Bill Whittle takes us for a spin on the USA budget ride, a roller coaster that only seems to go downhill, featuring the guy described by Whittle as “the mendacious Michigan manatee of malevolence”, Michael Moore.
MINUTES OF CRYSTAL COAST TEA PARTY PATRIOTS
29 MARCH 2011
Meeting held at Golden Corral, Morehead City, NC
Meeting called to order at 6:02pm by President BOB CAVANAUGH
Pledge of Allegiance let by NANCY BOCK
Invocation by LYN BAKER
BOB introduced new attendees:
LaVerne and John Rivers
BOB introduced guests:
Frank Palamo (Potential candidate to run against Walter B. Jones)
Rick Layton (Supporter and friend of Mr. Palamo)
TREASURER’S REPORT
NANCY BOCK, Treasurer, reported that we currently have $1,316.00. However, after expenses (sound system, hats, banners, etc. for the rally) we will only have about $482.00 left. BOB jokingly said we may have to pass the plate before the rally’s over.
RALLY COMMENTS:
FRED DECKER said he has not gotten a singer (Lawana Guthrie – I think he said) to perform the Star Spangled Banner. He will try to contact her this week.
BOB said he has gotten Bill Johnson to run the sound system.
TOM AUSTIN said he had called Swap Shop last Saturday and had gotten in a plug for the rally.
TOM SMITH said he would like two hats for Barry Page for his letting us use his trailer for a stage. Motion made to donate the hats. Motion carried.
BOB said he had added another speaker – Sam Sampson of the ‘We Care Program’; the program that collects and packages popcorn, candy, and miscellaneous items; gets sponsors to pay postage, and mails the boxes to our boys fighting overseas.
DEBBIE RUCKER will donate bottles of water to have available at the rally.
TOM AUSTIN said he was still unable to contact someone to speak at our meeting on the Wounded Warrior Project. Nancy said when she had mailed checks for the funds we had raised for this project ($1,640.00 just last year); they were mailed to Topeka, Kansas and a receipt had been received from Florida. Upon investigation, it was discovered that 65% of the donations was used to aid the wounded; 35% was utilized for overhead. The CEO’s annual salary was $200,000.00. Another program ‘Operation Home Front’ provides 92% to the military families and their CEO’s annual salary was only $35,000.00. Do we want to continue our support of the Wounded Warrior Project? Think about it. If we decide to change our support, we will sell the remaining shirts we have on hand, decide in the very near future which program we wish to sponsor and have another emblem, if needed, printed on the new shirts. NANCY said there would be no additional charge if we decide to change emblem on back.
BOB requested that anyone able to volunteer their time tomorrow to help fill the boxes for the ‘We Care Program’, to please meet at 9:30am at the strip mall across from Truckers Toy Store, (the storage company).
BOB said Sam would like to have a table at the rally to sell the coffee and popcorn that he uses to raise funds to purchase the items he uses in the boxes. Approval given.
PEGGY GARNER, in HOWARD’S absence, said Howard had talked to Keith at the Flea Mall about posting the rally information on the sign out by the road. Keith said the sign belonged to Jim Ferrell but he would check and find out if we could change the info currently on the sign.
Emails about the book Underdogma, a great TEA Party book, have made the rounds this week. The officers think it might be a good fundraiser. We are considering ordering 24 of the books to try to sell at the rally. The author has generously offered all of his royalties; to ship us the books, with no shipping costs, no up front costs; and we will reimburse the printer $13.00 for each book sold. It will depend on how many books we sell and for how much, the amount of profit we will receive. KEN LANG will announce and push the sales from the stage at the rally.
FRED asked if any further action has been taken on a rally down east. BOB said he has received the form we need to fill out to use the park and possibly have a barbecue sometime in May or June. We need to find and develop a core group of leaders from the area to help kick this off. Our group cannot maintain two groups. FRED said he would contact a lady friend of his and see what they can come up with.
DEBBIE RUCKER said she felt that Cape Carteret and Emerald Isle has a lot of really strong leaders living there. All they need, she feels, is guidance from us as to how to develop a new party group. She thinks we will have better luck there than down east. We will discuss more after our April rally.
TOM AUSTIN volunteered to bring a cooler, ice and possibly tea.
TOM also mentioned that he had checked into the movie ‘Atlas Shrug’ and the closest showing was in Virginia. He feels if we can get enough interest, maybe we can get it shown closer to us. We will need a theater available to show it and it appears that the theater in Morehead has shut down.
BOB introduced Mr. Palombo and asked the members to please stand and voice their concerns about what is happening in our country.
BOB started us off by saying he wants better fiscal responsibility by the government. He is tired of the excessive spending. He doesn’t mind paying taxes as long as it is spent wisely.
