Members | Eastern NC Now

Spencer Aycock
(joined: December 18th, 2012 @ 6:09 pm as Spencer)
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ECU News Services
(joined: December 14th, 2012 @ 9:48 am as East_Carolina)
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Toby Bronstein
(joined: December 4th, 2012 @ 9:52 am as toby)
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(commented on September 14th, 2025 @ 3:00 pm)
For years, conservatives have sat quietly as they are accused of racism, misogyny, Islamophobia (whatever that means!), being nazis, a threat to democracy, deplorables and garbage.

When they tried to kill DJT (twice), we didn't riot in the streets and burn down buildings. We wanted answers, of course, but patiently waited. We're still waiting.

The time has passed for subtlety, submission and quietly going about our business. It's time to get LOUD. Always stand up for what you believe, regardless of what names you're called or the aggression that will be directed towards you. The left in this country wants to destroy us. The only way they can is if we allow it.
"Fight, Fight, Fight!"

(commented on December 19th, 2012 @ 3:25 am)
I think there's an oxymoron in there somewhere ... "reasonable democrat politicians" ...

(commented on December 19th, 2012 @ 3:17 am)
RINOs actually WORSE than Democrats since many people simply vote the Party without doing their homework. That's how these guys keep getting elected.

David McGowan
(joined: December 2nd, 2012 @ 1:55 pm as David_Mc)
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Don Heres
(joined: November 5th, 2012 @ 2:27 pm as DonH)
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Patricia Sue Taylor Edwards
(joined: October 17th, 2012 @ 8:20 am as sueedwards1966)
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(commented on October 17th, 2012 @ 8:59 am)
Where is Dr. Ghandi's office located in Washington NC???
I have an appointment this morning.

Jeff Davis
(joined: October 5th, 2012 @ 3:09 am as OnTarget)
(4 comment(s) « view all comments)

(commented on October 9th, 2012 @ 2:46 pm)
Goodwin and his Democrat predecessors have screwed the east by allowing computer modelling to be used to determine risk instead of using real actual honest data. Computer models can spit our any result that one programs them for. Computer models should be banned by statute from use in rate setting.

(commented on October 9th, 2012 @ 2:38 pm)
I will probably vote Libertarian in this race, and it is because Forest is constantly draping himself around Mike Huckabee. When he ran for president, Huckabee was described by the conservative Club for Growth as a ''Christian socialist''. The Club for Growth is some of the best Reagan conservatives out there. The major conservative website RedState in this election cycle has hung a similar term on him. This election cycle, Huckabee has been out consistently endorsing the establishment candidates in the key establishment vs. Tea Party races. As a Tea Partier, I have a hard time voting for any candidate who closely associates himself with Huckabee. Forest has duped a lot of Tea Partiers, but his palling around with Mr. Anti- Tea Party of 2012, Mike Huckabee shows he is either clueless or a phony.

(commented on October 6th, 2012 @ 12:45 pm)
The NRA is not a conservative organization. Indeed it is more an incumbent protection society that a 2nd Amendment organization. It has a very long history of prostituting itself to incumbents and insiders. The real defender of the 2nd Amendment is Gun Owners of America and its NC affiliate, Grassroots North Carolina. You can belive their endorsements, but not NRA's. NRA even came close to endorsing Harry Reid last election.

Mark Doug
(joined: October 2nd, 2012 @ 11:35 pm as mohident01)
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(commented on October 2nd, 2012 @ 11:40 pm)
The cosmetic treatments undertaken for facial wrinkles or body shaping is reining the market like anything. Besides enjoying healthy mind and body, people have become focused for dental health to enjoy the complete package of healthy living.Dentist Dallas

Thanks.

Joel Inzerillo
(joined: September 19th, 2012 @ 1:35 am as Joel)
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D Garr
(joined: August 26th, 2012 @ 1:30 pm as DGarr)
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(commented on August 26th, 2012 @ 1:44 pm)
Mr. Romney is running for President of the United States.
This is a position of Trust.
Ronald Reagan said, "Trust but Verify."
Mr. Romney has said, "Trust me," re his tax returns.
It is not unreasonable for voters to want to "Verify.

What is the single issue on which Mr. Romney has never flip-flopped? He stands doggedly firm on never, under any circumstances, releasing his tax returns.

Why?

It is not just liberals who want to see Romney's tax returns.
It is 63% of American voters who do.

The longer Mr. Romney delays, the more suspicious it appears.

Obama released 8 years of tax returns
GW Bush 10 years
Clinton 12 years
GHW Bush 14 years
George Romney 12 years.

What is there to hide?

