Category Archives: Front Page

Email from Senator Hagan re. Extension of Unemployment Benefits

March 9, 2011

Dear Friend,

Thank you for contacting me regarding the extension of unemployment insurance benefits.  I greatly appreciate hearing your thoughts on this important issue.

On December 17, 2010, the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 was signed into law by President Obama. The bill extends the tax rates first enacted in 2001 and 2003 for all individual income tax brackets for two years, in addition to extending a number of other federal tax cuts and credits. These extensions include the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit, the Alternative Minimum Tax exemption, marriage penalty relief, and the American Opportunity Tax Credit. The bill also extends the tax rate on dividends and long-term capital gains income, and sets the estate and gift tax exemption at $5 million per person with a top tax rate of 35 percent.

The legislation also reauthorizes the enhanced unemployment benefits program for 13 months. Without the passage of this provision over 230,000 North Carolina families would have been at serious risk of seeing their unemployment benefits expire.

I did not support this overall bill because it will raise our national debt by $858 billion without any long-term plan to address our national deficit. I believe it is time for Congress to tighten its belt, like American families must do daily.  However, I do support the extension of enhanced unemployment insurance programs during these difficult economic times. During Senate consideration of the bill, I supported an amendment sponsored by Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) that would have permanently extended income tax cuts for middle class Americans, while allowing the tax cuts for people making over $1 million per year to expire.  This amendment also included the provision extending enhanced unemployment benefits.

As you know, families all across North Carolina are facing a difficult time making ends meet. I look forward to continuing my work during the 112th Congress to improve our economy and get more Americans back to work.

Again, thank you for contacting my office. It is truly an honor to represent North Carolina in the United States Senate, and I hope you will not hesitate to contact me in the future should you have any further questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Signature

Kay R. Hagan

CCTPP Meeting Minutes, 3/22/2011

MINUTES OF CRYSTAL COAST TEA PARTY PATRIOTS

MARCH 22, 2011

 

Meeting held at Golden Corral, Morehead City, NC

Meeting called to order at 6:05 p.m. by President BOB CAVANAUGH

Pledge of Allegiance led by BOB CAVANAUGH

Invocation by STEVEN BEST

No. in attendance: 29

 

BOB CAVANAUGH introduced new attendees.

 

BOB asked how many planned to attend the Americans for Prosperity bus trip to Washington, DC on April 6.  Tom Harmon said he planned to go.  Barbara Rawls explained that the event was to show TEA Party strength for budget cuts when the meat of the budget process is expected to occur.  KEN LANG has posted a sign-up sheet on our web site.  AFP is trying to determine how many from Carteret, Craven and Onslow counties are interested in going so they can determine how many buses they need and where to pick up attendees.

 

WAYNE WILLIS asked that anyone eligible (members of Carteret Craven Electric Power Cooperative) to be on the lookout for the member ballot in the April issue of Carolina Country magazine.  Wayne is running for Director in District 7 and would appreciate those eligible to vote to please cast your ballot for him.  You must use the ballot in the magazine, not a facsimile.  He also handed out a few posters and requested those taking them to please post them in stores in their area.

 

TOM AUSTIN reported that he had remained at the County Commissioners meeting after the other TEA party members had left.  He said there had been more discussion on the big screen TV at East to be used by a teacher to instruct students not only at East but also West and Croatan at the same time.  Therefore, he felt there must be more/additional TV’s, for the students at West and Croatan to be able to see and hear, that are not being discussed.

 

They had also discussed ‘at risk students’.  Right now the class would be composed of down east students, but at a future time would encompass students from through-out the county.

 

He said radios for emergency personnel had been included in the budgets for years 2008, 2009, and 2010, and he understood they had been approved two years (2009 and 2010); therefore it appeared funds had been approved twice.  They are talking about 200,000 (I think he said) radios, not only for emergency personnel, but will be issued to just about anyone who requests them.  This is Homeland Security money; therefore, as ERIC said, “it’s just China’s money, and we will be buying the radios from China anyway”.

 

He also said he understood it was said that if Wings E and F at East Carteret are completed, there will be no additional maintenance or upkeep funds required!  Dr. Novey went on to say that the estimated cost of upkeep for things like custodial work and power usage was $4.50 a square foot per year (or $175,000 for the wings); but it was unlikely the actual cost would be that high as the improved HVAC system would be more efficient.

 

Also, they talked about ‘Interest Free Bond Notes’.  Has anyone ever heard of an “interest free bond note”?  Who would be interested in buying into an interest-free note?

 

In order for the state (Gov. Perdue) to balance their budget, they are kicking the can down to the counties.  They are placing the expense of purchasing and maintenance of ‘state’ school buses, worker’s compensation, and various other expenses formerly in the state’s budget, to the counties to pay for.  He said the Legislature is coming up with a budget, but it is very probable Perdue will veto it.  Everything is in turmoil and there probably will be no budget until at least June or later.  County has to make up a budget in the dark while waiting for the state.  The county budget is due the end of April or first of May.  BOB wants to know if we can get a copy of the budget on line.  He requested a volunteer to study the local budgets.  No one volunteered right then.

 

Maintenance on East Carteret School has been included in the budget almost since the school was built and has never been spent.  Now that they need the money, no one knows where the allocated money is.

 

ERIC BROYLES spoke on Dr. Novey’s position of which is more important – saving teachers or capital improvements on East Carteret’s

E and F wings.  Discussion followed.

 

ERIC also said Bill No. S109 on spending cuts for the current fiscal year is now on the Governors’s desk.  We need to keep an eye on it.

 

BOB CAVANAUGH and KEN LANG attended the Republican meeting at the Senior Citizens’ Center last Saturday.  They said a lot of good ideas are coming out of the Republican side, but the Governor keeps vetoing them.  As to the Democratic National Convention which is to be held in Charlotte – Obama’s supporters are pumping massive amounts of money into the state.  They are well financed and well manned, and we will have a fight on our hands.  FRED DECKER, Newport Precinct 1 Chairman, said we have some really hard working respesentatives that believe in our cause.  (Thanks to Ken Humphrey, the best friend the Republicans could ever have.)  Duke Power Company is putting a lot of money into Obama’s Democratic Party Convention.  BOB reported that, at the meeting Saturday night, FRED had been presented a flag that had flown over the state capital on election day, with a certificate signed by Jean Preston, Pat McElraft, and – Governor Beverly Perdue.  (Joke was made for FRED not to worry, as soon as we get a Republican Governor, we’ll have another certificate made up and get it re-signed.)

 

TOM AUSTIN said he had been trying to get up with someone connected to the Wounded Warriors, but as of today, he had been unable to do so.

 

BOB announced that if anyone has not heard yet, Frank Palombo, former sheriff of Craven County, has announced his run against Walter B. Jones in the next election.  BOB likes that someone is coming out early, so we have time to get on board, if we want to.  We will have a great opportunity to vet early.  He understands Mr. Palombo might attend our April 16th rally at the Newport Flea Mall.

 

RALLY PREPARATIONS:

Our plans are to start setting up and putting everything together around 9:00a.m.  The rally is from 11:00a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

 

NANCY BOCK thought it would be nice if CATIE MIDGET (MCCABE) could get some friends together and meet and greet the attendees as they arrive, while passing out small flags to the children attending.

 

TOM SMITH reported that he had the stage locked in.

 

NANCY reported the port-a-pottys have been ordered.

 

BOB CAVANAUGH said he has someone lined up for the sound system.  He may have to get up with ALEX DAVIS about using some of his equipment.

 

NANCY recommended we begin advertising in the local paper about two weeks prior to the event.  Wanted to know if we want to list all of our scheduled speakers.  (No.  Just a few.)

 

BOB recommended we hold a Poster Contest.  Said that PEGGY GARNER had won the contest in Washington and it had seemed to go over quite well.

 

WAYNE WILLIS will check on patriotic music for the rally.  We will need equipment to plug into and play the music on the sound system we are planning to use.

 

FRED DECKER said he would check on a singer to lead the Star Spangled Banner.

 

BOB said he could not get there with the sound equipment until around 10:30a.m. since he had to pick it up on the day of the rally; otherwise, it would cost us another day.  RUTH PARKER recommended that BOB offer the owners to plug their business at the rally for the extra day’s cost.  Our use of the equipment will be less than 24 hours.

 

TOM HARMON will furnish a flag and ROY MUSSER will set it up.

 

RUTH PARKER has the podium.

 

TOM AUSTIN, RUTH PARKER, and NANCY BOCK have tents we can use.  LUKE KUKULINSKI said he had a tent (I think he called it a cook tent), but someone else would have to suffer putting it up.  It was mean to erect.

 

BOB wanted to know if someone would go to Special Services and get the tables and chairs.  HOWARD GARNER said that would not be necessary; that he could get what we need from the Moose Lodge.  (Will reserve 12 tables and 36 chairs.)  Can probably get more if we need them.  FRED DECKER said he thought he could also get about 8 or 10 tables.  HOWARD is going to check to find out if our granddaughter would need the horse trailer that weekend.  If not, since it is covered, we can load the tables and chairs on Friday night, so they will be ready to go Saturday morning.

 

HOWARD and PEGGY have the tickets and will get the wire ticket cage for the 50-50 drawing.  PEGGY will be responsible for making change, collecting the monies, and dividing the receipts for the winning ticket.  RUTH PARKER and CATIE would appreciate any help they can get with selling the tickets.

 

KEN passed out a list of the scheduled speakers that he currently has commitments from as follows:

Lockwood Phillips will serve as Master of Ceremony.

BOB CAVANAUGH, President of the Crystal Coast TEA Party Patriots; Representative Pat McElraft; Representative Norman Sanderson; Clerk of Court Pam Hanson; Francis Deluca, President NC Civatas; Becki Gray, John Locke Foundation; Dallas Woodhouse or Chris Farr, Americans for Prosperity; Troy Kickler, John Locke Foundation; CATIE MCCABE, Crystal Coast TEA Party Patriots, and Pastor Willie Montague.  Senator Jean Preston will be attending.

 

NANCY will have a table set up for selling shirts, hats, and other items.

 

Need volunteers for directing traffic.  Please let BOB know if you are available and can help in any way.

