Carolina Politics Online

Strickland was arrested Sunday night on charges of fleeing to elude arrest, reckless endangerment and driving without a license. He had just posted a $100,000 bond Thursday after being arrested for allegedly burning his own house.

The house on March Avenue was paid for, at least in part, by Soles.

Strickland posted a bond of about $8,000 set by a magistrate Sunday night. But during the teenager’s first court appearance on the charges Monday morning, the state asked the judge to revoke what Strickland posted and raise the bond, District Attorney Rex Gore said.

The chase that led to Strickland’s arrest spanned several streets on the west side of Tabor City and reached speeds of at least 75 mph, officials said.

Soles, 74, is facing his own investigations by the State Bureau of Investigation. One stems from another young man’s allegation, which was later retracted, that Soles attempted to molest him years ago. The other inquiry, police say, is into Soles’ shooting of another young man who confronted him at his home in Tabor City on Aug. 23.

Wilmington Star

Wow!  This has to be the juiciest political scandal in the country right now.

So let me see if I can recap all of this.  Alan Strickland, a 17 year old boy who manages to own his own house, burns it down.  It is discovered that the house was bought for him by State Senator R.C. Soles (D – Tabor City) even though there is no family relation here.  No, nothing weird about that.  Soles is now under investigation concerning his rather unusual “relationships” with several young men in the area.  There’s more.

Then another young man comes forward and accuses Soles of molesting him when he was 15 years old.  Then he retracts it.  Attention then focuses to the Corvette that Strickland drives which he claims he paid for himself, yet he has no job and is under 18 and not in school which means by North Carolina law he is not even allowed to have a license.  Soles says he never bought him the car.  Strickland was jailed after a lengthy police chase on a half a million dollars bond which is evidently going to be posted by his “people.”

There is one of two things going on here.  Scenario number one, the kid is a drug dealer.  That explains the money for the car. Scenario number two, Soles did buy him the car along with the house because there is clearly something in the closet Soles wants to remain hidden.  Throw in the accusation from the other kid of being allegedly molested by Soles and well, I think you get the picture.  Then, of course, there is the possibility that both are true and this kid is going to need some serious therapy.

The Post and Courier did a story today on Catherine Welborn, founder of Citizens for Reasonable Taxation, regarding her latest effort called Change the Congress in 2010.

And instead of focusing on local officials, she’s targeting the U.S. Congress.

Welborn, who moved to West Ashley shortly after her husband, Paul, lost a 2007 Berkeley County Council race, began signing up others in her Change the Congress in 2010 effort.

The group already is registered with the Federal Election Commission. Since its launch on July 21, she has signed up more than 6,000 members, and Welborn hopes to double her numbers each week until she hits her incredibly ambitious goal of 40 million.

Welborn said her effort is not affiliated with a political party or built around a single issue or interest group. She acknowledges that her motivation is similar to that of many Tea Party protesters: a need to voice concern about the rising debt from the stimulus bill as well as health care reform and the pending cap and trade energy bill.

The Post and Courier

Hey, someone has got to carry the torch.  Personally, I prefer the “Throw Them All Out” idea, which Rasmussen recently polled showing a majority of Americans on board with that concept.  Of course, around 95% of incumbent politicians are reelected every year and that doesn’t really change even in the darkest of times so I am obviously skeptical that Americans would actually follow through with such a campaign.  People will say they will want to replace the whole Congress, but when it comes down to Election Day loyalty to their own Congressman as well as partisan politics will put them all right back in as it always does.

According to the Change the Congress in 2010 Web site, they are a nonpartisan group with the goal of electing representatives in the U.S. Congress who will work for the people who they represent rather than themselves, the lobbyists, party leadership, etc.  They may technically be non party affiliated, but obviously the issues they are pushing will attract mainly right wingers and libertarian type individuals.  I doubt you’ll see many folks on the left jumping on board to curb government spending.

In any case, it seems like a worthy cause and I hope Mrs. Welborn is successful in bringing some change to our nation’s government while we still have a nation left.

