North Carolina Democrats brace for GOP remap -- a political tsunami in the making?

Verne Strickland Blogmaster

June 28, 2011
By: Alex Isenstadt
POLITICO

North Carolina Democrats largely survived the carnage of the midterms — eluding the fate that claimed many of their Southern colleagues.

But the redistricting nightmare they now face will be harder to escape.

With North Carolina Republicans slated to unveil a new congressional map this week, Democrats are bracing for a buzzsaw. Party officials sullenly concede that as many as three Democratic incumbents could be imperiled and that there is little they can do to stop it.

“I don’t think there will be anything subtle about it,” said Mike Davis, a longtime Democratic consultant in the state. “It will be more like a bulldozer.”

Democrats believe they are in store for two incumbent vs. incumbent races — with Democratic Reps. Brad Miller and David Price likely to compete for one seat and Democratic Reps. Larry Kissell and Mike McIntyre vying for another. Democratic Rep. Heath Shuler could see his western North Carolina district take on an increasingly GOP orientation.

“It’s going to be brutal,” said Brad Crone, a Raleigh-based Democratic strategist.

With the GOP controlling the levers of redistricting, Democrats have long anticipated deep losses in the state.  Republicans hold majorities in both chambers of the state Legislature for the first time in more than a century and Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue has no veto power over the new map.

It’s a blow for a delegation that mostly weathered the Republican midterm wave that obliterated the ranks of Southern Democrats. Just one Democratic incumbent — Rep. Bobby Etheridge — fell short, while Shuler, Kissell and McIntyre survived, providing Democrats with a narrow majority in the state’s congressional delegation.

Over the past several months, according to Democratic aides, party lawmakers began to realize that they were on a collision course with a forthcoming blueprint that would present the most serious threat yet to their political careers.

“This is out of our hands, unfortunately. I think everyone is very realistic about what the situation is,” said a well-placed Democratic aide, who said Kissell and McIntyre have yet to discuss the possibility of running against one another. “We’re just prepared mentally for what is to come.”

For Republicans, the new map will cap months of preparation that began as the dust from the midterms was settling. As they started plotting their 2012 blueprint, Republican strategists determined that North Carolina’s redistricting effort could yield a handful of ripe targets — and that they had to make the most of the opportunity.
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> In February, the National Republican Congressional Committee unleashed the first of a half-dozen robocalls targeting four North Carolina Democrats and followed up with TV ads hammering Shuler and Miller on spending. The goal, according to those familiar with the approach, is to brand the North Carolina Democrats as early targets and signal to potential GOP challengers that Republicans will be investing heavily in the state after the new lines are drawn.

The North Carolina GOP delegation — led by Reps. Patrick McHenry and Virginia Foxx — meanwhile was spearheading the effort to guide state lawmakers to produce a Democrat-dooming map.

“It is a very important battleground state,” said state GOP Chairman Robin Hayes, a former congressman who lost the seat he had held for a decade to Kissell in 2008. “Taking back North Carolina is one of our main goals as a Republican Party.”

“If we don’t gain any seats, it will be a colossal failure,” said Paul Shumaker, a North Carolina-based GOP consultant who serves as a top political aide to Sen. Richard Burr.

North Carolina will be central to Republican efforts to offset redistricting losses in Illinois and California, where the party could lose as many as 10 seats.

Republicans familiar with the redraw said they are determining how best to produce a map that strongly favors the party for the next decade and unravels Democratic-crafted districts in urban areas that have allowed Shuler, McIntyre, Kissell and Miller to win in a Republican-leaning state. They are also looking to bolster the prospects of GOP Rep. Renee Ellmers, a potentially vulnerable freshman who unseated Etheridge, by adding Republican voters to her central North Carolina district.

That Miller finds himself in the redistricting cross hairs is something of a twist.

During the previous round of line-drawing, it was Miller — then the chairman of the state Senate redistricting committee — who personally drew a Raleigh-based district to include much of his political base, enabling him to launch a successful 2002 congressional campaign.

