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)

The Office of Congressional Ethics is investigating eight lawmakers who held fundraisers within 48 hours of a major House vote on a Wall Street reform bill or received substantial donations from business people with a financial stake in the bill, according to congressional sources and letters.

Watt held a Dec. 9 fundraiser and soon after withdrew a proposal he had introduced to subject auto dealers to tougher regulations, according to congressional records. The fundraiser generated checks largely from finance groups, including Goldman Sachs and the Investment Company Institute. In an interview, Watt said he will answer the OCE’s questions and declined to comment on the investigation.

The House ethics manual instructs members to steer away from accepting campaign donations if the timing creates an unacceptable appearance of a conflict of interest.

The Washington Post

It doesn’t sound to me like Watt has done anything wrong here.  I don’t see how a proposal for tougher auto standards is really related to financial “reform,” but maybe I’m just missing something.  Does Goldman Sachs have a significant stake in the auto companies?

I know, congressional ethics is an oxymoron.  And Mel Watt?  He’s just a moron.

Stung by a series of inquiries, nearly half the members of the Congressional Black Caucus want to rein in an independent ethics office that Democrats trumpeted after gaining control of Congress.

Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, and 19 fellow black lawmakers in the all-Democratic caucus quietly introduced a resolution last week that would restrict the powers of the Office of Congressional Ethics to open new investigations and make its findings public. The office, formed by Congress in 2008, is run by a panel of private citizens.

Charlotte Observer

See, the panel has actually been effective and well, we just can’t allow that.  12th District Congressman Mel Watt of Charlotte is a cosponsor

But actually, here is the real beef of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Since its inception, the ethics office has investigated at least eight black caucus members, including veteran Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., and five others in that group over privately funded trips to the Caribbean. Many of them are among the co-sponsors of Fudge’s resolution, although Rangel is not.

In a statement, Fudge argued that the new office – which can initiate investigations and refer findings but doesn’t have the power to sanction lawmakers – is too powerful. She said her changes would prevent “trials in the court of public opinion.”

“The processes must be fair to all people involved,” Fudge said in a statement. “OCE is currently the accuser, judge, and jury.”

So basically, the crux of the matter here is that too many black Congressmen have been caught with their dirty laundry by this citizen panel so they’re obviously racist.  The behavior and guilt of these Congressmen is completely irrelevant.  It doesn’t matter if they’re guilty or not.  Too many of them are black and so we’re way over the quota here.

The bottom line is that if more white Congressmen weren’t doing as good of a job hiding their malfeasance, the Congressional Black Caucus would not have drawn up their resolution.  Hence, the Congressional Black Caucus has zero credibility.  They are just a hateful, racist organization and our very own Mel Watt is a proud member.

Yes, you read that correctly.  Wake Forest University was given a grant for $71,623 to “study the effects of self-administering cocaine on the glutamate system on monkeys.” Ah, but that’s not all.  Wake Forest also received a grant in the amount of $147,694 to study “preliminary data on the efficacy of integral yoga for reducing menopausal hot flashes.”  Wake Forest lies in Congressman Mel Watt’s (D) district.  I wonder who appropriated those earmarks.

There is also $50,000 for the American Dance Festival, Inc. and $250k to preserve an insect collection.

Can anybody tell me how any of this is supposed to stimulate the economy?  That was the purpose of the stimulus bill after all, hence the reason it was referred to as the stimulus bill, or more appropriately, the Porkulus bill.  Perhaps this is why after spending billions of dollars it hasn’t done jack.

Many months ago when I was expressing my dismay about the Porkulus bill and referred to it as such, our dear friend Lynn told me I was sounding too much like Rush Limbaugh.  Well Lynn, you haven’t commented in a while, but in case you are still popping by, I told ya so.

All I have to say is thank God for John Pope and the Civitas Institute for taking the time to expose this kind of crap because Lord knows I certainly don’t have the resources to.  Maybe some day.

Congressman Watt was quoted in the News and Observer about black unemployment.

