor to allies.

NCGOP Chairman Linda Daves said, "We are honored to have Mason Weaver join us as a speaker at the 2009 NCGOP Convention. Mason's story of initiative and effort to trun tragedy to triumph is one that is relevant to Republicans as we strive to build a stronger and better Republican Party in North Carolina. Mason has been a favorite of grassroots activists from the North Carolina Federation of Republican Women and his words are sure to inspire and motivate the grassroots at our convention."

Learn more about Mason Weaver by visiting his website at http://www.masonweaver.com/.

Click HERE to register for the 2009 NCGOP Convention today!

Berger Puzzled by 'Ethics' Interpretation

2009-05-26T14:18:00.001-04:00

Mary Easley’s job funding at issue

Senate Republican Leader Press Release
May 26, 2009

Raleigh, N.C. – Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) today called on the Democratic co-chairmen of the Legislative Ethics Committee to determine whether an effort to abolish funding for Mary Easley’s $170,000 per year position at N.C. State University would violate ethics rules. Late last week, legislative staff advised House Republican Leader Paul Stam (R-Wake) that it may be unethical to propose elimination of funding for Mary Easley’s position even though she is not subject to the State Personnel Act. Berger is concerned that if this opinion is adopted by the full Ethics Committee, it would silence discussion of the circumstances surrounding Mary Easley’s hiring and quash efforts to resolve the issue through the budgeting process.

“It is inconceivable to me that bipartisan efforts to resolve the embarrassing circumstances surrounding Mary Easley’s hiring could be derailed as ‘unethical,’” said Berger. “This type of convoluted reasoning illustrates what a lot of people see as wrong with state government.”

UNC System President Erskine Bowles and N.C. State Board of Trustees Chairman Bob Jordan have called for Mary Easley to resign. If she does not resign, Bowles has said university officials could act on her position when they write the university budget for the coming fiscal year.

Below is the text of Berger’s letter to Sen. Steve Goss and Rep. Rick Glazier:

Dear Senator Goss and Representative Glazier:

I do not know if you are aware of an opinion that has been rendered by staff in response to a question presented by Representative Stam. A copy of his request and the staff response is enclosed. I request a formal opinion from the Legislative Ethics Committee as to whether any attempt by a member of the North Carolina General Assembly to eliminate funding for Mary Easley’s contract with North Carolina State University would be an ethical violation.

I am astonished that Rep. Stam’s inquiry would illicit this response. To equate the effort to resolve a situation that is highly embarrassing to the State of North Carolina, the university system and North Carolina State University with the reason behind this statute is to elevate legalism over common sense.

For the record, I have publicly stated that if Mrs. Easley fails to resign, the governor and the General Assembly should eliminate funding for her contract. While it is my understanding that her position is not subject to the State Personnel Act, I am particularly troubled by any blanket assertion that G.S. 120-86.1 would trigger ethical sanctions.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this request.

Sincerely,

Philip E. Berger
Republican Leader
North Carolina Senate

Honor Memorial Day

2009-05-25T00:01:00.001-04:00

Memorial Day serves as a time for all Americans to reflect on those who have fallen, both past and present, in service to their country. While protecting the values that we hold most dear, brave young men and women have paid what Abraham Lincoln called “the last full measure of devotion” to their native land. Their courage and sacrifice form the hallmark of the greatness of our state and nation. We take time to remember and honor those who have sacrificed for the cause of freedom and those who are protecting us throughout the world today.

In November of 1863, in the middle of the Civil War, President Lincoln after a great battle took time to dedicate the battlefield to the fallen soldiers. In a short speech that would later come to be known as the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln delivered these words:

“The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

We take heart even on this day of reverence that though we have lost many in the great history of this republic in service to our nation, their memory will never be forgotten. Their devotion to God and country lives on and reminds us that a new birth of freedom is a promise still possible.

Senator Burr Working to Transform Health Care

2009-05-22T11:11:00.001-04:00

Michael Steele: GOP Comeback Has Begun

2009-05-20T15:28:00.005-04:00

Chairman Linda Daves said, “I agree with Chairman Steele. The era of apologizing for past Republican mistakes is over. We have turned the corner and we are looking into a much brighter future. Right here in North Carolina, We plan to stand firm for conservative principles because our values are the values of people in communities across our state. We plan to advocate on behalf of the unemployed of our state to boost the private sector and small businesses so that more North Carolinians ready to work can find employers ready to hire. We plan to work for working families to ensure that government does not keep spending us into record debt while the poor and middle class suffer the consequences. Finally, we plan to stamp out the culture of corruption that plagues state government under Democrat leadership and force Governor Perdue to do the right thing. We hope you will join our cause.”

Click here to see the full remarks by Chairman Steele to the RNC...

Burr, Fellow Republicans Introduce Patients' Choice Act

2009-05-20T11:54:00.004-04:00

An Alternative to Obamacare

By Tom Coburn, Richard Burr, Paul Ryan & David Nunes
RealClearPolitics
May 20, 2009

While President Obama may believe the stars are aligned for major health reform this year it is far from certain whether Congress will pass a bill that works. The groups that are most likely to unravel this effort are not the president's opponents, but his allies. Nothing will rally ordinary Americans against the president's plan more than his allies arguing too forcefully for a system run by politicians and bureaucrats in Washington - what we call the "public option" in the Obama plan.

It should come as no surprise that this ideologically rigid position is coming under fire. As the Washington Post recently wrote, "the fixation on a public plan is bizarre and counterproductive ... It is entirely possible to imagine effective health-care reform - changes that would expand coverage and help control costs - without a public option."

We agree. We have introduced a comprehensive health care reform bill, the Patients' Choice Act that, we believe, will bring us far closer to the goal of universal coverage than the Obama plan. Our bill, in specific legislative language, does the following:

Puts affordable coverage and choice within reach of all Americans. We do this by first ending the discrimination in the tax code that rewards corporations and employers for offering insurance yet offers no benefit to the unemployed and is unfair to the self-employed. Our current tax laws are a relic of the 1940's when Americans stayed in the same job far longer than they do today. It's time for a reboot.

Specifically, we would shift health care tax benefits to individuals and families in the form of a "Medi-Choice" tax rebate worth about $2,200 for individuals and $5,700 for families. Under our plan, if you like the health care you have, you can keep it - but you'll have more money in your pocket because you will still receive a tax rebate. ...

Prevents cherry picking by guaranteeing access to coverage. Even though we're confident that less government interference and more individual choice will control costs and improve quality and access, we recognize that markets can't solve all problems. That's why our bill prevents cherry picking - when insurance companies choose to cover only healthy patients - by equalizing risk across insurance companies and reversing the perverse incentives that leave those most vulnerable with the fewest options. ...

Strengthens the health care safety net. Currently, about 40 percent of doctors and hospitals do not accept Medicaid patients because payments are so low. This means that needy moms and kids may have health coverage, but poor access to health care. We remove the stigma from Medicaid recipients and give them the ability to purchase the health coverage and care they need from any provider. We preserve Medicaid for the blind, aged, and disabled and we eliminate widespread fraud in the programs. We do all this and still save states and the federal government about $1.3 trillion over the next 10 years.

Finally, our bill accomplishes these goals without spending any new federal money, or raising taxes. If this sounds too good to be true, we would note that the problem in health care is not that we don't spend enough, but that Americans aren't getting enough value for their dollars. On a per capita basis, America spends nearly twice what other industrialized nations spend on health care yet we are hardly twice as healthy. ...

The Obama plan promises change and progress, but it is based on old ideas. For the past 50 years, the Left has promised that a little more government intervention and spending will fix health care. If Washington can effectively run a health program like Obama's public option, why are Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal health programs in such disrepair? ...

The American people deserve better. Congress should be looking to 2040, not 1940 or 1965. We can achieve universal access to quality, affordable health care without bankrupting our children with trillions more in debt or imposing draconian tax hikes on all Americans. It can be done, and the Patients' Choice Act shows us how.

Click here to read the full article...

Bad Lawbreaking Does Not Make For Good Lawmaking

2009-05-19T16:18:00.002-04:00

Rob Schofield in his latest piece for NC Policy Watch, a liberal/progressive NC think tank, makes the argument that Mike Easley's downfall is good for the progressive movement within the state. Not only does Schofield fail to chafe at the scandal, he almost revels is it as a means to the end of enacting a liberal agenda in state government. He lists five "good things for North Carolina and the progressive cause" to come out of the scandal even evoking the memory of Jim Black for #3.

"#3 – Scandal is good for passing even tougher laws – Lest there be any doubt, it’s worth remembering that the omnibus ethics and lobbying reforms of recent years are ultimately attributable to one man: Jim Black. ...

And so, with any luck, it will be Easley’s fall that will spur the next round of housecleaning and reform. At this moment, there are efforts pending in the General Assembly that would take the next logical steps to lessen the influence of big money in state politics. Let’s hope the apparent self-destruction of Mike Easley is just what is needed to help seal their final passage."

So let me get this straight. Liberals are actually arguing that the reason we need tougher ethics and lobbying laws is because their politicians keep breaking the laws we already have in place. I have actually had more than one liberal opiner argue with me that the Easley fiasco is a reason for campaign finance reform. No, it's not. The allegations against the former governor actually provide a perfect example of how political influence and money would be peddled under proposed campaign finance reform systems currently under consideration. Big money donors would trade services and off-the-books donations for influence and cushy political appointments from the candidates that they turn into elected officials.

When politicians break the laws governing their behavior in office, it doesn't prove you need better laws. It proves you need better politicians. We cannot legislate away greed and a lust for power, but we can choose to elect honest men and women of good character who are able to resist the twin seductions of money and influence and instead serve the people. In the next election, Republicans plan to offer candidates who will do just that.

McHenry Op-Ed: Congress Must Demand Accountability at the Fed

2009-05-18T15:58:00.003-04:00

By Rep. Patrick McHenry
Hickory Daily Record
May 18, 2009

The Federal Reserve System was created in 1913 by President Woodrow Wilson and Congress. The Fed, as it is known, is a semi-public agency that serves as the central hub of our banking system.

The Fed's original mission was to regulate monetary policy in the United States, meaning that it would restrict and loosen the supply of money in circulation. Its objective was to achieve stable prices and maximum employment.

The Fed does this by setting interest rates. These rates impact the interest that Americans pay on our mortgages and car loans, for example.

Today, the scope of the Fed's responsibilities is much larger. It is the agency most responsible for overseeing our financial markets. The Fed may soon take on the role of the "systemic risk" regulator for America's financial system.

However, our laws have not kept pace with the Fed's expanded use of power. Therefore, very little information about its activities is disclosed to Congress and the American people. ...

Click here to read the rest of the article...

Easley Fallout Continues

2009-05-15T15:28:00.002-04:00

FBI subpoenas Highway Patrol
"The FBI issued a subpoena to the state Highway Patrol today, ordering the agency to produce all records related to private air travel of the Easley family.

The request is made as part of a grand jury investigation, according to the documents. The grand jury meets next week, according to the subpoena, Andy Curliss reports.

Besides seeking information about the private travels of former Gov. Mike Easley, his wife Mary Easley and his son Michael Easley Jr., the subpoena requests documents relating to:

* Payments made in exchange for the air travel.
* Communications with the Easley family regarding the private travel.
* Communications regarding public inquiries surrounding the air travel.
* The state Highway Patrol's records retention policy.
* The retention or destruction of records related to travel by the Easley family."

State to investigate Easley campaign
"The state Board of Elections today launched a criminal probe of the Mike Easley campaign, officially closing the file to public inspection. ... The board has authority to investigate possible campaign law violations."

Campbell resigns from N.C. State
The chairman of the NCSU board has resigned after being asked by UNC System President Erskine Bowles to step down. He has been criticized for allowing former Democrat Governor Easley to fly his jet for free and also recommending Mary Easley for a job with the university.

Roy Cooper will not run for Senate

Although only tangentially related to the Easley investigation, the announcement was awkwardly timed at best. At least this frees up the Attorney General to begin rooting out the corruption in state government by investigating fellow Democrats.

Daves Joins Call for Special Prosecutor to Investigate Easley

2009-05-15T10:42:00.001-04:00

RALEIGH— Yesterday, Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger called for a special prosecutor to look into the alleged abuses of power and possible campaign finance law violations of former Democrat Governor Mike Easley. Berger said an independent investigator was needed because of Democrat Attorney General Roy Cooper's lack of action on the matter as he contemplates a run for the U.S. Senate.

"The silence from North Carolina's chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Roy Cooper, regarding these serious allegations is deafening," Berger said in a statement. "But we should not be surprised since most of those under scrutiny are Democrats, and he will not risk offending them while seeking their support for a possible U.S. Senate campaign."

He said a special prosecutor would be free from political pressures and conflicts of interest.

A Cooper spokeswoman said by e-mail that the Attorney General's Office won't comment on a current or potential investigation. Noelle Talley, the spokeswoman, did note that Cooper had investigated a number of high-profile Democrats, including Jim Black, Thomas Wright, Meg Scott Phipps and Frank Ballance. ("GOP leader: Give Easley special prosecutor," News & Observer, 5/15/09)

Chairman Linda Daves, North Carolina Republican Party, made the following statement:

"I join Senator Berger's call for a special prosecutor to look into the alleged lawbreaking of Mike Easley. If Roy Cooper cannot complete a more thorough investigation of the matter than can be conducted by an enterprising journalist, then he cannot be trusted with the task of leading this investigation. The very fact that his spokeswoman can list fellow Democrats that he has investigated only goes to prove that Democrats in state government are a particularly at-risk population for corrupt behaviors."

How the Other Half Lives

2009-05-14T15:25:00.001-04:00

The North Carolina Republican Party released a video entitled "How the Other Half Lives" contrasting the lives of former Democrat Governor Mike Easley and his wife to the lives of the rest of North Carolina's citizens.

