Charlotte Republican

Republicans Majorities Working, Talking Head Fails To Notice

2011-08-23T20:43:00.005-04:00

The last column from NC SPIN host/creator Tom Campbell really stuck in my head while I was reading. Not in a good way (the column appeared in Sunday's Greensboro News & Record). Campbell seems oblivious to what the new majorities in the NC House and NC Senate have done since January 26th of this year. In fact, Campbell’s column could’ve been written at any time before then as it certainly applied to what the failed policies of Democrats have done to our state.

To start – Campbell says our state is in a “malaise” to quote Jimmy Carter and recommends four areas to “make investments” (read: spending) to improve the health of the state.

Item 1 – Education

Campbell correctly outlines that reform of the public education system is needed at every level. I couldn’t agree more. Which is why this year, the state charter school cap has been lifted, allowing more choices in what parents, not administrators, determine is best for students. Democrats have decried cuts in education but let’s look at facts for a minute: there is no correlation in spending and student achievement. In fact, in some cases it is the opposite. Throwing more taxpayer money at a problem doesn’t fix the problem; we need solutions. I believe those solutions should include complete school choice and increased competition.

Item 2 – Jobs

The next item stated is that Governor Perdue should call a special jobs session of the legislature to enact specific policies to increase economic development. Again, this article could’ve been written years ago. Perdue nor her predecessor Mike Easley has had any meaningful policies in regard to job creation. State budgets have been chronically late and chronically bloated in spending. We have had a jobs session – this year’s session held the line on so-called temporary taxes that Governor Perdue promised to eliminate, and not surprisingly flipped her support to keeping them. Businesses want stability, not temporary taxes that never seem to go away. This has happened before. Speaker Tillis courageously corralled support of 5 reasonable Democrats to override her veto of the state budget that was passed on time. Tillis calls it “the proudest moment of his political career” and it’s something we be proud of because our elected officials did what they said they would do during the campaign season.

Item 3 – Infrastructure

Campbell seems to neglect the fact that for a decade, hundreds of millions of dollars have been stolen from the Highway Trust Fund to balance previous bloated budgets by state Democrats. This money would’ve gone directly to fixing infrastructure. In 2009, federal stimulus money that was intended for shovel-ready projects and infrastructure needs went to again balancing a budget that was too large to protect spending and vote-buying programs. Our state will still feel the effects of mistakes and failed policies of the last several years but instead of complaining, our leaders are acting.

Item 4 – Leadership

This is where Campbell really goes off the rails. He says that our legislature isn’t grooming leaders of the future and that the legislature needs to enact term limits on legislative leadership. It’s really inexcusable that he doesn’t seem to know Speaker Tillis led the effort to get term limits for legislative leadership considered in the special constitutional amendments session this September. Campbell also calls for reshaping gubernatorial terms to a limit of one six-year term. It works for Virginia (one term, for four years) but I really don’t see the necessity of implementing it here in North Carolina, especially when terms are set at no more than two consecutive terms. Maybe creating a Jim Hunt rule would work to keep career politicians out of office could work.

Our state has suffered from ineffective leadership for some time. Campbell is right in that respect but this column just missed the point entirely. We finally have leaders committed to putting our state back on track with low taxes, meaningful reforms, and principled decision-making. We should stand behind them now and work to send more new blood to Raleigh in 2012 to reinforce their majority. Complete school choice, spending and tax cuts, meaningful infrastructure decisions, and a new Governor would go a long way towards getting North Carolina moving again.

Scott Stone for Mayor

2011-03-07T16:10:00.002-05:00

Local businessman Scott Stone has announced he is running for Mayor of Charlotte. Here's the release from his camp:

Stone Announces Charlotte Mayoral Bid
Refuses to Accept High Unemployment as ‘New Normal’

Charlotte, NC- Business executive Scott Stone announced today that he has filed paperwork with the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections to run for Mayor of Charlotte.

“Charlotte still has over 10% unemployment. We are lagging the rest of the state and the rest of the country in our recovery,” Stone said. “I am running for one reason only – to get our local economy back on track and help create jobs in Charlotte now.”

Stone cites Charlotte’s competitiveness as a main reason for the anemic recovery. With one of the highest tax rates in the state, Charlotte and Mecklenburg County are sending a message to small business owners that we are not the place to add jobs and invest.

“The Mayor continues to refer to our economy as the ‘New Normal’,” Stone said. “I flat-out do not except that. I believe that Charlotte should be exceptional, in all ways, including our economy. Calling our economy the new normal is like saying the Carolina Panthers at 2-14 is the new normal. It’s not the new normal – it’s just bad.”

Stone has a long resume of experience which makes him well suited to serve as mayor. He has served as senior executive of several national engineering firms, running large multi-million dollar operations. In the Charlotte community he recently served as chairman of the city’s Business Advisory Committee, which he was appointed to by former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory. As chair of this committee, Stone was the lead author of the city’s Small Business Strategic Plan, which was adopted unanimously by city council last spring.

“Small business is what will drive job creation in this city.” Stone said. “Currently there are 100,000 small businesses in Mecklenburg County. If half of those hired one person during the next year, that would be 50,000 new jobs. Creating a competitive environment for these companies is the key to our recovery.”

Stone currently serves as a Vice President and National Director of Infrastructure for international engineering and architecture firm Merrick & Company, where he oversees design services related to various types of infrastructure.

Stone has been very active in the local community. He is the chairman and founder of the North Carolina Heroes Fund, a non-profit which raises money for military families who are suffering financial hardships. Stone currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Builders of Hope – a nationally recognized non-profit which builds affordable workforce housing. He is
also currently a member of the Future of Our Libraries Task Force which is addressing the challenges facing Charlotte Mecklenburg Libraries.

Stone will formally kick-off his campaign in early April, at which time he will present his detailed plan for growing our economy and helping create Charlotte jobs now.

(h/t: Meck Deck)

Charlotte Streetcar - One More Time

2011-02-15T11:10:00.003-05:00

There's one more chance to let people know how you feel about the Streetcar, and it's going on right now. The City of Charlotte is asking for MUMPO (Mecklenburg Union Metropolitan Planning Organization) to amend its long-term transportation plan agreement and codify the streetcar's jumping ahead of other plans in order to secure the federal $$$ to build it. My personal feelings about the streetcar have been made very, very clear - its bad policy, it won't deliver more transit options, and there's no way to know how it'll be paid for and extended to meet intended goals, for starters. (See more stories here)

Here's the catch: if MUMPO decides to not amend the plan, that federal money may not come through. This plan hinges on Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Mint Hill, Matthews, Pineville, and the Union County towns that are part of MUMPO.

So here's the deal: write letters. Call. Email. Comments are directed towards this guy:

Robert W. Cook, AICP
MUMPO Secretary
600 E. Fourth St.
Charlotte, NC 28202
FAX: 704-336-5123
E-Mail: rwcook@charlottenc.gov

Remember, this is about the future of Charlotte and this streetcar should not be part of it right now. Priorities matter and previously drafted and approved plans should not be violated.

North Carolina Republican Party Welcomes DNC

2011-02-01T14:51:00.002-05:00

Solid video to "welcome" the DNC to Charlotte for 2012.

Speaker Thom Tillis Talks First Week Of Session

2011-01-28T21:33:00.007-05:00

Speaker Thom Tillis (who I am a HUGE fan of) talks about the first week of the historic 2011 session in Raleigh. Enjoy!

Anthony Foxx Takes Questions On Twitter

2011-01-24T17:24:00.006-05:00

On Sunday night Mayor Anthony Foxx told his Twitter followers that he would be taking questions for an hour. It was a nice concept, maybe inspired by Newark, NJ Mayor Cory Booker's active approach to winter storm cleanup. So despite the timing (AFC Championship Game!) I sent a couple questions to the Mayor.

Here was my first: Will further Streetcar expansion stay with the city, and not CATS? Does the city plan on pursuing more federal money to pay?

Then I followed up with my second question: assuming DNC 2012 comes to Charlotte, who pays security costs for protesters? DNC notorious for extremist protests.

Here's what Foxx had to say in response (he answered second question first)

@mattmercer In recent past, a federal security grant has been provided to both RNC and DNC.

@mattmercer For now, streetcar will stay with city...need to make progress on UNCC line and Northern line...after that, we'll see.

So, we get the responses we expected, not too much to read into on that note. Interestingly, "for now" the streetcar stays with the city and I expect at some point, the City Council will make a push for CATS to take over. After, of course, CATS says it shouldn't be done but they push through anyway to fulfill campaign promises/buy votes. It's going to be the duty of everyone to make sure the streetcar issue isn't put on the backburner and we hold the incumbents that voted for it responsible in November.

Also, here's one nugget that maybe some haven't seen yet: possible Republican frontrunner for Mayor, Scott Stone, sent this to Foxx - "why didn't you fight to keep school resource officers when council asked city mgr to pull them from budget?" Fox replied "fight isn't over...city funds them still but funds scheduled to be eliminated this year."

Public safety, fiscal responsibility... I think Scott's right on target so far.

UNC Charlotte Student Refused Car Inspection For Having George W. Bush Bumper Sticker

2010-12-14T10:39:00.005-05:00

I received a phone call yesterday from a friend of mine saying "you will not believe what just happened to me."

OK, I'm game.

He told me that he went to get his car inspected and that the service technician refused to inspect his car... because he has a bumper sticker on his car with a picture of President Bush and the famous "Miss Me Yet?" tagline.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!

Turns out, he was quite serious... and quite upset. I asked him for more details.

He said it was around 1:30 PM on Monday. He even had work done to his car there before, without incident. There were 2 guys working there at the time and his car was pulled into the garage one of the workers came inside and asked whose car that was. My friend (known as Andy for this story) told the worker that it was his, the one with the bumper sticker. The worker, whose nametag read Stephen, asked my friend Andy if "that sticker was meant to be a joke."

Andy replied, “I don’t understand what is so funny about it.” Stephen began to rant (at his place of work with other people around, no less) that "George Bush was the reason that we’re in the mess we’re in today" and Andy interrupted him, saying “Sir, two things…he was a great president in my opinion and I am not here to discuss politics with you. I am here to get my car inspected so please inspect it.”

