Carolina Politics Online

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste is a taxpayer watchdog group that for years has been tracking and monitoring the wasteful spending being undertaken by our members of Congress. When I say waste I mean real waste, things that most all of us regardless of political ideology and views could likely agree on. Wasted spending like $1,454,000 for mosquito trapping research or $2,573,000 for potato research. Better yet, right here in our own backyard, UNC Charlotte received $762,000 for interactive dance software.

CAGW has a searchable database containing the 9,129 pork-barrel projects in the 2010 Congressional Pig Book. They also do a ranking of every member of Congress with a score of 100 indicating a taxpayer superhero and a score of 0 being a wasteful taxpayer abuser. Unfortunately, here in the Carolinas we have several big fat zeros. That list is below:

Gee, nobody saw this coming.

The plans, being tested in places like San Diego, New York and Chicago, are likely to appeal especially to small businesses that already provide insurance to their employees, but are concerned about the ever-spiraling cost of coverage.

But large employers, as well, are starting to show some interest, and insurers and consultants expect that, over time, businesses of all sizes will gravitate toward these plans in an effort to cut costs.

The tradeoff, they say, is that more Americans will be asked to pay higher prices for the privilege of choosing or keeping their own doctors if they are outside the new networks. That could come as a surprise to many who remember the repeated assurances from President Obama and other officials that consumers would retain a variety of health-care choices.

The New York Times

Shocking, eh?  No, not that this is happening.  It’s shocking that there were people in this country stupid enough to actually believe the President’s lies about being able to keep their current health coverage and doctor.  As ObamaCare slowly unfolds more people are figuring out just how badly we got bent over by our “representatives” in D.C.  Oh, and let us not forget who it was that brought this on us by voting in favor of ObamaCare.

• G. K. Butterfield (NC-01)
• Bob Etheridge (NC-02)
• David Price (NC-04)
• Mel Watt (NC-12)
• Brad Miller (NC-13)
• Jack Spratt (SC-05)
• Jim Clyburn (SC-06)
• Senator Kay Hagan (NC)

Do you remember a month ago when I warned you about a piece of legislation called the Disclose Act?  Well, it passed the U.S.  House about an hour and a half ago.  Just to recap the dangers this bill presents:

The point of the legislation would be to force corporations sponsoring a political ad to disclose their identity, even to the extreme of the CEO having to appear at the end of the ad in a disclaimer.  However, it’s the more ominous language in the bill that has raised the eyebrows of those in the blogosphere and questioning if this legislation could unconstitutionally impact us as well.  The issue is with the language.

Under the bill, the F.E.C. would have the authority to require disclosures regarding the funding of “coordinated communications,” defined in the bill as “a publicly distributed or disseminated communication that refers to a clearly identified candidate for Federal office” and is publicly distributed or disseminated within four months prior to an election. In other words, political ads. And this bill would specifically target those paid for by someone or some entity other than the candidates.

The bill specifically exempts certain forms of media from being considered “coordinated communications” and regulated by it, but blogs aren’t specifically listed.

OpenCongress

And that is what is sounding the alarm.  Here is the language of the bill stating who exceptions apply to.

‘(4) EXCEPTION- The term ‘covered communication’ does not include—

‘(A) a communication appearing in a news story, commentary, or editorial distributed through the facilities of any broadcasting station, newspaper, magazine, or other periodical publication, unless such facilities are owned or controlled by any political party, political committee, or candidate;

There is no mention of blogs in the list of communication and there is no language specifically exempting the communication of a private individual like myself and others who write Web sites like this.

It’s uncertain if this bill will make it through the Senate. After all, as the saying goes the Senate is the place where legislation goes to die. If they do pass it then we have an open door to Stalinism right here in the United States.  Think it’s out of the question that the Federal government couldn’t abuse this law to shut down Web sites like this one and others that they feel are a threat to their power just like they do in countries like Iran, China, and Singapore?  Think again.

