Mitt Romney Rally in Asheville

Last Thursday, the Mitt Romney Campaign visited what I call the heart of darkness...the progressive stronghold of Asheville, NC...and managed to attracts thousands of people. The following video was filmed and produced by Fremont Brown III. So, if you were unable to attend, or were unwilling to visit Asheville (as I was), here is the rally:

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A Report on the iCaucus Conference Call with NC-11 Candidates Vance Patterson and Mark Meadows

Christine Gates, of the Caldwell TEA Party, participated in an iCaucus conference call that included both the Republican candidates in the run off election in the NC11 GOP Primary.

The purpose of Monday’s conference call was to lay our cards on the table and discuss the 800-pound elephants in the room.



1. How do we get through this run-off without cannibalizing other Republicans and giving the Democrats ample ammunition against us in November?

2. How can all these groups (TEA, 912, and GOP) get through the run-off and remain friends, so we can ALL work together for the nominee in the General Election? And even more importantly, how do we keep everyone invested in the political process through the General Election in November, so they don’t leave the political process?

3. What role would the iCaucus vetting and endorsing process play in the run-off?

4. The biggie for many of us: Which candidate has the support and the money to get them selves across the finish line in November against a very well funded Democrat, Hayden Rogers?

Source: Caldwell TEA Party "Vance, Meadows, iCaucus conference call" 

I really wish that there had been an audio and video of the conference call made available for full transparency...but I don't expect that from an iCaucus event.

In the past, I have not trusted iCaucus...most especially those in the NC11 Congressional District who have been a part of the process...namely, anyone associated with the Asheville Tea Party. Jane Bilello, and Erike Franzi and Tim Peck before her, have not been transparent individuals. They've been unequivocal Dan Eichenbaum Supporters, even to the point of publicly announcing voting Heath shuler over Jeff Miller. I hope that Jane Bilello proves me wrong in my suspicions.


I remind every one of the results of the May 2012 Primary:

Mark Meadows (REP) 37.90% 35,518
Vance Patterson (REP) 23.62% 22,139
Jeff Hunt (REP) 14.09% 13,206
Ethan Wingfield (REP) 11.31% 10,597
Susan Harris (REP) 6.15% 5,762
Kenny West (REP) 4.21% 3,946
Spence Campbell (REP) 1.91% 1,787
Chris Petrella (REP) 0.82% 767


TOTAL 93,722

Source: Infographic: May 2012 NC11 GOP Primary Results

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Answering Machine Attacks and the Asheville City Council

Someone sent me this audio anonymously, but I guess they got tired of waiting on me to write up a post about it, so they went ahead and posted it online...then sent me the link to where they had uploaded it. 


So, here is what I had prepared to provide context for the audio. I had more research to do, but I'm walking away from the project since they've posted it online elsewhere...




LTE in Asheville Citizen-Times dated Oct 5, 2011




Cecil Bothwell has, in my opinion, once again showed his total ignorance as to how a small business might work. Since he has never developed a successful business of his own, and loves to see his name in print, he decided to attack Jan Davis for providing tire service for the ABC vehicle fleet. He has retracted his statements, but I feel his intent to smear the good name of Davis was obvious. Mr. Bothwell, along with the new slate of left leaning progressive candidates for council, do not reflect the mainstream of thinking for the majority of Asheville citizens. Candidate Lael Gray has stated that automobiles need to be eliminated from city streets. Asheville voters need to ask candidates Pelly, Gray, and Hunt one simple question. “What portion of the city budget do they plan to cut in order to pay for their special agendas during the economic downturn?” Will it be police, firefighters, or basic city services? Or will higher taxes be their agenda?


Dr. Joe Dunn, Asheville
Dunn is a former Asheville city councilman


The above LTE generated a response from Cecil Bothwell, which was sent to me anonymously:



Download MP3






It also generated a response from fellow progressive Lael Gray in the Mountain Xpress.

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NC General Assembly 03-28-2011 Legislative Calendar Links to Bills and Live Audio Feeds

The new session of the North Carolina General Assembly is well underway and since today is Monday, the schedule consists only of a meeting having to with the pages and the sessions of the NC Senate and the NC House at 7pm tonight. I have included links to bill histories, downloadable PDFs of the current versions of bills and links so that you can listen to the audio feed of these meetings live...