Just so we're clear - my friend takes the time during exam week at UNC Charlotte to get his car inspected and gets subjected to a service technician attempting to argue and berate him for his political beliefs. Just wait, though, it gets better.

After Andy asks him politely to inspect his car, the technician (Stephen) stormed into the garage, but left the door open. He looked at the other worker at the place and said, and I quote:

“I am not f***ing inspecting that car. Look at the f***ing bumper sticker. There is no way I’ll inspect it.”

He didn’t realize that the door was left open, so when the other worker, named John, walked inside Andy walked over to him and said “I hope you’ll be inspecting my car. He left the door open so I was able to hear everything he said I do not want him going near my car now. His actions were immature and unprofessional.” John replied that he would take care of my inspection instead.

After the car was inspected John came inside and apologized for the other worker and requested that the incident be kept “low-key.”

Now I don't know about you, but asking to keep this incident "low-key" doesn't seem like it will do much to stop someone from berating someone else if they don't happen to agree with your political beliefs. This is someone getting a state government inspection for their car, not a coffee house listening to bad music. How unprofessional can you be? This is just another example of the radical left and their efforts to silence and beat down the rest of this country. I find someone's actions in this environment reprehensible. My friend Andy was steaming mad about this and I am too. Is this what the radical left has come to? Refusing to inspect someone's car because they don't agree with a bumper sticker? My friend was also a repeat customer at the garage... don't think he'll be back. He was refused a car inspection because of his political views.

FYI, the garage is the Mini-Xtreme of Harrisburg. I think they deserve to know what one of their employees did to a customer yesterday.

Foxx: "I'm Important. No, Really!"

2010-12-10T18:18:00.005-05:00

Rather humorous that on the heels of the blog this week, Anthony Foxx gets the White House treatment - and gets, for all intents and purposes, laughed at by US News & World Report:

Starved of Democratic support on Capitol Hill for his tax compromise with Republican leaders, President Obama has been forced to cast a wide net over the country in hopes of snaring some help. His meager take so far: the mayor of Charlotte, N.C., Anthony Foxx, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas, and Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell.

It's not surprising at all that Foxx does his best to curry favor with the White House. He really, really wants to bring the DNC here in 2012. Not holding that against him, as there are plenty of people on both sides of the aisle looking to make a buck. We'll get to that if/when the time comes....

USN&WR continues, saying:

But citing the mayor of Charlotte as a key supporter of the tax compromise that will let the wealthy keep the Bush tax cut Obama campaigned against? Why not, says the mayor: “We count. We’re not Podunk,” Foxx tells Whispers.

Still, as Meck Deck points out, Foxx's attempt for the headlines puts him in direct conflict with the House Democratic caucus.

For now, I'll leave the argument to Charles Krauthammer, who kills the deal in his latest column.

Anthony Foxx's State Of The City

2010-12-07T23:49:00.005-05:00

So today Anthony Foxx gave a speech about the state of the city (link- http://charlotte.news14.com/content/headlines/633733/foxx-s-state-of-city-address-focuses-on-budget-concerns) and stated that his concerns were about the city budget because the current budget is unsustainable without budget cut or tax increases.

Yeah, told you that a year ago, buddy.

Let's be honest... Anthony Foxx has done little to nothing of value for this city since December 2009.

We have a streetcar project that's violated a regional transportation plan, increased tensions with surrounding areas, has no revenue source to pay the operating cost when the 1.5 miles is built, and has no implementation plan to stretch across the 2030 projection - last month, the MTC and CATS said the streetcar project is dead to them. I really hope Foxx runs on the streetcar for his re-election campaign. A smart Republican Mayoral candidate would be wise to hang this around his neck at every turn. Even the Charlotte Observer's Mark Washburn killed the streetcar in print, for goodness sakes.

On a professional level, the handling of the Warren Turner case could not have been done much worse than it was. For those that missed it, here are a couple stories that sum up what went down earlier this year. IMO it was an attempt to elevate fellow City Councilman Michael Barnes in his run for District Attorney, but it really backfired and Turner became sympathetic. If Foxx had any real business experience, the matter would've been handled much, much differently - and handled more professionally.

Going back to the News 14 story, read this:

In the coming months, the council will also need to take a long hard look at how the city pays its police officers and firefighters after a task force found the current pay plan in place would run out of money by 2013 without budget cuts or a tax increase.

While lay-offs were not directly discussed, a reduction to their pay scale was put on the table as a possible option.

"I think they will understand the need to have this conversation and hopefully we can get to a point, where as much as possible, we get agreement,” said Foxx.

Here's the problem: the current pay plan relies on federal money that will also evaporate. The current budget and the current spending is simply unsustainable. Foxx is directly responsible for the way the money is currently spent dating back to his time on the City Council. He campaigned on his work adding more Police and Fire using federal money that was limited in duration and knowing full well the city would be in this position now. Foxx is blowing $12 million of money that could be used for any number of items on streetcar plan that puts the city back in the transportation business after getting out of it years ago and leaves funding for someone else to deal with. He simply doesn't deserve another term as Mayor of this city.

2010 Mecklenburg County Commission At Large Race

2010-04-23T21:29:00.008-04:00

Been a while friends, but your humble blogger has been busy (I work for an 8th District candidate) trying to get the candidate to defeat Larry Kissell in November. I figured now was the right time to talk about the Mecklenburg County Commission race with May 4th just over a week away. The full list of candidates: Darryl Broome, Charles Jeter, Tim McLeod, Jim Pendergraph, Dan Ramirez, David Rice, Larry Shannon, and Corey Thompson.

Of those, I've never met Broome or Rice, so for me they're non-factors. We're down to Jeter, McLeod, Pendergraph, Ramirez, Shannon, and Thompson.

I make it point not to lie to the readers of this blog and I'm sorry for feelings I've hurt in the past. As most of you know by now, I deal in political reality so when I post something, you know its important to me and the future of this city and county. For those reasons, I'm biding adieu to McLeod (who is a very nice guy) and Larry Shannon (who has some truly awful signs - green with white lettering... in cursive).

That leaves with four candidates vying for your attention - Jeter, Pendergraph, Ramirez, and Thompson.

I've yet to personally meet Charles Jeter. However, he has shown a solid base of support in North Meck due to his time on the town council in Huntersville. I'd like to have a beer with Jeter and listen to his band. Normally, in most years, I would vote for Jeter - but I'm not planning to do so. I'll explain why in a minute.

Name recognition will decide this election. There are four legitimate candidates that are going to be the top four names on election night. Problem with that, of course, is the top three go to November... and that's why I can't vote for Jeter.

Most, including myself, believe former Sheriff Jim Pendergraph will sail through May 4th and November into the County Commission. The former Sheriff is a unique candidate in this race due to that name recognition and a general admiring from most Mecklenburg County residents. Pendergraph helped institute the 287g program in Mecklenburg and brings a lot to the table. Pendergraph won't need my help to get through.

That brings us to Dan Ramirez. This race will be the sixth time Ramirez's name will be on the ballot since 2002. That, folks, is ridiculous. He has lost in 2004, 2007, and 2008. It surprised some when he decided not to run for Mayor last year because he loves running so much. Now Ramirez is hoping to earn his third election the County Commission - and his third nonconsecutive term. I'm afraid of Ramirez winning on name ID alone because he is not the most conservative guy. Ramirez is just as culpable as Jennifer Roberts for the current budget shortfalls because of his addiction to spending. That's why I'm not supporting his bid, but many old guard Republicans are and that's unfortunate. The "win no matter what" sentiment would make Ramirez a good fit, but you look at how freely he spends taxpayer money it should make you re-think that mindset. I will not be supporting Dan Ramirez May 4th and for the above reasons, you shouldn't either.

Finally, that brings me to my friend Corey Thompson. I met Corey last October as we worked together on the Bokhari for City Council campaign. I was instantly impressed with his commitment to his principles and desire to make a difference. When he told me he was running for County Commission, I was ecstatic. On a strictly personal level, I can't think of a more honest man running for the right reasons. Thompson has a strong team that has worked very, very hard to get him in position to win in not just May, but November as well. Bokhari serves as campaign manager and fellow 2009 City Council alum Matthew Ridenhour serves as chief campaign strategist.

Corey has attended more events, knocked on more doors, and been more active that any other candidate in this race. If it were just about hard work, he would be a shoo-in. As I said, political reality tells me he'll be fighting with Jeter because I have no confidence Mecklenburg Republican primary voters. Of course, I'd love to be proven wrong. When it comes down to it, Corey Thompson is a better candidate than Jeter. I'll be voting for Corey Thompson on May 4th. Besides, Huntersville would lose a great member of their town council - he should stay right where he is.

For more information about Corey Thompson, visit http://coreythompson.us/

Corey Thompson Announces Run For County Commission At-Large

2010-02-11T23:10:00.003-05:00

COREY THOMPSON

Candidate for Mecklenburg County Commission At-Large

www.coreythompson.us

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – FEBRUARY 11, 2010

“CMS Teacher Pledges To ‘Do More’ In Filing For County Commission”

Charlotte, NC- Corey Thompson, a 34 year old Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teacher, has announced his candidacy for the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners. Thompson plans to file as an At-Large candidate on Monday, February 15^th, at 4:15 PM at the Mecklenburg Board of Elections. This is the first time that Thompson has run for an elected office.

“I believe that the citizens of Mecklenburg County are looking for leaders who can identify with their day-to-day struggles, who will remain accountable to the public, and can restore trust in our elected officials. I believe that is exactly the type of leadership I can provide,” Thompson said.

The filing on Monday will serve a purpose other than just submitting the appropriate paperwork and fees to the Board of Elections. Thompson also plans to hold a school supplies drive in conjunction with making his candidacy official. In doing so, Thompson wants to raise awareness about his message of community involvement in helping solve problems throughout the county.

Thompson added “In the wake of the current economic recession, our county leaders have had to make tough decisions in shaping our budget, especially in regard to education. County Manager Harry Jones recently stated that we all need to be prepared to ‘do less, with less’ in the coming days. I believe that the hard-working citizens of this community are growing tired of waiting on the government to solve their problems. That’s why I’m pledging to ‘do more’ with the help of the people, because I am confident that everyday citizens can be far more effective than a government with misguided priorities.”

