Tag Archives: North Carolina Politics

Veto Override Meeting: Racial Justice Act

Posted on January 4, 2012 | 3 comments

In 2009 North Carolina passed the Racial Justice Act.  The law allows death-row inmates the ability to appeal their sentence arguing that racial discrimination was a factor in that sentence.  I’ve long argued that the death penalty is not a viable tool in our criminal justice system for just that reason.  The sentence is not applied uniformly and it disproportionately impacts minorities and the poor.

Because of this I oppose the Death Penalty and I applauded the passing of the law.

Now, however, state Republicans are meeting to discuss how they plan to proceed in overriding a governor’s veto that would have repealed much of this very important law:

 RALEIGH, N.C. — When the Republican-led Legislature considers Wednesday whether to cancel Gov. Beverly Perdue’s veto and scrap the Racial Justice Act, the outcome of the override session will depend again on whether a handful of the governor’s fellow Democrats side with the GOP.

The Republicans have it wrong.  They were wrong to oppose the bill in 2009, wrong to send it to the Governor’s desk in 2011 and are wrong now.

The idea that the government would discriminate, especially in this matter, is an assault on the senses.  Hopefully the Democrats in the House stand firm and do not change their vote to assist the veto override.

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Posted in Government, Liberty, Politics: North Carolina, Republicans Can Be Leftists Too

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North Carolina’s First Toll Road Opens Today

Posted on January 3, 2012 | Leave a comment

Today marks the opening of North Carolina’s first toll road:

Morrisville, N.C. — Tolls are now being collected on one of the Triangle’s newest roadways. The 3.5-mile Triangle Parkway opened Dec. 8, connecting Interstate 40 and N.C. Highway 147 in Durham County to N.C. Highway 540 in Wake County.

Tolls will be collected electronically on the highway, which is the first segment of the 18.8-mile Triangle Expressway that will eventually stretch from I-40 to N.C. Highway 55 in Holly Springs.

I am an optimist, so my excitement on this development makes a critical assumption; that other taxes used to fund our roads are diminished or retired as we begin to rely more and more on tolls.

The road, which will be expanded in segments, has a cost of nearly $1 billion.  If we only toll the current segment, that 3.5 long portion, we should come up with some cash to pay down the bill:

Use of the Triangle Parkway since its opening has also topped expectations, with 8,000 to 10,000 vehicles per day, officials said.

…

Tolls are 30 to 50 cents for cars with a QuickPass and 45 to 70 cents for those without.

Assuming everyone uses a QuickPass, the daily take for the system is $8,400 using the low side of vehicles and toll rate.  More if we use 10,000 vehicles and 50 cent average tolls.

As toll roads increase, we will have the ability to offset gasoline taxes AND increase the flow of traffic on our highways.

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Posted in Politics: North Carolina

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Occupy Raleigh Protesters Arrested

Posted on December 4, 2011 | Leave a comment

Apparently the protesters aren’t aware that private property is, you know, private:

Raleigh, N.C. — Six members of the local anti-Wall Street “Occupy” movement were arrested Friday afternoon after staging a protest at Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh.

…

Mall police arrested the protesters around 2:45 p.m. when the group began to demonstrate in the mall’s food court, Sughrue said.

I can’t help but feel dismayed by this.  Somewhere, at some point, some school failed these people.

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Posted in Idiots on Parade, Liberty, Politics: North Carolina

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Abortion: Call It What It Is

Posted on November 30, 2011 | 3 comments

There was a lot of debate around the Mississippi legislation that would have defined life at conception.  I’is no secret that this was nothing but a method to move to make abortion illegal.  The pro-life folks want to codify that life exists and therefore, that life has claim to individual Liberty.

While I resonate with the concept I diverge in two areas:

  1. I don’t think that human life begins at conception.  Shortly thereafter?  Sure.  Heartbeat, brain activity and blood flowing?  Yeah, then.  Then’ish.
  2. We don’t have to work that hard to make this point.

There is already bi-partisan support for this concept.  In fact, that support passed new legislation into law that will take effect here in North Carolina tomorrow, December 1.

RALEIGH, N.C. — More than four years after a pregnant woman was killed outside a Raleigh convenience store, a law named for her unborn son that criminalizes the murder of a fetus will take effect Thursday.