U.S. Rep. Mel Watt, a Charlotte Democrat, is among the ten members of the Congressional Black Caucus criticizing the Obama administration for not doing more for African-Americans in the recession.

He should know by now that the key to success in life is education. It is a shame that African-American males only have a graduation rate from high school in the mid 50% range. And it is even less at the next level of college education.

Encouraging ALL children at a early age to include making school fun. Increasing vocational training and encouraging our children to seek out their interests along with exceeding achievement of the basics. And most of all teach our children basic personal finance so they know what they can afford and what they need to save for.

Personal responsibility is a term that applies to all of us in life. And until we get out of the government knows best and will take care of me mentality, we are doomed to continue in this vicious unfair cycle.

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)

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.

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)

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)

When the Supreme Court ruled last week on a North Carolina case involving circumstances under which legislative districts can be drawn to protect minority voting rights, members of the Congressional Black Caucus immediately started talking about legislation to overturn the decision.

“On first blush, it was thought this was a disaster,” said Rep. Mel Watt, a Charlotte Democrat who represents parts of Greensboro and High Point in the 12th District. “After a day or so, the second reaction was just ‘This is bad.’And somewhere between those two is probably what it really is.”

Although the case involved a state legislative district, it could affect how all kinds of voting districts are redrawn after the next census, from city council seats to congressional districts.

The News & Record

I imagine Congressman Watt is quite disturbed over the ruling as it may mean his district could be redrawn and for the first time ever he may actually have to get out and work to get reelected.  Can you imagine something so awful?

As to why the Voting Rights Act was still needed, Watt said voters have still not reached a point where they are color-blind. For example, North Carolina barely voted in favor of President Barack Obama last fall, Watt said, while giving other statewide Democrats much healthier margins of victory.

Naturally, it was because Obama was black.  It certainly couldn’t have had anything to do with Obama’s radical associations or record of radical views and ideas while in government, nor the fact that North Carolina hasn’t voted Democratic for President since 1976 could have had anything to do with that either.

It’s the type of answer I would expect a race baiting povery pimp like Mel Watt to give.

In North Carolina, where Democrats control the House, Senate and governor’s mansion, it’s unlikely lawmakers would dismantle undue minority voting districts, he said.

And I agree.  I don’t think we’ll see much of a change anyway.  If the state legislature attempted to tweak it even the slightest Watt will bring Sharpton, Jackson, and their Ringling Brothers circus down here to start doing racial trapeze acts on the steps of the state capitol building.  Basnight and Hackney wouldn’t have the testicular fortitude to actually draw a fair district and risk all that.

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court ruled Monday that a part of the Voting Rights Act aimed at helping minorities elect their preferred candidates only applies in electoral districts where minorities make up more than half the population.

The decision could make it harder for some minority candidates to win election and for southern Democrats, in particular, to draw friendly electoral boundaries after the 2010 Census.

The 5-4 decision, with the court’s conservatives in the majority, came in the case of a North Carolina plan that sought to preserve the influence of African-American voters even though they made up just 39 percent of the population in a state legislative district.

Although not a majority, the black voters were numerous enough to effectively determine the outcome of elections, the state argued in urging the court to extend the civil rights law’s provision to the district.

But Justice Anthony Kennedy, announcing the court’s judgment, said the court would not extend the law to those so-called crossover districts. The 50 percent “rule draws clear lines for courts and legislatures alike,” Kennedy said in striking down a North Carolina legislative district.

In 2007, the North Carolina Supreme Court struck down the district, saying that the Voting Rights Act applies only to districts with a numerical majority of minority voters. The district also violated a provision of the state constitution keeping district boundaries from crossing county lines, the court said

The AP

The case being discussed here is Bartlett v Strickland and this lawsuit resulted from the creation of North Carolina’s 18th State House District which split Pender County in half in order to create a district with a 39% black population, practically guaranteeing a black representative in the State House.  The lawsuit was originally brought about by Dwight Strickland, a Pender County Commissioner at the time, claiming that the drawing of the district violated a provision in the North Carolina State Constitution called the Whole County Provision, in which counties are not allowed to be split up when drawing voting districts.  The Supreme Court has ruled in Strickland’s favor.