McHenry: Keep Politics Out of it

2009-05-13T12:30:00.004-04:00

By Rep. Patrick McHenry
Washington Times
May 13, 2009

COMMENTARY:

The looming 2010 census has gotten considerable attention in Washington. In most cases, it has not been constructive. White House attempts to run the census in-house had two effects. First, they politicized our nation's largest peacetime mobilization. Second, they implied the Census Bureau is incapable of maintaining its high success rate.

Recent actions by the administration, while of a lower profile, elevate fresh concerns about the integrity and accuracy of the 2010 decennial. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke has cautiously said he knows of "no plans" to test a statistical theory that adjusts census data. ...

In media reports of a questionnaire Mr. Groves completed in advance of his hearing, he characterized congressional Republicans as having been the source of efforts to politicize the census. This is patently absurd; with its attempts to circumvent the Commerce Department, the White House clearly crossed that line.

This confusing attempt at creating straw men out of House Republicans is not a harbinger of good things. The census has been apolitical for 219 years - this is not redistricting - and Republicans merely have asked that this tradition be preserved. While redistricting is a partisan tug of war, the data on which it is based should be unassailable.

The enumeration of the census is an Article I function of the Constitution that Congress has assigned to the Commerce Department. However, Congress retains its oversight responsibility. Led by our Oversight subcommittee Chairman William Lacy Clay, Missouri Democrat, we are merely doing our job.

Mr. Groves can move swiftly to vanquish another threat to the integrity of the 2010 census. The infamous political advocacy group ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, is a member of the Census Partnership Program. Partners help recruit census takers. ACORN is an organization enamored of using government forms to commit fraud. The proposition of putting millions of census forms in its hands seems counterintuitive, to say the least.

On Monday, my Republican colleagues and I sent a letter to the bureau asking it to reconsider ACORN as a partner. According to the bureau's guidelines for participation, partners must not "distract from the Census Bureau's mission." If Mr. Groves thinks ACORN's reputation reflects positively on the bureau's mission, we have requested that he defend that position in writing to Congress.

Despite the litany of red flags from the administration, Congress should resist temptation to prejudge Mr. Groves. He can reassure the country that the 2010 census will be accurate and apolitical by ruling out tampering with census results and by dismissing ACORN. Or he can undermine the confidence of Congress and the American people. I respectfully encourage Mr. Groves to choose the former.

Click here to read the full article...

Foxx Cosponsors Bill to Keep Terrorist Detainees Out of NC

2009-05-13T12:24:00.003-04:00

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Virginia Foxx today cosponsored the Keep Terrorists out of America Act (H.R. 2294), a bill that gives governors and state legislatures the right to refuse the transfer of dangerous terrorists from the Guantanamo Bay prison to facilities in the U.S.

“Today Guantanamo Bay holds scores of the world’s most dangerous terrorists and President Obama has made it clear that he plans to close it down within the next nine months,” Foxx said. “Unfortunately it is not clear where the terrorists held at Guantanamo will be placed. This bill ensures that communities in North Carolina are not forced against their will to house terrorists who are bent on destroying our way of life.”

On January 22, 2009, President Obama signed an executive order to close the Guantanamo Bay prison within a year. Since this decision was made, it has not become clear where the hundreds of inmates, including many of those who helped plan and facilitate the 9/11 attacks, will be placed.

The Keep Terrorists out of America Act prohibits the Administration from transferring or releasing any terrorist detainees at Guantanamo Bay to any state without the approval of the state’s governor and legislature. It also requires the President to meet strict certification standards before terrorists held at Guantanamo Bay prison are moved to U.S. soil.

“North Carolinians need to know the plan behind the closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison,” Foxx said. “Important questions must be answered. Will these terrorists be transferred to North Carolina or anywhere else in the United States? Will they be released back onto the battlefield? North Carolinians deserve answers.”

Note: H.R. 2294 prohibits the President from transferring or releasing a terrorist detainee into the United States unless he provides notification and certification to Congress regarding:

 The name of the detainee and transfer/release location in the United States.
 The release/transfer would not negatively impact continued prosecution of the detainee.
 The release/transfer would not negatively impact continued detention of the detainee.
 The ability of federal judges to release detainees into the United States.

Media Watch: N&O Giving Conservatives Reason to be "Paranoid"

2009-05-12T15:01:00.003-04:00

Whenever a conservative stands up to complain that the GOP or conservative causes or candidates are not getting a fair shake from the media, the sentiment is summarily dismissed as "paranoia" or some attempt at self-martyrdom. However, the latest episode involving Governor Easley's alleged misdeeds has shown a double standard being practiced on the editorial page of the News & Observer.

In editorials in today's paper here and here, you will find some harsh critiques of Governor Easley but conspicuously absent is any mention of the party affiliation of our former governor. You're just being paranoid, you say. It's an editorial page. You can't expect them to report party affiliations as if it were a straight news story.

Funny you say that because the N&O editors had no problems identifying Cary Allred as a Republican in unflattering articles that ran on the editorial page just last week.

An even bigger problem is that you see the Easley story already losing momentum. The story broke on a Friday, was in the weekend papers, and is already dwindling down to nothing.

Meanwhile, if there is a story to be reported that casts a negative light on a Republican officeholder, we often see it drag on for days or weeks with several follow-up pieces and reporters going back to the source for multiple comments. The story develops into a meme about all Republican officeholders and casts a negative light on all of our candidates. The GOP has dealing with that problem in one form or another for several years now and it is part of the reason the party finds itself where it currently sits when it comes to having candidates win elections.

For Easley, it's a two day story. The former governor typically stonewalls the media as does his attorney and that's that. Case closed.

This information was out there to be found during Easley's tenure. Conservative bloggers and writers in N.C. were putting this information out during the last election cycle and the mainstream media turned a blind eye. Until the media does a better job of reporting these continuous scandals on the other side in a timely and evenhanded manner, the politicians on the other side of the aisle will never pay a price at the ballot box for their misdeeds. Power is all these people understand. Until they have that taken away, no rule and no law is sacred.

Even though some conservatives won't want to hear this, the press plays a critical role in our democratic society of holding our elected officials accountable. We need the press to do its job better or we will never break the cycle of corruption that has plagued state government in North Carolina.

Larry Kissell Supports "Airport for No One"

2009-05-12T13:08:00.002-04:00

NRCC Press Release
May 12, 2009

Washington- The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) unveiled a new radio ad today holding Democrat Rep. Larry Kissell (D-NC) accountable for his out-of-control spending, which has gone to prop up corrupt Congressman Jack Murtha’s “airport for no one.”

Larry Kissell voted for the $787 billion so-called “stimulus” package, $800,000 of which has been used to fund the Murtha Airport in rural Pennsylvania that serves about 20 people per day. Each plane ticket in and out of this airport is subsidized by American taxpayers’ dollars to the tune of approximately $100. In total, Jack Murtha has racked up a $150 million bill for the “airport for no one” boondoggle – all on the taxpayers’ dime.

“Because Democrats like Larry Kissell failed to hold his own party accountable, his constituents are footing the bill for this egregious pet project,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “The 'airport for no one' is not only an example of the reckless spending that results from one-party rule in Washington, it’s a shrine to a corrupt Democrat who continues to be protected by his party leaders in Washington.”

Click here to listen to the ad...

NC AG Roy Cooper Faces Lawsuit

2009-05-12T12:30:00.003-04:00

This story will surely be making more headlines soon as Roy Cooper faces a defamation lawsuit from a former campaign even as he contemplates a run for U.S. Senate.

Lawsuit against AG advances
By Jay Price
News & Observer
May 9, 2009

More than eight years after it was filed, a defamation suit against Attorney General Roy Cooper may be about to go to trial.
A Superior Court judge Friday denied a motion by Cooper's attorney to dismiss the suit. It was filed against Cooper and some of his campaign staff by Raleigh lawyer Dan Boyce, who was Cooper's opponent in the 2000 election for attorney general, and members of Boyce's family law firm.
Boyce, his father, Gene Boyce; his sister Laura Boyce Isley; and her husband, Philip Isley, said that Cooper's campaign had defamed them and damaged their business by running a television ad that claimed Boyce and his law firm had charged the state exorbitant fees in a lawsuit. ...
Judge W. Osmond Smith III's decision clears the way for a May 18 trial date.

Click here for the full article...

NCGOP: Easley Campaign Finance Violations Must Be Investigated and Punished

2009-05-11T15:15:00.001-04:00

NCGOP Press Release

May 11, 2009

RALEIGH—In an article this weekend in the News & Observer, former Governor Mike Easley is accused of using the private planes of influential donors without reporting them on campaign finance reports. These omissions could have violated state election laws. As detailed by the News & Observer:

"Starting in 2003, Easley took at least 25 flights on private jets, some in apparent violation of campaign laws and ethics rules, documents and interviews show. Some flights were free. The value of others exceeded campaign contribution limits. …

Easley, a Democrat who left office in January, appointed some of the benefactors to boards that oversee state transportation networks, the state's largest universities and other state functions. …

Some donations to Easley were funneled through the state Democratic Party, which is not subject to contribution limits. But under state election laws, a donor cannot give to a specific candidate through a political party." ("Easley's secret flights skirted the law," News & Observer, 5/9/09)

Chairman Linda Daves, North Carolina Republican Party, made the following statement:

"I am appalled by these latest revelations about Mike Easley and his time in office. We have been told many times that the pay-to-play backroom politics have come to an end in North Carolina, however these latest revelations show that just the opposite is true. Not only do actions of this nature by those who call themselves 'public servants' destroy the public trust in our elected officials and government at large, these violations also create an elite political class insulated from the people and incapable of doing anything but ingratiating themselves at the public's expense. There is little doubt that before this latest episode concludes we will have another stain on the public trust thanks to another elected Democrat. We must be rid once and for all of these political leeches who infect the culture of state government. As a citizen of North Carolina, I hope that a thorough investigation of campaign finances directed to Mike Easley or funneled through the state Democratic Party will be expedited and appropriate punishment doled out for any violations that are discovered."

N&O: Easley's Secret Flights Skirted the Law

2009-05-11T15:01:00.002-04:00

A group of affluent supporters flew the former governor where he wanted to go; the expensive trips, to fundraisers and vacations, were rarely reported.

By J. Andrew Curliss
News & Observer
May 9, 2009

While he was governor, Mike Easley turned a small group of influential North Carolina businessmen into his own private air service, an arrangement Easley kept secret.

Starting in 2003, Easley took at least 25 flights on private jets, some in apparent violation of campaign laws and ethics rules, documents and interviews show. Some flights were free. The value of others exceeded campaign contribution limits.

Records show that the businessmen who flew Easley took him around the state and to such places as Atlanta, Richmond, Washington and Florida. Easley, a Democrat who left office in January, appointed some of the benefactors to boards that oversee state transportation networks, the state's largest universities and other state functions.

A review of state flight logs, records of private and political travel, Easley's campaign reports and previously unavailable "governor's event" forms from the state Highway Patrol raise questions about the privileges Easley accepted while he was a candidate and governor.

A cornerstone of modern election law is that candidates disclose what they take in and spend, allowing the public to see who is bankrolling candidates, and ensuring that limits are not exceeded. Corporations in North Carolina are banned from giving, and individuals are limited to $4,000 per candidate during an election cycle.

"It is very troubling to hear of the possibility of significant violations," said Bob Phillips, who heads the nonpartisan advocacy group Common Cause North Carolina, which has been active in seeking campaign reform and lobbying for openness. "Think about how many millions of dollars he raised ... and there's this get-something-for-free attitude."

Violations of the campaign-finance laws can result in civil or misdemeanor criminal penalties.

Records and interviews suggest more flights took place than those shown in documents provided to the newspaper after negotiations with the Highway Patrol, custodian of the records because it provides security for the governor.

Significant amounts of time are missing in the patrol documents -- including the entire year of 2005. E-mail messages, interviews and other documents refer to flights for which no other records have been produced.

Easley, who has taken a job at the McGuire Woods law firm and is a national spokesman on education initiatives for the foundation of Bill and Melinda Gates, would not agree to be interviewed.

His campaign lawyer, John Wallace, declined interview requests. Wallace also represents the state Democratic Party on campaign issues. ...

Click here to read the rest of the article from the News & Observer...

Perdue Popularity Plummets

2009-05-08T15:01:00.003-04:00

A new poll out from the Civitas Institute contains some bad news for Governor Beverly Perdue. In just one month, her popularity rating has fallen 29 points.

Her favorability rating dropped from 58-20 in March to 44-35 in April, a net change of 29 points. That is a enormous decline for one month. There almost seems to be a direct correlation between the state's unemployment rate and her favorability rating. As unemployment goes up, the Governor's numbers get worse.

Even worse news for Perdue is the poll was taken before she announced furloughs for state employees and her new "teacher tax." With Republicans and Independents already skeptical of Perdue's handling of her duties so far, she can ill afford to be losing the confidence of her base. We'll be keeping an eye out to see if voters' lack of confidence continues to erode in the Governor as the fight for the state budget continues.

They Said It! Obama Prefers Government to Make Health Care Decisions

2009-05-08T14:48:00.005-04:00

President Obama in an interview with the New York Times lets slip that he contemplates a government role in selecting treatment options. Funny, I thought patients and doctors ought to be the ones making health care decisions.

"And part of what I think government can do effectively is to be an honest broker in assessing and evaluating treatment options." ("After the Great Recession," New York Times, 5/3/09)

Reader Mail: Governor Perdue Wrong on Teacher Tax

2009-05-07T12:53:00.004-04:00

Mark Otto, a Republican grassroots activist from Johnston County, wrote in to express his frustration with Governor Perdue's new "teacher tax."

As a chief budget writer in the Senate, Democrat Governor Beverly Perdue should accept responsibility for the state’s financial mismanagement and reconsider her order to cut educators’ salaries (or as I call it, the “Teacher Tax”).