State lawmakers passed the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, often referred to as Ethen’s Law, in April. The legislation deems that anyone who commits murder, manslaughter or assault against a pregnant woman is guilty of the same crimes against the fetus, regardless of whether an attacker knows about the pregnancy.

I do not find it consistent to be charged with a crime against a human being unless you committed that crime against, you know, a human being.

We all  know, ALL of us, that life begins well before literal conception.  What we’re doing is just negotiating on the time.  As such, we know that the kid in the womb is just that, a kid.

So, we’re not arguing about what’s going on when there is an abortion, a child is dying.  We’re just saying we’re okay with the taking of that life when it suits us.  It would be refreshing, as if, the Liberal Left would be honest and admit that.

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Posted in Liberty, Life, National

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OWS and Corporations

Posted on October 28, 2011 | 9 comments

I’m guessing that the OWS crowd doesn’t like the fact that corporations are viewed as people.  With free speech rights and the ability to donate to campaigns or to purchase advertising.

I wonder if they think those same rules should apply to OWS or not?

I’m guessing they think that the rules they want applied to corporations are not the rules that want applied to themselves.

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Posted in Economics, Liberty, Lobby/PAC

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Occupy Raleigh

Posted on October 16, 2011 | 11 comments

I took some time this afternoon to drive downtown Raleigh and see what there was to see as Raleigh was Occupied.

I have to say upfront, I never expected the same time of scene in Raleigh that I would expect to see in NYC currently.  The folks in New York have been at this for nearly a month now and have a permanent camp in the park.  Here in Raleigh, the scene is different.  From what I understand, the organization has a permit.  They have attended informal conversations with like minded lawyers who have advised them on how to interact with people and the police.   They have urged their members to commit to non-violence.

This is to their credit.

Continue reading →

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Posted in Economy, Liberty, Lobby/PAC

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OWS Coming to Raleigh

Posted on October 15, 2011 | 7 comments

Today is the day that the Wall Street protesters come to Raleigh.  Certainly not the original group, but rather, a related organization that is taking the movement in New York as their inspiration.

They call themselves Occupy Raleigh.

We are a group of concerned citizens who wish to raise awareness and demonstrate before the Capitol in support of economic justice and against corporate influence over our elections and political process. Our purpose is to engage the public in this dialogue and make the voices of the people heard. We want local and national legislators to hear our concerns about ways to remedy economic injustice and the unfair influence the wealthy have over the political system.

We are a peaceful, non-violent resistance movement that aims to encourage people to participate in democracy and use their voices to influence positive change.

We are not a Democratic party movement nor are we anarchists trying to overthrow government. Rather, we are a populist uprising that seeks to place the political power back in the People’s hands where it belongs. We are willing to extend our protest indefinitely to effect change.

Better.

A clear and succinct statement.  Much better than the nonsense spewing from NYC.

But still a ways to go.  For example:

We want local and national legislators to hear our concerns about ways to remedy economic injustice and the unfair influence the wealthy have over the political system.

What are those concerns?  And what are the remedies?  What influence?

This is certainly nice, and, in the same way that the Tea Party is non-affiliated, these guys are non-affiliated:

We are not a Democratic party movement nor are we anarchists trying to overthrow government.

I’m sure the protest will be non-violent.  There’s too much at stake for them to remain positive.  Further, they aren’t here to “occupy”.  As far as I know, they come in today and go home today.  And THAT is a reasonable thing that reasonable citizens do.

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Posted in Economy, Government, Lobby/PAC

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North Carolina’s Toll Road

Posted on October 11, 2011 | Leave a comment

I’ve long been an opponent of toll based funding of our public roads, highways and bridges.  However, as I’ve been enjoying my Libertarian blossoming, I have come to embrace the idea.  And mainly for two reasons:

  1. The closer we can get to real use based funding, the better our roads will be funded.  Those that use the road more will end up paying for that road.  Big corporation drives trucks over our publicly funded freeways?  Charge those trucks for that privilege.  Don’t drive those roads but DO purchase the goods and services of those corporations?  Pay that toll through pass through costs.
  2. Tolls can easily be adjusted using technology to influence traffic patterns.  Traffic begins to choke things up at 08:00?  Reduce the toll for drivers up until 08:00.  And then increase it slightly through the rush hour until the demand goes back down.  Over time, traffic will normalize.

