Asheville Latté Republicans
The Asheville Latté Republicans Club is a brand new conservative coffee club / discussion group in Asheville, North Carolina. It is a relaxed and inclusive club for those wanting to talk about current events and politics over your caffeinated drink of choice.

The first meeting will be November 9th. Check out the website, and help this group get started.

This is only the beginning, as I expect more groups of this nature to become the norm for thinking conservatives. If the GOP is a Big Tent party, we will welcome this addition to our symphony of freedom.

In-State Tuition for illegal aliens issue Revisited in NC!

The Raleigh based national organization, Americans for Legal Immigration PAC, is launching an effort to warn NC citizens that Democrat leaders have recently announced their intention to attempt legislation again in 2007 that would grant in-state tuition to illegal aliens.

"North Carolinians need to know where their candidates stand on this issue," says William Gheen of ALIPAC. "Three term Governor Jim Hunt has recently announced a new push for this measure. We know that in-state tuition is opposed by over 80% of North Carolinians and will be taking immediate action to warn the public."

ALIPAC is launching a statewide campaign to remind the public which lawmakers supported HB 1183 in 2005. The attempted passage and subsequent defeat of this bill was one of the biggest news stories in NC in 2005. Many candidates are running on the issue in today's elections.

...

SPONSORS OF HB 1183 "NC In-state tuition for illegal aliens"

Representatives
Rick Glazier (D-Cumberland),
Paul Luebke (D-Durham),
Doug Vinson (R-Mecklenburg),
Linda Coleman (D-Wake),
Marian McLawhorn (D-Pitt),
Garland Pierce (D-Wagram),
Bob England (D-Ellenboro),
Ray Rapp (D-Mars Hill),
Douglas Yongue (D-Laurinburg),
Karen Ray (R-Iredell),
Joe Tolson (D-Pinetops),
Louis Pate (R-Wayne),
Eugene Wilson (R-Boone),
Martha Alexander (D-Mecklenburg),
Becky Carney (D-Mecklenburg),
Bill Faison (D-Durham),
Susan Fisher (D-Buncombe),
Joe Hackney (D-Chapel Hill),
Mary Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford),
Verla Insko (D-Orange),
Maggie Jeffus (D-Guilford),
Marvin Lucas (D-Cumberland),
Henry Michaux (D-Durham),
Bill Owens (D-Elizabeth City),
Earline Parmon (D-Forsyth),
Deborah Ross (D-Wake),
Russell Tucker (D-Pink Hill),
William Wainwright (D-Havelock),
Jennifer Weiss (D-Wake),
Winkie Wilkins (D-Roxboro),
Larry Womble (D-Forsyth),
Thomas Wright (D-Wilmington)

Contact info for these lawmakers.


Read more.
Hat Tip RL Clark

Here are some of the important races for the midterms, with links to helpful information:

Senate Connecticut: Ned Lamont
Maryland: Ben Cardin
Michigan: Debbie Stanbenow
Missouri: Claire McCaskill
Montana: Jon Tester
New Jersey: Bob Menendez
Tennessee: Harold Ford
Virginia: James Webb

Democrat Held Seats

(CO-03): John Salazar
(GA-03): Jim Marshall
(GA-12): John Barrow
(IA-03): Leonard Boswell
(IL-08): Melissa Bean
(IL-17): Phil Hare
(IN-07): Julia Carson
(NC-13): Brad Miller
(PA-12): John Murtha
(WV-01): Alan Mollohan

Republican Held Seats

(AZ-08): Gabrielle Giffords
(CT-04): Diane Farrell
(CT-05): Chris Murphy
(CO-07): Ed Perlmutter
(IA-01): Bruce Braley
(IL-06): Tammy Duckworth
(IN-02): Joe Donnelly
(IN-08): Brad Ellsworth
(IN-09): Baron Hill
(FL-13): Christine Jennings
(FL-16): Tim Mahoney
(FL-22): Ron Klein
(KY-03): John Yarmuth
(NC-11): Heath Shuler
(MN-06): Patty Wetterling
(NM-01): Patricia Madrid
(NY-20): Kirsten Gillibrand
(NY-24): Michael Arcuri
(NY-26): Jack Davis
(OH-15): Mary Jo Kilroy
(OH-18): Zack Space
(PA-06): Lois Murphy
(PA-08): Patrick Murphy
(PA-07): Joe Sestak
(PA-10): Chris Carney
(VA-02): Phil Kellam
(WI-08): Steve Kagen

