Eleven point eight and rising

Despite unemployment in their districts being almost as high as their district number, six Democratic congressman from North Carolina voted for Waxman-Markey.*

The unemployment rate is an average of 11.8 percent in the five counties comprising Brad Miller’s 13th Congressional District.

Yet this man voted for a job killing bill that taxes every aspect of energy creation and spreads California building codes to every locality in the country. It regulates just about every aspect of construction and building materials and even brings federal dictates to home improvements and real estate transactions.

Brad Miller is completely out of touch with the people of the 13th Congressional District.

I can only hope that in the days ahead someone will emerge with a sensible battle plan to rid the 13th District and its people of Brad Miller’s liberal world view and send Mr. Miller back to Raleigh for good.

We know he believes in violating the state’s constitution but flat out violating every principle of common sense and fundamental economics is beyond the pale.

I’m holding out for a hero.

*Editor’s note: Unemployment in the 14 counties making up Heath Schuler’s 11th District is 11.1 percent.

Filed under: North Carolina , Brad Miller, Waxman-Markey

Legislative update from Sen. Berger

During week twenty-one of the North Carolina General Assembly’s 2009-2010 session, Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) and House Republican Leader Paul Stam (R-Wake) held a press conference to clarify the numbers being used in discussions of the state budget.

According to the Fiscal Research Division at the General Assembly and the N.C. Office of State Budget and Management, state spending for the 2008-2009 fiscal year ending June 30 will be $20.3 billion including federal stimulus funds. Revenue availability for 2009-2010 at existing tax rates is projected to be $17.8 billion. The state will also have an additional $1.381 billion in federal stimulus funds making total availability for 2009-2010 $19.181 billion without any increase in taxes or fees. The actual “budget gap” or shortfall for 2009-2010 is approximately $1.125 billion. This is substantially less than the $4 billion shortfall that Democrats have been claiming. Democrats come to the $4 billion shortfall figure by coming from a projected spending number – an amount that has NEVER been spent and is about $3 billion more than will actually be spent in the current fiscal year.

$1.125 billion is about 5 percent of total current state General Fund spending.

“Democrats are using outdated spending projections to try to increase support for job-destroying tax increases,” Senator Berger said. “As we suffer through record-high, double-digit unemployment rates and North Carolina families are being forced to make cuts to their budgets, now is not the time to ask taxpayers to pay more. No one believes state government is operating at maximum efficiency, particularly when we see taxpayer dollars being used to build $25 million fishing piers and to fund Governor Perdue’s ‘Tax Hike Tour’ on state airplanes. We need not cut the quality of education or services to the disabled, sick, and elderly that our state currently provides. However, running government more efficiently will require jettisoning old ideas and outdated projections in order to find and eliminate waste and inefficiencies in state government.”

To highlight the existence of waste in state government you only have to look at Governor Perdue. Last Thursday, she flew on a state airplane from Raleigh to Charlotte to Asheville to Raleigh and on Monday she flew from Raleigh to Wilmington to Greenville and back to Raleigh. On both days she made media pleas to advance her proposal to raise $1.5 billion in new taxes. The flights on state aircraft cost taxpayers thousands of dollars at a time when the Governor claims the state is so short of money that teachers and state employees have had their pay docked in order to balance the state budget.

Senator Berger said, “It is difficult to believe Governor Perdue is serious about cutting wasteful state spending when she jets off on a taxpayer funded five-city Tax Hike Tour in a state airplane. Governor Perdue doesn’t seem to understand North Carolina’s families are struggling to deal with record unemployment and the states’ worst economic recession in decades. History shows tax increases and tax-and-spend policies will result in even more job losses and a delayed recovery. Republicans have proposed a reasonable alternative of freezing spending at existing levels, a policy that will not require job-destroying tax increases or firing teachers.

This week for the first time, Attorney General Roy Cooper officially acknowledged that SBI agents are working with federal authorities on an investigation into matters relating to former Governor Mike Easley and former first lady Mary Easley. However, Cooper continues to refuse requests to have a special prosecutor conduct the investigation at the state level.