TOM SMITH – We need to get our constitution back and working for us again and put a stop to those who say it is an outdated document.
FRED DECKER – Upset over the favoring of one business over another. i.e. ‘incentives’ that are being wasted to bring businesses here, with no concern for those here already that are striving to stay in business.
PAT BROYLES – Would like to see our taxes lowered.
ERIC BROYLES – Enforcement of our laws, immigration, and the tax burdens. Our Legislature no longer listens to the voting public and therefore do not represent us.
BILL SHERRY – There is no accountability. He feels like a piece of driftwood. He is tired of ‘wheels’ being hired and immediately given a huge pay raise.
TOM AUSTIN – Tired of the regulations being written by someone who does not know what they are talking about. Example: Fishing regulations written by someone who lives inland with no connection to the ocean.
CHRIS MCCAFFITY – The evils of bureaucracy. Everyone wants to pass the buck and they look down on you when you ask for help.
JOHN RIVERS – Has heard a rumor that the Carteret County Commissioners are planning to sell the hospital. If true, and is sold to a private company, then all the money made that now goes back into the hospital –well, you can kiss that goodbye. We need to keep our ears open and write letters to the editor about our concern and get others interested.
LAVERNE RIVERS – Understands that Bill O’Reilly donates a tremendous amount of money to the Wounded Warrior Project and Fisher House. Thinks the Fisher House is a good project.
TOM HARMON – Immigration. NC voter ID card. If you can’t bother to get a NC ID card, (or as some have complained, don’t have the time) then sorry, you don’t vote.
RUTH PARKER – Fiscal responsibility – quit spending money we don’t have.
LYN BAKER – Get rid of Obamacare.
CATIE MCCABE – Worried about our country. As bad as we need oil, our state has plenty, but cannot drill for it, thereby leaving us dependant on foreign. Our colleges are educating foreign students; but after they receive an education here, they are forced to return home, carrying with them all that knowledge received here, thereby we are losing the possibility of getting a return here in our country with that knowledge.
HOWARD GARNER – Concerned about Obamacare and would like our politicians to quit spending money we do not have.
LUKE KUKULINSKI – Need common sense in Congress. It seems that as soon as they get in office they are given a lobotomy.
ANDREW GOODRICH – Concerned about our constitutional rights.
STEVEN BEST – Agrees with those who have spoken before him.
DAVID COX – Biggest concern is immigration.
DEBBIE RUCKER – All the regulations that are taking away our freedoms. There is a total lack of leadership. We need representatives to stand up and say NO. Stop running down the TEA Party. We are not a bunch of racists. We love our country. We are getting stronger because we are starting to see that every gram they take from us, is one we will never get back.
ROMA and EDITH WADE – Want term limits.
BOB – Concerned about term limits. Afraid it leaves experience and knowledge in the hands of bureaucrats.
NANCY BOCK – Tired of czars being appointed with so much power and their not being elected by our representatives. Our teachers need to get back to educating our children and quit getting so involved with unions.
KEN LANG – UN and Obama are mandating a world government. Getting us into another war. Obama keeps slowing down the law abolishing Obamacare. When he says ‘let me be clear’, then you can bet here comes another lie.
FRED DECKER – If you think Social Security is bad now, wait until they include the illegal immigrants and count their time here illegally for the social security time.
ERIC BROYLES – 53% pay taxes – 47% do not pay anything. One group is working for another group and we need equal protection. When he was in school everyone paid some tax.
TOM AUSTIN – We need to get out of the United Nations NOW.
HOWARD GARNER – They let the older legislatures write all the bills (or the staff) so they continue to look out for themselves and their friends (or money people).
BOB to Mr. Palombo – This is a good example of how the TEA Party thinks. Take my money, but only what you need, and spend it wisely. Abide by the constitution. Government needs to quit expanding powers. Level the playing field, everyone starts equal. Competition needs to be brought back. You get out what you put in no longer applies. Free market capitalism – the government puts all kinds of hurdles in front of entrepreneurs who are trying to either start up a business or make a living. This is our core group that spoke up tonight, that believe in our core principles.
Frank Palombo – Feels right at home. He hears pretty much the same concerns at home and from his friends. He told Catie that he wished he could alleviate her fears for the future, but it was going to take her generation getting involved and carrying on what people like the TEA Party have started. He told us he is 63 years old; has been the New Bern Chief of Police for four years and has 34 years in law experience. There have been no lawyers or politicians in his family until possibly now. He knows how to manage a million dollar budget and has had to deal with many rules and regulations placed upon us by the politicians. When you look at someone who has been in office for many years, you know they are going to be hard to unseat. He is still trying to decide if he is ready to take on this job and is currently checking things out to determine if he is the one to step forward. He is concerned that we are being spent into oblivion and hopes we are not too late to turn things around. The TEA Party fired the first shot in November 2010, but too many did not hear a thing. We need to get ready for the next election and make those deaf, hear. He said he ready to fight for us, and what we need, and is asking for our support. He admits he is not a smooth talker but you can count on what he says. You may not like it, but he says what he believes. And he is saying he would like to be in attendance at Walter B. Jones retirement party.
