Carolina Politics Online

NC Education Lottery

It is our pleasure to invite you to join us at the 2009 Minority Business Conference and Vendor Fair, October 13th at the Wake County Office Park, Raleigh, NC.

Is it me or is this conference and fair discriminatory? I was once turned down for a loan because I did not qualify for the bank’s program. I hope you can guess why. I believe that our country is the land of equal opportunity and it is something I strongly believe in. Denying someone based on the color of their skin is something that I abhor. Martin Luther King and myself agree on this. We believe you should be judged based on your character and actions, period!

John W. Pope Civitas Institute

In a recent USA Today article summarizing how states balanced their budgets this summer, Vice President of the National Taxpayers Union Pete Sepp declared, “With a few exceptions, states have been able to avoid the doomsday projections that big tax hikes were on the way.”

Unfortunately, North Carolina was one of those “exceptions.”

Democrats like Chairman David Young always use the class warfare theme of taxing the rich. Except in this instance they raised the sales tax and created many new fees. And of course a higher sales tax has an ever increasing impact on the poor and middle class. The more money they take out of your pocket means less freedom for you and more power to the government.

I do hope everyone sees through the smoke and mirrors being put out by the North Carolina Democratic leadership. Even a newly appointed Democrat in House 33 has only towed the party line. She has not voted against any Democrat bill. One has to wonder how many Democrats below the leadership actually read the bills.

If you disagree with the last tens years remember that off year municipal and next year’s elections are your opportunity to throw off the yoke of a possible socialist agenda. I do not use that word lightly and I do not throw it around. I implore you to fight back against the tide.  I am truly afraid of what is happening to us locally and nationally.

I knew this was coming.

Ken Lewis, the embattled CEO of Bank of America Corp., is leaving the company, succumbing to nearly a year of strife that followed his company’s acquisition of Merrill Lynch & Co.

The bank said in a statement late Wednesday that Lewis, 62, would retire as CEO and also leave the company’s board by the end of the year. The company said his successor will be selected by the time he steps down Dec. 31.

The news, coming after shareholders had stripped Lewis of his chairman’s title earlier this year, wasn’t surprising because of the intense pressure he came under after the Merrill deal. Lewis had said he would stay on as CEO until after the company’s financial problems were resolved, a process expected to take several years.

However, with the bank also under heavy criticism from government officials, Lewis was increasingly seen as vulnerable.

The AP

A couple of things here.  Ken Lewis is totally being railroaded by our very tyrannical government.  Hank Paulson and Ben Bernanke pressured and for all intents and purposes threatened Bank of America into buying Merrill Lynch.  The two of them ought to be in prison, but for some reason President Obama felt it necessary to reappoint Bernanke as Fed Chairman.  Welcome to George Bush’s third term.

That being said, I agree that Lewis should go.  He had an obligation to his employees and his shareholders to stand up for what was right.  He had an obligation to tell Paulson and Bernanke and George Bush to stick it up their asses and then go on every single public media outlet and tell the entire world what they tried to do to him, his company, and his stakeholders.  Lewis failed to do that.  He wimped out then just like he is wimping out now and hence, the government will once again get away with extortion.

Obama did lie, but that’s nothing unusual.

Senate Finance Committee Democrats rejected a proposed a requirement that immigrants prove their identity with photo identification when signing up for federal healthcare programs.

Finance Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said that current law and the healthcare bill under consideration are too lax and leave the door open to illegal immigrants defrauding the government using false or stolen identities to obtain benefits.

Grassley’s amendment was beaten back 10-13 on a party-line vote.

The bill, authored by committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), would require applicants to verify their names, places of birth and Social Security numbers. In addition, legal immigrants would have to wait five years, as under current law, after obtaining citizenship or legal residency to access federal healthcare benefits such as Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program or receive tax credits or purchase insurance through the exchange created by the legislation.

But the would not require them to show a photo ID, such as a drivers license. Without that requirement, the bill “remains dearly lacking when it comes to identification,” Grassley said. “Frankly, I’m very perplexed as to why anyone would oppose this amendment,” he said.

The Hill

There is nothing perplexing about it.  The opposers of this ammendent want American citizens to pay for the health care of illegal immigrants in the hopes that some day they can grant amnesty to those illegal immigrants and they will vote for their political party.  It’s not hard to understand.

Tamera Frank, a Yancey County social worker has announced her intentions to run against State Senator Joe Sam Queen (D-Waynesville).  Yancey is running on a platform of limited government, free speech, and gun rights.  She has stated that her time serving on the Yancey County Department of Social Services Board of Directors has given her the opportunity to openly fight corruption.  I believe the 47th District is one of the ones in which the Republicans have a special interest in their quest of trying to take over the State Senate next year.