School supply contributions can be dropped off to Thompson’s campaign team between 4:00-5:00 PM Monday in the Board of Elections parking lot, located at 741 Kenilworth Avenue. Those items collected will be donated to Classroom Central on behalf of the people of Mecklenburg County. Thompson will also make brief remarks to family, friends, and supporters after filing.

Thompson and his wife Jenny, also a CMS teacher, are natives of Mecklenburg County. The couple are proud parents of a 2 year old son named Charlie. Corey is a graduate of The Citadel, and has held numerous leadership roles in local organizations.

Thompson concluded with a final challenge: “I want people to ask themselves one question. Is Mecklenburg County better off today than she was two years ago? If the answer to that question is ‘no,’ then I’m asking for the opportunity to earn your trust and your vote to help our community get back on a path toward prosperity. I believe in the spirit of Mecklenburg. I believe in our citizens, and with their help, I am confident that our best days are ahead of us.”

OK. Let's Talk Streetcar

2010-01-26T22:28:00.008-05:00

I attended the City Council meeting last night for the main purpose of listening to the streetcar debate first-hand. It was about what I expected to hear, considering the makeup of the Council, but troubling, reckless, and a misguided Olympic-sized leap in the wrong direction.

Let's go over some things I jotted down from the presentation:

- The $25 million federal grant cannot be used for planning or design. It can be used for construction, right-of-way, and vehicles. However, the project must enter construction within 18 months. Thus, you get the 3-year figure from the Observer article.

- The total project cost is $37 million. On top of that, there is an annual operating cost of $1.5 million. that's assuming, of course, the project is on budget. How often does that happen? If you need an example, we just opened a light rail line in 2007 that came in over 200% of the projected cost.

- The ridership numbers are awfully low, the presentation stated it was 950 per day. Warren Cooksey pointed this out and I think it gave most sane audience members pause.

- No savings on CATS routes #7, #9, or the Gold Rush Red. So the streetcar is not replacing anything. Don't worry, it gets better...

- CATS currently has the Gamerco cars to use, the newer Siemens cars would be $8 million to buy new. Looks like CATS is using the ones already in existence.

- $12 million in local money is being used to fund the project, taken from 4 different city sources. The $1.5 million will come from the general fund starting in fiscal year 2013.

Susan Burgess delivered this gem, saying "we can afford this!" referring to the $12 million. Not that she would answer the question of what that $12 million could've been used for that would really help the area like fixing potholes, finishing backed up sidewalk projects, or keeping the integrity of the comprehensive transportation plan intact without pitting the Northeast Rail Line and the commuter North Line against each other.

Another bonus was State Senator Malcolm Graham attending and talking about the benefits of this thing, small wonder of course since he was on the streetcar committee and just so happened to advocate this plan, which takes the state money out of the equation and puts a bigger burden on the city government. The rail funding plan - 50% federal, 25% from the state and 25% from the city is now 2/3rds federal and 1/3 local. Anthony Foxx actually said this means for dollar we contribute, the federal government is contributing 2. Well, DUH. Foxx was playing this off as a good thing, when it is anything but. The state has no money, the federal government has no money, and apparently the city has $12 million sitting around that has to be spent on something.

The acceleration of the streetcar is, primarily, the City Council delivering on the Foxx campaign platform. While it's intended to build the eastern and western sides of the city, the only thing being paid for right now is still uptown as it stretches from the Transportation Center to Presbyterian Hospital. THAT'S THE ONLY THING BEING PAID FOR!

3 years out, let's assume that somehow everything has gone according to plan. Like Hillary Clinton, suspend your disbelief for a minute and follow me. 3 years from now, the debate will rage about whether to continue going west towards Beatties Ford, or bring the line to Cental Avenue and Eastland Mall. How are we going to solve this one, guys? There is no guarantee of a federal or even a state grant or funding source to pay for the next leg. At this point, we've spent the last 3 years elevating this project above a new rail line. The Northeast Line, which should be in the well into development, has not started. The city is divided and we have no direction or leadership. What was once a comprehensive plan is in tatters.

Is this what we want for Charlotte? A streetcar that doesn't replace anything and isn't funded beyond the 1.5 miles? We're going to feel this decision for a long time to come.

The New City Council

2009-12-07T15:03:00.003-05:00

Will be sworn in tonight. Joy. As I posted on my Facebook today, "Fitting that the NASCAR Hall of Fame will open next year and the Charlotte City Council will be a lot of turns to the left after tonight."

That's the sad reality we're faced with today. Gone from the City Council are Pat McCrory and John Lassiter, men that have been excellent public servants and have helped make this city what it is today. In their stead now will be Anthony Foxx, the returning Patrick Cannon, and David Howard. All 3 liberals that now give Democrats a disappointing 8 seats on the 11-person Council.

Charlotte, we're in trouble. We need Edwin Peacock, Andy Dulin, and Warren Cooksey to be a vocal minority and we need advocacy groups to pressure the Council in to resisting their proclivity for spending other people's money. I'm not ready to jump on board with Meck Deck's Detroit on the Catawba apocalypse just yet, but if we don't make headway in 2011... then 2012 could be the end of Charlotte as we know it today.

#CLTVote: Charlotte General Election TUESDAY

2009-11-01T11:58:00.004-05:00

The election for Charlotte's new Mayor will take place Tuesday. Voters will also elect a new City Council and district seats for the School Board. I know I've taken to endorsements in elections, but this time it's going to be different. In interest of full disclosure, I haven't been on the sidelines in this election. I've been an active volunteer for both John Lassiter and Tariq Scott Bokhari for the last month. Obviously, I support both of those candidates wholeheartedly.

To follow the happenings Tuesday, take to Twitter and search for #CLTVote. That will be your best guide throughout the day and then at night as the returns come in.

Zero-Based Budgeting & Charlotte's Upcoming Election

2009-10-21T11:56:00.003-04:00

Zero-based budgeting has long been a conservative issue when it comes to government spending. I myself became aware of this through Robert Pittenger, who advocated for zero-based budgeting while in the General Assembly and made it part of his campaign platform for Lt. Governor last year. While not successful, he raised the issue for others to take up as well.

Two candidates for Charlotte City Council At Large, Tariq Scott Bokhari and Matthew Ridenhour, support zero-based budgeting. Given the amount of money this city currently spends, it is a wise idea and if elected, be sure both of these candidates will work towards implementing this in the future.

A curveball of sorts came a week or so ago, when Democratic Mayoral candidate Anthony Foxx said he would support a zero-based budget review for the city if he becomes Mayor. This was a curveball because it's a traditionally conservative issue and Foxx knew this. In his attempt to look like a candidate that will cut spending, he knew full well calling for this would make some think twice about supporting John Lassiter. However, can you look at Foxx and say he will really be a supporter of this if he becomes Mayor? I don't.

Foxx has been on City Council since 2005 - did he call for zero-based budgeting then? I've looked around, I don't see it. What I see is someone that will say pretty much anything to get elected. Steal an issue to paint yourself as a moderate. Promise things to all parts of the city regardless of necessity or cost. It's quite a contradiction to say you support an idea like zero-based budgeting that is intended to cut government spending, while at the same time go around to different parts of this city and promise them something shiny and new in return for a vote. Anthony Foxx is talking out of both sides of his mouth and more people need to challenge him for doing so.

Charlotte Primary Day Tomorrow

2009-09-14T11:05:00.007-04:00

Hey, it's election season again. Tomorrow a very small portion of voters will decide who gets to face off in the general election to represent them for the next two years. For Republican primary voters, the choices Sept. 15 are for Mayor and for City Council At-Large.

Running for Mayor are three candidates, but really, there's only one choice and that is John Lassiter. No offense to the other two (although they would probably take it anyway) but Lassiter needing to spend money in this primary is ridiculous. I'm a fan of primary battles but in a race like this Lassiter should have the field cleared. Lassiter has the experience and the leadership ability to be a good Mayor for this city. I'll freely admit that I haven't been a fan of everything he's done, but I'm smart enough to know I'll get a lot more of what I want than what I don't want with him. Vote John Lassiter for Mayor.

The City Council At-Large race has seven candidates on the ballot. They are Georgia Belk, Tariq Scott Bokhari, Jerry Drye, Craig Nannini, Edwin Peacock III, Jaye Rao, and Matthew Ridenhour. The two Republicans currently on City Council are Lassiter and Peacock, so Peacock is an incumbent. He's done good enough to warrant another term, at least from this group.

That leaves three more spots. Of the candidates left, I like four - Belk, Bokhari, Rao, and Ridenhour. I know Nannini was an organizer of the tea parties, but he hasn't impressed me the way Bokhari and Ridenhour have. I'm not even aware of any active campaigning from Drye.

So I guess you're now wondering, how am I going decide who to leave off? The answer? I'm not. It would be unfair to do that. I'm not really wielding any influence here, but I urge anyone reading this to vote the way you want - there are 5 solid candidates to pick from. Georgia Belk is a smart woman and she has a resume that works well in running of local government. Jaye Rao is very smart as well and she has served Charlotte in a number of ways. She would be an excellent addition to the City Council. I will tell you this: Matthew Ridenhour and Tariq Scott Bokhari are both impressive and have been vastly underrated by the Charlotte Observer and the rest of the media outlets. In particular, Matthew Ridenhour has been impressive on local issues that the Charlotte Observer obviously decided to overlook. Ridenhour could be Charlotte's Ron Paul. Bokhari has a bright future regardless of how this race turns out.

To sum up, vote for Edwin Peacock first. Then, make your choice between Georgia Belk, Tariq Scott Bokhari, Jaye Rao, and Matthew Ridenhour.

Links:

Mayor Pat McCrory on Fox Business

2009-07-18T11:37:00.001-04:00

Congrats To Tom Fetzer: New NCGOP Chairman

2009-06-14T17:32:00.003-04:00

Tom Fetzer became the new Chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party yesterday on the second ballot after Chad Adams motioned to approve by acclimation.