And so North Carolina begins its foray into toll based funding:

MORRISVILLE, N.C. — North Carolina’s first toll road is almost ready for drivers…

….

When Phase I of the toll road – a stretch of 3.4 miles between Interstate 40 at N.C. Highway 147 in Durham County south to Interstate 540 in Wake County – opens in December, it and the existing portion of N.C. Highway 540 between N.C. Highways 54 and 55 will be the Tar Heel state’s first toll road.

Drivers will have one month’s grace, and tolls will begin in January 2012.

I’m excited to see how the toll goes.  I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to recover enough money to fund these “infrastructure jobs” that the Obama administration continues to talk about.  The direct tax from tolls should be able to be easily tracked to highway funding.  This should be a no brainer.

However, I also fear that the money we normally collect for our roads will simply be diverted to other uses and that, in net, our roads will continue to be underfunded.

Sigh.

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Posted in Government, Politics: North Carolina

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Governor Purdue And Gay Marriage Amendment

Posted on October 10, 2011 | Leave a comment

I shouldn’t be surprised.  Democrats have long ago abandoned any hope of defending individual liberty.  In so far that the Liberal Left picks up any cause, it’s done simply to gather that group’s vote in future elections.  You think the Democrats support civil rights?  Look at their record on civil rights votes.  Think that Liberals defend folks who are discriminated because of who they are?  Consider the same Liberals who demand their music not be played at certain functions.

Public schools?  Look where Obama sends his kids.

And now we have one more example of a Leftist going out in public displaying her finest pandering colors:

RALEIGH, N.C. — Gov. Beverly Perdue announced Friday she’ll vote against a change to North Carolina’s constitution next May that would prohibit gay marriage…

See.  A hypocrite.

“But Pino”, you may claim, “she is voting against the amendment and FOR liberty!  Ahhh, but look closer:

Perdue said in a prepared statement she believes marriage is between one man and one woman and voted while in the Legislature for a 1996 law so that North Carolina couldn’t recognize same-sex marriages in other states.

“I continue to support that law today,” Perdue said.

So, how does the good Govna of the Great State of North by God Carolina explain her fllippy floppyness of her vote?

“But I’m going to vote against the amendment because I cannot in good conscience look an unemployed man or woman in the eye and tell them that this amendment is more important than finding them a job.”

This is crap.

But I shouldn’t be surprised.

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Posted in Liberty, Politics: North Carolina

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Brad And Britt And Congressman Miller

Posted on October 10, 2011 | 2 comments

I mentioned that North Carolina has the dubious distinction of having elected the latest legislature to try and “regulate” the banks into behaving.  Well, in addition to ignorant congressmen, we have talk radio as well.  And this morning, Brad and Britt had Brad Miller on their show to discuss his new proposed legislation.

As you can imagine, much goodness ensued.

While discussing Mr. Miller’s proposed legislation, Brad admitted to being a customer of one of the big banks.  The conversation drifted into the details of the proposed law and how “hard” customers have it today when dealing with and switching banks.  During that conversation, Brad mentioned how hard it would be to switch banks, and he cited the reasons:

  • Direct deposit
  • Electronic bill pay
  • On line banking
  • Centralized banking for the whole family

All of which struck me as hilarious.  Brad is basically complaining that he doesn’t wanna switch banks because the services offered by his current bank ROCK.  Somehow the convenience of his current provider is SO good, that he just can’t imagine switching.  And, by gawd, we need a law to fix that!

Further into the conversation, Britt asks Rep. Miller what he would say to those people who have been “preached to” about the evils of government regulation? What would you say to those folks who have been told how to think and what to say?

Miller’s response?

That’s just silly.

Ahhh…

And THAT folks, sums up the entirety of the Left’s response to their actions.

Bank of America added this fee to us customers as a direct, a DIRECT, result of the Durbin amendment.  And now, Brad, Britt and and their guest are shocked, SHOCKED, I tell you, that we people would rather they quit.

But never mind facts guys, keep on keepin’ on.

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Posted in Economics, Government, Politics: National, Politics: North Carolina, States Behaving Badly

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