 

BOB said we need a tent to cover the sound equipment in case it rains.  HOWARD said he has some large tarps that we will bring to cover things in case we need them.

 

ROY MUSSER said he would bring the large electrical cord that we used last year.  HOWARD said he had several large cords (not quite as large) that he would bring just in case we might need them.

 

BOB said he would ask DEBBIE RUCKER if she would volunteer/donate bottles of water like she did at the Washington Rally.

 

BOB said he would ask Pastor Montague if he would give the invocation.  If for some reason he was unavailable; he would ask DEBBIE if she would please stand by to take over.

 

JERE GEURIN reported on the ‘care packages’ being sent overseas to our troops.  The items being sent include trail mix, candy, tooth brushes and paste, etc.  Sam Sanford, retired, told JERE they had about 100 packages ready to go.  The packages are addressed to a lst Sgt. (accompanied by a customs’ form).  They try to get sponsors to pay the postage on the boxes being mailed, which costs $12.95 per box.  They will be in Morehead City Saturday.  If you are interested in helpin this worthy cause, please stop by and mail a package to our overseas fighting men.  They really appreciate your help.

 

NANCY BOCK, Treasurer, reported that we have $1,026.00.  Still need items for the rally and cost of advertising to be expended.  Hope we can sell enough items at the rally to rebuild our treasury.  All donations will be greatly appreciated.

 

RADIO ADVERTISING –  KEN LANG said he would check with Swap Shop on the radio to find out how much it would cost to sponsor that program.  He realizes that there is no cost if we just call in and mention the rally.  He has heard that it costs $16.00 per minute on Ben Ball’s program.  BOB requested that we wait until next meeting night to vote on ‘sponsor’ or ‘call in’.  NANCY will check on cost of newspaper ads (and radio).  We all can write letters to the editor pushing our rally.

 

TOM AUSTIN wanted to know if we wanted a Wounded Warrior to speak at our rally or at one of our meetings.  Decided to have him speak at one of our meetings.  Have a lot of speakers now and would not want to have the Wounded Warrior message lost in the crowd.

 

Meeting adjourned at 7:30 pm

Email from Senator Hagan, 3/18/11 re Health Care

March 18, 2011

Dear Friend,

Thank you for contacting me regarding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act. I appreciate hearing your thoughts on this important issue. I apologize for my delayed response.

Since the start of the health reform debate over two years ago, I have carefully examined how this legislation will impact our state. I have listened to the personal stories and concerns of constituents and have been extremely focused on working to ensure that our health care system works for every North Carolina family. In these last two years, I have received hundreds of thousands of letters, emails, and telephone calls from North Carolinians, and I truly appreciated hearing your views on many of the issues discussed.

In March 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act became law. Currently, there is a lot of discussion about repealing this legislation. Throughout the health reform debate, I consistently heard stories from North Carolinians who were denied health insurance because they had a “preexisting condition,” or had been dropped from their insurance plans once they became sick. Repealing this legislation would only create countless more stories from people denied coverage.  Through its various provisions, health reform will help an estimated 32 million people that previously were without health insurance to secure medical coverage. A 2009 study in the American Journal of Public Health found 45,000 people a year died because they lacked health insurance. Quite simply, I believe North Carolina’s families deserve better than this.

In addition, our current health care spending is simply unsustainable. Each year, costs associated with our current health care system increase. Ten years ago, North Carolinians paid $6,000 in annual family premiums. Today those premiums cost more than $12,000. With these reforms, we will reduce health care costs for families, seniors, and small businesses, not just in the next few years, but also for the long term.

Another important consideration in the discussion of repealing health reform is the cost to our federal deficit. In January 2011, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that repealing the health care overhaul would increase the deficit by a total of $230 billion over 10 years. Our country cannot sustain continued deficit spending far into the future and I am working to enact a number of policies that will help address our nation’s deficit and debt.

Although the various provisions in this historic legislation will be implemented over time, many critical protections have already gone into effect in the last year. These provisions have expanded access to high quality, accessible, and affordable health insurance for thousands of North Carolinians. I would like to bring your attention to several of these provisions.

Starting on September 23, 2010, the new law ended some of the worst insurance company abuses and provided important new benefits for you and your family. First, the new law prohibits insurance companies from refusing coverage to or limiting the benefits of children (up to age 19) because of a preexisting medical condition. This prohibition applies to all health plans offered by employers and when an individual purchases a new policy. In 2014, discriminating against all individuals who have a preexisting condition will be prohibited. Second, the law prohibits all insurance plans from putting lifetime caps on the dollar amount that they will spend on benefits. In the past, patients with cancer or other chronic diseases ran the risk of hitting a lifetime cap and losing access to care. The law also restricts most insurance companies’ use of low annual dollar limits on benefits. In 2014, annual limits will be eliminated. Third, the law prohibits all insurance plans from canceling your coverage because of an unintentional mistake on an application.

Also beginning on September 23, 2010, if your plan covers children, you can now add or keep your children on your health insurance policy until they turn 26 years old. Prior to health reform, insurance plans could remove enrolled children — usually at age 19, sometimes older for full-time students. By allowing children to stay on their parents’ plan, health reform makes it easier and more affordable for young adults to get health insurance coverage. If health reform legislation were repealed, an estimated 37,300 young adults in North Carolina would lose their insurance coverage through their parents’ health plans.

On July 1, 2010, a new Preexisting Condition Insurance Plan program went into effect. This program offers uninsured individuals with preexisting conditions coverage in special state-based “pools” at an affordable rate. Prior to health reform, many people with illnesses or disabilities were unable to obtain private health insurance or the coverage offered to them was so costly that they could not afford it. For more information on this program, visit www.inclusivehealth.org

Over 120,235 North Carolina small businesses are also now eligible for a small business tax credit to make premiums more affordable. This small business tax credit gives small employers the ability to offer insurance to their workers. Tax credits will be provided up to 35% of the employer’s eligible premium expenses for tax years 2010-2013. Beginning in tax year 2014, employers can receive a tax credit for up to 50% of the cost of the premiums.

Effective January 1, 2014, most individuals who can afford it will be required to obtain basic health insurance coverage or pay a penalty. If affordable coverage is not available to an individual, he or she will be eligible for an exemption or will be able to utilize new tax credits to help them afford health insurance. Medicaid will also be extended to Americans with low incomes of up to $14,000 for an individual or $29,000 for a family of four in 2010 dollars. If your employer doesn’t offer insurance, you will be able to buy insurance directly in an Exchange — a new transparent and competitive insurance marketplace where individuals and small businesses can buy affordable insurance coverage.

Health reform also made needed improvements that will keep Medicare strong and solvent. Guaranteed Medicare benefits won’t change-whether beneficiaries get them through Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan. Instead, beneficiaries will see new benefits and cost savings, and an increased focus on quality. Most importantly, seniors in North Carolina can more easily afford their medications. Last year, over 97,000 North Carolina seniors who hit the prescription drug “donut hole” received a $250 rebate check. The donut hole will be incrementally closed over the next several years until it is completely closed by 2020. Beginning this year, beneficiaries who reach the coverage gap will receive a 50% discount when buying Part D-covered brand-name prescription drugs. In addition, the 1.5 million Medicare beneficiaries in North Carolina are now eligible for an annual wellness visit with their doctor without cost-sharing or out-of-pocket payments.  This wellness visit includes free preventive care services like colorectal cancer screening and mammograms.

Like you, I am concerned about rising health insurance premiums, which is one of the many reasons I supported health care reform. Health care reform includes new resources and authorities to crack down on unjustified rate hikes. Today, 46 states, including North Carolina, are using resources under the new reform law to pass or strengthen rate review laws, which will help to keep rates low. This year, the law requires insurance companies to publicly justify, on their websites, any unreasonable premium increases.

If health reform is repealed, all of these protections would be taken away from North Carolinians and insurance companies would be put back in control over your health care – discriminating against individuals with preexisting conditions and canceling coverage when people get sick. It would also allow insurance premiums to continue to skyrocket – forcing many families to choose between purchasing food and paying for a place to live or being able to purchase necessary health care. This would be bad for North Carolinians, bad for business, and bad for our economy.

So much information is circulating about health care reform, and sorting through it can be overwhelming and frustrating. I encourage you to visit my website, www.hagan.senate.gov, where I have factual information about what the law does and what it means to you and your family. Other useful information about health care reform can be found at http://www.healthcare.gov. Finally, do not hesitate to call my office if you have a specific question about the health care reform law.

Again, thank you for contacting my office. It is truly an honor to represent North Carolina in the United States Senate, and I hope you will not hesitate to contact me in the future should you have any further questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Signature

Kay R. Hagan

“We Are at War” – NEA’s Plan of Attack

via Hot Air

 

posted at 1:26 pm on March 23, 2011 by Mike Antonucci
printer-friendly

With the situation in Wisconsin stabilized, if not settled, there is time to examine the National Education Association’s strategy for its short-term future. Though reasonable arguments can be made that the collective bargaining measures in Wisconsin, Ohio and Idaho aren’t significantly different from the status quo in other states, there should be no mistake about it – NEA sees them as a threat to its very existence.

The reasons are not hard to understand. NEA has enjoyed substantial membership and revenue growth during the decades-long decline of the labor movement. It is now the largest union in America and by far the largest single political campaign spender in the 50 states.

But after some 27 years of increases, NEA membership is down in 43 states. The union faces a $14 million budget shortfall, and the demand for funds from its Ballot Measure/Legislative Crises Fund is certain to exceed its supply. Even the national UniServ grants, which help pay for NEA state affiliate employees, will be reduced this year.

In the past, NEA has routinely faced challenges to its political agenda, mostly in the form of vouchers, charters and tax limitations. But the state legislative and gubernatorial results in the 2010 mid-term elections emboldened Republicans for the first time to systematically target the sources of NEA’s power, which have little to do with education and everything to do with the provisions of each state’s public sector collective bargaining laws.

Hence the Manichaean battle in Madison. There has been a virtually non-stop expansion of the scope of public sector collective bargaining over the past 35 years. If the tide turns, it may take a lot longer than 35 years to get those privileges back.

