Archive for the ‘NC Conservatives’ Category

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!

Smart Girl Politics Action

By Alissa Bonk, Smart Girl Political Action

Republican Congresswoman Ann Marie Buerkle from New York’s 25th District has been ranked the most conservative woman in the House.  She is wildly popular among pro-life groups, and her strong stance against government spending has earned her a Club for Growth rating of 92, a full 24 points higher than the next best rating in NY.  Rep. Buerkle is a strong, independent, female conservative — the kind that the Republican Party sorely needs in Washington.

So naturally, the New York State Party is intentionally redistricting her out of her seat. Their own, self-drawn map places Rep. Buerkle in a nearly impossible electoral situation.

Anyone who is familiar with the New York Republican establishment shouldn’t be too surprised by this.

In 2009, the state GOP forced the liberal, pro-union, pro-choice Dede Scozzafava onto the Republican ticket in the NY-09 special election, causing a third-party rebellion within the conservative movement that led to Scozzafava’s withdrawal from the race and endorsement of the Democrat over the conservative candidate.

In 2010, the establishment tried to hoist candidate, Rick Lazio, onto the GOP gubernatorial ticket – only to result in yet another voter revolt that put Carl Paladino on the ballot, a candidate who went down in flames in November.

This time, instead of forcing a flawed candidate onto the ticket, the state GOP is trying to redistrict a good one – a great one, actually – out of contention, simply because she won’t play ball with the Albany old boys club.

Luckily, the conservative movement is identifying this for what it is – an attempt to get an independent-minded, strong female conservative out of the establishment’s way – straight out of the gate.

Congressman Jim Jordan (R-OH), head of the Republican Study Committee, has already said he will fully support Buerkle in her primary fight against any challenger, even if it means defeating a Republican incumbent in a different district. The Chairman of the Onandaga County GOP, located within Buerkle’s district, has announced his support as well.

In fact, the conservative outcry has reached the ears of real conservative voices like Erick Erickson, who recently criticized the “tone deaf” state party and urged other conservatives to start paying attention to the unfolding fiasco.

The Republican Party should be applauding and encouraging strong conservative women to run for office and fight for fiscal sanity in Washington. Instead, the New York State GOP wants to redistrict them out of existence. Hopefully, conservatives – especially us (sic) conservative women – will recognize this shameful move for what it is, and put pressure on Albany to keep Rep. Buerkle in Congress. The GOP, and the country, needs her there.

Please check out my Op-Ed posted on The Daily Caller and leave a comment of support for the Congresswoman.    We need strong conservative women representing us in Congress.

Alyssa Bonk
SGPA Communication Team

Editor’s Notes:  Not too many years ago, something similar happened in the North Carolina State House.  The Citizens of the old North State elected a Republican majority, in spite of the Democrat party’s gerrymandering.  The GOP Seniority system was set and the people destined to take their places in leadership positions prepared to do so.

Along came a state representative and longtime party activist, Richard Morgan of Moore County.  He scared up eight of his best pals and brokered a “power-sharing” agreement with the Democrats, and setting up a “co-speakership” in the State House of Representatives.   Co-Speakership?  What happened to the GOP majority that had just been elected?  Morgan”s pals shared key committee chairmanships and the Republicans who had worked so hard were left with little.

How did it work?  Like a broken clock.

Two years later, the Democrats were voted back into the majority and didn’t give it up until 2010, when the anti-Obama wave hit the country and people wanted to go in a different direction.

Two years after his scheme, Richard Morgan was voted out of office, with the support of many from Wake and surrounding counties, including Art Pope, a benefactor of conservative and libertarian causes.  The others were “hunted down” voted out, too by recruiting good candidates.  Such a long story cannot be completely covered here, but thankfully we in North Carolina do not have a short-sighted NCGOP.

Here are a few updates from around North Carolina:

Uber Liberal NC Representative Jennifer Weiss (D-Wake) to retire: Your blogger’s day is made. KCC lived in her district  nearly all the years Weiss “served” and wrote her many letters. Weiss never once listened to a different idea, or one that didn’t come from her socialist playbook. Read Laura Leslie‘s report.

