Katy's Conservative Corner

Jackson for NC Supreme Court

2009-11-24T15:22:18-05:00

At Saturday evening's NC GOP Hall of Fame dinner, your blogger was pleased to see that Judge Barbara Jackson is throwing her hat into the ring for North Carolina Supreme Court.

Judge Jackson hopes to become Justice Jackson by continuing her trend of fair and impartial rulings that she brought to the North Carolina Court of Appeals six years ago. She's well liked among her colleagues, on both the right and left, and she'll make an excellent justice.

She is running for one of the open seats on North Carolina's highest court, vacated when President Obama made appointments to the Federal bench. Your blogger will bring you more soon. Meanwhile, keep Judge Jackson in mind when you plan your fund-raising in 2010.

Like your blogger, Judge Jackson is a fellow of the North Carolina Institute of Political Leadership and KCC proudly endorses her for this high office.

Why Not Sarah?

2009-11-23T17:58:55-05:00

This morning, your blogger was discussing with a friend, how amazed we are why those on both the right and left get so negatively emotional when they discuss former Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin? "Why are her naysayers so afraid", we wondered.

Palin has it all and is a politician out of central casting. She is smart, no-nonsense, and practical. She's devoutly conservative and is an adoring mother. Currently on her book tour, she's traveling with her young son Trig and her show-stealing daughter, Piper. Monday, she made a stop in North Carolina, meeting with troops and their families at Fort Bragg.

Everywhere she goes, the crowds are huge. Palin is not allowed to even personalize copies of the books she's signing. She just says "hello" to the purchaser and moves to the next person in line. This devotion on the level of rock star status.

During the 2008 Presidental campaign, Vice Presidential candidate Palin drew larger crowds than did the Republican nominee, Senator John McCain. Many conservatives told the press that they turned out only to vote for Palin, not to vote for McCain. Clearly, people see something in her that they like and they appreciate her home spun conservative values.

Your blogger has grown tired of hearing the same old line: Sarah Palin is not "smart enough to be President." Gov. Palin is extremely bright and history has shown that it doesn't take a member of Mensa to occupy the White House.

Ronald Reagan was an intelligent man, but he made sure to surround himself with the people he felt were the best in their areas of expertise and then he let them do their jobs. He didn't micro-manage as President James Earl Carter had done in the previous administration.

Carter's management style proved to be his undoing, especially with his botched rescue attempt of the American Hostages in Iran in April of 1980.

Today, KCC is saddened to see so many (liberal) women feel threatened by Gov. Palin's success. It seems that there is some sort of female jealousy about. They feel if you oppose abortion, support the death penalty, and act like a lady, liberal women run, not walk away.

Even Oprah got into the act last week on her show, when she interviewed the former Governor. She tried every way she could to imply that Palin was in some way, a poor mother. Yet, Palin handled Winfrey's intrusive and tacky questions deftly, with class and dignity.

Let's hope this doesn't extend to our fellow Republicans. It's certainly okay to support the candidate of one's choice, but to run down opposition in one's own party is simply not acceptable.

Palin may not have handled the infamous Katie Couric interview the very best she could have, and she clearly received some very bad advice during it, but she's easy on her feet when talking about her book, Levi Johnson, and her passions about her husband and family. Additionally, she enjoys discussing her world views and her ideals, and even becomes a little preachy to a liberal interviewer.

The very fear she insights in liberals is exactly what the Republican party needs in 2012. The GOP is above affirmative action for women or blacks. We want the most qualified individual and Sarah Palin is clearly in the bunch of contenders for 2012.

Right now, Palin says she is focusing on getting conservatives elected in 2010 and will worry about 2012 later. But when that time comes, anyone would be foolish to count Governor Sarah Palin out.

NOTE: Your blogger purchased Palin's book online via Amazon for $14.00 and received it in less than seven hours. She didn't pay extra for shipping! Talk about service!

If you read this blog post some place other than at Katysconservativecorner.com, please go online to make your comments. A lively discussion is encouraged, but name calling will be removed.

Limbaugh Changing Channels

2009-11-23T15:49:02-05:00

The Raleigh News and Observer reported over the weekend that Curtis Media station, WPTF AM 680, won't be the only kid on the Triangle-area block with conservative talk. Clear Channel's WRDU 106.1 FM plans to join the fray just after the Christmas season.