FRED DECKER said he will check with the other Republican leadership about holding a fund raiser like we have for some others who were running for office.
BOB introduced CATIE MCCABE to give us a report on her week in Raleigh as a Page. She chose to sit in on the Appropriations Committee meetings. (There were the same four seats empty at every session, which she felt was not right. They were sent there to do a job and she felt they should have at least shown up for the meetings. She found that the staff actually has the knowledge, not our elected officials. They (the staff) are the only ones who know the rules and regulations. Some representatives are late to meetings and some leave early. She believes that although each member receives a write up of what is taking place, you can only get just so much from a piece of paper. You need to be there to hear the discussions. She also was interested in the Science and Technology Committee. Use of cell phone while driving by all, not just teens. Some think use of a Bluetooth is just as distracting as a cell phone. Info derived from the Environment Committee.- Discovered there are only three places where they could drill on the east coast (off Washington, DC, the North Carolina coast and one other near a large coastal city. Washington and the large city are pretty much a no no. So why not drill off NC? Because it is not allowed by our congress.
Department of Cultural Resources Committee – With the internet, Kindles, and other technology, why do we continue to need so many libraries (Carteret County has 5 that she can think of). If you check, you will find they are used mainly for the internet provided there. Eliminating a few could save the county a lot of money. Black Beard’s ship. Another big cost to the taxpayer. The argument is that it doesn’t cost that much since they are using ECU lab and equipment. Who pays for that lab and equipment – the taxpayer. 2.7 million dollars is allocated per year for the DCR committee projects. Talking consolidation but deciding will cost even more money than being spent now. They spent more time discussing these DCR projects than other more important (she thought) bills. She was asked about redistricting, but said she was unable to find out anything, since it was too confidential.
Enjoyed her week (four days) in Raleigh and hopes to be selected to go back next year as a Senate Page.
BOB thanked her for the report. Please listen to Talk Radio next Monday night. Catie will be a guest on Lockwood’s show.
Meeting adjourned.
Minutes submitted by Peggy Garner, Secretary
The liberal faction of Carteret County citizens keeps pushing for more spending in education. There is absolutely no data to support more spending equals better education. In fact, there is more data that shows the opposite is true. Smarter application of resources and better curriculum strategies would equal better application of taxpayer’s dollars. Go to the C4 Facebook page to see what the opposition is up to. It’s amazing how easily they spend your money!
Folks, this is what happens when government bureaucrats runs amuck. This is what the NC Dept of Environment and Natural Resources, The National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Environmental Protection Agency bureaucrats do to us and small businesses every day. Watch this video at Berman Post
Dear Mr. Broyles:
Thank you for responding with your questions and comments for the Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology’s hearing on March 17. I greatly appreciate you taking the time to respond.
Given our economic condition, this issue is a huge concern. Prior to the last Subcommittee meeting, I received roughly 1,000 Eastern North Carolinians’ thoughts and questions. Again, the responses were numerous. I enjoy hearing your thoughts and ideas and I will continue to reach out for your feedback throughout the year.
Some who wrote in supported the Federal Reserve’s policy of “Quantitative Easing”. However, most wrote in with grave concerns on how they will maintain their standard of living. People in Eastern North Carolina and around the world are being squeezed at the gas pump and the grocery store as they struggle to make ends meet in a world in which their salaries have no chance of keeping up with Mr. Bernanke’s printing presses. Many of the messages I read echoed these same everyday struggles at the gas pump and grocery store. The Fed’s dangerous, inflation-creating, money-printing policies are severely damaging America ‘s consumers at a time when they can least afford it.
While I was only able to ask the panel of witnesses a few of the questions submitted, please know that I and my staff read each and every one of the messages sent in. Further, I have tried to share the sentiments (including those of folks who disagree with my criticisms of the Federal Reserve) with my colleagues, and with the staff of the House Financial Services Committee. I assure you this topic is of the utmost importance, and I will keep your questions and concerns in mind as we continue this fight.
Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts. If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Walter B. Jones
Member of Congress
March 24, 2011
Dear Friend,
Thank you for your interest in my office. I wanted to take this opportunity to update you on some of the major accomplishments of the past two years, and to share with you my goals for the current session of Congress.