If you cannot listen to these meetings live, check back later to see if I have. If I have, I'll post the audio (and a download link) for the meeting in the calendar. You can also follow what is happening in the NC General Assembly by keeping an eye on the hashtag #ncga on Twitter.

If I haven't been able to listen, please check with Voter Radio. You should already be subscribing to their podcasts anyway. I do. ʘ‿ʘ


**note** I have eliminated linking to a PDF of the current version of bills to save time when preparing the post every morning. The PDFs are available by clicking the bill number and downloading them from the NC General Assembly website.

5:00 PM	Senate Pages	1027/1128 LB
7:00 PM	Session Convenes (House) INTRODUCED BILLS HB 461 T. Moore - CORNELIUS RIGHT-OF-WAY ORDINANCE. HB 462 McCormick - STUDY BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY & FRANCHISE SALES. HB 463 Jones - ROCKINGHAM/TAKING OF FOXES. HB 464 Dockham - SANITARY DISTRICTS/PUBLIC UTILITY. HB 465 Bell, Langdon, Brisson and McCormick (Primary Sponsors) - RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY PORTFOLIO STANDARDS CREDITS  AT CLEANFIELDS PARKS. HB 466 Blust - SPEND 65% OF FUNDS IN THE CLASSROOM. HB 467 Blust - IMPROVE SCHOOL DISCIPLINE. HB 468 Horn, Sager, Hill and Hackney (Primary Sponsors) - AMEND WEIGHT LIMITS  FOR FARM PRODUCTS. HB 469 Graham, Pierce and Pridgen (Primary Sponsors) - ADDITIONAL LUMBERTON  OCCUPANCY TAX. HB 470 Haire - AMEND ALLOCATION OF TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY  PAYMENT. HB 471 Moffitt - BUNCOMBE COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICTS. HB 472 McGrady, Stam, Owens and Jackson (Primary Sponsors) - CITY/COUNTY  ELECTRONIC NOTICE. HB 473 Cleveland, Iler and Boles (Primary Sponsors) - EQUAL TAX TREATMENT OF  GOVERNMENT RETIREE BENEFITS. HB 474 Weiss, Hollo, Farmer-Butterfield and Earle (Primary Sponsors) - PROTECT  ADULT CARE HOME RESIDENTS. HB 475 Hastings, Hilton and Pridgen (Primary Sponsors) - ENGLISH THE OFFICIAL  LANGUAGE. HB 476 Gillespie - PROTECT GALAX & VENUS FLYTRAP/WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION RULE FINES LOCAL BILLS - SECOND READING - ROLL CALL HB 56 Collins - ROCKY MOUNT ANNEXATIONS REPEALED. (Finance) (1st Edition) HB 180 McComas and Justice (Primary Sponsors) - WILMINGTON ANNEXATION  SUSPENSION. (Finance) (1st Edition)(2) HB 212 Torbett - TOWN OF CRAMERTON/REGULATE UTILITY VEHICLES.  (Government) (1st Edition) HB 236 Moffitt - BILTMORE LAKE ANNEXATION REPEALED. (Finance) (1st Edition) SECOND AND THIRD READINGS HB 193 Committee Substitute - Justice - TOPSAIL BEACH RECALL ELECTIONS.  (Government) (2nd Edition) HB 194 Justice - TOPSAIL BEACH CHARTER AMENDMENT. (Government) (1st Edition) HB 415 Justice - TOPSAIL BEACH/LITTORAL RIGHTS. (Government) (1st Edition) PUBLIC BILLS THIRD READING - ROLL CALL HB 129 Committee Substitute - Avila, Howard, Carney and Wainwright (Primary Sponsors) - LEVEL PLAYING FIELD/LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMPETITION. (Amendment No. 1 Adopted - 3/24/11) (Finance) (2nd Edition)	House
7:00 PM	Session Convenes (Senate) BILL INTRODUCTIONS SB 417 Purcell FUNDS FOR PREVENT BLINDNESS NC. SB 418 McKissick Purcell NORTH CAROLINA HEALTH BENEFIT EXCHANGE ACT. SB 419 Davis CAMPAIGN FINANCE AND REGULATORY REFORMS. SB 420 Vaughan MUNICIPAL SUNSHINE ACT. SB 421 Bingham GAST TRAINING PILOT. SB 422 Bingham DHHS STUDY OF IOM TASK FORCE RECOM 3.1. SB 423 Tillman Hartsell Hise EDUC OVERSIGHT COMM STUDY OF TEACHER TENURE SB 424 Robinson INCREASE SMALL BREWERY LIMITS. SB 425 Hunt ECOSYSTEM ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM CHANGES. SB 426 Clodfelter MODIFY/CLARIFY PUBLIC FINANCE STATUTES. SB 427 Clodfelter NC WATER SECURITY ACT. SB 428 Clodfelter STUDY CONSOLIDATED ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION. SB 429 Jackson HUNTING PROTECTION ACT. SJR 430 D. Berger Jones LRC/STUDY URANIUM MINING NEAR ROANOKE RIVER. SB 431 Davis FONTANA DAM INCORPORATED. PUBLIC BILLS - THIRD READING SB 265 Apodaca, Brunstetter, Hartsell 3rd Ed. TRANSFER STATE HEALTH PLAN TO STATE TREASURER. Com Sub No. 2 3/9 Pens./Ret./Aging 3/14 W/D Pens./Ret./Aging; rerefer Insurance 3/22 Unfav bill; Insurance Com Sub Adopted; (Chgs title); rerefer Appro./Base Bud. STATE HEALTH PLAN/APPROPRIATIONS AND TRANSFER. 3/23 Unfav Com Sub; Appro./Base Bud. Com Sub Adopted 3/24 Passed 2nd Rdg; Remains on Cal	Senate

