Pat McCrory presented his plan to improve public safety and reform North Carolina's criminal justice system

July 30, 2008

CRAVEN COUNTY NC NEWS -- Once again, Mayor Pat McCrory, the Republican nominee for governor, has shown his most valuable character attribute - optimism. McCrory seems to always view the cup as half full. Whether it is discussing energy exploration or getting tough on crime, McCrory believes in the abilities of the North Carolina people to rise to the occasion and win.

While continuing his Jobs Tour in North Carolina, Pat McCrory presented his plan to improve public safety and reform North Carolina's criminal justice system at the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association Conference in New Bern located in Craven County, NC. He highlighted many key differences between his record of effective executive leadership and the lieutenant governor's record of supporting a failed status quo for the past eight years.

The Republican nominee governor, Mayor Pat McCrory said:

"When it comes to fighting crime, I've been on the front lines for the past 12 years while the lieutenant governor has turned a blind eye to the problems. I've seen county jails overflowing with people sleeping on floors, gangs infiltrating our schools and illegal aliens filling our jails. I've seen our state judges and district attorneys work out of cardboard boxes and I've seen our state mental health patients transferred to local jails. When I led a bipartisan group of mayors and law enforcement officials to Raleigh to work on solutions to these problems, the lieutenant governor was nowhere to be seen. Now she's ‘forming a plan' that's ‘emerging and changing' that calls for another government commission to meet in Raleigh and talk about the problems. Where has Lt. Governor Perdue been for the past eight years?

"Now that she is campaigning for governor, Perdue is drafting a plan that should have been written eight years ago. North Carolina needs a governor who cares about public safety even when it's not an election year. We need action and effective executive leadership."

As Mayor of Charlotte, McCrory responded to an inadequate state criminal justice system by...

Read the rest at County NC News.

A slim majority of House members decided that a five week recess was in order following a 213-212 vote held earlier today. NC 11th District Representative Heath Shuler was among those who voted for the recess. Seventeen Democrats sided with the Republican minority in calling for continuing the session until action was completed on energy and other pressing matters.

Shuler's opponent, Republican Carl Mumpower, challenges the timing and purpose of the recess. "This kind of action illustrates why this Congress has earned a 14 percent approval rating with the American people," says Mumpower. "Their pattern of gridlock with real problems like our energy costs and out of control Federal spending continues to chop away at the 'American Dream'. Just one vote, from Shuler, would have kept Congress in session and forced them to keep working like most of the rest of us are."

"My opponent describes himself as a "Blue Dog" Democrat - a title referencing independent conservative values," notes Mumpower. "Yet the Washington Post says that Shuler has voted with his Democrat colleagues 86.4 percent of the time. This time his vote was crucial and invested in the wrong direction. A quick review of my opponents voting history will demonstrate that it is one thing for an obligated politician to promise independence, still another to stand and deliver."

Carl Mumpower
11th District Republican Congressional Candidate
www.mumpower08.com


Candidate Website


Ouch!!!

I wonder how many people will complain about the President's absence from Washington...yet will forget that the Dems have voted to leave town for the month of August.

As long as I can remember, Congress has adjourned for the month of August, and the President has also left town for that same month. At least since Carter's time, this has been going on.

I like to refer to it as the French Vacation, because virtually the whole upper classes of the French decamp from the cities to the countryside or beaches for the whole month, or a very large portion of it.

Here are some interesting numbers from a recent poll by Public Policy Polling:

Auditor:

Beth Wood (D) 46
Les(lie) Merritt (R) 34

Agriculture Commissioner:

Steve Troxler (R) 44
Ronnie Ansley (D) 38

More Council of State numbers.

It looks to me like the Democratic control of the media is sinking Leslie Merritt. The pollster noted that only 62% of Republicans are supporting Merritt for re-election.


And I would be remiss if I left out these:

Governor:

Bev Perdue 46
Pat McCrory 37
Michael Munger 6

Explanation of numbers.

Perdue is continuing to increase her support while McCrory's numbers slump. Mumnger may be hurting McCrory, and will likely be the best ally Perdue and the Democratic party have in this race.

Here is a delightful video called Cicadas Are My Friends from URTV in Asheville, NC:


The program is 22 minutes long and is a Crooked Alignment Production.

I found it in the URTV Forums, but there was no information that I could find if Jonathan Czarny has a regular program or not...but he has a My Space page.

What do you get when you mix a drunk, a riding lawn mower, and a sawed-off shotgun?

It ain't pretty. Jeff Dreibus has the details.

PRESS RELEASE

Jessica’s Law? Not Quite

Raleigh, N.C. – Victims of child predators will not rest easier tonight even as Governor Mike Easley signs a watered down version of Jessica’s Law (HB 933) into effect. A report by the Civitas Institute reveals that child molesters in North Carolina will not be required to serve mandatory prison time under the new law.

North Carolina’s version of Jessica’s Law would still allow a first time child molester to walk away with potentially no prison time or serving less than two years. The true Jessica’s law would give these child molesters at least 25 years in prison.

