Comments | Eastern NC Now

The climate alarmists and their idiotic demands are responsible for much of the inflation we face in our economy. It is good to see Trump reining in this nonsense.

Commented: Friday, April 4th, 2025 @ 1:33 pm By: Concerned Taxpayer

I am not a fan of fiction myself and rarely read it unless required to. I can appreciate good satire for what it is, and whoever this so-called Avenger is, he does make a point. If healing wounds and advancing the cause of the party is a top priority and true concern, I’m of the opinion that limiting the ability for people who want to participate to do so, excluding certain members of the party because their viewpoints differ from those of others, using the Executive Committee as a PAC instead of a collaborative group of all party members, and attempting to consolidate power and control among a select few stands completely counter to that position.

I did attend the county convention and witnessed first-hand Keith Kidwell dictating to people how to vote and yelling at them when they chose to vote against his wishes. I witnessed Kidwell attempt to limit, not expand, the ability of our citizens to participate and serve on the Executive Committee and then explain that America is not a democracy. He is correct to some extent because we are a constitutional federal republic. However, at the lowest, grassroots beginning of our political process, each person who chooses to vote does so in a democratic process where each voice is heard. So, in my opinion, the U.S. is a democracy because we, the people, hold the ultimate political power. We aren’t a “direct democracy”, however, we are a “representative democracy.” That’s because we exercise our political power in a different way: by voting in elections to choose our representatives. That is what makes us a “representative democracy”. The Constitution doesn’t use the term “democracy” but notable Americans such as Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Noah Webster and Chief Justice John Marshall all used the term. Those men understood representative democracy – the American variety – to be democracy all the same.

When a motion to allow anyone who wished to volunteer to serve on the Executive Committee was made, Keith Kidwell made a motion to not only prevent this but to limit the number of individuals who could serve on the committee from what previously had been 21-24 seats to a smaller number capped at 15 seats. Limiting control of government to a few cronies as opposed to opening it up to anyone who wants to participate is elitist and the type of politics we see coming from New Jersey and New York...remember your history and Tammany Hall. Furthermore, Joseph Knox made a motion to try and prevent an open discussion/debate of the issue. Fortunately, both of these attempts failed, and the Executive Committee is now composed of approximately 45 individuals. While Keith Kidwell may vote conservatively on issues when in Raleigh, he is no true conservative or friend to the Beaufort County citizen. He actively endorses the RINOs in our county that have corrupted our county government, allowing for a weak School Board and County Commission. These are nothing more than power plays so that a few can remain in power and share power for their own personal benefit. That's the same type of corruption we saw in politics in Iraq and Afghanistan during my 14 years of military service to these United States. We deserve better.

It's possible that some party members are offended that these details are being made public as they don’t reflect well on the messaging that has been coming out of the Executive Committee and senior party leadership in the county for years. But let’s face it, these folks are already up to their same old shenanigans. Why else would Carolyn Garris need to appoint a “Chairman's Advisory Committee” stating the members of this “esteemed committee” are Keith Kidwell, Ashley Woolard, Sandy Hardy and Paul Varcoe? Why does she require a personal committee more limited in size than the Executive Committee as a whole? What makes this committee “esteemed”? This was not announced to or voted on by the Executive Committee as we haven’t had the first meeting yet. Remember that these same folks voted against expanding the size of the Executive Committee. Additionally at a previous convention, it was Kidwell who filed a false report with the Sheriff that Mr. Richardson had slapped a woman at the convention. Also, Paul Varcoe harassed Hood Richardson to the point that charges were brought against him for pushing Richardson at the same convention. This is dirty politics at its best.

Concerning the first meeting of the new Executive Committee to be held on April 10th, why is it being held in Aurora? This location is not centrally located as Washington is. Is this an attempt to make it more difficult for everyone to attend? Also, why is there a $10 fee to attend, supposedly for refreshments? That’s a high price for a few refreshments and what should be a relatively short meeting. Remember the price to attend the county convention was only $5, a meeting which lasted close to six hours with only refreshments being offered that ran out well before the meeting was over.

One last question would be why Gail Breed is listed as “Acting Secretary”? Who appointed her? This wasn’t brought to the attention of the Executive Committee as a whole or voted on by said committee. I believe it was April Holloway who was elected at the county convention to serve as Secretary. Why isn’t she attending or involved? Could it be she received severe criticism or backlash because she chose to remain neutral and abstained from voting on issues regarding the Executive Committee during the convention. She should be applauded for her courage and fortitude.