I must note that my wife teaches in Johnston County, so readers may think this is personal. It isn’t. We will get by without the agreed-upon pay. In fact, I bet that if Governor Perdue had simply asked teachers if they would be willing to make a sacrifice in the face of the fiscal nightmare the Governor has helped create that many of them would say “yes” but they should expect something in return: Fiscal accountability in Raleigh and elected officials who accept responsibility for their own deeds.

I believe this because as the husband of an educator I have met and spoken to many teachers over the years and I know this for certain: they care about what they do. Not only do teachers teach; they love their students. They care, they counsel, they console and they comfort. They work nights at home and stay late after school. They spend their own money to provide materials when the school budgets come up short. I have witnessed this firsthand from my wife and from so many teachers in Johnston County and elsewhere.

Governor Perdue, we all understand the need to balance a budget, but to do so on the backs of teachers who already give more of themselves than most citizens ever know is simply wrong. Your Teacher Tax is wrong and our educators have earned the courtesy of at least being asked or forewarned so they could plan ahead. You did neither, and I say North Carolina’s teachers deserve better.

Capitol Link: SEANC, GOP Want Executive Oversight of State Health Plan

2009-05-06T12:51:00.001-04:00

Edwards' Nonprofits Also Under Investigation

2009-05-05T16:58:00.000-04:00

WRAL: Edwards Investigated for Misusing Funds

2009-05-04T13:46:00.000-04:00

Why Not Punish Thoughts?

2009-04-30T11:04:00.001-04:00

As hate crimes legislation is being debated anew on Capitol Hill, now is a good time to revisit why conservatives and Republicans have opposed punishing thoughts in our nation's laws.

What is a hate crime? It is a crime that is motivated by bias against a victim who is a representative member of a disfavored or minority group. Should we punish hate crimes? Of course we should, and we do under existing laws. Should we punish certain criminals more harshly because of the identity of their victims? That's where the debate is happening in D.C. this week.

The first reason why we should refuse to punish thoughts is First Amendment principles. Although the freedom of speech and thought has been under siege in recent years and it seems that the real estate where true freedom can be found shrinks more each day, we have consistently stayed out of the brains of Americans and allowed them to think what they like. Even if the thoughts a person has are despicable, distasteful, and unfit for any decent human being, the answer is not to legislate those thoughts away. Hate must be defeated by love, not by law.

If we were to punish criminals for their thoughts, how would we ascertain what they were thinking as they committed a crime? If a person is beat up and robbed and that person is gay or black or a Muslim, how can we know if the true motivation was financial gain or hate-based? Don't all crimes involve hate? Hate for society, hate for our laws, hate for fellow human beings. Can we really expect judges and juries to make appropriate decisions on what was going through a criminal's mind as the offender committed a crime? We cannot punish what we cannot know beyond a reasonable doubt.

Is the suffering any less real no matter if the victim is black or white? Does the family mourn the loss of life any differently regardless of the sexual orientation of the victim? Is the act committed any less of an evil and injustice regardless of what religion the victim practices? Why then should we punish the actions differently depending on who was victimized?

Under current law, if a criminal picks out their victim based on their identification as belonging to a certain group, the criminal targets this person and commits a premeditated offense against the victim then the criminal is punished to the harshest degree under the law. Under current law, the motivation behind the crime is not the determining factor as to what the punishment will be. Financial gain or hate-based bias, criminals are punished regardless of who they choose as a victim.

When a criminal is treated differently based on who they choose as a victim, we call it injustice. We don't make it law.

Myrick Votes Against Budget Conference Report

2009-04-29T16:11:00.000-04:00

Press Release
April 29, 2009

(Washington, DC) – US Representative Sue Myrick (NC-09) has released the following statement on today’s vote on the Fiscal Year 2010 budget conference report:

“I voted against this budget for the same reason I voted against it the first time. It’s still based on out-of-control spending, tax increases to pay for it, and debt that our kids and grandkids will be responsible for paying back for years to come.”

Jones Votes "No" on Big Spending Budget

2009-04-29T16:09:00.001-04:00

Democrats’ budget would nearly triple the national debt over the next 10 years.

Press Release
April 29, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today U.S. Representative Walter B. Jones (R-NC) voted against the conference report for S. Con. Res. 13, a bill setting the congressional budget for the U.S. government for fiscal year 2010 and the budgetary levels for fiscal years 2011 through 2014. The more than $3.55 trillion budget passed the House by a party-line vote of 233 to 193 and is expected to be signed into law by the President.

Congressman Jones’ statement on the Democrats’ budget follows below:

“During difficult times, American families and small businesses make sacrifices and do what they can to tighten their belts and reign in spending. Most people expect the federal government to do the same. Sadly, Washington has chosen to go on a spending spree and ignore the pressing demand for fiscal discipline. Rather than scale back wasteful spending, this budget resolution is projected to nearly triple the national debt over the next 10 years.”

“The spending in this budget resolution calls for a $1.23 trillion deficit for 2010, which will lead to unprecedented borrowing from China, the Middle East, and other foreign countries that own our ballooning debt. Problems that have been caused by too much spending and too much debt simply can’t be solved by more government spending and more federal debt. The fact that April 26^th was already “Debt Day” – the day in the fiscal year when federal spending surpasses revenues – obviously hasn’t registered in Washington. This Congress needs to wake up and realize its moral obligation to avoid passing on a mountain of debt to America’s future generations.”

“While our nation continues to suffer amid a faltering economy, this budget includes $1.5 trillion in tax increases over the next 10 years. It not only imposes new taxes on corporate businesses but raises income taxes, harming the most successful small businesses that pay taxes at the top two individual rates. This budget also includes a new national energy tax that will cost every American household. Hiking taxes during an economic downturn will only hurt small businesses and slow job creation.”

“With its fast-track ‘reconciliation’ procedure to push through sweeping policy changes like government run-health care and its expansion of the federal government through huge increases in spending, taxes, and deficits, this budget resolution will plunge our nation further into debt and keep us from getting back on the right economic track.”

NCGOP in the News: Rep. Paul "Skip" Stam on WRAL's Headline Saturday

2009-04-29T14:43:00.003-04:00

House Republican Leader Paul "Skip" Stam was the featured guest on WRAL's Headline Saturday over the weekend and spoke about Governor Perdue's plans for taxing and spending.

NCGOP in the News: Sen. Phil Berger on Political Connections

2009-04-29T14:39:00.003-04:00

N.C. Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger was a guest of News 14 Carolina’s Tim Boyum on Political Connections this weekend where he had a chance to give the Republican take on the Senate’s tax plan, designed to help fill a budget shortfall that Governor Perdue has admitted will exceed $3 billion.

Click here to view the video from News 14 Carolina...

The Democrat Energy Plan

2009-04-23T12:34:00.001-04:00

Cap and Trade: Caps Economic Growth and Trades Jobs Overseas

Right and Wrong 101

2009-04-22T09:45:00.002-04:00

Lesson #1: Heroes Are Not Terrorists

Feds Looking Into Easley Family's Vehicles

2009-04-21T15:08:00.003-04:00

From WRAL

Federal authorities have asked a Fayetteville car dealer about an SUV provided to former Gov. Mike Easley's son several years ago that Easley recently paid for with campaign money.

Michael Steele on the Napolitano/DHS Statement about US Soldiers

2009-04-21T12:12:00.002-04:00

Obama Administration Under Fire for Paltry Cuts

2009-04-21T11:59:00.002-04:00

AP, Tapper Confront Obama Admin Over $100 Million

Link:

McHenry: Obama Budget Savings = 0.002%

2009-04-20T15:53:00.001-04:00

Encouraged by step in the right direction

WASHINGTON – Congressman Patrick McHenry (NC-10) issued the following statement regarding President Barack Obama’s call for $100 million in administration budget cuts. These savings would amount to a reduction of 0.002% in the federal budget.

“I am encouraged that President Obama has finally recognized the need for fiscal discipline. The first three months of his administration have been defined by boundless government spending. In doing so, the President broke his often-repeated campaign promise to go 'line by line' to identify savings in the federal budget. Although these cuts are too miniscule to be considered anything more than symbolic, at least it’s a step in the right direction. In fact, we could have saved three times that much by not buying a new fleet of cars for government employees in the so-called stimulus bill. As the national debt continues to spiral out of control, I hope President Obama will work in a bipartisan way to reform the careless way in which Washington spends tax dollars.”

N.C. Democrats Caught Trading Favors Again?

2009-04-20T15:02:00.004-04:00

While education and health care are facing funding nightmares, the state budget is in complete disarray, and roads and bridges are falling into disrepair, where are state funds for needed infrastructure going? Bald Head Island. An island known for "isolation" and "affluence" is controlling more than a quarter of state funds set aside for beach and water infrastructure projects. The cynic in me has one question. Who lives on Bald Head Island and how much money are they giving North Carolina Democrats?

Bald Head in line for $5M from state

Gov. Beverly Perdue and the state Senate think Bald Head Island deserves a big chunk of state money to help rebuild its battered beaches.

But spending 28 percent of the state’s total budget for beach and water infrastructure projects on an island renowned for its isolation and affluence is drawing criticism, especially when North Carolina is experiencing record levels of unemployment and facing a multibillion-dollar deficit for the coming fiscal year.

“I have a hard time understanding how that’s a higher priority than after-school programs,” said Chris Fitzsimon, executive director of N.C. Policy Watch, a liberal government watchdog group.

The Brunswick County island at the mouth of the Cape Fear River would receive $5 million of the $17.6 million the N.C. Division of Water Resources would spend during the 2009-10 fiscal year to rebuild beaches, dredge waterways and fund other water-related projects under the budget proposals.

In comparison, the three New Hanover County beach towns would receive $3.6 million in state funding for their nourishment projects, which are all scheduled for next winter. ...

Democrats Want You to Make Less and Pay More

2009-04-20T14:49:00.003-04:00

Democrats in North Carolina, taking the advice of national Democrats, apparently never want to "waste" a good crisis. They want to use the recession as an excuse to... wait for it... RAISE TAXES! Asking North Carolinians to pay more when they make less is not the way to end a recession.

Quick unscientific survey. By show of hands, please indicate if you think you are paying too little in taxes. Now, please raise your hand if you think Democrats in Raleigh are spending too much of your money. End of survey.

Senate plan would broaden tax base, lower rates

By Jordan Schrader
Asheville Citizen-Times
April 19, 2009

State Senate leaders are drawing up tax changes that would add $500 million to state coffers, in part by taxing a broader share of the money North Carolinians make and the services they spend it on.

The proposal they expect to unveil as early as Wednesday would offset some of those changes by bringing down the rates of income tax and sales tax.

Senate Finance Committee chairmen say their plan would make the tax code fairer by eliminating deductions and exemptions taken by a few and lowering the rates paid by everyone.

Those goals are shared by recent study commissions that have scoured the state tax code. The difference: Some key studies call for maintaining, not expanding, total revenues. Senators are looking to increase the state's take, drawing opposition from those who say a recession is the worst time to ask taxpayers for more.

But senators say their plan will provide needed filler for a budget hole expected to top $3 billion and a more stable source of funds to prevent future fiscal nightmares.

“That's when you have to do it, because your system is broken,” said one of the three committee chairmen, Sen. Dan Clodfelter, a Charlotte Democrat. “If you don't fix it, you'll just continue to limp along.”

Jobs Plan? What Jobs Plan?

2009-04-20T11:41:00.003-04:00

The unemployment rate rose slightly in N.C. last month from 10.7 to 10.8 percent. However, those numbers might not be as encouraging as hoped at first glance according to economists quoted in the Winston-Salem Journal. Meanwhile, North Carolinians are still waiting on a jobs plan that empowers small business owners from Governor Perdue. Nothing so far.

Number not what is seems; small rise in N.C.'s jobless rate comes with a caveat, experts say

The slight increase in the North Carolina's unemployment rate to 10.8 percent in March may appear a welcome breather given that the rate has doubled in the past year.

However, economists cautioned yesterday that the state . likely hasn't seen a peak in its unemployment rate, and that the 0.1 percentage-point increase was likely caused by nearly 31,000 people no longer being considered as unemployed.

The increase -- reported yesterday by the N.C. Employment Security Commission -- continued the streak of setting a new monthly high for the unemployment rate. ...

When it comes to determining the rate, the commission primarily counts people who are without a job and actively looking for work. ...

Eventually, people who stop looking -- whether out of frustration or by choice -- are removed from the unemployment data.

They aren't the only ones unaccounted for in the data. Others include stay-at-home spouses, retirees, full-time students, people attached to their former employer through severance packages, and people without jobs who have moved into the state.
The unemployment rate also doesn't account for people who are underemployed -- those who are working in full- or part-time jobs below their skill levels.

Economists say that if all those people are factored into the jobless rate, it could be as much as three percentage points higher.

That's why Michael Walden, an economics professor at N.C. State University in Raleigh, said that the slight increase in the jobless rate was not good news.

"The lesson is keep your eye on the number employed, not the unemployment rate," Walden said. ...

Is This Guy Serious?

2009-04-16T12:15:00.005-04:00

I'm all for working class Americans paying less in taxes, although I certainly wish it was coupled with reductions in spending at the federal level. That being said, the amount of self-congratulatory back patting going on at the yesterday's press conference with the President was beyond the pale.

In the video below, the President claims his tax relief plan has allowed families to buy their first homes, send children to college, invest in retirement plans, and start new businesses. He also claims to have lifted 2 million Americans out of poverty presumably with the approximate $600 a year in relief of the tax burden for most American workers.

Mr. President, we're talking about $13 a week. That's about the cost of two Starbucks trips per week. It's a little more than one tank of gas per month in tax savings.

Who are you kidding?

Tax Day Tea Parties Across NC a Success

2009-04-16T11:18:00.001-04:00

From NBC17 Raleigh:

From WITN Greenville:

From WECT Wilmington:

From WBTV Charlotte:

From WLOS Asheville
From WCTI New Bern

Just Tax

2009-04-15T16:03:00.002-04:00

In honor of tax day and just for fun, I give you "Just Tax," a Lady Gaga parody from Peter Cowan, a student at the University of Washington.

