Archive for the ‘Government (Public) Schools’ Category

Support AFP, especially in North Carolina!

This week, the North Carolina Chapter of Americans for Prosperity (AFP-North Carolina) announced its Legislative Goals for the 2013-14 legislative biennium. The Regular Session convened briefly on January 9th to adopt rules and organize the session but will reconvene on Wednesday, January 30th.

When it comes to advancing the free market agenda, no state has a better opportunity this year than North Carolina. We believe that we have a genuine opportunity to unleash the entrepreneurial spirit in North Carolina with lower taxes and regulations to make government less entangling and burdensome to North Carolinians. We will aggressively promote the opportunities of cheaper energy, quality educational choices, leaner and less burdensome government, and lower taxes.

Please remember that AFP deals only with issues of economic freedom, school choice, and property rights. There are other important issues that face North Carolinians which fall outside of our mission.

We hope you will stand with us once again to promote the following goals:

• Passage of the state budget without tax increases;
• Lower overall tax burden in North Carolina;
• Support for Constitutional Spending Limits that could include: Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR) that would limit government spending to the increase in population and inflation and/or legislative supermajority requirement to raise taxes;
• Keeping North Carolina as a “Right-to-work State,” by implementing it into the state constitution along with the state’s ban on public employee collective bargaining;
• Dedicating all North Carolina Education Lottery revenue to school construction; or support ending all state-run gambling;
• Elimination of North Carolina’s Estate Tax – also called the “Death Tax”;
• Promotion of legislation that allows for the exploration and production of North Carolina’s energy resources;
• Advocating a “rollback” of North Carolina’s Renewable Portfolio Standard;
• Blocking the creation of a North Carolina Healthcare Exchange;
• Allowing the purchase of health insurance from any state;
• Passage of legislation to get the state of North Carolina out of the liquor business;
• Ending all “welfare for politicians,” known as taxpayer-funded elections;
• Protecting free and political speech rights by deregulating campaign speech;
• Ending the Golden Leaf Foundation;
• Converting the Tax Credit for Children with Disabilities into a refundable tax credit;
• Increasing the number of non-public school choice options available to parents;
• Repeal of the corporate income tax and elimination of all corporate welfare;
• Simplifying and lowering individual income taxes;
• Promoting the elimination of redundant committees and commissions in order to shrink the size of government in North Carolina;
• Expanding recently passed tort reforms, including “loser pays”; and
• In general, greatly reducing the regulatory burden on businesses and citizens.

Katy is thankful she chose life.

After years of fighting for their rights, pro-life students have finally been given full recognition by the administration at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.  Tuesday, KCC learned that the leadership at the university “changed course” and “ finally agreed to recognize a student pro-life group that has been having trouble with college officials”.

Steven Ertelt, writing for the ProLifeNews.com, has the full story.

Two weeks after members of Make Up Your Own Mind filed suit against the school, the pro-life organization, affiliated with the Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center, finally ended its year-long battle to gain official status and be allowed to choose leaders based on their pro-life views rather than opening themselves up to abortion advocates.

“We have apologized to [the organization] for the delay in determining their status and notified them that we are granting the organization recognition,” university spokeswoman Helen Dennison Hebert wrote in an email.

Read the interesting details here. This great news for this publicly funded state university.

Editor’s Note: Just a few years ago, during near the beginning of the Iraq war, liberal students there held a “die-in” to protest this nation’s involvement. KCC wrote at the time that they should go back to class so they can “graduate and get off the dole that is your public education.”

Anyone attending a state university in North Carolina pays very little for it, compared to the true cost. They may “believe” they pay, but that money is only a token of what the true cost is. Additionally, out-of-state students can get a better “deal” for themselves here in North Carolina that they can as an in-state student in their own state. But that’s another matter.

Congratulations to the Pro-lifers at UNC-Greensboro. Cheers to a fight well won!

Obama's Team is always ready and willing to help...themselves.