The location for Jack Spratt’s town hall in Sumter has changed:

Sumter – New Location
Time: 5:00 pm
Date: Wednesday, September 2
Place: USC-Sumter – Nettles Building, 200 Miller Road

The Asheville Citizens-Times notes a turn out of 250 people at the Asheville rally, far less than the number of people showing up at town halls opposed to government run health care.

“We want to make people aware of the myths that are out there,” said John Hayes, president of the local chapter of the NAACP.

One of those myths is that reform won’t help average Americans, he said.

On the contrary, a bill proposed in the U.S. House would prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions, place caps on charges for out-of-pocket expenses and prohibit the dropping of coverage for those who become seriously ill, Hayes said.

There is an upside and downside to that proposal.  If insurance companies are required to take anybody and cannot deny them for any reason plus be forced to cap out of pocket expenses on the insured, this is going to raise the cost of premiums for everybody that already has insurance today.  This is a “catch 22.”  On one hand a lot more people will be covered, but on the other hand everyone’s health insurance gets more expensive and the cost is the main issue people have.

He said another myth is that reform would result in people being forced to change insurance companies or doctors. “This is simply not true,” he said. “Nobody wants to change the elements of the current system that are working.”

Mr. Hayes needs to read H.R. 3200.  We’ve been back and forth on this topic right here on this Web site with people on both sides of the issue.  The way I and many others read the grandfather clause is that beginning in 2013 anybody without current insurance can only get it through the government run health care exchange.  If you change jobs, same thing.  If your plan were to be altered, same result, and in five years everyone has to be moved to it anyway.  Other people say that’s not true.  I stick to my view on this.  Who the hell knows who is really right anymore considering the convoluted language on every page of that 1,000 plus page bill?

Furthermore, the requirement for companies to cover their employees or pay a fine to the government every year if they don’t could very well move a lot of companies to dump their employee coverage and force them on to the public plan because it would be cheaper for the company to pay the fine.

Those who fear health reform would result in the rationing of care should realize that’s already being done by insurance companies, Boyd said.

No, it isn’t.  An insurance company denying someone care because it is too costly is not rationing.  This is a manipulation of the word that supporters of ObamaCare are using to try and trick people.  Rationing is defined as the controlled distribution of a scare good or service.  Britain and Canada ration health care because they don’t have enough health care providers and don’t have enough medical supplies and medications and that is because they are running the system.

Dr. Lewis Patrie, a retired physician, said one reason the cost of health care is skyrocketing is lack of a publicly funded insurance option like Medicare that’s available to all.

The reason health care cost is rising is because there are no free market forces bringing the costs down.  Around 85% of Americans have insurance and they are only paying  a copay which is a fraction of the real cost.  Then you have all the government regulation at both the Federal and state levels.  There are the lawsuits and another factor that you don’t always hear about is the advancement of technology.  Medical technology is getting better every day and well, it’s expensive.  It’s going to cost more, but as time goes on as with all new technologies it will get cheaper.

The government started all of this mess and it just amazes me how many people run to them to fix it.

From Civitas:

The nanny-staters are at it again with HB 1384 – Shopping Carts/Prevent Exposure to Germs. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Earl Jones (D – Guilford), would “encourage” retail outlets that offer customers shopping carts to make free sanitation wipes available near the store entrance.

The purpose of the bill is to “protect consumers from shopping cart handles that may be contaminated with bodily fluids, including blood, saliva, mucus, and urine, and fecal matter, by encouraging that the means to disinfect or sanitize nonporous surfaces on shopping carts be provided to the public.”

I don’t know about you, but if I see a cart with blood, urine and fecal matter on it – I’m telling the manger and leaving the store. A Clorox wipe is not going to put me at ease.

Of course, using the term “encourage” indicates that stores will not be required to provide such wipes under this law. But we all know what will happen if stores are not complying at a high enough rate – the next law will force retailers to comply, imposing yet another government cost on business owners.