I look forward to helping the party continue and look forward to what Fetzer can do to win during this 2-year term. I wish Tom and the new NCGOP Vice Chair, Timothy Johnson, the best of luck.

Here are some of Fetzer's videos from his campaign:

Statewide TV ad:

Fetzer Battle plan:

Enough

2009-05-26T00:09:00.003-04:00

Quite frankly, I'm sicked and tired of this phony 'debate' on who is the leader of the Republican Party. It's gone on too long and it's counterproductive in almost every way imaginable. I don't know how it started, but I'm ready for a new storyline.

To the best of my memory, did this sort of thing happen after the 2004 election? I don't remember it happening. There were no Sunday morning panels or media members arguing over who was a 'true democrat' or anything that's happening now. This was after an election that saw the sitting President re-elected, the defeat of the Senate minority leader, and majorities retained in both houses of Congress. Things changed a short two years later, of course.

Two things that need to happen:

1.) Stop playing into the media's "leader of the Republican Party" nonsense by choosing sides in the debate. Don't dignify their game by splitting the party. We're all Republicans. Debate's good, debate's warranted, but stop driving people away and throwing up ultimatums. That's the hallmark of desperate people when this party isn't desperate.

2.) Emphasize the good news, be assured there is plenty to be found. The generic ballot polls are dead even. We have openings in states like CT, DE, IL just to name a few. There are 2 governor's races to win this year and we're going to be tough to beat in both. Go support Bob McDonnell in Virginia and the winner of the New Jersey primary.

Just stop playing games we don't win.

Race for North Carolina Republican Party Chairman

2009-05-14T00:48:00.011-04:00

Somehow, I stumbled upon some rather nasty ‘smear jobs’ supposedly being led by members of the Tom Fetzer and Chad Adams camps. All this, it seems, just to be state party chairman. I’m the first to admit that I’m not familiar with the history of the intra-party politics in North Carolina, but the whole thing just stinks and it's not becoming.

From my perspective, the people orchestrating Tom Fetzer’s campaign are slinging the most mud. I’m not one to count someone out because of mudslinging – it’s an art when you’re in the business of the politics of personal destruction. Yet the people pushing Fetzer aren’t good at this. They’re too obvious and it reeks of desperation. They look too preoccupied with maintaining power instead of actually doing something for the party they claim to care about so much. How else would one explain the departure of Woody White along with the simultaneous entry of Fetzer into the campaign a few months ago? I think they needed someone who could win enough votes to take the chairmanship, and White didn’t have the Raleigh and west voters locked up. Fetzer, it’s believed, could peel off enough to take a majority. What's worse, if Fetzer wins, who is he beholden to for the victory? Can we in the party trust him to operate on his judgment? There are too many questions that come with a Fetzer chairmanship.

I can’t speak to the validity of the accusations, especially when it comes to the Adams rumor, which looks to have some elements of truth behind them. That said, I think Adams represents a departure from the status quo in this party. We’ve gotten our butts kicked for entirely too long and the people behind Fetzer are the ones that held power during this time. I don’t think a new face on the same cabal with change things. Fetzer closed his consulting firm after two very unsuccessful campaigns with Bill Graham in the early gubernatorial primary and Elizabeth Dole’s failed Senate re-election campaign. There hasn’t been a Republican Governor in this state since Jim Martin. Pat McCrory’s campaign was the closest since Martin. He himself was and still is a fantastic candidate that still has a future. If memory serves correct the ‘establishment’ candidate in he primary was Fred Smith… who just happens to have recently endorsed you guessed it, Tom Fetzer. The Fetzer camp touts his fundraising ability and years spent with various candidates, but he lacks actual party experience. He hasn’t served as a county or district chairman. Fetzer was elected Mayor of Raleigh in non-partisan elections. He didn’t have an R next to his name during those elections (McCrory won each of his 7 terms as Mayor of Charlotte by big margins with an R). We have in Fetzer someone who only got into this race as a second option, someone who is an ex-consultant due to two straight failures, and didn’t win with the party he wants to lead next to his name.

One of Adams’ big backers is Jack Hawke, himself a former state party chairman and recently of McCrory’s campaign. Hawke has winning experience and sees something in Adams. A number of activists and voting delegates have told me personally that Adams is head and shoulders above the other candidates in terms of doing real good for the party. That’s important because they’ll be able to do their jobs with more enthusiasm working for Adams. Provided another candidate doesn’t emerge from the floor, I’m voting for Chad Adams in June.

Find out more information about Adams at his website, AdamsNCGOP.com.

Hiatus

2009-04-27T00:59:00.002-04:00

Charlotte Republican will be on hiatus until further notice. Continue to follow my updates on Twitter while I determine the future of this blog and future opportunites in politics.

THESE HORNETS STILL STING

2009-04-15T02:47:00.001-04:00

Charlotte's Tax Day Tea Party.

2-4 PM Uptown.

Be there.

Carolina Sweet Tea Tax Party

2009-04-04T02:14:00.002-04:00

Media

I'll be there with the UNC Charlotte College Republicans, so come say hey and enjoy the festivities.

Bev Perdue Could Debate Herself & Not Win

2009-03-17T00:29:00.007-04:00

When it comes to Democrats in North Carolina, never underestimate their 1.) arrogance and 2.) audacity. Let's look at the latest dance Queen Bev's doing to illustrate this point.

As this article points out, Bev said all throughout her vicious campaign that the wouldn't use the "education" lottery funds for the general fund to bridge an over $2 billion budget shortfall. Oh wait. Nevermind.

Would Bev Perdue lie to your face?

Duh. That's her game. What she learned from the ring leader of the Down East Kleptocrats, Mark Basnight, himself a master of lying to the citizens of NC and still having a job. What gets me is conservative Republicans have expected this for years. The Democrats in the General Assembly spend too much; always have, always will. They shut Republicans out of the process mainly because they have no use, but also because they'll say "no" to something. No isn't a word the Democrats in Raleigh like to hear, DEK or not.

Anyway... I'm rambling. Bev's just a reflection of a bigger problem.

I do find the effort of some Republicans to rename the lottery as counterproductive. Why not try to actually do something about it instead of grandstanding about the name. Talk about the issue and how Bev just took both sides. That would make a difference.

Fewer than 3 years ago, North Carolina had a budget surplus of $1.1 billion and the budget itself was $17 billion. The budget for 2008-09 is right around $22 billlion. That's a $5 billion increase from 2006 to 2008. I'm wondering if Hackney and Basnight even know what an economist is and how they're helpful to the budget process. Let's see if Dictionary.com can help us:

E*con"o*mist\, n.

One who economizes, or manages domestic or other concerns with frugality; one who expends money, time, or labor, judiciously, and without waste.

There you go. We'll suffer through another 2 years of these fools, and then it'll be game on for 2010. We can't let this go on any longer. North Carolina will rival Illinois and California if we do. I'd rather not see our state on late-night TV as a laughing stock.

Mecklenburg Republican Convention

2009-03-13T10:32:00.003-04:00

Will be tomorrow at Butler High School. That you probably already know.

What we don't know, though, is who the next Chairman will be. We've gone from a 4-man race to a 2-man race in the matter of a few days. The 2 candidates are attorney Rob Bryan and former airline exec/McCrory grassroots manager Chris Emanuel.

Bryan is running with many current members of the party leadership, indicating he looks to be the "establishment" choice. Emanuel says he'll work full-time as Chairman and has promised to engage the Young Republicans to a greater extent.

Charlotte Republican has not made up his mind. I've been critical of opportunities missed by the McCrory campaign in a race that should, in almost any other year, been a victory. However, as a rule I don't like to reward bad jobs done and we in Mecklenburg County got our ass kicked by the Obama machine. My vote is still open. Convince me.

See you tomorrow.

Shakeup in NCGOP Chairman's Race

2009-03-10T21:32:00.004-04:00

Woody White is out, Tom Fetzer is in.

I'm curious to know why White decided to drop out and how Fetzer moved in so quickly. White locked up some solid support including former Chairman Bill Cobey and former Gubernatorial candidate Fred Smith.

Meanwhile, a few weeks ago Chad Adams got in to the race. Adams seems to have some support online and I like his resume with the John Locke Foundation. He might be my new #1 on the preference chart.

I'm hoping some of the candidates will attend this Saturday's Mecklenburg County GOP Convention. Charlotte Republican will be a voting delegate. Should be fun.

Thoughts On CPAC 2009

2009-03-02T11:24:00.006-05:00

Most would generally agree that for the most part, CPAC just wasn't what it as last year, or the year before. Granted I don't know about anything before that since this was just my 3rd year of attending, but it was the worst as far as the number of quality speakers. I had a list of guys I wanted to hear, and successfully accomplished that goal. I started off Friday morning with Senators John Cornyn and Jim DeMint, follwed by Minority Leader John Boehner, and then Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. I returned in time to listen to the great Newt Gingrich at 12, then was back in the ballroom for Ron Paul and Mitt Romney. I loved Romney's speech. On Saturday I went to the exhibit hall and got to talk to Chris Horner for several minutes, then I got stuck listening to Ann Coulter. At least Tom DeLay made the introduction. Finally, of course, the speech of all speeches of the weekend, Rush Limbaugh's national address. It was a phenomenal speech that was a great close to the event.

As you can tell, I wasn't even interested in the conference Thursday. Partly because I had Pentagon and Capitol tours lined up, but Thursday was especially weak. Under no circumstances would I sit in that place to listen to Mike Huckabee tell some lies. I remember 2 years ago when Sean Hannity and Rudy Giuliani spoke and there was a fantastic discussion panel in which Bob Barr and John Yoo got very, very heated. I went to a lunch last year and got to meet Michelle Malkin. I'll definitely be back next year, but I hope the lineup will be stronger.

There wasn't as much in the exhibit hall to talk about either, except for the nifty yellow NRA bags. The Omni is the worst hotel to nickel-and-dime someone too. $10 for internet a day? Really?

All in all it was a good trip to Washington and it was special walking around the city Saturday night in the snow. Looking forward to the next trip.

