Naturally, the rumor for several years, has been that the Feds have been "after" NC Senate President Pro Tempore, Sen. Marc Basnight (left). However, your blogger feels that if that was the case, it would have already happened.  You can't prop a rumor up forever.

However, Basnight has Parkinson's Disease, an affliction KCC wouldn't wish on her worst enemy.  The disease has steadily been slowing Mr. Basnight down and he just doesn't look "himself".  The diagnosis also caps a series of personal tragedies for Basnight.  Several years ago, a restaurant he owned in Dare County burned, and later his wife passed away.

Even if Basnight  turns out to be clean as a whistle, you blogger feels he will not run again for re-election and will leave the Senate by the start of the long session in 2011.  However, the Basnight/Rand fundraising machine hummed along like a well-oiled machine, fanning the flames that something just isn't quite right in Democratland.

The Raleigh News and Observer, Thursday, opined that with an increasingly liberal  Democratic Party, old dogs like Rand and Basnight are being on the verge of being outflanked from the left.  Oddly, their brand of old-style, back-room dealing, moderate politics, is on the way out and being replace with a more modern, more liberal version.  

Though it will be a good change to see the old warhorses in other pursuits, the  left wingers being increasingly elected should bring a chill to the spine of every moderate and conservative North Carolinian.  Liberals like to spend your money, and lots of it.  

If we are ever going to have a crack at taking back the NC General Assembly, we must look close to home, at our own legislators and ask them the tough questions.  Keep up with how they voted on key issues.

Meanwhile, mums the word on Basnight's future.  However, your blogger is betting it will be a short one in the NC Legislature.

Copyright 2009: North Carolina Conservative News Network, All Rights Reserved

Your blogger did not turn 18 until November 17, 1984 and therefore missed voting for him by a mere 11 days.

KCC knew she was missing out on history at the time but later made up for it by meeting him twice.

Your blogger was not quite 14 when he was first elected and was a Junior in college when he left office.

He shaped this blogger's political views and KCC feels lucky to have gone to high school and college during his presidency. In short, KCC is a proud member of the "Reagan Generation".

If young adults today only had it like we did, the Republican Party would be more conservative, and right and wrong would be much less subjective.

Reporting from her iPhone. . .

Rand, often known to rule with an iron fist, kept his fellow Democrats in lockstep. According to NC Senators who served with Rand, he ruled by keeping both Republicans and Democrats in fear of losing their seats. 

NC Senators may have run on principles and ideals, but once elected, sources tell KCC,  Rand and President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight, let them know that they were to vote for them for Majority Leader and President Pro Tempore, respectively.   In fact, the least powerful person in the State Senate was a freshman Democrat.   The two also instructed them how to vote on nearly every key vote.  

Rand was elected to the NC Senate in 1981 and later became the Senate Majority leader.  Together, he and Basnight have run a  Senate where even Republicans were afraid to vote against them for their positions, as they knew that they would be targeted for defeat in the following election.  This has frustrated your blogger, as we'd rather see people stand up for what is right, than to sit by quietly just so they can hold onto their positions!  

The fact that Senate Republicans never voted for a Republican for Senate Pro Tempore, even in the spirit of party unity, disgusts your blogger.  Sure, they couldn't win, being in the minority, but KCC hated to see the men and women we worked so hard to elect, act like a bunch of spineless jellyfish.

"Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act."
— Dietrich Bonhoefferr

Two senators did  vote against Marc Basnight for Speaker Pro Tempore and showed they were not afraid.  Former Senators Fern Shubert (R-Union) and Hugh Webster (R-Cabarrus) refused to cave in to the pressures.  Both were indeed defeated in the following election.  The senators knew what they were facing, but dared to stand up!  

Later, in 2007, former Senator Webster threw his hat in the ring for the 13th District Congressional race, running against liberal incumbant Brad Miller in the 2008 election cycle.  

He told your blogger that deep down, he knew he couldn't win, but his job was to "draw fire" for U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole. He wanted to force the Democrats to spend money defeating him, making it a little easier for Dole.  

 At the time, it seemed that Dole had a "walk in the park race" against a little known state senator.  (Dole lost and the little known who became U.S. Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC).

Because he dared to run against Brad Miller, Webster believes that lead to the trumped up charges brought up against him by his aunt (along with Democrat help) regarding embezzlement.  Webster refused to settle out-of-court, as that would force him to admit guilt.  He knew he was not guilty.   