This should concern the citizens of North Carolina for two reasons.

First, federal law sets the statute of limitations at five years on federal offenses related to public corruption. Several of the allegations, specifically those involving the receipt of improper benefits centered on the use of a vehicle by Easley’s son, occurred more than 5 years ago. However, these alleged crimes could be prosecuted under North Carolina law as the state has no statute of limitations on felonies related to public corruption.

Second, since 2002 multiple elected Democrats including former House Speaker Jim Black, Congressman Frank Ballance, and Agricultural Commissioner Meg Scott Phipps have been convicted of corruption related offenses resulting from investigations originating at the federal level. Unfortunately, at the state level the Democrats in control of state government have shown an inability or unwillingness to aggressively prosecute corrupt politicians in their own party. Confidence in state government is undermined severely when the public is forced to rely on the federal government to bring corrupt politicians to justice. To restore public confidence in state government Attorney General Roy Cooper must aggressively work to show the public that he is serious about ending public corruption – even if it means prosecuting fellow members of the Democratic Party.

Senator Berger renewed his call for a special prosecutor saying, “It is reassuring to know that Attorney General Cooper has initiated an investigation into the corruption allegations involving former Governor Mike Easley and his wife Mary. However, it is past time for Attorney General Roy Cooper to appoint a special prosecutor dedicated to investigating possible violations of state law.

“The federal statute of limitations should not be a get out of jail free card for politicians accused of corruption. Public confidence in the political process and in state government requires that state level crimes be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Attorney General Roy Cooper should act immediately to ensure that an independent non-partisan special prosecutor is appointed to investigate the allegations of corruption involving the Easleys.”

Senator Phil Berger
Senate Republican Leader
1026 Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-2808
Phone: 919.733.5708
Fax: 919.754.3246
philbe@ncleg.net

Filed under: 1

N.C. Democrats’ Tax Plan Costing Jobs

“Seeing how many holes we can shoot in our foot is not an economic strategy North Carolinians can count on to reduce our record 11.1% unemployment rate,” Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) said.

Raleigh – North Carolina online business owners received a message today from Amazon.com informing them that because of a tax package proposed by Democrats and making its way through the General Assembly they would no longer be eligible to participate an affiliate commission program. The Amazon Associates Program compensates web site owners for linking to products sold on Amazon.com. Many North Carolina based web site owners and small businesses use the earnings from the affiliate program to supplement their income; those earnings are already subject to the state income tax. Legislative Democrats want to use the commission program to justify levying new sales taxes on sales that Amazon makes to North Carolina residents. Amazon maintains that the new tax scheme is unconstitutional because it impedes the flow of interstate commerce and has filed a legal challenge to a similar scheme in New York. The N.C. affiliate tax is currently a part of the tax package supported by House Democrats and being negotiated by Democrats from both chambers. (“Amazon cuts off commissions,” Under the Dome, 6/26/09)
“Seeing how many holes we can shoot in our foot is not an economic strategy North Carolinians can count on to reduce our record 11.1% unemployment rate,” Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) said. “This is just the beginning of the job and small business losses for North Carolina’s economy from Democrats’ plan to hike taxes during a recession. Do Governor Perdue and Legislative Democrats really not understand that raising taxes on businesses will cause additional job losses?
“We need to be finding innovative ways to attract business to North Carolina, not creating obstacles that drive businesses and jobs from the state. Actions have consequences. Amazon.com’s decision to pull out of North Carolina proves the point Republicans have been making for months: raising taxes on small businesses destroys North Carolina jobs, slows our economic recovery, and makes us uncompetitive with other states. North Carolina needs a budget that will jumpstart job creation, revive existing businesses, and encourage the creation of new businesses. Job-destroying tax increases by Democrats fueled by their unquenchable thirst for wasteful spending will only make the recession in North Carolina worse.”