“We are at war,” incoming NEA executive director John Stocks told the union’s board of directors last month, outlining a plan to keep NEA from joining the private sector industrial unions in a slow, steady decline into irrelevancy to anyone outside the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee. And like any good war plan for an army under siege, it allows for a defense-in-depth while preparing for a decisive counterattack.

The first line of defense is to stop anti-union legislation at its point of origin. The Wisconsin Education Association Council tried to head off Gov. Walker’s bill with its “bold reforms” campaign. After the bill was introduced, there were massive rallies, sit-ins, and Democratic senators fleeing the state, along with various other parliamentary maneuvers.

The second line of defense is judicial. In Wisconsin, the public sector unions have already stalled the implementation of the collective bargaining bill through court order. But that isn’t the only place. NEA successfully blocked a new law preventing its Alabama affiliate from collecting dues through payroll deduction. Even if these court battles fail, the time consumed will enable NEA to prepare its third line of defense, which is electoral.

Recalls are not out of the question, but it’s more likely that NEA and other public sector unions will seek to ride an increase in activism and a perception of GOP overreach into large victories in 2012. Whatever hostile laws slip through the first two lines will be eliminated by new majorities of union-friendly Democrats.

While arguably weaker than in years past, NEA is still a political powerhouse, and will not be content with lying against the ropes, being pummeled by Republicans. Union officers are smart enough to recognize that the best use of its resources is in the states, rather than in Congress and the White House. Rommel once observed that “the battle is fought and decided by the quartermasters before the shooting begins.” NEA will see to it that its state affiliates are supplied with all the ammunition they need.

Despite its budget shortfall and freeze on executive pay, the national union is flush with cash, and aims to double the size of its political war chest. The bulk of this money will go to the state affiliates, though the national union will have a larger hand in how it is disbursed.

We can expect the state affiliates to spend most of it opposing unfriendly bills and initiatives, but with more money available, there will still be plenty left to fund measures like the proposed capital gains and income tax hikes in Massachusetts.

The need to modify the budget to accommodate reduced revenue actually works in NEA’s favor in a crisis. Just as with government budgets, reductions in NEA budgets tend to cause squawking from the recipients of those funds. In today’s atmosphere, the union will be able to reallocate money to its foremost priorities with little pushback from internal constituencies.

NEA’s growth in membership and political influence over the years has been accompanied more recently by increasingly bad press. In response, the union will be “building a new external narrative about NEA as dedicated to improvement of the profession, student success and social justice.”

Historically, NEA has been slow to embrace new technologies, but the new external narrative requires prominence on the Internet and social media. The NEA message will naturally appear in all its publications – electronic and otherwise – but with a need for rapid response there will be emphasis on the union’s Education Votes web page and its associated Facebook and Twitter outlets. We will also see a greater presence by NEA’s officers in the blogosphere.

Accompanying NEA’s PR strategy will be new research on pensions, tenure and teacher evaluations, collective bargaining and, of course, funding.

Finally, NEA recognizes that its success or failure relies on feelings of solidarity from AFT, private sector unions, and parents. It will downplay differences on side issues in order to gain support on its priorities.

Whether NEA can do all – or any – of these things is an open question. My own judgment is that the union is better as an immovable object than an irresistible force. It is much more likely to successfully stymie its opponents’ initiatives than it is to successfully prosecute its own course of action.

Ultimately, the Republican governors, lawmakers and activists have their work cut out for them. They will be met with defiance, roadblocks, stalling, foot-dragging and subterfuge for as long as these proposals work their way through the legislative process and long after they become law. In the end, NEA may help elect friendly politicians who will restore their lost powers and revenues.

But the same tactics that may gain such victories will negatively affect the union’s public image. Win or lose, NEA’s actions will “build an external narrative” that no PR strategy can alter. The outcome of NEA’s war is still very much in doubt, but that battle has already been decided.

State Law to Provide for Acceptable IDs

From NCFire

Attention members:
The NC House Judiciary Subcommittee “A”, will be holding a hearing this Wednesday, March 23rd to get comments from the public on HB33– the State Law to Provide for Acceptable IDs. The hearings will be held in Rm 1327 of the Legislative Bldg in Raleigh @ 10:00 am.
This bill, if enacted will effectively eliminate the Mexican matricula consular ID card as an acceptable form of ID in North Carolina and remove the quasi-legal status that illegal aliens currently enjoy in our state. Passing this bill will go along way towards reducing our illegal alien population.


NCFIRE strongly supports this bill and we urge our membership to contact the House Subcommittee members and tell them that you also support passing HB33. The pro-illegal alien lobby will be there in full force and we need to let our Legislators know how we, as NC citizens, feel about it.
Chairman:
Members:
Rep. Ross (D) – Deborah.Ross@ncleg.net 

James Johnson
President-NCFIRE
North Carolinians For Immigration Reform and Enforcement
www.NCFIRE.info
www.Facebook.com/NCFIRE
NCFIRE@ncfire.info
NCFIRE Hotline: 1-888-885-0879

“Restore Confidence in Government” Update

Good afternoon,

 

Before the Blue Devils, Tar Heels or Bulldogs (UNC-Asheville) play and your brackets start getting busted, the NCGOP Political Office wanted to update you on the latest on H.351, the “Restore Confidence in Government” bill.

 

The House could vote on H.351 as early as next week, and we are calling on supporters of the bill to complete 2 simple actions today!

1.      Write a Letter to the Editor in support of “Restore Confidence in Government” –  click HERE to find your local paper and click HERE to get the facts on the bill

2.      Call your representatives and urge them to support the Restore Confidence in Government bill.

 

In case you missed it,  the editorial board of UNC’s student newspaper “The Daily Tar Heel” endorsed the “Restore Confidence in Government” bill and called it “a bill worth passing.”   Go to www.tinyurl.com/UNC-ID to read the editorial.

I also suggest you watch the video produced by Carolina Journal about Tuesday’s public hearing on the “Restore Confidence in Government” bill.

 

 

Please be sure to share this “Call to Action” from the North Carolina Senate Republican Senate Caucus with your organization:

 

“Over 2,500 people signed the petition supporting H351, the Restore Confidence in Government bill, which includes voter ID and other election law reforms.

 

Republican lawmakers in the NC Senate and House understand that the vast majority of North Carolinians, 84 percent, according to a recent poll, favor voter ID. The overwhelming response to the Voter ID Petition demonstrates where the people of North Carolina stand on this issue.

 

But this debate is far from over.

 

There are four crucial ways you can stay involved and help Republicans and conservative-leaning Democrats pass this important legislation:

 

  1. Write a letter to the editor supporting voter ID. (Click here for a list of NC newspapers.)
  2. Submit a public comment to the House Elections Committee.
  3. Call local talk radio stations to voice your opinion and spur others to act.
  4. Donate to the NC Republican Senate Caucus. Your contributions help us spread the word about voter ID, explain the facts and what’s at stake, and push back against bogus arguments from liberal special interest groups.

 

Thank you for standing up and speaking out! With your support, voter ID will pass the NC House and then the NC Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support.”

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the NCGOP Political Office at 919-828-6423.

 

 

 

Paid for by the North Carolina Republican Party
www.NCGOP.org

Twitter:  @NCGOP

The Seven Republicans Who Voted to Keep Funding NPR

Two of the seven Republicans who voted to continue funding NPR are right in my backyard. Thanks to the Washington Examiner for publishing this list. Obviously, these Republicans can’t be serious about cutting spending if they’re willing to continue funding state-run media.

Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis.
Rep. Chris Gibson, R-N.Y.
Rep. Richard Hanna, R-N.Y.
Rep. Steve LaTourette, R-Ohio
Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash.
Rep. Pat Tiberi, R-Ohio
Rep. Rob Woodall, R-Ga.

In addition, Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) pulled an Obama and voted present.

 

The Lonely Conservative

2 ex-Dem leaders charged in fake tea party scheme

Mike Martindale / The Detroit News

Pontiac— Two former high-ranking members of the Oakland County Democratic Party are facing various election corruption charges in a bogus tea party scheme, Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper and County Sheriff Michael Bouchard announced Wednesday.

Former Democratic Party Chairman Michael McGuinness and ex-operations director Jason Bauer, both of Waterford Township, were arraigned Wednesday before Oakland Circuit Judge James Alexander.

They face charges related to Independent Tea Party filings, false affidavits and forged documents that occurred between July 23 and July 26 last year.

Both stood mute to the charges and were released on $25,000 personal bond each, pending an April 13 hearing before Alexander.

The charges include felonies that carry up to 14 years in prison. Neither could be reached for comment.

Cooper and Bouchard announced the charges during a joint press conference conducted to discuss the findings of a one-person grand jury seated by Oakland Circuit Judge Edward Sosnick.

“The election process is sacred … this is not a partisan statement,” Cooper said, noting her Democratic affiliation and that of Bouchard, a Republican. Bouchard said 23 questionable election filings across Michigan — eight of them in Oakland County — involved an effort to create the illusion of an Independent Tea Party and its candidates on November’s ballot.

The goal was to woo away voters in local elections who might otherwise vote for other candidates, presumably Republicans, authorities allege.

While creating such a party in itself is not illegal, Bouchard noted that the alleged forging of documents and putting people up for political office without their involvement — including at least one “candidate” who told investigators he had no knowledge that he was on the ballot until notified — is criminal.

The scheme included bogus candidates for two County Commission seats and a state Senate race, according to a copy of a grand jury warrant released Wednesday. None of the candidates won.

“The presumed intent was to get people drawn to tea party politics and siphon votes off (from other candidates),” Bouchard said.

Bouchard said the investigation of possible election corruption is continuing and included an unnamed “party leader in Lansing.” The sheriff did not elaborate.

County Executive L. Brooks Patterson petitioned for a grand jury inquiry into possible election corruption in August following complaints received by then-County Clerk Ruth Johnson and an investigation initiated by Bouchard’s office at the request of Cooper.

Both McGuinness and Bauer are charged with three counts of forged records, uttering and publishing, a 14-year felony; three counts of election law, false swearing, a felony punishable by five years in prison; and one count of election law, false swearing-perjury, also a five-year felony.

Bauer is also charged with three counts of notary public violation, a one-year misdemeanor.

Both resigned their party posts following allegations in August that suspicious filings were notarized by Bauer.