The following Congressmen from North and South Carolina voted for this bill today:

• Bob Etheridge (D-NC-02)
• David Price (D-NC-04)
• Larry Kissell (D-NC-08)
• Heath Shuler (D-NC-11)
• Brad Miller (D-NC-13)
• John Spratt (D-SC-05)
• Jim Clyburn (D-SC-06)

The following members voted against the act to preserve freedom of speech:

• G.K. Butterfield (D-NC-01)
• Walter Jones (R-NC-03)
• Virginia Foxx (R-NC-05)
• Howard Coble (R-NC-06)
• Mike McIntyre (D-NC-07)
• Sue Myrick (R-NC-09)
• Patrick McHenry (R-NC-10)
• Mel Watt (D-NC-12)
• Joe Wilson (R-SC-02)
• Bob Inglis (R-SC-04)

There may be a new war brewing between Congress and bloggers, specifically political bloggers like myself and thousands of others.  You may recall back in January, the case of Citizens United v FEC.  This was a case heard by the Supreme Court in which they gutted portions of Federal campaign finance reform laws, thus easing restrictions on the political speech of individuals via corporations and reaffirming the long held SCOTUS precedent of the Constitutional wording of “people” applying to corporations.  The decision never set well, particularly with the Democrats in Congress, and in response they are now pushing H.R. 5175, the “Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections Act” or more simply put, The Disclose Act.

The point of the legislation would be to force corporations sponsoring a political ad to disclose their identity, even to the extreme of the CEO having to appear at the end of the ad in a disclaimer.  However, it’s the more ominous language in the bill that has raised the eyebrows of those in the blogosphere and questioning if this legislation could unconstitutionally impact us as well.  The issue is with the language.

Under the bill, the F.E.C. would have the authority to require disclosures regarding the funding of “coordinated communications,” defined in the bill as “a publicly distributed or disseminated communication that refers to a clearly identified candidate for Federal office” and is publicly distributed or disseminated within four months prior to an election. In other words, political ads. And this bill would specifically target those paid for by someone or some entity other than the candidates.

The bill specifically exempts certain forms of media from being considered “coordinated communications” and regulated by it, but blogs aren’t specifically listed.

OpenCongress

And that is what is sounding the alarm.  Here is the language of the bill stating who exceptions apply to.

‘(4) EXCEPTION- The term ‘covered communication’ does not include—

‘(A) a communication appearing in a news story, commentary, or editorial distributed through the facilities of any broadcasting station, newspaper, magazine, or other periodical publication, unless such facilities are owned or controlled by any political party, political committee, or candidate;

There is no mention of blogs in the list of communication and there is no language specifically exempting the communication of a private individual like myself and others who write Web sites like this.  Now does that mean the Federal government will actually regulate the free political speech of bloggers?  I don’t know and sometimes I think they write these laws to be purposely ambiguous so nobody knows what the hell they are doing.  I can’t imagine that if they tried it would ever stand up in court.

I’ll keep an eye on this as it moves forward.  According to a press release I got from Congresswoman Virginia Foxx’s office, the House is set to begin debate on the Disclose Act next week and I don’t know what’s going to happen.  What I do know is that the Washington aristocracy is not going to shut me up no matter what Stalinist laws they try to pass and I know I’m not alone on that.  It will be a brutal blow back for them if they attempt to silence the free speech of the people.

North and South Carolina cosponsors of the Disclose Act are below:

• Jim Clyburn (D) SC-06
• Bob Etheridge (D) NC-02
• Walter Jones (R) NC-03
• Larry Kissell (D) NC-08
• David Price (D) NC-04
• Heath Shuler (D) NC-11

The following is a press release from Dr. B.J. Lawson, Republican candidate for North Carolina’s Fourth Congressional District.

Rep. David Price’s Blind Support of Health Care Reform Bill is Irresponsible and Ignores Constituents’ Concerns Says N.C. Congressional Candidate William (B.J.) Lawson, MD

Congressman continues to demonstrate how he only votes along party lines without actually reading the legislation, while ignoring the country’s lack of Medicare and Social Security funds

CARY, N.C., March 16, 2010 – William (B.J.) Lawson, MD, a Republican candidate for the 4th Congressional District in North Carolina, sees Rep. David Price’s promise to vote for the health care reform legislation as a blatant disregard for the majority of North Carolina constituents who are speaking out against the proposals put forth by the Democrats in Washington.  Rep. Price stated this week that he will vote for the bill no matter what the final version says.

“There is no question that reform needs to occur, but the manner in which the legislation is being written – with numerous components that our bankrupt nation cannot afford and that will significantly decrease the quality of health care – is nothing short of reckless,” said Dr. Lawson.  “By combining Medicare and Medicaid payments that don’t cover physicians’ costs with the fact that our Medicare and Social Security programs are both cash flow negative since last year, it’s clear that we cannot rely on Washington to fix our health care problems.

The American health care system works great… unless you’re a patient or a doctor,” Lawson added.  “More government and insurance bureaucracy will continue to drive doctors out of business, as well as drive businesses into extinction through even higher taxes.  That’s not how we increase the availability and quality of health care in America.  However, Rep. Price seems to think he knows what’s best for all Americans.”