Filed under: 1

Goodbye Michael

This is how I will remember him. (Rock With You video.)

He was special and I felt sad for him for the last 15 years. He didn’t deserve that.

Don’t stop.

Filed under: Music

Perdue, Senate Democrats Determined to Continue Tax-and-Spend Policies

Raleigh – Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) provided his assessment of the increase to the tax credit for movie makers pushed through by Democrats even as they argue for tax increases on North Carolinians because of a revenue shortage. According to the Legislative Fiscal Note on Senate Bill 943, the increase in the film credits from 15 percent to 25 percent will result in an estimated additional cost to the state of $48.6 million over the next two years. (Legislative Fiscal Note, Senate Bill 943) The average teacher salary in North Carolina is about $43,000. (North Carolina Public School Salary Schedules, N.C. Department of Public Instruction) Generous estimates commissioned by the state film office suggest that the state will receive an average of only 68 cents back in revenue for every one dollar spent on the film credit over the next two years.

“I hope that House Democrats will be wiser than their Senate counterparts and reject this ill-conceived piece of legislation,” Berger said. “It boggles the mind to see Governor Perdue break her no new taxes campaign promise and demand $1.5 billion in job-destroying tax increases while Senate Democrats are scheming to give Hollywood elites $48.6 million in the middle of a recession. To justify this scheme, Democrats are using investment projections that would make Bernie Madoff blush. According to their math, the more money you pour into this scheme the more money you get in return. If that’s really the case they ought to put a billion dollars into the scheme.”

“The truth is this is just another example of misplaced budgeting priorities, bad public policy and the Democrats justifying corporate welfare with questionable economic theory. Instead of throwing more taxpayer money at Hollywood elites, we could use the same dollars to save the jobs of 565 teachers in North Carolina schools. We now see Democrats’ true priorities as they choose to subsidize the Hollywood while simultaneously threatening to fire North Carolina’s teachers. It is time for state Democrats to get their priorities straight. If House Democrats choose to be just as irresponsible as Senate Democrats, I can only hope that Governor Perdue will take a break from her ‘Tax Hike Tour’ long enough to save taxpayers money by vetoing this Hollywood giveaway.”

Filed under: 1

Just say no to cap and trade (Waxman-Markey)

The above video is from the RNC.

The article below is from WSJ:

The biggest doozy in the CBO analysis was its extraordinary decision to look only at the day-to-day costs of operating a trading program, rather than the wider consequences energy restriction would have on the economy. The CBO acknowledges this in a footnote: “The resource cost does not indicate the potential decrease in gross domestic product (GDP) that could result from the cap.”

The hit to GDP is the real threat in this bill. The whole point of cap and trade is to hike the price of electricity and gas so that Americans will use less. These higher prices will show up not just in electricity bills or at the gas station but in every manufactured good, from food to cars. Consumers will cut back on spending, which in turn will cut back on production, which results in fewer jobs created or higher unemployment. Some companies will instead move their operations overseas, with the same result.

Filed under: National , clean energy, Henry Waxman, Waxman-Markey

Video of GOP legislative press conference

Tom Fetzer, chair of the NCGOP, introduces a video featuring Republican legislative leaders speaking about the state budget.

Filed under: North Carolina , NC state budget, NCGOP, Paul Stam, Phil Berger

Rockingham County Commissioners raise property taxes

Rockingham County Commissioners defied passionate appeals by property owners a mere 48 hours before they voted unanimously Wednesday morning to raise property taxes in the county for the third time in five years.

In addition, these same commissioners last year advocated for an increase in local sales taxes and went along with a questionable property revaluation earlier this year until the last minute, when enough public pressure was brought to bear to stop the increase.

By mollifying special interest groups and government employees, the five Democratic commissioners have demonstrated a clear record of resorting to tax increases and failing to demonstrate the leadership required of elected officials.

