Sunday, March 25, 2012

Pantano for Congress volunteer Lois Dixon: 'Ilario is not moved by money, influence or power. He just has a heart for service. There's no hidden agenda."

By Verne Strickland / Blogmaster / March 25, 2012


Lois Dixon, a fiercely loyal volunteer for Ilario Pantano, is a mother, grandmother, and successful real estate agent. She is Christian, conservative, Republican, and she'll challenge you in a second if you want to debate politics, social issues, illegal immigration, or who the Seventh Congressional District needs in the U.S. Congress.


I recently interviewed her for this USA DOT COM Pantano Volunteer 2012 feature article:



"When I pick up the phone in the Pantano for Congress volunteer office, I always like to lead off with where this country is taking our children. We desperately need to get outstanding conservative Christian leadership in Washington. 
VS: And let’s add that we need combat-seasoned U.S. military veterans. I think we have only around two percent of our members of Congress who have been in combat, met the enemy on the field of battle, and understand that when force is in the right, it should be used.
Yes. That’s one thing with Ilario and so many like him. Ilario is one of America’s sons. One of America’s soldiers who go on battlefields around the world and are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country. To protect the homeland, to protect what we stand for. That speaks volumes to me, that he has served honorably in our fighting forces, and loves America do much. Why would he have stepped out and fought in two wars had he not had a real reverence from our freedoms? 
He's honest and he's sincere. People recognize that the moment they meet him. When average American citizens have the chance to meet Ilario and talk they like him, they see why so many of us are passionate about this outstanding American and his willingness to serve. 

It’s just so obvious that he has a heart for service.  He’s not moved by money or power. What consumes him is to make use of the opportunities to honor America by service – in the military, in the United States Congress – day in and day out. This is how we build our future.

He is steady and dependable. We know who Ilario is. We know what to expect of him, and he will deliver.  Few bets in life are sure things. This candidate, Ilario Pantano, is a sure thing. 
As most of us know, Ilario is a wonderful husband and father. He’s a family man so I know he understands my own concerns about what America’s future holds for my children and grandchildren. 
I want everyone to look seriously at Ilario Pantano, compare him to others in this race, in terms of character, in terms of vision, intellect, and heart. You'll find there is a clear choice between these two men. Please do that. And pray on your decision.

VS: How did you first become aware of candidate Ilario Pantano, and, later, David Rouzer?

My son Jay, who is 35 now, and employed at GE, brought Ilario to my attention He called and said, “Mom, I’ve heard this man speak, and I really like him. Mr. Pantano. If we could get him to Washington, it would be such a great step forward. He’s very bright, he was in the military, and I want you to meet him. I listened, and did as Jay asked. This was even before the primary last year. Following that I had a meet and greet featuring Ilario at my home. That started the Pantano ball rolling for my family and many of our neighbors. 

We need some straight talk from Mr. Rouzer on who he really is, on issues like terms limits, immigration, integrity, fiscal matters, abortion. I think, although I’m not sure, that Rouzer is anti-abortion. I'd like to get his statement on that for the record.

I have sat in meetings where several issues came up that concern me about David Rouzer. I frankly don’t know him. He may be a nice guy. I can't say. I do know Ilario, who he is and what he stands for. I trust him.
I think Ilario’s run for Congress has become a heartfelt crusade for many conservative Cape Fear families and individuals. He's the leader we've been waiting for.

VS: Well what about Mr. Rouzer? How do you size him up?


One of my many concerns with David Rouzer is his ties to big agriculture in Johnston County, where he makes his home. Now don't get me wrong. How can being close to the farm sector be a problem? Johnston County has a proud agricultural history, but when you're David Rouzer, native son, and you're running for the U.S. Congress, you can't escape the fact that you are the Big Ag guy. 

Many of his contributions are coming from the big agricultural interests, the corporations, the factory farms, and with that being what he's most familiar with, I don't see how there's much room for loyalty to our coastal areas, which make up most of the Seventh Congressional District, and have a unique set of problems and opportunities.

He lobbies for amnesty for illegals, and that directly benefits big agriculture. But this fact is not a blessing for all of us in North Carolina who pay taxes, and pay to educate illegal populations and tend to their health care. I think all this is going to be a huge conflict of interest. 

This needs to be looked at very closely before David Rouzer comes before Seventh District voters in the May primary as he faces conservative Christian Republican Ilario Pantano, a Marine combat veteran, family man, a gentleman, a leader, and a true conservative.



The winner of the primary will face off against incumbent Democrat Mike McIntyre in the November general elections.


The stakes are high. We need a host of informed voters to go to the polls committed to supporting Ilario Pantano. 

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Amnesty for illegals is WRONG. Why can't artful dodger David Rouzer and his minions see that!

 
MR. ROUZER, WE WANT TO KNOW YOU. YOUR TRUE FEELINGS, 
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Uploaded by on Nov 23, 2011
Do you want GOP Amnesty supporters in Congress? Pantano needs your help to stop Lobbyist Rouzer In North Carolina's 2012 GOP Primary.