Dr. Lawson is running a common sense Congressional campaign primarily focused on the economy and health care.  His unique background as a physician and medical software business owner provides a fresh perspective on how to effectively fix the problems plaguing the U.S.

According to Lawson, a true health care reform plan must contain the following in order to ensure the utmost in patient care, which should be the goal:

• transfer of economic power from government and insurance bureaucracies to individual patients through funding tax-free health care savings accounts
• competition and price transparency among providers to offer innovative care at lower prices
• high-risk pools for patients with pre-existing conditions
• eliminating regulations that increase the costs of care for doctors and hospitals, and;
• insurance and tort reforms to focus caregivers on patient safety and stop junk lawsuits.

“Transferring economic power to individual patients will be the single best way to reduce fraud and abuse, and encourage competition to increase availability of quality care,” Lawson concluded.

Dr. Lawson and other Congressional candidates in North Carolina with medical degrees will be participating in a number of forums throughout the state to address the concerned physician community.  More information will be available at www.lawsonforcongress.com.

An entrepreneur and resident of Apex where he lives with his wife and three children, Dr. William (B.J.) Lawson is running for Congress in North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District.   For more information, see the campaign’s Web site, www.lawsonforcongress.com.

The first member of the North Carolina Congressional Delegation is pledging to vote “yes” on the latest version of health care reform. U.S. Rep. David Price said the bill will keep insurance companies from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions, ban lifetime limits on care and strengthen oversight for insurance companies seeking to raise premiums.

Price also said the reforms will benefit the American people while reducing the federal deficit.

North Carolina News Network

Let it be known that Congressman David Price is now on record supporting a socialist take over of the American health care system and a culture of corruption that is ripping apart our Federal government.  He is also for raising the cost of health insurance for 85% of the country and he is a cowardly liar.

The inability to deny those with preexisting conditions and to implement lifetime limits will result in premium increases across the board for all of us.  Correct if me if I’m wrong, but this is the exact opposite result of why we were told they were engaging in health care “reform.”  Price is also a liar of the worst kind.  This bill will not reduce the Federal deficit one penny.  They make this claim because they will begin taxing for the program next year even though it won’t kick in until 2014.  That is how they achieve a deficit “reduction.” The bottom line is that the Federal government intends to spend another trillion dollars that we don’t have while we are already running annual deficits of a trillion and a half.

Today the Pelosi Congress is now considering passing this legislation with what has become known as the “Slaughter Rule.”  In essence, they will attempt to pass the Senate bill without actually voting on it.  Is this the representation that the American people voted for?  No, this isn’t representation at all.  It’s decree.  What this is is government tyranny and David Price is going right along with it.  It’s time for the American people to revolt against the oppression of the Federal government.

There will be a Republican primary in the 4th congressional district again as GOP candidates line up to face Democratic Congressman David Price.

B.J. Lawson, an Apex businessman with a medical degree, announced today that he would file for the seat joining Frank Roche, an Apex stock trader, reports Rob Christensen.

Roche had been stumping for the seat for months. But Lawson’s entrance is more of a surprise because he had initially indicated that he would not run again this year.

Lawson was the GOP candidate for the 4th district in 2008, losing to Price by a 63-36 margin. But Lawson generated a lot of interest because of his libertarian views and his fundraising prowess. He defeated Augustus Cho in the GOP primary by a 70-29 percent margin.

The N&O

Interesting. B.J. raised a lot of dough last time from libertarians and liberty caucus Republicans across the country. He’s also more of a “Tea Party” Republican than Roche, who is much more of a traditional conservative.

B.J. Lawson

HR 3962, the infamous Pelosi health care bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives last night by a mere five votes.  This doesn’t mean that we’re doomed.  The U.S. Senate still has their own version to pass and then it has to be reconciled with the House bill and both chambers have to vote on the final combo bill.  It is unlikely this will all happen before the end of the year, so there is time for the American people to stop this.

I want you to understand what this bill does.  It is going to cost in excess of $1.2 trillion over the next ten years.  This is all new spending on top of what our government spends today.  Bear in mind, we have a $1.7 trillion budget deficit this year alone an $11 trillion debt.  It’s actually even worse than that, though.  The $1.2 trillion figure is what the House reps are saying.  The CBO has a much, much larger price tag.

Senator Gregg: Updated CBO Estimate of House Bill Pulls Back the Curtain on Majority’s Intent to Grow Government by $3 Trillion

Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH), ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee today commented on the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) more detailed cost estimate of the manager’s amendment to the House health reform bill.