"This is not about keeping government employees, this is about the county spending too much money on projects that require tax payer money," said Wayne Sexton, chairman of the Rockingham County Republican Party. "With times as hard as they are and as uncertain as they are the county commissioners have no business raising any kind of taxes. They need to cut spending across the board. That doesn’t mean automatically cutting teachers or librarians or sheriff’s deputies."

As an example of the choices the county administration makes, general government administration salaries were cut a mere 1.3 percent out of more than $6.8 million. A 10 percent salary cut across the board, for example, would have freed up more money by itself than the tax increase.

"The county can never have enough money to spend," Sexton said. "When household or business incomes slow down or we face budget challenges we have to cut. We can’t just go somewhere and get the money. It’s time that government at all levels understands that."

The Rockingham County Republican Party desires that all conservatives who believe in limited government will rally to our cause.

We have a breakfast meeting scheduled for 830 am Saturday Aug. 1 at the Golden Corral in Reidsville. This meeting is open to all Republicans and conservative Democrats and independents who are interested in joining our party. The GOP will be pushing for more limited government, increased transparency and accountability in upcoming election cycles.

"This current board does not listen to the people that put them in office," Sexton said. "It is very plain to see. If you believe in government of, by and for the people then you must react to this tax increase and let the commissioners know that we are not satisfied that they are doing the will of the people there in Wentworth."

Visit www.rockgop.com for more information.

Filed under: 1

AG Cooper Confirms Ongoing Easley Investigation

Raleigh – Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) today responded to a letter from the office of Attorney General Roy Cooper. For the first time, Cooper officially acknowledged that SBI agents are working with federal authorities on an investigation into matters relating to former Governor Mike Easley and former first lady Mary Easley. However, Cooper continues to refuse Senator Berger’s request to have a special prosecutor conduct an investigation at the state level into allegations of corruption involving the Easleys.

This should concern the citizens of North Carolina for two reasons.

First, federal law sets the statute of limitations at five years on felonies related to public corruption. Several of the allegations, specifically those involving the receipt of improper benefits centered around the use of a vehicle by Easley’s son, occurred more than 5 years ago and cannot be prosecuted in federal courts. However, these alleged crimes could be prosecuted under North Carolina law as the state has no statute of limitations on felonies related to public corruption.

Second, since 2002 multiple elected Democrats including former House Speaker Jim Black, Congressman Frank Ballance, and Agricultural Commissioner Meg Scott Phipps have been convicted of corruption related offenses resulting from investigations originating at the federal level. Unfortunately, at the state level the Democrats in control of state government have shown an inability or unwillingness to aggressively prosecute corrupt politicians in their own party. Confidence in state government is undermined severely when the public is forced to rely on the federal government to bring corrupt politicians to justice. To restore public confidence in state government Attorney General Roy Cooper must aggressively work to show the public that he is serious about ending public corruption – even if it means prosecuting fellow members of the Democratic Party.

"It is reassuring to know that Attorney General Cooper has initiated an investigation into the corruption allegations involving former Governor Mike Easley and his wife Mary. However, it is past time for Attorney General Roy Cooper to appoint a special prosecutor dedicated to investigating possible violations of state law," said Berger.

"The federal statute of limitations should not be a get out of jail free card for politicians accused of corruption. Public confidence in the political process and in state government requires that state level crimes be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Attorney General Roy Cooper should act immediately to ensure that an independent non-partisan special prosecutor is appointed to investigate the allegations of corruption involving the Easleys."

Filed under: 1

State Democrats to tax your haircut and your lawn service

N&O:

North Carolina lawmakers are considering taxing a broad variety of everyday services. You could pay more for a haircut, a pedicure, a clutch replacement or getting your yard mowed. But the services of accountants, lawyers and other white-collar workers would be exempt.

To help patch the $4.7 billion hole in the budget, the legislature has proposed expanding the sales tax to cover things such as repairs at Al’s Garage in Chapel Hill. That doesn’t please Al Townsend, the owner.