Several months ago, Bauer was suspended from the Oakland Democratic Party after it surfaced that he encouraged interns to write bogus “help me” letters from nonexistent residents in support of a medical program backed by a Democratic commissioner.

mmartindale@detnews.com

(248) 338-0319

We Can’t Be Too Nice about This Revolution by NC Renegade

To see video go to Randy’s Right

MoveOn.org in Garner, NC

 

March 16, 2011 by randyedye

This is the second video from the Moveon.org meeting in Garner, NC on 3/15/11. The moderator starts his presentation concerning their plans with:

“We can’t be too nice about this. We’re going to have to do this revolution, do what they do in Wisconsin to get anything out of the powers that be”

The article that is read in this video is “Power Concedes Nothing Without a Demand”
by Chris Hedges. I encourage everyone to read the entire article.

The liberal class is discovering what happens when you tolerate the intolerant. Let hate speech pollute the airways. Let corporations buy up your courts and state and federal legislative bodies. Let the Christian religion be manipulated by charlatans to demonize Muslims, gays and intellectuals, discredit science and become a source of personal enrichment. Let unions wither under corporate assault. Let social services and public education be stripped of funding. Let Wall Street loot the national treasury with impunity. Let sleazy con artists use lies and deception to carry out unethical sting operations on tottering liberal institutions, and you roll out the welcome mat for fascism.

cont…

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/power_concedes_nothing_without_a_demand_20110314/

EPA Vote: Who wants to be a U. S. Senator?

Published: 9:12 AM 03/16/2011
By Phil Kerpen

The U.S. Constitution is crystal clear on where legislative power resides. In fact, it’s the very first thing after the preamble. Article I, Section 1 says: “All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.” But in the Age of Obama, it’s a different story. The legislative powers are being exercised by unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats. Now the Senate will be put to the test of whether each senator is OK with that state of affairs, or whether they actually want to take responsibility for writing the laws. That’s the fundamental question at stake as the Senate considers the McConnell Amendment to stop the EPA’s global warming power grab.

Read the rest at Daily Caller.

Take Action! Call your Senators at 202-224-3121 and tell them to vote YES on the McConnell Amendment or go here to send an email!

A Message from Americans for Prosperity

Senator Mitch McConnell, along with 43 co-sponsors (including Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia), is forcing a vote on S. 482 (the Energy Tax Hike Prevention Act) as an amendment to the Small Business Innovation Research Act re-authorization bill. The vote could come as soon as today but it will probably come some time this week.

Unelected regulators are usurping the legislative power that the people, in the Constitution, granted to Congress. We must demand our senators step in and stop this regulatory tyranny.

President Obama is now pursuing his entire failed global warming agenda – decisively rejected as the cap-and-tax energy tax and in the 2010 election. In Obama’s words: “Cap-and-Trade was just one way of skinning the cat; it was not the only way.”

Indeed, the EPA is actively pursuing a bizarre legal theory that the 1970 Clean Air Act was designed as a global warming law, and that pursuant to it they can regulate just about everything that moves, as well as most industrial facilities. When it’s fully phased in, their plans include over 18,000 pages of appendices that would regulate every industry in the U.S., cause electricity prices to skyrocket, and greatly diminish our freedom and prosperity.

Please call your senators NOW and tell them to vote YES on the McConnell Amendment to stop the EPA’s global warming power grab.

Your senator and their phone number is: Sen. Richard Burr
Phone: (202) 224-3154

Click here if your senator’s name and number did not appear.

Click here to give us feedback on how the call went.

If you would prefer to send an email, click here.

This is one of the first big Senate opportunities to stopping Obama’s outrageous regulatory agenda (see www.ObamaChart.com for more). Please take action and pass this important message along.

Press Release – re. Immigration Enforcement

Press Releases

Contact: Catherine Fodor 202-225-3415
JONES BECOMES FIRST IN THE HOUSE TO WIN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ACCOLADE
 

 

Washington, Mar 9 –  

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today U.S. Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) received recognition by Numbers USA, a nationwide organization that encourages enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws.  Jones is the first member of the House of Representatives to earn the “5 for 5” status by cosponsoring five bills in Congress that if passed would “resolve most of our nation’s immigration problems.”  Throughout his nine terms in Congress, Representative Jones has maintained an “A” grade on immigration enforcement issues according to Numbers USA.

“I am honored by the recognition,” said Jones. “It is far beyond time for the federal government to meaningfully enforce our immigration laws.”

The list of the legislation sponsored by Jones follows:

–          H.R. 692: ending chain immigration and reducing the number of green cards issued each year by 250,000

–          H.R. 704:  ending the visa lottery that awards 50,000 green cards through random selection

–          H.R. 800:  requiring all employers to use E-Verify

–          H.R. 140:  putting an end to the practice of birthright citizenship

–          H.R. 100:  helping local officials enforce federal immigration laws.

Letter to the Editor, Oil Spill

10 March 2011

 

Editor

 

The silence in Washington about the possibilities of quickly opening the idled Gulf of Mexico oil platforms is deafining. Don’t even mention ANWR in Alaska. It seems, that the solution, one that the majority of Americans want, that of more domestic oil production, is “Gone With The Wind”. The current Administration apparently would sooner talk and talk about costly windmills, solar electricity, hybrid cars or opening the National Petroleum Reserve than do something with an immediate impact on the rising price of fuel.

Why in heavens name are we fiddling around talking about possible partial solutions that are at best twenty or thirty years away? How about right now, Mr Obama? What about the rising prices of goods/materials other than vehicle fuels which will make an exponential jump in our cost of living in just a few short months? Wind or a breeze is great on a hot day and solar is great for a tan, but come on Mr. President, we need action now.

We, the United States of America, have vast untapped oil/gas and coal resources in our country just waiting to be put to use. We presently have thousands of people out of work in the petroleum industry alone, all wanting to get off the government dole and collect a real pay check. So why are we not marshaling our available forces? What in the name of the American Public are you waiting for Mr. Obama? Is your goal to make us like Europe or some destitute third world country?

The Washington, Chicago and Los Angles elite you seem to represent, Mr. Obama, don’t have a clue about the reality of life outside the Beltways that surround their great, but impoverished fiefdoms. You claim to want the best for Our Country, but what price do you really expect us to pay? Well, we pay at the pump and we pay more and more each day for every thing, while you and yours, party in DC or fly around making fluffy fund raising speeches. All this on the taxpayer’s dollars or doner funds, nothing out of pocket for the DC elite or the well heeled politicians like you.

What about our rusting inefficient refining plants? Everyone knows that American refineries are really old, no new refineries have been built in the last 30 years. If we want lower cost and availablity of the various types of fuel and petroleum products then it is time to act. The Administration (Yours, Mr. Obama) must cut the volumes of EPA rules and regulations immediately and thereby allow private industry to quickly build or expand refineries with new clean technology. Mr. Obama, now is the time to create really good jobs across the country as you have promised for years. Help us keep our petroleum based industries like plastics, paint and polymers right here in the USA. Insure American industry stays right here at home and not in India or China. Keep our farmers in the driver seats of their tractors and combines. Keep our great trucking industry on the road, railroads running and our aircraft flying. We, Americans can come up with and produce more and cheaper products if the United States Government just gets out of the way and lets good old American Industry do it’s thing in the great old capitalistic way.

The answer to the American Domestic Oil Problem is simple; Drill and Refine in America. Results will be assuridly a lot quicker than the current expensive wind and solar power long term solutions that are touted by your advisors. The answer both yesterday, today and tomorrow, is black sticky domestic oil, drilled and refined right here in the old USA. Let Americans drill and refine America’s untapped resources now! Open up ANWR and the Gulf of Mexico and all the public lands that sit on top of oil or gas! There will soon be no dependency on Foreign Oil if you and the Congress act now, but we need you, Mr. President, to quit standing in the proverbial “school house door” with your Czars and obstructing Americas future.

The Tea Party seems to be making a dent in over taxation and the bloated government problem. Well, maybe we Americans need to oil up a Tar and Feathers Party and get that energy engine moving towards Washington, too!

 

 

Austin M. “Gus” Wilgus

Email from Senator Hagan re. Federal Spending & the National Debt

March 14, 2011

Dear Friend,

Thank you for contacting me regarding federal spending and the national debt. I share your concerns about the need to encourage fiscal responsibility and use taxpayer dollars wisely.

Our nation’s debt has been accumulating dangerously over the last decade, primarily as a result of not paying for two wars, two tax cuts, and an expensive prescription drug program. On top of that, the severe economic recession that began in 2007 led to lower tax revenues and higher deficit spending as Congress took steps to unfreeze credit markets and revive the economy. All of these factors combined to put us on a fiscally unsustainable path that must be rectified. I understand that our country cannot continue deficit spending far into the future and I am working to enact a number of policies that will help address our nation’s deficit and debt.

During the 111th Congress, I voted for an amendment to H.J. Res. 45 to reinstate the budget principle known as “pay-as-you-go,” which requires that legislation increasing the deficit be offset by measures that reduce the deficit by an equal amount. It will help ensure that we do not burden future generations with the bill of our policies today. That amendment was agreed to by a vote of 60-39, and I believe it is a good start to controlling deficit spending.

In an effort to strengthen the pay-as-you-go budget principle and reduce the deficit, I have supported numerous bipartisan amendments to establish a five-year cap on discretionary spending. Discretionary spending caps have a proven track record of controlling government spending and reducing the deficit. In the 1990s, both discretionary spending caps and pay-as-you-go policies were in place under bipartisan agreements, and produced four balanced budgets and budget surpluses from 1998-2001. The five-year cap on non-security discretionary spending in President Obama’s 2012 budget is a good start, but we must take a comprehensive approach to deficit reduction that includes entitlement spending and tax reform.

In addition, I also supported a proposal offered by Senators Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Judd Gregg (R-NH) to create a bipartisan commission to address our long-term deficits. While that proposal did not receive the 60 votes required to pass, I was encouraged when President Obama announced plans for a similar commission co-chaired by former White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles, of North Carolina, and former Senate Republican leader Alan Simpson.