HT: TechRepublican

Democrats Refuse "Choose Life" Plate

2009-04-15T12:09:00.002-04:00

The state of North Carolina currently allows 130 specialized license plates to be purchased for cars of NC drivers. 22 states allow drivers to select a specialized "Choose Life" plate.

Still, NC Democrats are standing in the way of pro-life advocates who wish to be able to choose life when they choose their license plate. If approved, $15 from every plate sold would benefit the Carolina Pregnancy Care Fellowship, a nonprofit that seeks to provide alternatives to abortion for would-be mothers desperately searching for a better option.

For the record, no one is stopping Rep. Ty Harrell or anyone else from creating a "Right to Choose" plate whose proceeds partially fund Planned Parenthood or another pro-abortion group. But why stand on principle when you can just silence others? Isn't that the mantra of NC Democrats?

Quote of the Day

2009-04-15T10:52:00.002-04:00

"Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the Democrats believe every day is April 15." Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States (1911-2004)

Tax Day Tea Parties Set for April 15 Across NC

2009-04-14T14:27:00.003-04:00

Citizens are stepping up to tell their government and elected officials that we are TAXED ENOUGH ALREADY! Be a part of nationwide movement of common sense. The government should not spend more than it takes in. If we have to live on tight budgets, the government must do the same thing! Restore sanity to the budgeting process! Make your voice heard!

Click HERE to learn about a Tea Party going on in your area...

NC Spin's Tom Campbell Compares NC Senate to Caste System

2009-04-14T11:21:00.004-04:00

Tom Campbell of NC Spin wrote last week in a column about the operations of the NC Senate and how much they resemble a caste system not unlike what can be seen in India today.

The North Carolina State Senate proclaimed a budget this week and the process resembles the way a caste system operates.

At the top you have a handful of “those who know what is best.” In India, they are called the Brahmins. They breathe rarified air and do not like open meetings or open doors. About 10 in number, they are all Democrats, mostly white, mostly older males. One is not to question, just accept their edicts as truth.

He goes on to describe the other Senate Democrats as "sheep" and Senate Republicans as the "outcasts." Campbell then explains how we got here and what we can do to end the system.

The game changer occurred when both the Speaker and Pro Tem became the chief fundraisers for their respective houses. These powerful people now had large sums to see their friends elected and gave massive funds to the state political parties, earmarked for these friends as unlimited “in kind” contributions.

Here’s how it works. Those who know what’s best dole out large sums of cash to elect friends to office. Those friends, when elected, keep those who know what’s best in power, and if they vote like good sheep, meaning the way the power wants them to, they get enough campaign money to get re-elected.

This system will remain in place as long as we allow those who know what’s best to buy their flocks or members. Cut off the flow of money and you will break the rank and file dependence on those in power. Until then, the caste system will continue alive and well.

Happy Tax Freedom Day!

2009-04-13T12:24:00.001-04:00

American Celebrates Tax Freedom Day

By Josh Barro
The Tax Foundation

Tax Freedom Day® will arrive on April 13 this year, the 103rd day of 2009. That means Americans will work about three and a half months of the year, from January 1 to April 13, before they have earned enough money to pay this year's tax obligations at the federal, state and local levels. Tax Freedom Day falls a full two weeks earlier in 2009 than it did in 2007. In fact, not since 1967 has Tax Freedom Day come earlier than this year's April 13 date.

This shift has been driven by two factors: the recession has reduced tax collections even faster than it has reduced income; and the stimulus package, a.k.a. HR 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, includes large temporary tax cuts for 2009 and 2010. Nevertheless, in 2009, Americans will pay more in taxes than they will spend on food, clothing and housing combined.

While tax revenues are falling, government expenditures are expected to explode in 2009, also driven in significant part by HR 1. Tax Freedom Day, like almost all tax burden measures, ignores the current year's deficits. If the projected deficit for 2009 were counted as a tax, Tax Freedom Day would arrive on May 29 instead of April 13-the latest date ever for this deficit-inclusive measure.

NC Taxpayer Clock

2009-04-13T12:08:00.002-04:00

The NC Taxpayer Clock on the NCGOP.org has been updated to reflect the Governor's proposed budget for FY2009-2010. Go there now to learn how quickly N.C. Democrats plan to spend your tax dollars under their proposed plans. Contact your legislators to tell them to stop spending your money quicker than you can earn it! N.C. needs a reasonable and open budget process for the good of our citizens and our government.

Click here to see the clock now!

"Undemocratic and Offensive"

2009-04-13T11:45:00.002-04:00

Chris Fitzsimon of the left-leaning NC Policy Watch, not exactly the best friend of Republicans, is raking N.C. Democrats over the coals for their closed process of budget making in the General Assembly. He calls their actions, "undemocratic and offensive." His critique of Republican legislators' actions is only that they don't complain nearly enough. Not only are Democrats making a mockery of the legislative process, they are trampling our very democratic institutions of government. By not allowing reasonable debate in the N.C. Senate, Majority Leader Tony Rand and other Democrats are forcing votes on a budget very few legislators from either side of the aisle have seen and fully understand. This is not just bad policy. It is dangerous. Deliberative bodies like the N.C. Senate were put in place so that laws would be carefully considered and studied before being foisted upon the public. This is particularly important when our elected representatives are debating the best way to spend more than $20 billion of our money.

To read Fitzsimon's full article, click here...

Myrick: "We Have to Stop Living on Borrowed Money."

2009-04-09T15:17:00.002-04:00

On April 4, Rep. Myrick participated in the Carolina Taxpayer Tea Party in Uptown Charlotte. Joined by hundreds of taxpayers from North and South Carolina, she said that the government must stop running on borrowed money and get spending under control. Click here for the full story.

Last week, Rep. Myrick voted for fiscal responsibility by voting for the Republican Budget Alternative for FY 2010. "How is increasing taxes by $1.5 trillion over ten years, increasing discretionary spending by 8.6 percent, and bringing our total national debt to $17.1 trillion considered a responsible thing to do in this economy?" Rep. Myrick said in a statement. "I voted for a Republican Budget Alternative that controls spending, decreases taxes for families and small businesses, and stops putting trillions of dollars in debt on the shoulders of our children and grandchildren."

Number of the Day

2009-04-08T11:58:00.003-04:00

$7,300,000,000

N.C. First District Congressional Representative G.K. Butterfield requested $7.3 billion in earmarks requests in the Democrats' federal budget. The Wilson Democrat then hid the numbers under a tab on his Congressional website unlike his collegues who have placed the information on the home pages of their websites. When a Democrat requests that much new spending during a recession, it is no wonder he would want to keep it under the radar. You can view the full list of earmarks here.

Bad Policies Fuel Energy Crisis

2009-04-06T12:33:00.003-04:00

In the newly released of edition of Newsweek, Former Speaker Newt Gingrich pens an article blaming years of bad policies for the energy crisis facing average Americans today.

For the past 30 years, America has grown increasingly dependent upon foreign sources of energy, sending American dollars to countries that are hostile to American interests and leaving us vulnerable to wild fluctuations in energy prices.

This energy crisis has not gone unnoticed in Washington. Every U.S. president since Richard Nixon has spoken about the need to make America more energy-independent. Despite their strong words, no rational strategy has been implemented for achieving that goal. In fact, where government has acted, it has usually made the problem worse. ...

Instead, America is suffering from an artificial energy crisis, one that is the product of our government's policies, not despite them. For example, until September 2008, Congress had made it illegal to drill for oil and natural gas in most areas off our coasts. Congress still forbids the development of the vast shale-oil reserves in the Rocky Mountains even though there are promising technologies that could make extracting oil from shale economically competitive. In addition, laws passed in the 1970s banning the recycling of spent nuclear fuel forced nuclear-power plants to invest in techniques to dispose of the fuel; the long-running feud over where to store the spent fuel has helped prevent the construction of more plants. ...

And now, in 2009, instead of making energy cheaper—which would help create jobs and save Americans money—President Obama wants to impose a cap-and-trade regime. Such a plan would have the effect of an across-the-board energy tax on every American. That will make our artificial energy crisis even worse—and raising taxes during a deep economic recession will only accelerate American job losses.

The Obama administration's own budget director is on record predicting an increase of about $1,300 in the price of energy for the average American from this type of energy tax. As a candidate, Obama himself recognized the pain this would cause every American: "Under my plan … electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket."

What America needs is a rational energy policy that utilizes all our homegrown energy resources while protecting the environment. ...

Click here to read the full article...

The Better Budget

2009-04-01T12:10:00.004-04:00

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) writes in this morning's Wall Street Journal of the GOP's alternative budget and its benefits for American taxpayers and families of all income levels. Republicans plan to push forward an alternative budget in Congress which will not exponentially increase debt, will provide solutions to the pressing problems of energy, health care, entitlements, and the tax code, and will lead to stronger job creation than what is offered under the President's plan.

The GOP's Alternative Budget

By Paul D. Ryan
Wall Street Journal

...Here's an outline of what we propose:

- Deficits/Debt. The Republican budget achieves lower deficits than the Democratic plan in every year, and by 2019 yields half the deficit proposed by the president. By doing so, we control government debt: Under our plan, debt held by the public is $3.6 trillion less during the budget period.

- Spending. Our budget gives priority to national defense and veterans' health care. We freeze all other discretionary spending for five years, allowing it to grow modestly after that. We also place all spending under a statutory spending cap backed up by tough budget enforcement.

- Energy. Our budget lays a firm foundation to position the U.S. to meet three important strategic energy goals: reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil, deploying more clean and renewable energy sources free of greenhouse gas, and supporting economic growth. We do these things by rejecting the president's cap-and-trade scheme, by opening exploration on our nation's oil and gas fields, and by investing the proceeds in a new clean energy trust fund, infrastructure and further deficit reduction.

- Entitlements. Our budget also takes steps toward fulfilling the mission of health and retirement security, in part by making these programs fiscally sustainable. The budget moves toward making quality health care affordable and accessible to all Americans by strengthening the relationship between patients and their doctors, not the dictates of government bureaucrats. We preserve the existing Medicare program for all those 55 or older; and then, to make the program sustainable and dependable, those 54 and younger will enter a Medicare program reformed to work like the health plan members of Congress and federal employees now enjoy. Starting in 2021, seniors would receive a premium support payment equal to 100% of the Medicare benefit on average. This would be income related, so low-income seniors receive extra support, and high-income seniors receive support relative to their incomes -- along the same lines as the president's Medicare Part D proposal.

We strengthen the Medicaid safety net by converting the federal share of Medicaid payments into an allotment tailored for each state's low-income population. This will enhance state flexibility and sensitivity to spending growth.

In one of the most valued government programs -- Social Security -- our budget begins to develop a bipartisan solution to the program's pending bankruptcy by incorporating some of the reforms advocated by the president's budget director. Specifically, we provide for a trigger that would make small adjustments in the benefits for higher-income beneficiaries if the Social Security Administration determines the Social Security Trust Fund cannot meet its obligations. This is a modest but serious proposal which would not affect those in or near retirement, but is aimed at helping develop a consensus, across party lines, toward saving this important retirement program. We also assure that benefits for lower-income recipients are large enough to keep them out of poverty.

- Tax Reform. Our budget does not raise taxes, and makes permanent the 2001 and 2003 tax laws. In fact, we cut taxes and reform the tax system. Individuals can choose to pay their federal taxes under the existing code, or move to a highly simplified system that fits on a post card, with few deductions and two rates. Specifically, couples pay 10% on their first $100,000 in income (singles on $50,000) and 25% above that. Capital gains and dividends are taxed at 15%, and the death tax is repealed. The proposal includes generous standard and personal exemptions such that a family of four earning $39,000 would not pay tax on that amount. In an effort to revive peoples' lost savings, and to create an incentive for risk-taking and investment, the budget repeals the capital gains tax through 2010 for all taxpayers.

On the business side, the budget permanently cuts the uncompetitive corporate income tax rate -- currently the second highest in the industrialized world -- to 25%. This puts American companies in a better position to lead in the global economy, promotes jobs here at home, and strengthens worker paychecks.

We hope the administration and Democratic leaders in Congress do not distort and preach fear about our Republican plan. Some may be tempted to appeal to the darker emotions of envy and insecurity that surely run high in times like these. Yet we know Americans are stronger, smarter and prouder than this ploy assumes.

In the recent past, the Republican Party failed to offer the nation an inspiring vision and a concrete plan to tackle our problems with innovative and principled solutions. We do not intend to repeat that mistake. America is not the greatest nation on earth by chance. We earned this greatness by rewarding individual achievement, by advancing and protecting natural rights, and by embracing freedom. We intend to continue this uniquely American tradition.

Mr. Ryan, from Wisconsin, is the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee.

Will Larry Kissell Raise Energy Costs on North Carolinians During Hard Times?

2009-03-31T15:24:00.003-04:00

The NRCC put out a press release this afternoon asking if Larry Kissell will raise energy costs for struggling North Carolinians just when they can afford it the least. It's a good question and one that Rep. Kissell should answer for his constituents in the Eighth District.

Will Larry Kissell Support Devastating Energy Tax?
North Carolina Families Would Suffer from Skyrocketing Home Heating Costs Under “Cap-and-Tax”

Washington- Despite Democrats’ promises to deliver tax relief to families who need it the most, the recent budget proposal from the White House includes a “cap-and-trade” provision that should more appropriately be named the “cap-and-tax” provision, because if it became law it would raise energy taxes on every single person who flips on a light switch. As Congress takes the President’s federal budget under consideration, North Carolina families deserve to know if Rep. Larry Kissell (D-NC) would support such a devastating energy tax proposal.

The cap-and-tax proposal made by President Obama would drastically increase electricity rates for every American, causing additional hardships for already struggling North Carolina families. A new analysis shows that electricity rates could rise by as much as $6.4 billion per year, costing a North Carolina family of four approximately an additional $2,797 per year.

NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain asks, “Will Larry Kissell put partisan allegiances ahead of struggling workers and support a fiscally irresponsible cap-and-tax proposal that will increase energy bills, raise taxes and overwhelm the budgets of American families? The last thing that American families need to worry about right now is whether they will be able to cool their homes this summer or keep their families warm next winter.”

Families in North Carolina would be even more drastically affected, as so many families’ homes are heated with expensive fuels: MIT researchers released an “Assessment of U.S. Cap-and-Trade Proposals,” which shows that the increase would be an increase of more than $3,000 a year for each household. (A Report of the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Climate Change; Assessment of U.S. Cap and Trade Proposals; http://web.mit.edu/globalchange/www/MITJPSPGC_Rpt146.pdf.)

What’s more disturbing is that low-income families would take the hardest hit from this “cap-and-tax” proposal: Testimony from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) revealed that, “The rise in prices would impose a larger burden, relative to income, on low-income households than on high-income households for two reasons. First, low-income households spend a much larger fraction of their income than do high-income households. In addition, energy-intensive items compose a greater share of low-income households’ total expenditures.” (CBO Congressional Testimony; The Distributional Consequences of a Cap-and-Trade Program for CO2 Emissions. http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/100xx/doc10018/03-12%20ClimateChange_Testimony.1.1.shtml)

(Source: House Committee on Ways and Means Republican Staff, Analysis of Annual Increase in Electricity Costs, http://list.nrcc.org/t/2191043/10052024/3375/0/,
3/26/09)

Reader Mail: Tired of the New Change?

2009-03-30T11:32:00.002-04:00

Linda, a teacher from Goldsboro, writes in to express her frustration with the administration and Democrats in Congress and also to raise awareness for the Goldsboro "New American Tea Party" coming up on April 15.

Are you already tired of the new CHANGE? The current administration is passing bills that will regulate our lives and leave our children and grandchildren in huge debt for many years. As concerned citizens, we are against more taxes, governmental controls and these huge deficits. When AIG received a federal loan guarantee of $180 billion to prevent bankruptcy, and then gave some $165 million to its company’s derelict executives the public was outraged.

Congress was in an uproar. Lawmakers rushed out to demand all sorts of penalties for these greedy bankers. Soon, they passed an unprecedented special tax law just to confiscate 90 percent of these contracted bonuses.

However, those who shouted the loudest for the heads of the AIG executives had the dirtiest hands. President Obama appeared to be outraged at their greed, but he signed their bonus provisions into law. In addition, Obama accepted over $100,000 in AIG donations during his campaign.

Rep. Charles Rangel, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, acted even more infuriated at such greed, but he helped pass the retroactive tax bill. Yet for years, Mr. Rangel - who is in trouble over back taxes owed and misuse of his subsidized New York apartments - had tried to entice AIG executives to fund his Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at the City College of New York.

Sen. Christopher Dodd was the fieriest in his denunciations of Wall Street greed. Yet he was the one who inserted the bonus provision into the bailout bill, despite later denying it. And Mr. Dodd has taken more AIG money than anyone else in Congress - in addition to getting VIP loan rates from the disgraced Countrywide Financial Corp. mortgage bank.

Then, there is the budget... Mr. Obama inherited an annual budget deficit and a ballooning $11 trillion national debt, but nevertheless promised us a new national health plan, bigger entitlements in education and a vast new cap-and-trade energy program.

But paying for Mr. Obama’s $3.5 trillion budget seems to be a problem. Proposed additional taxes on the "rich" still won't provide enough revenue to avoid tripling the present budget deficit - and therefore putting us on track to add another $9 trillion to the existing national debt during the next decade. It appears that under this administration, we will receive much higher taxes and higher deficits than under any previous administrations.

This presents a BIG problem. Our government is spending money we don't have! Our lawmakers are telling us that the “rich” will pick up the tab, even though there are not enough “rich” people to foot the bill. Our new political leaders, who have gained power by appealing to people’s emotions and prejudices, have diligently sought to convince us that more government control and big spending is the best course of action.

Likeminded citizens are invited to attend a “New American Tea Party” at Goldsboro City Hall, at 12:00 Noon, April 15, to pray for our leaders, and let our voices be heard.

Senator Burr Launches New Website for Re-election

2009-03-26T13:55:00.002-04:00

From Senator Richard Burr...

Brooke and I wanted to let you know that my campaign has a new website which I hope you will visit soon. Through this website you will be able to read recent news articles about what I am doing in the U.S. Senate, stay up-to-date with my campaign activities and learn about ways you can volunteer for my 2010 re-election effort.

The new site, www.burrforsenate.com, will be a great place for you to stay connected to me and my campaign. From my site you can link to my Facebook page and other social networking sites. Tell your friends about the new site so they can sign up to receive campaign e-mail updates such as this one. There is even a link where you can let me know if you are wiling to volunteer on my re-election campaign.

Check out my new site today. Just go to www.burrforsenate.com. Let me know what you think.

Thanks for your support.

Richard Burr

Myrick Supports Proposal to Help All Homeowners

2009-03-26T10:56:00.000-04:00

Press Release
March 26, 2009

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Representative Sue Myrick (NC-09) today announced her support of a proposal to stabilize the housing market through tax credits for homeowners and additional incentives for lenders to work with homeowners to avoid foreclosure.

“Homeownership is one of the most important long-term investments families can make,” Rep. Myrick said. “By offering these tax credits, we’re giving Americans – who invest a responsible down payment – the incentive to buy homes, increase their own wealth, invest in the economy, and help the housing industry to reduce the oversupply of houses.”

The proposal also offers a $5,000 refinancing credit so that homeowners can cover the cost of mortgage refinancing, buy down points or reduce their principal balance. Lenders would be given increased incentive to renegotiate troubled mortgages in exchange for homeowners agreeing to share a portion of future home appreciation with their lender. Under the Responsible Homeowners Act, lenders would not be taxed on this future profit, and homeowners would not incur any tax liability as a result of the refinancing. Homeowners would be able to take advantage of these provisions on purchases made before July 1, 2010.

It would also direct the FBI, Department of Justice and FHA to increase efforts to identify mortgage fraud and prosecute these cases.

“This proposal will help correct the housing market without rewarding irresponsible lenders and consumers who took advantage of the system in ways that have led to the problems we see today.” Rep. Myrick said.

Foxx Leaving the Democrats Stumped

2009-03-26T10:16:00.002-04:00

Congresswoman Virginia Foxx of North Carolina asks a simple question to Congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy of Ohio. However simple, Congresswoman Kilroy struggles for answers.

Echoes From Across the Pond

2009-03-25T15:30:00.002-04:00

Daniel Hannan MEP: The devalued Prime Minister of a devalued Government

Daniel Hannan, MEP for South East England, gives a speech during Gordon Brown´s visit to the European Parliament on 24th March, 2009. Read Daniel´s blog at www.hannan.co.uk

"You cannot spend your way out of recession or borrow your way out of debt."

Carolina Journal Online: Republican Leader Questions Gas Tax Payment

2009-03-25T11:17:00.003-04:00

Carolina Journal Online had an exclusive interview with Republican Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) in which he questioned the use of gas tax revenue to join the Climate Registry while our roads and infrastructure across the state remain underfunded and in disrepair.

RALEIGH — State Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, isn’t keen on using North Carolina gasoline tax revenue to join the Climate Registry, a California-based nonprofit that seeks to fight global warming.

Berger recently criticized the use of gas tax funds for expenditures unrelated to transportation, including two payments made by the N.C. Division of Air Quality to the registry.

“We’ve talked for years about the transfer from the highway trust fund of the $170 million, plus the additional [money] that Easley and the Democrats approved over the last 10 years or so,” Berger said in a telephone interview with Carolina Journal. “There has not been a lot of discussion about the other transfers of those dollars, and this is just another example.”

DAQ authorized two contributions of $50,000 to the registry in 2007 and 2008. Half of the funds were drawn from DAQ’s share of the state gas tax (4/32 of a cent for each gallon sold), the other half from an Environmental Protection Agency grant to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, of which DAQ is a part.

The registry is a national nonprofit that seeks to convince companies, organizations, and state and local governments to report their greenhouse gas emissions in hopes of reducing climate change. ...

North Carolina has the 14th highest combined local, state, and federal gas tax in the United States at 49.5 cents per gallon, according to data from the American Petroleum Institute. In the Southeast, the Tar Heel State has the third-highest tax rate behind Florida and West Virginia.

One of the reasons for North Carolina’s transportation problems is because of lawmakers “siphoning off” gas tax funds, Berger said.

“I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be spending money on the Climate Registry,” he said. “What I’m saying is that, in terms of where the dollars are coming from and what people think that they’re paying taxes for, it certainly is not [appropriate] for the state of North Carolina to pay dues or to join a climate registry.”

Number of the Day

2009-03-25T09:23:00.002-04:00

$9,300,000,000,000

The 10-year deficit total under President Obama's spending plan that he is sending to Congress. Under President Obama's plan, the United States will take on more debt during his term as president than we have in our history as a nation from the election of George Washington up to now.

Jones to Congress: "No More Bailouts"

2009-03-24T16:35:00.002-04:00

Jones Cosponsors No More Bailouts Resolution

Press Release

March 24, 2009

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Walter B. Jones (R-NC) has joined Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS) as a cosponsor of H. Res. 199, the No More Bailouts Resolution. The resolution calls on Congress to stop spending billions of borrowed taxpayer dollars on bailouts for private industries.

“Over the past year, financial markets have been infused with well over a trillion dollars from the federal government – including $200 billion to bailout Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, $29 billion for Bear Stearns, $85 billion for AIG, $700 billion for Wall Street, $25 billion for automakers, and $247.5 billion for Citigroup,” Congressman Jones said. “Yet instead of driving economic growth, these bailouts have done nothing but fuel public anger over how these institutions are spending the taxpayers’ money.”

“Bailout after bailout, the American taxpayer gets put on the hook again and again,” Jones continued. “There seems to be no recognition by government officials that many taxpayers face just as difficult of an environment as the financial institutions they are being forced to bailout – the kind of bailout for which individuals and small business are ineligible to apply.”

“Without a doubt, our country is in serious economic turmoil. But passing massive government bailouts at the expense of the American taxpayer and future generations is not the proper solution. Applying bailout band-aids merely rewards the executives and companies who have broken their promises and helped put our economy in its current sorry state – it doesn’t address the root of our nation’s economic problems,” Jones said. “For this reason, I’m proud to join Congressman Tiahrt in his call for Congress to help American workers and businesses achieve long-term prosperity through incentives for private-sector solutions instead of government bailouts. I hope many more of our congressional colleagues will join us in saying, ‘No more bailouts!’”

Constitution? What Constitution?

2009-03-24T12:09:00.004-04:00

George Will, in his column for the Washington Post today, runs down the litany of consitutional abuses that have gone on so far with the new Congress and the Obama administration in power. Democrats have taken a no-holds-barred approach to governance, run ramshod over previous promises of bipartisanship, and have displayed ignorance and outright disdain for constitutional mandates.

... From Mexico, America is receiving needed instruction about fundamental rights and the rule of law. A leading Democrat trying to abolish the right of workers to secret ballots in unionization elections is California's Rep. George Miller who, with 15 other Democrats, in 2001 admonished Mexico: "The secret ballot is absolutely necessary in order to ensure that workers are not intimidated into voting for a union they might not otherwise choose." Last year, Mexico's highest court unanimously affirmed for Mexicans the right that Democrats want to strip from Americans.

Congress, with the approval of a president who has waxed censorious about his predecessor's imperious unilateralism in dealing with other nations, has shredded the North American Free Trade Agreement. Congress used the omnibus spending bill to abolish a program that was created as part of a protracted U.S. stall regarding compliance with its obligation to allow Mexican long-haul trucks on U.S roads. ... Mexico has resorted to protectionism -- tariffs on many U.S. goods -- in retaliation for Democrats' protection of the Teamsters union.

NAFTA, like all treaties, is the "supreme law of the land." So says the Constitution. It is, however, a cobweb constraint on a Congress that, ignoring the document's unambiguous stipulations that the House shall be composed of members chosen "by the people of the several states," is voting to pretend that the District of Columbia is a state. Hence it supposedly can have a Democratic member of the House and, down the descending road, two Democratic senators. Congress rationalizes this anti-constitutional willfulness by citing the Constitution's language that each house shall be the judge of the "qualifications" of its members and Congress can "exercise exclusive legislation" over the District. What, then, prevents Congress from giving House and Senate seats to Yellowstone National Park, over which Congress exercises exclusive legislation? Only Congress' capacity for embarrassment. So, not much.

The Federal Reserve, by long practice rather than law, has been insulated from politics in performing its fundamental function of preserving the currency as a store of value -- preventing inflation. Now, however, by undertaking hitherto uncontemplated functions, it has become an appendage of the executive branch. The coming costs, in political manipulation of the money supply, of this forfeiture of independence could be steep.

Jefferson warned that "great innovations should not be forced on slender majorities." But Democrats, who trace their party's pedigree to Jefferson, are contemplating using "reconciliation" -- a legislative maneuver abused by both parties to severely truncate debate and limit the minority's right to resist -- to impose vast and controversial changes on the 17 percent of the economy that is health care. ...

This is but a partial list of recent lawlessness, situational constitutionalism and institutional derangement. Such political malfeasance is pertinent to the financial meltdown as the administration, desperately seeking confidence, tries to stabilize the economy by vastly enlarging government's role in it.

Tea Party Draws Attention at State Capitol

2009-03-23T11:41:00.002-04:00

Pork fried at Capitol protest
Stimulus wrong, protesters say

By Jonathan B. Cox
News & Observer
March 22, 2009

Pork got a lot of attention at the State Capitol on Saturday.

People dined on it. They held signs about it and greeted a pig-suited mascot who wandered the crowd to draw attention to it.

