Rhinoceros Times closes, Greensboro NC Rhino Times conservative weekly, Free paper and internet site money woes, God bless John Hammer, The truth in print in NC

Rhinoceros Times closes, Greensboro NC Rhino Times conservative weekly, Free paper and internet site money woes, God bless John Hammer, The truth in print in NC

“But, February made me shiver with every paper I’d deliver
Bad news on the doorstep – I couldn’t take one more step
I can’t remember if I cried when I read about his widowed bride
Something touched me deep inside the day the music died”

“Satan laughing with delight the day the music died”...Don McLean “American Pie”

“The function of the press is very high. It is almost Holy.
It ought to serve as a forum for the people, through which
the people may know freely what is going on. To misstate or
suppress the news is a breach of trust.”…. Louis D. Brandeis

 

With a bit of sadness I report and mourn the loss of the Rhinoceros Times, a conservative weekly newspaper and website published in Greensboro, NC.

The truth in print in NC.

However, as the saying goes, every closed door leads to an open door.

Let’s hope so for the sake of publisher John Hammer and the truth.

From the Greensboro News Record May 1, 2013.

“The Rhinoceros Times newspaper in Greensboro closes”

“After more than 21 years, Rhinoceros Times publisher John Hammer says Greensboro’s conservative weekly newspaper has published its last issue.

“We just ran out of money,” Hammer said in an interview Tuesday.

In a post to the free weekly’s website Tuesday morning, Hammer wrote that the paper is hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. He asked for reader donations to help pay off creditors.

The paper’s website will keep going for as long as it can, Hammer said — but having laid off all his paid staff Tuesday, he isn’t sure what it will look like.

“I’m still enormously interested in local politics,” Hammer said. “That hasn’t changed just because we’ve run out of money.”

Hammer said print advertising just dried up. An aborted attempt to expand into Charlotte also lost the company a lot of money, Hammer said. The paper pulled out of Charlotte in 2008.

Hammer said he met with a series of potential buyers and investors but couldn’t put together a deal to save the paper. It isn’t yet clear what will become of the paper’s offices on Market Street, he said.

Scott Yost, the paper’s Guilford County editor and columnist, said staffers will land on their feet but the community will feel the loss of the Rhino.

“I feel like we’ve been a real asset,” Yost said. “I feel like we’ve uncovered a lot of scandal, and a lot of politicians and leaders didn’t get away with things because of us.”

The Rhino freely mixed news writing with editorial comment and came at every story from a conservative point of view — something Hammer said they never denied.

But the paper also crusaded for more transparency in local government, Hammer said, reporting on politicians meeting in secret and publishing an annual salary list of every county and city employee.

The Rhino’s combative nature and conservative message made it popular with area Republicans, a number of whom it championed for local office.

“The Rhino was very important for conservatives and how we got our message out,” said Linda Shaw, the chairwoman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners.

“I hate to see them go,” Commissioner Jeff Phillips said in agreement.

“I’ll miss the constant presence of their conservative message and Scott Yost at all our meetings,” Phillips said. “It’s hard to imagine Guilford County politics without the Rhino.”

Not everyone was sorry to hear about the paper’s demise.”

Read more:

http://www.news-record.com/home/1149017-63/the-rhinoceros-times-newspaper-closes

“Not everyone was sorry to hear about the paper’s demise.”

A compliment if ever I heard one.

I can hear satan laughing with delight, but we must not let the truth die.

Vermont liberals enable gun violence, Liberals help create gun violence blame guns, Existing laws not enforced, Vermont leniency leads to shooting, VT most liberal state

Vermont liberals enable gun violence, Liberals help create gun violence blame guns, Existing laws not enforced, Vermont leniency leads to shooting, VT most liberal state

“Liberals, lacking accountability for their failed policies, and reason for their irrational fear of guns, blame guns and conservatives for gun violence.”…Citizen Wells

“Germans who wish to use firearms should join the SS or the SA – ordinary citizens don’t need guns, as their having guns doesn’t serve the State.”…Heinrich Himmler

“The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference – they deserve a place of honor with all that’s good”…George Washington

Vermont, formerly a conservative state, began morphing into a liberal state in the 60′s.

I have been to Vermont multiple times. Despite being the home or college campus of many wacko liberals, I encountered quite a few normal nice people there.

Spend some time in Burlington VT or read about wackos in Brattleboro threatening to arrest Bush and Cheney (been there too) and you will get the picture.

From the NY Times October 1, 2012.

“‘New’ Vermont Is Liberal, but ‘Old’ Vermont Is Still There”
“Vermont is a quirky state, politically speaking. It was President Obama’s second-best state in 2008, behind only his home-state of Hawaii. But Vermont is also the most rural state and the second whitest, normally strong predictors of Republican leanings.”

“Vermont’s political landscape began to change in the 1960s and 1970s. City dwellers from nearby states like Massachusetts and New York began fleeing struggling metropolises like Boston and New York City. Heading north, these migrants had a choice of where to settle, and some self-sorting took place.

More conservatives tended to choose New Hampshire, attracted to its low taxes and “Live Free or Die” ethos. Vermont, where cows outnumbered people before 1963, tended to attract young, left-leaning and outdoors-loving professionals, both Mr. Nelson and Mr. Johnson said.”

http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/01/new-vermont-is-liberal-but-old-vermont-is-still-there/

From NPR February 25, 2011.

“Mississippi Most Conservative State, Vermont Most Liberal: Gallup”

“The most liberal state as measured by the percentage of voters who claim that label was Vermont at 30.5 percent. Again, not a surprise for a state that could send Sen. Bernie Sanders to the Senate.”

http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/02/25/134054868/mississippi-most-conservative-state-vermont-most-liberal

From the Greensboro News Record February 23, 2013.

“Editorial: Vermont leniency leads to shooting”

“Vermont has 1,000 offenders on furlough and most of them are doing fine, a probation official said this week.

But not Mikel Brady.

“Human behavior is incredibly difficult to predict, and obviously, we were really taken aback by what happened,” Bill Soule, a probation and parole district manager, told The Valley News of White River Valley, Vt. “We didn’t see it coming down the pipe. We were quite surprised.”