A grassroots conservative former Marine, Ilario Pantano, is squaring off with a career politican and lobbyist, David Rouzer, that has been PAID thousands of dollars to support Amnesty. The big money political machine that is behind Rouzer wants Amnesty and all that stands in their way is Ilario Pantano, and you.

Will you please take a moment to learn about the issues and the candidates in the important race at RouzerForAmnesty.com or PantanoForCongress.com

Is it true that David Rouzer lobbied for amnesty for illegal immigrants?

Yes.

David Rouzer, by his own admission, personally lobbied the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate in support of S.340, the "AgJOBS Act of 2007." If passed, the AgJOBS Act would have granted amnesty to millions of agricultural workers and their families who came to and reside in this country illegally.
(http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2007/09/The-Ag-JOBS-Act-Immigration-Am­nesty-Revived)

Rouzer lobbied for illegal amnesty on behalf of Mt. Olive Pickle Company, a Mt. Olive, North Carolina processor of cucumbers and pickles. In his Lobbying Disclosure Act filing in 2007, Rouzer listed "comprehensive immigration reform" as the issue lobbied for on behalf of Mt. Olive Pickle (http://disclosures.house.gov/ld/pdfform.aspx?id=200038640)

Does Rouzer's primary opponent, Ilario Pantano, support amnesty for illegal immigrants.

No.

As the son of a legal immigrant to the United States, Pantano is well aware of the benefits of legal immigration and the contribution of legal immigrants. However, Pantano understands equally well the devastating impact illegal immigration is having on our State and on our country. As a deputy sheriff, Pantano saw first hand the massive and detrimental impact illegal immigration has on our education system, our judicial system, and our health care system, not to mention the more than $2 billion illegal immigration costs the state of North Carolina each and every year.

Pantano is ready to go toe-to-toe with any liberal amnesty supporter who believes amnesty for illegal immigrants helps our State or our country in any way shape or form.
PantanoForCongress.com
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NC RALLY BACKS CHRISTIAN PRAYER AT PUBLIC MEETINGS. AMEN -- AND AMEN.








Verne Strickland Blogmaster



WALKERTOWN, NC (AP) -- A rally to protest federal court decisions against religion-specific prayers at public meetings is being held in the North Carolina county where the dispute began.

Organizers of the Taking Back Our Freedom rally say the Saturday event in Walkertown is aimed at a 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that prohibited Forsyth County commissioners from beginning their meetings with prayers from a particular religion.

In January, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal by the commission, leaving the ruling in force. So-called sectarian prayers, almost always of the Christian variety, have been common at county and town meetings and during meetings of the General Assembly in North Carolina.

Rowan County commissioners have said they'll continue having Christian prayers, despite warnings from the American Civil Liberties Union.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Sunday, March 18, 2012

A Closer Look: Congressional candidate Ilario Pantano

THANKS JON EVANS WECT FOR A GREAT STORY!

