Old Dogs, New Tricks

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

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

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

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

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

Michael Steele: GOP Comeback Has Begun

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...