According to Leslie,

This year’s Republican redistricting maps drew her into a GOP-leaning district with a Republican incumbent, Rep. Tom Murry.

NC House Majority Leader, Rep. Paul Stam, wants you to know what the Marriage Amendment will do. It’s on the same ballot as the May primaries and he offers five points for readers to consider.  KCC notes that our liberal friends have been getting most of the mainstream press on this (what’s new?).

Stam argues in part:

Legally Recognizing Only Heterosexual Marriage Isn’t Discrimination Against Homosexuals Wanting To Marry.  Marriage between a man and a woman has existed in virtually every known society. It has served the purpose of channeling procreative sexual activity into an institution which will provide a stable environment for children produced from the sexual union of the partners in marriage.

In a true loss for our state and nation, Congresswoman Sue Myrick (R-NC, 9) will not be running for re-election for her seat in Congress.  Myrick, a former Charlotte Mayor, understands the terrorists threats more than any other member of Congress.  She has organized workshops and worked with a variety of groups in Washington, Charlotte, and Raleigh, to educate and to promote understanding of what the terror threat is, and founded the Congressional Anti-Terrorism Caucus.

Katy’s Conservative Corner wishes Mrs. Myrick our very best and we thank her for her 9 terms serving North Carolina’s ninth district.

Finally, Pat McCrory, likely Republican nominee for Governor, is finishing off his fundraising push after his big announcement week.    He needs any support you can provide.  To donate to McCrory for Governor, please click here and follow the directions.

Rep. Dale Folwell (R-Forsyth) is well liked by both Republicans and Democrats in North Carolina and would be a difficult candidate to defeat in any election.

The big news from the Capitol press corps in Raleigh, Thursday, is that Winston-Salem state Rep. Dale Folwell, won’t run for re-election in 2012.

Laura Leslie of WRAL reported in a Twitter post that the 4-term Republican is double-bunked  in the new legislative maps with fellow GOP member, Larry Brown.  This means they are now in the same district.

Folwell added in a press conference that it “didn’t sway his decision”. Brown is running again, and if Folwell ran, they’d face each other in a primary. Folwell is popular, and your blogger believes that he could  defeat Brown, but was considering higher office anyway.

In fact, Folwell has been considering this action for months now.

He told this blogger he was running for a specific higher office (we won’t share which).

In the presser Thursday, Mark Binker reported that Rep. Folwell is considering running for State Auditor, State Treasurer, or Lt. Governor.

Your blogger suggests he will get in a state race, if and only if:

1.  He believes he can win.

2.  He has or can raise the money to win without putting him in tremendous personal debt.

Whatever race he chooses, this blogger would instantly support him over any other candidate she may have already been considering.  Dale Folwell has been an effective legislator, and has been able to work with both the front and rear of the house.  (In North Carolina, the minority party sits at the rear of the chamber).

We’ll have more on Rep. Folwell coming up soon.

House Majority Leader, Eric Cantor

Monday night, come meet House Majority Leader Eric Cantor as he helps raise funds for freshman sensation, Congresswoman Renee Ellmers.

Congresswoman Ellmers has stood firm for the beliefs for which she was elected and we need to thank her by helping her prepare for her upcoming campaign.

According to the Americans for Prosperity, Democrats are much more likely to donate money to their favorite causes than Republicans and conservatives.  However, for us to win in 2012, we conservatives must let go of more of our hard-earned money and share them with our favorite candidates and causes.

We must educate so that we can win!

The all important vote will be the Unaffiliateds.  After speaking with a number of them, it is clear that we need to educate them on the importance of voting with us in 2012.

Monday night, brings the perfect opportunity to help Rep. Ellmers.  She’ll be at Raleigh’s Angus Barn restaurant with Leader Cantor.  Come out and have a good time!  Full details are below.  Let’s show Rep. Ellmers how much she has meant to us.