The pork of interest, though, had nothing to do with the tangy treat of North Carolina.

This pork had the unsavory flavor of government waste.

More than 200 people gathered in Raleigh to protest taxes, corporate bailouts and all manner of federal and state spending.

"Don't tread on me," the assemblage chanted above a cacophony of bagpipes, marching bands and the toot-toot of antique car horns as Raleigh's delayed St. Patrick's Day parade passed nearby. ...

"Pork is for BBQ. It is not a stimulant," another sign stated.

The event, billed as a modern-day tea party, captured a sentiment of frustration with the government's efforts to aid banks, automakers and homeowners.

Those in attendance said the government, by intervening in the markets, is rewarding the irresponsible behavior of executives and homebuyers who made bad bets. And, protesters said, government leaders are burdening taxpayers with their actions.

"I'm just concerned about the amount of spending our government is doing," said Donna Jenkins, 32, of Creedmoor, a stay-at-home mother of two.

"We're indebting our children and our grandchildren," she said.

Similar tea parties have taken place across the country in recent weeks, and more are planned into April when income taxes are due. ...

County Spotlight: Union County GOP Makes History

2009-03-19T15:02:00.003-04:00

Historic Vote

By Tamara Wilson

The Enquirer Journal

March 14, 2009

The Union County GOP made history Saturday when it elected the Rev. Jim Bention, the county's first black chairman. …

Bention served as vice-chairman of the Union County GOP for the past two years. As the majority party in Union County, Bention stated that the focus in the past was to "keep our finger in the dam, if you will." But as the newly elected chairman, Bention sees an opportunity to educate all voters and reintroduce black constituents to the Republican Party. Bention noted that most would assume the Union County Democratic Party would have elected a black chairman before its Republican counterpart. "So we have made history and hopefully we have made a statement to the black citizens of Union County that the Republican Party is your party and we welcome you. And in some cases we welcome you back."

Bention hopes that his election will offer others inspiration to get reacquainted with the local party and local politics. "There is a rich history, especially when it comes to the black community. Some have muddled our message." Bention conceded that he had opposition, but hopes that his election will serve as a positive example. "Hopefully they will see that a black person can come up through the party, work as a precinct chairman, work as a vice-chairman…and ultimately can become the chairman of the county party."

Bention will also concentrate on building a grass-roots "machine" in Union County. Bention believes Democrats during the last election "out-communicated" us. Bention says the party will focus on creating a message and distributing that message in a fluid, efficient way. ….

Click here for the full article...

AFP and Grassroots Activists Holding Tea Party Protests Across NC

2009-03-19T11:24:00.002-04:00

TEA PARTIES ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA TO PROTEST GOVERNOR PERDUE'S PROPOSED TAX HIKES!

Governor Beverly Perdue recently proposed steep tax increases amounting to $680 million in her budget proposal intended to stimulate North Carolina’s bruised economy.

AFP- North Carolina is providing support to the many grassroots activists across the country to protest not only Governor Perdue's tax hikes, but all federal bailouts, spending sprees, so-called stimulus packages, earmarks and fiscal irresponsibility in national, state, and local governments.Please attend one or more of these events and help us spread the word.

Our economic freedom is under attack and we must fight back. All of the events below are free and open to the public. (If you are having an event and we don’t have it listed, please email info@afpnc.org)

Date: Saturday, March 21, 2009

Raleigh

12:00-2:00 pm

NC State Capitol (east side) downtown Raleigh
Free Lunch for the first 150 people who attend. Rain or shine.

Date: Saturday, April 4, 2009

Charlotte

11:00-1:00pm

Marshall Park, Second and McDowell Streets, 28204

Need info? info@afphq.org

Date: Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Wilmington

5:30 pm

Wilmington Tea Party on the Cape Fear River: “Taxation Without Representation”Protest at the waterfront by the Federal Building in Wilmington. Federal Building is located at N. Water Street between Market and Princess.

Then, the Tea Party will march to City Hall for a City Council meeting at 6:30 pm. One item on the agenda is a public hearing for the annexation of Monkey Junction area.City Hall is at 102 N. 3rd Street, Wilmington, NC 28402
Register online here.

Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Edenton

5:00 pm

Edenton Courthouse Green ( Chowan County)
Note: The Edenton Tea Party was one of the earliest organized women’s political actions in United States history. On October 25, 1774, Mrs. Penelope Barker organized, at the home of Mrs. Elizabeth King, fifty-one women in Edenton, North Carolina. Together they formed an alliance wholeheartedly supporting the American cause against “taxation without representation.”

This event will include Revolutionary war re-enactors to celebrate the famous Edenton Tea Party. This is a once in a lifetime event to celebrate our past and protect us from a future of debt and high taxes.
Please register today here.
Read more about the history of the Edenton tea party here.

Date: April 15, 2009

Raleigh

Note: Two Raleigh Tea Parties on this date—different times and locations—attend both!

4:30-6:00 pm (tentative)Federal Courthouse. New Bern Avenue across from the Post Office

6:30pm - 8:30 pmNC State Capitol at One East Edenton Street (east side)

Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Asheville

4:30 pm

Sidewalk in front of Asheville City Hall and Buncombe County Courthouse

Non-partisan Movement to Repeal the Pork!

Email: erikafranzi@mac.com

Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Greensboro

12:00-1:00 pm

Center City Park, downtown Greensboro, between Elm and Davie streets

More details here.

Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Charlotte

2:00pm - 4:00 pm

City Hall Lawn

600 E. Trade Street

Charlotte , NC

E-mail: charlottetaxdayteaparty@gmail.com

Did Kissell Knowingly Back AIG Bonus Package?

2009-03-18T14:25:00.001-04:00

Question for Larry Kissell: Did He Ever Actually Read the Bill or Did He Knowingly Support a Bill That Would Hand out Millions in Taxpayer-Funded Bonuses to Wall Street Executives?

NRCC Press Release
March 18, 2009

Washington- American International Group (AIG) Chairman and CEO Edward Liddy is testifying before Congress today about the $165 million in bonuses paid to top AIG executives. Now, Rep. Larry Kissell (D-NC) – who helped pass the “AIG stimulus” bill that allowed AIG executives to receive these bonuses – needs to answer some very serious questions. Kissell needs to explain to his constituents what he knew, when he knew it and if he helped to keep AIG bonus information quiet. Larry Kissell either blindly followed his party leadership and voted for a trillion dollar bill he never read, or he knowingly backed a bill that would hand out millions of taxpayer dollars to Wall Street executives in the form of bonuses.

The facts are crystal clear: Democrats, including Larry Kissell, voted for this “AIG stimulus” bill, which was negotiated behind closed doors in the middle of the night and allowed for taxpayer-funded bonuses to go to AIG executives:
“…The rules in the stimulus bill apply not only to companies that receive bailout funds in the future, but also to those that have received TARP money in the past – although executive bonuses doled out in contracts signed before February 11 would not be impacted.” (Carol E. Lee, “Dodd banker pay cap one-ups Obama,” Politico, 2/14/09)

“It seems that Larry Kissell and Wall Street executives will never learn that ‘business as usual’ is no longer tolerated by American taxpayers,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “The question is simple: Did Larry Kissell ever actually read the bill or did he knowingly support a bill that would hand out millions in taxpayer-funded bonuses to Wall Street executives?”

NCGOP in the News: N&O - Now the Real Fight Begins

2009-03-18T12:46:00.002-04:00

By Benjamin Niolet and Mark Johnson

News & Observer

March 18, 2009

RALEIGH -- Gov. Beverly Perdue has warned that the recession would mean drastic spending cuts, but she announced a $21 billion budget proposal Tuesday that would keep intact much of what the state does.

Perdue, a Democrat, has been referring to Depression-era Gov. O. Max Gardner for weeks as a warning of the tough times ahead.

But while Perdue's budget proposed for the fiscal year that begins July 1 would cut about $1.3 billion in spending, it was hardly a draconian refashioning of government. ...

Perdue proposed to patch an estimated $3.4 billion deficit by using an infusion of federal recovery dollars and an accounting change that saves money, but leaves little room to cope with worsening economic conditions. She also proposed tax increases on alcohol and tobacco that upset some critics.

"Governor Perdue relies too heavily on federal stimulus money to cover over the shortfall and leaves our state with an uncertain future," state GOP Chairman Linda Daves said in a statement. "If this money is not available two years from now, we very well may find ourselves back in the same position having learned nothing from the past mistakes made by Democrats in the Governor's mansion and on Jones Street." ...

Click here for the full article...

WRAL: Perdue's Budget Cuts Programs, Jobs - Not Spending

2009-03-18T12:26:00.002-04:00

WRAL
March 17, 2009

RALEIGH, N.C. — Gov. Beverly Perdue's budget proposal, released Tuesday, eliminates more than 20 programs and cuts more than 1,000 state jobs, but includes a 3 percent spending increase over current, reduced levels. ...

The two-year budget plan relies on targeted tax increases to deal with the state's worst fiscal conditions in generations. The current budget is $2.2 billion in the hole for the 2008-09 year, which ends in June, and analysts expect revenue to fall by another $3.4 billion in the coming fiscal year.

A $1-per-pack increase in North Carolina's cigarette tax and an extra 5 percent surcharge on alcohol to raise an additional $508 million, along with quadrupling professional licensing fees to $200 each, would generate another $27 million, according to her projections. ...

"To increase taxes and create an entirely new tax, as she proposes, will further damage our economy and cost jobs," Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger said. "Elected officials should be concerned about protecting the budgets of North Carolina’s families. This budget protects entrenched political and special interests."

"Gov. Perdue’s new budget breaks previous promises to abstain from raising taxes and does not protect core priorities of state government," said Linda Daves, chairwoman of the state Republican Party. "Not only does Gov. Perdue propose raising taxes, as well as creating new taxes, she is balancing the budget by placing the burden on some our state’s taxpayers least able to afford to pay more in difficult times."

"The reason we have a revenue problem is that people don't have money," House Minority Leader Paul Stam said. "This is the worst year to raise tax rates."

To read the full article, click here...

Live-Tweet of Unveiling of Gov. Perdue's Budget

2009-03-17T12:29:00.001-04:00

@4please One of the most active state parties in U.S. on twitter. Currently live-tweeting the budget at #ncbudget. Follow us for more.12 minutes ago from TweetDeck in reply to 4please

How many jobs is Gov. Perdue claiming to create with this budget? She said that was her priority. #ncbudget23 minutes ago from TweetDeck

Replenishing rainy day fund is a good start. Spending less is the only way to stay dry when the rainy day inevitably comes. #ncbudget29 minutes ago from TweetDeck

@ryanbeckwith How will we maintain education as a budget priority once the stimulus money runs out? #ncbudget33 minutes ago from TweetDeck in reply to ryanbeckwith

Gov. Perdue deserves credit for her efforts to increase transparency in state gov. Taking steps in the right direction here. #ncbudget36 minutes ago from TweetDeck

Was that $15 million out of the $21 billion total budget for cleaning up the mental health crisis? Is that enough to do the job? #ncbudget38 minutes ago from TweetDeck

Less than 6% of new education spending goes to dropout prevention. Dropout rate remains over 30%. Higher than national average. #ncbudget43 minutes ago from TweetDeck

Job cuts in state government hit crime and safety the hardest. http://bit.ly/bSRJd #ncbudgetabout 1 hour ago from TweetDeck

Why balance the budget on the backs of some taxpayers least able to afford to pay more in difficult economy? #ncbudgetabout 1 hour ago from TweetDeck

Cigarette, alcohol taxes to be raised? Why raise taxes when times are tough? http://bit.ly/1eUs6g #ncbudgetabout 1 hour ago from TweetDeck

N.C. Civitas study: State spending has outpaced inflation + population growth by $9 billion over past 5 years. http://bit.ly/VN6hy #ncbudgetabout 1 hour ago from TweetDeck

How will Gov. Perdue's budget address unemployment problem in NC and create jobs? http://bit.ly/674HY #ncbudgetabout 1 hour ago from TweetDeck

Spending has grown 51% in the past 7 years and #NCGA has blown $3.1 billion in surpluses in past four years http://bit.ly/EfoCU #ncbudgetabout 1 hour ago from TweetDeck

Budget Crisis: How did we get here? How can we prevent it from happening again? http://bit.ly/1aHo #ncbudgetabout 1 hour ago from TweetDeck

Price Tags Prove Priorities

2009-03-16T15:41:00.003-04:00

Bailing Out Wall Street: $170 billion

AIG gets more than $170 billion in bailout funds. Now top executives want to use taxpayer funds to fund $165 million in bonuses paid to themselves.

The American International Group, which has received more than $170 billion in taxpayer bailout money from the Treasury and Federal Reserve, plans to pay about $165 million in bonuses by Sunday to executives in the same business unit that brought the company to the brink of collapse last year.

Protecting Small Businesses: $15 billion

Small businesses have created roughly 70 percent of jobs in the last decade according to President Obama himself. Today, Obama announced a $15 billion plan to aid small businesses and their owners.

President Barack Obama is unveiling a $15 billion package to help small businesses.

Where do President Obama and Democrats' priorities lie? Just study the price tags.

Number of the Day

2009-03-16T12:30:00.003-04:00

$9,000,000,000

"Calculations show, in fact, that state spending has outpaced inflation plus population growth by $9 billion over just the past five years." ("A lid for N.C.'s budget," News & Observer, 3/14/09)

Reader Mail: NCAE For Teachers or Democrats?

2009-03-13T12:01:00.002-04:00

In a new segment on the blog, we are highlighting the real stories of North Carolinians facing problems with Democrats in the state or the powerful arms of their campaign apparatus. Edward from Halifax wrote into to tell us about an injustice his wife, a teacher, is facing from the North Carolina Association of Educators, the NC affiliate of the NEA. Thanks for sharing your story, Edward.