“If bordering states continue to pass laws requiring 25 year minimum prison sentences for child molestation, then North Carolina risks becoming a magnet state for child molesters,” said Jeff Mixon, Legislative Analyst at the Civitas Institute.

The newly signed law does increase the minimum sentence from 16 to 25 years in prison for convicted child rapists and requires lifetime satellite monitoring upon their release.

Two-thirds of registered sex offenders in North Carolina have been convicted of taking indecent liberties with children. Indecent liberties involve a range of offenses including what would be considered child molestation under the true Jessica’s law.

A national study shows 34 percent of all reported sexual assault victims are under the age of 12 and half of the reported victims of “forcible fondling” are under the age of 12. Aside from young teens, 4-year-olds make up the largest group of victims of forcible fondling. Children are most likely to be assaulted by a family member or acquaintance.

Click here to view reports regarding Jessica’s Law



Source: Civitas Institute

Related Info on the Jessica Lunsford Act for NC:

Roll Call Vote

Bill Text [HTML] [PDF Download]

NC NEWS -- This year's 7th annual NC state and local sales tax holiday will include an increased exemption on school instructional materials. Savings can accumulate if purchasing computers and clothes. The official list of sales tax exempt items...

Read the rest at County NC News

[**note** percentages corrected. Thanks to JR for catching the error. --TP]

Here is another installment in my semi-regular North Carolina voter registration tracking effort:

2,641,700 Democrats 45.281% a loss of 0.017%
1,925,266 Republicans 33.000% a loss of 5.241% (this may an artifact)
1,266,595 Unaffiliated 21.450% a gain of 0.241%
0,000,437 Libertarians (statistically insignificant for tracking)
5,833,998 Total with a gain of 0.3%


There have been 17,488 voters registered in the past four weeks, and the numbers breakdown as follows:

Change in Voter Registration in Four Weeks

Unafilliated Registration gained 18,939 voters
Democratic Party gained 6,359 voters
Libertarian Party gained 408 voters
Republican Party lost 17,488 voters

Since I have not been tracking the numbers for a very long time, I cannot draw any meaningful conclusions just yet, but I can make a few observations.

1. The Democratic Party is running an effective voter registration effort alongside the Obama Campaign.
2. The Republican Party is hemorrhaging voters into the Unaffiliated category. I can only speculate about the reasons, but I suspect unhappiness with John McCain is a factor.
3. The Libertarian Party continues to gain voters as people find out they can register as such again. I suspect that the party has yet to launch a voter registration effort.

I have no handy chart this time because the fleeing Republicans messed that up. I need to re-think the parameters I am charting. I may be the victim of a voter roll purge...at any rate, the picture should firm up in the next few weeks as more data is collected.

For more information, visit the following websites:

Register to vote in North Carolina

NC State Board of Elections

NC Democratic Party

NC Republican Party

NC Libertarian Party

Previously:

Monday Morning Voter Numbers

Number of Libertarians More Than Doubles in North Carolina

Richard Bernier captured Congressional candidate Carl Mumpower at the Buncombe County GOP Picnic.

Candidate Website.

This is former Senator RL Clark, who is running for the seat currently held by Senator Martin Nesbitt.

The candidate has no website.

The video comes to us from Richard Bernier.

Here at Scorecard, we’ve interviewed many prospective candidates for Congress — some who have become politically savvy after years of elective experience, some who come out of nowhere to become credible candidates, and some who just simply have no chance of winning.

And while we’ve never met Asheville city councilman Carl Mumpower, who’s running against Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), we’re guessing that he is in a league all of his own.

A week after suspending his campaign because of his party’s insufficient commitment to conservatism, Mumpower said his own county party is disassociating themselves from him — a rare occurrence.

Source: Real Clear Politics

Commentary

Aside from the fact that Josh Kraushaar doesn't even know what county Mumpower is from (here's a hint...Asheville is in Buncombe County), it does seem that everyone on the national scene, and quite a few locally have given up on Mumpower. I just hope to God that he didn't make the colossal error of meeting with Ron Paul in Boone Friday night, as my operatives in the Ron Paul r3VOLution tell me he wanted to do.

I would like to see Mumpower get out and campaign, and see some advance notice of where is going to be and when.

Nearly all the Republican candidates seem to have this problem, Pat McCrory has been in the area several times without advance warning. Charles Taylor was the same way. He'd show up somewhere, then you'd read about it in the paper a few days later.

For example, Kay Hagan was in the area this weekend, and I was notified of her itinerary ahead of time. She was in Brevard and Sylva yesterday, and will be in Andrews and Bryon City today. [Kay Hagan Schedule] It was too bad that I couln't attend either of those events and get some video to post. [Elizabeth Dole Schedule]

In the NC Governor's race, compare the two calenders of Pat McCrory and Bev Perdue.

The Shuler people certainly get the word out when he is going to be in the area before he goes back to his home in Tennessee, where he is the second representative of the Second Congressional District. His Campaign Website is down at the moment, with the notice that a new website will be coming soon.

This is something I have been wanting Republicans to get involved in, the interactive nature of the Internet beyond mailing lists. The Mumpower Campaign is very good about using that tool. There isn't even a calender on the website, though.