Required Viewing: Ron Paul On The Spending Stimulus

2009-02-13T23:25:00.001-05:00

Evaluating The State GOP Chair Race

2009-02-04T21:20:00.006-05:00

The candidates for State GOP Chair have mostly made themselves known. Still waiting on final decisions from a few, but the race would appear to be pretty set.

The announced candidates are Marcus Kindley, David Robinson, and Woody White. My early preference goes White, Robinson, Kindley. For future reference, Kindley will be at the bottom of every list. He doesn't deserve the post and would drive this party further into the ground in the state should he somehow get elected. I don't know much about Robinson and White. Robinson appears to be facing an onslaught in Wake County and White has little bit more varied experience. White has a website up outlining his plan. He is my leader thus far.

The 2 candiates still looking are Chad Adams and Robin Hayes. Adams has a pretty nice resume as well, and is young. He serves on the John Locke Foundation and that's a group that really doesn't get enough due with the state party. I really hope Robin elects to stay out of this one. Many of his supporters believe the political game has passed him by and his tactics are outdated. I must agree with that statement. New approach he is not.

So, the question is, what am I looking for in a party chair? I want a new approach. I want someone that will be a new face and embrace new tactics. We can't govern unless we win, and on the state level, I think we've forgotten how to win. I still like Linda Daves but I'm glad she's stepping aside. I initally supported the ad that ran on Jeremiah Wright last year, but now I think it was ill-timed and ill-conceived. We didn't really have a dog in that fight and it looked bad. Along with Daves, I want the entire executive board gone too. They've been ineffective for years and we need to clean house. Will this hurt some feelings? Probably. But it needs to be done. I hope to see all of these candidates (except Kindley) or at least hear from them soon.

Michael Steele Wins

2009-01-31T00:05:00.007-05:00

I must say, I'm a bit surprised he won, but it's not a bad move. I started off big on Steele but I readily admit my enthusiasm went through stages. I cooled on him for a while, then the "debate" got me back on his bandwagon, so to speak When the race was coming down to the final stages I had a Top 3 preference of guys I would've been happy with: Michael Steele, Katon Dawson, and Saul Anuzis. I'm not a huge fan of Ken Blackwell because of how badly he lost in Ohio, plus he didn't have much if any experience in party organizing. Mike Duncan was out for obvious reasons.

I unfortunately missed the vote today as I was in a car all afternoon, but I heard that Steele had won and excitedly called around to see if the stories had hit. It wasn't until I got to my destination that I could look at the results and how the race unfolded. I guess like a lot of other people, I really became a fan of Dawson the more I got to know about him. His tenure as head of the South Carolina GOP has been extraordinary in that he has won - and won big. I believe South Carolina was one of two states that had a more votes for John McCain than George W. Bush. That's a big accomplishment especially for the election last year. I think Dawson would have been strong in the day-to-day and administrative aspects of the job. However, the country club thing had to be talked about and as Howard Dean showed, being a visible party chair when you're out of power has benefits. Steele fits that role nicely and will have no shortage of capable people around him. I wish him the best and support him 100 percent.

I Need To Get This Off My Chest

2009-01-27T17:57:00.003-05:00

Despite the Twitter updates that are critical, I have to admit something.

I like Timothy Geithner.

Yes, he cheated on his taxes. Yes, I find it troubling. But I honestly think he'll do a fine job at the Treasury. To my knowledge, Geithner has hardly been a partisan guy. He's much more concerned about economics to have time to engage in partisanship. What I really found interesting, however, is this contrast between Geithner and Hank Paulson (be warned it is a liberal site). Geithner was working closer to the ground than Paulson, who I don't believe ever worked at one of the regional banks before taking over. At any rate, I hope Geithner succeeds. I had to say it.

The Last Day of George W. Bush's Presidency

2009-01-19T21:05:00.004-05:00

I have mixed feelings about this final day of Bush's Presidency. I love some things he's done, and despised others. I've rabidly supported him, and battled his policies that I didn't like. What I keep coming back to are a few things:

First, he wasn't a true conservative. On the surface Bush was conservative in many ways. Socially, judicially, and some economic aspects. On others, specifically immigration and second-term economics? Yikes. In the War on Terror, Bush has been steadfast and tough and will be judged well. I have no doubt about that. Bush made tough decisions that have shaped and will continue to shape policy for decades. Thanks to Bush, we haven't had a second attack on our soil and we established a democratic ally in the Middle East. Both of those are no small feat. There is still work to be done. History has a funny way of vindicating great leaders and dimishing popular but otherwise mediocre leaders. Bush will viewed as the former, not the ladder. I hope I'm around long enough to say "I told you so."

Here's Your Laugh Of The Day

2009-01-12T19:32:00.003-05:00

Queen Bev signs an executive order explore funding positive gubernatorial campaigns.

Yes, you read that right.

No, I'm not kidding.

NC Democrat Receives Propaganda Piece

2009-01-08T13:00:00.003-05:00

It comes from Governing magazine (courtesty of Dome).

The teaser line reads: People said Joe Hackney was too squeaky clean to run the North Carolina House. Then a scandal gave him his chance. He's made the most of it.

Excuse me?!

This is a guy that continued the Jim Black tradition of shutting out the minority and didn't allow Republicans to offer amendments or attend meetings on the last budget. Hackney, Basnight, and a few other down east kleptocrats got together, wrote a $22 billion budget, and rammed it through the General Assembly. Yeah, that's some open, squeaky clean leader. These people make me want to vomit.

Retro Video: Phil Hartman as Bill Clinton

2009-01-06T18:31:00.002-05:00

Queen Bev Prepares Her Royal Court

2009-01-02T12:58:00.002-05:00

News conference today at 2. Four more years of control for the down east kleptocrats.

So... About Chip Saltsman

2008-12-29T16:45:00.003-05:00

Most have probably heard by now that Chip Saltsman sent out a CD of parodies to RNC members for Christmas, and of course it features the "Barack the Magic Negro" song used by Rush Limbaugh's show a year ago. The song itself is marginally funny, not one of my favorites, but Saltsman using it this way was just a stupid move.

More important, however, is that this effectively kills his chances of becoming RNC Chair, which were slim to begin with. Saltsman worked as Mike Huckabee's campaign manager, which immediately put him on my extremely bad side because he orchestrated a campaign that relied on religious smear tactics and cooperation with the early McCain camp to derail Mitt Romney and any chance a Republican had to win in 2008. Good riddance, Chip.

Austrian Business Cycle

2008-12-16T14:23:00.003-05:00

Having fun with Wikipedia, lets look at the opening paragraph of the Austrian Business Cycle page.

"The Austrian business cycle theory is the Austrian School's explanation of the phenomenon of business cycles (also known as credit cycles). The theory views most business cycles as the inevitable consequence of inherently damaging and ineffective central bank policies, which cause interest rates to remain too low for too long, resulting in excessive credit creation, speculative economic bubbles and lowered savings."

Gee, that kinda sounds like where we're at, right? Makes one wonder if our leaders will ever learn these lessons before we're bankrupt.

John Lassiter's Margin of Error

2008-12-16T13:40:00.003-05:00

If John Lassiter wants to be Mayor, he has to have 2 things: a great campaign and a great deal of luck.

Depending on who you talk to, John Lassiter is either a know-it-all, Chamber puppet, or as I've called him in conversations, "McCrory Junior." I've also spoken to people that work with him and they say he's a really, really smart guy and they also tell me he's more conservative than most give him credit for.

I'll take that for a job like Mayor, which uses the bully pulpit in lieu of direct power. I think people would feel comfortable with Lassiter on top. Question is, how does he beat Anthony Foxx?

Tara Servatius has already thrown in the towel, as she is prone to do. I don't want to cede the office to Foxx 11 months before the election. Lassiter will need to have an outstanding campaign that goes beyond fundraising from Uptown. Republicans in this city don't do grassroots well, but they'd better take a crash course because the margin of error is small. The turnout numbers won't be as high as they were this year because they never are in local elections. That's one advantage. Second, the more Lassiter is seen with McCrory, the better. Make no mistake, Lassiter won't pull McCrory-type numbers. Yet with the right combination of campaign, advertising, and turnout numbers, I can see Lassiter pulling a 51-52% win over Foxx.

Because It's Friday & Close To Christmas...

2008-12-12T16:34:00.002-05:00

Pat McCrory Will.....

2008-12-10T21:44:00.004-05:00

Announce his intentions tomorrow.

My guess all along was that he wouldn't run for re-election as Mayor, and would set his sights on the 9th Congressional seat - as early as 2010. However, after the tongue-lashing he gave the City Council Monday evening, I'm not so certain he won't run again. Any sort of McCrory vulnerability is mostly a creation of speculation, and not the reality. It remains in doubt whether the turnout numbers will be like this year, my guess is it will be a little higher than the '07 numbers.

Should McCrory decide to run again, he'll still be the favorite. Should he decide to make this term his last, it'll set off a primary battle for both sides. Republicans John Lassiter and Dan Ramirez will compete for the GOP nod. I would hope it's more than just those two, but we'll see what happens.

Tax Holiday? Yes, Please

2008-12-01T13:57:00.001-05:00

A very interesting idea today that I heard on the radio driving back to Charlotte, Neal Boortz and Newt Gingrich were talking about Rep. Louie Gohmert's idea for a tax holiday as explained in the link.

John Adams

2008-11-24T12:12:00.003-05:00

So, who watched the miniseries from earlier this year about John Adams on HBO? I myself found it to be rather terrific, but it had the opposite effect for me in my views of Adams. Given the superb acting on the show, I think most conservatives should have come away from the miniseries as even bigger fans of Thomas Jefferson. Adams was a statesman, but Jefferson to this day is still the more conservative of the bunch.

That said, I could watch it all day, every day. Especially the intro theme.

Stream of Consciousness Blog, Part I

2008-11-16T21:48:00.007-05:00

Just something to try out here...

- People that think this country won't last to 2012 need to get over themselves and get over the hysterics. We made it through a lot worse since 1776, and electing Barack Obama won't be the final straw. People like Woodrow Wilson and Jimmy Carter have been President. Give it a break.