Your blogger is a long-time listener of WPTF since Rush Limbaugh came on the air in syndication more than twenty years ago. WPTF was one of the first stations to carry Limbaugh and contributed to his early success. They also carry a number of other interesting commentators, including afternoon local favorite, Bill LuMaye.

According to an article on the not-always-reliable Wikipedia, WPTF must drop Limbaugh as the program will only be run on Clear Channel stations, according to a new distribution arrangement.

The station, originally known as WVOT, beginning in the early 1960s, went on the air as WRDU on Labor Day, 1984. It played rock music for many years before switching to country in 2006. Currently the station is playing all Christmas, all the time. The station will make the switch on January 1, 2010.

RDU will also carry such right-wing talkers as Glenn Beck (left), and Sean Hannity. Hannity currently can be heard on WPTF.

Phil Zachary, President of Curtis Media, recently told the Triangle Business Journal, that he has decided how to replace Limbaugh, but "he won't reveal those plans just yet".

Your blogger's heart is with WPTF, but understands that the radio business can be cut throat. Her grandfather was in that biz from its early days and she continues to follow the industry with interest.

Clear Channel stations, in the past, have had problems with their "shock value" and have managed to offend everyone from the handicapped to cyclists. KCC learned that this behavior was actually encouraged to boost ratings during several local dust-ups with Triangle station WDCG, otherwise known as G-105.

Because local radio, with the exception of WPTF, became so unlistenable, KCC subscribed to satellite radio about three years ago.

Meanwhile, The Business Journal of the Greater Triad is reporting 94.5 WGBT-FM La Preciosa Network in will become Rush Radio 94.5 on Jan. 1.

Crime and Immigration?

2009-11-22T20:20:51-05:00

Crime and immigration often go hand-in-hand, according to a study, says Ron Woodard, director of NC LISTEN, a watchdog group. In an e-mail he wrote,

"As I have said numerous times, out-of-control immigration is not responsible for all of America's problems, but it is making all of our problems much worse. And immigration is something we could control if Congress and the President actually required our laws to be enforced".

The study Woodard cited, Immigration and Crime: Assessing a Conflicted Issue, dealt not only with illegal immigration, but also with legal immigrants. It found that "there is some indication that illegals have relatively high rates of crime, while legal immigrants have relatively low crime rates".

NC LISTEN is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization whose members believe that our nation's immigration policies must be reformed to bring immigration back into balance, by stopping illegal immigration and reducing legal immigration to a sensible number.

Resolution to Close GOP Primaries Fails

2009-11-21T16:27:06-05:00

The members of the North Carolina Republican Party Executive Committee, voted Saturday to keep open Republican primaries to those registered unaffiliated in North Carolina.

The discussion was lengthy and heated with passion on both sides of the argument.

Ann Sullivan, of Wayne County and second Vice Chairman of the 3rd Congressional District, presented her the resolution to close the Republican Primaries to Republicans only. She stated at the NC GOP Executive Committee Committee, that the Republican should get back to "our conservative values".

Other speakers in the affirmative felt that the North Carolina Republican Party should "send a message" to the entire nation. Many were angry with the moderate Presidential candidate John McCain and felt that unaffiliated voters wrongly choose him as the GOP nominee for in 2008. They added that a true conservative would have stood a better chance against the socialist Barrack H. Obama.

Ralph Hise of Mitchell County, argued that closing NC primaries would drive people away from the Republican Party. Others argued that we shouldn't close primaries, as the GOP simply does not have enough registered voters to begin turning away voters in primaries.

Jeff Gerber, from Union County, stated that closing GOP primaries would be "sending out a clear message to the unaffiliateds that the Republican Party does not care about them or their vote". Another member stated that the late U. S. Senator Jesse Helms got elected each time only with the help of conservative Democrats and unaffiliated and this is not the time to close primaries.

Frank Williams, of Brunswick County, added that many unaffiliated voters have left the Republican party in NC because they think we are "not conservative enough". He cited a number of statistics that changed his mind over the recent weeks.

Rep. Thom Tillis (R-Mecklenburg) says we cannot 'unilaterally disarm'.

"We must not pass this resolution. Most voters won't hear about this in the news. They will simply go to the voting box on election day and be told they can't vote."