From a Washington Report, courtesy of Smart Girl Politics:

(WASHINGTON) – President Barack Obama recently halted the implementation of a controversial job-killing regulation from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), saying he recognized the “importance of reducing regulatory burdens and regulatory uncertainty” in the economy.

While the President has spoken about, and even launched an effort to evaluate regulations that create unnecessary burdens, agencies in the Obama Administration have regulated in the opposite direction.

Spotlighting these regulatory failures and impacts on job creation is the focus of a newly released report and hearing held Wednesday by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

“The federal regulatory process is broken, being manipulated and exploited in ways that benefit allies of the Obama Administration such as environmental groups, trial lawyers, and unions.

Regulators have, in too many instances, been willing accomplices in the strategy advanced by outside interest groups to circumvent the oversight and accountability checks in the regulatory process,” Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) said.

 The report released by Chairman Issa and the Oversight Committee documents a flawed and broken system that punishes job creators and stifles economic growth.  Key findings include:

·         The number of full time regulatory employees is expected to reach an all-time high of 291,676 in 2012;

·         The Obama Administration has already imposed 75 new major regulations that will cost more than $380 billion over ten years;

·         The Administration has 219 economically significant regulations in the pipeline right now—that, if finalized will impose costs of at least $219 billion on the economy over ten years.

In addition, the report outlines  numerous examples in the rule making process where federal agencies and regulators ignored, circumvented or openly flouted direction given by the President.

It spotlighted EPA’s sue-and-settle approach to bypass the process and avoid transparency on a recent lead paint rule with dire consequences for job creators; abuse of the emergency rule making process and use of ‘interim final rules’ regarding Obamacare, causing health plans to lose grandfathered status; and, an ‘enhanced review process’ initiated by EPA of a Clean Water Act provision in violation of the Administrative Procedures Act, among others.

“The businesses owners and workers who bear the brunt of these regulations are not Fortune 500 executives, they are main street business owners and workers from around the country,” Issa said.  “These firms, their families, suppliers, customers and employees all bear the cost of these new and proposed regulations.  For them and businesses around the country, the price is greater than just compliance—it is a hidden tax of uncertainty on our economy,” he added.

Beyond the costs and implications for job creators from regulations, the Oversight Committee eport also pointed out that the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), the federal agency charged with serving as a watchdog over federal rule making, has failed to take meaningful action to address the breakdown in the process. (Editor’s Note: Your blogger didn’t even know there was such an office. She hopes our next president puts this agency on the chopping block, along with the Federal Department of Education.)

“Thus far, the rhetoric we have seen from the Obama Administration on the issue of regulatory reform has not been matched in deed,” Issa said.

A copy of the Committee’s report is here and testimony and other hearing-related information is available here.

Obama at NC State, Copyright WRAL http://www.wral.com

President Barack Obama visited Apex, North Carolina on Wednesday, trying to sell his jobs bill to a hand-picked small business.  The owner, Erv Portman, is an Obama donor, a Democrat, and a Wake County commissioner in a fight for re-election.

After the President’s speech in Apex, his motorcade drove down I-40 into Raleigh, onto the campus of N.C. State University.  He arrived at a nearly packed Reynolds auditorium, where 24 years ago this month, President Ronald Reagan visited.  Your blogger was in the house that day, along with Senator Jesse Helms and a number of conservative notables.  She remembers it being “wall to wall people”, something that didn’t appear to be on television today.

Twenty-four years ago, President Reagan drew a much larger audience than did President Obama.  Four large, industrial air conditioners were brought in to cool the huge crowd.  Even so, a number of people passed out from the heat.  Mr. Reagan even took off his jacket, revealing his bulletproof vest underneath his shirt, which was soaked through.

Wednesday, President Obama claimed that his jobs program would be paid for via higher taxes on the wealthiest taxpayers.  Meanwhile, these people already pay the bulk of our taxes and are our major job creators.