- The battle for control of the Republican Party is very real and it's going to be nasty for a while. While moderates, conservatives, and whatever labels you'd like to apply to things are fighting, the point is, they're all fighting for the same thing. Power. The way things change is from the bottom to the top, that's how Barry Goldwater got the nomination and that's eventually how we ended up with Ronald Reagan as President. The only movement like that this year was the Ron Paul movement.

- That being said, I wouldn't mind incorporating a lot of the Ron Paul movement into the future of the party, except the isolationism from foreign policy.

- Here in North Carolina, things will continue on, same-old same-old until we're paying 20% state income taxes and our sales taxes jump up to 8%. Don't laugh, it could really happen with big spenders in control of the Governorship, Lieutenant Governorship, and the General Assembly. Nothing would make me happier than to kick them all out.

- We can't kick them out until the people we get running for said branches develop a killer instinct and hire campaigns that don't suck.

- Every year I spend in Charlotte makes me hate pretty much everything east of Raleigh. I don't know what's worse, that you can say FU to an entire region of the state and be OK with it, or you can say it to people in the eastern part of the state and have it still work.

- The next GOP governor candidate should run against the eastern part of the state and play to the piedmont, Charlotte, and the west. I think there's enough votes there to win.

- Michael Steele for RNC Chairman since Newt's not running, apparently.

Newt Gingrich for RNC Chairman

2008-11-10T12:00:00.003-05:00

One of the important posts following an election loss is the head of the party. In 2004 after President Bush won re-election, the Democrats went with an unconventional choice in Howard Dean, and it paid off for them. Now, looking towards the future of the party and where we need to go from here, we have our own unconventional choice that would pay huge dividends. Newt Gingrich is the perfect fit for RNC Chairman, and if the members of the RNC are smart and want to win again, Newt is the man for the job.

Newt is an "ideas" man. When I say that, I mean he has million ideas. He's very conservative, but he also is a fantastic talker and he inspires people. At the RNC, I believe Newt would revolutionize the system and would bring Republicans into the 21st century. If anyone has read his books, they're well worth the effort. If you haven't, you should. No one cares as much about conservative policy than Newt Gingrich. At the RNC, Newt would be the head of the party and would defend Republicans at every turn. His websites, Newt.org and American Solutions are both excellent and you can learn a lot from him. Newt represents what Republicans should be after getting lost in the last decade. If we're willing to take a chance, this the guy I'd want leading me.

Story

You Know, It'll Be OK

2008-11-07T16:39:00.004-05:00

The Democratic machine was the superior force in this election. I say machine, because that's what it was. It was a political machine powered by catchphrases and cult worship. The 2008 election will not be remembered as an election about ideas. Tell me some policy specifics of Barack Obama, or John McCain for that matter. They were fleeting and incomplete. No, this was not an election in which liberalism won or conservatism lost. I take comfort in that aspect.

I was most bitterly disappointed by two races: Governor and Lt. Governor. I desparately hoped the campaigns of Pat McCrory and Robert Pittenger would do enough to differentiate themeselves, and it was very close. In the end, straight-ticket voting killed them, especially in poor urban areas. I just hope since it didn't happen this year, maybe next time more people will pay attention to what is happening on the local and state level in the next election.

I take comfort in knowing there will be a next election. The campaigns I saw up close here in Mecklenburg County didn't do enough and they should own up to their faults and learn. It's not sexy, but if you want to govern you have to win first. We'll win again so we can govern, because our ideas and people will always be superior. No later than 2012 we will win again.

Charlotte Republican's Endorsement List, Part 2

2008-10-28T22:02:00.011-04:00

Mecklenburg County Commissioners
District 1
Karen Bentley

District 2
Tim McLeod

District 5
Neil Cooksey

District 6
Bill James

At-Large Seats
Hal Jordan
Dan Ramirez
Susan Walker

NC Senate
District 39 - Bob Rucho
District 40 - Ed Mulheren

NC House
District 99 - Dempsey Miller
District 104 - Ruth Samuelson
District 105 - Ric Killian

District 26 Judges
Fritz Mercer (no relation)
Thomas Moore
Bill Constangy
Todd Owens
William Belk
Lou Trosch
Daniel Powers Roberts

Bonds

NO TO ALL

In this economy, I can't support a bond in 2008. Try again in '09 or '10. Where's the money coming from? Convince me otherwise and I'll think about changing my mind.

Finally, a few wild-cards:

NC House
District 77 - Dr. Ada Fisher
- She is supremely qualified, and just needs a chance to work in the legislature.

District 91 - Bryan Holloway
- From my original hometown, this Representative will be a leader in the state heading into the future.

US House
4th district - B.J. Lawson
5th district - Virginia Foxx

US Senate
South Carolina - Lindsey Graham

Virginia - Mark Warner
I won't lie, I like Mark Warner a lot. Warner's a pragmatist and not a liberal, and he has a record of working with both sides. He was one of the founders of Nextel and is a really smart guy.

Charlotte Republican's Endorsement List, Part 1

2008-10-26T23:51:00.013-04:00

This will be the first part of the list, for anyone that cares to know how I feel. The list will cover mostly all of the races in Charlotte/Mecklenburg, along with statewide races and a few more that deserve attention. Part 2 will come no later than Tuesday night.

President/Vice President
John McCain & Sarah Palin

US Senate
Elizabeth Dole

US House - 8th District
Robin Hayes

US House - 9th District
Sue Myrick

Governor
Pat McCrory

Lt. Governor
Robert Pittenger

Attorney General
Roy Cooper
- Due to Bob Crumley being an ambulance chaser coupled with his enormous sleaze factor, Roy Cooper will get my vote for a 3rd term.

Secretary of State
Jack Sawyer

State Treasurer
Bill Daughtridge

State Auditor
Les Merritt

Agriculture Commissioner
Steve Troxler

Insurance Commissioner
Mark McMains
- I try to vote for a Libertarian when it serves to benefit the discussion and he offers best free-market proposals.

Labor Commissioner
Cherie Berry

Supreme Court
Bob Edmunds

Court of Appeals
Jewel Ann Farlow
Doug McCullough
Dan Barrett
Bob Hunter
Sam Ervin IV

Wading Into The County Commission

2008-10-22T12:56:00.007-04:00

So last night, the Republicans on the County Commission showed some guts. By refusing to confirm George Dunlap for a few whole weeks, the Mecklenburg Democrats, black racists, white liberals, and the Observer are all in a tizzy.

After the death of Valerie Woodard, the Dems got together to appoint someone to the board. Instead of choosing someone who could at least articulate a position clearly, they chose Dunlap, a guy that has helped make the School Board a circus since before I moved here. It's perfectly within the law to refuse to confirm someone for the position, especially someone chosen the day before.

I was hoping to hear Keith Larson talk about this a bit today, but he seems more concerned with Rodney Monroe and taunting Pat McCrory to discuss another issue. He had Dan Bishop on for about 2 minutes and that was all I heard.

In other actions, the commission approved buying land worth $19 million for an uptown baseball stadium. Dan Ramirez voted with the Dems to get it passed. It's gotten little press, but even in the midst of an economic crisis the freewheeling spending continues.

Must-Read Of The Day

2008-10-20T21:59:00.001-04:00

Congressional Democrats lead hearings in which the truth is... not told.

Attended John McCain Rally Today

2008-10-18T20:49:00.001-04:00

Concord played a good host. More to come...

Charlotte Can't Afford Bev Perdue --- I Couldn't Agree More

2008-10-16T13:14:00.007-04:00

The new Citizen Servatius column details just how much the city of Charlotte gets the shaft from the entrenched powers that are re-elected to the legislature. The bias that exists east of Raleigh, and particularly east of I-95, is astounding. This area has been called "The Great State of Mecklenburg" and that isn't a compliment. Our tax dollars get bled out to subsidize their towns, their projects, and their pork. When confronted about this by Pat McCrory during his caravans to Raleigh, they duck and run. Even our own legislative delegation either goes along with the entrenched powers or criticizes McCrory when they know he's right.

Thus of us who understand that need to make that case especially here in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. If more people knew what really happened in Raleigh, there would a collective throwing of bums from their pedistals of power. I'm not saying Charlotte first here. I'm saying stop putting Charlotte last and bring some balance to areas that have been taken advantage of for too long.

More Ads

2008-10-14T17:18:00.004-04:00

I really don't mean to only post ads here, but they're important nonetheless. The first one is Pat McCrory's new ad, and he sticks to his positive campaign as Negative Bev talks about garbage, stem cells, and sends the Alliance for NC goons to make more off the wall and asinine ads that have already been disproved.

This ad comes from Robert Pittenger, who finally starts attacking Walter Dalton and hangs a great name on him: Wasteful Walter Dalton.

Dole's Campaign Should Pick Up This Clip

2008-10-13T09:16:00.001-04:00

Then, put out an ad asking what changed her mind.

Newspaper Endorsements

2008-10-12T19:11:00.000-04:00

I've been pleasantly surprised at the newspapers that have gone on record and endorsed Pat McCrory's bid for Governor. Generally, newspapers are loathe to endorse a Republican for a major office, but Negative Bev is really that bad. What I find funny though is that usually, as Republicans we parade around claiming we're happy to not be endorsed by a newspaper - when the shoe is on the other foot, it's a little strange. I wonder who it hits to change their mind. A lot of people take these endorsements with a grain of salt. Optimistically, endorsing a candidate like McCrory helps undecideds that honestly don't make their mind up until a few days before voting. The pessimist in me says McCrory isn't really helped among more conservative undecideds who may decide to vote for Mike Munger for the same reasons moderates may lean to Pat. We'll see.

Even More Media Bias

2008-10-09T15:10:00.000-04:00

This time, it's online - you're not surprised now, are you?

The front page of Yahoo.com currently features two stories that target Republicans - one about "voter purges" and one about Todd Palin's role in the Alaskan Government. What's missing, you ask? How about the stories about voter registration fraud going on in numerous states. I guess that doesn't merit any attention, after all the New York Times didn't say anything about it. The Washington Post hasn't done one of their investigative reports about fraud. So, there you have it, news my freaking ASS. Has Yahoo gone to the tank as well?