John Smith
(joined: August 24th, 2012 @ 9:20 pm as Socrates)
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(commented on August 25th, 2012 @ 12:24 am)
Thank you, Mr. Deatherage, for you and BCN for providing this forum. Despite my previous posted comment a few hours ago, though, which has facts you cannot refute, your lead article about the September 17 debate in Morehead City (as of the time of this comment) still alleges Mr. Goodwin will try to "defend his record" of "scheduling" "exorbitant rates" for Downeast counties. I respectfully suggest that your promotion of that upcoming debate between Causey and Goodwin NOT rely upon a false premise. Goodwin rejected the rate increases; he has NOT raised homeowners insurance rates during his term. Perhaps the article could be amended/updated to say incumbent Goodwin and challenger Causey will discuss the serious problem of higher homeowners' insurance rates in coastal North Carolina. Just a suggestion, and one that keeps the issue rightly on your mind intact while removing the erroneous part. FWIW.

(commented on August 24th, 2012 @ 9:40 pm)
Dear Sir: As a journalist it is important to print facts and not state baseless claims. Mr. Goodwin's PREDECESSOR, Jim Long, is the one who raised homeowners' insurance rates by approving an increase in the base rate in 2008. North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin has NOT raised the base homeowners' insurance rates in eastern North Carolina. In fact, Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin rejected the recent 2011 attempt by insurance companies to raise the base rate. (If anyone's rates have changed over the last few years it is because certain insurance companies have voluntarily chosen to reduce some discounts for homeowners, etc., and the legislature made some amendments to the Beach Plan laws, things that Mr. Goodwin has no control over.) It is the disinformation and/or errors that you and others have stated that has confused the public as to whom the real defender of coastal homeowners is. Mr. Causey has worked 30 years for various insurance companies and worked as a legislative lobbyist. Mr. Goodwin is being sued by the insurance companies BECAUSE Mr. Goodwin rejected the rate increases that the insurance companies sought against the coast and eastern North Carolina. Mr. Goodwin also has worked closely with members of NC-20 to obtain changes in certain processes regarding ratemaking. Where has Mr. Causey been over the last four years? He only pops up in certain election years -- namely, 1992, 1996, 2000 and now in 2012. Just because Mr. Causey announced his campaign in Dare County doesn't make him your best friend. And just because he pops up in election years doesn't make him the best person to represent coastal North Carolina as state insurance commissioner. I encourage you to check Mr. Goodwin's actual record. In the insurance commissioner's race, it is Wayne Goodwin who has a proven record of fighting against the insurance companies, including ordering insurance companies to send back $1.3 billion back to people and businesses,and ordered insurance companies to return $16 million to the Beach Plan surplus. I hope to attend the Morehead City debate and hear Mr. Causey's arguments melt when exposed to the heat of the truth. And, most respectfully, I hope you will not make baseless assertions against an elected official such as Mr. Goodwin without verifying the facts. I bet the debate is going to be very enlightening.

Tom Campbell
(joined: August 24th, 2012 @ 4:41 pm as Thomas)
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kim guereschi
(joined: August 15th, 2012 @ 9:28 pm as dolphan322)
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(commented on August 16th, 2012 @ 7:43 am)
Congratulations! I'm so happy for you guys!

Cornelia Sharpe
(joined: August 14th, 2012 @ 3:53 pm as Moldova2012)
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(commented on August 14th, 2012 @ 6:09 pm)
Congratulations!!

Garry Terry
(joined: August 12th, 2012 @ 9:09 pm as Garry)
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Doug Swain
(joined: July 24th, 2012 @ 8:20 am as dougbob)
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(commented on May 24th, 2014 @ 3:37 am)
I have no idea what you're trying to say about the south going Republican.

(commented on April 7th, 2014 @ 2:56 pm)
There are some retarded thoughts going around on this subject and some suggestions that might meet with violent protest.

(commented on April 7th, 2014 @ 2:45 pm)
Excellent article!

Michael Varin
(joined: July 20th, 2012 @ 2:21 pm as lookleft)
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(commented on January 3rd, 2013 @ 8:19 pm)
There is not a legitimate economist alive today who will argue that eliminating valuable social programs will solve the deficit problem. And most economists will definitely not tell you that raising taxes on the wealthy will make it worse because it takes money from producers and gives it to moochers. You need to develop a better understanding of demographics where social spending is concerned. The overwhelming majority of those who receive government assistance are not "moochers." Period. That's a myth that's been debunked by countless legitimate sources. Guys like Papa John, who pay their part-time workers minimum wage with no benefits while relying on the government to provide assistance to their exploited workforce, are not producers. He amassed a $400 million fortune while doing this. People like that are pathetic moochers.

