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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe tea party crazy train speeds up in Raleigh
http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/2013/05/07/the-tea-party-crazy-train-speeds-up-in-raleigh/The tea party crazy train speeds up in Raleigh
Published on May 7th, 2013
Written by: Chris Fitzsimon
If you were wondering if the tea party crazy train was slowing down in Raleigh these days, the beginning of this week ought to remove any doubt. Its actually picking up steam as it drags North Carolina further to the right and further out of the mainstream.
The headline event was the long-awaited unveiling of the tax reform plan of the far-right Senate leadership, complete with its own website and slickly produced video featuring Senate President Pro Tem and likely U.S. Senate candidate Phil Berger standing in a factory while animation presenting misleading facts appear over his shoulder.
<snip>
The political commercial also included promises of lower income and sales taxes for everybody with an even bigger omission. A calculation using tools provided by the same Tax Foundation shows that its likely the Senate plan would mean a single mom with two children earning $20,000 a year would pay $1,000 more in state taxes over the next three years while a millionaire would pay $55,000 less.
<snip>
House leaders seem to know they were playing to a narrow base with the extreme gun bill. They didnt even allow any votes on amendments to make the legislation less absurd. This one was for the extreme Second Amendment absolutists, regardless of the implications for public safety or the wishes of local leaders and law enforcement officials.
The tax plan and the pandering to the gun zealots came as two media reports put the session in perspective. One was a report by WRAL-TV showing that a majority of the members at a recent Senate committee meeting actually opposed legislation that passed on a highly questionable voice vote.
The bill would repeal the states modest renewable energy standard that is supported by a diverse group of interests that includes environmentalists, the hog industry and the CEO of Duke Energy, all of whom stressed the economic benefits of investing in green energy.
That doesnt matter to the tea party crowd. The repeal of the renewable standard is a priority for the Pope-funded groups and the Senate leadership continues to do its bidding, even when it means ramming legislation through a committee when the majority of members oppose it. Dissent is not tolerated.
Fittingly, the week began as the News & Observer reported on the vast influence of the far-right American Legislative Exchange Council on the current General Assembly, with many bills coming straight from the groups conservative and lobbyist-funded playbook.
..more..
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The tea party crazy train speeds up in Raleigh (Original Post)
G_j
May 2013
OP
byeya
(2,842 posts)1. Yes times are indeed tough in the "Old North State" with the RepubliKKKans in full charge.
G_j
(40,366 posts)2. NAACP protest at legislature nets 30 arrests
Captain Stern
(2,199 posts)3. I'm in NC
I think the Republican's plan is to lower taxes at the state level, so that they will have to be raised at the local level. And since Democrats dominate the local offices, they'll be the ones raising taxes.
I think this is a deliberate effort by the Republican party to make inroads in local elections.