Now the pol whose masterful boundary-crafting became part of North Carolina political lore finds the knife pointed at him.

“There will be payback, for sure,” said Crone.

While Democrats won’t be able to stop the new map legislatively, they will be able to launch legal challenges — potentially over whether it discriminates against minority voters. Under the Voting Rights Act, North Carolina, like other Southern states, must have its map precleared by the Justice Department.

“Everyone should expect a lot of legal challenges. It’s going to be Barack Obama’s attorney general doing preclearance on these districts,” said Shumaker. “We should absolutely make gains. Bur are three seats a given? Absolutely not.”

Thomas Mills, a Democratic consultant in the state, said it’s possible Republicans might overreach and endanger their own incumbents by drawing Democratic-oriented areas into their districts. One possibility: that in weakening Shuler, Republicans would place the Democratic stronghold of Asheville within McHenry’s new boundaries.

“The days of Democrats being in the majority are over, but the seats that Republicans hold may be competitive by the end of the decade,” said Mills. “Things change.”

But, he said, “They’re going to make this as ugly as they possibly can.”

Andy Yates
Pantano for Congress
(704) 467-0795 cell
andy@pantanoforcongress.com

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The Sound in the Mulberry Trees -- Watch and Listen for God's Signal to You.

 Verne Strickland Blogmaster

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be always acceptable in they sight, O LORD my strength and my redeemer.  Psalm 19:14

There is an old mulberry tree outside my window. Its trunk and limbs are thick and craggy, and it is magnificent in summer with its rich plumage of deep green leaves. 

It is a welcome sight always, and has had special significance to me since I read in God’s Word the story of David and the mulberry tree.

Here is the story of the mulberry tree, and its place in the life of David. There is a message here for each of us – wait on the Lord. Watch for the signs. He will tell you when the time is right for you to act as you are directed.

Each time I walk outside my door in downtown Wilmington, I look at the top of my mulberry tree. And it seems to bring me closer to God.

Sometimes it is still. Mute. At other times it is rustling and even bending. But knowing of its place in the Holy Bible, and how it held a special message for David, I always feel a personal connection to that wonderful old mulberry by my fence. It will be here after I'm gone.

You don’t need a mulberry tree to put you in touch with the Lord’s calling. He will speak to you in other ways specific to you. if you truly consult Him. I pray that you will.

The Sound in the Mulberry Trees

From a sermon by C. H. SPURGEON. (1834-1892)

"When thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, then thou shall bestir thyself: for then shall the Lord go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines."—2 Samuel 5:24.

David had just fought the Philistines in this very valley, and gained a signal victory, so that he said, "the Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me as the breach of waters." The Philistines had come up in great hosts, and had brought their gods with them, that like Israel, when the ark of the Lord was brought into their midst, they might feel quite sure of victory. 

However, by the help of God David easily put them to rout, burned their images in the fire, and obtained a glorious victory over them. Note, however, that when they came a second time against David, David did not go up to fight them, without enquiring of the Lord. Once he had been victorious; he might have said, as many of us have said, in fact, in other cases—"I shall be victorious again; I may rest quite sure that if I have triumphed once I shall triumph yet again. Wherefore should I go and seek at the Lord's hands?" 

Not so, now David. He had gained one victory by the strength of the Lord; he would not venture upon another, until he had ensured the same. He went and asked the sacred oracle, "Shall I go up against them?" and when he was informed that he was not immediately to march against them, but to encamp so as to surprise them at the mulberry-trees, he did not demur a single moment to the mandate of God; and when he was bidden to wait until he should hear the sound in the tops of the mulberry-trees before he went to fight, he was not in an ill haste to rush to battle at once, but he tarried until the mulberry-trees began to sing at the top by reason of the wind that rushed along the leaves. 

He would wait until God's sign was given; he said, "I will not lift my spear nor my hand till God hath bidden me do it, lest I should go to war at my own charges, and lose all I have obtained."

My brethren, let us learn from David to take no steps without God. I speak to none but those who are already Christians,—I beseech him not to venture until he has sought counsel of God, and unless he has a firm conviction that he is doing it not merely for his own advantage but to help him in serving his God the better.