(commented on November 9th, 2012 @ 8:48 pm)
Diane, it would be great if our paths eventually crossed so we could discuss these issues. Tea would be great but it would have to be of the Long Island variety. Yep, I was born in the U.S. and likely not far from you......Englewood, N.J. I grew up in Lunenburg, MA. My grandfather on my father's side was from New Brunswick. My grandparents on my mother's side were from Nova Scotia, I believe. That family history’s a bit vague. My father's mom was from Finland.

To be honest, I think most political divisions stem from whether we were born and raised in urban or rural areas. In most rural areas, folks have lived next to one another for generations. When someone's in need of assistance, it's usually readily available from friends, neighbors, and local organizations. This isn't true in urban areas. When you're down and out, it's a dog-eat-dog world and you can only hope that some help will come to you and those you support in the form of government assistance.
My wife and I received WIC after my first son was born. I was working 60-plus hours/week in kitchens while finishing up my Bachelor’s on the GI Bill. I’m exceptionally grateful for the free diapers, milk, cereal, bread, etc. we received and I’ll always be happy to give back. I’ve since earned my Master’s in information science. I’m an academic librarian and I can honestly say I can’t imagine a better profession. My wife is a project manager at a large law firm. I think she’s outrageously well-compensated and, in addition to her salary, she gets outrageously large bonuses. She’d argue with me on the “outrageous” part. But neither of us complains when 36% or her bonuses go to Uncle Sam.
I know there are some who abuse social programs. In the same light, I know there are some EPA and OSHA regulations which are entirely asinine and counterproductive. This situation doesn’t necessitate the elimination of social spending and regulations. I believe some conservatives see flaws in governance and are willing to sacrifice the good for the sake of the perfect. I’m not. There’s room for improvement but the dialog needs to be honest and open.

A large part of my job consists of evaluating sources for validity, accuracy, and bias. Unfortunately, most Americans (liberals and conservatives) rely on op/ed pieces from commercial sources. I believe in the value of peer review and I base most of my views on what I read in scholarly journals. What I’ve read in these publications has not supported Romney/Ryan claims about economic issues. I’ve heard the claims that academia is “liberally biased.” But where’s the profit motive? Academics stake their careers on what they publish and review for their peers. PhD’s are hard-earned and they mean nothing once credibility has been sacrificed for a political cause.

I’ve read and heard plenty of personal accounts describing Romney’s character. I don’t doubt that he is a truly decent and respectable individual. However, I don’t think he’s capable of wrapping his mind around the adversities some people face in life. I think Obama has this ability. And I think it’s a prerequisite for the presidency.
I also think our nation’s political discourse over the last 18 months has been entirely dishonest. I’ve yet to find a reliable source which supports the notion that oil prices will go down if we increase drilling on American soil. To see low gas prices, look at Venezuela. Its oil industry is nationalized and it has the lowest gas prices in the world. The allegedly radical and Socialist nature of Obamacare is equally questionable. The individual mandate was supported by Nixon, Reagan, Gingrich, Milton Friedman, Romney, and the Heritage Foundation. It garnered this support because it mandates individual accountability. And I have an impossible time imagining Obama as a Socialist when he has the backing of Goldman Sachs (in both presidential campaigns) and allows the likes of Larry Summers and Geithner to influence economic policies.

As always, thanks for responding thoughtfully to my comments. Diane, I think you’ll always be politically engaged and you certainly shouldn’t feel depressed or dejected because of the election results. Politics swing on a pendulum. That’s part of the problem. If they could only stop mid-swing.

(commented on November 7th, 2012 @ 7:15 pm)
Diane, I can't help but wonder why your articles are accessible via this website. Your articles and the reasoning behind them are vastly superior to everything else I've found here. You and I disagree on many, many issues but I respect your sincerity. It's clear that love of country and intellectual curiosity are are your driving forces. They're mine as well. I believe I did the rational, intelligent, and responsible thing when I voted for Obama.

The Republicans should have won this election easily. However, they selected a candidate almost entirely lacking in credibility. They focused on petty issues like birth certificates and college transcripts. They labeled Obama, who is obviously in the pockets of the Wall Street elite, as a Socialist. He was heavily backed by Goldman Sachs and an endless line of millionaires and billionaires in both elections. Americans recognized these accusations as absurd, spiteful, and petty. And Obamacare.......it requires capable Americans to purchase insurance from private insurance companies. This is a FAR cry from a Socialist agenda. There were countless legitimate criticisms which Republicans could have aimed at Obama. But they went with the most outlandish and lost as a result.

Alicia Colon
(joined: July 20th, 2012 @ 9:30 am as Alicia)
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(commented on July 20th, 2012 @ 6:25 pm)
Thank you, Michael, for your kind remarks about my column. "Bunk" is an extraordinarily mild description compared to the venomous language that socialists, aka progressives and communists usually employ to critique them. I have interviewed many Baltic immigrants who are "adult" and I find their opinions more valid than the students you claim would laugh at the idea of Obama the Socialist. If you had read the article without bias you should deduce that it was meant as a warning to America which is headed down the same path as a desperate Europe. BTW Did you know that Marx was really just a layabout who lived off his parents? No wonder he found socialism so appealing. It's the perfect system for the OWS generation.

