At the Appalachian State University candidate forum last night, it was standing-room-only for head-to-heads between Cullie Tarleton/Jonathan Jordan and Steve Goss/Dan Soucek. When his turn came, congressional candidate Billy Kennedy had the forum to himself because Virginia Foxx didn't show up.
Observers agreed that the Goss/Soucek match-up was the main event.
On the topic of the war in Afghanistan, which evolved into a discussion on support for the troops, Soucek said: "I think it's quite clear which party has supported the soldiers and which has protested." That comment drew lots of boos and outrage from the audience. At Goss's next opportunity for reply, he said: "I think we probably ought to pray instead of holding a forum."
On state budgeting and priorities, Soucek said education is a top priority, but then when asked where he'd cut the state budget, he suggested eliminating the Golden Leaf Foundation, which he said would save $570 million. Which we reckon would make the $150,000 grant from the Golden Leaf Foundation for laptops for Watauga High School students just more needless pork.
We've also got to stop things like that tea pot museum, he said. "I would suggest you talk to your own folks about the tea pot museum," Goss said. "I didn't have anything to do with that." The proposed Tea Pot Museum was, of course, Virginia Foxx's big ear-mark.
Best Goss line: "We've got to stop throwing rocks, folks. Any moron can throw rocks and identify problems all day long."
That comment made me the angriest I've been in a long time. Given that Senator Goss' son served in Afghanistan, and that Democrats who are friends of mine have husbands and sons who have served there and in Iraq as well, and what I've seen both Goss and the local Democratic Party do whenever called on to help out the 1451st and their families when that unit has been deployed, Soucek's comment was positively indecent.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Goss will vote for more taxes. That's been the Dems' answer to everything.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Soucek will vote to cut education spending, that way the Teapublicans can keep the public ignorant and docile so they won't object to giving away the state assets to the rich.
ReplyDelete'Strange comment, brotherdoc, as the current legislature regarding education has already done so.
ReplyDeleteAnd it is even more strange that you would say that of Soucek, considering the huge debt already around the County taxpayers' necks, in the name of 'education'. Plus, there is the profligate history of the NC legislature and their huge spending sprees.
Not to mention that the NC legislature has already been under the influence of the big banks.
Maybe BD will realize just throwing money at education does not improve it.
ReplyDeleteJust for the record, the family support group for the local 1451st National Guard received multiple donations from the local Democratic party and from Democratic individual members during their year-long deployment. It added up to many hundreds of dollars. The Republican party did not make any such contributions (as far as I know).
ReplyDelete"Maybe BD will realize just throwing money at education does not improve it."
ReplyDeleteMaybe Anon will realize that by not funding education, America will lose its competitive edge to China. You know, that place where the Rethuglicans sent all our jobs we used to have?
Well, in regard to the direct correlation of "competitive edge" and education funding, in that case, American youth should be the most competitive in the world, because America spends and has spent like there was no tomorrow on education.
ReplyDeleteHow about concentrating on quality education?
You do not need $80M high schools, especially in comparatively poor and basically rural counties to offer quality education.
'Seems to me the emphasis has been towards funding the growing education bureaucracy and not in truly educating our youth.
And as for blaming the 'Rethugs' for sending all our jobs to China, etc, the blame can be applied to both parties and the powerful, globalist organizations and individuals who control the Dems and the Rethugs.
Full Spectrum,
ReplyDeleteI clicked on your name and visited your website, dnhc.blogspot.com.
It was not the first time I have been there, and it will likely not be the last. Taking an occasional peek at the outer fringes helps me find my center.
It is wonderful to see that not a single person has posted even one single comment on any thread on the first page of your site, and that dates back to August 12, over two months ago. Enthusiasm, even among your most devout Chavistas, has plummeted as it has become increasingly evident that you have no chance for your plan's success, and sadly for you, those you duped into considering you as their salvation have now come to know you for what you truly are.
So now you adopt the attitude that we are all idiots, and why can't we see that what you are doing is in our best interests. You are the masters and we are the peasants. That is how you see it.
Well, guess what, Jack? Nobody gave you the authority to exercise the type of raw power you seek. You just assumed that we would. Let me explain how it works in America. The House of Representatives and the Supreme Court are our primary hedges against tyranny. No tyrant can get rid of the Supreme Court, and any ruling party must answer to the people every two years.
The people don't want what you are peddling. Call us idiots all you want as you pack your bags.
Actually Mike - It is the "teaparty" that doesn't believe in Democracy - being as how they want to "take back the country" from the rest of us who elected President Obama. It is the teaparty rhetoric which is full of allusions to violent coups eg see here or here. You may recall that Timothy McVeigh was a right-wing anti-government terrorist.
ReplyDeleteThis is the crowd that loves it when their goddess Palin tells them to "reload".
They may very well win, too. Sometimes the armed and ignorant do win. Sometimes the forces of Sauron prevail.
November is coming.
ReplyDeleteChange is in the air!
Brushfire,
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right, just as they are. When your side wins, it is a victory for the forces of good against those evil teabaggers. When their side wins, it is a victory for the forces of good against your evil Commies.
Let's not fool ourselves into thinking that our way is the only way. You and I are too intelligent to pretend such ignorant intolerance.
Why not stick to what is real. For instance, did you know that while FoxNews employs numerous liberal political analysts, NPR does not employ one single conservative?
As NPR's President pushes for a much greater government role in news reporting and analysis, a vast expansion of state supported media, NPR only allows liberal views in its programming, even firing a reporter for daring to speak a view different from the prescribed views of the state (sorry, did I say "state"? I meant "network"!).
You seem to have great faith in your team. You seem to offer great honor and respect to the leaders of your movement. It disappoints me that you are so "with the program" that you put on the blinders they ask you to wear. There can be no facts which disagree with the program. Tea Partiers are not individuals whose opinions matter. They are an evil horde.
I think I am beginning to understand.
Actually, Brushfire, this country was set up as a Republic governed by a Constitution and Bill of Rights.
ReplyDeleteThe Founders feared a democracy, because they knew a democracy would be volatile, unstable, ruled by special interests and minorities, which would soon result into a despotism.
We have been and still are witnessing and enduring such events over the last century.
Anonymous, It is refreshing that at least one person on here knows history and the fact we area republic.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, that was a brutal takedown, there, Mike D. We're just a little site, 417 page views last month, about 50 yesterday. We don't pretend to be big. Thanks for the endorsement.
ReplyDeleteFull Spectrum,
ReplyDeleteFrom the publication "THE STRUCTURAL IMBALANCE OF POLITICAL TALK RADIO", promoted on the home page of your site:
"Our conclusion is that the gap between conservative and progressive talk radio is the result of multiple structural problems in the U.S. regulatory system, particularly the complete breakdown of the public trustee concept of broadcast, the elimination of clear public interest requirements for broadcasting, and the relaxation of ownership rules including the requirement of local participation in management."
And what is the name of the group who created this work which advocates censorship of the press?
Drum-roll, please?
..... FREE PRESS!!!
Mike - Regulation is not censorship.A completely unregulated market represents a power vacuum which invites abuse. There is no such thing as a completely free market for very long. If we (the people) don't impose regulations, then a parasitic entity will grab all the power, impose its own restrictions, and control the market - as Rupert Murdoch has done. Murdoch is using the take from his media empire to buy the government he wants. He is purchasing legislation which further eases regulations which makes him get ever more powerful. He is now using his media forces to destroy the only real unbiased source of news in this country, public radio and tv. Then he will totally control the airwaves. The end result of unregulated commerce is always a mafia, of one type or another.
ReplyDeleteSo Brushfire, are you saying Joy Behar should be fired?
ReplyDelete