National Debt
I have worked with my colleagues across the aisle to combat what the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, declared to be the greatest threat to our national security: our national debt. The national debt has been piling up to dangerous levels over the past decade, due in large part to two wars, two tax cuts, and an expensive prescription drug program. On top of that, the severe economic recession that began in 2007 greatly reduced federal revenues and led to higher deficit spending as Congress took steps to stimulate the economy and unfreeze credit markets. I understand that our country cannot sustain continued deficit spending far into the future. Addressing this looming crisis should be among our highest priorities.
I believe it is critical that we address our fiscal challenges head on, and I was among a group of senators who advocated for the creation of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, which was announced by President Obama on February 18, 2010.
The 18-member Commission was co-chaired by former White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles of North Carolina, and former Republican Senator Alan Simpson of Wyoming. The group 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/.
While I certainly understand the concerns that have been expressed with some of the recommendations in the Commission’s report, and I do not agree with everything in it, I believe that the commissioners showed remarkable courage by addressing a wide range of issues, from tax policy to health care costs. Most importantly, their report will help keep the process of addressing our fiscal outlook moving forward. On December 3rd, 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.
Jobs
Job creation remains my number one priority. In March 2010, Congress passed the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act, more commonly known as the HIRE Act. The legislation provides tax credits to employers that hire and retain employees who have been out of work for at least 60 days and eases the tax burden on small businesses that purchase certain capital equipment. Increasing the general business tax credit and extending certain HIRE Act provisions will encourage employers to create jobs and hire unemployed Americans.
I believe that small businesses are the backbone of the North Carolina economy. Small firms represent more than 98 percent of North Carolina employers and are responsible for nearly half the jobs in our state. The Small Business Jobs Act (H.R. 5297) was signed into law in September 2010. This important legislation included an amendment I cosponsored that will create a $30 billion small business lending fund for community banks.
I supported the bipartisan Small Business Jobs Act because it will help small businesses create more than 50,000 new jobs nationwide. Additionally, this legislation will not add to our nation’s deficit. As a member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I will continue to be a strong advocate for North Carolina’s small businesses.
Wall Street Reform
The financial crisis also exposed critical gaps and weaknesses in our financial regulatory system. Massive risks in financial markets went undetected by both regulators and market participants. Even if those risks had been exposed earlier, regulators lacked the power to mount an effective response. These systematic failures caused a dramatic loss of confidence in our financial institutions and helped to cause the worst downturn since the Great Depression. Congress had to take action to ensure that American taxpayers will never again have to bail out our financial institutions and that these institutions treat consumers fairly and responsibly.
The Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010 was enacted on July 21st to provide better oversight in the financial sector. The bill reforms the current financial regulatory structure into a more stable and transparent system that will protect consumers, provide clear and fair regulations for financial firms, and restore confidence in the financial markets.
I supported this legislation because it embodies common sense financial reform that protects consumers, levels the playing field for community banks and provides fair and clear regulations for all financial institutions. North Carolina is a leader in the banking industry, and both our state’s banks and its banking customers will benefit from the financial reforms found in the law. The law will close gaps and eradicate inefficiencies in America’s current regulatory structure. I am proud to represent North Carolina in supporting legislation that works to ensure that American taxpayers will never again have to bear the cost of a financial crisis.
Supporting our troops
North Carolina is the most military-friendly state in the country. Approximately 35 percent of North Carolinians serve in the military, have an immediate family member who serves, or is a veteran. There are close to 120,000 active duty military personnel stationed in North Carolina. There are approximately 25,000 National Guardsman and Reservists that live in all 100 counties of North Carolina.
During my past two years in the United States Senate, I have visited our troops in Afghanistan three times. Many of the troops deployed in Afghanistan are from North Carolina and come from North Carolina military installations. They are leading the charge against terrorism abroad to protect us here at home. I continue to be impressed by the incredible job our military is doing to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. These brave men and women are doing an extremely difficult job under trying circumstances and need our support now more than ever. I pledge to continue supporting our troops who make the greatest sacrifice to preserve and defend our freedom.
Behind every Soldier, Sailor, Airman and Marine there is a family at home that also deserves our support. As a founding member of the Military Family Caucus I strongly support giving the necessary resources to military family support programs and pledge to continue doing so in the 112th Congress.
There are also nearly 800,000 veterans who live in North Carolina.
I have always been a strong supporter of our nation’s veterans. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I am working to ensure that our military men and women have the support they need as they as they transition from the military to civilian life. Furthermore, it is my belief that our veterans deserve stability and certainty in their benefits. That is why I cosponsored the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009. The bill requires, beginning in fiscal year 2011, that Congress appropriate funding for the VA two years in advance, eliminating many of the delays and much of the uncertainty created by partisan budget fights in Washington, D.C. The Department of Veterans Affairs and VA facilities across the country will be able to more effectively conduct business and planning, resulting in more efficient and effective services for our veterans.