Monday, November 21

VIP Reception: 5:00 pm – 5:30 pm

Cocktail Reception: 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

The Angus Barn

9401 Glenwood Avenue

Raleigh, NC

Contribution to Attend:

Host: $2,500  Co-Host: $1,000  Sponsor: $500

Individual: $150

Business Attire

Please RSVP to Sarah Hill Barrington: 919-757-1799 or  sarahhill@reneeforcongress.com

The Civitas Institute has posted the 2011 Statements of Economic Interest (SEIs) for North Carolina legislators on the website, Carolina Transparency.

The Statements of Economic Interest are one of the means by which the public can determine potential conflicts of interest between a legislator’s duty in the General Assembly and their personal financial interests.

The State Government Ethics Act requires the disclosure of financial and personal interests by state legislators and other covered persons.  All SEIs are public records and may be requested by the public.  The form provides a profile of each legislator’s financial interests including: sources of income, real estate owned in North Carolina, ownership of public and private companies, involvement in non-profits, investments, and liabilities. Income from Social Security, federal and military retirement, and capital gains are excluded.

The SEIs include information not just on each legislator, but data on family members residing in the household as well.

This is a resource that you can use to look up your legislators individually and notify the Civitas Institute of interesting things you might find. KCC thanks Civitas for all of their hard work in North Carolina.

Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx (D) won a second term as mayor on Tuesday

It was another big win for the Democrats in North Carolina this year, and a win that Republicans desperately wanted.  Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx won a second term Tuesday, driven largely by the upcoming Democratic National Convention.

According to the Charlotte Observer, Foxx won 67% of the vote, over Republican challenger Scott Stone.  Democrats also took all four of the city council seats that were up for election, making it a clean sweap over the Republican candidates.

Conservatives  wanted  to have the mayoral seat, as a sort of “bully pulpit” in which to welcome the Democrat guests to Charlotte next autumn.   Democrats and other groups out-organized and out-worked the Republicans.  In an election that saw one of the lowest turnouts ever, only 16 %, the liberal groups got their people to the polls, while conservatives did not.

This goes along with some of what was said at the Defending the American Dream Conference, held last weekend in Washington.  The event was sponsored by the Americans for Prosperity, a group founded in North Carolina and greatly disliked by President Barack Obama.

During a breakfast on Saturday morning for the North Carolina delegation, Dallas Woodhouse told the attendees that the opposition is organized for eight, ten, and twenty years out.

Just like the Wake County school board races, held a month ago, there wasn’t just one Democrat office running the efforts, there were four.  Each one was run by a different liberal organization, all working together and trying to undo the progress that members achieved the last two years, when forced busing was removed and the county saw a return to neighborhood schools.

Mayoral Challenger Scott Stone (Credit: The Charlotte Observer)

Republicans, conservatives, and their allies, must get on a track towards the long term, instead of just looking to the next election, then sitting on our laurels.

Sure it’s fun to celebrate victories, but the Democrats have our number.  They don’t like losing either and they have turned those efforts into victory.  This state and nation has much to lose, and gain, in 2012.  Let’s get together, recruit your friends and neighbors and get active.   It’s almost too late.  Join your local conservative group, tea party, or Republican party.

See also: Big labor favor: DNC may replace local workers with out-of-state union labor for convention

by Matthew Boyle at the Daily Caller

 http://dailycaller.com/2011/11/07/big-labor-favor-dnc-may-replace-local-workers-with-out-of-state-union-labor-for-dnc/#ixzz1dE2mS7Rl

Defending the American Dream is this weekend! It's not too late.

It’s that time of year again. Each Fall,   the Americans for Prosperity,  sponsor the Defending the American Dream Summit, and the #Dream11 event is on for this weekend in Washington, DC.

If you’ve never been, you are in for a treat!  Many of the presidential candidates will be there, along with some of the greatest conservative minds ever assembled.