The case finally went to trial this past summer.  Webster was up on felony charges and was willing to serve prison time rather than admit guilt to a crime he did not commit.  

In August, the Granville County court agreed with Hugh Webster, and he walked out a free man, acquitted.  Afterwards, he told your blogger, "they had no case."  

The case received very little attention from the major media.  Why would it? Does anyone really want to know the truth about how corrupt their NC Legislature is?  Do they want to know how things are really run?

According to news sources, Rand now will become chairman of the State Parole Board.  

Frank Rouse, a long time player in North Carolina politics and a former North Carolina Republican Party chairman, told KCC Wednesday evening,  that he felt that "something fishy must be up" for Rand to "accept  a lower position" than the one he held in the State Senate.   Your blogger completely agrees. 

We shall see how it all plays out.  Meanwhile, the Raleigh News and Observer quotes Rand as saying "There comes a time when it's time to go."

As to who will move  into the Majority Leader's chair, the NC Senate Democrat caucus will have to work that out.  Meanwhile, the Cumberland County Democrat Party will choose someone to fill Rand's unexpired term.   That person would stand for election after the 2010 short session.

Your blogger will continue watching and reporting on this story. There is much more to come.  

NOTE:  If you are reading this story from a source other than http://www.katysconservativecorner.com, please make any comments at that site, rather than others.  We encourage discussion, provided people with varying views are respected.   Commenting is a privilege and ugly comments will be removed at the Blogger's discretion.

Wednesday afternoon, your blogger watched the former governor, shift his eyes and squirm in his seat, in response to questions. That indicates that perhaps he wasn't telling the truth each time he stated that he "didn't remember" or that he "wasn't involved".  KCC's favorite was "someone else handled that" even though he could rarely remember who.  

He claimed to be "trying to help y'all out" yet he rarely had solid answers in the Wednesday afternoon round of questions.  We realize it is difficult to sit for five hours of questioning and recognize the fact that Easley didn't have to take the stand.  

Your blogger credits one man for opening this huge can of worms, the John Locke Foundation's Don Carrington.  Carrington wrote stories the Carolina Journal for months about Easley's misdeeds and finally the Raleigh News and Observer picked it up.  Other papers realized that the story was nearly too good to be true and jumped in on it.  

Part of the investigation involves Easley's sweetheart deal in the Cannonsgate subdivision in the Town of Bogue, near Morehead City, at the NC coast.   Carrington was the first to look into that, too, before the News and Observer furthered the investigation.  

Meanwhile, during Wednesday's hearings, your blogger was amazed that someone like the former Governor, who has been in the political trenches for years, didn't  know how the political system works.  In fact, during questioning regarding in-kind contributions, he said he didn't know about any type of in-kind contributions, because "they could be anything."

Easley went on to say, much to your blogger's amazement, that people "putting up signs for the campaign" were in-kind donors.   Those folks are actually called volunteers!

KCC is sure that Republican State Elections Board member, Bill Peaslee, must have either felt extremely sad or been forced to suppress a chuckle.  Peaslee later told WRAL news that he felt Easley did the best he could have, given all the years that have passed.

A veteran volunteer and staffer campaigns , KCC understands that in-kind donations can include the donation of food at a fundraiser, the donation of cars to a campaign, and the like.  

In the afternoon session his Democrat majority buddies on the State Elections Board mostly asked softball questions, which were extremely leading.  Peaslee, meanwhile asked the tough questions but got nowhere.

Frankly, KCC would think that the Democrats, would have thrown the former guv to the wolves by now.  They know they are in trouble for the 2010 elections.  If the Republicans in this state are smart, they will hang Easley around every Democrat's neck, and force it to be an issue. 

Yet, NC Board of Elections Chairman Larry Leake, an appointee to that position by the former Governor, failed to recuse himself from chairing the hearings.  Your blogger thinks current Governor Perdue should do the right thing and remove Leake from his position.  

Even current Governor Beverly Perdue should be held accountable to many of Easley's deeds.  She was his Lt. Governor.  She's supposed to be the "transparency governor" but there have been many instances that she's been caught being just he opposite. More on that in another post.

Meanwhile, in attendance, was Claudia Rodgers, a Raleigh and coastal NC Republican activist.  The sleuth and sometime researcher normally prefers to keep a low profile at political and other such events.  Today, however, she was seated directly behind the former Governor, right in view of cameras.   