Senator Gregg stated, “The CBO estimate released last night finally sheds light on the smoke and mirrors game the majority has been playing with the cost of their health care reform proposal. Over the first 10 years, this legislation builds in gross new spending of $1.7 trillion – and most of the new spending doesn’t even start until 2014. Once that spending is fully phased in, the House Democratic bill rings up at more than $3 trillion over ten years.

“Additionally, this bill cuts critical Medicare and Medicaid funding by $628 billion, accounts for nearly $1.2 trillion in tax and fee increases and will explode the scope of government by putting the nation’s health care system in the hands of Washington bureaucrats. The $3 trillion price tag defies common sense – we simply cannot add all this new spending to the government rolls and claim to control the deficit.

“If we continue to pile more and more debt on the next generation, they will never be able to get out from under it. The health care system needs reform, but this massive expansion of government, financed by our children and grandchildren, is the wrong way to proceed.”

This bill will fine employers who do not provide health insurance to their employees.  This is a double edged sword.  Many small business, for one, don’t provide it because they can’t.  Of those companies that do, the fine that would be implemented by the Federal government will actually cost less than providing the benefits.  The obvious result is that many companies out there will simply drop employee health benefits and force them onto the public “option.”  Personally, I think this is by design because the Democrats have been very open about wanting a single payer government run health care system and that is exactly the path we will go down.

This bill will make your current insurance policy even more expensive.  Remember how the whole point of health care “reform” was to lower the cost.  Yeah, that’s out the door.  Taxes on medical devices and supplies as well as on insurance companies and mandates requiring them to cover anyone who walks through the door regardless of age or preexisting conditions will raise the price of your insurance.  This will put many more Americans on the public “option” because they won’t be able to afford the premium increase or their company will stop offering the benefits and just pay the fine.  We are headed towards a two-tiered health care system.  High quality health care for the elite rich of our nation who can afford to pay outside the public “option” and a watered down rationed system for the rest of us.

This bill was 1,990 pages long.  Everyone that voted for this bill doesn’t have the slightest clue what is in it.  They haven’t had it long enough to know and many of them have already admitted that they don’t read the bills anyway.

Probably the most destructive part of this bill is the individual mandate.  Never in the history of our nation, one that prides itself of personal freedom and liberty, has our government passed a law forcing the American people to  buy a product.  This is blatantly unconstitutional and I imagine that if the Senate companion bill passes with the same mandate, which it does possess, and this is signed into law there will be Constitutional challenges to this piece.   I want you to understand the ramifications if such a mandate is held up by the Supreme Court.  Going forward our government will have no limitation of powers.  Once they are told by the highest court in the land that they are allowed to tell us what to buy based upon the court’s interpretation of the Commerce Clause or providing the general welfare, they will have complete control over the American people.  Our nation as we know it today will be a thing of the past.  We are heading into a Soviet style government.  Make no mistake about it.

All Republicans in North and South Carolina voted against this bill.  Democrat Congressmen Larry Kissell, Mike McIntyre, and Heath Shuler also voted against the bill.

The following Democrats voted to throw you in the gulag if you don’t buy health insurance.

• G. K. Butterfield (NC-01)
• Bob Etheridge (NC-02)
• David Price (NC-04)
• Mel Watt (NC-12)
• Brad Miller (NC-13)
• Jack Spratt (SC-05)
• Jim Clyburn (SC-06)

WRAL has up an “Ask Anything” session with Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory concerning last year’s gubernatorial race and his future political prospects. McCrory’s answers to the first two questions strongly imply he may take another shot at the governor’s seat in 2012.

1. Are you going to consider running for governor again or maybe even running for Senate? – Cecil Woodall, Smithfield

Yes. Running a state-wide race was a great experience (except for election night!!!) and I am proud of the campaign we ran. We participated in (and most believe we won) every debate and proved that a candidate can run an effective, positive campaign. We lived within our fundraising means, didn’t take any loans, and ended the campaign without any debt, just in the same manner I promised I would govern.

2. Dear Mayor McCrory, first I hope that you take another run at the governor’s race in about three years. What do you think of the term so far of the current administration? – Mandy Poole, Knightdale

I believe the appointments for Secretary of Commerce (J. Keith Crisco) and Secretary of Transportation (Gene Conti) were actually quite good. However, the current administration has done an about face on about everything she promised during our campaign. Our new Governor has raised taxes, reduced mental health care, laid off teachers, and closed much needed prisons. There has been no effort to change the culture of how state government decisions are discussed behind closed doors. Campaign violations by the past and current Administration continue to be exposed well after the election.