My wife and I have an issue with the NCAE. They disguish themselves as a "teacher's union," however they appear to us to be an election aid of the the Democratic Party. My wife wanted to cancel her membership and the process has been laborious and full of problems. She sent a message to Halifax County Payroll last August to stop taking out money for NCAE. Payroll starting taking her money in October anyway. We asked it to stop and they said send another letter, which we did in January. (My wife has autodeposit and doesn't watch her check stubs closely and didn't notice the dues until Jan.) They took Jan. anyway, saying the letter arrived too late. Then they took February saying that she couldn't cancel the payroll deduction, only NCAE could do that and we had to contact them. We have, but I am livid and I don't even think it legal that payroll won't stop an optional deduction without the NCAE permission. She doesn't work for the NCAE!

We became disgusted with them last year because of the constant bombardment of vote for me material they sent us and it was ALWAYS the Democrat. NEVER did they send anything positive or supportive of a Republican. She realized they don't represent her and we wanted out. We were suspicious when she joined 3-4 years ago, but didn't want to make waves for her as a new teacher. The last presidential campaign was so over the top, that we don't care anymore and want out. We wanted out in January of '08, but they made us wait, saying she could only stop the payroll deduction in August. We waited, and the situation above has ensued. This can't be legal, but we don't know who to go to. I realize it is a small amount of money, but it is the principal of the thing and if this happens often to many, then it is a large amount of money the NCAE steals from people who want to leave their organization.

We started doing more research last year when the mailing got so aggressive. When we discovered the list of organizations they send our money to, we were sickened. It seems to us they do nothing for teachers and only focus on supporting left wing ideals that we don't believe.

The N.C. (What?) Lottery

2009-03-13T11:39:00.003-04:00

In light of Governor Beverly Perdue seizing lottery proceeds promised to education to try to cover a massive shortfall in this year's budget, several N.C. Republicans are looking to rename the N.C. "Education" Lottery to be the N.C. State Lottery. The folks over at Dome are soliciting recommendations for a new name for the state lottery.

My suggestion was the N.C. Misinformation Lottery. Head over to Dome and make your own suggestion.

Cronyism Alive and Well in N.C. Government

2009-03-12T16:59:00.005-04:00

Mark Johnson of the Charlotte Observer wrote in an article today that questions are being raised in local and state governments about who is getting hired and why. It seems that even while many agencies of local and state government are under hiring freezes, family members of influential Democrats keep getting jobs. In this section, even powerful Democrats, like Charlotte City Council member and candidate for mayor Anthony Foxx, Governor Beverly Perdue and former Governor Mike Easley don't escape mention for cronyism.

The issue of family connections in government flared last year when then-first lady Mary Easley got an $80,000 raise from her employers at N.C. State University.

Now questions about the influence of personal and family ties are being raised again in the state and in Mecklenburg County.

Commissioners on Wednesday dismissed suggestions of cronyism in the county's Department of Social Services. That came after the director hired the wife of Charlotte City Council member Anthony Foxx after posting the job for one day during a department hiring freeze.

In Raleigh, Gov. Bev Perdue's son Garrett was hired this year by the law firm of Womble, Carlyle Sandridge & Rice as a lobbyist a month after his mother took office. The firm says he'll lobby in Washington, not Raleigh.

Relationships matter in many lines of work, and private companies do their share of family hires. But when relatives of public officials get a government job or a job dependent on government such as lobbying, it prompts the question: Did qualifications or genes get them hired?

For a Rainy Day

2009-03-12T13:35:00.003-04:00

In response to a post over at Dome detailing Governor Perdue seizing the $787 million from the "Rainy Day Fund" she had a hand in creating back in the 90s while a state legislator, I could not help making a comment about how we got here. (Can you quote yourself on your own blog or is that just an overload of self-promotion?) How is that we have to seize these funds set aside for budget emergencies?

$787 million in rainy day funds among a $21.4 billion budget is a pretty thin umbrella for the hailstorm we're facing now. As Democrats increased state spending by billions of dollars over the last decade they probably should have expanded the Rainy Day Fund at the same time. Democrats in this state can spend money with the best of them, but they don't save it very well.

Charter School Cap Could Be Reconsidered

2009-03-11T15:48:00.003-04:00

N.C. Senator Eddie Goodall (R-Union) has introduced a bill to raise the cap on charter schools currently set at 100.

Larry Kissell Sells out North Carolina Workers at the Price of $378,000

2009-03-11T15:44:00.002-04:00

In Massive Payback to Union Bosses, North Carolina Democrat Co-Sponsors Worker Intimidation Bill that Denies Right to Secret Ballot

NRCC Press Release
March 11, 2009

Washington– Rep. Larry Kissell (D-NC) signed his name on the dotted line yesterday by co-sponsoring the so-called Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) – better known as “card-check.” In doing so, the North Carolina Democrat signaled his support to strip workers of the right to a secret union ballot, a practice that leads to corruption and worker intimidation, not to mention its potential to kill jobs generated by small businesses. Kissell's support of card-check is further proof that he has put the special interests of Big Labor that funded his campaign ahead of the needs of struggling working class families he regrettably misrepresents in Congress.

“By co-sponsoring card-check, Larry Kissell has demonstrated his willingness to pay back union bosses at the expense of North Carolina workers and their fundamental rights to a secret ballot,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “Despite all of his rhetoric about wanting to create jobs for middle-class Americans, Kissell is supporting this job-killing bill that threatens to make the workplace a site for corruption and coercion. Now, with unemployment continuing to climb, it’s time for Kissell to explain why he has embraced the needs of the special interests that filled his campaign coffers at the expense of his own constituents.”

In an editorial in the Sun-Sentinel, they explain how the so-called “Employee Free Choice Act” would have an adverse effect on the workplace:

“The deceptively-named "Employee Free Choice Act" would allow a union to claim certification if a simple majority of workers signs the card — thus dispensing with the secret vote.

“Doing so would open the door for a lot of coercion and intimidation, in the workplace, in homes. Theoretically, a union could gain certification without every employee, or management, knowing about it.” (Sun-Sentinel, 03/01/09)

Dr. Anne Layne‐Farrar, an economist with the non‐partisan Law and Economics Consulting Group (LECG), recently announced a new study that shows 600,000 jobs would be lost in 2010 if card-check is signed into law:

“EFCA is unlikely to achieve its main goal of improving social welfare, which should take into account possible consequences not only for union members but for all individuals. In particular, my quantitative analysis indicates that passing EFCA would likely increase the US unemployment rate and decrease US job creation substantially.” (Layne-Farrar, “An Empirical Assessment of the Employee Free Choice Act: The Economic Implications,” March 2009)

Even billionaire investor and known supporter of President Obama, Warren Buffett, called card-check a mistake:

“I think the secret ballot’s pretty important in the country. I’m against card check to make a perfectly flat statement.” (CNBC’s Squawk Box, 3/9/09)

North Carolina families don’t have to wait for Larry Kissell to vote on the card-check bill, as he’s already exposed his willingness to strip away union workers’ democratic right to a secret ballot in union elections and put 600,000 jobs at risk nationwide.

(source: CQMoneyline, accessed 3/10/09)

Obama's "New Era" Begins With Business as Usual

2009-03-11T15:03:00.003-04:00

There is one area on which I will never question President Obama. The man certainly has audacity.

"The future demands that we operate in a different way than we have in the past," Obama said. "So let there be no doubt: This piece of legislation must mark an end to the old way of doing business and the beginning of a new era of responsibility and accountability."

President Obama is never short of grand rhetoric, just short on putting meaning to his words. The President pursues a hyper-partisan agenda and pats himself on the back for reaching across the aisle. He claims to oppose "extreme" government-run healthcare during the campaign and then makes it a centerpiece of his agenda. He promises to bring an end to the partisan bickering in Washington and has his staff attack Republican leaders and icons. He pledges to balance the budget while taking on more debt than the country ever has before.

This is a new one though. It takes a unique brand of audacity to proclaim a new era by doing more of the same. President Obama. Nothing changes but his words.

Is Obama Really Removing Politics from Science?

2009-03-10T15:20:00.004-04:00

Is that even possible? Robert George and Eric Cohen write to answer that question in today's Wall Street Journal.

First, the Obama policy is itself blatantly political. It is red meat to his Bush-hating base, yet pays no more than lip service to recent scientific breakthroughs that make possible the production of cells that are biologically equivalent to embryonic stem cells without the need to create or kill human embryos. Inexplicably -- apart from political motivations -- Mr. Obama revoked not only the Bush restrictions on embryo destructive research funding, but also the 2007 executive order that encourages the National Institutes of Health to explore non-embryo-destructive sources of stem cells.

Second and more fundamentally, the claim about taking politics out of science is in the deepest sense antidemocratic. The question of whether to destroy human embryos for research purposes is not fundamentally a scientific question; it is a moral and civic question about the proper uses, ambitions and limits of science. It is a question about how we will treat members of the human family at the very dawn of life; about our willingness to seek alternative paths to medical progress that respect human dignity.

For those who believe in the highest ideals of deliberative democracy, and those who believe we mistreat the most vulnerable human lives at our own moral peril, Mr. Obama's claim of "taking politics out of science" should be lamented, not celebrated.

Not only is President Obama unable to remove politics from science, it is undesirable to do so. Scientific inquiry should be encouraged and developed at our universities, in research labs, and in private industry but it should not be at the price of avoiding the pressing moral questions of our day. Questions of morals and ethics ought to be grappled with in our communities and not covered over with disingenuous language that the day of debate has passed. This is America. The day of debate never passes. We engage in the discussion because issues of life and death matter to us all.

Most of us, unfortunately, have stood at a bedside or in a hospital as a family member or friend succumbed to a debilitating disease presently uncurable. Scientific breakthroughs in treating and preventing these diseases are exciting. Research targeting adult and amniotic stem cells, like that being done at Wake Forest University, are providing opportunities to expand scientific inquiry without calling into question the value of human life.

No matter the scientific advancements of a still new century, issues of life and death will not soon be obsolete. The way to honor our lost loved ones memories is not to devalue the significance of human life. The more compromises we make when it comes to what constitutes life, the less that is left worthy of protection.

Foxx Voices Opposition to Union ‘Card-Check’ Legislation

2009-03-10T13:03:00.001-04:00

Co-sponsors Secret Ballot Protection Act to preserve workers’ rights

Press Release
March 10, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (NC-05) today voiced strong opposition to union “card check” legislation that was introduced today. The legislation, the so-called Employee Free Choice Act, halts workers’ rights to vote by secret ballot in union organizing elections.

“Because I support workers’ rights to unionize without harassment, I must oppose this anti-worker legislation, Foxx said. “The secret ballot is a foundational element of a free and open society. Its demise would signal a serious decline in freedom in America, not to mention a harsh blow to struggling workers in today’s tough economy.”

Card check legislation strips workers of truly free choice in union organizing elections, opening the elections to coercion and intimidation. Instead of mandating a secret ballot vote, this legislation changes the rules to allow for unionization by a public signing of cards by workers.

In theory, those signing cards would support joining a union: hence the term, “card check.” However, rather than allowing workers to make their choice in secrecy, the act would end workers’ right to privacy in one of the most important decisions they make about the future of their workplace.

“This whole card check idea has a whiff of big-brotherism,” Foxx said. “With card check, someone’s always looking over your shoulder. This simply blows the unionization process wide open to fraud and intimidation.”

Rep. Foxx is also an original cosponsor of the Secret Ballot Protection Act—legislation that preserves workers’ right to a secret ballot in unionization elections.

Foxx voted against the Employee Free Choice Act in 2007 when it was brought up for a vote in the 110th Congress. Even Obama supporter and advisor, businessman Warren Buffet opposes card check legislation.

McHenry Backs Secret Ballot Protection Act

2009-03-10T12:58:00.001-04:00

Press Release
March 10, 2009

WASHINGTON – Congressman Patrick McHenry (NC-10) announced today that he is an original co-sponsor of the Secret Ballot Protection Act. The legislation codifies into federal law an American worker’s right to a secret ballot election when deciding whether to unionize in the workplace.

“The secret ballot is a fundamental right in our democracy. Members of Congress use a secret ballot to vote for their leadership. American workers deserve the exact same right,” stated Congressman McHenry.

The Secret Ballot Protection Act stands in direct contrast to “card check” legislation, which strips workers of their right to a secret ballot election. Union organizers would only have to get signatures on a card from a majority of a business’ employees to form a union.

Former Senator George McGovern, 1972 Democrat presidential nominee and self-described friend of labor unions, opposes card check because of “many documented cases where workers have been pressured, harassed, tricked and intimated into signing cards that have led to mandatory payment of dues.”

The Secret Ballot Protection Act would also protect American workers from being coerced or pressured into joining a union.

A recent economic study regarding the effects of card check legislation found that 600,000 American jobs would be lost the year following its enactment.

Republicans Offer Proposals for Saving

2009-03-10T12:19:00.005-04:00

REPUBLICANS DISCUSS OPTIONS TO ADDRESS BUDGET WOES

Joint Republican Caucus Press Release

March 10, 2009

Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) and House Republican Leader Paul Stam (R-Wake) today held a press conference to discuss proposals for reducing state spending. With budget deficit estimated at more than $3 billion, spending reductions will be required to comply with North Carolina law mandating a balanced budget.

Republicans discussed the following options:

Consolidate More at Four and Smart Start to eliminate duplication and save administrative costs
Explore suspending state class size mandates with a goal of average class size at 23 students per classroom

Reduce Medicaid spending by employing enhanced software to identify and reject improper Medicaid claims before they are paid. House Bill 190, Medicaid Improper Claims Software/Funds, would save more than $100 million annually.

Suspend state funding of the Clean Water Management Trust Fund; explore use of federal stimulus money to fund projects.

Intercept Golden LEAF funding

“We must do everything within reason to balance the state budget and ensure that every dollar spent is being spent wisely,” said Senator Berger. “The proposals outlined above are a good start.”

