NC Politics

At heart I’m a Bob Barr Republican. Fiscally conservative but socially libertarian. I have yet to meet a politician that’s wise enough to tell me how to live my life. That’s true on both the Democratic and Republican sides.

In fact, we have a Libertarian candidate, Michael Munger. Who oddly enough was against the lottery. So even our Libertarian candidate wants to legislate morals. Also, I don’t want to do away with government, just limit it.

Having Republican leanings I also believe in strong state rights. Once a core Republican value, the current Federal administration of George Bush and company have done everything they can to strip state rights.

But the real problem I have with Republicans is that they of course want to legislate lifestyle that affects no one but myself. Their issues are often based on evangelical beliefs, which I often find are more often truisms handed down by word of mouth than anything found in the Christian Bible. I thought candidates answers to requests to name the 10 commandments was very telling. Many of the candidates questions could only name one or two of those commandments that are supposed to be basic to a Christian’s beliefs. Too many conservative candidates back evangelical issues with no clear understanding of their background.

Which for many years has left us with Democrats. I think it’s time to question that position though. I don’t think anyone would call the administration of Mike Easley a success. We have severe problems with education ( I know, I tried teaching high school math for a year), high taxes, high unemployment, mental health systems problems, and we’re paying companies so much to relocate in the state we lose any benefit.

Now Beverly (Bev) Perdue wants to take on the mantle of Democratic Governor. I’ve read through her issues pages and I find few facts. I’ll take it she stands on the platform of staying the course.

Taxes are strangling us here in the state, a true tradition of Democrats. We need to tighten our belts, build new water systems, improve education and lure tax paying high tech companies in the state or help new businesses get started.

I don’t agree with everything Republican candidate Pat McCrory stands for. I think outstanding health care for children is a requirement for a healthy workforce. While his idea of tax credits for health insurance is a good start, we need to allow for group arbitration for health insurance rates for people outside employer paid policies.

Also, opening new areas to offshore drilling will do little to help the price of gasoline either near term or in the future. Just one hurricane going through the middle of oil platforms risks ruining the tourist and travel industry. All we need is one large oil spill on the Outer Banks to hit the headlines to kill a major source of income for the state. As water temperatures increase this is ever an increasing risk.

I like his policy of reevaluating school assessment tests. Currently most teachers are teaching the test and spend no time teaching concepts, especially in math and the sciences. I’d like more emphasis placed on charter schools, which when monitored are often very successful.

Mostly I like gridlock. Having a fiscal conservative battling a liberal legislature would mean a huge improvement in the quality of bills passed. We need to rescind taxes, get rid of waste in government, and make the state friendlier to new business so we don’t have to bribe companies to move here.

We need to focus on ensuring the smartest students get everything they need. Not the riches, but the best. We’re spending too much time and money on students the poorest performers and not on the children most likely to lead our country in the future.

Also on Pat McCrory’s side are his progressive efforts in Charlotte. While being pro-business he’s been ahead of all other cities in North Carolina in recycling, water conservation, light rail, crime prevention, and many other issue.

So right now, right here, Pat McCrory as Governor McCrory is very appealing to me.

Senator Dole has been a rubber stamp for President Bush’s failed fiscal policy, was a failure as Chairwoman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and is starting to lose ground to Kay Hagan. North Carolina has recently been moved from Strong Republican to Leaning Republican by Robert Novak.

Now we hear that not only will she not be speaking at the Republican National Convention but won’t be attending at all. I’m not sure if that’s because of a busy schedule or because she’s tied so tightly to George Bush, at a time when McCain is trying to separate himself.

The Democrats have a strong media presence advertising the fact she’s rated the 93rd most ineffective senator. While campaigning in Smithfield recently her husband Bob Dole asked “If you’re not effective, why waste your money?” on campaigning against his wife.

Which begs the question, are the Democrats wasting their time on Senator Dole, or the voters of North Carolina?

Wal-Mart’s response to the suggestion that maybe they shouldn’t bankrupt a brain damaged  ex-employee. Obviously one letter gets ignored. I hope other people urge Wal-Mart to step in and do what’s right. It’s not that they’ve ever been accused of over spending on employee benefits.

They claim to do what is legal. My point is that they should do what is moral and right.

I certainly won’t be going through their doors for a very long time. I will also be throwing my support to every union organizer I can find. We’ve had our time of the robber barons, it’s now time for the strength of collective bargaining. With Republicans, Democrats, and the Supreme Court taking the side of big business it’s time we the people took our country back.

-ed

When our associates, or their family members, suffer injuries or medical conditions which are the responsibility of others, our plan steps in to pay covered medical expenses so the associate and their families don’t have to worry about their bills or have large out-of-pocket expenses. It is only after the associate or their family member receives a monetary payment from the responsible party, that our health plan becomes entitled to reimbursement.

While the Shanks case involves a tragic situation, our responsibility is to follow the provisions of the plan which governs the health benefits of our associates. These plans are funded by associate premiums and company contributions. Any money recovered is returned to the health plan, not to the business. This is done out of fairness to everyone who contributes and benefits from the plan. The Supreme Court’s denial of the Shank appeal concludes all litigation.  The Court ruled that the benefit plan was entitled to the funds in the trust account, which was about $280,000, which is all it requested.

Thank you,
Wal-Mart Customer Relations

The results are in,  and the GOP nomination has been extended as far as it can go and the Democratic nominations go on. The only winner? The media.

First Hillary gets built up with Rudy. It would be New Yorker vs. New Yorker, the journalists would never even have to leave home. What a story. Two moderates, mano a mana,  what a story.