I was among the group of senators who advocated for the creation of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, which President Obama created on February 18, 2010. The 18-member Commission was tasked with producing recommendations for reducing the deficit, and its leaders showed tremendous leadership throughout the process. On December 1, 2010, the Commission published its final report, which you can read here: http://www.fiscalcommission.gov/.

The Commission produced a set of bipartisan recommendations to help us get the national debt under control. Although a majority of commissioners supported the final report, it did not receive enough support to trigger automatic consideration in Congress. I do not agree with everything in the report, but I believe that the commissioners showed tremendous courage by addressing a wide range of issues, from tax policy to health care costs. Most importantly, their work will help keep the process of addressing our fiscal outlook moving forward. On December 3, 2010, I was one of 14 senators who sent a letter to the White House and the bipartisan congressional leadership, urging them to address our pressing fiscal challenges by considering the Commission’s report.

As Congress considers deficit-reduction measures and budget proposals for fiscal years 2011 and 2012, I will certainly keep your thoughts about federal spending in mind. I look forward to working with my colleagues in a bipartisan fashion to put our fiscal house back in order.

Again, thank you for contacting my office. It is truly an honor to represent North Carolina in the United States Senate, and I hope you will not hesitate to contact me in the future should you have any further questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Signature

Kay R. Hagan

Email from Senator Kay Hagan re. the 111th Congress

March 14, 2011

Dear Friend,

Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns about the final weeks of the 111th Congress. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts with me.

As you know, this “lame duck” session was an unusually productive period for the United States Congress, due primarily to strong bipartisanship among Republicans and Democrats. While President Obama and congressional leaders struck a deal on a two-year extension of the Bush-era tax cuts (H.R. 4853), I voted against this bill because it would add too much to the national debt. While I supported some provisions in the bill, I could not vote in favor of legislation that would add $858 billion to our national debt without offering any long-term solutions.

Also during the lame duck session, I joined 70 other senators who voted to ratify the START nuclear arms treaty with Russia, an agreement supported by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen. The treaty will strengthen strategic nuclear weapons stability with Russia and modernize our nuclear weapons and delivery systems. Along with Secretary Gates and Chairman Mullen, I also supported a repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy (H.R. 2965), which passed by a bipartisan vote of 65-31.

Two other important pieces of legislation passed during the final weeks of the 111th Congress will protect our nation’s food supply and ensure that our September 11th heroes get the health care they desperately need and deserve. The Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510) seeks to reduce food-borne illnesses and prevent erroneous recalls that cost farmers, including ones in North Carolina, millions of dollars. Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) and I fought hard to add an amendment to the bill that will protect small farmers by exempting them from unnecessary red tape. The Senate also passed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act (H.R. 847), which will provide 9/11 first-responders with access to care for health problems stemming directly from their efforts to respond to the terrorist attack on our nation.

I have always felt that elected officials should do more to work across the aisle to pass legislation that benefits all Americans. I have strived to promote bipartisanship among my colleagues in the Senate and will continue to do so in the 112th Congress. I pledge to work with individuals from all political backgrounds as I champion the interests of North Carolina.

Again, thank you for contacting my office. It is truly an honor to represent North Carolina in the United States Senate, and I hope you will not hesitate to contact me in the future should you have any further questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Signature

Kay R. Hagan

Stopping Policies That Drive Up Gas Prices, Destroy Jobs

Stopping Policies That Drive Up Gas Prices, Destroy Jobs

March 13, 2011 | Posted by Speaker Boehner’s Press Office | Permalink

 

This week, the House will vote on another round of spending cuts aimed at ending some of the uncertainty facing job creators so they can begin hiring again. And with high gas prices burdening families and small businesses, Republicans have launched the American Energy Initiative to stop Washington policies that are driving up prices and expand American energy production to help lower costs and create jobs. Learn more below and watch Speaker Boehner discussing the initiative here:

 

 

Obama Administration’s Energy Freeze Is Raising Gas Prices, Destroying Jobs

 

  • WATCH: Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA) on Fox News discussing how the White House has blocked American energy production that would lower prices.
  • FACT: American energy production has declined by 16 percent on President Obama’s watch.
  • The Energy & Power Subcommittee approved the Energy Tax Prevention Act to block the EPA from imposing new regulations that will destroy jobs and drive gas prices even higher.

 

Republicans Focusing on Cutting Spending to Help End Some of the Uncertainty Facing Job Creators

 

  • House Republicans will host a forum this week for American employers to share their ideas for growing the economy and creating new private sector jobs.

 

Democrats Divided, Scrambling, Unwilling to Put Forward a Serious Plan that Cuts Spending

 

  • Republicans are united with the American people on cutting spending to promote private-sector job creation (and have already taken action), but Democrats remain as divided as ever.
  • For example, the House-passed H.R.1 received more votes in the Democrat-run Senate than the status quo proposal put forward by Democratic leaders and the president.
  • Rank-and-file Democrats said the spending cuts put forward by their leaders are “too timid.”
  • Just one day after President Obama said he was “prepared to do more” to cut spending, his political operation sent an e-mail imploring liberal allies to oppose GOP-backed spending cuts.
  • Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) drew a “line in sand” and said Democrats have already been pushed “to the limit” on spending cuts. But just two weeks ago, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said we should “stop drawing lines in the sand.”
  • Democrats keep repeating the debunked claim that they’ve “already put forward specific [spending] cuts that meet congressional Republicans halfway” – they haven’t.
  • In fact, Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) offered his solution for tackling the deficit: more taxes.  He called raising taxes “a popular thing to do.”

 

Also Happening

 

  • While a positive step, the Obama Administration’s reversal on the prosecution of terrorist suspects held at Guantanamo Bay raises more questions than answers. For example: what is the plan for prosecuting 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed?

 

As always, we appreciate your interest in the new House majority and encourage you to stay connected with the Office of the Speaker on Facebook, Twitter, and on Speaker.gov. Have a great week!

– Speaker Boehner’s Press Office

 

 

 
SPEAKER PRESS OFFICE
REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH)
H-232, THE CAPITOL
(202) 225-0600 | SPEAKER.GOV

The Left to Protest Voter ID Legislation in Raleigh

To Make Public Comment before March 15, click here

 

From the NC GOP:

Just wanted to let you know that the big government liberals all over the state are starting to activate to organize against the common-sense Voter ID bill!

Despite recent polling data that shows over 80% of North Carolinians support the Voter ID bill and restoring faith and confidence in our elections, the big government liberals and special interest groups are trying to keep this bill from passing!

These big government liberals and special interest groups are planning to stage a huge rally at a public hearing in Raleigh next Tuesday, March 15 at 2:00 p.m. in Room 643 of the Legislative Office Building.

Our Republican leaders in the General Assembly are cutting spending, cutting regulations on businesses, passed a bill to challenge the job-crushing “Obamacare” legislation but their efforts  have been met by Governor Perdue’s veto stamp.

We need to spread the message – the common-sense Voter ID bill will restore faith and confidence in our elections!

Let’s show Governor Perdue that we stand with 80% of our fellow North Carolinians and want Voter ID to pass because we want confidence in future elections.

Please send this to your members and let’s have a big  turnout next Tuesday!

Letter to the Editor: Where is Education Money Going?

On Monday, February 21, 2011 a group of people organized by the Carteret County Board of Education paraded their support for the Board of Education’s 2011 Budget before the Carteret County Board of Commissioners. The first thing that struck me during the public comments was a statement by, Cathy Neagle, the Chairman of the Board of Education. She said that the Board of Education’s budget would be finalized and ready for presentation to the County Board of Commissioners on or about March 15, 2011. So, I wondered just how did these people who were pleading before the County Commissioners for full funding of the Board of Education’s budget even know what was in the budget that at the time of the meeting was still unfinished, and just what was did they think was so vital in that unfinished budget to the education of the children of Carteret County? Or, perhaps, they were there just to make sure that the money from Carteret County taxpayer’s keeps flowing to the Carteret County Schools regardless of how the money is to be spent?

 

The parade of these concerned people pleading for full funding of an education budget that they hadn’t seen, or that they couldn’t have studied or critically evaluated is so typical of liberals who come to these meetings just to tell elected officials that it is critical for them to spend somebody else’s money so that the children can read, write, and add one plus one, or the sky will surely fall. They said “If you don’t spend more money, there won’t be enough doctors to take care of all the old people in Carteret County,” and “if you don’t spend more money the reputation of our school system will suffer and businesses will not locate in Carteret County,” and “if you cut spending on education, professionals won’t bring their families to live here because our schools will not be good enough.” Then there are the personal anecdotes they conjure up like “accidentally bumping into a group of hard working average citizens at the car-wash who out-of-the-blue start babbling about how “we just aren’t spending enough money on the schools in Carteret County and how they would be more than willing to pay higher taxes to save the children.” Several of these “school-budget cheerleaders” linked the level and quality of education directly to the level of spending, saying that “everyone wants their kids to be able to read and comprehend; we have to spend more to get better results.” One even compared Carteret County schools to foreign countries stating that “American education is now behind that of Estonia and Poland.” Well yeah, but we already outspend Estonia and Poland, and nearly every other nation on earth when it comes to education, and look what we’ve got to show for it! One might logically conclude from that lame comparison that throwing more money at the problem isn’t the solution. The only thing missing at this circus was the County clown who is constantly waxing so in-eloquently in our local paper; I almost missed him.

 

The arguments presented Monday evening by this group were simply fallacious. One only has to look at the Washington, DC voucher program to see that throwing money at education is not the answer. In the DC voucher program, student performance was better, while spending was about half that of the public schools in the surrounding area (that is, until President Obama ended the DC voucher program to the consternation of many DC residents). But closer to home, there is a private school in Carteret County where the per student cost is about half that of the Carteret County Public School’s cost per student, and the private school’s test scores are higher than those of the public school system’s. Why is that?

 

But if one needs even more data to persuade anyone but a liberal that more spending is not better, there are plenty of data available to analyze, although the Carteret County Board of Education doesn’t make it easy to find. The John Locke Foundation’s NC Transparency (http://www.nctransparency.com/) gives the Carteret County Public Schools a grade of “D” for transparency as to how our school tax dollars are being spent. The data is there, you just have to dig for it! It took me two weeks to get the salaries of the Carteret County School’s administrative staff through a County official. You can see it at this URL http://www.crystalcoastteaparty.com/carteret-county-school-administrative-salaries/ But the bottom line is, it is just plain hard to find out how the Carteret County School Board spends your tax dollars.