He now wants to tax them further so that the government can provide another “stimulus” of money into our state and others.  He even went so far as to promise the collegiate audience summer jobs.  Additionally, he promised more teachers and a $1300 “to the average working family”.

Since we are all working families, your blogger wonders who he is trying to push off his class warfare language on?

He then tried to sound like a conservative.  He promised that the government would live within its means and began his “blame Bush” tactics when he said that we had lived too well “these last ten years”.

Yet, Obama said “a lot of THEM don’t get it,” referring to Republicans, and added “Raleigh needs people who can put country before party.”  Believe us, Mr. President, Raleigh has these leaders and we plan to vote you and Governor Beverly Perdue, right out of office in 2012.

The President gave his students a homework assignment.  He told them to put on their marching boots and get to work contacting their members of Congress, “even writing a letter”.

We appreciate your orders Mr. President.  KCC will certainly follow up.  We will contact our Congressman and urge that he vote AGAINST this expensive and unnecessary jobs bill.  Have a pleasant flight to back to Washington.  There is a community on the south side of Chicago that is missing its organizer right now.

Word on the street is, that in setting up this visit, the President first tried to rent out a Wake County school.   An advance team contacted General Anthony Tata, Supt of Public Instruction for Wake County, gave them the thumbs down.  The White House then went looking for higher education.  Your blogger assumes that Tata didn’t want anyone exploiting Wake County school children for political gain, and KCC applauds him for his actions.

Editor’s note:  The President was very careful to stay on message and avoid using the “s” word.  He didn’t want to be associated with either of the two failed stimulus acts.

Your blogger’s husband is a double alumnus of NC State University, having both undergraduate and graduate degrees in electrical engineering and minors in math.

Let's Veto Beverly Perdue in 2012

Here we go again. Governor Beverly Perdue continued to mark up good legislation with her red veto stamp. She ignored the will of the people of this state and ran roughshod over legislation that a bipartisan and duly elected legislature crafted together and overwhelmingly passed.

And she vetoed bills, such as the Regulatory Reform Act and the Energy Jobs Act —  an action that will kill jobs at a time when the state economy has lost 100,000 jobs over a two-year period. The Regulatory Reform Act actually hadunanimous support in the Senate because it was a common-sense bill that eliminated cumbersome and unclear regulations that had created uncertainty for businesses.

On Thursday, she vetoed 4 bills –all had passed in the House and Senate either unanimously or with very solid majorities.

She did not even have the guts to sign into law the hugely bi-partisan Tax Credits for Special Needs Children Bill and the Annexation Reform Bill – but allowed them to become law by simply not addressing them prior to today’s deadline.

It is a shame that the voters worked so hard to get real change at the legislature, begged for regulatory and tax relief and common-sense legislation—only to have Governor Perdue arrogantly use the veto 15 times this session.

You can be sure that AFP will be at the legislature building when it opens again later this summer and early fall, trying to come up with the votes to override these vetoes.

And we know you will be right there to help us – calling and emailing your legislators or visiting them on Jones Street.

Just look at some of the great, AFP-supported legislation that Governor Perdue vetoed this year:

Budget with zero tax increases         VETO Overridden

Medical Malpractice Reform              VETO

Individual Opt-out of Obamacare       VETO

Stop Government from taking union dues from teacher paycheck                                           VETO

Requiring a photo ID to vote               VETO

Regulatory Reform                              VETO

Energy Jobs Act                                 VETO

With your help, we got some good laws passed this year, too.

• Removed cap on charter schools
• Tort Reform for Businesses and Citizens
• Repealed Land Transfer Tax
• Tax Relief for Small Businessman
• Workmen’s Comp Reform
• Regulated Local Government Competition with Private Business
• Annexation Reform
• Tax Credits for Special Needs Children

The North Carolina Americans for Prosperity works for us!