I hope he does run against Perdue again.  The first few months of her term she seemed like she was going to do pretty well, but her performance and decisions made in the last two months have flushed all of that straight down the crapper.  Perdue pledged she wouldn’t raise taxes on “working” families and yet she turns around and does exactly that.  Her budget and tax increases she approved of this year is going to come back and bite her in the ass.  Her approval is worse than George Bush’s after just a few months on the job.  Of course, a lot could change in three years and voters tend to have short memories, but I have a feeling Bev Perdue is going to be a one hit wonder.

The Club for Growth has released their annual RePORK card that gauges how responsible our Congressional representatives have been with our tax dollars.  The result is usually pretty atrocious and this year is no different, but we do have a few responsible representatives in our states’ delegations.  The ratings are based on 68 amendments introduced in the House that would have stripped wasteful earmarks out of 12 annual spending bills.  Representatives who voted for all of the amendments received a score of 100%.  Those that voted for none received a zero.  So how did our guys and girls stack up?

Virginia Foxx (R-NC-05) was the only member to receive a perfect score of 100%.  However, there were a few others who weren’t far behind her.  Patrick McHenry (R-NC-10) received a 99%, voting against only one of the amendments.  Gresham Barrett (R-SC-03) and Sue Myrick (R-NC-09) both received a 97%.  Bob Inglis (R-SC-04) a 96%.  All others were below 90% which means the rest have some work to do, some a little and some are completely worthless.

Two more Congressmen that stood out to me were our two Blue Dog Democrats in North Carolina:  Heath Shuler (NC-11) and Mike McIntyre (NC-07).  Bear in mind that the Blue Dogs are supposed to be fiscal conservatives.  Apparently, these two didn’t get the memo.  Shuler supported only one amendment out of the 68 and McIntyre found the only way to top his poor showing by voting for none of them.

Also on the wall of shame for frivolously throwing your tax dollars away are the following pigs who received a zero score:

• G.K. Butterfield (D-NC-01)
• Jim Clyburn (D-SC-06)
• Bob Etheridge (D-NC-02)
• Larry Kissell (D-NC-08)
• Brad Miller (D-NC-13)
• David Price (D-NC-04)
• Jack Spratt (D-SC-05)
• Mel Watt (D-NC-11)

It’s interesting to note that all the high scoring members of Congress are Republicans and all the ones with the shitty scores are Democrats.  That really illustrates the differing views the two parties have on the role of the Federal Government.

The State Bureau of Investigation is looking into allegations of inappropriate sexual contact by state Sen. R.C. Soles, D-Columbus, with a 15-year-old boy.

Wilmington Star

Wow! It’s not a Republican this time!

The young man told a TV reporter Soles tried to touch him in a sexual manner when he was 15 years old.

Soles has been the subject of recent media coverage about his relationships with several young men in Columbus County since the home of one of them, Allen Strickland, was torched by an arsonist two weeks ago.

Come on baby light my fire.

If R.C. has to give up the Senate, perhaps he can take up babysitting.

The Triangle’s three Democratic congressmen sought to build support for President Barack Obama’s health-care proposal Monday, saying it would help ensure that when middle class people become seriously ill or change or lose jobs they would not be left to pay their own medical bills.

The News & Observer

Correct.  They would not be paying their medical bills.  You would be paying their medical bills, in addition to your own.

In their first joint appearance since coming home for the August congressional recess, the lawmakers scoffed at critics’ cries of socialism, saying the president’s plan has deep roots in American history.

“Theodore Roosevelt, when he ran for president as the nominee with the Bull Moose Party in 1912, called for universal health care,” said Rep. Brad Miller of Raleigh. “Harry Truman called for it in 1948. We come back to this issue again and again. It’s an issue that faces every family.”

That’s propaganda.  Teddy Roosevelt was incredibly left wing compared to your average Republican today.  Harry Truman was Vice-President under FDR who was a big government stooge and an authoritarian control freak.  To say that government controlled health care has deep roots in American  history is a blatant manipulation of our history.  Where are the quotes from our Founding Fathers advocating a strong centralized government to plan our lives for us?  These guys are liars and they know it.

The three congressmen, Miller, David Price of Chapel Hill and Bob Etheridge of Lillington, appeared at a private event at Wake Health Services, a community health center in East Raleigh.

A private event.  That’s because they’re cowards who are afraid to face their constituents.  They know that the voters don’t want this, but they want to try and jam it through anyway.  They know once public health care is passed it will be here forever.

By a vote of 219 to 212, the House narrowly passed the Cap and Trade bill that will cost us millions of jobs and devastate the American economy even more as it starts going into affect. Just ask Spain how well it went for them?

This still has to pass the U.S. Senate of course and that is nowhere near certain. They need 60 ayes just to be able to vote for it and I imagine there will be Democrat defectors there just as there were in the House.