The observations and concerns that I mention here appear to me to be a violation on the part of several members of the Executive Committee to abide by the 2024 North Carolina Republican Party Platform document which states: “ARTICLE V. STATE GOVERNMENT 1. We believe that in a free society, power should rest in the hands of the people. We believe in a limited government which serves the people, rather than one that burdens them.”

The people of Beaufort County are waking up to what has been going on. If our goal really is to heal wounds and advance the cause of the party in our county, then an environment that is inclusive to all, welcomes and facilitates open discussion and eliminates centralized control and back-room meetings is the first step toward achieving that goal.

Commented: Friday, April 4th, 2025 @ 12:36 pm By: David Hudson

SHe is just another of the political hack Obama and Biden jduges who are Democrat activists or donors and abuse their judgeships to play blatant politics. Their abuse of power for political purposes is the reasons a huge number of Americans no longer trust their couts.

Commented: Friday, April 4th, 2025 @ 7:21 am By: John Steed

Is anyone surprised here by this revelation?

After gaining control of the the burgeoning bureaucrat class here in OUR modern American government, one of the greatest challenges this Republic faces is to reign in the beguiled Democratic Socialist lawyers and judges who are incapable of practicing within "The Rule of Law."

Commented: Friday, April 4th, 2025 @ 4:58 am By: Stan Deatherage

Diane was one of the finest human beings I ever had the pleasure of meeting. Sweet, fiercely passionate about what she believed in, kind, and as smart as a person can get. I admired her greatly and was fortunate enough to know her and visit with her on occasion when our paths crossed. Her passing was extremely distressing to learn about. My prayers go out to her family and I know she is looking down on them from above.

Commented: Thursday, April 3rd, 2025 @ 7:29 pm By: Gary Ceres

This is really infuriating, a taxpayer funded radical leftwing group holding seminars on thwarting ICE in deporting illegal aliens. Why are our tax dollars going to these anti-American groups?
www.thegatewaypundit.com

Commented: Thursday, April 3rd, 2025 @ 6:28 pm By: John Steed

From John Locke Org website.
Elections & Public Integrity.
*Close the “nonmajority loophole” in open meetings law*

North Carolina recognizes the importance of govt transparency with its open meetings law.
Some local govts try to skirt the open meetings law, including by splitting their meetings into two nonmajority meetings.
The General Assembly should close an apparent loophole in the open meetings law and put a transparency constitutional amendment up for a vote of the people.

www.johnlocke.org

Commented: Thursday, April 3rd, 2025 @ 11:21 am By: Washingtonian

I've talked with several people who are, for a lack of better words, pissed off about how some of our Commissioners treated the public during the property tax hearing. They acted like they could give two s***s and that isn't sitting well with quite a few county residents.

When asked about a County DOGE effort, they unanimously said: "Hell yeah, we'd get behind that! These people ain't Gods!"

If enough heat is applied and the public continues to see that their money is being pissed away to support the lifestyles of the so-called County El-ites, there's no telling where this thing will go.

If anyone stands in the way of government transparency, they've got some to hide.

#BOCODogeNow

Commented: Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025 @ 3:56 pm By: John Valley

Firing is not enough for these corrupt partisan Democrats making the FBI into a political secret police. They need to be prosecuted for what they did which was to massively interfere politically in the 2020 election.

Commented: Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025 @ 8:36 am By: Rino Hunter

Van Zant: I don't know if one can always witness the proverbial "leopard changing its spots."

Furthermore, I offer this. As I am diving headlong into the world of sales again, I see people, especially after how Americans have generationally, I see humankind in a different light.

I always want to think the bet of people; but and this is a big but, I am also searching for the best of people, so I subtlety find myself now looking into their hearts as I examine what is in their heads.

As these people who made this terrible GOP were people that I do not know.

At this point in my life I am, and have been very busy. If these people, who want to get to get into Beaufort County politics, have not got the gumption to walk up to a 7 term Beaufort County Commissioner who also publishes a massive regional publication, and speak in clear honest tones, I have to wonder about their intentions or their capabilities to be truly productive.

Commented: Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025 @ 8:28 am By: Stan Deatherage

I remember the house band in the 80's. Baby and the Pacifiers I think.

Commented: Tuesday, April 1st, 2025 @ 10:48 pm By: Mario

These pro-gangster Obama and Biden judges who pander to Tren de Aragua and MS13 ought to be prosecuted as accessories to every crime committed by gangsters who are still in the US as a result of their orders when they commit crimes. Lock the judges UP.

Commented: Tuesday, April 1st, 2025 @ 6:07 pm By: borderhawk