October 15 Closing Celebration for the Third Annual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration.
(Sunday) The keynote speaker will be Ms. Rosa Rosales, President of the League of United Latin American Citizens. Performances by Mexican Folkloric Dancers of Canton, NC and a Latino band. Refreshments will be served. Free to the public. Contributions welcome. Contact Patricia B. Hackett at 828-227-3761 for more information.
2:00 pm to 5:00 pm in the Auditorium and Lobby.

Located at Swain County High School,
1415 Fontana Road,
Bryson City, NC 28713
Eugenia (Jenny) Johnson, Director

Whenever I hear about a shooting incident at a school or hospital or the workplace, I always ask, "Why didn't they shoot back?"

The answer is usually that the people are prohibited by law from carrying weapons in those places. Which, to me, means that the government is responsible for those deaths.

***

Don't you find it strange that when people who are anti-gun get in trouble they always call somebody who has one. Teachers and students under seige call the police. Hollywood stars claim to be against guns but they have three bodyguards who have them.

This is pure self-deception. The fact is, the world can be a dangerous place and to pretend that it isn't and that you can get through it unarmed is a denial of reality.

***

USA Today: Wisconsin lawmaker urges arming teachers

A state lawmaker, worried about a recent string of deadly school shootings, suggested arming teachers, principals and other school personnel as a safety measure and a deterrent...

The director of school safety for Milwaukee Public Schools, Pete Pochowski, opposed the idea. Pochowski said, "We have problems in our schools, but not to the point where we need to arm our teachers and principals."

-- "Arm" = "to defend the life and safety of children."

-- "To the point" = "matter of degree." He acknowledges that there IS a point where we might need to arm our teachers and principals, but we simply have not reached that point yet.

So, I guess he's waiting until we reach that point. I am wondering how many more children will have to die to placate this Director of School Safety's pacifism in the face of violence.

Now what could be more barbaric than someone who is willing to sacrifice the lives of children for the sake of their own moral preening.

Check this out:

BCBS Sponsors Nesbitt Racing Enterprises- Does Senator Nesbitt Sponsor Blue Cross-Blue Shield?
By Ann Ryder

Have you seen the Blue Cross-Blue Shield corporate headquarters in Durham? This is no generic office building, but expensive architecture worthy of a Fortune 500 company. The CEO's salary and perks fit that same attitude. Our premiums have been raised, our benefits lowered and the health care providers squeezed in order for BCBS to buy out a competing health plan company and to amass huge reserves. All this, from a modest non-profit established by philanthropists, physicians, and non-profit hospitals "to provide health insurance to North Carolinians unable to purchase it."

In the early to mid 90s, BCBS started its efforts for conversion to for-profit status. It kept that information from the public though, while it made substantial contributions to political parties. Legislation came through in 1998 and since BCBS essentially belongs to the citizens, if it wants to go for-profit it has to turn over all of its assets, worth probably in excess of $3Billion (at that time), to a foundation. The foundation would then administer this fund which would be "dedicated to improving the health of North Carolina's residents." Foundation members were selected by Attorney General Roy Cooper from a list of nominees prepared by a committee consisting of lobbyists and others with political connections. Here's a quote from Bob Parker, a member of the committee that gives out grants from the Golden Leaf tobacco settlement: "If we could have a foundation that was exempt from the wishes of politicians and powerful individuals, that would be a blessing for the state". We have enough experience with Hunt, Easley, Cooper, and their friends to smell what happened to this $3B.

Read the rest here.