Many stores that offer shopping carts already offer free sanitary wipes, but apparently not at the rate Rep. Jones finds acceptable. Store owners should be free to decide whether they want to supply the wipes, and customers would be free to shop only at stores that supply such wipes – if they choose to do so.

Thankfully, the NC House saw the uselessness of this bill and defeated it by a 44 to 73 vote on May 14, 2009. While it ultimately did not pass, it goes to show the types of bad ideas emanating from the hallowed halls of the General Assembly in 2009.

The State House Republican Caucus, wining and dining themselves on our dime this weekend in Myrtle Beach, have shown no love for Governor Sanford.  According to The State many state reps are pushing for impeachment, but House Speaker Bobby Harrell is insisting on waiting for the results of a pending ethics report.  Two things are certain .  They want Sanford gone and Sanford isn’t leaving unless forced to.

Sen. Richard Burr is an ardent free-market Republican strongly opposed to Obama’s plan, while Sen. Kay Hagan is a Democratic moderate who is keeping her options open.

Continuing her political balancing act during a visit to the Triangle on Thursday, Hagan voiced support for Democratic-backed health care legislation that includes a government-backed insurance option for people who can’t or don’t want to purchase private insurance – called a community health initiative.

But Hagan also expressed willingness to compromise, underscoring why she has been the target of a major lobbying campaign by both sides of the issue.

Asked whether she thought such a public option was necessary for health care overhaul, Hagan said she wants more details on a public option’s potential cost.

The News & Observer

North Carolina voters really had the pick of the litter when voting for Senate last year, didn’t they?  It was either “Do-Nothing-Dole” or “Hair-Brained-Hagan.”

This woman has no clue.  She has no clear principles of which she can dig her heals into the ground and not budge.  She represents a conservative leaning state and is clearly struggling with the idea of having to either support her constituents or the radical leadership of her party and the President.

I’m also still amused by the media continuing to pimp the myth that she is a “moderate” Democrat.  I thought I debunked that a while ago.

Keith Larson on WBT this morning had an interview with her and she for the most part couldn’t give a straight answer to most questions.  She basically admitted by dancing around the question that the government running health care is unconstitutional, but she wouldn’t actually say it.  When asked if she would vote for the health care bill even if the majority of North Carolinians opposed it she wouldn’t give a yes or no answer.  She wouldn’t give an answer as to whether or not she’d vote to raise income taxes or tax people’s health care plans in order to fund a public plan.  She refused to say when she’d next be available in the Charlotte area  for people to come in and talk to her.

Kay Hagan is clearly out of her element when it comes to her new job.  She shouldn’t have had a hard time answering these questions directly, but in order to do that she’d have to admit that she supports policies that the majority of the state she is representing do not.

Charlotte City Councilman and mayoral candidate Anthony Foxx put forth a small business plan that would cut through some of the red tape involved for said businesses who want to bid on a contract with the city.  Foxx says by making the records electronic it would speed the procedure for processing permits and encourage more small businesses to apply.  The idea has merit.  Nobody likes bureaucracy, especially me.  He also is willing to raise the $200,000 limit for which small businesses in the city get preferential treatment.  Another good idea.  I’m not so crazy about the next one, though.

Foxx also said he expanded a city-backed loan program for small businesses. The program currently is targeted toward businesses that open in low-income neighborhoods, and Foxx said he would expand to certain industries such as financial services or sustainable energy. The recession warrants the change, he said.

Charlotte Observer

The reason why small businesses, or any business really, tend not to open in these kinds of neighborhoods is because they aren’t profitable areas and are prone to higher crime.  If the business doesn’t survive and goes under who picks up the tab of the loan that is not repaid.  The taxpayers of course.

RALEIGH — The $170,000 salary that N.C. State University paid former state first lady Mary Easley until it fired her this summer was $91,000 too high, according to a never-completed — and much speculated-upon — state audit.

The salary and how Mary Easley won the job have become part of wide-ranging state and federal investigations into perks given to former Gov. Mike Easley and his family. Wood’s office has twice been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury, and she said she had shared the report with investigators.