The 111th Session of Congress was certainly eventful. But we have to keep moving forward. I am excited to continue working in a bipartisan manner on legislative priorities that will directly affect the people of North Carolina.
I will continue to focus on creating jobs in North Carolina. In January of this year it was announced that North Carolina is one of the first two states in the nation to receive funds from a new initiative in the Small Business Jobs Act. The funds will strengthen state programs that leverage private lending for small businesses and manufacturers. The North Carolina District of the Small Business Administration has already approved 414 loans for $198.2 million during the first three months of fiscal year 2011. This is a 37 percent increase in U.S. Small Business Administration loans directed to North Carolina businesses over the first quarter of 2010.
I also recently became a member of the Senate Banking Committee. As a member of the committee, I will focus on encouraging the availability of capital to businesses, which will, in turn, help create jobs; ensuring access to safe and affordable credit for families; and making sure our country’s mortgage system is both robust and stable so that hard-working families are able to own their own homes.
I will continue to support those who serve in our military. North Carolina troops are leading the charge against terrorism in Afghanistan. I have visited troops on the ground in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kuwait and met with military personnel in Pakistan. I will continue to support those who make the greatest sacrifice for our country. As a founding member of the Military Family Caucus I strongly support giving the necessary resources to military family support programs and pledge to continue doing so in the 112th Congress.
I am deeply committed to keeping our promises to our veterans. I will continue working to ensure they receive the care and support they deserve. I strongly oppose cutting existing benefits for our country’s soldiers and veterans, and their families, who have risked everything for our country.
During my time in Congress I pledge to continue working to represent North Carolinians to the best of my ability. I encourage you to visit my website, www.hagan.senate.gov, to learn more about my legislative priorities.
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,
Kay R. Hagan
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,
Kay R. Hagan
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
See the YouTube video here
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,
Kay R. Hagan
via Hot Air
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.
Dear Mr. Broyles:
Thank you for contacting me to share your concerns regarding immigration enforcement. I appreciate you taking the time to contact me and I’m honored to respond.
Like you, I am deeply concerned about America ‘s lack of immigration enforcement. I have been, and will continue to be, a strong supporter of initiatives to strengthen enforcement and an opponent of efforts to reqard those who break our immigration laws. You will be happy to learn that I have cosponsored a number of bills that would do just that, including:
Please know that I will continue to do all I can to secure borders and to oppose amnesty for those who break our immigration laws.
Again, thanks for sharing your concerns with me. If you have any questions on other immigration legislation, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Walter B. Jones
Member of Congress
Dear Mr. Lang:
Thank you for contacting me about the funding of Obamacare in the Continuing Resolution (CR). I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and I am happy to respond.
Let me be clear: I strongly opposed and voted against Obamacare. I support its repeal and have cosponsored every bill introduced that would do that. I have joined many of my colleagues in filing multiple amicus briefs in support of several states’ efforts to overturn the law in court on constitutional grounds. I also strongly support cutting off funding for implementation of Obamacare, and have voted accordingly; this includes my vote against the most recent continuing resolution to fund the government, because it did not, among other things, cut off all funding for Obamacare.
Please rest assured that I will be vigilant in supporting all efforts to repeal, block or cut off funding for this government takeover of our health care system.
I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts on this critical issue. If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Walter B. Jones
Member of Congress
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:
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
MINUTES OF CRYSTAL COAST TEA PARTY PATRIOTS
15 MARCH 2011
Meeting held at Golden Corral, Morehead City, NC
Meeting called to order at 6:05 PM by President BOB CAVANAUGH
Pledge of Allegiance led by LUKE KUKULINSKE
Invocation by DEBBIE RUCKER
No. in attendance – 29
Short discussion on the Japanese tragedy, earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown problems.
WAYNE WILLIS brought us up to date on the status of the board game he invented. He has engaged Matt McCastle (?), to develop and manufacture the software. He plans that by the last of June to have available a Power Point Presentation to show to the TEA Party attendees. We have told him we will place it in our web site sales catalog (and possibly other TEA Party web sites) and will, as agreed upon, receive 10% of the profits of items sold.
WAYNE apologized for missing the last couple of meetings. He has been in Florida, attending a Cooperative Power Company meeting where they discussed opposition to Senate Bill 3 (a bill forcing power companies to buy credits from wind power conglomerates. He said wind mills in the Pamlico would increase cost by 25 cents per kilowatt and with financial conditions as they are now, that is a big impact on the people.