“These ‘common sense’ budget reforms will go a long way in helping us match our expenses with our revenues,” said Representative Stam.

Berger Responds to State of the State

2009-03-10T12:11:00.002-04:00

Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) gave the Republican response to Governor Bev Perdue’s State of the State address.

NCGOP Chairman Delivers "The State of State Government"

2009-03-09T19:44:00.002-04:00

NCGOP Press Release
March 9, 2009

RALEIGH— North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Linda Daves delivered the following address tonight entitled, "The State of State Government."

The full text of her remarks is below.

"Good evening. Tonight, Governor Perdue finds herself in an unenviable position. Facing hard budget realities, rapidly decreasing revenue collection, and a massive budget shortfall, she is breaking bad news in her first major speech to North Carolinians. Her acceptance of serious budget cuts is welcome news if belated as Republicans have called for rollbacks in state spending for years. I also hope that Governor Perdue will keep her promise to avoid raising taxes. In this difficult time for North Carolina's workers and families, we simply cannot afford to pay higher taxes. In many ways, the Governor is on the right track.

We would be remiss, however, not to take note of how we made it to this point and now face serious cutbacks or catastrophic consequences. After all, those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it and we certainly never want to find ourselves in this situation with state government again. Over the last decade, North Carolina governors and the General Assembly led by Democrats, have greatly increased state spending and expanded the reach of state government. In just the last ten years, state spending has increased by 40% overextending the reach of government and resulting in budgets bursting at the seams. Democrats bought into the idea that good economic times and healthy revenue collections would last forever. Our leaders should know better. The ebb and flow of the economy always proceeds in cycles. Neither periods of plenty nor periods of poverty last indefinitely. Politicians, whether in Raleigh or Washington, should not make promises that they can't keep.

To their credit, Democrats did create a rainy day fund to keep state government running in case of emergency. Unfortunately, now with a budget of $21.4 billion, our rainy day fund sits at only $800 million, just 4 percent of the total budget. This may cover an afternoon sprinkle but hardly provides for the hailstorm currently assaulting state government. We must be proactive, we must anticipate problems before they occur, and above all we must be responsible with taxpayer dollars. Under Republican leadership, our South Carolina neighbors have a budget of just $6.8 billion. Granted, South Carolina is a smaller state than North Carolina, but it's not that much smaller. Fiscal responsibility is the best defense against hard times.

If this crisis can be of any benefit, we must learn a lesson and take a more realistic approach to state spending in the future. After all, I have not once encountered a citizen of our state in awe of the service of state government. No one is raving about how much better state government is now than it was a decade ago. Yet, even accounting for inflation and population growth over the last ten years, we are paying more than ever before. It is fair for taxpayers to ask: Are we getting our money's worth?

Democrats contend that the problem really originates with the exploding spending being caused by previous commitments made to Medicare and Medicaid. But what is their answer to this problem of government programs running over budget and creating a crisis? Create an even bigger government program to nationalize healthcare because they believe that is the way to increase efficiency and drive down costs. Now in what other area of life do we ever praise the efficiency and innovation of government programs? A new big government-run health care program will not drive down costs. It will only result in the most expensive "free" health care that money can buy. Make no mistake. We are in a health care crisis with the brunt of its effects being felt by the middle class. The answer to our problems is not more government. It's less. We need less government mandates and obstacles to families being able to choose their own affordable healthcare plans. We must push government out of the way, decrease the influence of insurance companies, and increase of the influence of doctors and patients. We need new, proactive, and innovative solutions to this crisis and I don't hear those ideas coming from government. More government means more costs overruns, more red tape, and less freedom to make appropriate and responsible choices when selecting our own healthcare. I hope for a real and honest debate on this issue right here in Raleigh and in D.C. All ideas should be heard as we come to the table to seek solutions to this crisis facing our families.

Now is also not the time to forsake the commitments we have made to education in our state. Unfortunately, many of the cuts being made in the state budget will directly affect our children's future. Our children are not to blame for this crisis and they should not be made the scapegoats for our problems. Governor Perdue, unfortunately, has done just that by breaking the promise made to North Carolinians that lottery proceeds would be used to fund educational needs. Governor Perdue should know better as she cast the deciding vote to pass the lottery into law even as Democrats promised us that money would never be diverted for other purposes. That money belongs to our children and the Governor should give it back.

The question remains, however: Where do we cut the state budget? Well, I have a few ideas to start us off.

We must end the political games going on over at the Department of Transportation. It has been treated for too long as a political slush fund and wasted hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars over the last decade. Governor Perdue deserves commendation for her promise to reform the DOT, remove powerful political influences, and create a professional environment there. She must keep that promise.

We also must stop funding pirate ships, teapot museums, polar bear exhibits, and other pet projects of state legislators. Even the insider of all insiders in Raleigh, Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight has compared the spending habits of state legislators to drunken sailors. Drunken sailors are rightly offended by this comparison. Democrats in the General Assembly have acted far more irresponsibly and have done so not on their own dime but on ours.
Finally, we must stop funding the re-election campaigns of incumbents under the guise of public campaign financing. If politicians want public campaign finance, then gain the support of the public to finance your campaign. Incumbents should be forced to earn re-election, not steal it from taxpayers. There is nothing more damaging to democracy than a system which uses the money of voters to gain their votes and keep the same people in perpetual power.

There are many more areas that can be cut, but even so, that approach presupposes that some government programs are untouchable and unquestionable. Our problems are not new but they do demand a new approach. Zero-based budgeting is an idea whose time has come. This crisis presents us with the opportunity to start from scratch, decide what our true priorities are, commit to spending money on those items first, and to do so more efficiently than ever before. It is long past time for state government to get its house in order. Now we are forced to do so.
As a conservative, I believe that government should be smaller, smarter, and more efficient. As a conservative, I believe that government should attend to its core functions of protecting citizens, providing educational opportunity, and preserving strong infrastructure. I believe that taxpayer dollars should only be spent in the wisest way possible. As a conservative and as a taxpayer, I believe I have the right to demand that the government we have works and works efficiently. And I believe we have the right to hold our elected officials accountable for not providing that government.

Republicans stand ready to offer ideas to combat this current crisis. We must open up the process so more voices might be heard and heeded and the citizens of North Carolina can hold us accountable for what we do. Republican calls for responsibility have been unheeded in the past and our voices have been silenced. Today is a new day. We have been waiting and we will be waiting for a seat at the table. Now is the time for us all to work together, to work through our differences, and to do what is best for our state and its citizens. As Republicans, we hope for the opportunity to do just that.

Thank you for listening and God bless."

Twittering the State of the State

2009-03-09T13:39:00.002-04:00

If you're familiar with Twitter, an official hastag for Governor Perdue's State of the State has been decided tonight. Please join the conversation by inserting #ncsos into your tweets. The NCGOP will be updating from our Twitter page www.twitter.com/NCGOP during the speech beginning at 7 PM tonight.

NCGOP in the News: Governor to Address Economy in Speech

2009-03-09T10:51:00.002-04:00

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO...

Governor to address economy in speech

ABC11.com
March 9, 2009

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Governor Bev Perdue will address the North Carolina General Assembly on Monday.

Perdue told Eyewitness News that the economy will be a big focus of what she has to say in her State of the State Address. She's trying to patch a $2 billion hole in the state budget that's only growing. She's not sure yet exactly how she's going to do it. ...

Republicans will be all ears on Monday and they say taxpayers will too.

"They want confidence about how we can create new jobs and transition our economy to really compete with the states around us," offered Brent Woodcox with the NC Republican Party.

Republicans they've watched Democrats overextend the state for years and wonder if the cuts implemented so far are the best remedy.

"Nine percent across the board is just not really thinking it out. It's not really examining the ins and outs of where money's being spent - how it could be done more efficiently," said Woodcox. ...

Reader Mail: Perdue's Cuts Cost Families

2009-03-06T15:37:00.004-05:00

At the NCGOP, we often hear from folks in communities across the state about how the decisions of our elected officials affect their daily lives. Glen Stephens of Charlotte wrote in to tell us how a cut poposed by Governor Beverly Perdue to the Community Alternatives Program would affect his son. His message is shared below with his permission.

Under the excuse of "Economic Crisis" or "Budget Crisis," Gov. Perdue continues to take actions that dramatically and hazardously affect the lives of the most fragile of our citizens. After several weeks of trying to get the Governor's office to explain how her budget cuts will affect programs to help the disabled, I finally got a chilling answer. Not only has the governor frozen the Community Alternatives Program for the Mentally Retarded and Developmentally Disabled at last year's number of consumers served, but she has taken back the $6.7 million that had already been released to add new disabled children to the service. The effect of this is that no additional children will be served until the Governor's office determines that this "budget crisis" has abated. This is not the kind of change we asked for!

Learn more about the background of the Governor's proposed cut to the Community Alternatives Program here. Thank you, Glen, for sharing your story.

Larry Kissell Shows True Colors

2009-03-05T15:27:00.000-05:00

Looks like Larry Kissell won't be campaigning as a blue dog, conservative Democrat anymore. Larry Kisell is not a conservative and he's not a moderate. He's a liberal Democrat in a conservative district which he owes 7,700 jobs. He won't be convinving his Eighth District constituents of anything else before 2010, either.

Larry Kissell Rejected from Blue Dog Coalition
So Much for Those “Fiscally Conservative” Credentials He Campaigned On

NRCC Press Release
March 5, 2009

Washington- The new membership list of the Blue Dog Coalition for the 111th Congress was released, but self-proclaimed “fiscal conservative” Rep. Larry Kissell’s name was noticeably absent. Despite Kissell’s rhetoric that he would be a good steward of the taxpayers’ dollars in Congress, did the Blue Dog Coalition see Kissell’s claims as nothing more than empty rhetoric?

In the two short months since he came to Congress, he’s repeatedly supported bills that hurt the middle-class families in his district. Could it be Kissell’s support for the pork-laden “stimulus” package and the omnibus spending bill - which were filled with wasteful Washington spending and tax hikes for small businesses – that excluded Kissell from admission to the Blue Dog Coalition? (House Roll Calls 46, 70, 86)

“Larry Kissell’s rejection from the conservative Blue Dog Coalition provides even more convincing evidence that Kissell’s calls for ‘fiscal responsibility’ were nothing more than empty rhetoric,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “Since coming to Congress Kissell has repeatedly supported the liberal wing of his party’s unending spending spree and has failed to put the interests of middle-class families in his district first.”

The Blue Dog Coalition’s website describes itself as being “particularly active on fiscal issues, relentlessly pursuing a balanced budget and then protecting that achievement from politically popular ‘raids’ on the budget,” but it’s clear that despite all his rhetoric, Larry Kissell’s record does not hold up to these standards.

Update: From Dome

"Congressman Kissell pledged during the campaign that he would not join the Blue Dogs and therefore has not," Kissell spokeswoman Brianna Atkins.

Stock Market Like a Tracking Poll? Not Really

2009-03-05T10:59:00.001-05:00

Facing criticism that his economic policies have been greeted with a steady decline on Wall Street as the stock market hits lows not seen in a decade, President Obama tried to deflect criticism yesterday.

"The stock market is sort of like a tracking poll in politics,'' said the president...

The stock market is not like a tracking poll. In fact, it's not like politics at all. When families are having their savings and 401ks wiped out, it doesn't feel like a bad poll. It feels like their future is slipping away. President Obama is entirely too flippant about the economic realities we are facing. Half of all Americans have money in the market that they are counting on in planning their future. For them, this is not a joke. Leadership is about more than finding other people to blame. It's about finding solutions that actually work.

Food for Thought: Obama Rejecting Basis of Capitalism?

2009-03-04T15:26:00.000-05:00

As offered up by Michael Gerson in today's column for the Washington Post.

While discussing the new Obama agenda of increading taxes only on the prosperous who are most likely to invest capital and create new jobs:

This is not merely the rejection of "trickle-down economics," it is a weakening of the theoretical basis for capitalism -- that free individuals are generally more rational and efficient in making investment decisions than are government planners.

As Obama Agenda Becomes Clear, Support Erodes

2009-03-04T14:49:00.000-05:00

As the Obama administration rolls out massive new government spending bills by the week, support from those in the center of the political spectrum is quickly eroding. Already this week, numerous political commentators and newmakers are questioning the direction of the Obama administration.

David Brooks wrote for the New York Times this week that moderates are not pleased with many early actions of the new administration.

The U.S. has always been a decentralized nation, skeptical of top-down planning. Yet, the current administration concentrates enormous power in Washington, while plan after plan emanates from a small group of understaffed experts.

The U.S. has always had vibrant neighborhood associations. But in its very first budget, the Obama administration raises the cost of charitable giving. It punishes civic activism and expands state intervention.

The U.S. has traditionally had a relatively limited central government. But federal spending as a share of G.D.P. is zooming from its modern norm of 20 percent to an unacknowledged level somewhere far beyond.

Manu Raju observes for Politico that moderates in the Senate are already becoming disillusioned with the influx of spending coming from the President.

Moderate and conservative Democrats in the Senate are starting to choke over the massive spending and tax increases in President Barack Obama’s budget plans and
have begun plotting to increase their influence over the agenda of a president
who is turning out to be much more liberal than they are.

Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) announced he is breaking ranks with his party and voting against the $410 billion spending bill currently before Congress. He wrote for the Wall Street Journal urging his colleagues to do the same.

The omnibus increases discretionary spending by 8% over last fiscal year's levels, dwarfing the rate of inflation across a broad swath of issues including agriculture, financial services, foreign relations, energy and water programs, and legislative branch operations. Such increases might be appropriate for a nation flush with cash or unconcerned with fiscal prudence, but America is neither. ...

But the bloated omnibus requires sacrifice from no one, least of all the government. It only exacerbates the problem and hastens the day of reckoning. ... this approach to spending represents business as usual in Washington, not the voters' mandate. ...

Congress should vote "no" on this omnibus and show working families across the country that we are as committed to living within our means as they are.