However, we have our work cut out for us in trying to undo the damage Governor Perdue created with her veto stamp. We hope we can count on you to help us override these vetoes when the legislature convenes again later this summer.

Sincerely,

Dallas Woodhouse
North Carolina State Director
Americans for Prosperity

But it takes money to fight. Won’t you help the AFP NC  fight Governor Perdue and her bad policy decisions by sending $25, $50 or $100 today? The AFP needs us all.  This is your blogger’s favorite group and the one she works most closely with.  Let’s keep pushing to get the message out on radio and television. Join KCC and please donate today.

The following is the latest North Carolina Legislative Report by Brenda T. Formo.  She writes on behalf of the North Carolina Federation of Republican Women.  Your blogger is a member of that organization and has exclusive permission  to reproduce these legislative reports.

Editor’s Note:  Bolding (other editing) done by the blogger and not by the writer. As requested by the writer, all original content included.  Please note sources cited. KCC appreciates the writer’s extensive research and reporting.

Here is the current edition of the North Carolina Federation of Republican Women (NCFRW) Legislative Report, written and edited by Brenda T. Formo.  This is posted with permission, as is.  It’s an excellent roundup and your blogger looks forward to receiving it each week.

If you are interested in joining your local club, please check this page for more information.  (You must have a PDF reader installed on your machine.)

US House of Representatives

Continuing Resolution

On Friday, Feb 11 the House Appropriations Committee released a Continuing Resolution (CR) for the 2011 fiscal year budget which is expected to be voted on this week.  Republicans have cut $100 billion from the CR.

Patriot Act

On Feb 14, 2011 the final vote was taken on HR 514, “To extend expiring provisions of the USA Patriot Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 and Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 relating to access to business records, individual terrorists as agents of foreign powers, and roving wiretaps until December 8, 2011.”  The bill passed with a vote of 275 to 144 with 14 not voting.

NC Representatives voting for the bill:  G.K. Butterfield (D-1^st), Renee Ellmers (R-2^nd), Walter B. Jones, Jr.(R-3^rd), Virginia Foxx (R-5^th), Howard Coble (R-6^th), Mike McIntyre (D-7th), Larry Kissell (D-8^th), Sue Myrick (R-9^th), Patrick T. McHenry (R-10^th), Heath Shuler (D-11^th), and Brad Miller (D-13^th).

NC Representatives voting against the bill: David E. Price (D-4^th) and Melvin L. Watt (D-12^th).

United Nations Tax Equalization Refund Act

On Feb 9, 2011 the House voted on HR 519, a motion to suspend the rules and pass the “United Nations Tax Equalization Refund Act.”  The bill was to “establish as United States policy that the United Nations should return $179 million overpaid into the U.N. Tax Equalization Fund as of Dec. 31, 2009, and that the U.S. should press the U.N. to change its fund assessment procedures to reduce discrepancies.” (MegaVote)  The vote failed, which required a two-thirds majority, in a vote of 259 to 169 with 6 not voting.

NC Representatives voting for the refund bill: Renee Ellmers (R-2^nd), Walter B. Jones, Jr. (R-3^rd), Virginia Foxx (R-5^th), Howard Coble (R-6^th), Mike McIntyre (D-7th), Larry Kissell (D-8^th), Sue Myrick (R-9^th), Patrick T. McHenry (R-10^th), and Heath Shuler (D-11^th).

NC Representatives voting against the refund bill: G.K. Butterfield (D-1^st), David E. Price (D-4^th), Melvin L. Watt (D-12^th), and Brad Miller (D-13^th).

House Rules Committee

On Feb 14, 2011, the House of Representatives’ Rules Committee voted to “shut down Rep Steve King’s ability to offer an amendment to completely defund Obamacare on the continuing resolution to fund the government through the end of the year,” according to Erick Erickson at RedState, a conservative internet (sic) site.  Erickson says that the Republicans lost a “prime opportunity” to “shut down Obamacare with its historic ‘power of the purse’” because the continuing resolution is a “must-pass bill.”  Erickson stresses that Republicans should “force the Democrats to use political capital to get the provision out of the bill in the Senate.”