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NC General Assembly 03-24-2011 Legislative Calendar Links to Bills and Live Audio Feeds

**9.42am** The NC House Finance Committee met to discuss various bills repealing or suspending annexations of various "bad actor" municipalities in North Carolina. Here is the audio of most of that meeting:


Link to Download MP3

And here is the audio of the portion of that meeting dealing with a notoriously "bad actor" in the western region of North Carolina, Asheville. The community of Biltmore Lake is seeking to have their annexation into the City of Asheville repealed. The committee gave the bill a favorable report. Here is the audio of that portion of the meeting:

Link to Download MP3




The new session of the North Carolina General Assembly is well underway and here is the schedule for today. Since this is Thursday, most of the action is taking place in the morning in order to facilitate an early dismissal for the weekend. Several committees are scheduled to meet today, as well as sessions of the NC Senate and the NC House. I have included links to bill histories, downloadable PDFs of the current versions of bills and links so that you can listen to the audio feed of these meetings live...provided they are taking place in a room that is wired for audio streaming to the Internet. 

If you cannot listen to these meetings live, check back later to see if I have. If I have, I'll post the audio (and a download link) for the meeting in the calendar. You can also follow what is happening in the NC General Assembly by keeping an eye on the hashtag #ncga on Twitter.

If I haven't been able to listen, please check with Voter Radio. You should already be subscribing to their podcasts anyway. I do. ʘ‿ʘ


**note** I have eliminated linking to a PDF of the current version of bills to save time when preparing the post every morning. The PDFs are available by clicking the bill number and downloading them from the NC General Assembly website.