I agree with the ruling as well.  Electoral districts should not be gerrymandered to elect someone of a particular political party, ethnic group, or race.  It kind of kills that whole concept that we are all Americans.  While racial tensions, not just in this country, but around the world, will never be completely eliminated, America has moved well beyond the days where such techniques are needed in order to elect a diverse body of individuals to our state, local, and Federal governments.

One of the most famous gerrymandered districts is North Carolina’s 12th Congressional District represented by Mel Watt (D).  Unless succumbing to a strong primary challenge, Watt is guaranteed reelection every time his term is up.  This is not effective representation.  It is the voters who should be choosing their representative, not the representative choosing his voters.

How ridiculous is this district?

I do not believe that Watt’s district will be affected by this ruling since it was specifically pertaining to a state legislative district.  Also, Watt’s district has already been challenged and ruled in favor of.

In the case of North Carolina’s 12th District, however, Justice Stephen G. Breyer wrote for the court’s majority that “the evidence … does not show that racial considerations predominated in the drawing of … boundaries. That is because race in this case correlates closely with political behavior.”

ABC News

I’m still trying to wrap my brain around that one.

In any case, I think the Supreme Court’s ruling is a step forward for America.

U.S. House- N.C. Delegation

2009 BUDGET, CONGRESSIONAL PAY: Voting 245 for and 178 against, the House on Wednesday sent the Senate a $410 billion appropriations bill (HR 1105) to fund agencies now on stopgap budgets. The bill denies a congressional pay raise in 2009.
Voting yes: G.K. Butterfield, D-1; Bob Etheridge, D-2; David Price, D-4; Mike McIntyre, D-7; Larry Kissell, D-8; Heath Shuler, D-11; Melvin Watt, D-12; Brad Miller, D-13
Voting no: Walter Jones, R-3; Virginia Foxx, R-5; Howard Coble, R-6; Sue Myrick, R-9; Patrick McHenry, R-10

EARMARKS, ETHICS PROBE: Voting 226 for and 182 against, the House on Wednesday killed a motion (H Res 189) to open an Ethics Committee probe of suspected links between House members’ receipt of campaign contributions and their sponsorship of earmarks that benefit the contributor. A yes vote was to kill the motion.
Voting yes: Etheridge, Jones, Price, McIntyre, Shuler, Watt, Miller
Voting no: Foxx, Coble, Kissell, Myrick, McHenry
Not voting: Butterfield
Hope and change… hope and change. And something about the most ethical Congress in history. Yeah, anyone else remember any of that? Didn’t think so.

BANKRUPTCY, MORTGAGES: Voting 224 for and 198 against, the House on Thursday set debate rules for a bill (HR 1106) that gives bankruptcy courts authority to ease the terms of mortgages on principal residences in Chapter 13 proceedings. Final action on this part of President Obama’s anti-foreclosure plan was then delayed for several days. A yes vote was to advance the bill.
Voting yes: Butterfield, Etheridge, Price, McIntyre, Kissell, Watt, Miller
Voting no: Jones, Foxx, Coble, Myrick, McHenry, Shuler
Because it’s so obviously the government’s job to step in and protect people who bought property they can’t afford from all those big bad banks. Whatever happened to contracts being, I don’t know… binding? Or the government staying out private business?

PRIMATES AS PETS: Voting 323 for and 95 against, the House on Tuesday sent the Senate a bill (HR 80) to ban interstate commerce in nonhuman primates such as chimpanzees. A yes vote was to pass the bill.
Voting yes: Butterfield, Etheridge, Jones, Price, McIntyre, Kissell, Shuler, Watt, Miller.
Voting no: Foxx, Coble, Myrick, McHenry
And now the government does what it does best- react to problems in all due haste… after the ape sh-t’s already hit the fan. I don’t think I have a problem with this, and I’d go further. As Libertarian as I am, there are too many irresponsible pet owners out there who are hurting other people by having these crazy animals. I think states should start licensing these things, charge a big fee, and make sure only a responsible person is allowed to own a chimp, or a 25-foot Burmese Python.