I look forward to covering the NC-11 Campaign, but it is beginning to look like if I want to know ahead of time where a candidate is going to be...I'll be recording a lot more Democratic Events than I will be Republican Events.

Republicans are going to have to get away from this clique thinking, where only the inner circle and trusted supporters know where you are going to be and when. I would not have been able to record a lot of the events that I attended if I had not been "on the inside" to a certain point, and received notices from the various campaigns, or those carrying water for a certain campaign.

Republicans need to see the possibilities instead of the limitations.

I'll let you know if this post gets me thrown overboard.

Campaigning in secret will not get you elected.

DILLSBORO – Excursion train operator Great Smoky Mountains Railroad says it is shutting down its Dillsboro operations and dismissing 40 employees because of difficult business conditions.

The railroad will continue operating trips out of Bryson City to the Nantahala Gorge in western Swain County, said Jeffrey Jackson, chief operating officer at Colorado-based American Heritage Railways, Great Smoky’s parent company. The change takes effect Aug. 8.

The general economic slowdown has cut business, and higher fuel costs have deterred visitors and raised the expense of operation, Jackson said Friday.

“We got real used to better economic times, and unfortunately that cycle has changed,” he said. “The businesses that want to withstand it have to change also.”

Railroad passengers are a significant portion of the customer base for many Dillsboro businesses.

The railroad brought about 60,000 people a year to the tourist-oriented Jackson County town, just west of Sylva, Great Smoky general manager Kim Albritton said.

Source: Asheville Citizen-Times
Hat Tip: Mountain Shout

I should be glad I got this video when I did:

And Blue Ridge Blog was there to get a photo or two.

I wonder if anyone recorded the audio, or made a video of the appearance as Ron Paul took time out from visiting his family in the area to speak to local supporters.

Even though I dislike his anti-American stance on the war, I would have gone to video the event if it didn't cost $150 to drive to Boone and back to Franklin.

**update** 3.09 PM

The Watauga Democrat has a report on the event, and their count of attendance has it slightly over a hundred people.

The N.C. Legislature has wrapped up it annual session, after passing a $21.4 billion budget. So, how did legislators decide to spend your tax dollars? And what lies ahead for lawmakers at the polls this fall and what awaits them when the new session launches next year?

We speak with Dan Kane from the Raleigh News & Observer to get an inside look at this year's legislative session.

Plus, is Sunday voting on the way for your county this fall? We speak with Jenn Frye from Democracy North Carolina to find out.

Go listen to the podcast.

Voter Radio

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is a 2003 Academy Award-winning film directed by Peter Weir and starring Russell Crowe as Jack Aubrey, with Paul Bettany as Stephen Maturin. It is adapted from three novels in the Aubrey–Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian.

Carolina Journal's Mitch Kokai has interviewed Bruce Calwell, of Duke University’s Center for the History of Political Economy, about Friedrick von Hayek's 1944 book, The Road To Serfdom.

Check it out.






Read a review of Caldwell's Edition of The Road To Serfdom.

Wikipedia Article
Reader's Digest version (pdf download)
Mises photo version





The Road To Serfdom is one of the most important books written in the 20th Century, and should be required reading for anyone who cares about politics.

Recently, Richard Bernier sat down with Bob Hunter, a candidate for the North Carolina Court of Appeals. This video is half an hour long, and will air on URTV on Charter Cable.

Candidate Web Site

If you are going to Bele Chere this weekend, pick up the latest Mountain Xpress from your favorite newstand, or check out their website, which has a downloadable map of what is where and even has a live streaming webcam from the corner of Haywood Street and College Street so you can watch from a safe distance.

Hat Tip: BlogAsheville

And no, I'm not going. I went one time when (now WZGM) was broadcasting live from the event in 2005 and I was still a newbie blogger. Besides, doesn't it always rain at Bele Chere?

I note Public Policy Polling has picked up on the recent Civitas Decision Maker Poll, and has commented that it would be a bad move for Pat McCrory to make vouchers an issue in the election.

Here is a video I recorded during the March Hendersonville Gubernatorial Debate where vouchers were addressed by the candidates:



I agree with Bob Orr's answer with the caveat that Republicans have allowed the left to own the media, so that the Republican message cannot get out undistorted.

Statement by Joe Dunn:

As many of you may know, I have been struggling with a decision to stay an active candidate for a position on the Buncombe County Commission. Indecision is a crippling load for your mind and heart to carry. I have been torn between family and service to my community. I have four wonderful grandchildren and a family that has always been supportive in the past. I no longer feel I should live my life and place my political future ahead of my family. Serving four years on Asheville City Council was an honor, but not without stress and worry about where this city is headed.The Buncombe County Commission is now taking on the same potential look as the current "progressive" city council. Voters had better wake up before it is too late. City and County politics should not be about who is a Democrat or Republican. The leadership should be decided by voters who are informed and who is the most qualified to look after the taxpayer's best interests. I don't see that happening. That being said, I feel the best interests for myself is to place my family above everything else. Both my children do not want me to run and my wife is very concerned as well. She has seen my mood change already as the campaign is not far away from swinging into action. Those of you within my inner circle of friends have seen my frustration growing day to day. I have never been afraid to take a stand on conservative issues. My greatest frustration is with local politicians in the city and county that place power and turf over the real needs of hardworking taxpayers. I feel it is time for some other people to fight the good fight. Politics and holding on to public office are not what motivated me to run for council or for mayor. I think my past votes on many issues came in a loosing cause, but I never compromised my core beliefs. Unfortunately, most local, state, and federal politicians are making holding on to office a career and being reelected is all they really care about. Therefore, I am now dropping out of the race for County Commissioner. Those folks who have given me money will have it returned. Anyone who has given me cash needs to contact me as I plan to pay all of you back. I made the mistake of listening to others who asked me to run when deep inside my heart I did not have that burning desire to do so. I thought I could overcome that feeling, but I just could not. For that I am sorry. It would not be fair to my party nor my supporters to run a half-hearted campaign. I have decided to let all of you know at the same time as to not offend any one person. This is not an easy decision, but it is the right thing for me to do in this period of my life. I want to thank all of those folks who are supporters and I hope to see more of you in the future.

Good luck and God bless.

Sincerely,

Joe Dunn

###





Joe Dunn has been a voice for reason in local politics, especially when he served on the Asheville City Council. I respect his decision to drop out of the race and wish him well, and would hope that he would make himself available from time to time to share his wisdom and advice on issues that affect Asheville and Buncombe County.

This is a video shot by one of the rising stars of conservative videobloggers in western North Carolina, Kathy Rhodarmer during a Freedom Works visit to Congressman Shuler's office in Asheville, NC.

The group was concerned about the Mortgage Bailout by Congress, and the need to drill domestically for oil.

The photo to the left was taken at the 2007 Transformus Neo-Pagan Festival near Asheville, NC.

Many of you may be familiar with the Burning Man, which is a revival of the Druid Wicker man witnessed by Julius Caesar in Britain over 2,000 years ago. From Wikipedia:

Today, a wicker man is burned as part of neopagan festivities, especially Beltane, a rite of spring. Wicker men are tall, humanoid wooden structures, woven from flexible sticks such as those of willow as used in wicker furniture and fencing. The Wickerman Festival is an annual rock and dance music event that takes place in Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland; its main feature is the burning of a large wooden effigy on the last night. Similarly, a Wicker Man is burned each year at Butser Ancient Farm in Hampshire, England, and the American Burning Man festival features a large burnable man as well.

Neo-Paganism is an umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of modern religious movements, particularly those influenced by historical pre-Christian European "pagan" religions.

Below is a video of this year's burn near Asheville:



This year, the Burning Man Organization revoked Transformus's status as an Official Burning Man Regional Event. In a letter to the Transformus Community, Burning Man cited a lack of transparency in accounting, ticketing, and overall operations by the Transformus LLC as the reason that the status was revoked. So, were local Pagans skimming a little off the top, or were they merely too capitalistic for the Burning Man Organization, despite an official policy banning cash transactions at the event?

Here are the ten principles of the event, which should provide a further clue about the agendas behind the gathering:

Several themes and/or ethics are encouraged during the event, based on the 10 principles of Burning Man. These include:

* Leave No Trace (or LNT) - everyone at the event is asked to clean up after themselves so that when the event is done, the campground looks as good or better than when it was started.

* Gift Economy - no sale or barter is allowed at the event. Participants are asked to bring what they can and share with any and all as they are able.

* Radical Inclusion - everyone is welcome.

* Radical Self-Reliance - do what needs to be done and don't be a burden to others.

* Radical Self-Expression - be yourself, however you wish. Allow others to do the same.

* Communal Effort - work together to make the best possible.

* Civic Responsibility - do the right thing.

* Participation - no one attending is only an observer.

* Immediacy - participants are to become part of the event and explore their inner selves in relation to the event and surroundings.

* Decommodification - rejection of corporate branding and sales.

For those of us who are Christians, we can recognize this as part of the falling away spoke of in 1 Tim 4:1:

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils..."

Don't believe me? If you are near Asheville, just visit Pritchard Park on any given Fridqay evening to witness the Drum Circles and the gathering of the pagans, or just check out youtube.

Asheville picked a very appropriate motto recently, with "Anyway you like it." The City of Asheville has taken to celebrating the anti-Christian nature of the people to be found wandering the streets, and burning effigies at all the appropriate Pagan Holidays.



For More information, visit the following websites:


Satanic Origins of the Burning Man

Official Website of Transformus

Wikipedai article on Neo-Paganism

Satan's Birthday Party

Dedication:

This article is dedicated to the Carolina Stompers, who have served as an example for me to begin addressing the Satanic influences in, and around, Asheville, NC.

**update** 3.10 PM

There are more videos being uploaded to youtube, so here is a playlist:


And here is Google Maps showing you where the event took place:


View Larger Map

Pagans, this is for you...



**update** 10.35 AM July 31, 2008. Part Two in this series is at Thunder Pig.

This is "The Battle of Frog Town" mock battle by members of the 25th NC Infantry Civil War re-enactors as part of the 5th Annual Franklin Folk Festival in Franklin, NC this past Saturday, the 19th of July.