 

The second thing that struck me during the meeting was was another comment by Cathie Neagle concerning the funding of a capital expense project at East Carteret High School. This project was funded by a bond approved by the Carteret County voters in 2006 according to statements at the meeting. After approval by the voters, the project was managed very well and the cost of the project was significantly less than projected and approved by the voters. They certainly deserve praise for that. But the project then evolved to accommodate the left over money. Whether that is good or bad thing is not the point. The point is, that during the discussion, Ms. Neagle stated that “the objective of the Board of Education was to spend the money;” referring to the money left over following the excellent management of the capital project that had been approved by the voters. Now, it is this mind-set expressed by Ms Naegle that bothers me. As Milton Friedman, noted economist, said “There are four ways to spend money (video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RDMdc5r5z8&feature=related); “one way is when you (the government) spends somebody else’s money (the taxpayer’s) on somebody else (the schools).” Friedman argues that in this case those spending the money don’t much care about how much they spend because it’s not their money, and that they don’t much care about what they get for the money either because it isn’t their money. Sort of sounds like “our objective was to spend the money?”

 

By the time this gets into the paper, the Carteret County Board of Education should have submitted their budget to the County Commissioners. Maybe, just maybe the people who were so supportive of the phantom budget last month will now know what is in it. Then, just maybe, they’ll have a clue as to what the Board plans to spend your money on. In the mean time, you might want to call or write the Carteret County School Board and the Carteret County Board of Commissioners and ask them why the County got a grade of “D” on the NC Transparency web site. Don’t let them tell you they don’t know about it, because several people have already called and asked them why. Tell the School Board and the Commissioners you’d like to see the County get a grade of “A.” Ask them to post all of their budget information on-line so the public can easily access it, and see where the money is going. After all, it’s your money they are spending.

 

by Kenneth Lang

March 11, 2011

Meeting Minutes, 3/8/2011

MINUTES OF CRYSTAL COAST TEA PARTY PATRIOTS

8 MARCH 2011

 

Meeting held at Golden Corral, Morehead City, NC

Meeting called to order 6:05 PM by President BOB CAVANAUGH

Pledge of Allegiance led by JENNIFER HUDSON

Invocation by LYN BAKER

No. in attendance – 31

 

A Freedom Works Rally will be held at 9:00AM tomorrow in Raleigh to support the override of the Perdue veto on Obamacare. JENNIFER HUDSON, Republican Women’s Club member gave directions on how to get to Jones Street in Raleigh. Requested we contact all our senators (all except one who is currently out after having heart surgery). There is a list on the web of names to contact.

 

BOB CAVANAUGH reminded us about the meeting/seminar with Joe and Henri McCleese as guest speakers (training on how to become a lobbyist). It will be held at Parker’s Barbecue in Greenville at 6:30 PM until 9:00 PM. HOWARD and PEGGY GARNER, KEN and DIANE LANG, and BOB CAVANAUGH said they plan to attend.

 

BOB asked if anyone had seen Michelle Bachman on the Sean Hannity show reporting that when the Obama Healthcare was voted on, it was unknown that included in the bill was authorized funding (thus stopping the conservatives from defunding the bill). She was requesting the House not vote on any resolution until that $105 billion was refunded and taken out of the bill.

 

BOB reported that the Senate will be voting on the House Continuing Resolution (CR) this week. This is the CR that the GOP passed through the House and cuts $61 billion from the budget. Now we all know that $61 billion is NOTHING, but the Democrats in the Senate want the cuts to be EVEN LESS! We might have a small chance of pressuring the Democrats into voting for this bill so everyone please call the following senators:

Republican

CLAIRE MCGASKILL (MO) – 202-224-6154

JOE MANCHIN (WV) – 202-224-3954 (He said today that the teeny tiny 1.6% in cuts that GOP want is “TOO BIG”.

BEN NELSON (NE) – 202-224-6551

OLYMPIA SNOWE – 202-224-5344

JON TESTER (MT) – 202-224-2644

JIM WEBB (VA) – 202-224-4024 (He has stated that he wants to right the fiscal ship)

Independent

JOE LIEBERMAN (CT)

Democrat – Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to speak to

each of the following:

 

JEFF BINGAMAN (MN)

KENT CONRAD (ND) – (labeled a ‘fiscal moderate’)

BILL NELSON (FL)

BEN CARDIN (MD)

SHELDON WHITEHOUSE (RI)

BOB CASEY, JR. (PA)

AMY KLOBUCHAR (MN)

SHERROD BROWN (OH)

MARIA CANTWELL (WA)

DEBBIE STABENOW (MI)

DIANNE FEINSTEIN (CA)

 

Message to say when you call: “Stop playing games with our future. I get it and the American people get it. $61 billion in discretionary cuts is certainly not ‘draconian’ and if you want to be seen as someone who is serious, and who truly cares about the future of this nation, you will make no excuses and vote YES on HR1 and cut the $61 billion.

 

NOTE: Points to make:

  • Over the last four years discretionary spending has risen by more than 24%
  • $61 billion in cuts accounts for only 4.7% of discretionary spending! That means that the increased spending from the last four years would still amount to roughly a 20% increase in spending.
  • $61 billion in cuts accounts for only 1.6% of the entire budget. The entire budget right now is a massive, whopping $1.3 TRILLION.
  • The federal deficit for the month of February 2011 – alone – was $223 billion.
  • $61 billion in cuts is equal to less than 8% of the stimulus package.
  • The Democrats’ budget leaves in place 99.72% of the current spending – while 95% of the American public want the deficit reduced and a majority favor spending cuts over tax hikes.

 

TREASURER’S REPORT

$1,300 currently in treasury.

 

APRIL RALLY

Don’t forget our rally at the Newport Flea Mall April 16. FRED DECKER said he had talked to Norman Sanderson and he looks forward to attending and speaking. Attempted contact with Americans for Prosperity but no response as yet. Reported that it will cost us $326.00 plus tax (about $360.00) fare for Rev. Montague to attend our rally. Last year when he was here he told us he was hoping to get a Black Conservative Group up and going. No one in attendance could report on anything about the group. All agreed that Rev. Montague was an excellent speaker and would contribute to the rally. Motion to pay his expense to get to Newport was made, seconded and voted approved.

 

WOUNDED WARRIORS

BOB said a lot of our newer members were not aware of our connection or relationship with the Wounded Warriors Project. He informed us that $8.00 from every shirt we buy or sell

goes to this worthy cause. Since many of us were unaware of their mission, he had asked a recipient to talk to us about his involvement.

 

Our guest speaker was injured in battle in 2008, paralyzed from his neck down, and was returned to his home base (MCAS, Cherry Point). Qualifying as a wounded warrior, he was reassigned to the Wounded Warrior Battalion in Camp Lejeune. Since this move did not qualify as a regular military transfer to another base or state, the military was unable to pay for his relocation. Also, in the process of being returned to the states, his pay records were lost and the military was unable to pay him even his regular pay, therefore; being a Cpl, with funds extremely limited, he was unable to afford the expense of being moved. Since the military frowns on and gives those who do not pay their indebtedness a black mark on their record, he did not know where to turn to for help since he was unsure if he would ever be able to pay back any debts he would incur. Enter the Wounded Warrior Project program with support and rescue. They totally paid for his movement from Cherry Point to Camp Lejeune. The program gave him gift cards for food, gas and necessities for a month and a half, until his pay could be reinstated, without asking for repayment. If not for the Wounded Warrior Project he believes that he would have become a helpless and homeless cripple. Since being assigned to the Wounded Warrior Battalion, he has received the medical attention he needed and given (at no cost) a special dog to help him. Each of these canines is specially trained to assist in walking, getting in and out of the shower, retrieving items needed, and many other necessary functions required. It costs $50,000.00 per dog to receive this special training. The dog is a gift to the recipient for life. If anything happens to the dog, the wounded warrior is given another canine help mate. These dogs usually come from the pound, are given biblical names, and extensive training. Our speaker said the best thing that had ever happened to him was receiving his canine best friend. (Example: when he was learning to walk again, the dog could sense any

unusual situation – like possibly losing his balance – then bracing his legs would ensure the warrior had something to catch himself on, giving him the confidence he needed to continue his therapy and provided help not only physically but mentally. He referred to his companion as the left side of his brain (which no longer works as it should). At one time our speaker did not even remember his mother’s name and was reading at the third grade level. He also said that the Wounded Warrior Project personnel liaison with the battalion and let them know of any activities or events (example handicapped Olympic competitions) that they might be interested participating in, with the Wounded Warrior Project footing the bills. They also help the warrior regain some of his previous interests’ abilities (ie. Skiing, golf, swimming and other sports). Our warrior’s prior enjoyment was ball room dancing.

 

He had surgery on his spine about a year ago and was in a coma for a week. He is now able to run and walk on his own, but has some speech, memory problems, and nerve damage. However, he helps with a local fire department (unable to lift or pull on hoses and equipment, but still does anything he is capable of). He also helps a local business with cleaning the guns used in their business. He is currently trying to hold down three jobs to the best of his ability. (This is more than many healthy people I know – secretary’s notation.)

He was asked what the TEA Party could do to help, other than buying more shirts. He recommended that we get permission to go aboard Camp Lejeune and visit with the residents of the battalion. Maybe we could have a cookout and get to know them. Most people just come by, have their pictures taken with the warriors, sometimes just to get their pictures in the paper, leave, and that’s the end of their help. We need to become their family and be there for them when they need someone.

 

He said he would try to get the owner of the dog training business in Wilmington, and maybe also a hospital psychiatrist to come and speak with us in the very near future. He also said he owes the Wounded Warrior Project more than he could ever repay. He thanks them everyday of his life, and prays they will always be around to help others.

 

BOB reported that he has gotten the permit for the April rally and will turn it in Friday. He also emailed Alex about helping with the sound system, but had not heard back. DENNIS TOMASO wanted to know what kind of advertising we planned to use: posters, banners, newspaper, radio (maybe the Swap Shop)? Probably will use all.