Thus David was not to go to battle, until he heard a sound of a rustling in the tops of the mulberry trees. There was a calm, perhaps; and God's order to David was, "You are not to begin to fight until the wind begins rustling through the tops of the mulberry trees." 

So my remark is only this—that there are certain signs which ought to be indications to us of certain duties. I shall use the verse in this way. First, there are certain special duties, which are not duties to everybody, but only to some people. If we wish to know whether we are to perform these duties, we must seek signs concerning them, and not go and rush into a duty to which we are not called, unless we get a sign, even as David got the rustling among the mulberry leaves. 

So that when we see some sign of God's Holy Spirit being in motion, or some other signs, these are seasons when we ought to be more than ever active, and more than ever earnest in the service of our Master.


Subscribe to the Devotionals and Sermons of Charles Haddon Spurgeon at http://www.backtothebible.org/index.php/Devotions.html

Pantano Report: Helping firefighters in Pender. Jobless need jobs, not another 'stimulus'!

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Massive Wildfire Hitting Pender County: How you can Help

Firefighters and emergency management officals in Pender County are fighting a massive wildfire this week. The fire has now burned over 21,300 acres and over 2,100 homes are considered to be in danger. And unfortunately the fire is expected to get worse.  As firefighters and emergency workers struggle to fight the fire they need our prayers and they need our help.

At the request of firefighters, the Greater Hampstead Chamber of Commerce is collecting individual water bottles and gatorade.  They are also collecting individually packaged non-perishable snakcs, however the most immediate need is for the water and Gatorade. Donations may be dropped off at the Hampstead Volunteer Fire Dept., Sloop Point Volunteer Fire Dept. or the Greater Hampstead Chamber of Commerce. Chamber staff will also pick up donations if needed.  You can arrange for pick up or make a cash donation by calling  910-270-9642.


Americans Want Jobs Not Another Stimulus

When the stimulus passed in 2009 President Obama said that it would ensure unemployment stayed below 8%.  A year ago the White House declared it the "Recovery Summer."  However, the national unemployment rate has remained above 8% for the 28th straight month and here in North Caroliina it's at 9.7% and even higher in many of our counties.  

This video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xMFQMbsNDI&feature=player_embedded, sums up just how bad the economy is and how the stimulus was a total failure. 

The only thing the stimulus did was increase our national debt.  Yet, Senators Chuch Schumer and Harry Reid are talking about the possibility of another stimulus.  It's time to forget about a "stimulus" and to pass a real plan to create real jobs for Americans like the plan found here: http://www.gop.gov/indepth/jobs

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Poll: Americans say Reagan the best president, favor George W. Bush over Thomas Jefferson.

Verne Strickland Blogmaster   June 25, 2011

THIS ISN'T BREAKING NEWS, IT'S JUST SOMETHING I WANTED TO SHARE AFTER COMING ACROSS A NOTE ABOUT THE REMARKABLE AND BELOVED RONALD REAGAN, ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AFTER HIS PASSING ON JUNE 5, 2004.

DETRACTORS HAVE HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO TEAR DOWN HIS LEGACY -- BUT THEY HAVEN'T SUCCEEDED. THEY NEVER WILL.  

Ronald Reagan, in office from 1981-89, helped redefine the political framework as he led the country into a new conservative view of itself. The Republican Party still draws much of its ideological authority from this period.

The actor-turned-politician took two long-held tenets to the White House: The federal government was not the solution to the nation's problems, and the Communist Soviet Union was the "evil empire."

At the start of his presidency, Reagan favored the supply-side theory of growth, cutting taxes and social spending to jump-start a sluggish economy suffering with high inflation.

A deep recession forced some tax increases, but over the course of his tenure Wall Street responded appreciatively to "Reaganomics" and the economy boomed.