They should be ashamed, not surprised. Their criminal-justice system granted Brady a light sentence for a violent, sadistic crime, then released him on furlough even though he had once jumped bail and had to be chased to Mexico by federal marshals.

This time Brady ended up in North Carolina, where he allegedly shot a state trooper four times following a routine traffic stop near Durham Monday. Thank goodness, Michael Potts is recovering and Brady was arrested the next day in Raleigh.

Although he’s only 23, he has a frightening criminal history that nevertheless did not convince Vermont authorities that he posed a danger to anyone.

At 18, Brady embarked on a “two-year crime spree that police believe included more than 100 burglaries,” The Herald of Randolph (Vt.) reported in January 2011. “Crimes included … the alarming theft of enough dynamite from the Rock of Ages quarry in Bethel in August 2008, that it triggered a federal anti-terrorism investigation.”

In 2009, he and another man broke into a home looking for marijuana and cash and beat the occupants with baseball bats. One of the victims, who used medical marijuana to control pain from a previous injury, said in court that Brady cut her arm repeatedly with a knife as he demanded money.

Yet, by the time of his sentencing in January 2011, Brady had convinced even prosecutors that he was no longer a threat. The judge acknowledged she was giving him a “remarkably good deal” because he had turned his life around while in custody “to a degree that is unusual and deserving of consideration,” according to The Herald of Randolph. Only 18 months later, last June 25, he was out of prison on furlough.

Vermont authorities continued to show leniency. Brady was arrested by wildlife officials in October for attempted poaching. Despite having a loaded rifle — obviously not allowed — he was still not taken into custody. Then, when he failed to report to his probation officer, he was listed by the Vermont Department of Corrections as having escaped.

Soon afterward, he became North Carolina’s problem. He is not being treated leniently here. He’s in the Durham County jail with bond set at more than $10 million, facing serious charges.

And in Vermont, “An incident like this leaves a mark on all of us,” probation manager Soule told The Valley News.

A mark that was painfully felt in North Carolina.”

http://www.news-record.com/opinion/786421-94/editorial-vermont-leniency-leads-to

 

Obama the spoiled child elected by adolescents, Real loser Adulthood Maturity Responsibility, Lack of reason and accountability cause liberals to blame guns and conservatives

Obama the spoiled child elected by adolescents, Real loser Adulthood Maturity Responsibility, Lack of reason and accountability cause liberals to blame guns and conservatives

“How do you get a Obama Liberal? You begin with a normal child at birth and take away reason and accountability.”…Citizen Wells

“The real loser in this election was adulthood: Maturity. Responsibility. The understanding that liberty must be accompanied by self-restraint. Obama is a spoiled child, and the behavior and language of his followers and their advertisements throughout the campaign makes it clear how many of them are, as well. Romney is a grown-up. Romney should have won. Those of us who expected him to win assumed that voters would act like grownups. Because if we were a nation of grownups, he would have won.

But what did win? Sex. Drugs. Bad language. Bad manners. Vulgarity. Lies. Cheating. Name-calling. Finger-pointing. Blaming. And irresponsible spending.”…Laura Hollis, attorney and associate professor of law at Notre Dame

“The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference – they deserve a place of honor with all that’s good”…George Washington

One of my favorite movies is “As Good as it Gets.” Jack Nicholson plays a obsessive compulsive misanthrope who is transformed into a more loveable character by the end. There are 2 scenes in the movie that are significant in regard to the liberal position on gun control.

The first is when Nicholson’s gay neighbor is beaten to near death when he is robbed. In real life, he would probably have been shot or knifed to death. However, there were enough blunt instruments around to do the job. The neighbor was outnumbered. If the neighbor had been armed (of course NY City has some of the toughest gun laws in the nation for the honest citizens) he could have repelled the intruders.

The second scene has one of the all time great movie quotes. Nicholson is actually describing how he writes about women. He states.

“It’s easy. I start with a man and I take away reason and accountability.”

I believe that the quote more accurately applies to liberals, many of whom are female.

Which leads me to the following.

Obviously, for the folks reading this with reason and accountability, guns are not responsible for the deaths at the Sand Hook Elementary School or anywhere else. In the world where reason and accountability should rule, here are the guilty parties.

I do not know how much involvement the dad had in his life. It is clear that the father’s role is important, but since I do not have that information I will not lapse into conjecture.

Here is the list in priority order:

1. Adam Lanza, the apparent shooter. Despite any mental illness or adversity, he is to blame.

2. Mother. She apparently knew of her son’s problems. She should have secured the guns.

3. Sandy Hook Elementary School and the school system. It was their job to protect the students. They failed with honorable mention to the staff members who gave their lives in an effort to protect the students. However, too little, too late.

4. The damn fools who have dictated that schools should be gun free zones.

5. The whole of American society that has let Liberals & wackos take over government, schools, media, etc.

Laura Hollis is an attorney and associate professor of law at the University of Notre Dame.

From Town Hall November 8, 2012.

“I am already reading so many pundits and other talking heads analyzing the disaster that was this year’s elections. I am adding my own ten cents. Here goes:

1. We are outnumbered

We accurately foresaw the enthusiasm, the passion, the commitment, the determination, and the turnout. Married women, men, independents, Catholics, evangelicals – they all went for Romney in percentages as high or higher than the groups which voted for McCain in 2008. It wasn’t enough. What we saw in the election on Tuesday was a tipping point: we are now at a place where there are legitimately fewer Americans who desire a free republic with a free people than there are those who think the government should give them stuff. There are fewer of us who believe in the value of free exchange and free enterprise. There are fewer of us who do not wish to demonize successful people in order to justify taking from them. We are outnumbered. For the moment. It’s just that simple.

2. It wasn’t the candidate(s)
Some are already saying, “Romney was the wrong guy”; “He should have picked Marco Rubio to get Florida/Rob Portman to get Ohio/Chris Christie to get [someplace else].” With all due respect, these assessments are incorrect. Romney ran a strategic and well-organized campaign. Yes, he could have hit harder on Benghazi. But for those who would have loved that, there are those who would have found it distasteful. No matter what tactic you could point to that Romney could have done better, it would have been spun in a way that was detrimental to his chances. Romney would have been an excellent president, and Ryan was an inspired choice. No matter who we ran this year, they would have lost. See #1, above.