Ron Paul was blatantly ignored.When Jon Meacham was asked point blank by Jon Stewart why Dr. Paul was ignored despite winning more delegates than  Rudy, he refused to answer. Wasn’t a good story, wasn’t selling copies maybe?

Then Obama was coming up. A chance to extend the nomination with such a story, a minority vs. a minority.  Obviously pandering to the liberal media. Obama was a story, a great orator that was bringing in droves of people.

And every time it looks like he’s going to clinch the nomination, Barack drops the ball. He lets Hillary go on top New York comedy shows  right before the election, he spreads rumours without investigating the source, he builds up the story among pundits that the media is being too nice to him.  All his fault don’t you know.

Now that’s life and I have very low expectations for US media. Unfortunately, the last great source of impartial is newspapers, who have been on the decline because their profits aren’t growing.

But when you compare CNN or Fox News to the BBC  or Financial Times there’s no doubt the US media has as much propaganda as Pravda, the difference is we don’t admit it. This isn’t new, I’ve listened to the US bias since the 70s. Just once in a while though, I’d like a real story, not a sales job. Or whatever the new black is.

Tomorrow’s a big day for the Republicans. Florida is by no means a typical southern state. Even Californian’s ask ‘What the heck are they thinking?’.

The major change in color is likely to be Giuliani blanching white as he’s expected to do poorly in the state where he’s been backed into the last corner. I expect his concession speech to be a real concession speech.

While I’ve been hearing more radio commercials from John McCain than anyone else, I’ve seen more lawn signs for Ron Paul. I understand Dr. Paul gave a very popular speech in St Pete a month ago and has caught fire here.

Dr. Paul has raised a lot of money, but I don’t know where he’s spending it. McCain doesn’t have much and what he has he’s been spending here. Yet I hear nothing from Paul. Where is that money going?

Not much from Mitt Romney here, so I’m guessing he’s already given up here. Yet with the mixed population and the older people worrying about the economy I would think Romney would have a real opportunity here.

We’ll see, but right now I’d have to call Florida for McCain, with Romney second and Paul picking up some more (half) delegates.

Hey, I called Virginia for Democrats, I could be right twice. It’s possible.

I have some content robbers hitting me, so if you get their autocopy the original site is www.northcarolinatourist.com/blog/

It’s a pity that being called a Muslim has become a slur. There are millions of Muslims in the world and only a few, from Arab countries that are considered US allies, have sullied the reputation of all of them.

I’ve heard that rumors that Obama are still going around in some culturally black communities. To find out more, I went out in my neighborhood to ask. I live in a nicely mixed neighborhood, with whites, blacks, and Latinos.

I asked some black neighbors who their favorite candidate was in the presidential primaries. Not surprisingly, they all turned out to be Democrats.

They put their support behind Edwards and Clinton. They said the liked Obama, but just couldn’t vote for someone with his background. When pressed, they admitted it was because he was Muslim.

These friends are very active in church. While I didn’t ask where they heard the incorrect statement about Obama, I’ll assume friends through church with whom they spend most of their free time.

Dirty politics is with us forever I guess. This is a very hard issue to combat, denying the allegation without insulting all Muslims. In a race for almost unlimited power and money I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.

Still, there’s an idealistic part of me that’s disappointed.

I wonder how much money North Carolina is losing because of its relatively late primaries. Oh sure, we’ll come some come the general election. But with Obama and Hillary alone raising $200 million and planning on spending it, the early states are making a bundle on advertising.

I recently drove across South Carolina into Florida, both early states. Hillary and Obama have ads running almost constantly. I’d have to say so far Hillary is slinging it the best. But is that a good thing?

Personally, I’ll be glad when it’s all over.  Who ever comes next can’t be as bad as Bush. Right, left, or independent.

Seen on Yahoo News. So it’s recession fears that could cause an end to the bear market. Let’s see if I can come up with a list that might cause an end to the bull market.

1. Congress spending like ‘drunken sailors’
2. $ billions of dollars on an unnecessary war in Iraq
3. an incredibly large prison population
4. runaway health care where doctors prescribe drugs and tests because they make kickbacks
5. over dependence on foreign oil that speculators have bid up to over $100 a barrel
6. a failed second mortgage market that has ended running up credit cards and then refinancing
7. troops stationed around the world over-extending an already thread bare military
8. a decaying infrastructure
9. Add your own reason here.

Richard Burr has been seen out stumping for John McCain according to Rob Christensen at the News & Observer. Burr definitely seems to be moving up quickly, just as Liddy seems to be moving quickly towards the , um, “forgetful” set.

Of course, North Carolina has a long history of politics and come very interesting names. Liddy is known, little talked about is the mess left behind at the Red Cross.

Mike Nifong, enough said.

Jesse Helms, probably still highly respected by some, much to my chagrin.

Richard Burr does seem to be his own man and  a quicker thinker.  He’s now ranking Republican on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committe after Larry Craig was forced to step down. His biggest accomplishment so far has actually been monkey business, no relation to Gary Hart.  Burr has pushed through a bill stopping testing on retired test monkeys.

Nice, though I’d like to see things like the state wide enforcement of Title VII of the Civil Rights Bill. I won’t hold my breath.

You know Mike Wallace for his work on 60 Minutes. Since his first appearance in 1968 he’s been exposing the shadows and going after the truth.

How ironic that on Fox News tonight his son, Chris Wallace, held a debate in New Hampshire where guests were by special invite only. Attending were John McCain, Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, and Mike Huckabee.

Why do I bring this up? Missing was the one man that has raised more money than any other Republican and most of the Democrats. He also took 10% of the Iowa Caucus, making him an authentic Republican contender.

So while Mike sought the truth Chris is busy covering it up. How far we’ve fallen.