KEN LANG, a nuclear chemist, said a lot of people think wind power is the way to go, while others think nuclear. A lot are anti drilling. However, after the problem in Japan many are very afraid of nuclear power now. He feels there is a lot of misinformation from the associated press (including Fox) being disseminated that is misleading the public. As for Japan, we will not actually know what the outcome will be there for many years to come. Nuclear power plants are built to withstand wind (like hurricanes), not earthquake tsunamis. California has had many small earthquakes but it has been a couple of hundred years since a truly big one. They are definitely due one.
KEN asked if everyone had read his letter to the editor last Friday about the school and budgets. He said Tabby Nance had called him and discussed the situation and what he thought needed to be done to bring our grade up from the “D” reported by the John Locke Society. She called back today and told him she had talked with Dan(?) at the Society and our system is not acceptable for NC Transparency (school grades, county statistics, lack of info availability on funding, and etc.) By this afternoon the Board of Education had provided enough information for her to get our rating raised to a B+ but she was still working on getting an A. He recommended that we all check out nctransparency.com (I hope I got this right, if not please forgive me) and keep up with how we are being rated. The state has pushed 8 million dollars down to the county to absorb, which the county is trying to get stopped. Insurance of 1 ½ million dollars on each school bus is mandated by the state but no insurance company has been found to take the responsibility of this covering. Comment was made that if the school buses belong to the state and are insured by them, then, why are we having to pay even more in insurance. No one could answer.
BOB introduced our evening’s guest speaker – LOCKWOOD PHILLIPS who had been invited to speak to us by KEN LANG.
Lockwood said he is disturbed by the media bias against the TEA parties. They have maligned the party ever since it’s beginning. When you watch the main stream media and what has been going on in Wisconsin, with the rowdy crowds and their destruction of their capital building; where are all the reporters and their disapproval of this disgusting display of violence? They are taking up for them and saying they are in the right which is in complete opposition to the comments made about the TEA party. When the TEA parties held their rally in Washington, we left the city cleaner than when we arrived. It did not take thousands to repair any damage from our being there. You did not hear any fowl language, inappropriate action, or see any violence. The TEA Parties are to be congratulated for being a better type of people; while still just as impassioned and intense.
He said he had talked to Ty Ruddy, from Jacksonville, who is greatly disturbed about the increased sales tax which has just layered another tax on top of the already tax base. While we have been hoping for change, it appears things are still like ice cream…..be it chocolate or strawberry, it is still ice cream…. or, be it Democrats or Republicans, it is still politics.
As Pogo, from the comics, used to say “We have met the enemy and the enemy is us!” We have done a very poor job educating the public. An example is the Coastal Resources on terminal groins. All sorts of restrictions are being thrown in the way. In discussing the cost of the groins, we find that many are taking the amount of money appropriated for dredging the port and referring to it as maintenance for the groins. It is being said that it will cost over 5 million dollars a year to maintain the groins. HOWARD GARNER said he is a native of Carteret County and remembers when the groins (or jetties as they were called then) were built at Fort Macon and he does not remember ever seeing or hearing of any maintenance being conducted on them. Others are afraid of the groins; saying about 240 homes are in danger. They believe the groins will cause the beaches to wash away faster and they say they have to have the spoils from dredging the port to replenish the beaches. Lockwood said he and probably one other person knows where the jetties are on Shackleford Banks. They have collected so much sand they are completely covered. He feels the same situation will occur on Atlantic Beach rebuilding the island naturally (with the jetties) and not having to pay to have sand pumped onto the beaches. While using our tax dollars to pay to replenish the beaches, the owners of those multi-million dollar homes begin to believe the beaches belong to them. We need to educate the politicians and the public that all those people walking on the beach are not home owners. The beaches belong to the public. They are ours. CLAYTON GILLIKIN said these beach front owners remind him of an old Indian who grew up down east. Every time a storm came up, he would say ‘dumb white people’. When asked why he would say such a thing, he said ‘how many teepees have you seen floating on the ocean’.
Lockwood said when the Town Creek Marina in Beaufort wanted to dredge out the channel (which had been kept dredged for years with the spoils being placed on a nearby spoils bank) they were told by the Corps of Engineers that they could not use that bank (which had been established by the Corps). All of a sudden it was no longer a spoils bank, but now was wet lands. They said they had checked and found sand, sea oats, and other type marsh land items, buried beneath the dumped spoils, so they refused to let the marina use the spoils bank. We have to stop this invasion in our rights. We need to tell the politicians they need to stop running for office, do what they were elected to do, and let them know how these things affect us the voters. We are tired of their lies. They are so used to just throwing money at situations that they have lost touch with reality.