It was tremendous fun.

For more information visit:

Folk Heritage Association of Macon County

Macon County Historical Society

The Battle of Iotla Ford

25th NC Infantry

Kirk's Raiders

Carl Mumpower was in Bryson city recently, and Richard Bernier, of Sound Off Buncombe, was there to capture the campaign event for his show, which airs on URTV on Charter Cable 20 in Buncombe and Madison Counties.

Candidate Website

Swain County GOP

Previously:


Macon County Puts Mumpower Over The Top

Six NC-11 Counties Affirm Support of GOP Principles

Mumpower Challenges District Party Leaders To Stand On Principles,
Puts Campaign On Hold

Congressional Candidate Dr. Carl Mumpower:
Taking A Stand On Principle

I shot this video with the idea of making a COPS-style video, and everyone involved were very cooperative, (even the ones who didn't know it played their parts well) and we had great fun doing it Saturday at the Franklin Folk Festival, an event of the Macon County Folk Heritage Association.
The people were being locked up to raise money for the Macon County Historical Society.
It was fun shooting the video, and the people being locked were good sports, and were having fun with it as well, which made for some good video.

All I have left now is to put together a video of odds and ends and of the Battle of Frogtown, and post some photos. There was so more going on that I just did not have time to capture it all, there was music being played in several locations, several local authors were present, demonstrations of local heritage and craft displays.

There was a front porch behind the Burrell Building where Betty Cabe, Danita Stoudemire, and Ralph Preston were recording the memories of people of what it was like growing up in the early 20th century. I was so engrossed by that, I didn't pay attention to my footage, and none of it came out good enough to use, although I used a portion of the audio as background of a slide show for the location.


Previously:

5^th Annual Franklin Folk Festival Part 2

5^th Annual Franklin Folk Festival Part One

Franklin Folk Festival Preview Slide Show

Part One is here.

Here are the next three videos in the series. I have just one left for tomorrow, "The Battle of Frogtown" and a short video of a COPS-style ride-along I did during the festival:



Part Two



Part Three



Part Four

I also have a series of photos to post tomorrow or Tuesday.

COUNTY NC NEWS -- The North Carolina Association of Broadcasters has been forced to cancel their gubernatorial debate, which they were planning to sponsor in Asheville on July 20, 2008. The cause? Lieutenant Governor Beverly Perdue still refuses to participate. Like a highway construction sign blinking "Expect Delays," Perdue has already declined forums at WNCN-TV, the Triad Today show, and two statewide debates on UNC-TV, all without explanation.

Responding to the cancellation, the Elect Pat McCrory for Governor Campaign Manager, Richard Hudson said:

"Apparently, Lt. Gov. Perdue thinks she is above being responsive and accountable to the very people she hopes to represent as governor. The culture of arrogance and inaccessibility that permeates from Raleigh politicians like Perdue is unacceptable. North Carolina deserves a governor who will be accessible to the people and openly discuss his or her positions on the issues that affect our state."

"Pat McCrory has been calling for debates across North Carolina for months and is disappointed that Sunday's event has been cancelled. He once again renews his call for the lieutenant governor to move beyond formal, structured speeches and allow the voters to hear a real discussion on the issues."

Source: NC County News (Read the whole thing over there)

This is the first in a series of videos chronicling my experience yesterday at the Franklin Folk Festival.

More Info: Macon County NC Folk Heritage Festival

I had a lot of fun at this festival, and saw a lot of old friends, old teachers, and saw how people lived in the old days. I heard some good music, people having fun, and a skirmish between Kirk's Raiders (Yankees) and the 25th North Carolina Infantry (Confederates) in Frogtown.

I am really tired, but I wanted to give you a taste of what went on in Franklin, NC today. So here is 20 photos quickly re-sized and put in a slide show:


The Franklin Folk Festival is always the third weekend in July, and is fun for the whole family, with a plethora of things for the kids to do...some of them even educational. (Just don't tell the kids that part).

This is a short preview clip just before Pat speaks. Full video will be at the Buncombe GOP website & also on URTV Public Access TV in both Buncombe & Madison Counties.

A DVD will be available for $12 each, with half the proceeds going to the Buncombe GOP, and the other half to the Madison GOP. Contact the Producer for more details.

The producer, Richard Bernier, has a TV Show called Sound Off Buncombe that airs on Charter Cable 20 in Buncombe and Madison Counties.

A new online video service, Snag Films, is making dozens of documentary-type films from major studios, and independent film makers available to watch online for free. You can also embed the films on any website to help spread the word about Snag Films.


Here is the NOVA documentary Hunt for the Supertwister. It is one of the films available to watch through the service.

From the website desciption of Snag Films:

At SnagFilms.com, you can watch full-length documentary films for free, but we also make it easy for you to take our films with you and put them anywhere on the web. When you embed a widget on your web site, you open a virtual movie theater and become a “Filmanthropist.” Donate your pixels and support independent film! And click on “info” on any widget to learn more about that film and a related charity you can also support.
With a library of 225 documentaries, and rapidly growing — browse by topic or go through the alphabet from A-Z — you’re bound to find films that resonate with your interests. There is a widget for EVERY film, so any film you like can be snagged. To learn more about snagging go here. Enjoy your visit, snag a film, and keep checking back because we’re adding great news titles daily.
Click here for more about SnagFilms.

As a Maconian myself, I'm glad it was us that put him back in business!

Here is the latest press release from the Mumpower Campaign:

On Monday Congressional Candidate Carl Mumpower told the 11th District Republican Committee that his campaign was officially on hold until at least half of the counties in Western North Carolina got behind a "Principles First" proposal. Moving beyond their initial shock, Committee members went back to their home counties with a unanimous recommendation for approval. That effort was rewarded Thursday evening when the eighth of fifteen counties, Macon, held their own unanimous vote to join Mumpower in making it clear that the Republican Party is back and on track.

Mumpower's campaign suspension centered on a call for an authentic 11th District rededication to core Republican principles and the establishment of their own procedure for holding local, state, and national leaders accountable to those principles. This unusual strategy was rewarded with timely action by Buncombe, Swain, Henderson, Clay, Rutherford, Transylvania, McDowell, and Macon counties. "I did not expect things to move this quickly, but I should have known better," said Mumpower. "The majority of Republicans I've talked to, including Macon Chair Gary Dills, are ahead of me in recognizing the importance of a return to principles above all other political considerations."

"People have lost faith in the Republican Party because we have allowed power, political correctness, and other pressures to trump our core values," said Mumpower. "It is important that the people of WNC and the country know that the word 'Republican' stands for something they can count on - being careful with their money, restraining government intrusion on their lives, and protecting America."

The Congressional candidate has been criticized for this effort and other maverick approaches to campaigning that may be giving incumbent Heath Shuler a leg up on the race. "Yes, I do want to win - even more I want to help secure the future of America through a Republican Party that is rededicated to the promise and potential offered in our founding principles upheld by principle guided candidates," said Mumpower.

"Now that WNC's Republicans are united behind our real values, my campaign is in full swing effective immediately," Mumpower concluded. "The people of WNC now know that we have a platform that stands for something besides buying a seat in Congress and the promise everything to everyone policies of my opponent and his party."

Carl Mumpower
11th District Republican Congressional Candidate
www.mumpower08.com

Principles before party, power, or popularity - always.

Candidate Website

The recent Mumpower Campaign Suspension has been totally misinterpreted by all except the party faithful. To whit, in a recent Press Release, Congressional Candidate Carl Mumpower has announced that Transylvania County has signed on to party principles, and to hold elected Republicans accountable.

This brings the total counties supporting Mumpower's "Principles First Campaign."

They are: Buncombe, Henderson, Swain, Clay, Rutherford and Transylvania Counties.

I have enjoyed reading people's misunderstanding of what the purpose of this is, especially at the local nutroots group blog Scrutiny Hooligans and the national nutroots hangout Daily KKKos. They have no idea what is headed their way come November, and I hope it stays that way.

There will be exciting new opportunities available for conservatives in western North Carolina and beyond to network together over the next few months, so stay tuned for an important announcement next week in that regard from me.

I feel a new synergy amongst conservatives about the Army of Mumpower.

**update** 12.12 PM Add McDowell County to the list. One to go!

Previously:

Mumpower Challenges District Party Leaders To Stand On Principles,
Puts Campaign On Hold

Congressional Candidate Dr. Carl Mumpower:
Taking A Stand On Principle

Chairman Nathan Ramsey has kicked off his 2008 Campaign to be re-elected to the Buncombe County Commission, and Richard Bernier, of URTV's Sound Off Buncombe was there:


Candidate Website

The bill is moving through the House and Senate on its way to Governor Easley's desk. Drawing on recent experience, Easley had sought added powers for future governors in droughts that are sure to come. Now his successors are likely to get some of those powers.

Chief among the lessons of 2007-08 is that simply waiting for rain won't work in a state where water demand has increased more than reservoir capacity. We are, as Rep. Verla Insko of Chapel Hill put it, "no longer a water-wealthy state."

So we have to use water more wisely, along with creating new supplies. The bill requires municipal water systems to produce conservation plans, and gives the state the power to order up stricter measures in an emergency. Crucially, the state will be able to tell water systems with a surplus that they must share with nearby cities (and be compensated for it).

Source: Raleigh News & Observer

I note that the editorial does not mention this portion of the bill:

Section 4. (a):
(9) Any member of the Commission or any person authorized by it, shall have the right to enter upon any private or public lands or waters for the purpose of making investigations and studies reasonably necessary in the gathering of facts concerning streams and watersheds, subject to responsibility for any damage done to property entered.

I suppose one might conclude that if the "person authorized by the Commission" needed to damage a fence in order to gain access to a property, or waltz through crops or expensive plantings to reach his or her destination, then the State would pay for the damages. This sounds to me like the State of North Carolina has given its agents permission to break and enter.

And no where in the editorial is a voice raised against the objectionable content of Section 6:

SECTION 6. The Environmental Review Commission, as part of its ongoing study of the allocation of water resources in the State required by Section 1 of S.L. 2007‑518, shall study whether and to what extent private groundwater wells and the use of water produced by private groundwater wells should be regulated by the State or units of local government. The Environmental Review Commission shall report its findings and recommendations, including any legislative proposals, to the General Assembly as provided by Section 1 of S.L. 2007‑518, as amended.

