Congressman Charles Taylor is on his heels in the campaign for North Carolina's eleventh district. Questions regarding his financial irregularities are cropping up today after a week in which Taylor has had to explain and reexplain his position on the forest selloff. The credibility crisis in the Taylor camp is rising just as the debate over immigration heats up on Capitol Hill, and Charles Taylor's far right wing view on the issue aligns him with the most extreme elements in the House.
The Washington Post today reports a new hotspot in our troubled world. Not content with the War on Drugs, the War on Terrorism, the War on Christmas, the War on Marriage and the oh-so-popular War on Iraq, some of our nation's most powerful Christian leaders have declared that they are under attack in a new unholy War on Christians. And none other than your favorite gun-toting, money-laundering, bribe-taking, arm-twisting, lying sonofabitch Tom Delay is one of their main apostles and spokescrooks.
Looks like there's a high-noon showdown coming between Big Bidness and We the People, with an excellent pre-game guide prepared by the hard-working wonks at NC Policy Watch. I was especially happy to see NCPW training their guns on the Puppetshow's hand-wringing about the hired-help not knowing their place.
Ah, you have to love this, Sweet Home Alabama right here in NC. From the N&O a story about school kids that were standing up for their rights. They stayed the course, even in the face of racism. Could this be the next Democratic Majority?
Every Member of Congress, and every candidate for Congress, is required to file Reports with the House Ethics Committee on their financial holdings and transactions. Apparently, few people take a serious look at these after they are filed. The Reports filed by incumbent 11th District Representative, Charles Taylor, for the last seven years (the ones available on-line) show five errors in excess of $1 million each, plus one unexplained item for about $20 million.
The story about Taylor's double-dealings on the National Forests began with our own Southern Dem (here and on her own blogs The Southern Dem and Americans Deserve the Truth, and in conjunction with reporting by Screwy Hoolie of Scrutiny Hooligans). Now it has made the rounds through the blogosphere and ended up in a press release from the North Carolina Democratic Party. Way to go, SD! (Jerry, where's the love for the local blogs?) Text below the fold.
We were glad today to get a glimpse of John Hood's progressive reading list. His column included a mention of BlueNC, as well as a number of other progressive North Carolina blogs. It also included this provocative paragraph . . .
In response to our debate with John Hood, I think it is necessary to point out some truths about Republicans. Feel free to join in with facts of your own.
Sorry, but you can't have it both ways. Here's Reverend Mark H. Creech railing against Judge Hight for throwing out the NC lottery lawsuit brought by (former) Justice Orr and the NC Institute for Constitutional Law:
It's a considerable disappointment Judge Hight failed to stop the injustice perpetrated by the way in which the lottery garnered passage. The judge states a number of findings in his ruling, but fails to give any rationale for his decision that the lottery was passed constitutionally.
Here's what Creech won't tell you: the decision he desired would go against the authoritative weight of judicial precedent on the matter. After the lawsuit was filed, I hit Westlaw and read the cases that had interpreted the section of the NC constitution that Orr's complaint was based on. The opinions are not unanimous, but the NC courts have been generally unwilling over the years to find that various kinds of state actions constitute taxes. The balance was tilted so strongly against finding a tax in this case that I chalked the NCICL case up as a PR or stalling tactic and assumed it wouldn't go anywhere.
The more I read the funnier it gets. It amazes me how we want to suppress ordinary people with a passion for "career politicians".
Now I admit, I only know a little about Mr. Morgan. And what I do know is not necessarily about his politics, but from what I have seen and heard he has as much going for him as these other guys. In fact probably more. Heck, Heath Shuler does not even know what party he belongs to. First Republican, then democrat. He just latches on to one because he thinks he can win the primary. Now that's Conviction and Integrity for you!
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