Carolina Politics Online

Since traffic has been increasing I decided to do some major upgrading to the site. I am using a new format now just for aesthetics and you can now also see the last several comments made by visitors which makes it easier to respond to someone, especially if the original post has already moved off of the front page.

Hope you like it.

Harry S. Dent, the architect of President Nixon’s 1968 “southern strategy” and the founder of the modern day South Carolina Republican Party, died Friday night after a long bout with Alzheimer’s disease.

He was 77.

The State

DURHAM — The president of Duke University apologized Saturday for not better supporting the men’s lacrosse players and their families at the center of last year’s highly publicized rape scandal.

Richard Brodhead, speaking at the university’s law school, said he regretted Duke’s “failure to reach out” in a “time of extraordinary peril” after allegations emerged that a woman was raped at a March 2006 party thrown by the men’s lacrosse team. Those allegations would later prove to be false.

“Given the complexities of this case, getting the communication right would never have been easy,” Brodhead said. “But the fact is that we did not get it right, causing the families to feel abandoned when they were most in need of support. This was a mistake. I take responsibility for it and I apologize for it.”

Durham Herald-Sun

The complexities of the case? No sir, you and your left wing extremist brethren in academia saw fit to condemn three young men falsely accused of rape because they were white and male and their accuser was black and female. It’s not complex at all. You and your “ever tolerant” liberal brotherhood discriminated against them without regard for their safety and the lasting affect it would have on their lives. Let us not forget that Brodhead suspended the entire team for the season and fired their coach on mere allegations, without the burden of proof to which we are entitled to in this country and presumed innocent until proven guilty.

There is no apology you can make that will heal those wounds. Frankly, Mr. Brodhead, you can go to Hell.

The war of words over Mexican truckers hauling goods across the U.S. has brought blasts from a Charlotte union official who said it would not only cost American jobs, but make the highways more dangerous as well.

The possibility of Mexican truckers fanning out across the United States became a reality on Sept. 8, 2007 – for a few days anyway. However, thanks to a 74-24 vote by the US Senate on Sept. 11, the three-day free range that Mexican truck drivers could have had in the nation came to a screeching halt, at least for now.

Rhino Times

I’m really glad to see people speaking out against this, although I don’t what the hell took Congress so long to put a barrier in the path of it happening.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., continues to benefit from the Democrats’ indecision about who should challenge her in 2008.

In a new Elon University Poll, 50 percent of respondents said they approve or strongly approve of how she is handling her job. Only 25 percent disapprove or strongly disapprove.

Charlotte Observer

Dole is ok. Although, I wasn’t real pleased with the way she ran the NRSC last year, dumping millions of dollars into races like Lincoln Chafee’s who voted more with the Democrats than the Republicans anyway. Some of the money could have saved Conrad Burns or George Allen and the GOP could control the Senate.

When Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue formally announces her candidacy for governor Monday in New Bern, she will do so as the slight leader in the Democratic primary.

A new Elon University Poll found Perdue leading with 35 percent over state Treasurer Richard Moore with 27 percent, reports Rob Christensen.

Raleigh News & Observer

A homecoming display at West Henderson High School that upset students and parents has caused the principal to call a town meeting Monday.

The display, meant to rally school spirit for tonight’s homecoming game, was supposed to depict a Viking football player in the claws of a falcon. The West Henderson High Falcons will play the Avery County High Vikings in the game.

But students and parents said the display looked like a person being hanged.

“When I got over to the school, I went straight to the cafeteria, and I saw the thing hanging from the ceiling, and it looked like an African-American hanging from the ceiling,” said Mekia Waters, whose 15-year-old son, Daquan, attends the school.

Asheville Citizen-Times

Yeah, it does look like a person being hanged, but specifically a black person? Hardly. This is the just a case of ignorance and victimization run amuck.

Jones met with several parents and held assemblies at the school Thursday to address issues of sensitivity and diversity.

No wonder kids are growing up to be such wusses today.

Good. SCHIP is just another socialist entitlement that shouldn’t even exist in the first place.

North Carolina’s senators voted against expanding funds for a children’s health insurance program Thursday night, but the bill passed overwhelmingly and sets up a veto fight with President Bush.
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Republican Sens. Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr, both said they support the current State Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as SCHIP, but not an expansion in funding to $60 billion over the next five years. Bush has said the $35 billion increase is too much.

Asheville Citizen-Times

Graham County will receive more than $1.5 million over the next three years as the state phases out Medicaid payments required from each of North Carolina’s counties.

State Sen. John Snow, a Democrat from Murphy, said each county in North Carolina is assured of a $500,000 windfall this fiscal year and Graham County stands to gain at least $500,000 in each of the next several years.
“It will be a substantial gain for some of the smaller counties,” Snow said.

Up until this year, North Carolina has been one of only two states to require each county to directly pay Medicaid costs. The state will now pick up the entire burden.

The Graham Star

So instead of trying to move people off of welfare and actually make them work for a living like the rest of us, they are just shifting the provider. Yay!!!!!!!

A referendum to decide whether liquor by the drink is allowed on Hatteras Island will be included on the November ballot.

The precincts voting in the referendum include Rodanthe, Salvo, Waves, Avon, and Buxton. This will be the first time liquor by the drink will be considered by the voters on the island.