At the same time he fought to cut taxes, Reagan ordered a massive defense buildup to intimidate the Soviet Union, an expansion that required large-scale Pentagon spending. Critics called the effort corporate welfare for the defense industry.
In an attempt to stay ahead of the Soviets, Reagan supported the Strategic Defense Initiative, nicknamed "Star Wars," which promised to deflect incoming missiles.

The plan was mocked and derided, but has experienced a resurgence with some major new technology and components.It still concerns the Russians -- the best proof yet that the plan is feasible and potentially of value to U.S. defense.


Monday, February 21st, 2011 

Who is the greatest president in the history of the United States?


If you're asking a random sampling of Americans, as the Gallup polling firm recently did, it would be none other than Ronald Reagan.

A recent Gallup survey found that at 19 percent, Reagan topped the list for the third time in 12 years. 

President Abraham Lincoln came in second at 14 percent, followed by President Bill Clinton at 13 percent.

President John F. Kennedy rounded out fourth at 11 percent, and President Barack Obama came in seventh, at five percent.

Amazingly enough, President George W. Bush was chosen by just two percent, placing him in 10th: one spot ahead of President Thomas Jefferson, an influential member of the nation's founders.

In eight surveys over the last 12 years, Americans have always chosen Reagan, Lincoln or Kennedy to top the list. Reagan was the first choice in 2001, 2005 and 2001. Lincoln topped the list in 1993, and twice in 2003. President John F. Kennedy won out in 2000.

On President's Day Monday, Americans celebrated the birthday of President George W. Washington, but only 10 percent picked him as the greatest.

The poll, like many political questions, was seen through a partisan lens. At 38 percent, most Republicans were more likely to pick Reagan, while 22 percent of Democrats picked Clinton.

Reagan's return to the top may have been helped by his image being used in recent advertising campaigns.

In August, the Republican Study Committee (RSC) created an Internet advertisement called "Those Voices Don't Speak for the Rest of Us," juxtaposing video of a famous Reagan speech with context-free clips of Democrats such as Rep. Barney Frank, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Vice President Joe Biden and President Barack Obama.

Reagan has also been a media cause celebre in recent weeks, with his 100th birthday passing recently.
Reagan administration budget director David Stockman recently told Raw Story that military spending policies of Reagan era have all but doomed the US economy, even today.

"The Cold War is long over," he explained. "The wars of occupation are almost over and were complete failures -- Afghanistan and Iraq. The American empire is done. There are no real seriously armed enemies left in the world that can possibly justify an $800 billion national defense and security establishment, including Homeland Security."

Americans also seem willing to ignore a recent book by the president's son, Ron Reagan, that said the conservative icon may have been exhibiting signs of Alzheimer's disease while still in the White House.

His son, who's identified himself as a liberal and an atheist, wrote that in 1984, as his father went on to become the oldest president ever reelected at age 74, the younger Reagan began to "experience the nausea of a bad dream coming true" with regards to his father's mental condition.

He'd already suspected "something beyond mellowing" had begun to affect President Reagan and characterized his debate performance against Democratic nominee Walter Mondale as "fumbling," "lost," "tired and bewildered."

In fact, CBS reporter Leslie Stahl had recalled in her 2000 book, "Reporting Live," that Reagan had acted like a "doddering space cadet," in a 1986 meeting.

She even suggested that CBS News came extremely close to reporting that Reagan's condition had deteriorated so far that he was no longer fit to be president..
The results of Gallup's poll follow.

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-- With earlier reports

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Mexican military crosses border onto U.S. sovereign turf. Are they trying to take back Texas?

Verne Strickland Blogmaster  062511

Mexican troops cross into the United States at Bridge Two

By KGNS News Story / 062311

A convoy of three military trucks loaded with Mexican soldiers crosses the border at Bridge Number Two clearly violating international law.

It happens as Customs and Border Protection inspectors try to figure out what to do.

A CBP spokesperson says they got on the phone with Mexican authorities after being alerted that the military trucks were heading their direction loaded down with soldiers and weapons.

Mexican leaders say the soldiers, who had just been deployed to Nuevo Laredo, didn't know the area, got lost and then made their way through Bridge Two.