Gas tax is supposed to be used just for the roads, but our politicians have been borrowing from the fund and not paying it back. Now we don’t have the money to pay the North Carolina tax payers who are due a refund; and they want to borrow funds from other accounts, to make these payments, just as they have raided the transportation account. If so, then next thing we know that/those account(s) will be in trouble due to funds not being repaid. Such borrowing has put us into the situation of the state pushing costs down to the counties. The counties are broke also. We need to inform the county commissioners to go back to Gov. Perdue and let her know some of these debts belong to the state and are their responsibilities; and the counties are not going to be pushed around any more.
In 2009 each person in Morehead City (including children) owed $2,185.00.
Charlotte/Mecklenburg residents owed approximately $2,325.00 to $2,330. That is only approximately $200.00 more than Morehead City. Stop and think of the difference in number of residents in each town. However, on the other hand, according to HOWARD, those living outside the town of Newport are being forced to pay more for fire protection than those in town. We, who live in the country, are having to foot the bill for those living in town.
Towns are net providers (not getting back as much as giving). We are going to have to become fee based communities. In order to keep the beaches clean, provide life guards, etc., we will have to charge fees for their use. Possibly the locals will be accessed to buy a sticker for maybe $1.00, while those from upstate, when they vacation here, might pay $10.00 for a pass. We can no longer sit with our hands out for the government to take care of us. We have to take care of our own.
It is our responsibility to take care of the issues. We have handed the keys to our education over to the Federal Government. A lot of our colleges are producing the next generation of widget manufacturers. They are not teaching critical thinking. Examples: our space program came from German citizens. They found they could come here and be rewarded for their ideas. Have we forgotten that this is what helps make America great? If we study the new innovations developed, we will find most of them were designed by foreigners. Technology is a great example.
We need less government not more. If we don’t have the money, then why are we wasting our time. We are just creating more entitlements. We need fiscal accountability. We are the voice of the silent majority. Don’t back down. Continue your letters to the editor; make those phone calls to your representatives; challenge them; use the League of Municipalities to your advantage. We cannot trust our politicians so we will have to make sure they uphold their promises.
HOWARD said we had learned at the meeting we attended last Friday night in Greenville, (speakers Joe and Henri McCleese) on becoming a lobbyist. (No it is not a dirty word.)
Joe said making a big show on Monday with a large crowd rallying for a certain cause, will attract attention on Monday, but by Tuesday, no one even remembers. However, if we have a couple of representative there every day, they soon recognize our name tags and are daily made aware that we are watching them.
Lockwood said we have to start at the local level (towns, county). Here in Carteret it averages out to about 6,000 residents per mayor. We need to get their attention. Tell them ‘if you want my money, you have to show me what you are going to do with it’. If we don’t do something we are headed for a train wreck. We have to hold them accountable.
TOM AUSTIN asked Lockwood if we could get the County Commissioners’ meeting agenda published in the paper earlier. We do not have time to familiarize ourselves with what is to take place in the short amount of time now given. Lockwood agreed it should be published earlier and would look into it and see if we can get it in the paper earlier.
Lockwood left us with the admonishment ‘Now is our opportunity to get things done. Don’t waste it.’
Items scheduled for tonight’s meeting that did not get covered, will be taken up at our next meeting on March 21, 2011.
Meeting adjourned.
Minutes submitted by Secretary PEGGY GARNER.
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.
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
March 16, 2011
Dear Friend,
Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about congressionally directed spending items in appropriations bills, which are more commonly known as earmarks. I share your concerns about using taxpayer dollars wisely and the need to rein in our national debt as soon as we possibly can.
As you probably know, earmarks are project-based requests that usually benefit municipalities, universities and community-based organizations. In 2007, Congress instituted strict reforms in both the Senate and House of Representatives that brought more transparency to the appropriations process. Since that time, Congress has reduced the number of earmarks by more than 50 percent. Senators making project requests were required to post them publicly on their Web sites, including the name and location of the intended recipient, the amount requested, and the purpose of the project. Funding for these requests is not guaranteed; they must be reviewed and approved by both the Appropriations Committee and the full Senate.
Given the size of our national debt and the urgent need to reduce it, both Republicans and Democrats have recognized the need to rein in federal spending, including earmarks. At the end of the 111th Congress, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye pledged to forego earmark requests for two years, which the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform recommended.
The Commission showed tremendous leadership and produced a set of bipartisan recommendations to help us get the national debt under control. To read its final report, which was released on December 1, 2010, please visit http://www.fiscalcommission.gov/. 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 earmarks and 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,
Kay R. Hagan
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/
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!
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.
| 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. |
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Encouraged by the Patrick Administration’s goal to expand wind power, communities across the commonwealth are considering or constructing wind turbines. In the town of Falmouth, some residents say a turbine installed last year has changed their lives — and not for the better. This week, WGBH’s Sean Corcoran takes us to Falmouth to explore all sides of the issue in a special series, The Falmouth Experience: The Trouble with One Town’s Turbine.