This year’s lineup of CONFIRMED speakers include:

● Mark Levin, Radio Host

● Herman Cain, Businessman and GOP presidential hopeful

● Mitt Romney, GOP presidential hopeful

● Judge Andrew Napolitano, Fox News Senior Judicial Analyst

● Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor of New York City

● Jonah Goldberg, New York Times best selling author

● Dinesh D’Souza, Best selling author

● Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, U.S. House of Representatives

● Andrew Breitbart Conservative commentator and author

● Carly Fiorina, former CEO Hewlett-Packard

● Ken Cuccinelli Virginia Attorney General

● Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, U.S. House of Representatives

● Rep. Andy Harris, U.S. House of Representatives

● Rep. Mike Pompeo, U.S. House of Representatives

● Ann McElhinney Conservative film maker

● James O’Keefe, Conservative film maker

● Bob Bowdon, Conservative film maker

● John Fund, American Spectator

● Grover Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform

● Tim Phillips, AFP Foundation President

● Phil Kerpen, AFP Foundation, VP for Policy

Dream Summit Speakers Include

Also check out the agenda, here, complete with various tracks, so you can get exactly what you are most interested in!

Be sure to register here or if you live in North Carolina, check with the AFPNC group to see if they have space left on their buses and make sure they will be rolling from your area.

The NC bus information is here.  Please call the NC AFP to make sure it’s not too late at 919-839-1011.  Be sure to ask if they can get you a hotel room.

Riding the bus is the very best financial deal and you will have fun talking with your free market friends along the way.  New friends quickly become old friends by the end of the trip.

There are special activities for each state, too.

KCC will be there, as she has at every past Summit, blogging away, bringing it back to those who won’t be able to be there.  Trust us.  There is nothing like being there!   Plus, you’ll be back in time for election day as most of the NC buses only stay Friday night.

KCC is providing her own transportation, which includes a mixture of Amtrak and aircraft, so she can come and go the exact hours she needs to, without having to drive.  But, the bus is loads of fun, too, as your blogger can attest!  The NC AFP staffers take very good care of their passengers and make sure any special needs are taken care of.

If you have a twitter account, follow the hashtag #Dream11 to keep up with the latest and to add your thoughts, too.  People around the globe will be following you.  KCC tweets at http://twitter.com/katys so be sure to follow.   Remember, it’s @katys

More to come from Washington, beginning Thursday evening.  REMEMBER, THIS IS THE GROUP THAT OBAMA “WARNED” US ABOUT.

State Sen. Jim Forrester, champion of social conservatives, has died at age 74.

Socially conservative state Senator, Jim Forrester (R-Gaston) died Monday at the age of 74.  He had been ill for quite sometime but told friends that he planned on going out fighting until the end.

North Carolina GOP Chairman Robin Hayes said,

“Jim was a dear friend who I respected and admired. He had a long and distinguished career serving the people of North Carolina. The thoughts and prayers of everyone at the North Carolina Republican Party are with Mary Frances and the Forrester family tonight.”

Your blogger would also like to specifically remember their daughter, Mary Paige Forrester, who now lives in the Washington, DC area.    She is a friend and KCC wishes for prayers and blessings for both her and her mother.

President Pro Tempore of the NC Senate, Phil Berger had this to say:

Forrester served in the United States Air Force as a flight surgeon during the Vietnam War and retired with the rank of Brigadier General.  He served in the North Carolina Senate for the past two decades, beginning in 1990.

“Dr. Jim Forrester’s life embodied the American Dream,” said Berger.  “Through the years, he received numerous awards from groups that covered the ideological spectrum recognizing his outstanding legislative work.  I will remember him most for his dedicated and thoughtful service as he worked to make sure his constituents had the chance to fulfill the American Dream.”

For more information about Forrester’s life, visit http://jimforrester.net/.

Not every obituary was a complmentary one, including that mentioned in Pam’s House Blend, written by Pam Spaulding, a friend of this blogger.  Pam is a gay activist and was disappointed in Sen. Forrester’s activites in working towards a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in our state.  That amendment comes up for a May vote.