Liquor cannot be sold by the glass, under current laws, in any restaurant or public establishment on Hatteras Island as well as other unincorporated areas of Dare County.

Outer Banks Sentinel

I can’t believe America still has dry counties. Has Carrie Nation come back from the dead flailing her cane about?

Unfortunately for party officials, the phone has been ringing since anonymous signs have popped up around Columbia and other metropolitan areas.

There are two versions of the signs, which measure about 2 feet by 2 feet. One says “Amnesty for illegal workers/vote Republican.” The other has the same message about workers but instead of saying “vote Republican,” it gives a phone number that turns out to be for the state GOP headquarters in Columbia.

But the Republican Party has nothing to do with the signs, said state party chairman Katon Dawson.

The State

Get the feeling someone is trying to make a point, Senator Graham?

Duke University officials confirmed this week that they have been talking for months with lawyers for current and former lacrosse players — other than the three who were charged with rape — to try stave off a lawsuit.

It was not clear what would form the basis of a suit by players who did not face criminal charges. Duke officials would not discuss details of the claims.

Raleigh News & Observer

I know about the rest of the team, but the university owes those three boys who got prosecuted and slandered by some of their own professors a hell of a lot money.

Election Day is less than two weeks away, and the candidates for Wilmington mayor used one of their final appearances Wednesday on a televised and well-attended candidate forum to attack each other.

The issue that brought the candidates to verbal blows? The woeful state of the sewer system.

Star News

That could be a messy problem.

In campaigns for the Oct. 9 primary, candidates for the Fayetteville City Council are relying on their personalities rather than any defining issues in the quest for votes.

“People don’t trust politicians,” said John Crawley, one of four people running in District 5. “They are more apt to be watching ‘Deal or No Deal’ or Britney Spears than the debates.”

The focus on personality and leadership styles is not unusual. Fayetteville politics historically plays out on the retail, one-to-one level. Candidates walk door-to-door or hold small group meetings to build support.

Fayetteville Observer

In their first debate, Charlotte’s two mayoral candidates clashed Wednesday over payday lenders, the city’s relationship with state lawmakers — and even the lighting along interstate highways.

Republican Mayor Pat McCrory and Democrat Beverly Earle, a state legislator, sparred while taping a debate at WTVI (Channel 42). It airs next month.

Charlotte Observer

This is really just theatrics. McCrory has better odds of having a piano fall on his head than he does losing reelection.

SLED Chief Robert Stewart, the state’s homeland security director, said his agency was notified “almost immediately” after the traffic stop.

“This one got very public very fast because of the nature of the incident and the fact that streets were blocked off,” Stewart said. “There’s nothing currently in South Carolina that citizens need to be alarmed about.”

Charlotte Observer

I agree. I mean, clearly these guys were up to some shady shit, but there is nothing that ties them to South Carolina other than them getting pulled over for speeding while driving through. They are both living in Florida.

Morrisville police have charged a man with assault on a government official after an officer said the man coughed into his face during a traffic stop.

Officer Chris Gill said in his report that Kent Kauffman looked into his eyes before “hacking” in his face three times, according to Morrisville spokeswoman Stacie Galloway. Kauffman said he did cough from the window of his minivan but did so toward Gill’s waist.

“He says I coughed in his face,” Kauffman said. “But that would only work if he had a 4-foot-long face.”

Asheville Citizen-Times

I think this Office Gill needs to grow the hell up and act like an adult. If he can’t handle something like this he really shouldn’t be a police officer. Now Morrisville will have to spend taxpayer dollars trying this man on a frivolous charge that could result in 60 days jail for the defendant. Yes, 60 days for coughing.

Tolls may be required to build Interstate 73 and 74, the chairman of the House Budget Committee said today.

“I don’t see any way to get this to fruition unless it is a toll road,” Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., told the National I-73/74 Corridor Association, a coalition of business and civic leaders.

The association is in Washington to push construction of new Interstate highways from Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Wilmington, N.C., through North Carolina, South Carolina, southwest Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and Michigan.

Winston-Salem Journal

Over the past three years, U.S. Sen. Richard Burr has attended fewer than half the hearings held by the veterans affairs committee where he’s become the panel’s top Republican, an analysis by a North Carolina newspaper shows.

His colleague from South Carolina, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, only attended three of the committee’s hearings, according to the report by The Charlotte Observer.

Last week, the GOP named Burr the ranking Republican on the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs in place of embattled and departing Idaho Sen. Larry Craig.

Burr has attended 20 of the panel’s 44 hearings.

The State

Just for the record, I think both Richard Burr and Lindsay Graham suck.

U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett, R-S.C., has introduced a resolution in the U.S. House calling on Congress to enforce immigration laws previously adopted.

Barrett, the Oconee County resident who represents South Carolina’s 3rd District, said Wednesday that members of Congress “need to live up to the laws you pass.”

“It’s real simple,” Barrett said. “If we say the fence is going to be funded, you need to fully fund it. If it says it needs to be built, you need to build it.”

The State

Sounds like common sense to me. This is, of course, why nobody believes a word that comes out of the Fed’s mouths when it comes to enforcing our borders and laws and why the vast majority of Americans came out against the “shamnesty” bill. You simply can’t trust Washington on this issue.