Haha, I love seeing government revel in its own stupidity. This $145 grand is peanuts compared to all the tourist money they’ve also lost out on since passing their unconstitutional helmet law and telling bikers they aren’t welcome in their city. Once freedom prevails and the helmet law is struck down by the State Supreme Court the bikers collectively should move Biker Week to a new city altogether and really stick it to Myrtle Beach once and for all.

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — A South Carolina city has spent $145,000 defending itself in lawsuits that challenge restrictive ordinances aimed at ending motorcycle rallies.

The Sun News of Myrtle Beach reported Tuesday that court rulings have been in the city’s favor so far. Myrtle Beach is waiting for the state Supreme Court to decide if it will hear cases challenging the city’s helmet law.

The Sun News

Queens University in Charlotte is hosting a mayoral forum on October 7th beginning at 7:00pm in the Dana Auditorium. The forum will feature Republican candidate John Lassiter and Democrat candidate Anthony Foxx. The public can submit questions at charlottemayor@queens.edu

News and Observer

Raising taxes

Real estate transfer taxes and impact fees are among possible means of raising more money for schools, Nixon said. Voters in several Triangle counties rejected transfer taxes last year in the wake of heavy opposition from the real estate industry.

“The citizens of Wake County cannot tolerate more tax increases,” Goldman said.

I agree with Goldman in that we cannot tolerate any more tax increases. There have been many recent examples of the Wake County School Board wasting thousands of dollars just due to a property transfer process not done on time. Also the administrative budget has gone up every year heding into this year while Instructive Materials (Classroom supplies) have fallen. And a great question for the NCAE and our school board is why they want to pay failing teachers the same as successful ones?

I am looking for writers to help keep up with all the news going on in our two states.  If you live in North Carolina or South Carolina and are interested in contributing to the site please email me at admin@carolinapoliticsonline.com.  I work full time and am also a graduate student so it is becoming increasingly difficult for me to keep up with this Web site the way it should be.

Thanks!

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina state Rep. Nick Mackey wants dismissed a State Bar complaint alleging he failed to file timely tax returns and failed to disclose his internal affairs problems while a police officer.

The Bar released Monday Mackey’s response to a disciplinary complaint filed in July against the Mecklenburg County Democrat. A hearing is set for December.

WCNC

I am so jealous that I don’t have a state representative as honorable and distinguished as Nick Mackey.  Did you notice the sarcasm dripping from my mouth?  One can wonder if Mackey will be able to make it through another election.  Sure, he did it before, despite all of the skeletons emerging from his closet, but he was challenging a white guy before.  This is what you get when racial politics take hold.  I would imagine a black candidate, unscathed, will emerge at some point to take him on in next year’s primary.  You would hope.

Hah!  ACORN is finally crumbling before our very eyes.  All eight of the group’s North Carolina employees have been let go, The News & Observer is reporting.

This whole scandal really highlights the failure and the bias of today’s media.  How embarrassing that it took a 25 year old man and a 20 year old woman, neither of which are professional journalists, to do a fairly simple sting operation to bring them down.  It’s been known for years that ACORN is corrupt and has engaged in fraudulent behavior in our electoral system.  They have been under investigation or were being prosecuted in more than a dozen states prior to this scandal breaking.  Where was the media?  Covering for the Big O, that’s where.

Below is some commentary from Bill O’Reilly and the Daily Show’s Jonathan Stewart.

Reidville businessman Bill Chumley officially will kick off his campaign for the state House District 35 seat this evening in Duncan.

The event is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. at 1550 Highway 290, an open field about a half-mile south of I-85 at Exit 63. A tent will be set up in case the weather decides not to cooperate.

“I’m not real happy with a lot of things,” Chumley said. “State government is long overdue for reform, and there’s a lot of things I’d like to see changed — everything from less taxes to more freedom, tax reform, government reform. I’ve got some real issues with the budget, with the way it’s written, enforced and the way it’s carried out.”

The Herald-Journal

Less taxes?  More freedom?  Sounds like a winning combination for me.  I await to see his proposals.

GAFFNEY — Adam Childers organized a quiet rally Friday in response to a bank manager removing small American flags placed at the sidewalk last week in memory of a fallen Marine.

Childers said he felt obligated to act to honor the sacrifice of Lance Cpl. Chris Fowlkes and many other servicemen and women.

He was joined by several people who held signs and waved flags while standing on the sidewalk at Bank of America on West Floyd Baker Boulevard.

“Bank of Where?” and “Close Your Account Now” were among the messages.

One sign read, “Honk for our Troops,” and many motorists complied.

“I felt like I had to do something. I had to take a stand,” Childers said.