3. It’s the culture, stupid.
We have been trying to fight this battle every four years at the voting booth. It is long past time we admit that that is not where the battle really is. We abdicated control of the culture – starting back in the 1960s. And now our largest primary social institutions – education, the media, Hollywood (entertainment) have become really nothing more than an assembly line for cranking out reliable little Leftists. Furthermore, we have allowed the government to undermine the institutions that instill good character – marriage, the family, communities, schools, our churches. So, here we are, at least two full generations later – we are reaping what we have sown. It took nearly fifty years to get here; it will take another fifty years to get back. But it starts with the determination to reclaim education, the media, and the entertainment business. If we fail to do that, we can kiss every election goodbye from here on out. And much more.

4. America has become a nation of adolescents
The real loser in this election was adulthood: Maturity. Responsibility. The understanding that liberty must be accompanied by self-restraint. Obama is a spoiled child, and the behavior and language of his followers and their advertisements throughout the campaign makes it clear how many of them are, as well. Romney is a grown-up. Romney should have won. Those of us who expected him to win assumed that voters would act like grownups. Because if we were a nation of grownups, he would have won.

But what did win? Sex. Drugs. Bad language. Bad manners. Vulgarity. Lies. Cheating. Name-calling. Finger-pointing. Blaming. And irresponsible spending.

This does not bode well. People grow up one of two ways: either they choose to, or circumstances force them to. The warnings are all there, whether it is the looming economic disaster, or the inability of the government to respond to crises like Hurricane Sandy, or the growing strength and brazenness of our enemies. American voters stick their fingers in their ears and say, “Lalalalalala, I can’t hear you.”

It is unpleasant to think about the circumstances it will take to force Americans to grow up. It is even more unpleasant to think about Obama at the helm when those circumstances arrive.

5. Yes, there is apparently a Vagina Vote
It’s the subject matter of another column in its entirety to point out, one by one, all of the inconsistencies and hypocrisies of the Democrats this year. Suffice it to say that the only “war on women” was the one waged by the Obama campaign, which sexualized and objectified women, featuring them dressed up like vulvas at the Democrat National Convention, appealing to their “lady parts,” comparing voting to losing your virginity with Obama, trumpeting the thrills of destroying our children in the womb (and using our daughters in commercials to do so), and making Catholics pay for their birth control. For a significant number of women, this was appealing. It might call into question the wisdom of the Nineteenth Amendment, but for the fact that large numbers of women (largely married) used their “lady smarts” instead. Either way, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton are rolling over in their graves.

6. It’s not about giving up on “social issues”
No Republican candidate should participate in a debate or go out on the stump without thorough debate prep and a complete set of talking points that they stick to. This should start with a good grounding in biology and a reluctance to purport to know the will of God. (Thank you, Todd and Richard.)

That said, we do not hold the values we do because they garner votes. We hold the values we do because we believe that they are time-tested principles without which a civilized, free and prosperous society is not possible. We defend the unborn because we understand that a society which views some lives as expendable is capable of viewing all lives as expendable. We defend family – mothers, fathers, marriage, children – because history makes it quite clear that societies without intact families quickly descend into anarchy and barbarism, and we have plenty of proof of that in our inner cities where marriage is infrequent and unwed motherhood approaches 80%. When Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973, many thought that the abortion cause was lost. 40 years later, ultrasound technology has demonstrated the inevitable connection between science and morality. More Americans than ever define themselves as “pro-life.” What is tragic is that tens of millions of children have lost their lives while Americans figure out what should have been obvious before.

There is no “giving up” on social issues. There is only the realization that we have to fight the battle on other fronts. The truth will out in the end.

7. Obama does not have a mandate. And he does not need one.
I have to laugh – bitterly – when I read conservative pundits trying to assure us that Obama “has to know” that he does not have a mandate, and so he will have to govern from the middle. I don’t know what they’re smoking. Obama does not care that he does not have a mandate. He does not view himself as being elected (much less re-elected) to represent individuals. He views himself as having been re-elected to complete the “fundamental transformation” of America, the basic structure of which he despises. Expect much more of the same – largely the complete disregard of the will of half the American public, his willingness to rule by executive order, and the utter inability of another divided Congress to rein him in. Stanley Kurtz has it all laid out here.

8. The CorruptMedia is the enemy

Too strong? I don’t think so. I have been watching the media try to throw elections since at least the early 1990s. In 2008 and again this year, we saw the media cravenly cover up for the incompetence and deceit of this President, while demonizing a good, honorable and decent man with lies and smears. This is on top of the daily barrage of insults that conservatives (and by that I mean the electorate, not the politicians) must endure at the hands of this arrogant bunch of elitist snobs. Bias is one thing. What we observed with Benghazi was professional malpractice and fraud. They need to go. Republicans, Libertarians and other conservatives need to be prepared to play hardball with the Pravda press from here on out. And while we are at it, to defend those journalists of whatever political stripe (Jake Tapper, Sharyl Atkisson, Eli Lake) who actually do their jobs. As well as FoxNews and talk radio. Because you can fully expect a re-elected Obama to try to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine in term 2.

9. Small business and entrepreneurs will be hurt the worst
For all the blather about “Wall Street versus Main Street,” Obama’s statist agenda will unquestionably benefit the biggest corporations which – as with the public sector unions – are in the best position to make campaign donations, hire lobbyists, and get special exemptions carved out from Obama’s health care laws, his environmental regulations, his labor laws. It will be the small business, the entrepreneur, and the first-time innovators who will be crushed by their inability to compete on a level playing field.

10. America is more polarized than ever; and this time it’s personal

I’ve been following politics for a long time, and it feels different this time. Not just for me. I’ve received messages from other conservatives who are saying the same thing: there is little to no tolerance left out there for those who are bringing this country to its knees – even when they have been our friends. It isn’t just about “my guy” versus “your guy.” It is my view of America versus your view of America – a crippled, hemorrhaging, debt-laden, weakened and dependent America that I want no part of and resent being foisted on me. I no longer have any patience for stupidity, blindness, or vulgarity, so with each dumb “tweet” or FB post by one of my happily lefty comrades, another one bites the dust, for me. Delete.

What does this portend for a divided Congress? I expect that Republicans will be demoralized and chastened for a short time. But I see them in a bad position. Americans in general want Congress to work together. But many do not want Obama’s policies, and so Republicans who support them will be toast. Good luck, guys.

11. It’s possible that America just has to hit rock bottom
I truly believe that most Americans who voted for Obama have no idea what they are in for. Most simply believe him when he says that all he really wants is for the rich to pay “a little bit more.” So reasonable! Who could argue with that except a greedy racist?

America is on a horrific bender. Has been for some time now. The warning signs of our fiscal profligacy and culture of lack of personal responsibility are everywhere – too many to mention. We need only look at other countries which have gone the route we are walking now to see what is in store.

For the past four years – but certainly within the past campaign season – we have tried to warn Americans. Too many refuse to listen, even when all of the events that have transpired during Obama’s presidency – unemployment, economic stagnation, skyrocketing prices, the depression of the dollar, the collapse of foreign policy, Benghazi, hopelessly inept responses to natural disasters – can be tied directly to Obama’s statist philosophies, and his decisions.

What that means, I fear, is that they will not see what is coming until the whole thing collapses. That is what makes me so sad today. I see the country I love headed toward its own “rock bottom,” and I cannot seem to reach those who are taking it there.”

http://townhall.com/columnists/laurahollis/2012/11/08/postmortem/page/full/

Joe Arpaio birthday interview June 14, 2012, Arpaio turns 80, E J Montini, Toughest sheriff in America, Obama birth certificate records investigation

Joe Arpaio birthday interview June 14, 2012, Arpaio turns 80, E J Montini, Toughest sheriff in America, Obama birth certificate records investigation

“Why has Obama, since taking the White House, used Justice Department Attorneys, at taxpayer expense,  to avoid presenting a legitimate birth certificate and college records?”…Citizen Wells

“I do not know where Barack Obama was born. I do know that he has used taxpayer dollars to keep his records hidden.”…Citizen Wells

“Why is Obama now employing private attorneys to keep his name on state ballots, despite compelling evidence that he is not a natural born citizen?…Citizen Wells

We anxiously await the Sheriff Joe Arpaio news conference of recent findings in Hawaii and elsewhere regarding Obama’s birth certificate and other records. Joe Arpaio turns 80 today, June 14, 2012.

From The Arizona Republic June 14, 2012.

BY E. J. Montini.

“Fourscore and Joe Arpaio: The sheriff turns 80″

“Over the 20 years I’ve known him, there is one unwavering conviction I’ve shared with Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio: He should never, ever retire.

The self-proclaimed toughest sheriff in America, who’s been in office since the Lincoln presidency (or so it seems), was born fourscore years ago today.

He’s 80.
When Arpaio ran for office in 1992, he promised to serve one term and then leave. He changed his mind four years later, telling a reporter at the time that while he had no intention to seek higher office, he wasn’t finished.

“He does intend to break a 1992 campaign promise and run again this fall for a second term,” the reporter wrote. “After that, he says, he’ll retire and take care of his grandchildren.”

By 2000, the grandkids were doing fine without him, but not the people of Maricopa County. Arpaio has since run for re-election and won three more times.

He’s scoffed at the notion of retirement ever since.”

“If you love the job and want to keep it, make them drag you out of the office kicking and screaming.

Arpaio has found ways to win elections using Army-surplus tents, chain gangs and pink underwear. He’s kept himself in the news by eliminating hot lunches and girlie magazines from the jails. He got himself on TV using his posse to shoo prostitutes off the streets, to patrol shopping malls during the holidays and to investigate the president’s birth certificate.

He became a zealot on the subject of illegal immigration after the now-disbarred former County Attorney Andrew Thomas got elected by way of an anti-immigrant campaign.

Now, he’s running for re-election again.

The feds are after him … again.

He’s facing two much- younger opponents. He has demonstrators outside his office on most days. His popularity is down, and there are people who say that he’s “lost it.”

None of this is new.

Back in 1994, when he’d been in office for only two years, a reporter doing an interview with Arpaio mentioned that his critics called him a “demagogue,” a “blowhard” and a “buffoon.”

The sheriff answered, “If I’m all those things, sobeit. I’m still getting the job done. That’s the bottom line.” Then, he added, “I’ll tell you one thing: I’m going to continue on.”

I was asked this week by a TV reporter if I believed Arpaio, at 80, was fit to serve for four more years. My answer was:

What makes you think he wants to serve only four more years?”

Read more:

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2012/06/13/20120613montini0614-fourscore-joe-arpaio-sheriff-turns.html

Jim Pendergraph runoff election July 17, 2012, Pendergraph endorsed by Sheriff Joe Arpaio questioned Obama eligibility, Charlotte Observer attacked

Jim Pendergraph runoff election July 17, 2012, Pendergraph endorsed by Sheriff Joe Arpaio questioned Obama eligibility, Charlotte Observer attacked

“Why has Obama, since taking the White House, used Justice Department Attorneys, at taxpayer expense,  to avoid presenting a legitimate birth certificate and college records?”…Citizen Wells

“Why is Obama now employing private attorneys to keep his name on state ballots, despite compelling evidence that he is not a natural born citizen?…Citizen Wells

“Pendergraph’s long experience as a public servant, especially his 12 years as Mecklenburg County sheriff, would be an asset. He understands the value of service to constituents and responding quickly and efficiently to their cares and concerns.”…Charlotte Observer

Jim Pendergraph, who entered the race for NC 9th Congressional District Republican Congressman late (Feb. 2012), will be in a runoff election with the other top vote getter Robert Pittenger on July 17, 2012. This despite the efforts of the Charlotte Observer to discredit him after endorsing him.

From the Charlotte Observer May 9, 2012.

“District 9: Runoff looms for Pittenger, Pendergraph

Pittenger, Pendergraph lead in chase for Myrick’s seat”

“Republicans Robert Pittenger and Jim Pendergraph, whose feuding dominated the crowded primary in the 9th Congressional District, are poised to take it into a July 17 runoff.

Buoyed by strong showings in the Charlotte suburbs, Pittenger led the 10-man field with about 33 percent of the vote. Pendergraph had about 25 percent.

While each fell short of the 40 percent needed to win outright, both lapped the 10-man field. Edwin Peacock, a former Charlotte city council member, ran third with about 12 percent. State Rep. Ric Killian had about 10 percent. No one else had more than 7 percent.

The eventual winner will be the favorite in November against Democrat Jennifer Roberts and Libertarian Curtis Campbell in the heavily Republican district that includes most of Mecklenburg County and parts of Iredell and Union.

The candidates are running for the seat being vacated by Republican U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick of Charlotte. It’s open for the first time in 18 years, and only the fifth time in six decades.

“I think we brought a clear, conservative message to the voters,” Pittenger said Tuesday night. “They know that I will stand for those values in the future. … This has been a grass-roots effort with lots of involvement. It hasn’t just been Pittenger.”

Comparing spending

But only two House candidates in the country spent more of their own money. Outpacing his rivals, the Charlotte real estate investor and former state senator gave his campaign $1.1 million.

Pendergraph, a Mecklenburg County commissioner and former sheriff, has run as Myrick’s hand-picked successor. He was the target of a barrage of ads by Pittenger.

“He spent a million and a half dollars, and I’m nipping at his heels,” Pendergraph said Tuesday night. “If I had spent (that) I’d be really disappointed if I don’t blow out all the candidates. … Everything he has said, he either has stretched the truth or out-and-out lied.”

Pendergraph, under attack from Pittenger and a super PAC that supports him, struggled to compete financially.

Through mid-April, he’d raised $173,000, less than three rivals. Last week he loaned his campaign $20,000, saying, “The well’s near dry.”

Pittenger defended his ads, which have flooded mailboxes as well as airwaves.

“Of course Mr. Pendergraph has pandered and flip-flopped,” he said. “We’ll show the distinctions between the two of us.”

Pittenger, a social as well as fiscal conservative, won support from voters like Carter Brydon, a south Charlotte Republican. He said he liked Pittenger’s “big-time Christian values.””

“Last week Pendergraph stirred controversy when he said he had “reason to be suspicious” of President Barack Obama’s claim that he was born in the U.S. and thereby eligible for the presidency. His remarks on the “birther” issue prompted the Observer to retract its endorsement for the first time.

It also appeared to cost him some votes.

“I was going to go with Pendergraph (until) the birther stuff,” said Richard Ellis, a south Charlotte Republican. “That’s kind of silly. I think it’s an issue that’s been put to rest.””

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/05/08/3227717/district-9-us-house-runoff-looms.html

Mr. Ellis, you have been lied to by the mainstream media.

Jim Pendergraph, I applaud you.

When in the Charlotte area in recent years, I heard nothing but good things about Jim Pendergraph. Obviously the Charlotte Observer had the same opinion before Pendergraph questioned the messiah, Obama (see quote above).

“But we give our nod to Mecklenburg County commissioner Jim Pendergraph. We believe he has broad appeal and understands the district’s needs best. He speaks with a strong conservative voice but seems pragmatic in how he would represent the district – focusing on constituent needs and getting things done.”

Read the history of Jim Pendergraph being endorsed by the Charlotte Observer and then attacked by them.

http://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2012/05/06/charlotte-observer-obama-media-arm-media-bias-example-times-of-1984-praises-jim-pendergraph-one-minute-then-attacks-him-orwellian-two-minute-hate/

Why any concerned American should question Obama.

http://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/charlotte-observer-obama-facts-obama-hides-birth-certificate-college-and-other-records-taxpayer-dollars-aid-in-obama-deception-sheriffs-arpaio-and-pendergraph-question-obama/

Michael Reagan on Iowa Caucus results and Romney, Paul, Santorum, Gingrich, Perry, Bachmann, Republican presidential nomination

Michael Reagan on Iowa Caucus results and Romney, Paul, Santorum, Gingrich, Perry, Bachmann, Republican presidential nomination

From Michael Reagan, son of Ronald Reagan, January 5, 2012.

“Iowa caucus results show it’s still early in the game and nothing’s certain.

So what happened on the way to the Republican presidential nomination?

Well, even with a slim official win, Mitt Romney did no better in practical terms this year than he did four years ago in 2008 because of the level of competition. This proves that the road to the 2012 nomination will be anything but smooth, and that he has a tough road ahead if he is to win the Republican presidential nomination.

Mitt has a big problem in his seeming inability to relate to the average working man or woman. He’s a bit too self-assured. As for Rick Santorum, he threw a monkey wrench into Ron Paul’s meteoric rise by almost winning, and proved that Romney is not as unbeatable as his worshippers in the media would like us to believe.

Rick gave an off-the-cuff, Reaganesque speech that marked him as a staunch conservative in the style of my late Dad, Ronald Reagan. He leaves no doubt that his love for America is genuine and deep-rooted.

Ron Paul proved that his supporters are in there for the long haul. Moreover he proved that the GOP needs to pay attention to his message of fiscal sanity and restraint in federal spending or the average Republican, fed up with the witless squandering of our tax dollars, might bolt in November.

Newt Gingrich managed to live to see another day, and he’ll do battle in both New Hampshire and South Carolina — not with Romney, who he’s out to destroy, but with Rick Santorum. Newt needs to be more passionate and less professorial and, for heaven’s sake, Newt, put on a damned tie.

Perry needs to retool his message and overcome the gaffes for which he has become so infamous. He says he’s going home to reconsider his candidacy, but if he stays in the race he will meet Santorum and Gingrich in South Carolina and that will be the end for him. The conservative winner there will then go on, and the others will need to go home.

As for Michele Bachmann, she made the right decision to go back to Minnesota and run for re-election and not be like California’s Bob Dornan, who stayed too long in running for president and as a result lost his House seat to Loretta Sanchez.

The Iowa caucuses are over but the fun has just begun. Fasten your seatbelts, America, the ride ahead may get bumpy. There might now be room for another candidate to emerge and sweep the field.

Stay tuned.”

http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/2012/01/05/reagan-iowa-votes/?subscriber=1

 

Rick Santorum surges in Des Moines Register Iowa Poll, Santorum passes Paul at 21 percent, Romney 24 percent, December 31, 2011

Rick Santorum surges in Des Moines Register Iowa Poll, Santorum passes Paul at 21 percent, Romney 24 percent, December 31, 2011

From the Des Moines Register December 31, 2011.

“Romney leads Paul in new Des Moines Register Iowa Poll; Santorum surges”

“Mitt Romney tops the latest Des Moines Register Iowa Poll in the closing days before the Iowa caucuses, but Ron Paul and Rick Santorum are poised within striking distance.

The poll, conducted Tuesday through Friday, shows support at 24 percent for Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts; 22 percent for Paul, a Texas congressman; and 15 percent for the surging Rick Santorum, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania.

But the four-day results don’t reflect just how quickly momentum is shifting in a race that has remained highly fluid for months. If the final two days of polling are considered separately, Santorum rises to second place, with 21 percent, pushing Paul to third, at 18 percent. Romney remains the same, at 24 percent.

“Momentum’s name is Rick Santorum,” said the Register’s pollster, J. Ann Selzer.

Another sign of the race’s volatility: 41 percent of likely caucusgoers say they could still be persuaded to change their minds.

Selzer & Co. of Des Moines conducted the poll of 602 likely Republican caucusgoers, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. In the final two days of polling, 302 likely caucusgoers were interviewed, with a margin of error of plus or minus 5.6 percentage points.

Rounding out the field, in results from the full, four-day poll: former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, 12 percent, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, 11 percent, and Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, 7 percent.

The first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses, which take place Tuesday evening, kick off voting in the presidential nominating process. The Iowa Poll, a Register exclusive since 1943, is a much-watched indicator of how candidates are faring in the leadoff caucus state.

The first three Iowa Polls of the 2012 caucus cycle, conducted in June, October and November, featured a different leader each time: first Romney, then retired business executive Herman Cain, then Gingrich. Other candidates took turns in the top tier, too. Bachmann was in second place to Romney in the June poll and won the Iowa straw poll in August. But her support plummeted this fall.

Gingrich surged to the lead with 25 percent support in the late November poll, but slid to 12 percent in the new poll.

Now, it’s Santorum’s time to rocket to the top tier. He has campaigned in Iowa more than any other candidate, stumping the state more than 100 days and conducting more than 300 events since the last presidential election. Next closest is Bachmann, at 80 days.

But until recent weeks, Santorum has struggled to escape single digits in state and national polls. He has campaigned as both a strong fiscal and social conservative, but social conservative voters had remained undecided or split among several candidates.”

Read more:

http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/12/31/romney-leads-paul-in-new-des-moines-register-iowa-poll-santorum-surging/

Rick Santorum endorsement, Citizen Wells endorses Santorum for presidency, God Family Constitution Defense Budget, Legal immigration, Obama eligibility

Rick Santorum endorsement, Citizen Wells endorses Santorum for presidency, God Family Constitution Defense Budget, Legal immigration, Obama eligibility

My friends have been asking me for weeks what my preference in a presidential candidate is. For weeks I have been stating, Rick Santorum. An intelligent, well informed friend of mine who I have known for many years agrees.

So far my biggest gripe with Santorum was his response to Obama’s eligibility deficiency. However, many otherwise good Americans have been fooled by the Orwellian brainwashing of the mainstream media. Like many decisions in life, Santorum for me is the lesser of evils, however, I find most of his positions appealing.

From the DesMoines Register August 7, 2011.

“Candidate profile: Rick Santorum refuses to compromise on principles”

“Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum knew he was in trouble as he sought re-election to his third term in 2006.

Public opinion was hardening against the war in Iraq and the president who started it. All signs pointed to a bad year for Republicans.

His supporters were blunt, recalled Charlie Artz, a Harrisburg lawyer and a friend since they were in their 20s. To win, they said, you need to change
course. You need to soften your opinions.

But Santorum wouldn’t budge. He described the state of America’s families as a moral crisis. He declared the nation at a critical crossroads in a fight
against radical Islamists. And he ultimately lost by 18 points to Bob Casey Jr., the largest margin of defeat for an incumbent senator since 1980.

“Rick is a very devout Catholic guy, and he believes in the principles of the founding fathers of this country,” Artz said. “He is not willing to compromise
on that. He will stand for his beliefs and his principles above any political expediency.”

Santorum, 53, is not about to start mincing words now that he’s seeking the Republican presidential nomination. That leaves little room in the middle between his supporters and his detractors.

Jamie Johnson of Stratford is a Christian pastor who has worked in 40 Republican political campaigns over the past two decades. He said he was drawn to join Santorum’s presidential bid after watching him lead the charge on family values legislation in Congress.

“I thought, ‘Wow. This guy is a guy of energy and passion and convictions,’ ” Johnson said. “If there was ever a time for a muscular Republican leader to
stand up against President Obama, it is now. I don’t see Michele Bachmann or Tim Pawlenty or Rick Perry having the intellectual or spiritual muscle to go toe
to toe with Barack Obama.”

Jim Burn, chairman of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, has closely monitored Santorum’s political career, too, but sees him in an entirely different light.
By 2006, Pennsylvanians had come to view Santorum as completely out of touch with their values, he said.

“He was viewed as a Republican with extreme right-wing beliefs and was not viable,” Burn said.

His story starts with emigrating granddad
Santorum’s political outlook is firmly rooted in family.

On the campaign trail, he frequently tells the story of how his grandfather came to America from Italy in the 1920s because he detested living under fascist
dictator Benito Mussolini. His grandfather worked in Pennsylvania’s coal mines until he was 72, Santorum said.

During a campaign stop in July in Marion, Ia., Santorum told of kneeling before his grandfather’s casket as a teenager and looking at his large folded hands,
holding a rosary. His grandfather’s independence and hard work brought freedom to his family, he said.

“He gave me the opportunities that I have,” Santorum said. “I feel like I am standing on his shoulders.”

He describes his grandfather, Pietro, known as Pete, and his father, Aldo, a psychologist, as strong-willed, a trait he shares.

His dad was a typical Italian father who “would always yell first and speak softly later,” he said.

Santorum grew up in Virginia and Pennsylvania. Both his father and mother, Catherine, a nurse, worked for the Veterans Administration.

After earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees, he became a staffer for Republican state Sen. Doyle Corman while he earned a law degree. Then, too, he
demonstrated his strong-willed streak.

Corman said he hired Santorum because he was bright and ambitious, and Corman let Santorum know he was free to argue with his boss about politics.

“If Rick thought that I was headed in the wrong direction, we would have debates over it, and the staff couldn’t believe how hot our debates would get at
times,” Corman recalled in a phone interview. “You could hear us through the walls, but I wanted that, and Rick made me think things out well.”

Fast-rising career in U.S. House, Senate
He was a young man on a fast track. He started work for a prominent Pittsburgh law firm and did some lobbying at the Pennsylvania Capitol. Four years after
graduating from law school, he launched a bid for Congress.

Corman and others told him to forget it because it would be too difficult to defeat a long-term Democratic incumbent.

“He beat that seven-term incumbent, and the rest is history,” Corman said.

As a 32-year-old freshman, Santorum joined former U.S. Rep. Jim Nussle of Iowa and others to focus on government reform, becoming a member of the “Gang of Seven” that exposed the House banking and post office scandals.

In 1994, at 36, he won election to the Senate, once again unseating an incumbent, Democrat Harris Wofford. Two years later, he was an author and floor manager of a landmark welfare reform act that moved millions of people from the welfare rolls to the work force.

Again and again, he pressed abortion fight
It was about this time that he and his family experienced a defining moment, underlining his commitment to reverence for life.

After Santorum and his wife arrived in Washington, D.C., their family quickly grew to three children. But in 1996, Karen Santorum, who had worked as a neo-
natal nurse and a lawyer, experienced a difficult pregnancy.

During labor, she developed a severe infection in her uterus, and her temperature soared to 105 degrees. Their son was born prematurely and lived only two hours.

Karen Santorum describes how she and her husband brought their deceased infant home instead of allowing the child to be placed in a refrigerated morgue.
Their daughter, Elizabeth, cuddled the infant and announced, “This is my baby brother, Gabriel; he is an angel.”

A priest celebrated the Mass of the Angels in his grandparents’ living room, and the casket was placed in the back seat of the family’s van as they drove to
the cemetery.

Karen Santorum wrote a book about her son, “Letters to Gabriel: The True Story of Gabriel Michael Santorum,” which includes a forward by Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

At the same time, Rick Santorum was leading efforts in the U.S. Senate to ban what he describes as partial-birth abortions.

Santorum acknowledges that other Republican presidential candidates also say they oppose abortion. But he portrays himself as the candidate who has a proven
record fighting to restrict it.

He has spoken of losing a battle against President Bill Clinton for a partial-birth abortion act.

“I didn’t just offer (the bill), but I stood there and fought … year in and year out,” Santorum said. “We lost because Bill Clinton would veto the bill. …
But I continued to fight. I continued to stand up for life, and God blessed us.” (The bill was signed into law under President George W. Bush.)

As senator, called for balancing the budget
Besides championing anti-abortion legislation in the Senate, he supported a balanced federal budget and a line-item veto to curb spending.

That record makes him the right choice to lead a nation confronting out-of-control spending and a downgraded credit rating, he says.

Even before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Santorum proposed transforming the U.S. military from a Cold War force to a more agile one to meet modern threats. He was also a leader on U.S.-Israeli relations, authoring the “Syria Accountability Act” and the “Iran Freedom and Support Act,” despite initial opposition from President Bush.”

“Santorum has campaigned more days and conducted more events in Iowa than any other candidate. But he has had difficulty gaining traction. In The Des Moines Register’s Iowa Poll in June, he registered 4 percent support among likely Republican caucusgoers.

But he takes heart in a Quinnipiac University poll released last week that showed him in a dead heat with Obama in a theoretical presidential matchup in
Pennsylvania, a key swing state. And he reminds voters that he has twice defeated incumbent Democrats.

He also notes that Abraham Lincoln lost two Senate races before he was elected president.

His friend Artz says Santorum will outwork other candidates and would make a great president because he would always put the country first.

“I think he is going to surprise some people out there,” Artz said.”

““Rick won’t apologize for America being great, and he will defend Israel. He didn’t shy away from taking on the partial-birth abortion ban or welfare reform,
and he’s certainly not going to shy away from getting this country back on track.” — Kim Lehman, Iowa’s National Republican Committeewoman and former president of Iowa Right to Life

“I don’t comment on who would be a good president or a bad president, but I can tell you that a lot of Rick Santorum’s policies and priorities are not in
keeping with core constitutional principles.” — Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director for Americans United for Separation of Church and State

“Not many politicians have spine; this one does.” — Talk-show host Glenn Beck, introducing Santorum before a June interview on Fox News”

http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/08/07/santorum-refuses-to-compromise-on-principles/

Rick Santorum meets my priorities of :

God
Family
Constitution
Defense
Budget

Rick Santorum, like other decent members of Congress such as Howard Coble was brainwashed by the mainstream media and their own congressional resources.

Rick Santorum told WND, “My understanding is that issue was solved. If there’s evidence to the contrary [showing Obama is not eligible], they should bring it forth.”

When Santorum was reminded about the Natural Born Citizen requirement he allegedly responded “I don’t think that’s what the Constitution requires, and he (President Obama) was born in the country, so it doesn’t matter.”

I personally believe that Rick Santorum, when properly advised , will reconsider his position on Obama’s eligibility and will be open to ask more questions and seek more answers.

Mr. Santorum, I am at your service.

Contact me.

Wells

Keep The Change, Hank Williams Jr., Glenn Beck plays song and blasts Fox and ESPN, Fox and friends hypocrisy, Beck keeps soul

Keep The Change, Hank Williams Jr., Glenn Beck plays song and blasts Fox and ESPN, Fox and friends hypocrisy, Beck keeps soul

From Citizen Wells July 3, 2011
“Did Fox make a deal with the devil?”

“Glenn Beck, on his radio show Thursday, June 30, 2011, made the following statements.

““You cannot solve anything if you are not dealing in an honest system,” Glenn said. While FOX is the most honest system out, Glenn said that he wanted to operate in a complete different fashion than every other cable news network.”

“I know enough now to know it doesn’t work.”

“Mark Halperin’s apology for making a disparaging remark about Obama is a perfect example of why traditional cable networks will fail. “I’m more offended that you’re apologizing for something that you actually believe.  Say it.  That’s why these systems are going to fail,” Glenn said. The fact that Halperin has now been suspended for telling the truth is baffling to Glenn.”

“I’m not going to play the game anymore.”

http://www.glennbeck.com/2011/06/30/glenn-im-not-playing-the-game-anymore/

Glenn Beck stated he was  leaving with his soul on his last Fox TV show.”

Read more:

http://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2011/07/03/fox-and-obama-controlled-by-saudis-glenn-beck-leaves-with-soul-beck-seeks-honest-system-i%e2%80%99m-not-going-to-play-the-game-anymore/

I heard part of the Glenn Beck Radio Show this morning. He was on a roll. He played the new Hank Williams song, “Keep The Change” several times. He also blasted Fox and ESPN.  

LYRICS:

“I’ll keep my freedom
I’ll keep my guns
Try to keep my money
And my religion too

Try to keep on workin’
Try to keep on smilin’
I will keep my Christian name and y’all can keep the change

I will keep my heroes
Pictures on the wall
I’ll keep my family safe
You bluff when I call
I’m gonna keep my big V8
Keep my friends the same
Keep the government outta my business
And y’all can keep the change

This country sure as hell been goin’ down the drain
We know what we need
We know who to blame
United Socialist States of America
How do ya like that name?
I’ll keep the USA and y’all can keep the change

So FOX and friends
Wanna put me down
Ask for my opinions
Then twist it all around
Supposed to be talkin’ about my father’s new CD
Well two can play that “Gotcha’ Game” just wait and see
Don’t tread on me

This country sure as hell been goin’ down the drain
We know what we need
We know who to blame
United Socialist States of America
Don’t ya just LOVE that name?
I’ll keep the USA and y’all can keep the change

I’ll keep the USA and y’all can keep the change

Yeah, you can keep FOX and friends and ESPN outta your homes too
Cuz Bocephus and all his rowdy friends and his song is outta there!”

I do not watch Fox or ESPN. I suggest that you follow suit.

Ed Koch Palin defense, Palin highly intelligent, We should denounce unfair false and wicked charges

Ed Koch Palin defense, Palin highly intelligent,  We should denounce unfair false and wicked charges

I heard Rush Limbaugh mention recently that Ed Koch, former mayor of New York City, had not only defended Sarah Palin, but praised her. God bless Ed Koch.

From Real Clear Politics january 18, 2011.

“As I see it, in the current battle for public opinion Sarah Palin has defeated her harsh and unfair critics.

After the January 8 shooting of U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords and the murder of six others in Tucson, Arizona, some television talking heads and members of the blogosphere denounced her and held her in part responsible for creating a climate of hatred that resulted in the mass attacks.

 
An example is Joe Scarborough and his crew on the “Morning Joe” show, which I watch and generally enjoy every morning at 6:30 a.m. when I rise to start the day. Because Palin designated Congresswoman Giffords and others for defeat in the November elections by the use of crosshairs on website maps of the Congressional districts, they blamed Palin for creating an atmosphere that caused Jared Loughner (whom everyone now recognizes as being mentally disturbed) to embark on the shooting and killing spree.”

“How dare Sarah Palin, cried the commentators, use that phrase to describe the criticism of her by those who blamed her for creating the atmosphere that set Loughner off in his murderous madness. Some took the position that it proved their ongoing charges that she is not an intelligent person and probably did not know what the phrase meant historically. In my opinion, she was right to denounce her critics and use blood libel to describe the unfair criticism that she had been subject to.”

“Why do I defend Palin in this case? I don’t agree with her political philosophy: She is an arch conservative. I am a liberal with sanity. I know that I am setting myself up for attack when I ask, why did Emile Zola defend Dreyfus? Palin is no Dreyfus and I am certainly no Zola. But all of us have an obligation, particularly those in politics and public office, to denounce, when we can, the perpetrators of horrendous libels and stand up for those falsely charged. We should denounce unfair, false and wicked charges not only when they are made against ourselves, our friends or our political party but against those with whom we disagree. If we are to truly change the poisonous political atmosphere that we all complain of, including those who create it, we should speak up for fairness when we can.

In the 2008 presidential race when Sarah Palin’s name was first offered to the public by John McCain as his running mate, I said at the time that she “scared the hell out of me.” My reference was to the content of her remarks, not to her power to persuade voters.

It was McCain who lost the presidential election, not Palin. Since that time she has established that she has enormous power to persuade people. A self-made woman who rose from PTA mother to Governor of Alaska, she is one of the few speakers in public life who can fill a stadium. Her books are enormous successes. Her television program about Alaska has been a critical and economic success. When Sarah Palin addresses audiences, they rise to their feet in support and applause. She is without question a major leader of the far right faction in the Republican Party and its ally the Tea Party.

I repeat my earlier comment that she “scares the hell out of me.” Nevertheless, she is entitled to fair and respectful treatment. The fools in politics today in both parties are those who think she is dumb. I’ve never met her, but I’ve always thought that she is highly intelligent but not knowledgeable in many areas and politically uninformed. I don’t believe she will run for president in 2012 or that she would be elected if she did. But I do believe she is equal in ability to many of those in the Republican Party seeking that office.

Many women understand what she has done for their cause. She will not be silenced nor will she leave the heavy lifts to the men in her Party. She will not be falsely charged, remain silent, and look for others – men – to defend her. She is plucky and unafraid.

While I disagree with her and I am prepared to oppose her politically, in the spirit of longed-for civility I say, Ms. Palin you are in a certain sense an example of the American dream: You have the courage to stand up and present your vision of America to its people. Your strength and lack of fear make America stronger and are examples to be emulated by girls and boys, men and women who are themselves afraid to speak up. You provide the example that they need for self-assurance.”

Read more:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/01/18/palin_defeated_unfair_critics_at_nyt__msnbc_108561.html