They are going "to study" whether or not private wells and their use should be regulated by the State or local governments. The editor apparently does not object to the government regulating the use of the well located on your property and paid for by you. What do you want to bet that you will pay for that well to "be regulated" as well?

And, in order to "monitor" your water usage, I imagine that they will put a water meter on your well, rather than relying upon your, or your neighbor's reporting.

Where are the voices raised in opposition to this criminally oppressive piece of legislation?

I will be conducting a survey of people running for office in this part of the state to get their opinion as to whether or not they support this legislation.

And one more thing that I have noticed...in their articles, the Legacy Media types rarely, if ever, refer to legislation by it's number that would allow readers to investigate the matter for themselves. In not one of the online articles is a link to the legislation or voting record provided to assist the voter in seeking further information.

Links for this legislation may be found in my previous post.

I had to dig to find out what the bill actually said, and how each member voted. It was not a pleasant experience, which got me to wondering...

There needs to be a better system for getting the news out to people about what exactly is going on in Raleigh in the General Assembly. We need to put some eyes and ears to the proceedings, and establish a way for people to easily share what their elected representatives are doing, voting, and saying.

Goodness knows we can't trust the newspapers to report anything other than what fits their agenda.

I have a plan...

House Bill 2499 [HTML Version] [PDF Download] has advanced past it's second reading in the General Assembly.

In the following article, all sections in red are direct quotes from the legislation.

The bill has the innocuous-sounding title "AN ACT to improve Drought preparedness and response in North Carolina, as recommended by the Environmental review commission."

Here are just a few of the more egregious items I found with the legislation:

Section 4. (a):
(9) Any member of the Commission or any person authorized by it, shall have the right to enter upon any private or public lands or waters for the purpose of making investigations and studies reasonably necessary in the gathering of facts concerning streams and watersheds, subject to responsibility for any damage done to property entered.

I wonder if this includes posted land. And you can guarantee this will be just another camel nose under the tent that will further threaten our nearly non-existent property rights.





And if you want to have nightmares, just read the amended § 143‑355.2. Water conservation measures for drought, which includes measures for requiring local governments to implement water conservation measures whether they are in a drought condition or not, at the discretion of the Secretary. This includes water source restrictions in multiple counties or municipalities when one are has been declared to be in drought, and the neighboring area is not.

And here is the biggie: SECTION 6. The Environmental Review Commission, as part of its ongoing study of the allocation of water resources in the State required by Section 1 of S.L. 2007‑518, shall study whether and to what extent private groundwater wells and the use of water produced by private groundwater wells should be regulated by the State or units of local government. The Environmental Review Commission shall report its findings and recommendations, including any legislative proposals, to the General Assembly as provided by Section 1 of S.L. 2007‑518, as amended.

Here is the smoking gun that was denied earlier...the regulation of private wells. The State of North Carolina will be investigating whether or not they will regulate your private wells, and that includes putting meters on wells, no matter what Joe Sam Queen said in this Sound Off Buncombe Video. How else will the State of North Carolina determine your water usage unless they put a meter on the wells?

People, this should be the time we pick up our pitch forks, torches, and buckets of tar to let our elected representatives in Raleigh know that we are watching them, and we are not happy.

There is much more that is wrong with this bill, especially in the enforcement section where fines and penalties are spelled out.

Here is how the western delegation of the NC House voted last night on this legislation:

AYES

Bob England (D-112)

Susan Fisher (D-114)

Bruce Goforth (D-115)

Phillip Haire (D-119)

Ray Rapp (D-118)

NOES

Phillip Frye (R-84)

Carolyn Justus (R-117)

Trudi Walend (R-113)

Roger West (R-120)

NOT VOTING

Charles Thomas (R-116)

You can click on the links to find out how to get in touch with the representatives, and be polite with regardless of how they voted. Get your point across politely.

I am going to try to give a run-down of how the western delegation votes in Raleigh. If you think I should be tracking England, Frye, and/or Gillespie, let me know.

Here is how the votes stacked up last week in the General Assembly voting on the Modify Appropriations Act of 2007 [PDF Download]:

In the North Carolina Senate

Ayes...Martin Nesbitt (D-49), Joe Sam Queen (D-47), and John Snow (D-50)

Noes...N/A

Fair Vote Tom Apodaca (R-48) (Noe) and David Hoyle (Aye)

In the House of Representatives:

Ayes...Susan Fisher (D-114), Bruce Goforth (D-115), Phillip Haire (D-119), Ray Rapp D-118), Charles Thomas (R-116), Roger West (R-120)

Noes...Carolyn Justus (R-117), Trudi Walend (R-113)

I had no idea it was so hard to round up this information on exactly what they voted on in one place. Of course, it would have been easier if I paid attention to the calenders issued by both Houses...