U.S. Senate

SECRETARY OF LABOR SOLIS: Voting 80 for and 17 against, the Senate on Tuesday confirmed Hilda L. Solis, 51, a member of Congress from California, as the 25th U.S. secretary of labor. A yes vote was to confirm Solis.
Voting yes: Kay Hagan, D
Voting no: Richard Burr, R

D.C. CONGRESSIONAL SEAT: The Senate on Thursday passed, 61 for and 37 against, a bill (S 160) expanding the House of Representatives from 435 to 437 seats by establishing the District of Columbia as a congressional district and awarding Utah a fourth congressional district. D.C. presumably would elect a Democratic representative and Utah a Republican. The new members would take office in 2011. The bill is now before the House. A yes vote was to pass the bill.
Voting yes: Hagan
Voting no: Burr
How telling is it that the U.S. Senate can do something blatantly unconstitutional, and no one bats an eye? The Constitution clearly says that only states get representatives. D.C. is NOT a state. Hopefully this will be overturned. Kay Hagan and her 60 comrades should be ashamed of themselves for violating their oath to uphold the Constitution.

RETROCESSION TO MARYLAND: Voting 30 for and 67 against, the Senate on Thursday rejected a plan to give the District of Columbia full representation in Congress by ceding nearly all of its 69 square miles back to Maryland, from which it was created in 1790. The amendment was offered to S 160 (above). A yes vote backed retrocession.
Voting yes: Burr
Voting no: Hagan
What the hell does Richard Burr have against Maryland?

D.C. GUN LAWS: Voting 62 for and 36 against, the Senate on Thursday amended S 160 (above) to deny the District of Columbia government authority to enact laws restricting private ownership or use of firearms. In part, the amendment would negate laws such as D.C.’s prohibition on gun ownership by persons voluntarily committed to mental institutions and its bans on armor-piercing sniper rifles and military-style semiautomatic weapons. A yes vote backed the amendment.
Voting yes: Hagan, Burr

FAIRNESS DOCTRINE: Voting 87 for and 11 against, the Senate on Thursday amended S 160 (above) to prevent the Federal Communications Commission from reinstating its Fairness Doctrine, which required broadcasters to air competing viewpoints on hotly contested issues. The doctrine’s repeal in 1987 cleared the way for the rise of talk radio. A yes vote backed the amendment.
Voting yes: Hagan, Burr
It’s official- Kay Hagan has finally done something I agree with. Good job Kay!

U.S. House- N.C. Delegation

$787 BILLION STIMULUS: Voting 286 for and 183 against, the House on Friday approved the conference report on a $787 billion economic stimulus bill (HR 1). A yes vote was to approve the conference report.
Voting yes: G.K. Butterfield, D-1; Bob Etheridge, D-2; David Price, D-4; Mike McIntyre, D-7; Larry Kissell, D-8; Melvin Watt, D-12; Brad Miller, D-13
Voting no: Walter Jones, R-3; Virginia Foxx, R-5; Howard Coble, R-6; Sue Myrick, R-9; Patrick McHenry, R-10
When your grandchildren ask you why their taxes are so high, and why government is so big, and what economic freedom was like, I hope you’re able to tell them.