With the garage charging $75 an hour for labor, a sales tax of at least 4 percent could cost consumers dozens of dollars more for routine maintenance. "It’s certainly not going to help this industry’s recovery," Townsend said.

Filed under: 1

Perdue Takes “Tax Hike Tour” on State Plane

Governor not Serious about Reducing Wasteful Spending

Raleigh – Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) today criticized Gov. Bev Perdue for using state airplanes on her "Tax Hike Tour" to promote her $1.5 billion job-destroying tax increase on North Carolina workers and their families.

On Thursday, Governor Perdue, supported by the NCAE, the state’s teacher union, flew on a state airplane from Raleigh to Charlotte to Asheville to Raleigh and on Monday she flew from Raleigh to Wilmington to Greenville and back to Raleigh. On both days she made the media pleas in support of her tax proposals. The flights on state aircraft cost the taxpayers thousands of dollars in the middle of the worst budget crisis since the Great Depression and at a time when the Governor has said the state is so short of money that teachers and state employees have had their pay docked by Governor Perdue in order to balance the state budget.

The state budget proposal recently passed by Democrats in the N.C. House eliminates funding for numerous positions in public education and modifies funding for multiple budget line items including allocations to LEAs for teachers and teacher assistants. All Republicans in the General Assembly have voted against the Democrats’ proposal and have called for the state to first and fully fund educational needs instead of funding wasteful pork projects such as $25 million fishing piers, the ACC "Hall of Champions,” and Governor Perdue’s "Tax Hike Tour" flights. Despite these facts, the NCAE falsely accused Republican legislative leaders of supporting the elimination of jobs in education.

Senator Berger made the following statement:

"It is hard to believe Governor Perdue is serious about cutting wasteful state spending when she jets off on a taxpayer funded five-city ‘Tax Hike Tour’ in a state airplane.

"Governor Perdue’s decision to break her campaign promise and propose a $1.5 billion job-destroying tax increase on North Carolina workers and their families will not solve North Carolina’s problems in education. Governor Perdue doesn’t seem to understand North Carolina’s families are struggling in an attempt to deal with record unemployment and the state’s worst economic recession in decades. History has proven that Governor Perdue’s job-destroying $1.5 billion tax increase and refusal to abandon the Democrat’s failed liberal tax-and-spend policies will result in even more job losses and a delayed recovery.

"Eddie Davis and the Teacher’s Union are confused. Not a single Republican, not one, voted for the budget proposed by House Democrats that the NCAE says will result in the firing of 12,000 teachers. The Teachers Unions gave over $2.2 million to Governor Perdue’s campaign and have a substantial investment in Democrats in the Legislature; they are understandably concerned their investment isn’t paying off – but the political season is over – and it is time for the NCAE to stop playing politics.

"Republicans continue to propose the reasonable alternative of freezing spending at existing levels, a policy that will not require job-destroying tax increases or firing teachers."

Filed under: 1

Something big is coming

On July 1 a big part of this state will be energized with the most exciting news to come along in seven years.

Filed under: North Carolina

Democrats’ Exaggerated Budget Numbers Based on Outdated Projections

Raleigh – Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) and House Republican Leader Paul Stam (R-Wake) held a press conference today to discuss the reality behind the numbers being used in discussions of the state budget.

According to the Fiscal Research Division at the General Assembly and the N.C. Office of State Budget and Management, actual state spending for 2008-2009 is projected to be $20.3 billion including federal stimulus spending. Revenue availability for 2009-2010 at existing tax rates is projected to be $17.8 billion. The state will also have an additional $1.381 billion in federal stimulus money to spend for a total of $19.181 billion in state spending available for 2009-2010 without any increase in taxes or fees. The actual “budget gap” the state is then facing for 2009-2010 is approximately $1.125 billion. It should be noted this is substantially less than the $4 billion shortfall that Democrats have claimed by using last year’s illusory spending projections.

$1.125 billion represents about 5 percent of total state spending.