Posted: Mar 16, 2012 1:44 PM EDT Updated: Mar 18, 2012 7:00 AM EDT
 
Ilario Pantano's first step into the political world was not a small one. He chose to run for a seat in Congress in 2010, opposing a seven-term incumbent Democrat who had little trouble with his re-election attempts.
Ilario Pantano's first step into the political world was not a small one. He chose to run for a seat in Congress in 2010, opposing a seven-term incumbent Democrat who had little trouble with his re-election attempts.
WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – Ilario Pantano's first step into the political world was not a small one. He chose to run for a seat in Congress in 2010, opposing a seven-term incumbent Democrat who had little trouble with his re-election attempts.
Pantano's campaign came up short against Rep. Mike McIntyre by a 54-46 margin, but it gave the former Marine a desire to run again.
"Nobody thought it would be possible in 2010," Pantano said during a recent interview in the WECT studios. "We were written off locally, and we were written off nationally. By the end of the race we were able to march the needle up from being a safe seat for Mike McIntyre to a tossup. We developed some great relationships, we started to learn the ground, and more importantly voters got to learn about me."
Pantano is one of three candidates seeking the Republican nomination for North Carolina's 7th District seat, along with Sen. David Rouzer and Randy Crow.
The General Assembly's redistricting changed the look of the district, taking out parts of New Hanover and Robeson counties and all of Pender County, and snaking the district north into parts of Lenoir and Hoke Counties, and all of Johnston County.
When that happened, Pantano wrote to lawmakers in Raleigh, voicing his displeasure.
"I think [redistricting] did a disservice to the voters in the 7th district," Pantano said. "There is no reason in my mind that downtown Wilmington should be cut out of the 7th district, and why Pender County where my mother lives is in Rep. Walter Jones' district (NC-3), which goes all the way up to Virginia."
The campaigning in this Republican race started even before the filing period began.
Pantano's campaign produced two television ads targeting opponent Sen. Rouzer (R-Johnston). Pantano's asserts Rouzer "advocated for illegal aliens" by lobbying for the 2007 AgJobs Act.
While Rouzer counters the assertion by claiming the 2007 bill is nearly identical to a 1999 bill supported by then Senator Jesse Helms, Pantano doesn't buy the explanation.
"[Rouzer] supported a bill that a well-known conservative think-tank called amnesty revised, which would give amnesty to three million people," said Pantano. "That's a tax on every North Carolinian who has children in school. It's a tax on our emergency rooms and our courtrooms. We spend in North Carolina more than two billion dollars to provide services for illegals. When my opponent says ‘That's what Senator Helms would have done,' I say, ‘No, Senator Helms would not have done anything of the sort.'"
"I support tax cuts of every kind," Pantano said regarding what he believes it will take to spur the nation's economy.  "I want to get rid of the death tax. I want to get rid of the capital gains tax. I believe, like (former President Ronald) Reagan believed, that if we lower government's grip, folks will do more with their own resources, and that will be better."
As a resident of New Hanover County, Pantano has followed the controversy surrounding plans to build a proposed international port near Southport, in Brunswick County.
Those plans are now on hold, after residents and local leaders raised concerns over the possible impact and cost of the project. Pantano has raised questions as well, and instead favors working to improve the State Port in Wilmington.
"The port at Wilmington ought to be our priority," he said. "I would love to see an expansion we need there to make it something that's serviceable. I am not a fan of the proposed ‘super-port'. Frankly to me it seems like a port to nowhere, and the price for that continues to escalate. I don't think it's prudent to put a mega-port in between a nuclear facility and a nuclear arms depot."
Early polls have Pantano ahead in the race, more than a month before the first votes are cast in the election.
The winner will go up against Rep. McIntyre in the General Election in November.
Copyright 2012 WECT. All rights reserved.

Monday, March 12, 2012


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The Greater AFP Wilmington Chapter
of
Americans For Prosperity
will have its regular monthly meeting
Thursday, March 15
6:30pm (social) 7:00pm (meeting)
 at
ASIAN BUFFET
2541 Carolina Beach Road at Shipyard Boulevard
 
Join us for an
exciting meeting featuring:  
Ilario Pantano and David Rouzer
Candidates for the the 7th Congressional District
The candidates will each lay out their message for us and then answer questions from our members. 
Paige Freeman, local leader of Americans for Prosperity in the Greater Wilmington Area, will also introduce Wes King, AFP field coordinator for southeast NC.

As always, we will have other updates in the Local Buzz Session including:
  • Update on the Taxpayer Funded Baseball Stadium
  • March 27, bus trip to DC for the Hands Off My Health Care Rally 
    • Confirmed Speakers: Senators Rand Paul, Jim DeMint and Pat Toomey; Representative Michele Bachmann, and Brent Bozell, Founder and President of the Media Research Center (the largest media watchdog organization in America) and many others!

      Click here to register and learn where your bus departs!
Local Elected Officials, Candidates, Watchdogs, and Activists are welcome to stop by to take part in the discussion. Guests are always welcome at Americans for Prosperity! No cost to join AFP.

The Asian Buffet is a spacious restaurant with an outstanding buffet for every taste. Cost is only $8.99 and beer & wine is available. Please try to eat dinner with us so we can keep this new venue!

For more information, contact our local leader, Paige Freeman at frontpaige@bellsouth.net or 910-228-8123.

Sincerely,
Chris Marie Farr
Grassroots Director - North Carolina
Americans for Prosperity



NEW POLL SHOWS PANTANO WITH BIG LEAD OVER ROUZER IN GOP RACE

Verne Strickland / Blogmaster

Posted: Mar 12, 2012 1:49 PM EDT Updated: Mar 12, 2012 1:58 PM EDT
Ilario Pantano is leading the race for the Republican nomination in North Carolina's Seventh Congressional District, according to a new poll.
WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – A new poll released Monday by the Citizens United Political Victory Fund shows Ilario Pantano leading opponent David Rouzer in the race for the Republican nomination in North Carolina's Seventh Congressional District.

According to a release by the CUPVF, which calls itself a Conservative Political Action Committee of Citizens United, Pantano received 46.8% of the vote in the automated poll. Rouzer received 23.4% and Randy Crow finished with 2.3%.

Interesting to note is that 27.5% said they are undecided in the race. CUPVF says the poll included 755 respondents and took place from March 7-9.

Pantano was the 2010 GOP nominee in the Seventh District race. He lost to incumbent Rep. Mike McIntyre in the General Election.

Rouzer is a state senator campaigning in this District for the first time, as a result of the 2011 redistricting plan drawn and passed by the General Assembly.

McIntyre is running for re-election for what would be a ninth term in the House of Representatives.

Click here for a memo released by Wenzel Strategies, the group that did the polling for CUPVF.
Copyright 2012 WECT. All rights reserved.