Here are some videos from Richard Bernier of the URTV show, Sound Off Buncombe introducing us to John Carroll, a candidate for Buncombe County Commisioner:

The titles are below the videos:



Creating Local Jobs In Buncombe County



Supporting Public Dialogue in Buncombe County



Promoting Responsible Development in Buncombe County, Part 1


Promoting Responsible Development in Buncombe County, Part 2



Solving the School Dropout Problem



Protecting Taxpayers Dollars


Citizens To Match Our Mountains

Campaign Website

By Sheriff Robert L. Holland
Macon County, North Carolina

During the past few days I have found myself often thinking about the tragedy surrounding the death of one of our own, NC Trooper David Shawn Blanton Jr., and imagining the events that occurred during that dark night in nearby Haywood County. Still, even today, I find myself deeply saddened at the loss of not only a brother law enforcement officer but also of a young man in his prime. While pondering the chain of events in my mind, each time I conclude by thanking God that such a tragic event did not come any closer to home. It is shameful that such a young trooper who had a brand new baby boy has had his entire life and career stolen from him. How sad it is to know that the actions of another has robbed him of the opportunity to see his son grow and the chance to share each and every moment through the years with his young wife. Instead, a little boy will grow up and learn how his father was a brave officer and how he paid the ultimate sacrifice protecting and serving his community. While attending his funeral with a number of my deputies, I listened to the minister describe Trooper Blanton “as a hero not because he died in the line of duty, but instead, because of how Trooper Blanton lived his life.” What a wonderful tribute for anyone to be remembered by. I heard his friends describe him as the type of person that, not only his son could look up to, but all of us. Trooper J.P Henderson, told those attending his partner’s funeral that his friend always had a smile with a “giggle” that was indescribable, a man who never met a stranger, and a man that was always willing to help others. Trooper Blanton will also be remembered as the first member of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians to serve with the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

Source: Macon County News

Yesterday, there was a ride to benefit the family of the fallen trooper, and the Asheville Citizen-Times is reporting that Chuck Marsh, former DJ at Kiss Country, raised $12,200 in a radiothon at 93.1 The Wolf in Greensboro.

The Fallen Hero Memorial Ride saw some 4,600 motorcyles registered and raised over $36,000 for the family on their ride from Black Mountain to Eaglenest in Maggie Valley.

I received this in my email this morning:

HICKORY -It’s been two weeks since police arrested brothers Jesse and Matthew Boyd for sharing their faith on a public street during the Jaycees’ “Hickory Alive” event. And as of July 11, the city had yet to drop the charges or apologize for violating the pair’s First Amendment right to free speech.

“It is truly a sad day in America, the supposed ‘Land of the Free’,” wrote Jesse Boyd, 32, president of Conover-based Full Proof Gospel Ministries shortly after being charged with second-degree trespassing for “distributing Gospel tracts freely at a free public access event on the town square in Hickory.”

The Christian Law Association of Seminole, Fla., is representing the Boyds and Gibbs Law Firm, general counsel for CLA, issued a letter July 1 to the City of Hickory, the Hickory Police Department and the Hickory Jaycees asking that charges be dismissed and that the organizations not interfere with the Boyds’ First Amendment right to distribute religious literature at future events in Hickory.

Source: Christian Action League


This act should not be tolerated by the people of Hickory. I have seen people handing out religious and political tracts at nearly every public event I have ever attended, and they have never been disruptive in my presence, or I guarantee you that they would be on video...for my camera is always with me, ready to go at a moments notice.

These guys also took video. From a cell phone:

There were three other gentlemen, including Bishnu, with us doing the work of evangelism last night. The police specifically told my friends they were trespassing by handing out religious literature. The ironic thing is that I initially got involved in a witnessing conversation with a Catholic when we first arrived. So, by virtue of the circumstance, I personally had not opportunity to give out a single Gospel tract. My entire time before the arrest was spent in conversation. As soon as the conversation was over, I saw that my friends were being hassled by the police. I simply approached, turned the video camera on, and asked about what was transpiring. I then asked a total of three questions, and for that, I was arrested. I, personally, was never told to leave, and I never refused to leave. I also had not had opportunity to do what they were claiming was in violation of the law. The charge against me reads that I was refused entrance to the town square by the man in charge of the event and two police officers and that I adamantly refused to leave, entering against their orders. Of course, none of these men ever approached ME with such orders. This whole thing is so ludicrous that I almost chuckle thinking about it. Earlier in the evening, as mentioned, my friends were told that it was ok for us to be there and talk to people, but we were not allowed to distribute Gospel tracts. This is amazing, because the Hickory Code of Ordinances says clearly in Section 21-2: "No person shall distribute any circulars or other advertising matter within the fire limits of the city, provided, THAT THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO RELIGIOUS LITERATURE CIRCULATED FROM PERSON TO PERSON." At the root of the whole issue was Gospel tracts, and this is a right clearly protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution (follow this link to see how the U.S. Supreme Court has addressed this specific issue over the years: http://www.solidrockfaith.com/gospeltracts.pdf )

Source: Full Proof Gospel Ministries

The video is not on a video sharing site (yet), and I suggest you take a look at them.

If you feel so moved, you may contact the Hickory Police Department to inquire further on this case.

Anybody up for a ride to Hickory?