1:00 PM OR 15 MIN AFT SESSION	Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government (Joint)	1425 LB
8:30 AM	Finance (House) [Live Audio] Rocky Mount Annexations Repealed. (H56) Wilmington Annexation Suspension. (H180) Biltmore Lake Annexation Repealed. (H236) Charitable Solicitations/Clarify Exemption. (S51)	544 LOB
8:30 AM	Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services -- CORRECTED (House) [Live Audio] Agenda - Block Grants	643 LOB
8:30 AM	Appropriations on Department of Transportation (Senate) Agenda:	1228-1327 LB
8:30 AM	Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation (Joint)	1327 LB
8:30 AM	Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government (Joint)	1425 LB
8:30 AM	Appropriations on General Government and Information Technology (Senate) Agenda: Dept. of Revenue Budget Presentation	1425 LB
8:30 AM	Appropriations Subcommittee on Justice and Public Safety (Joint)	415 LOB
8:30 AM	Appropriations on Justice and Public Safety (Senate)	415 LOB
8:30 AM	Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural and Economic Resources (Joint)	423 LOB
8:30 AM	Appropriations on Natural and Economic Resources (Senate)	423 LOB
8:30 AM	Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services (Joint) [Live Audio] Agenda - Division of Child Development and Smart Start	643 LOB
8:30 AM	Appropriations on Health and Human Services (Senate) [Live Audio] Agenda: Block Grants	643 LOB
10:00 AM	Environment (House) [Live Audio] Presentation on the study of oil and gas exploration in the Triassic Basin Staff of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Disapprove Certain Reclaimed Water Rules. (H268)	544 LOB
10:00 AM	Government -- CORRECTED (House) [Live Audio] Topsail Beach Recall Elections. (H193) Topsail Beach Charter Amendment. (H194) Union Fire Fee Sunset Repealed. (H97) Parking Fine Increase for the City of Monroe. (H202) Edgecombe Co. Tourism Development Authority. (H204) Town of Cramerton/Regulate Utility Vehicles. (H212) Incorporate Lake James. (H256) Tax Certification - Alamance County. (S29) Robeson Hunting and Fishing. (S68) Orange County Local Disclosure Act Repeal. (S81) Topsail Beach/Littoral Rights. (H415) Apex/Cary Annexation Into Chatham Restricted. (H358) Winston-Salem Deannexation. (H418) Goldsboro Deannexation. (H196) Wake Local Stormwater Utility Fees. (S155)	643 LOB
10:00 AM	Judiciary I (Senate) Devisee/Devise/Statutory Construction. (S252)	1027 LB
10:00 AM	Judiciary II (Senate) Sex Offense/Child Witness Remote Testimony. (S42)	1124 LB
11:00 AM	Commerce -- CANCELLED (Senate) Require Labels for Ethanol-Blended Gasoline. (H187) Wine Distribution Territories. (S130)	1027 LB
11:00 AM	Session Convenes (Senate) [Live Audio] BILL INTRODUCTIONS SB 401 Bingham ACH PILOT ON CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING. SB 402 Bingham EXTEND HEARING LOSS TASK FORCE. SB 403 Jenkins Pate ECU DENTAL SCHOOL FUNDS. SB 404 Brock DEPT. OF ADMIN/PROCUREMENT MODERNIZATION.-AB SB 405 Hartsell Brown AMEND IRRIGATION CONTRACTORS' LICENSING LAWS. SB 406 Brock East Newton REPEAL CROSSBOW PURCHASE PERMIT REQUIREMENT. SB 407 Hartsell TRUSTS AND ESTATE PLANNING CHANGES. SB 408 Hartsell Clary Clodfelter COMMUNITY COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION STUDY. SB 409 Hartsell Clary Clodfelter GLOBAL TRANSPARK PED STUDY. SB 410 Hartsell Clary Clodfelter CONSOLIDATE COUNTY DSS ADMIN. FUNCTIONS. SB 411 Newton Meredith Brown VOTE FOR THE PERSON, NOT THE PARTY ACT. SB 412 Goolsby Clary Tucker PUBLIC MEETINGS/RECORDS LAW VIOLATIONS. SB 413 Clodfelter ORDINANCE FIRST READING VOTE. SB 414 Clodfelter ALLOW ATTORNEYS' FEES IN BUSINESS CONTRACTS. SB 415 Purcell ELIMINATE COST OF REDUCED PRICE SCHOOL MEALS SB 416 Harrington Rabon Forrester SCHOOL BUSES/STATE VEHICLES/TIRES. PUBLIC BILLS - SECOND READING SB 265 Apodaca, Brunstetter, Hartsell 3rd Ed. TRANSFER STATE HEALTH PLAN TO STATE TREASURER. Com Sub No. 2 3/9 Pens./Ret./Aging 3/14 W/D Pens./Ret./Aging; rerefer Insurance;  3/22 Unfav bill; Insurance Com Sub Adopted; (Chgs title); rerefer Appro./Base Bud. STATE HEALTH PLAN/APPROPRIATIONS AND TRANSFER. 3/23 Unfav Com Sub; Appro./Base Bud. Com Sub Adopted SB 287 Apodaca EXTEND SMALL BUSINESS CENTER INCUBATOR PERIOD. 3/10 Ed/Higher Ed. 3/23 Fav	Senate