Those who voted to raise your energy bills by about $1500 a year to “save the planet” are as follows:

• G.K. Butterfield (D-NC-01)
• Bob Etheridge (D-NC-02)
• David Price (D-NC-04)
• Heath Shuler (D-NC-11)
• Mel Watt (D-NC-12)
• Brad Miller (D-NC-13)
• Jack Spratt (D-SC-05)
• Jim Clyburn (D-SC-06)

Those who voted to protect your liberty, labor, and livelihood were:

• Walter Jones (R-NC-03)
• Virginia Foxx (R-NC-05)
• Howard Coble (R-NC-06)
• Mike McIntyre (D-NC-07)
• Larry Kissell (D-NC-08)
• Sue Myrick (R-NC-09)
• Patrick McHenry (R-NC-10)
• Henry Brown (R-SC-01)
• Joe Wilson (R-SC-02)
• Gresham Barrett (R-SC-03)
• Bob Inglis (R-SC-04)

Two candidates on the Republican side of the aisle have already stepped up to take on Congressman David Price (D-NC-04) in the 2010 general election.  B.J. Lawson who ran a hell of a good campaign against Price last year has decided to make another go at it.  Although Price won handily last year, defeating Lawson 63 – 37, it was no cakewalk for Price.  He had to run ads on television against Lawson and even bring some staff down from D.C. to help out on his campaign.  Unfortunately for Lawson, Price greatly benefited from Obama momentum and an electorate utterly disgusted with the Republican Party.  I think the GOP is recovering from that stigma however.  A recent Rasmussen poll shows that Americans now trust Republicans more than Democrats on six out of ten major issues, including the economy.  That didn’t take long at all.  If that trend continues Lawson might be able to pull off an upset victory next year.  The Fourth did vote for Bush over Kerry in 2004, so Republicans can be competitive in this district.  Additionally, Price was defeated once before by Republican Fred Heineman in the “Republican Revolution” of 1994.  Price had a rematch with Heineman in ‘96 and reclaimed his seat.  The Democrats have since gerrymandered Price’s district, after the 2000 Census, to make it more Democrat leaning.

The second candidate who has declared is a financial executive from Apex, Frank Roche.  According to the News & Observer, Roche hopes “to win over support of more traditional conservatives, who may not be comfortable with some of Lawson’s more Libertarian leanings.”  Yeah, whatever.  It was Lawson’s more libertarian leanings that made him such a better candidate than other Republicans in the past.   Lawson is a strong supporter of civil liberties and is opposed to the Iraq War and it was for those reasons that he was able to pick up the votes of some Democrats disgusted with Price who would have otherwise just sucked it up and voted for him had Lawson been another tired socially conservative neocon that the electorate has vehemently rejected in the last two election cycles.

Citizens Against Government Waste has for years tracked the spending of our government and combed through every dollar spent to report back to the public the yearly waste that occurs with our tax dollars.  We are now almost half way through 2009 (how time does fly) and they have already compiled a sizable list of wasteful pork spending by the Federal government and our representatives in North and South Carolina haven’t been thrifty to say the least.

Here is summary of CAGW’s report.

The fiscal year 2009 appropriations process was unique as three of the appropriations bills (Defense, Homeland Security and Military Construction) were passed and signed on September 30, 2008 under a different Congress and President.  But the change in control in the White House did not change the culture of corruption that surrounds pork-barrel spending.

In fiscal year 2009, Congress stuffed 10,160 projects into the 12 appropriations bills worth $19.6 billion.  The projects represent a  12.5 percent decrease from the 11,610 projects in fiscal year 2008.  The $19.6 billion is a 14 percent increase over the fiscal year 2008 total of $17.2 billion, belying claims of reduced spending.  Total pork identified by CAGW since 1991 adds up to $290 billion.

The 341 projects, totaling $4.2 billion, in this year’s Congressional Pig Book Summary symbolize the most egregious and blatant examples of pork.  As in previous years, all of the items in the Congressional Pig Book Summary meet at least one of CAGW’s seven criteria, but most satisfy at least two:

• Requested by only one chamber of Congress;
• Not specifically authorized;
• Not competitively awarded;
• Not requested by the President;
• Greatly exceeds the President’s budget request or the previous year’s funding;
• Not the subject of congressional hearings; or
• Serves only a local or special interest.