Jess Bidgood/WGBH
In his kitchen table at his Falmouth home, Neil Anderson holds the calendar where he and his wife record their daily reactions to the wind turbine located nearby.
FALMOUTH, Mass. — Standing on his home’s porch, Neil Anderson points through the thicket of trees in his front yard and across Blacksmith Shop Road towards one of his closest neighbors: A wind turbine.
“Right now we are 1,320 feet, which is one-quarter mile south of Wind One, which is Falmouth’s first wind turbine. It’s been online since April. And we’ve been trying to get it stopped since April,” Anderson says.
Wind One, as the turbine is officially called, is owned by the town of Falmouth and is located at the town’s wastewater treatment plant, where it stands 262 feet tall to the turbine’s hub. That’s about 10 feet taller than the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown. The blades extend just shy of 400 feet, which is about half the height of the John Hancock Building in Boston.
Jess Bidgood/WGBH
Wind 1 stands 262 feet tall in Falmouth. As many as 50 residents of the town have complained of the health effects the turbine’s noise and shadows have had on their lives.
When it was installed last spring, Anderson didn’t think Wind One would cause a problem. For 35 years, he’s owned and operated a passive solar company on Cape Cod.
The energy conservationist in Anderson considered wind power a good principle. He wasn’t alone — before the turbine switched on, Falmouth residents almost universally welcomed Wind One as a symbol of renewable energy and a way to keep taxes down.
“I was proud looking at it from this viewpoint — until it started turning,” Anderson said.
But now, as many as 50 people are complaining about the turbine and the noise it makes at different speeds. A dozen families are retaining a lawyer for that reason.
“It is dangerous. Headaches. Loss of sleep. And the ringing in my ears never goes away. I could look at it all day, and it does not bother me. It’s quite majestic — but it’s way too close,” Anderson said.
Neighbors say this isn’t a debate about a turbine ruining their view, and their goal is not compensation. Some just want it turned off at night.
But Anderson can’t compromise. “This house has been my hobby, my investment, and we love it out here. We will move if we have to. Because we cannot live with (the turbine). No, we cannot,” Anderson said.
Wind One is expected to save the town about $375,000 a year in electricity. Heather Harper, Falmouth’s acting town manager, says Falmouth owes about $5 million on the 1.65-megawatt turbine.
Harper said one of the challenges of running the turbine is that the type of sound some neighbors complain about — that low-level pulse — isn’t regulated by the state. “The times I have been there I do not experience the impact of the effect that the neighbors have expressed that they’ve experienced. But I do believe that they are experiencing something that is very real to them,” Harper said.
Jess Bidgood/WGBH
Neil Anderson and his wife keep a log of how the turbine affects them. It shows nights of disrupted sleeping, headaches, and even mood-swings.
David McGlinchey is with the non-partisan Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences in Plymouth, which provides science-based information to policy makers. McGlinchey says that while Wind One has generated complaints, other turbines of similar size, including a 1.8-megawatt turbine in Hull, have been mostly well-received.
“The existing peer-reviewed studies suggest that there are no health effects associated with the sound and noise from wind turbines,” McGlinchey said. “That being said, people clearly experience symptoms. People have headaches, people have their sleep disturbed, people are not living well next to them in some situations. In some situations they are. So, both sides are right.”
Wind advocates say Falmouth’s experience has made it nearly impossible to get other turbines approved on Cape Cod, and potentially across the state. Last week, Falmouth’s selectmen acknowledged the issue and agreed to turn off the turbine when wind speeds exceed 23 miles per hour.
It’s unclear how much relief this will bring or how long it will last, since selectmen said more permanent mitigation efforts still must be negotiated.
One looming concern of neighbors is a second turbine, one of the same size and make that has gone up not far from the first. Falmouth’s Wind Two is scheduled to be turned on sometime this spring.
More from this series:
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
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,
Kay R. Hagan
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,
Kay R. Hagan
March 14, 2011 by randyedye
This proves based on facts that the public school unions do not care about our children’s education, it’s very dark in that world.
Click to see video: Waiting for Superman
Stopping Policies That Drive Up Gas Prices, Destroy Jobs
| March 13, 2011 | Posted by Speaker Boehner’s Press Office | Permalink |
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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
Republicans Focusing on Cutting Spending to Help End Some of the Uncertainty Facing Job Creators
Democrats Divided, Scrambling, Unwilling to Put Forward a Serious Plan that Cuts Spending
Also Happening
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
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SPEAKER PRESS OFFICE REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH) H-232, THE CAPITOL (202) 225-0600 | SPEAKER.GOV |
To Make Public Comment before March 15, click here
From the NC GOP: