Archive for March 2009
We had a packed house at our annual Lincoln Day Dinner last night. Many thanks to everyone who made the event a success. Photos are posted in our photo gallery. Special thanks to the Blue Ridge Republican Women’s Club for the great work they did putting together our Silent Auction.
The Asheville Citizen-Times wrote an article and posted some photos that you can check out here:
Future of GOP focus of LIncoln Day Dinner
We also have a couple of short videos taken at the dinner by Richard Bernier (Thanks Richard!):
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The North Carolina Republican Party was officially organized by the first interracial political gathering in the history of the state on March 27, 1867, when 101 whites and 46 African Americans gathered in the Capitol House Chamber in Raleigh. The early Republican Party of North Carolina was a moderate party of nationalism, free enterprise, and racial toleration.
The NCGOP is 142 years old today and still going strong. We need not get caught up in this one past election. Our state GOP has a long and proud history and many great days ahead.
In other news…..
Republican Candidates Throw Their Hats Into the Ring
John Carroll announced several weeks ago that he will be running for NC House seat 114 against Susan Fisher.
Senator Richard Burr has just launched his new re-election campaign website. Senator Burr will be joining us at our Lincoln Day Dinner this Saturday.
Many people have been wondering if Carl Mumpower, Asheville City Councilmember, will be running for re-election. As of Thursday evening, he is running for re-election. City Council elections are this year so don’t waste any time in giving Councilmember Mumpower your support. Here is his press release:
Citing the “continued irresponsibility of Asheville’s liberal city council”, two-term city councilman Carl Mumpower has committed to running again in the fall. “Mirroring the wasteful patterns of government found in Washington and Raleigh, our Mayor and her five colleagues continue to grow government, indulge special interests, and invest precious tax dollars on nice over necessary,” said Mumpower.
“Eight years is a long time to hold the line as a conservative watchdog,” noted Mumpower. “There is no question that the best personal course for my family would be to say thanks and wave goodbye. The behavior of the Council and city management is creating too many obstacles between my conscience and a comfortable exit.”
“I am aware that several of my colleagues view themselves as conservative or moderate,” said Mumpower. “Unfortunately for them, politicians are defined by voting records over vanity. With rare exception, the Mayor and council’s votes place them to the far left in their spending habits, social policies, and political agendas. The lack of remote balance on the council, and a belief that diversity of thought really is important, leave me no wiggle room.”
Mumpower notes specific frustrations with his colleague’s stewardship. “This council is about to surrender Asheville’s one billion dollar water system to legislated banditry by our local legislators,” said Mumpower. “I consider this impending action nothing short of criminal misconduct toward the tax payers of Asheville.”
“This council, in conjunction with city and police administration, is continuing to dramatically fail in their commitment to eliminate open air drug markets in Asheville’s public housing and other vulnerable neighborhoods,” said Mumpower. “Our willingness to allow drug dealers and users to make Asheville a corrupted playground is a form of child abuse as far as I am concerned. Incremental progress that leaves our children at risk is not remotely good enough.”
“Then there is the Mayor’s fantasy boondoggle – a new performing arts facility on Depot Street that will kill a ball park, distract from that community’s real drug and social problems, and saddle the city with another financial burden in the middle of an economic meltdown,” said Mumpower. “This extravagance is mirrored in the pork handouts that the council is accepting with a callous indifference to the burden the misguided economic recovery package is laying on the next generation.”
Mumpower notes that the official sign up period for candidacy is in late summer, but that he wanted to make his intentions clear in view of the Council’s recent and on-going “mischief”. “The people of Asheville have had almost 8 years to watch my model of service as a maverick watchdog,” said Mumpower. “They can decide if my commitment to principles over power, care with other people’s money, and firm eye on Reality 101 is in the city’s best interests.”
With the latter in mind, Mumpower has offered that he does not intend to accept or spend any money in the fall campaign. “I will gratefully embrace the help of volunteers who can do what they will, but I don’t intend to invest other people’s money trying to buy my seat at the table,” said Mumpower. “I’ll continue to enthusiastically do what I do and embrace the outcome when the voters do what they do.”
The Asheville Citizen-Times reports that “The North Carolina Court of Appeals overturned Buncombe County’s countywide zoning, finding the commissioners failed to follow the correct procedures for the public hearing on the controversial ordinance.” Read the full story here.