And here is the specific waste requested by some of our North Carolina and South Carolina representatives:

From Congressman David Price (D-NC-04)

$2,000,000 for textile research by House appropriator David Price (D-N.C.):  $1,000,000 for the Textile/Clothing Technology Corporation in Cary and $1,000,000 for North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

and

$167,000 by House appropriator David Price (D-N.C.) for the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in Chapel Hill for a digitization project.  The Center is currently planning a renovation and expansion so, on March 3, the planetarium’s Director of External Relations Jeff Hill tried to argue for funding for the project, saying it could create jobs.  Hill wrote, “This project could result in jobs today as well as support science education across the state that could result in jobs tomorrow. … We’re sensitive to the economic situation, appreciative of the support that we receive from all quarters and ready to put people to work if and when this capital project receives funding.”  While there is much skepticism that the expansion will create many jobs, a digitization project will be temporary and create fewer jobs.

From former Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC)

$475,750 by then-Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.) for the North Carolina Center for Automotive Research (NCCAR).  According to NCCAR’s website, “NCCAR is uniquely positioned to meet the demanding research and testing challenges of the automotive industry.”  A March 11, 2009 Charlotte Observer article noted that Concord, N.C.-based Speedway Motorsports, which owns seven major tracks, “reported a 2008 profit of about $80 million, more than double its 2007 profit of $38.4 million.  Its fourth-quarter loss was about $4.9 million, compared with a $20.2 million loss a year earlier.”

From Congressman Mike McIntyre (D-NC-07)

$11,600,000 by Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-N.C.) for a chapel at Fort Bragg

From Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

$2,135,000 for six projects for trade centers funded through the SBA by Senate Financial Services Appropriations Subcommittee member Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), Senate appropriator Robert Bennett (R-Utah), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)

and

$27,820,000 for three projects funding fitness centers:  $11,580,000 by Rep. Solomon Ortiz (D-Texas) for a fitness center at Naval Air Station Kingsville; $9,900,000 by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Rep. John Spratt (D-S.C.) for a physical fitness center at Shaw Air Force Base

From Congressman John Spratt (D-SC-05)

$175,000 by Rep. John Spratt (D-S.C.) under the Save America’s Treasures program for the Winnsboro Historic Clock Building.  On March 5, 2008, Rep. Spratt led his fellow House Budget Committee Democrats in voting unanimously to defeat a Republican amendment to place a moratorium on earmarks for the 110 Congress.

and

$27,820,000 for three projects funding fitness centers:  $11,580,000 by Rep. Solomon Ortiz (D-Texas) for a fitness center at Naval Air Station Kingsville; $9,900,000 by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Rep. John Spratt (D-S.C.) for a physical fitness center at Shaw Air Force Base

Bear in mind that these are only the most egregious.  As the year goes on they will most certainly be adding to the list.

North Carolina’s congressional delegation served up $228 million in pork barrel spending for fiscal 2009, a 5 percent jump from the previous year, according to the latest report from the government watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste.

CAGW’s 2009 “Congressional Pig Book,” released one day before hundreds of thousands of Americans took to the streets to protest wasteful government spending in a series of “tea parties,” catalogued 10,160 total pork projects, also called earmarks, amounting to $19.6 billion. Although the number of earmarks was down this year, the amount spent on those projects rose by 14 percent compared to fiscal 2008.

The Carolina Journal

I guess while the rest of us cut back, Congress felt the need to make up for it by spending more. But hey, what’s another $19.6 billion compared to the trillions we’re tossing around?

Despite a pledge to reform the earmark system, President Obama last month signed a $410 billion omnibus appropriations bill laced with pork barrel spending. “I am signing an imperfect omnibus bill because it’s necessary for the ongoing functions of government, and we have a lot more work to do,” Obama said.

Hope and change. Change and hope. Just click your ruby slippers together and maybe it’ll come true.

U.S. Rep. David Price, D-4th, helped score the most earmarks among North Carolina representatives, followed by former Rep. Robin Hayes, R-8th. Price and Hayes secured a combined 34 earmarks totaling over $11 million in the omnibus spending bill alone, according to a report by Taxpayers for Common Sense.

Reps. Virginia Foxx, R-5th, and Patrick McHenry, R-10th, were the only Tar Heel lawmakers to pass on the pork. Rep. Walter Jones, R-3rd, was responsible for only one earmark: $2.4 million for a U.S. Navy cancer vaccine program in California.

Foxx, Jones, and McHenry have promised to abstain from earmarks. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., made the same pledge, but the CAGW report shows that Burr played a role in securing 52 earmarks in appropriations bills this fiscal year.

I’m interested to know what Burr’s earmarks were, and what excuse he had. Last week Bane took some S.C. lawmakers to task for breaking their no-tax pledge. Well, I’m not to pleased to see my U.S. Senator break a no-earmarks pledge. That and his support for Bush’s bailout plan last year are causing me to sour on this guy real quick.