Wood said the report was too poorly done to be credible and “should not be relied upon for any purpose.”

Easley’s salary probably was too high, Wood said, but the proper amount was somewhere between her salary and the $79,000 recommended in the report.

The Times News

The Sleasleys just can’t stay out of the paper no matter what.  This had to be one of the most corrupt administrations in recent state history.  Too many of these louses forget what it means to be a public servant, or they don’t care.  Instead of serving the public, Easley was serving himself and his family.  Wish I could get a six figure salary for being married to the governor.

Another one down.  Keep up the pressure!

ASHEVILLE — U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler on Thursday reiterated his stance that every American deserves health care coverage of some sort, but he stressed repeatedly that he won’t vote for the health care reform bill currently in the House of Representatives.

Shuler, D-Waynesville, fielded questions from callers for 90 minutes on a local radio talk show, “Take a Stand,” with host Matt Mittan. The congressman repeated several themes: Any health care reform must not add to the deficit, the country needs to focus on wellness programs and prevention, and the health system needs to be overhauled before adding 46 million uninsured Americans.

“It would be easier to start over,” Shuler told the audience of 570 AM, emphasizing the need for sweeping reform. “Reform has to happen. We have to reform health care. We have to make sure that people with pre-existing conditions are covered.”

A member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Caucus, Shuler said his group has pushed to lower the cost of plans under discussion and will continue to do so. The caucus will play a key role in passage of any reform.

Asheville Citizen-Times

Lower cost plans are exactly the way to go, although I don’t know precisely what it is Shuler and the Blue Dogs have in mind.  No taxpayer dollars should enter into factor, period.  Any plan that does that should be rejected.  I also agree with Shuler that every American deserves health coverage and that is what is so great about this country.  Every American has the opportunity to get it if they work for it.  It shouldn’t just be handed out.

Asked if people have a right to health care, Shuler replied, “To certain populations I think it’s a right

No, it isn’t.  It’s a service.  And we don’t have rights in this country to just “certain populations.”  I’m sure that isn’t the way he meant to phrase it.

I have been informed by my Web site host that they will be migrating the site to a new server, so if you experience issues while coming to the site over the next week that is likely the reason why.

Thanks.

WASHINGTON  – U.S. Rep. John Spratt (D-SC) will hold his second and third town hall meetings on health care next week in Sumter and Rock Hill.

Spratt held his first town hall on health care in Rock Hill on July 2, with AARP.  Since early August he has been recovering from foot surgery at his home in York.  Over the past few months, Spratt has met with numerous constituents, the South Carolina Hospital Association, SC Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and a wide assortment of physician groups to hear their concerns about heath care reform.

The following town hall meetings have been scheduled for next week:

Sumter
Time: 5:00 pm
Date: Wednesday, September 2
Place: Central Carolina Technical College – Building 400, 506 N. Guignard Street

Rock Hill
Time: 5:00 pm
Date: Thursday, September 3
Place: York Technical College – Baxter Hood Center, 452 S. Anderson Road

At the meetings, priority seating will be given to residents of the 5th Congressional District of South Carolina.  In addition, people who want to ask questions will be asked to write their name on an index card at the door and place the card in a box that most closely matches their position on health care reform – for, against, or undecided.  During the question and answer session, names will be drawn from the boxes, one by one, and members of the audience will be called on to ask their question.

Yeah, I knew that one would be a long shot, but there is always hope.  Personally, I think the under 21 restriction should be challenged as unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment.

ROCK HILL — South Carolinians aged 18 to 20 cannot drink alcoholic beverages, and recent legal efforts to authorize such drinking would create “absurd” results, a circuit judge ruled Wednesday.

A Rock Hill man and his attorney had challenged a state law that bans the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages by people under 21. They argued that the S.C. Constitution allows only a ban on selling them to minors.

That means the constitution allows minors to possess and drink alcoholic beverages, argued Rock Hill attorney James W. Boyd. They just can’t buy it.