“Democrats are using outdated spending projections to try to increase support for job-destroying tax increases,” Sen. Phil Berger said. “As we suffer through record-high, double-digit unemployment rates and North Carolina families are being forced to make cuts to their budgets, now is not the time to ask them to pay more so we can expand government budgets. We can keep state government at the exact same size and capacity by merely trimming about five percent of the state budget. No one believes that state government is operating at maximum efficiency, particularly when we see taxpayer dollars being used to build $25 million fishing piers and to fund Governor Perdue’s own ‘Tax Hike Tour.’ There is no reason that these cuts would need to affect the quality of education or services to the disabled, sick, and elderly that our state currently provides. However, running government more efficiently will require jettisoning old ideas and outdated projections to find waste and inefficiencies in state government. If Democrats are unwilling to solve these festering problems in the state budget, Republicans will be glad to pick up their slack.”

“The Democrats can exaggerate the size of the budget gap time after time, but the people can add and subtract. They have now learned that if they want more and more taxes they will need to vote for more Democrats,” said Rep. Paul Stam.

View Budget gap chart.

Filed under: 1

“This is not a spectator sport”

Winterville — North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Tom Fetzer attended a rally Monday afternoon where citizens turned out to send a message to Governor Beverly Perdue that increasing citizen’s tax burdens should not be an option. Governor Perdue was staging one in a series of events to drum up support for her suggested $1.5 billion dollar tax increase for the upcoming budget year.

“This is not a spectator sport. We can’t sit on the sidelines. We have to let our voices be heard.” Fetzer told the crowd assembled outside of South Central High School in Winterville. Fetzer went on to say “Now is not the time to be raising taxes. Now is the time to do what families throughout North Carolina are doing: tightening the budget, reducing spending, setting real priorities, sometimes painful priorities, so that we don’t spend more money than we have.”

Dozens of citizens, ranging from toddlers to retirees lined the entrance to the high school holding signs calling on Governor Perdue to stop wasteful spending and to refrain from raising taxes. The Governor avoided the crowd by entering the school auditorium through a side door.

The Governor addressed a crowd of about 60, with all but a few being elected officials and government workers.

“While the Governor is inside talking to a captive crowd who have been obligated to attend, these modern day patriots took time out of their busy schedules to voice their displeasure with the direction our State is headed” Fetzer added. “Furthermore, the arrogance to have a pep rally to try to conjure up support for this tax increase is a product of one Party rule in North Carolina for far too long. The Republican Party intends to change that situation and bring some common sense back to state government..”

Filed under: 1

ESPN feature on the skyhook

Kareem dropping a deuce.

Intelligent. Graceful. Humble. Consistent.

Those are words that describe my original sports hero, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

ESPN has a fabulous pair of videos featuring classic highlights and commentary from players and coaches who faced Kareem and his skyhook.

Unstoppable is the consensus.

And still a work of art.

Filed under: Sport , Kareem Abdul Jabaar, skyhook

Business as usual

Executive privilege:

Former first lady Mary Easley raised money for a lecture series she ran at N.C. State University by focusing on people and companies that had business before state government or that had already been helped by her husband’s administration, according to documents and interviews.

Easley’s ability to bring in money was cited as a big reason that NCSU officials hired her in 2005 — they expected a network of her contacts to open their wallets for the series.

But critics say the approach had the potential for conflicts of interest, especially after seeing the results. Records, including some turned over to a federal grand jury that is probing issues surrounding the former governor, indicate that former Provost Larry Nielsen, who hired Easley, placed a high level of importance on her fundraising work. The lecture series cost NCSU more than $400,000 for 13 speakers over three years.

Filed under: 1

Climate tax could cost $175 per household

CQ Politics:

House legislation to address climate change would cost households an average of $175 a year in 2020, the Congressional Budget Office said in a June 19 report.

Filed under: 1

Sheriff collects fans for seniors

With high temperatures in the forecast, it is a good time to give local seniors a break from the heat. Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page announced today that collecting new fans and air conditioners to distribute to area seniors would be a pro-active attempt to help those in need.