REP. CHARLES RANGEL: Voting 242 for and 157 against, the House on Tuesday tabled a Republican bid to remove Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee because of conduct now being investigated. Rangel is under scrutiny for dealings concerning rent-controlled apartment units in his district, his admitted failure to pay taxes on rental income on resort property, and his use of his committee post to help the City College of New York raise funds for an academic facility in his name. A yes vote opposed the motion to strip Rangel of his committee post.
Voting yes: Etheridge, Jones, Price, McIntyre, Kissell, Shuler, Watt, Miller
Voting no: Foxx, Coble, Myrick, McHenry
Not voting: Butterfield
Well, that’s it. I’m not paying my taxes anymore. If don’t get appointed to a cabinet post, at the very least I can enjoy a comfy job as a House committee chairman. The Ways and Means Committee, by the way, is the committee in charge of tax policy. That means the Ways and Means Chair and the Treasury Secretary are both tax cheats. Hope and change… hope and change…

ABUSE OF THE ELDERLY: Voting 397 for and 25 against, the House on Wednesday sent the Senate a bill (HR 448) authorizing $9 million over three years for state programs to prevent abuse of the elderly and provide emergency services to abuse victims. A yes vote was to pass the bill.
Voting yes: Butterfield, Etheridge, Jones, Price, Coble, McIntyre, Kissell, Myrick, McHenry, Shuler, Watt, Miller
Voting no: Foxx
So what could possibly be wrong with this? Nothing, if it was done at the state and local level. Apparently Congresswoman Foxx is the only person on this list who understands the concept of Federalism.

U.S. Senate

$838 BILLION STIMULUS: Voting 61 for and 37 against, the Senate on Tuesday passed an $838 billion economic stimulus bill (HR 1) and sent it to a House-Senate conference committee.
Voting yes: Kay Hagan, D
Voting no: Richard Burr, R

WILLIAM LYNN CONFIRMATION: Voting 93 for and 4 against, the Senate on Wednesday confirmed William J. Lynn III as deputy defense secretary, the Pentagon’s second-ranking civilian post. Lynn worked most recently as a lobbyist for the defense contractor Raytheon. A yes vote was to confirm Lynn.
Voting yes: Hagan, Burr
I don’t know… he’s probably qualified. But does anyone else seem to remember a certain presidential candidate saying something about “no lobbyists in his administration”? Anyone know who that was? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

U.S. House- N.C. Delegation

CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE: Voting 290 for and 135 against, the House on Wednesday sent President Obama a bill (HR 2) expanding State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) coverage from 6.6 million children to about 11 million children.
FOR- G.K. Butterfield, D-1; Bob Etheridge, D-2; David Price, D-4; Mike McIntyre, D-7; Heath Shuler, D-11; Melvin Watt, D-12; Brad Miller, D-13
Against- Walter Jones, R-3; Virginia Foxx, R-5; Howard Coble, R-6; Sue Myrick, R-9; Patrick McHenry, R-10
Not voting- Larry Kissell, D-8
The seven Democrats who voted for this think it’s your job to pay for other people’s children, and that your money is best used to reward parents who can’t take care of their own families. The idea of helping poor children sounds wonderful; the reality is more socialism and wealth redistribution that helps no one.

DIGITAL TV DELAY: Voting 264 for and 158 against, the House on Wednesday sent President Obama a bill (S 352) that would delay from Feb. 17 to June 12 the deadline for converting over-the-air U.S. television signals from analog to digital.
Voting yes: Butterfield, Etheridge, Jones, Price, McIntyre, Watt, Miller
Voting no: Foxx, Coble, Myrick, McHenry, Shuler
Not voting: Kissell
I ask the same question I asked last week: Why the hell is this the government’s job?

U.S. Senate

ATTY. GEN. ERIC HOLDER: Voting 75 for and 21 against, senators on Monday confirmed Eric H. Holder Jr. as the 82nd U.S. attorney general.
Voting yes: Kay Hagan, D
Voting no: Richard Burr, R
Eric Holder thought that world-class crook Marc Rich deserved to be pardoned in 2000. Then again, Rich did donate a bunch of money to the Clinton Library, so he can’t be all bad. But the biggest concern about Holder is that he will not take seriously the War on Terror, does not realize that the bad guys don’t play by our rules (or any rules), and doesn’t seem to care that coercive interrogation techniques have actually saved American lives. Looks like Kay Hagan doesn’t care much about that either.