At 4 p.m. Wednesday,  Larry Leake adjourned the meeting, which is being held at the Clarion Hotel in downtown Raleigh.  He stated he only has one more witness to call, Scott Falmlen, the former executive director of the state Democratic Partyl.  That means he's not calling McQueen Campbell and many others.  

Even Ruffin Poole, a former special aide to Easley, won't be called to testify, and the reasons are being kept secret, reports the N&O. 

Tune in tomorrow and watch the hearings live  in North Carolina on Statewide Cable News Channel News 14.  If that is unavailable to you, or if you live out-of-state, you may log on to the WRAL-TV Live Coverage and stream it online.    

Additionally, Locke Foundation blogger's have a play-by-play of who was called when and be sure to check out WRAL's along  video archive.

The hearings conclude on Thursday.  At that time, the Board can fine Easley, recommend the case to the District Attorney, or do nothing.  

Editor's note: If you are reading this somewhere blog post somewhere other than online at Katy's Conservative Corner, please make your comments there. Polite comments are encouraged and lively discussion is encouraged. http://www.katysconservativecorner.com

Happy Columbus Day!

517 years ago a merchant from a small town in Italy sailed from Spain with 90 men aboard the Niña, Pinta, and the flagship Santa Maria landing 2 months later in the New World.  Even though Columbus was never able to land in the North America, his voyage is much to be celebrated.  His journey became the marriage of European expedition with the Americas, resulting in the first permanent European colonies. 

It is amazing to reflect on the hardships that the colonists of the New World endured 517 years ago.  Many of those who set sail to the Americas were looking of gold and other riches but many were looking for a place where freedoms are protected unlike in their homelands.  The theme of colonization of the Americas was the opportunity for a better life.  

Unfortunately, we Americans are still facing the same adversaries in reaching our own prosperity today:  oppression, poverty, and an elite power that is out of touch with the mass public.  Stimulus packages, bailouts, and a massive health care bill among other things, threaten the woven fabric of freedom from the many that voyaged to this land and the wars that have been fought to protect it.  

 As we approach the secular holiday Halloween, we should be frightened.  We should be frightened about what is happening in Raleigh and Washington, DC.  You can stop the atrocities by exercising your patriotic duty by participating in the political process in your own community.  I challenge you to do four things this month:  

 1) Work for a candidate in some capacity.  Make phone calls, walk a precinct, or make a donation.  

2) Call 10 friends and remind them to vote and ask them to call 10 of their friends.

3) Call your Senator and Congressmen and tell them enough is enough.  Remind them of your liberties enumerated in the Constitution.  

4) Thank a soldier or veteran for their service to this great nation.  We would not be able to exercise our freedoms without them.

 Let's continue to work towards that dream of a better life like so many before us came to this land for.  

 Start today!  Get involved!  

THE FUTURE IS RED!  THE FUTURE IS NOW!

Best regards,

Jonathan Bandy
 Chairman

North Carolina Federation of Young Republicans

"And I'm going to sign the proclamation now, but as I sign it, I am commemorating not only the great navigator and explorer, Christopher Columbus, but those who centuries later followed him to the New World and helped make this the great nation that it is today.. " -  Ronald Reagan, Remarks on Signing the Columbus Day Proclamation, October 9, 1981

Editor's Note: Your blogger was a member of the Wake County Young Republicans, off and on, for some twenty years and holds the unofficial record as the group's longest-serving member.  She supports the Young Republicans, what they do, and the beliefs they hold.  Her son attended his first YR meeting at the age of one month.  KCC wanted to get him started, and on the right track, early.

 Of the nine, five won election outright. Two additional candidates are expected to win after dominating their three way races.

 “This is a terrific showing,” Wake County GOP Chairman Claude E. Pope, Jr. said.  “Our candidates worked very hard, and effectively presented a message of fiscal conservatism, personal responsibility, the primacy of families and neighborhoods and government accountability. 

 “In addition, I want to thank the thousands of dedicated volunteers who worked hard to make these victories happen,” Pope added.

 The outright Republican winners were, school board candidates; Chris Malone, Deborah Prickett and Debra Goldman, Raleigh City Council  candidate John Odom and Cary Town Council candidate Jack Smith.

 Republican-endorsed candidates John Tedesco for school board and Jennifer Robinson for Cary Town Council are expected to win, but may face runoffs.  Both candidates finished far ahead in a three way race, but were not clearly across the 50% margin needed to declare victory.