UPDATE: Butterfield tries to explain himself -kinda- in the N&O:

As it turns out, U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield doesn’t like to call them earmarks either.

The Wilson Democrat was the only member of the North Carolina delegation to actually label his requests for special appropriations in the federal budget “earmarks.”

But he told Dome he doesn’t like the term.

“I don’t like to call them earmarks because they have such a bad reputation around the country,” he said. “I call them Congressionally-directed funds.” 

Oh, well as long as we have some sort of innocuous pseudo-Orwellian term for these money-wasting travesties, I guess that makes it OK.

Jeeez, do we ever need a revolution.

Here’s the list:

Rep. G.K. Butterfield: 98, $7.3 billion

Rep. Larry Kissell: 103, $530.1 million

Rep. Bob Etheridge: 59, $312.2 million

Rep. Mike McIntyre: 67, $302 million

Rep. David Price: 89, $264.6 million

Rep. Brad Miller: 59, $185.5 million

Rep. Mel Watt: 66, $179.7 million

Rep. Howard Coble: 29, $90.3 million

Rep. Heath Shuler: 79, $81.5 million

Rep. Walter Jones: 11, $43.8 million

Rep. Sue Myrick: No earmark requests

Rep. Virginia Foxx: No earmark requests

Rep. Patrick McHenry: No earmark requests

The N&O

At least three of our congresscritters are trying to be responsible with our tax dollars. I won’t say that I expect better from Coble and Jones, because I don’t. We do deserve better though.

But let’s take a look at the top of that list, shall we?  G.K. Butterfield got $7.3 billion. BILLION! A “B” and 9 zeros! Now, I understand that G.K. represents the cradle of Eastern N.C. BBQ, but this goes a little too far.

So what did ol’ G.K. get with other peoples’ tax money?

The Wilson Democrat released his list of 98 requested appropriations for the federal budget on his Web site.

The largest request is $2 billion for Virginia-class submarines from the Northrop Grumman Corp. The smallest is $150,000 to upgrade lecture halls at Halifax Community College.

Other notable earmarks:

* Refueling overhauls for Navy aircraft carriers, $1.6 billion.

* Construction of new aircraft carriers, $807 million.

* Funding a National Textile Center at N.C. State University, $16.5 million. 

* Starting a rural business incubator in Scotland Neck, $10 million. 

The N&O

Hey, G.K., you know we’re in a recession, right?

A lot of hay has been made about the $160 million AIG handed out in bonus money to its employees after they were given near $100 billion in taxpayer dollars to keep them afloat.  If that is what makes your blood boil, so be it.  Of course, the real outrage should be over the $75 billion of taxpayer money that AIG used the vast majority of to pay debt it held with several foreign banks.  If you didn’t already know that, which isn’t surprising because the media has only been harping over “Bonusgate,” yes, the Federal government gave AIG tens of billions of dollars to send right out of our economy while it is in the crapper.  Brilliant, huh?

Anyway, this is just a reminder to you to not forget which of our Carolina representatives voted to make all of this possible:

Voting for the bill:

• Bob Etheridge (D-NC-02)
• David Price (D-NC-04)
• Howard Coble (R-NC-06)
• Sue Myrick (R-NC-09)
• Mel Watt (D-NC-12)
• Brad Miller (D-NC-13)
• Henry Brown (R-SC-01)
• Joe Wilson (R-SC-02)
• Gresham Barrett (R-SC-03)
• Bob Inglis (R-SC-04)
• John Spratt (D-SC-05)
• Jim Clyburn (D-SC-06)

Senator John McCain (R-AZ) has been getting some blowback from criticizing the use of $650,000 in Federal tax dollars to pay for beaver management in Mississippi and North Carolina and it has beaver seekers in an uproar, including Congressman David Price (D-NC-4).

State and federal wildlife officials claim to have saved nearly $5 million last year in potential flood damage to farms, timber lands, roadways and other infrastructure through its Beaver Management Assistance Program — the same

“Maybe you should ask him how much he knows about this and why he picked it out for ridicule,” said U.S. Rep. David Price, a Chapel Hill Democrat. “We know why he chose this — because it sounds funny.”

The News & Observer

I imagine it’s been some time since Price trapped his own beaver, so his frustration is understandable.

I am no wildlife expert so I am not going to attempt to downplay their claim.  It may very well be accurate, but the question I raise is why isn’t North Carolina paying for this themselves?  Bringing home the pork obviously didn’t help former Senator Dole, now did it.