Sara Sparks
(joined: July 17th, 2012 @ 8:57 pm as Sara8446)
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(commented on October 17th, 2012 @ 8:46 am)
Well, Jeff you might as well vote for Obama, if you don't vote for Romney/Ryan team. Just saying you'll split the vote. Our country can't stand 4 more years of obana's policies.

Marvin Sparks
(joined: July 14th, 2012 @ 10:59 pm as Marvin)
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Browny Douglas
(joined: July 13th, 2012 @ 10:36 pm as Browny)
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(commented on June 22nd, 2025 @ 10:34 pm)
I cant prove the amt but i surley do not question it. That being that 4 mil from the CCA was provided to one of its most elite who passed it on to Berger. 4 mil divided by 44 is 90,909. Hummmmm??????

(commented on May 14th, 2025 @ 8:59 pm)
The dog whistle is drowning my Tinnitus out. I prefer the Tinnitus.

(commented on September 8th, 2024 @ 1:05 pm)
The only difference i can see between Communism, Socialism, Progressivism, and Marxism is the spelling. Am i missing something?

Mike Causey
(joined: June 30th, 2012 @ 4:21 pm as MikeCausey)
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Bill Tarpenning
(joined: June 28th, 2012 @ 10:33 pm as BillT)
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News Services
(joined: June 28th, 2012 @ 1:09 pm as news)
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Raphael Semmes
(joined: June 28th, 2012 @ 5:06 am as Raphael)
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(commented on April 21st, 2014 @ 9:23 am)
Walter Jones received an A* from Numbers USA, the major anti-amnesty organization. He is the one we can trust on this issue. Taylor Griffin is a beltway insider who would just cave in to Boehner and Cantor's attempts to pass amnesty and sell us out. ''Normalization'' that Griffin says he supports is just another term among the open borders liberals for a form of amnesty. Taylor Griffin's ads saying he is against amnesty are clearly not truthful.

(commented on April 20th, 2014 @ 2:05 pm)
This article ignores a major issue, and that is illegal immigration. Rouzer was a K Street lobbyist in Washington, DC, another thing overlooked in the article, and in that capacity, Rouzer lobbied for amnesty for illegal aliens. That is why ALIPAC has endorsed White.

We do not need beltway insiders who have been K Street lobbyists like Rouzer and Taylor Griffin representing us in Congress, as they would be more oriented to the beltway elite than the voters back home.

(commented on December 20th, 2013 @ 9:38 pm)
Another government subsidy of a green boondoggle? Is this another Solyndra? How much taxpayer money are these guys getting from the feds? I am sick of Crony Capitalism and Corporate Welfare.

Brant Clifton
(joined: June 18th, 2012 @ 11:59 pm as Brant)
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(commented on December 16th, 2012 @ 10:43 am)
Unbelievable, isn’t it? McCrory has named his HHS secretary but has not made up his mind about establishing a state health insurance exchange, a vital component of the impending ObamaCare nightmare.

Gov. Pat should take some time to get briefed by South Carolina’s Nikki Haley, Tennessee’s Bill Haslam, and Virginia’s Bob McDonnell. They ALL campaigned for him in the general election and are ALL refusing to establish state health care exchanges within their borders.
I’ve heard some whining from within Raleigh’s “conservative revolution” that — if we try to block the exchange — we will lose any kind of influence over how the exchange will be managed. Really? SC, TN and VA don’t seem too worried about it. Neither do the 32 other states refusing to establish the exchanges. Only 15 states so far have agreed to set up a health care exchange. All kinds of health care analysts have opined that the ObamaCare scheme will collapse if an overwhelming majority of states refuses to set up an exchange.

This smells like surrender before the first shots have even been fired.

John Smith
(joined: June 9th, 2012 @ 12:28 am as publius2013)
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(commented on June 9th, 2012 @ 12:30 am)
There are also a lot more reasons not to vote for Morgan. Check out the following link for more information about Richard Morgan and why, as a Republican, you would not vote for him for dog catcher!

publius2013.wordpress.com

Don Keel
(joined: June 6th, 2012 @ 2:45 pm as donk)
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Esther Graham
(joined: June 1st, 2012 @ 10:55 pm as Esther)
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Seretha Moore Morris
(joined: June 1st, 2012 @ 12:15 am as Moores4U)
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(commented on June 1st, 2012 @ 12:20 am)
No more pain....R.I.P. "Coozy Bear".

Stan Deatherage  
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