She wrote:

It’s tragic that the man didn’t leave this earth with a more compassionate view of humanity. Even in this terrible, emotional situation for Forrester’s family, his anti-gay wife, Mary Frances, made it publicly and politically clear with the “go out with his boots on and support the causes in which he believed to his last breath” comment that she was ensuring the public that there would be no deathbed conversion regarding the discrimination amendment or his views of the civil rights of LGBT North Carolinians.

At press time, funeral arrangements were not complete.

To this blogger, Senator Forrester reminded her a bit of the late U.S. Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC). You may not agree with him 100%, but you always knew where he stood. That is always refreshing in this day of shady politicians in both major parties.

Editor’s Notes: See also The Gaston Gazette  and the Denver News (of Lake Norman). Finally, see the story by Laura Leslie on  WRAL TV.

Read also the A.P.’s Gary Roberson’s take as it was printed in the Greensboro News and Record on Monday.

Brenda T. Formo provides weekly briefings on behalf of the North Carolina Federation of Republican Women.  To join, click here.

Katy’s Conservative Corner is the only North Carolina blogger with permission to reproduce these reports.  KCC thanks Col. Formo for her continued research on behalf of the Federation.

NC General Assembly

Defense of Marriage Amendment

The Marriage Amendment passed in the Legislature this week.  It will be on the ballot for the May 2012 primary so that the people of North Carolina can vote on it.

The bill states that Article 14 of the NC Constitution  is amended by adding a new section that states, “Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State.  This section does not prohibit a private party from entering into contracts with another private party; nor does this section prohibit courts from adjudicating the rights of private parties pursuant to such contracts.”

A Pro-Marriage Amendment rally was held on Sep 12th at the Halifax Mall adjacent to the Legislative buildings in Raleigh.  The rally was hosted by The Upper Room Church of Christ in Raleigh and was attended by a diverse group of concerned citizens of both political parties.    As we were walking toward the rally, some of them were saying that they just couldn’t believe that in NC marriage would be controversial.

Inspirational leaders from The Upper Room Church of Christ addressed the crowd, including Pastor Patrick L. Wooden and his wife Pamela.  Church coordinators for the event were Wanda Thomas and Anthony Wilson.  They did a commendable job in getting people out because it was a huge crowd.  Our own Felice Pete, of the congregation and President of the Wake County Republican Women, was there with her new baby, Reagan.  What dedication to the Defense of Marriage!

Kevin Daniels, President of the Frederick Douglass Foundation of NC was also a speaker and drew praise for his comments.  The rally was inspiring and uplifting while giving evidence that marriage between one man and one woman is beneficial for families and reflects on our nation’s Christian heritage.  The people attending the rally made a difference in the legislative vote by showing that they care about the definition of marriage in NC.

During the next eight months there will be much debate from both sides.

The White House has already responded to North Carolinians by stating that “President Obama opposes laws ‘designed to take rights away.’”

In related news, House Republicans are seeking ways to delay the termination of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” enacted during the Clinton administration.  Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) expires on September 20, 2011.  In brief, under DADT military members keep their sexuality preferences private.

US House of Representatives

Sources:  ncga; Observations from Sep 12 Marriage Amendment Rally and General Assembly; Washington Blade, ”White House Responds to N.C. Marriage Amendment by Chris Johnson, Sep 13, 2011 and “House GOP Seeks to Delay End to ‘Don’t Ask’” by Chris Johnson, Sep 15, 2011; News Release: “Berger: Perdue Shoud Stand Up to NLRB, Encourage Job Growth,” Sep 15, 2011; and house.gov.

EDITOR’S NOTE: For more information on this volatile issue and to see how those on the opposing side stand, your blogger suggests you check out her friend, Pam Spaulding‘s blog, Pam’s House Blend.  KCC does not see members of the Republican Party and the Libertarian and unaffiliated voters as a “sure thing” in the vote for this amendment.  Many of these people feel that this is a case where the “government needs to keep hands off”, and these people, if compelled, will get out and vote against the amendment in May.  We shall see how this goes in the ensuing months!