Rep. Tillis also had a message for the Republicans who stayed at home on election day 2008 and let the Democrats carry the election day: "Shame on them!"

Former GOP State Chairman Jack Hawke added "that with the wave coming our way, we are looking for a problem that doesn't exist." Hawke was chairman of the party when it voted to open their primaries to unaffiliated voters in the late 1980s.

The measure failed on a voice vote.

Editor's Note:Your blogger is a fellow member of the North Carolina Republican Party Executive Committee, representing the 13th Congressional District. She voted in the negative on this resolution and supported keeping the primaries open.

Wake GOP Chairman Files Election Law Challenge against Clay Aiken

2009-11-20T22:46:33-05:00

Claude E. Pope, Jr, Chairman of the Wake County Republican Party, Friday, filed a Notice of Challenge with the Wake County Board of Elections, challenging the right of Clayton H. "Clay" Aiken to remain registered to vote in Wake County.

“It has come to light that Mr. Aiken may have voted improperly in Wake County in 2009,” Pope said. “All citizens and all political parties have an interest in rooting out instances of voter fraud, and for that reason I have filed this challenge in order to prevent Mr. Aiken from any future attempts to vote in a place where he is not legally a resident.”

Aiken’s voting status came to public attention after he issued statements on his blog in which he called newly-elected members of the Wake School Board “selfish idiots,” but Pope said his action was not based on those comments. “This is America, and Clay Aiken and all other citizens have a First Amendment right to free speech. However unfair and repugnant it may be, he has a right to call any elected official names if he so wishes,” Pope said.

“Most North Carolinians, regardless of political affiliation, were proud of Aiken when he displayed his talent on ‘American Idol.’ I for one thought he represented our state very well, and I know I speak for many, many members of our party in saying so".

The action I am taking today is not a criticism of his artistic ability, political views or intemperate language. It is simply an effort to make sure that in the future he votes where he actually lives, as all citizens are required to do.” Pope also stated that his Notice of Challenge does not request any punitive action against Aiken for having voted in Wake County in 2009. We are only interested in correcting the rolls for the future,” he said.

Aiken, the popular recording artist and “American Idol” runner-up, remains on the voting rolls at his mother’s address, 8608 Langtree Lane, which is located in Precinct 08-05 in Raleigh.

Records show he voted in that precinct in person in the municipal election of October 6, 2009. But Aiken lives in a $2.3 million home in Chatham County, which he purchased through a trust in 2006, and not with his mother, Faye Parker, who was quoted in the News & Observer as saying “her son doesn't live with her although she still gets some of his mail.”

According to a document entitled “Residency for Election Purposes,” a summary of the law issued in September of this year by the State Board of Elections,

“If a person removes to another state or county, municipality, precinct, ward, or other election district within this State, with the intention of remaining there an indefinite time and making that state, county, municipality, precinct, ward, or other election district that person's place of residence, that person shall be considered to have lost that person's place of residence in this State, county, municipality, precinct, ward, or other election district from which that person has removed…” --GS § 163-57 (5).

Your blogger will stay on top of this issue and will see how it plays out.

NOTE: If you are reading this on any platform other than at http://www.katysconservativecorner.com, please make your comments at the blog site.

Thank you.

Rand's Out, So Who Is Next?

2009-11-06T00:17:30-05:00

With former NC Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand (D-Cumberland) having stepped down, supposedly to take over the chairmanship of the State Parole Board, inquiring minds have to wonder, who is going to be next?

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.

Reagan Re-elected This Day 1984

2009-11-05T23:36:46-05:00

President Ronald Reagan was re-elected this day (11/6) in 1984.

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. . .

Good Riddance Tony Rand

2009-11-04T20:52:18-05:00

At about 4:30 Wednesday afternoon, the Raleigh News and Observer posted an announcement that strongman Majority Leader and NC Senator Tony Rand (D-Cumberland), was stepping down from the North Carolina General Assembly. With the Easley trials just behind us, is something about to come out about Tony Rand?

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.

Governor Sleezey Faces Judgement From BOE

2009-10-28T17:36:39-04:00

It's finally judgement week, Part I for Michael Easley (left, prior to wrecking yet another race car. Photo courtesy Greensboro News and Record), former Governor of the Old North State. Part I, because there will certainly be more hearings in court in the months to come. This week, the North Carolina Board of Elections has taken the first shot at Easley.

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