Currently listening to Rush right now, he's talking about a rumor going about a RICO case against ACORN and the Obama campaign....

Read this and this for more about Obama running away from ACORN.

North Carolina A Blue State? Not So Fast....

2008-10-08T14:02:00.000-04:00

In the last week or two, much has been made of the polls to come out showing Barack Obama ahead of John McCain in the race for President. What that fails to show, however, is the polls still showing either McCain in front or a tie - as a CNN/Time poll does. Is it close? Sure, but stop the pronouncements thats its over, because it's not. RCP shows the slimmest of margins in their average, but wait a little while longer to see the effects of Sarah's visit to ECU and possibly another coming soon.

In the race for Governor, Pat McCrory's dominated the majority of recent polling, save for PPP poll showing Negative Bev with a 3 point lead. Bev's decided to skip another statewide debate tonight, so Pat and Mike Munger can take shots at her for an hour again with no response, although the less Bev talks is probably better for her and us. RCP is kind enough to have an average here as well, and McCrory's on top. The debate tonight will be on UNC-TV at 8 I believe.

The Senate race doesn't look as promising, although Survey USA put one out showing her ahead by 1. If it comes to a tradeoff, I'd take a McCain-McCrory victory with Dole as my 3rd priority. RCP average.

In the 8th district, Robin Hayes and Larry Kissell (The Biscoe Bum) continue to fight it out. I'm hopeful of a Hayes victory. Kissell's an idiot but the margin will be close once again.

Finally, McCain said last night that he would favor using part of the bailout to buy bad mortgages. It sounds similar to what John Allison was proposing, and it could signify that maybe someone understands the housing market leads to the fix for the economy, not financial bailouts. I, however, will remain pessimistic until then.

Charlotte Light Rail --- It's Fantastic!

2008-10-06T10:51:00.000-04:00

If you're one of the few that benefit from the service at least.

Heads up to Meck Deck for posting this info from the John Locke Foundation and professor David Hartgen. It's a real eye-opener, and it gives a ringing endorsement for bringing it all across the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region (/sarcasm). Among the key points:

• Final LYNX construction costs are about $521.9 million, about 130 percent above the initial estimate ($227 million).
• LYNX operating costs are about $9.22 million/year, but data are incomplete and likely to be low. Revenues are averaging about 31 percent of operating costs. The ‘average’ fare (including discount fares, transfers, and on-fare rides) is about $0.58.
• Average weekday ridership initially reached 12,457 (Dec. 2007), about 37 percent higher than the official forecast. However, the initial forecast did not consider present gasoline prices, which if included would have produced a higher estimate of initial ridership.
• Since December 2007 ridership is up about 23% (Dec. 2007-July 2008), but CATS (bus) ridership has risen slightly faster, 24%. LYNX ridership is about 19 percent of total CATS traffic.
• About 1/3 of the rise in LYNX ridership is based on better transit service, and about 2/3 from continuing increasing gas prices, regional growth, and economic circumstances.
• About 64 percent of trips, but 74 percent of ticket sales, are for 1-way or round-trip adult tickets, suggesting continuing ‘trial’ occasional use.
•About 1/2 of the LYNX ridership is shifted from buses, about 1/4 is diverted from cars, 1/4 is walk, drop-off, etc.
• About 19% of the auto driver traffic diverted to LYNX, totaling about 838 weekday trips, is from vehicles with South Carolina tags.

Full release here.

Wow... just wow. Not only does it take less than 1% off the roads, we're helping subsidize South Carolina drivers! Unbelieveable. I voted to repeal the tax last year because I thought this stuff would happen. I wasn't blogging back then, but still outspoken. If anyone remembers, UNC Charlotte last year hosted a transit tax debate between WBT's Keith Larson and County Commissioner Jennifer Roberts. I recruited Larson to participate, and thoroughly enjoyed him ripping Roberts a new one. Anyway, back to the topic at hand - the entire county is paying for what, 4,000 people to ride this thing? I think I have it about right. Meanwhile, costs for the new lines are already jumping. I fully intend to stock a cooler full of beer, get some popcorn, and set up a lawn chair to watch the crews build a bridge over Harris Blvd. That's going to be hilarious to watch.

The Wachovia Situation

2008-10-05T14:46:00.000-04:00

It's been a week since Wachovia's been on the block to be bought, and I waited initially to see what happened, then schoolwork took over, then the bailout passed and I got really drunk for a few days, then Wells Fargo stepped in and snuck past Citigroup for the company, then Citi filed a lawsuit.

I need to take a breath.

Once the FDIC and the feds let Citi bitch and moan for a little while, they'll pull out of this deal and let WB and WF go through with their merger. The Wells deal is clearly better for all involved. The landscape of Charlotte will be changing soon. What happens? Who knows. Here's a crazy thought, maybe the county commissioners and the city council will stop spending so much money we don't actually have.

Hah, just kidding.

Even More Bailout Talk

2008-10-01T00:44:00.001-04:00

BB&T's terrific CEO John Allison on Bloomberg TV a few days ago. Nevermind the idiot anchor, who doesn't let him finish his thoughts. Oh well.

More On The Bailout: Ron Paul Speaks

2008-09-29T22:28:00.000-04:00

Hope For Capitalism Yet?

2008-09-29T19:36:00.001-04:00

Needless to say, I was quite surprised - and happy - to see the bailout bill defeated in the House. The talk will be about how inaction will lead to a depression... you know, the usual media hype and panic that shows blatant disdain and ignorance of free market economics.

Good to see the entire NC delegation voting against the bill, even a few Democrats joined the fray... good for them, although they're the more centrist Democrats in Congress.

What I hope people see is that government intervention and government meddling in the market led us here, and more government intervention and meddling won't lead us toward the solution. Quasi-socialism or actual socialism from Hank Paulson and this administration will only exacerbate problems down the road.

Looking at the rest of the week, George Stephanopoulos lays out 4 options, so this thing isn't completely done yet. Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor still wants to fix it while Nancy Pelosi continues to look like a complete bitch on the House floor.

From The "You've Got To Be Kidding Me" Dept.

2008-09-24T12:50:00.000-04:00

PETA wants Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream to use... human breast milk?

Really?

Steve Schmidt Owns The Media Today

2008-09-22T22:35:00.000-04:00

From ABC

"Let's be clear and be honest with each other about something fundamental to this race, which is this," Schmidt said in a conference call. "Whatever the New York Times once was, it is today, not by any standard, a journalistic organization. It is a pro-Obama advocacy organization that, every day attacks the McCain campaign, attacks Sen. McCain, attacks Gov. Palin, and excuses Sen. Obama."

Schmidt said that "there's no level of public vetting with regard to Sen. Obama's record, his background, his past statements. There's no level of outrage directed at his deceitful ads. This is an organization that is completely, totally, 150 percent in the tank for the Democratic candidate, which is their prerogative to be. But let's not be dishonest and call it something other than what it is."

Schmidt added that "everything that is read in the New York Times that attacks this campaign should be evaluated by the American people from that perspective: that it is an organization that has made a decision to cast aside its journalistic integrity and tradition, to advocate for the defeat of one candidate -- in this case, John McCain -- and to advocate for the election of the other candidate, Barack Obama."

Wow. I like this guy more and more each day.

Elizabeth Dole Still In Trouble

2008-09-21T21:44:00.000-04:00

The newest PPP poll shows Kay Hagan still leading Elizabeth Dole by 5 points. The reasons? There are several. Of the 3 major statewide candidates (President, Governor, Senate) Dole is probably the weakest compared to John McCain and Pat McCrory. The problem is that Dole simply hasn't done enough in her time in the Senate to make an impression, hence the reason she is losing in a race she should be winning. More than ever, it's time for Dole to counter the DSCC and it's douchebag leader Chuck Schumer and point out Hagan's record isn't very good. Hagan brags about balancing the NC budget, yet that's not an accomplishment - it's Constitutionally required. There are some other holes to expose as well, which they're doing in pointing out Hagan and her husband own oil wells in the Midwest. I sincerely doubt Hagan really supports any sort of drilling.

Most of all, I think Republicans, indys, and generally everyone else who dislikes leftist politics and socialists in the Senate need to realize Hagan won't have an independent voice. The DSCC has sponsored her campaign and she'll be beholden to their efforts to turn the country into a European welfare state, a direction we're already heading.

The New United States Economy

2008-09-18T00:07:00.000-04:00

From Merriam-Webster.

Main Entry:
so·cial·ism

Pronunciation:
\ˈsō-shə-ˌli-zəm\
Function:
noun
Date:
1837

1: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
2 a: a system of society or group living in which there is no private property
b: a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state
3: a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done

So, let's see... in the last few months, the Federal Government has...
1. Engineered the sale of Bear Sterns at taxpayer cost
2. Taken over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and instantly doubling the debt
3. Taken an 80% stake in AIG

Does the free market exist in the United States anymore?

Have Fun At This Site

2008-09-17T22:04:00.000-04:00

Living Room Candidate

A good timewaster. Also get a sense of how ads have evolved, it includes ones from this year too.

This one is my favorite:

Pat McCrory Dominates Bev Perdue In Another Debate

2008-09-10T23:39:00.000-04:00

Pat McCrory debated Bev Perdue last night, and it wasn't even close. Perdue has a very annoying habit of bringing false issues and trying to frame them on her opponent, but it falls flat when she is pressed and called out for her answers - she doesn't really answer them. I commend the anchors from WRAL on this.

In much the same way the McCain camp uses humor to mock Obama, McCrory seems amused at Perdue's anwers and strongly states his positions. This was true on every topic: offshore drilling, education, third-party ads, and so forth.

The Easley trick of 2000 with vochers is really frustrating to watch. She deliberately mis-states what McCrory's position is and then tries to tell him what he thinks. That's a really, really bad debate tactic.

Two recent polls showed the race moving towards McCrory. Survey USA showed him up 49% to 41%, although that poll seems to have been a little skewed. In a new PPP poll, Perdue was at 41 % and McCrory at 40%. Considering there has been anywhere from a 3% to 8% gap from them, an insignificant 1% shows clear movement in the direction of McCrory.

I'm looking forward to seeing this race in the final two months. The trend if going towards McCrory, but it's not over yet.