Sheriff Page: “You and I talking about the heat is common, but for our seniors it is a health issue.”

It gets pretty hot in North Carolina during the summer, and there are elderly people who will not have the luxury of either air conditioning nor of a simple electric fan.

These fans could alleviate one expense for some seniors riddled with bills they are struggling to pay, according to Sheriff Page.

Our area Fire Departments and Sheriff’s Office will serve as collection points for donations. This effort will begin today and continue until July 4th. Financial contributions for this cause may be made by checks made payable to the American Red Cross. They will distribute the fans to those in need.

Filed under: 1

Any questions?

Reuters:

If it were in a position to do so, Al Qaeda would use Pakistan’s nuclear weapons in its fight against the United States, a top leader of the group said in remarks aired on Sunday.

Filed under: International , Al Qaeda, existential threat

What a week to be an NC Democrat

So sayeth Carter Wrenn:

The Democrats in the House raised taxes $700 million.

The Governor doubled that.

Between moans that there was no way to balance the budget, the Democrats voted to spend $25 million on a deluxe country club fishing pier at Nag’s Head – and the Governor actually went down there and had her picture taken at the ground breaking.

The Democrats – who have reformed State Government Ethics about once a year each year saying they mean to clean up corruption – are holding a fundraiser right in the middle of the House-Senate Budget negotiations to shake down special interests (and anybody who wants a dollar from the state).

The Democrats in the House raised taxes $700 million.

The Governor doubled that.

Between moans that there was no way to balance the budget, the Democrats voted to spend $25 million on a deluxe country club fishing pier at Nag’s Head – and the Governor actually went down there and had her picture taken at the ground breaking.

The Democrats – who have reformed State Government Ethics about once a year each year saying they mean to clean up corruption – are holding a fundraiser right in the middle of the House-Senate Budget negotiations to shake down special interests (and anybody who wants a dollar from the state).

Filed under: North Carolina , Bev Perdue, NC Democratic Party, North Carolina Democratic Party corruption

Change Twitter settings to support protesters

If you use Twitter, you can support the protesters in Iran by changing your time zone to Tehran and using the #IranElection hashtag to make it harder for censors in Iran.

More options.

Facebook updates from Tehran.

#IranElection#

Filed under: International , #IranElection, Iran, Iranian elections

I’m praying for their success

Video of Riot police shooting at the crowd in Iran.

Happening today.

Filed under: International , #IranElection, Iran, Iranian elections

Farming for justice

He walked fast, knowing that time is against him. The old black farmers whose case he comes to Washington to discuss were getting older, dying off, and they still had not been repaid for the years of discrimination to which the government had subjected them.

I first knew of John Boyd when I was a reporter in Central Va. in 2000.

I must say that I admire Boyd’s dedication and think that a lot of Americans could learn a lesson from his dedication to justice, hard work and the traditions of his family.

Anyone who dedicates himself to hard work and family ought to receive justice in this country.

WaPo multimedia slideshow.

Filed under: National , John Boyd, National Black Farmer's Association

Berger Responds to Record High Unemployment Numbers

Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) made the following statement:

“Today’s report of record high unemployment in North Carolina is a grim reminder that North Carolina’s workers and their families continue to suffer as the economy sheds jobs in this recession.

Governor Perdue should be ashamed for breaking her campaign promise and demanding an additional $1.5 billion in job-destroying taxes on North Carolina families and small businesses.

Governor Perdue’s proposed tax increase is irresponsible and a surefire way to cause more job losses and delay North Carolina’s economic recovery.

Governor Perdue and Legislative Democrats must abandon the old, failed liberal tax and spend budget scheme that brought us to this point and join Republicans to craft a budget that reflects today’s realities.

Republicans’ top priority is passing a budget that protects North Carolina workers, their jobs, and their families by holding the line on spending and shunning a job-destroying tax increase.”

Filed under: 1

Bachman versus ACORN

Sign the petition.

Filed under: National