 Pope said the party organization would not rest on its laurels.  “The elections on November 3, both the runoffs from today’s voting and town elections in various communities throughout the county, are our next focus,” he said.  We will spare no effort in trying to elect each and every one of our endorsed candidates in those races,’ he said.

 Pope said he was particularly pleased that all four Republican-backed candidates in the school board races had either won or were in the runoff.  “That means we still have a chance to reverse the current policies of the status quo board."

Ham told the crowd that conservatives are NOT racists, astroturf angry mobs, domestic terrorists,or hate mongers.  

Our group of Tea Partiers, she said, are simply a group of unsatified, patroitic Americans who are exercising  free speech according to  first amendment rights.

She compared our protests to the protests of the anarchists at the recent Pittsburgh G20 Summit. 

 In all of the Right's Tea Party protests combined, only 11 people were arrested, most of which were for minor infractions, such as pulling down signs.  Only two of those were for actual assaults.

Seven of the 11 acts were commited by liberal counter-protesters.

At the Pittsburgh G20 Summit, the anarchists were in a completely different league, Ham said.  They vandalized cars, smashed shop windows, threw rocks at law enforcement, and 65 were arrested.

Naturally, according to Ham, the press ignored the anarchists, and chose only to focus on the few bad apples in the conservative "mobs" at the tea parties and further tried to whip up  fear and hysteria among the general public.  

Ham admitted that she was tired of the "mainstream press" trying to demonize conservatives.

This North Carolina blogger apprecites the excellent work being done by Miss Ham, part of the new leadership of the conservative movement.  

Thank goodness we have people like her, who are witty, sarcastic, and extremely bright.  She can out debate any liberal on virtually any topic, simply by using common sense.  Common sense is something we need more of, in our North Carolina state government,  in Congress and in the White House.  

Please enjoy the videos of the actual talk, shot by Ed Morrisey of the Hot Air blog. 

Editor's Note:   Thanks Ed! Sorry I didn't get the chance to chat with you at the Summit but you were constantly busy, and so was I.

/p>

Herman Cain,

A. Save the Save-able

Here's how to spot them when you are speaking with them, known as the Liberal SIN principles.

1. Try to Shift the subject 

2. Ignore the facts

3. Resort to Name calling

B.  Finally, he stated that conservatives should 

"Never, never give up on us taking back our country!"

He used the example of a bumblebee.  According to old scientific principles, bumble bees should not be able to fly.  They are heavy, fussy, and don't pass the "wind tunnel" tests.  Yet they can fly essentially because they believe they can. 

Therefore it should be the same with we conservatives.  We must never give up on the United States.  Never.

The popular themes at this summit thus far seem to be health care, cap and trade and card check.  Tax cuts also took a major place.

North Carolina is well-represented, with the largest delegation, and with Dallas Woodhouse leading the way.  Many thanks to AFP Chairman of the Board, Art Pope, for helping to generously support such a worthy cause.

The following speakers at this morning's General Session included:

Newt Gengrich, former House Speaker

Senator Jim DeMint, R-SC

Larry Kudlow, CNBC & CEO of Kudlow & Co.

Hugh Hewitt, Radio Hostn and FoxNews Contributor

Ed Morrissey, HotAir.com

Tracy Walsh, Breast Cancer Survivor and Spokeswoman, Patients United Now (Stars in AFP ad)

David H. Koch, Chairman, Americans for Prosperity Foundation

and of course Tim Phillips and Phil Kerpen from the AFP staff.

At lunch today, the North Carolina delegation took the "session" room and hosted a discussion panel featuring Art Pope, Dallas Woodhouse, Col. Francis DeLuca (USMCR) of the Civitas Institute, and Lockwood Phillips.  

The North Carolina Delegation has much to be proud about, arriving with the largest delegation of nearly 500 people, though I hear that some are having difficulties with hotel reservations.  

KCC and her husband arrived by private vehicle last night, as we had to drop off our youngest Republican with his Grandmother.  Plus, we didn't want to miss any of this morning's action.

Below is an introductory video with a report from your's truely.  Soon to come is the evening's dinner and loads of activities on Saturday.  Meanwhile KCC will be keeping an eye on the college football scoreboard rooting for her NC State Wolfpack and her Tennessee Volunteers.

Updated 10/3/09:  Mitch Kokai, communications director for the John Locke Foundation , shot a great video of the rally yesterday.  Below the video of your blogger is a short, overview of the Capitol Hill rally.