Here is the video of the debate, it's worth watching if you haven't seen it yet.

2nd Gubernatorial Debate - TONIGHT

2008-09-09T03:14:00.000-04:00

This one is going to be as close to a statewide debate as it gets, with the debate being shown in nearly every market across the state. Go to Dome to see what stations it'll be airing on in your area. Here in Charlotte, it says it'll be on live at 7 PM on WMYT (My Network TV) and WSOC (Channel 9) with re-airs on WJZY (CW 46, home of the best newscast IMO w/ Molly Grantham) at 11 PM and once again on WSOC at 1:05 AM.

Bev Perdue will need to step her game up after an atrocious performance a few weeks ago, and Pat McCrory needs to keep hammering home the themes that have been working and showing the contrast in this race.

ICYMI: Newt Gingrich Eviscerates MSNBC Reporter On Convention Floor

2008-09-08T23:55:00.000-04:00

I heard the audio today on Jeff Katz, and found the video tonight... it's great. Newt defends Sarah Palin while crushing Barack Obama. Take the hint and push it, McCainiacs...

Death Row Inmate Supports Death Penalty Moratorium... Who Knew?

2008-09-08T00:31:00.000-04:00

Hat tip to Melissa for this one:

In the News & Observer today, an inmate convicted of killing 2 Charlotte police officers in 1993 supports the death penalty moratorium. Is that a surprise? My question is, why is he still alive to begin with? He committed the heinous acts in '93, convicted in '94, and still sits on death row in 2008?

My only wish is that he would already be put to death instead of getting a new round of attention.

Kay Hagan Won't Answer Questions On Offshore Drilling

2008-09-05T21:02:00.000-04:00

Today, Kay Hagan appeared on the campus of UNC Charlotte (hey, I go there) to talk with students. Being a student and avid political junkie, I thought it would be fun to show up and ask Kay a few questions. Yeah, about that.....

I told Kay straight up I was a registered Republican and admittedly not satisfied with Elizabeth Dole's job performance in the last 6 years. I asked why I should vote for her. Her response was what you'd expect, she touted her time as State Senator and balancing budgets (that is a Constitutional requirement, btw), focusing on jobs and economy (though not giving any specifics), and what she has really been hammering home, that she will be around (fair point, I guess).

At this time, I would venture to guess that there were only 15-18 people around the table. Most were either College Democrats or campaign aides. I asked Kay what her opinion on offshore drilling was. Boy, I was tossed aside like an empty Mountain Dew bottle on a backroad. It was quite strange, to be honest. She had one aide grab her on the arm to pull her in a different direction. Another that stood by her side gets next to be to say that she apparently supports the "Gang of 10" legislation. Thinking I was ignorant, he explained that it was. Yes, I know what it is. I oppose it because it doesn't go far enough. The Gang of 10 only allows drilling in a few more states in the south, not the west coast, and leaves ANWR out of the question.

That was my experience with Kay Hagan. She has a nice little 2 minute stump speech, but getting her to explain specifics - that's not what she's about.

New McCrory Ad

2008-08-31T19:26:00.000-04:00

Straightforward and to the point: jobs, jobs, jobs.

A Lot to Love About Sarah Palin

2008-08-30T23:24:00.001-04:00

The McCain campaign pulled off an announcement nothing short of brilliant.

Throughout the summer, the duo of Sarah Palin and Bobby Jinal, young conservative governors looked as future stars of the movement, were mentioned as longshot candidates for VP. Most (myself included) thought it would have been one of the better-known names: Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty. My longshot choice was Mark Sanford of South Carolina. It was this time I decided I needed to know who these guys were... these longshots. I was instantly impressed with Palin and moreso than Jindal. Even so, I thought their prospects to eventually run in 2012 or 2016 would be pretty good. They're both reformers that have taken on the establishment in their governments and brought about needed changes. In this area, the edge goes to Palin - not only did she defeat an incumbent Governor in a primary, but she has also backed other candidates in efforts to bring about changes. Her support of Sean Parnell over Don Young was big, and hopefully the result there gets changed somehow. I despise people like Don Young. In much the same way Sanford took on South Carolina's GOP establishment as Governor, Palin has done the same in Alaska. Those are solid chops.

More recently, Palin asserted herself into the energy debate. The Governor of Alaska supports drilling and drilling in ANWR, in her state. Yet federal regulations keep companies from doing that. Again, that's a shame. This issue won't go away and Palin could persuade a lot of people that may be on the fence. She's pro-life, and fervently pro-life. For all of liberals' assertions about what women want, here is a woman that has 5 kids, and as everyone knows by now, her latest son has Downs syndrome. Her doctor asked about an abortion: she said no. Palin is an outdoor girl, too. She hunts, fishes, and backs the 2nd amendment more than most male candidates I've seen. She is also attractive. Very, very attractive. Sure as hell beats what you usually get on the campaign trail.

That brings me to what I think is the best quality of Sarah Palin: she is a woman. She is a woman in the sense that she loves being a woman, and she doesn't try to be a man in what is predominantly a man's world. She eschews the pantsuits for the jacket and skirt. She doesn't hide what makes her a woman. She married her high school sweetheart and still cooks for her family. That is big. There are millions of women who need someone like Sarah Palin as a role model. People on the left say Sarah Palin isn't Hillary Clinton. They're right. Sarah Palin is much, much better than Hillary Clinton. Sarah Palin is a woman.... a real woman.

McCain Campaign Finally Got Serious

2008-08-25T19:06:00.000-04:00

John McCain was not my first choice to be President. He wasn't my second choice, either. Hell, I would've supported most any Republican other than him to be President. McCain enjoyed sticking his finger in the eyes of conservatives. He enjoyed working with the other side just a little too much. Somehow, he pulled off the nomination thanks to a perfect storm of Rudy Giuliani's faltering, Fred Thompson's inability to campaign effectively, and Mike Huckabee's siphoning off the vote that likely would have gone to Mitt Romney. By the time Romney found his real voice by focusing on the economy, it was too late. I was at CPAC when he folded up his campaign, and I was heartbroken. I watched the much-anticipated speech given by McCain, and I didn't stand up. I didn't clap. I knew I'd probably vote for McCain, but I wanted to be angry for a while. Eventually, that passed and I even voted for McCain in the meaningless primary.

Still, I wasn't overly excited about McCain or the campaign he was running. The Hillary/Barack battle took up the majority of attention, but McCain didn't do anything worthy of note and that allowed those two to dominate the media attention. By default most Republicans came around to McCain, but two groups still sat on the sidelines: conservatives and independents. McCain and his team thought they could win by doing things the unorthodox way. They had no central campaign office. McCain went to urban areas and places he knew wouldn't vote for him. Yeah, that made a lot of sense. Yet in the last month or so, the McCain campaign got serious. Gone was the self-deprecating crap on the website. He started talking issues, particularly offshore drilling. Most of all, he dared to criticize Barack Obama. The results have paid off in spades. For the first time in this cycle, McCain has a legitimate chance to win this election. Obama can't move his poll numbers upward anymore, and they're going downward. McCain is ascendant and he finally has that energy in the grassroots that lacked for so long. Conservatives came around to him, particularly because of his honest answers at the Rick Warren Forum and his relentless pounding of what makes a conservative candidate in 2008: offshore drilling, low taxes, originalist judges, and tough diplomacy. An underrated aspect of his campaign has been the recentralization (if that's a word?) to his Alexandria, VA office and the hiring of people experienced in the top-down campaign. He has a clear message throughout the country to dominate the headlines, and still tailors aspects to the battleground states when necessary.

McCain will most likely choose Romney or Tim Pawlenty as his VP. The important thing will be to not overthink the pick and blow all his momentum by choosing Joe Lieberman or Tom Ridge. They are solid cabinet guys, but don't belong on the ticket. I'm glad this campaign finally got serious about beating Obama. It's about time, and they just may pull it off.

Gubernatorial Debate - TONIGHT

2008-08-19T18:18:00.000-04:00

Pat McCrory and Bev Perdue will debate tonight on WTVD out of Durham. I don't know if it'll air statewide, but I think there will either be a webcast of the debate or the video itself going up by tomorrow.

Perusing the Polls

2008-08-13T22:41:00.000-04:00

Two North Carolina Gubernatorial polls were released this week, each showing Bev Perdue with a small lead over Pat McCrory. That may change soon, though, if a new ad released by McCrory is factored in. I like the ad myself - it hammers home McCrory's strengths, and provides the contrast needed with Perdue. At this point in the race, people still remember her name more than McCrory's. That will shift into November, but the onus will be on the McCrory camp to establish his credentials enough to make people vote for him.

Here is the ad:

Does Bev Perdue prefer Roxy or Rainbows?

2008-08-13T15:31:00.000-04:00

Because she just flip-flopped big time on offshore drilling.

Why, just in June, she was "100 percent opposed" to offshore drilling... she wouldn't change her mind because of what polls say, would she?

Of course she would.

Perdue has made a career out of being an empty pantsuit. Her handlers in Raleigh and points east know that better than anyone.

Think about this the next time you drive in North Carolina

2008-08-05T17:24:00.000-04:00

A recent study done by the Reason Foundation showed some disturbing rankings for NC.

The state ranked 41st in bridge deficiencies and to top that off, the state ranks 48th in urban interstate congestion. That, I'm afraid, is pathetic. The NCDOT has been asleep at the wheel for years, as the data reaches back to 1984. The state has, not surprisingly, been controlled by Democrats the overwhelming majority of the time. So, what to do about this? Electing Pat McCrory as Governor would be a good start. Since he entered the race back in January, McCrory made revamping the DOT and implementing a 50-year transportation plan a centerpiece of his campaign. Obviously, McCrory is well-aware of the sorry condition of what used to be good roads. My hope is that voters here in NC recognize what McCrory brings: vision, leadership, and an outsider's credentials versus what Bev Perdue is guaranteed to bring: the same old people in the same old positions, doing the same bad jobs they've done since Jim Hunt and Mike Easley were elected.

Mic check

2008-08-04T15:57:00.000-04:00

Testing 1 2 3... mic check.