But 16th Circuit Judge Lee Alford disagreed. He ruled that the General Assembly clearly intended to ban possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages by people under 21 when legislators proposed and later ratified a constitutional amendment in the 1970s.

The Post and Courier

The ordinance approving cafe-style sidewalk dining with alcohol sales in the Olde Village section of North Charleston easily passed its final City Council vote tonight.

Restaurants could begin offering the service in the next few weeks, after the city’s zoning department begins the application process.

Council members who supported the measure drew applause from the audience, many of whom represented restaurants in the East Montague Avenue district, off Park Circle.

The Post and Courier

It still amazes me that in the 21st century we have to pass laws to allow a perfectly legal activity to be perfectly legal.  And there were councilmen that voted against this.  You mean someone will be allowed to sit on an outdoor patio and drink a Chardonnay??  Oh the humanity!  What is the world coming to?!

Rallies for the pro-ObamaCare crowd will be held around North Carolina and Greenville, South Carolina this Saturday.  Details below:

Some of us do anyway.  Don’t count me among them.  I don’t normally get into politics outside our two states down here, but the Kennedy’s were perennial figures throughout the country and the closest thing to royalty we’ve probably ever had.

I am not going to shower Teddy with any feigned sympathy or praise just because he died today.  I am not going pay him any respects because he did not earn mine.  I’ve never liked Ted Kennedy and I’m not going to say anything nice about him now just because he passed on.  In fact, I think America got just a little bit better today.

Here is my very short eulogy for Mr. Kennedy.  Ted Kennedy was a self-serving, spoiled, silver spoon fed bastard that never did a day of real work in his life and skated by on his good brother’s name and his father’s money.  What else needs to be said?

Apparently the House Republicans will discuss it this weekend while they, ironically, are lounging around in Myrtle Beach on our dime.  I assume their legal reasons for impeachment would have to be the non-disclosure of “gift” flights as well as the first class flights that they claim violate state law and waste money.  Yes, the House Republicans suddenly care about wasting tax dollars.

Retired Army Col. Lou Huddleston (R) announced Wednesday that he would run against Rep. Larry Kissell (D-N.C.) in 2010.

“Since Larry Kissell has gone to Washington, things have gotten worse, not better,” Huddleston said in a statement. “The citizens of the 8th congressional district deserve a principled leader who represents them, not a yes man for the out-of-touch politicians in Washington.”

The Hill

Lou Huddleston may be a familiar name.  He ran for North Carolina State House in the 44th District last year against Margaret Dickson.  She defeated him pretty handily, but the 44th is a fairly Democratic district plus Dickson had the incumbency advantage, not to mention the Obama effect at work.  The 8th Congressional District leans slightly Republican so that would give Huddleston a better recipe for success this time, but ultimately it will depend on how voters feel about Kissell and the Democrats in general next year.

WEDDINGTON – More that 1,200 people crowded into Weddington High School Tuesday night for a boisterous town hall meeting that evoked passionate sentiments not only about health care, but also immigration and the Obama administration.

“It’s not about covering the uninsured in this country, it seems to me it’s all about control,” Union County businessman Tony Mangum said, voice breaking. “I get emotional because I fear we’re losing this country.”

Charlotte Observer

And that’s the bottom line.  It’s not about providing everyone with health insurance.  It’s about the government controlling everyone’s health care.  There are plenty of ways they can provide insurance for the non-insured if that was truly the government’s motivation.  They don’t need a mandate forcing everyone to get insurance.  They don’t need to create health insurance exchanges and force all employers to go through them when providing employee insurance coverage.  This whole thing is nothing but a ruse for the biggest expansion of government in American  history.

County commissioners Chairman Jennifer Roberts did not appreciate her invitation to an upcoming “Pimps & Hos” themed ball at Suite, an Epicentre club.

Roberts sent organizers a reply Tuesday in which she said, “I find your choice of themes extremely harmful for this community.

Charlotte Observer

I guess that means she won’t be in attendance.