Fowlkes died Sept. 10 in a hospital in Germany after receiving injuries in Afghanistan when he and four other military personnel encountered a roadside bomb.

His body was returned to Gaffney, where a service was held — with residents lining the street, and flags distributed and displayed.

“You know this is about the flag, but it’s about Chris, too. I think Bank of America’s corporate office owes an apology to his family,” Childers said.

The controversy began Sept. 15 when Brenda Earls said the branch manager of Bank of America removed Earls’ flags placed along the sidewalk.

Earls said the manager told her she was following corporate policy in order not to offend customers.

The Herald-Journal

Here is my take on this.  If these flags were on Bank of America’s property they had every right to remove them.  How long are they expected to keep them there anyway?  Did they even give permission for them to be placed there in the first place?  If that pisses people off that they took them away they have the right to not do business with them as well, but the employees there shouldn’t be getting threatened over this.  It’s stupid and petty.

I am confused by the branch manager’s logic, however.  Who in the United States of America would be offended by American flags at Bank of America?  What a moron.

U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett said he’d consider talking with the NAACP to end its continuing boycott of South Carolina in opposition to flying the Confederate flag on the Statehouse grounds.

Barrett was among five Republicans who hope to be the next governor of South Carolina. The candidates, who included Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, Attorney General Henry McMaster, state Sen. Larry Grooms and state Rep. Nikki Haley participated in their first debate Tuesday night.

The Greenville News

Ah yes, the shameless pandering begins.  Former Governor David Beasley was the one who ordered the flag to come down off of the Capitol dome and be placed in front of the Statehouse.  We saw how well that gesture worked out for him in the end.

Does Barrett honestly believe that by promising the South Carolina NAACP he’ll have the flag removed will get them or 90% of the rest of the blacks in South Carolina to vote for him?  It may win him a handful more than most Republicans get but he’ll lose ten times the votes from his base so he’d be writing his political epitaph.

I’m not a native southerner so I don’t particularly care what happens to the flag. It has no meaning for me and I understand the arguments on both sides of the issue.  Quite frankly, I’m amused by the whole controversy.  However, I’m not dumb enough to believe that slavery wasn’t a primary factor in secession nor am I dumb enough to believe the NAACP actually wants equality.

Barrett would be wise to simply pay no attention to the NAACP.  They have about as much political clout in this state as Lyndon Larouche and Joe Wilson’s outburst has probably turned more tourists away than their “boycott.”

Gee, real sorry I missed this.

Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) received a handwritten note Thursday from Joint Committee on Taxation Chief of Staff Tom Barthold confirming the penalty for failing to pay the up to $1,900 fee for not buying health insurance.

Violators could be charged with a misdemeanor and could face up to a year in jail or a $25,000 penalty, Barthold wrote on JCT letterhead. He signed it “Sincerely, Thomas A. Barthold.”

Politico

This is hope and change.  Does it get more outrageous than this?  This Congress is walking right over a cliff and taking our rights with it.  Are you just going to sit idly by and let them do it?

If I may say to Speaker Hackney, “You lie”.  The Republicans not only presented many plans to correct the over spending of the Democrats, they introduced numerous amendments. Hackney and the Democrats voted NO on over 95% of Republican amendments. The Democrats are the party of NO and do it my way or the highway. I find it despicable that Hackney and the Democratic leadership are trying to smear the GOP. Hackney does not even know basic math. The Democrats have the votes in both the state house and state senate to do whatever they want.

It is also childish of Hackney to distract from the fact that the Democrats raised taxes on fixed income elderly and all of the workers of our state. It is a fact that the more of your money the government takes from you the less freedom you have.  I am for one tired of my tax money going to pay off Democratic loyalist in cushy $100k plus jobs. Our government is full of dedicated hardworking people who deserve true leadership not Democratic syncophants.

The Republican Party will return to you your freedom while bringing responsibility and transparency back to our government.

The leader of the state Senate said Friday that he won’t fight wind farms proposed offshore from an area he represents, although he’s aware that residents are concerned about the possible effects on tourism.

“Change does not come easy to me or to the people of this island,” Senate leader Marc Basnight, D-Dare, told a public meeting on Hatteras Island.

WRAL-TV reported on its Web site that Basnight said he wouldn’t want turbines to disturb the coastal views and potentially affect tourism, but said alternative energy sources must be considered to thwart global warming.

News & Record

Isn’t this just typical.  These people want these wind mill farms to “fight” global “warming” just don’t put it in their backyard.  Windmills are not sufficient alternative power sources anyway.  You need tons of them just to power a small town.  As far as putting them on the coastline, what happens when the next hurricane rolls through?

Personally, Basnight out to fight the wind farms and instead push for a nuclear power plant.