It's important to note that CBP did not tell us about the potentially serious situation. It came from another law enforcement agency.

Some callers to our newsroom were upset inspectors allowed the Mexican military to get so close to all those inspection booths over at Bridge Number Two.

Some noted had it been Mexican drug lords they could have taken inspectors by surprise and easily crossed the international border deeper into the United States.

GOP will go for override on Bev's veto -- Speaker Thom, you're doing noble work!

Verne Strickland Blogmaster  

CHALLENGES TO VOTER ID ARE FARCICAL. IT'S FREE, IT'S IMPERATIVE, IT'S A SAFEGUARD TO BALLOT BOX INTEGRITY. SYSTEM IN PLAY ON DRIVER LICENSES,  CREDIT CARDS, AIRLINE CHECK-IN. THIS IS BLATANT OBAMA VOTE PLOY!      

June 24, 2011

Raleigh -House Speaker Thom Tillis (R-Mecklenburg) announced today that the North Carolina House will attempt to override Gov. Bev Perdue's veto of the voter ID bill when the body reconvenes in July.

"Governor Perdue has chosen to veto a bill that over 75% of North Carolinians support and more than a dozen other states utilize," Tillis said.  "GovernorPerdue continues to play politics and she has once again turned her back on the voters of our state.  Republicans in the state House will not let this stand.  We will take the lead and we will work for an override vote on the voter ID bill when the House reconvenes in July."

Tillis said the House will notice the veto override once the House reconvenes in July for a brief session on redistricting.   The override vote will occur during the July session.

"This legislation is a no-brainer," Tillis said.  "Requiring a photo ID to vote is a measure that provides confidence in voting and protects the integrity of our electoral process.  Why this bill was vetoed is beyond me, but we will not stand idly by while the Governor and her liberal allies put politics before principle.  We simply want North Carolina to join the majority of states that have an ID requirement when someone shows up to vote."

The voter ID bill, known as the "Restore Confidence in Government Act," has consistently received substantial support of the voters across party lines.  If citizens do not possess photo identification, the bill stipulates that free photo identification can be provided at DMV locations or local Boards of Elections.

"This is not a partisan issue, nor is it defined by political controversy in other states," said Tillis.  "The Governor is out of touch with the people in her state, and we intend to make that very clear to the citizens of North Carolina in the days and months ahead."

www.cumberlandgop.com 

www.facebook.com/CumberlandGop 

GAY MARRIAGE BILL PASSES IN NEW YORK -- IF YOU CAN MAKE IT THERE, YOU'LL MAKE IT ANYWHERE!

 Verne Strickland Blogmaster / June 24, 2011

Gay couples and proponents of gay rights have a reason to celebrate tonight, as the New York State Senate has passed a bill that allows same sex marriage.

New York will be the sixth, and largest, state in the union to adopt gay marriage. The bill will take effect 30 days after governor Andrew Cuomo signs it into law.

The decision, which passed 33-29, was the culmination of weeks of contentious debate and negotiations between Governor Cuomo and the GOP-controlled Senate. After the bill passed in the Assembly, it was unclear if the bill had secured enough votes to pass in the Senate.

When a few notable undecideds joined the cause --including Republican Roy McDonald who famously defended his decision, saying "fxxk it, I don't care what you think. I'm trying to do the right thing" -- the scale in favor of gay marriage seemed to tip. 

Even when governor Cuomo had secured 31 votes (32 are needed to pass the bill), the next hurdle was whether Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos would allow the bill to come to a vote on the Senate floor. But on Friday, after days of crafting religious protections into the bill, and seven hours of GOP leaders' backroom conferencing, Skelos said the bill could come to a vote.

The turning point in the debate came early when Republican Senator Stephen Saland threw his support behind the measure, being the 32nd senator to do so, clinching the support needed to pass the bill. "I have to define doing the right thing as treating all persons with equality," Senator Saland said, "I certainly am at peace with my vote."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/24/gay-marriage-legalized-new-york_n_884434.html?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl1|sec1_lnk3|73113