 

BOB reported that the Insurance company had reimbursed the TEA Party $200.00 for the items we lost in the fire.

 

RUTH PARKER reported she had collected $175.00 in donations from local businesses.

 

ERIC BROYLES announced that since time was getting late, he would appreciate everyone taking a copy of the handout, read and familiarize themselves with it and we would discuss it at our next meeting.

 

Meeting adjourned.

 

Minutes submitted by PEGGY GARNER, Secretary

Walter Jones Requesting Your Input on Federal Reserve System

Dear Friend,

In this Congress, I serve as Vice Chairman of the Domestic Monetary Policy Subcommittee in the House of Representatives. Our oversight responsibilities include reviewing the activities of the Federal Reserve System.

 

Next Thursday, March 17th, the Domestic Monetary Policy Subcommittee will hold a hearing at 10AM on the topic of Monetary Policy and Rising Prices. The three witnesses currently scheduled to testify are:

 

Prof. Joe Salerno, Pace University – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Salerno
Jim Grant, Grant’s Interest Rate Observer – http://www.grantspub.com/
Lewis Lehrman, investment banker and former member of President Reagan’s Gold Commission – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Lehrman

 

As you know, the Federal Reserve has been printing massive amounts of money as part of a policy they call “Quantitative Easing”. By June, the Fed will have printed roughly $2 trillion over the last two years. The Fed’s money printing is driving up prices for gas, groceries and bills of all kinds for businesses and working families. I strongly disagree with the Fed’s policy; printing money to drive up prices is hurting consumers, and it’s no way to create jobs.

 

This is why I want to hear from you. I would love it if you would provide me with examples of what you see happening with your bills in the real world, so that I can share them with the committee. Also, if you have ideas for specific questions you would like me to pose to the witnesses, I would love those as well.

 

Prior to the last Subcommittee hearing over a thousand people wrote me with questions, and I was able to use many of them over the course of the hearing. While time did not allow me to use all of the questions, or to relay all of the personal stories that people shared, my staff and I read every single one and their sentiments were shared with committee staff and officials.

If you have a moment, please email me through my website with your thoughts and questions for the witnesses at next week’s hearing. Please do not reply to this email, as my website is the best way for me to receive email from Eastern North Carolinians. Thanks in advance for your help. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

J

Walter B. Jones
Member of Congress (NC-03)

Call to Action: Defund Obamacare

From the Tea Party Patriots:
On Monday, March 14, The House of Representatives is planning to vote on a new extension of the Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government.

Representatives Michele Bachman and Steve King report that the House Republican Leadership has not yet agreed to include a provision to rescind the $105 billion that was surreptitiously inserted by the Democrats in the Obamacare legislation.

We are urgently asking Patriots to melt the phones of all Republican Representatives today, Friday, March 11:

1. Urge them to pledge to vote “NO” on the next CR unless it contains a provision to defund Obamacare of the billions that were secretly and fraudulently appropriated by the old Democratic Congress..  If this is not done now, this funding will be self-perpetuating into the future.

2. Then, place a second call to the Speaker’s Office and urge Speaker Boehner to honor the will of the voters (who gave him a Republican majority and the Speaker’s Office) by including a provision to rescind the $105 billion with which Obamacare has already saddled the American Taxpayer.

You can find contact information at http://www.house.gov.

Why Democrats Love Unions

Just in case anyone wonders why Obama and his cronies are so hot to support labor unions particularly government employee unions check out the contributions.

Leading Union Political Campaign Contributors (1990-2010)
Democrats Republicans
American Fed. of State, County, & Municipal Employees $40,281,900 $547,700
Intel Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 29,705,600 679,000
National Education Association 27,679,300 2,005,200
Service Employees International Union 26,368,470 98,700
Communication Workers of America 26,305,500 125,300
Service Employees International Union 26,252,000 1,086,200
Laborers Union 25,734,000 2,138,000
American Federation of Teachers 25,682,800 200,000
United Auto Workers 25,082,200 182,700
Teamsters Union 24,926,400 1,822,000
Carpenters and Joiners Union 24,094,100 2,658,000
Machinists & Aerospace Workers Union 23,875,600 226,300
United Food and Commercial Workers Union 23,182,000 334,200
AFL-CIO 17,124,300 713,500
Sheet Metal Workers Union 16,347,200 342,800
Plumbers & Pipefitters Union 14,790,000 818,500
Operating Engineers Union 13,840,000 2,309,500
Airline Pilots Association 12,806,600 2,398,300
International Association of Firefighters 12,421,700 2,685,400
United Transportation Workers 11,807,000 1,459,300
Ironworkers Union 11,638,900 936,000
American Postal Workers Union 11,633,100 544,300
Nat’l Active & Retired Fed. Employees Association 8,135,400 2,294,600
Seafarers International Union 6,726,800 1,281,300
Source: Center for Responsive Politics, Washington, D.C.

Palombo may challenge Jones for House seat

March 09, 2011 5:50 PM
Freedom ENC

NEW BERN — Retiring New Bern Police Chief Frank Palombo has confirmed that he is looking into a run for the U.S. District 3 House seat held for the last 17 years by Rep. Walter B. Jones, R-N.C.

An e-mail from the Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association stating that Palombo is going to challenge Jones in the next primary began circulating last week. It urges members to “get behind this early as Jones is already busy raising money” and says that “exploratory work is still ongoing, but early data looks very good.”

Palombo, a Republican, said Tuesday that a decision has yet to be made.

“I’m exploring all kinds of options and opportunities,” he said. “I have an interest in a government that works well. We don’t have that at the moment.”

Jones’ communications director said the he and his staff have been made aware of the possible primary challenge.

Jones’ political campaign manager, Jonathan Brooks, said since filing for the 2012 election doesn’t begin until February of next year, it’s too early to comment on possible runners.

“It is very early to be commenting on possible candidates. Instead, I think Representative Jones is focusing on serving the people of Eastern North Carolina,” Brooks said.

Palombo has been chief of police for New Bern since July 28, 1997. He also served 21 years with the police department in Clearwater, Fla. He has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of South Florida and a master’s in public administration from Troy State University.

He serves as a commissioner on two state groups — the State Emergency Response Commission and the Structured Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission. He is a past president of the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police.

Palombo’s retirement is effective May 31.

Jacksonville Daily News

NPR on Expose Vid: We Didn’t Take the Money…and Exec Resigned a Week Ago

NPR has just issued a statement regarding James O‘Keefe’s undercover video featuring Senior Vice President of Development Ron Schiller.

(Read our original story and watch the video.)

In it, NPR spokeswoman Dana Davis Rehm, senior vice president of marketing, communications and external relations, says the organization is appalled by Schiller’s words, and that he will be leaving the company due to an already-planned departure. However, NPR reiterates his leaving has nothing to do with the video, and the company never accepted the fake actors’ money

Read the statement below:

The fraudulent organization represented in this video repeatedly pressed us to accept a $5 million check, with no strings attached, which we repeatedly refused to accept.

We are appalled by the comments made by Ron Schiller in the video, which are contrary to what NPR stands for.

Mr. Schiller announced last week that he is leaving NPR for another job.

In a follow-up e-mail with NPR, the company told The Blaze, “Ron Schiller’s departure has nothing to do with this video – we weren’t aware there was a video until this morning.”

UPDATE:

NPR is covering its own controversy, and has a blog post that is being updated here. Author Mark Memmot offers additional details on Schiller’s new position: he will become director of the Aspen Institute Arts Program.

 

See Story here

Undercover: NPR Exec Talks ‘Racist’ Tea Party and ‘Anti-Intellectual’ GOP, but is He Kowtowing to Muslim Brotherhood?

James O’Keefe, the controversial, undercover, conservative filmmaker, has released his company’s (Project Veritas) latest video today. This time, his group’s targeting publicly-funded NPP and catches one of the news outlet’s executives saying some suspect things. The video is sure to get some attention, but it’s not bulletproof, and there could be cause for concern.

To be sure, one of the NPR executives on the video, Ron Schiller (president of the NPR Foundation and senior vice president of development), is caught making damning statements. He calls the Tea Party “racist,“ decries the ”anti-intellectual” GOP, and claims liberals “might be more educated.”

He even attacks the supposed religious views of the Tea Party: “The current Republican Party, particularly the Tea Party, is fanatically involved in people’s personal lives and very fundamental Christian – I wouldn’t even call it Christian. It’s this weird evangelical kind of move.”

“[I]f Schiller represents the executive view at NPR,” Hot Air’s Ed Morrissey writes, “it’s not hard to imagine what kind of treatment those white, gun-toting, xenophobic Tea Partiers can expect from NPR’s news coverage.”

But the video also falls short of its intended goal: to catch NPR execs kowtowing to a fake Muslim Brotherhood front group. Schiller, as well as his companion, do not say anything shocking about glorifying the group per se, and it must be remembered that this is a donor meeting with $5 million on the line, not a policy debate.

That is not to say that Schiller is absolved from everything he said, but rather to give context. See and decide for yourself. I’ll update with some more thoughts in a bit:

Again, there is some shocking stuff there. But some things should be noted, including concerns:

1. Schiller does try to distinguish (somewhat) his professional views from his personal views. He fails. In the end, he’s at a work-related event. Trying to qualify something as “this is my personal opinion” doesn’t give him a blank slate to say whatever he wants and have it not reflect on NPR. Ironically, in the video Schiller blasts Juan Williams for doing this very thing.

2. Schiller does say that NPR is looking to feature Muslim voices. Guess what, Sean Hannity does the same thing. The Blaze does the same thing. All journalists and news organizations have a responsibility to present to the best of their ability all sides of the story. That’s why Hannity invited radical Muslim cleric Anjem Choudary on his program a few weeks ago. Even if you don’t agree with someone, they should still get a chance to say what they want. Glenn Beck has always said he’ll stand shoulder-to-shoulder with any MSNBC host for freedom of speech.

3. Some are pointing out that Schiller admits the station would be better off without federal funding, and use it as a “gotcha” moment. I‘m not sure that’s the case. I’ve worked in fundraising before, and it seems to me what Schiller is doing there is trying to remove a donation barrier. As he says, most “philanthropists” think NPR as almost fully-funded by the government, which certainly could prevent people from donating to the organization. If the government’s mainly funding NPR, why should donors?