12:00 NOON	Banking -- CORRECTED (House) Confirm Joseph A. Smith Commissioner of Banks. (S369) Reappoint Jos. A. Smith Commissioner of Banks. (H121)	1327 LB
1:00 PM	Session Convenes (House) [Live Audio] INTRODUCED BILLS (Reminder: Members may electronically cosponsor these bills until 5:00 p.m. on Friday.) HB 433 Bordsen, Ingle, Faircloth and McGuirt (Primary Sponsors) - NUISANCE ABATEMENT CHANGES. HB 434 Luebke, Hall, Michaux and Wilkins (Primary Sponsors) - DURHAM/SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE. HB 435 Samuelson and Cotham (Primary Sponsors) - MECKLENBURG ENERGY EFFICIENCY/RENEWABLE. HB 436 R. Brown and Dockham (Primary Sponsors) - ECONOMIC DISCLOSURES FOR SANITARY DISTRICTS. HB 437 McComas - NEW HANOVER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ACCOUNTABILITY ACT. HB 438 McComas - ACCOUNTABLE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS/EXPAND LOCAL BOARDS AUTHORITY. HB 439 T. Moore - CORNELIUS/DAVIDSON TREE ORDINANCES. HB 440 T. Moore - HUNTERSVILLE E-MAIL LISTS/ELECTRONIC ACCESS. HB 441 T. Moore - CORNELIUS E-MAIL LISTS/ELECTRONIC ACCESS. HB 442 T. Moore - CORNELIUS DESIGN-BUILD AND INVESTMENTS. HB 443 Weiss, Hollo, Earle and Parfitt (Primary Sponsors) - FUNDS/JUSTUS-WARREN TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS. HB 444 Wilkins, Parfitt, McCormick and Avila (Primary Sponsors) - EXPAND  PHARMACISTS' IMMUNIZING AUTHORITY. HB 445 Bradley - PREVENT REAL ID IMPLEMENTATION. HB 446 Bradley - LABELING REQUIREMENTS/GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS &  RECOMBINANT BOVINE GROWTH HORMONE IN FOOD. HB 447 West - FONTANA DAM INCORPORATED. HB 448 Bradley - CONSTITUTIONAL TENDER ACT. HB 449 Setzer - INCREASE IN REM FORECLOSURE FEE. HB 450 Starnes - NO AUTOMATIC RENEWAL OF CREDIT CARD CONTRACTS. HB 451 Starnes - DRIVING WHILE LICENSE REVOKED PENALTIES  INCREASED/VEHICLE SEIZURES. HB 452 Starnes - ELIMINATE "INSTANT RUNOFF"/PUBLIC FINANCING. HB 453 Dockham - ALLOW SALARY PROTECTION INSURANCE. HB 454 Rapp, McGrady, Fisher and Keever (Primary Sponsors) - ENVIRONMENTAL  RESOURCES COMMISSION TO STUDY CONSTRUCTION ON SLOPES. HB 455 Fisher, Harrison and McGrady (Primary Sponsors) - OUTDOOR LIGHT  FIXTURES USING STATE FUNDS. HJR 456 Fisher, Cotham, Gill and Keever (Primary Sponsors) - STUDY LOWERING  MAXIMUM AGE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL.(2) HB 457 Farmer-Butterfield, Tolson, Collins and Bryant (Primary Sponsors) - MUNICIPAL  ELECTRIC UTILITIES/UTILITIES COMMISSION OVERSIGHT. HB 458 Howard, Starnes, Holloway and Carney (Primary Sponsors) - COMMUNITY  COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION STUDY. HB 459 Jones - ROCKINGHAM/HUNTING WHILE IMPAIRED. HB 460 Jones - ROCKINGHAM/TRESPASSING ON PRIVATE LAND. PUBLIC BILLS - SECOND READING - ROLL CALL HB 129 Committee Substitute - Avila, Howard, Carney and Wainwright (Primary Sponsors) - LEVEL PLAYING FIELD/LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMPETITION.  (Finance) (2nd Edition) SECOND AND THIRD READINGS HB 215 Committee Substitute - Folwell, Hilton, Starnes and Steen (Primary Sponsors) - UNBORN VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE ACT/ETHEN'S LAW.  (Judiciary/B) (2nd Edition) HB 262 Ross, Martin and Hall (Primary Sponsors) - REFERENCES TO MILITARY  ORGANIZATIONS/MAKE UNIFORM.  (Judiciary/A) (1st Edition)	House
1:00 PM	Appropriations on General Government and Information Technology (Senate) *Or 15 min. after session adjourns Agenda: Dept. of Revenue Budget Presentation	1425 LB
4:00 PM	Requests for bill drafts for House public bills (not Appropriations or Finance) must be in Bill Drafting by 4:00 pm

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