NCGOP Chairman, Robin Hayes provided an articulate response emphasizing that Republicans want less tax, less spending, and less regulation.  Predictably, the Democrat party Chairman David Parker blamed the NC fiscal problems on President Bush as opposed to Democrat spending decisions.

Sources:

Investors.com, “Editorial:  Obama’s Gutless Budget Proposal, Feb 14, 2011;

Support Capitalism

Heritage Action for America: U.S. House Proposal Leaves $42 Billion On the Table by Dan Holler

Remove the Cap on Charter Schools in North Carolina by Dallas Woodhouse, Americans for Prosperity NC

Conservative leaders Tout School Choice at Raleigh Event Carolina Journal TV

Judge holds Interior Dept. in civil contempt for continuing drill moratorium Conservative Outlooks

Stay Informed on NC Legislation with Bill Tracker Civitas Institute

Voter Registration Changes in NC Civitas’ Carolina Transparency

Obama Administration Covering Up Abortion Data RedState by Erick Erickson

Your blogger’s friend, Brenda T. Formo, volunteers diligently following both the U.S. Congress and the North Carolina General Assembly,  to provide updates for the membership of the North Carolina Federation of Republican Women (NCFRW).  That group, which includes your blogger, is active in electing Republicans statewide.  They host legislative days, as well as visits for their members to visit the North Carolina Congressional delegation in Washington.

They also visit troops and families at the Fisher Houses, help the USO, and a number of other needed tasks.

To find out more, find a local club near you.

The AFP is working for you in North Carolina!

I wanted to share with you the AFP-NC legislative agenda for 2011. What primarily guides this agenda is a belief in the free-market and that the individual should have the maximum freedom possible to pursue the American Dream.

In keeping with this agenda, AFP-NC will be producing a 2011 Legislative Report Card. AFP-NC grassroots members will identify key House and Senate votes that have a significant impact on promoting free-market competition, lowering taxes, restraining state spending, and protecting property rights.

AFP-NC 2011 Legislative Agenda:

• Pass a budget with ZERO tax increases
• Allow temporary sales and income taxes to sunset as planned
• Repeal ¼-cent sales and land transfer tax
• Require any referendum to take place on an even- year November General Election
• Increase the number of public charter schools and other school choice options
available to parents
• Promote the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) that would limit government
spending
• Promote an amendment requiring a supermajority to raise taxes
• Eliminate corporate welfare (incentives) and adjust the corporate rate from 2% to 3%
• Protect private property
• Support a Constitutional Amendment to stop eminent domain abuse
• Stop forced municipal annexation
• Stop excessive property tax increases that threatens homes & businesses
• Dedicate all lottery revenue to school construction
• Repeal “Senate Bill 3”which raised energy costs and hurt families
• End all “welfare for politicians” known as taxpayer funded elections
• Protect free and political speech rights by deregulating campaign speech
• Pass a Session Limit Amendment
• End the Golden Leaf Foundation
• Keep North Carolina a “Right to Work” state
• Protect government employees from Unions having access to pay checks
• Protect taxpayers from public employee strikes and work stoppages
• Support a State Constitutional Amendment to protect workers’ rights to secret
ballot elections
• Pass Texas-style tort and lawsuit reform
• Greatly reduce the regulatory burden on business and citizens

We welcome any and all feedback on our goals and efforts.
Please feel free to contact Dallas Woodhouse at 919-839-1011 ext. 3 or atDallas.Woodhouse@afphq.org

If you would like to donate to help us promote this agenda, please click here.
Thank you again for your continuing support as we work to fight for free-market and individual liberties!

Sincerely,

Dallas Woodhouse
North Carolina State Director
Americans for Prosperity