‘BUY AMERICAN’: Voting 31 for and 65 against, the Senate on Wednesday refused to strip a $900 billion-plus economic stimulus measure (HR 1) of a “Buy American” requirement for public works projects funded by the bill. But the Senate stipulated the requirement can be waived if it violates U.S. trade treaties or pushes the cost of a given project too high. A yes vote opposed the “Buy American” provision.
Voting yes: None
Voting no: Hagan, Burr

REPUBLICAN TAX CUTS: Voting 40 for and 57 against, the Senate on Thursday defeated the main Republican alternative to the Democrats’ stimulus bill. The GOP measure was projected to cost $420 billion, including $275 billion in tax cuts.  A yes vote backed the GOP alternative.
Voting yes: Burr
Voting no: Hagan
Kay Hagan thinks you don’t pay enough taxes, or that the amount of taxes you pay is juuuuust right. Not that is really matters anyways; you won’t be paying off this Porkulus boondoggle- your grandkids will. Tax their sorry asses instead.

EARMARKS RULE: Voting 32 for and 65 against, the Senate on Thursday refused to establish a new Senate rule that 60 votes are needed to include unauthorized earmarks in appropriations bills. A yes vote backed the amendment.
Voting yes: Burr
Voting no: Hagan
Will Kay give me some BBQ to go along with all the pork my tax dollars are paying for?

U.S. House of Representatives- N.C. Delegation

$816 BILLION STIMULUS: 244 for and 188 against.
For- G.K. Butterfield, D-1; Bob Etheridge, D-2; David Price, D-4; Mike McIntyre, D-7; Larry Kissell, D-8; Melvin Watt, D-12; Brad Miller, D-13
Against- Walter Jones, R-3; Virginia Foxx, R-5; Howard Coble, R-6; Sue Myrick, R-9; Patrick McHenry, R-10; Heath Shuler, D-11

Those who voted in favor of this monstrosity just condemned your grandkids to a lifetime of government servitude to pay it off.

CANCELING AMTRAK FUNDING: 116 for and 320 against
For- Foxx, Coble, Myrick, McHenry
Against- Butterfield, Etheridge, Jones, Price, McIntyre, Kissell, Shuler, Watt, Miller

Everytime I have taken AMTRAK (or estimated the cost of doing so), I discovered that it is cheaper and quicker to freakin’ drive. Just sell this damn thing and stop wasting our tax dollars on it.

LILLY LEDBETTER ACT: 250 for and 177 against. The bill would permit claims to be filed within 180 days of the latest incident of pay discrimination. A yes vote was to pass the bill.
Voting yes: Butterfield, Price, McIntyre, Kissell, Shuler, Watt, Miller
Voting no: Jones, Foxx, Coble, Myrick, McHenry
Not voting: Etheridge

Behind the pleasant sounding bill is a boom for trial lawyers.

DIGITAL TV DELAY: 258 for and 168 against (failed to reach the two-thirds majority needed). Would delay from Feb. 17 to June 12 the deadline for converting over-the-air U.S. television signals from analog to digital. A yes vote was to pass the bill.

Voting yes: Butterfield, Etheridge, Jones, Price, McIntyre, Kissell, Watt, Miller
Voting no: Foxx, Coble, Myrick, McHenry, Shuler

Why is this the government’s job?

U.S. SENATE- N.C. Delegation

SECRETARY OF TREASURY: Voting 60 for and 34 against, the Senate on Monday confirmed Timothy F. Geithner as U.S treasury secretary.
Voting yes: Kay Hagan, D
Voting no: Richard Burr, R

Kay Hagan voted to confirm a tax cheat as head of the IRS. Hope and change… hope and change…

CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE: Voting 66 for and 32 against, the Senate on Thursday sent to conference with the House a bill expanding State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) coverage from 6.6 million children to about 11 million children. The bill would renew SCHIP for five years at a cost of $60 billion, up nearly $35 billion from current levels, and raise federal tobacco taxes from 39 cents per pack to $1 per pack to pay the added costs.
Voting yes: Hagan
Voting no: Burr

“We need socialism… it’s for the children“.

The N&O