4. It must be pointed out that Schiller does not overtly dignify the actor’s anti-Semitic comments. When the actor talks about Jews controlling the media, Schiller only  gives a half-hearted head motion. In fact, Schiller goes out of his way to point out that there’s no such thing as “Jewish influence” at NPR. That’s huge, and Schiller should be commended for that.

Unfairly, O‘Keefe puts Schiller’s response under the heading, “Jews Own the Newspapers, Obviously.” That’s not what he said at all. He said that there is Jewish influence at papers that are owned by Jews. That’s a far cry from saying “Jews own the newspapers, obviously.” In fact, Schiller’s associate, Betsy Liley, even mentions that NPR is funded in part by a Jewish organization. That doesn’t seem to be placating anti-Semitism.

5. When the actor first begins talking of the Muslim Brotherhood, the video cuts. The actor says the organization was originally funded by a few members of the MB in America, and we do not see or hear Schiller’s unedited, immediate reaction. The video instead cuts to Schiller’s talk about Muslim voices. Maybe that is his immediate reaction, but we don‘t know since there’s a video cut. That could be important, or maybe it’s not. But it’s definitely worth pointing out.

The video, in the end, not only raises questions about NPR, but it also raises questions about undercover, gotcha journalism that can sometimes border on entrapment. We’ll be discussing this more in the future.

For now, consider these points, watch the video again, and feel free to comment. We will be watching the story all day, including bringing you any reaction from NPR. By the way, we did reach out to NPR for comment. A spokeswoman declined to comment and said an official statement will be released today.

It also bears mentioning that yesterday video surfaced of NPR president Vivian Schiller issuing a challenge to find examples of NPR bias. It‘s doesn’t bode well for her that Ron Schiller’s comments about the Tea Party were made public today (note: Ron and Vivian are not related):

 

See videos here

UPDATE:

NPR has responded to the video. See our story on that here.

NPR EXEC PUNKED BY JAMES O'KEEFE: Caught On Tape Calling Tea Party 'Xenophobic' And 'Racist'


Glynnis MacNicol | Mar. 8, 2011, 10:44 AM

James O’Keefe strikes again.

O’Keefe is the ‘investigative’ journalist who made a name for himself by posing as various characters (a pimp, a repairman, a conservative activist) and recording people on hidden camera and then editing the footage to damning results (you will recall his ‘pimp’ footage from an ACORN office resulted in the entire organization being shut down) appears to have successfully punked NPR.

Sort of.

And probably not coincidentally right in the middle of fundraising week.

The Daily Caller posted a highly edited video this morning just released by O’Keefe (complete with narration and ominous middle easter music) of NPR’s (now former…he left last week) SVP of fundraising Ron Schiller (no relation to CEO Vivian Schiller) and Betsy Liley, NPR’s director of institutional, talking to a pair of men posing as “members of a Muslim Brotherhood front group.”

The men, “who identified themselves as Ibrahim Kasaam and Amir Malik from the fictitious Muslim Education Action Center (MEAC) Trust” tell Schiller they want to give $5 million to NPR “partly out of concern for the defunding process the Republicans are trying to engage in.”

Not as the Daily Caller write-up suggests because ““the Zionist coverage is quite substantial elsewhere” or at least not directly.

More importantly NPR says they refused the money. Repeatedly. It just didn’t make it to the ‘caught on tape’ apparently.

The video is edited to such an extent it is impossible to tell whether the two posers actually say or do what the narrator says they say or do, or what exactly Schiller is responding to.

We do hear the pair tell Schiller that their “organization was originally founded by a few members of the Muslim Brotherhood in America actually.” But the description apparently stops there, and it’s unclear why this disclosure should necessarily be off-putting (but should that be a grey area for you the ominous background music is there to help).

Schiller says, (though in response to what is unclear): “I think what we all believe is if we don’t have Muslim voices in our schools and on our air. I mean it’s the same thing we faced when we as a nation didn’t have female voice.”

Again. Unclear why that viewpoint from a national news org is bad.

That doesn’t mean he is out of the clear

Here’s what this is what’s going to get him, and NPR, into trouble. And it has nothing really to do with Muslims. Apropos of something the video doesn’t make clear Schiller has this to say about the Tea Party:

The current Republican party, particularly the Tea Party is fanatically involved in people’s personal lives and very fundamental Christian. I wouldn’t even call it Christian.It’s this weird evangelical kind of movement.

[…]

The current Republican party is not even the really the Republican party — it’s been hijacked by this group — that is — [overdub] — exactly and not just Islamaphobic but xenophobic, and they are, they believe in sort of white, middle America, gun-toting, I mean it’s scary. They’re seriously, racist, racist people.

So that’s not good. Actually it’s very bad and not only because it feeds into every stereotype the right has about NPR (and liberal media in general) and leaves so little grey area that NPR will have a tough time turning the focus of the story to the fact much of this video is a thinly veiled attempt to appeal to anti-Muslim sentiment.

Back to the Zionist coverage remark.

Later in the lunch (the viewer is lead to believe, anyway…the posers do not appear on camera) one of them tells Schiller: “Jews do kind of control the media or, I mean, certainly the Zionists and the people who have the interests in swaying media coverage toward a favorable direction of Israel.” Schiller hears him out but goes on to say: “I don’t find that at NPR, the Zionist or pro-Israel. Even among funders….I mean it’s there in people who own newspapers, obviously, but no one owns NPR. I don’t find it.”

NPR tells me a statement on the matter will be forthcoming. Their media reporter David Folkenflik is tweeting out parts of it now: “We are appalled by the comments made by Ron Schiller in the video, which are contrary to what NPR stands for.”

Alas, I think between this and the Juan Williams thing, which NPR is still only recovering from, NPR is facing a serious uphill branding battle.

Update: Here is the full (if brief) statement) fromDana Davis Rehm, SVP of Marketing, Communications & External Relations for NPR.

“The fraudulent organization represented in this video repeatedly pressed us to accept a $5 million check, with no strings attached, which we repeatedly refused to accept.

We are appalled by the comments made by Ron Schiller in the video, which are contrary to what NPR stands for.

Mr. Schiller announced last week that he is leaving NPR for another job.”

Read more

No guts, no glory: GOP should heed lesson of '91

By: Byron York 03/07/11 8:05 PM
Chief Political Correspondent Follow Him @ByronYork
Governor Bill Clinton announces his candidacy for the presidency in October 1991 in Little Rock, Arkansas.-AP File
Governor Bill Clinton announces his candidacy for the presidency in October 1991 in Little Rock, Arkansas.-AP File

In early March 1991, all the smart people in politics knew one thing about the upcoming 1992 campaign: President George H.W. Bush was unbeatable.

Fresh from victory in the Gulf War, Bush enjoyed a job approval rating around 90 percent. At a time when potential challengers should be enlisting supporters and planning campaigns, Democrats who had been expected to challenge Bush held back, hesitant to enter a race that seemed hopeless.

 

“Will anybody run against George Bush in 1992?” asked Juan Williams in the Washington Post on March 10, 1991. “There are no candidate footprints in the pristine snows of New Hampshire this winter and the Iowa cornfields are untrampled.”

March passed, and then April, May, June, and July, and still Democrats searched for candidates willing to challenge Bush. One by one, the big names — Al Gore, Dick Gephardt, Mario Cuomo — decided not to run. Bush was just too strong.

The Democratic field that finally emerged seemed decidedly lackluster: Jerry Brown, Paul Tsongas, Bob Kerrey, Bill Clinton, Douglas Wilder and Tom Harkin. After an undistinguished primary season, one of them would be the sacrificial lamb to run against Bush.

Today, 20 years later, there’s no need to elaborate on how it turned out. All you have to say is that the prize went to the candidate who took a risk when others shied away.

Now we’re in a political season in which it is Republicans who seem hesitant to challenge an incumbent president. And we’re seeing the emergence of a new conventional wisdom: Barack Obama will be very, very tough to beat.

What a change. Back in 1991, the pundits discussed how hard it would be to defeat a president with a job approval rating of 90 percent. Now, they’re talking about how hard it would be to defeat a president with a job approval rating of 48 percent.

Back in the first Bush administration, some GOP strategists surveyed the struggling Democratic field and repeated the old axiom, “You can’t beat somebody with nobody.” Who could possibly have the stature to knock off President George H.W. Bush? Now, some of those same Republicans are fretting about the quality of their own presidential field and repeating the same slogan, this time not in overconfidence but in self-reproach. Maybe they’ve forgotten 1991.

None of this is to say that conditions today are the same as they were 20 years ago. There are a zillion differences. Bush was riding what turned out to be a fleeting wave of popularity after the war in ’91, while Obama will likely have more durable support in ’12. Also, the economy was trending downward in ’91 but will (hopefully) be headed up in ’12. And much of the press was against the incumbent president in ’91 but will most assuredly be for the incumbent president in ’12.

But whatever the differences, the similarity is that for Republicans, victory is possible for a candidate with daring, confidence, and skill. Yet some of the most qualified potential GOP candidates appear to be hanging back, reluctant to take on the White House. Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels is surely one of the more capable potential presidents out there, but he has gone back and forth on the question of running and at the moment seems to be leaning against it. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has flatly declared himself unready for the job. Other Republicans with proven appeal, like former Arkansas governor and ’08 candidate Mike Huckabee, are biding their time.

But time is passing. The first Republican presidential debate is less than two months away, and by now candidates should have already spent months organizing and seeking support in early primary and caucus states. Those who haven’t been doing that are already behind.

Yes, Obama will be difficult to beat. He has the enormous power of incumbency, and he can lose a number of the states he won in 2008 and still be re-elected. But George H.W. Bush seemed unbeatable, too. In 1991, Clinton decided to go forward, in the face of all the conventional wisdom, and ended up in the White House. No one knows whether a Republican challenger could do the same thing now. But we know this for sure: They won’t win if they don’t run.

Byron York, The Examiner‘s chief political correspondent, can be contacted at byork@washingtonexaminer.com. His column appears on Tuesday and Friday, and his stories and blogposts appear on ExaminerPolitics.com.