The following press release comes from NC Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger and NC House Republican Leader Paul Stam:
Republicans Ask Democrats to Support President on Charter Schools
Republican members of the NC Senate and House of Representatives cited President Obama’s enthusiastic support for charter schools and called on their Democratic colleagues to join them in eliminating the charter schools cap. Current NC law restricts the number of charter schools in our state to only 100. A number of bills to raise or eliminate the cap are pending in the General Assembly.
In a speech to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce last week, the President said, “I call on states to reform their charter rules and lift caps on the number of allowable charter schools, wherever such caps are in place.” The President further stated his opposition to caps, “That isn’t good for our children, our economy, or our country.”
“We ask the Democrats to join with us in supporting President Obama’s call for an increased number of charter schools” said Republican House Leader Paul Stam (R-Wake) “It is time to lift the cap on charter schools in North Carolina for our children. This will also help the budgets of our county boards of education.”
HB 125, Raise Cap on Charter Schools (Reps. Gulley, Avila, Killian)
HB 126, Eliminate Cap on Charter Schools (Reps. Gulley, Avila, Killian, Dollar)
HB 288, Remove Cap on the Number of Charter Schools (Rep. Allred)
HB 427, Counties May Fund Charter Schools (Reps. Moore, Cleveland, Brown, Current)
SB 172, Allow Charter Schools in 100 Counties (Sen. Goodall)
SB 378, Counties May Fund Charter Schools (Sen Goodall)
SB 379, Remove Cap on the Number of Charter Schools (Sen. Goodall)
SB 397, Increase Cap on Charter Schools (Sen. Clary)
SB 573, Modify Charter School Law (Sen. Goodall)
Information from our 2009 County Convention (as well as info about the upcoming district and state conventions) is now posted on the site under 2009 Conventions. Also, we have some videos from our Convention that you can view below.
Dr. Timothy F. Johnson, re-elected Chairman, is shown here giving a brief speech after his nomination:
Robert Malt, our new 1st Vice Chairman in charge of organization:
Dr. Ada Fisher, making a guest appearance (4 videos):
We had the great pleasure of hearing from Dr. Ada Fisher last Friday, March 6th, at Denny’s. Dr. Fisher is our NC GOP National Committewoman and represents North Carolina Republicans at the RNC. Click the picture to watch video from her visit. Special thanks to Kathy Rhodarmer for shooting, editing, and posting this video.
At the Buncombe County Republican Convention today, with 106 delegates participating, local Republicans gathered to elect Party officers for the next 2 years. We appreciate everyone who put their names forward to serve in our Party leadership. Our BCGOP officers are:
Chairman: Dr. Timothy F. Johnson
1st Vice Chairman: Robert Malt
2nd Vice Chairman: Dwayne Blake
Secretary: Sharlon O’Neal
Treasurer: Dorothea Alderfer
Members-At-Large: Betty Budd, Rick Jenkins, Linda Reese, J.L. Thompson, Don Yelton
We look forward to a very successful 2 years with our new leadership! Bios and photos will be coming soon on our Leadership page.
Another item of Convention business was a change to the BCGOP Structure which added new key leadership positions, all of which are appointed by the Chairman and approved by the Executive Committee: District Coordinators(3), Communications Director, and Membership Director. Changes also included the addition of new clubs including a Veterans Club, Liberty Club, and College/Young Republican clubs. Read the full text
We also passed, unanimously, a Resolution for State Sovereignty, which will be sent to the NCGOP State Convention for consideration there as well. This resolution reasserts the 10th Amendment in North Carolina. Read the full resolution text
Thank you to everyone who dedicated a beautiful Saturday to participate in shaping the future of the Buncombe County Republican Party. We look forward to working with you all over the coming months.
Many concerned citizens braved the less than ideal weather in Asheville last Friday to participate in a nation-wide effort to protest the out-of-control spending in Washington. “Jane Q. Republican” has a great recap on her blog with photos and video. Check out the comments section for links to even more coverage.
Despite cold, wet weather, the Asheville area “Chicago Tea Party” was a great success. As the first effort of a grassroots movement to oppose, among other things, unconstitutional government spending and confiscatory taxation, the protest was very positive and encouraging. Many like-minded individuals turned out to add their voices to the collective message to Congress which is: Repeal the Stimulus Bill or Retire. Over 40 people of various political parties, including Republicans, Libertarians, Independents, and unaffiliated voters, stood in the rain to discuss their concerns about current affairs in Washington DC as well as Raleigh, NC. The mood was very positive and many expressed enthusiasm over the potential for a repeat performance on a sunny weekend day in the near future.
