A Little Practical Political Thinking | Eastern North Carolina Now

    This article is about Eastern North Carolina and the May 8, primary election for the North Carolina House and Senate seats. The House and Senate Caucus's have recently been critisized for their efforts to hand pick candidates for the Senate 1 and House 6 districts. And rightly so. Two candidates, Arthur Williams and Jerry Evans were both Democrats a few months ago. Williams has served three terms in the NC House as a Democrat. Evans claims to have been a loyal Republican until he decided to run for Beaufort County Commissioner in 2010. Some things we are sure of: both men registered and ran as Democrats in the 2010 elections, both men took money to run representing themselves as loyal to the Democrat Party and to the things it stands for, and both men failed to win election to public office. Williams failed to be appointed to fill the political shoes of his close friend Marc Basnight.

    Both men saw what they perceived to be a weak political field for the House and Senate seats for the 2012 election year. They saw new and untested Democrat and Republican candidates. running, Redistricting helped make the House District weaker because Republican controlled redistricting sought to punish Bill Cook for is independent thought and belief that he represented his constituents. Obviously, he was not a lackey for the Republican Party. The Senate District was made stronger but there was not a candidate, who had been tested in the district other than Hood Richardson who decided not to run. These conditions made for a perfect opportunity for two opportunists who are willing to do as they are told by the bosses in Raleigh. So, they went to Raleigh and made their deals. Raleigh responded by endorsing both of them. Early on there was a little shuffle while they decided who was going to run for what.
NC Representative Bill Cook, served his first term in the NC House, and when his seat was realigned in redistricting, elected to run for the NC Senate. Here Bill addresses his public at the Beaufort Patriot Tea Party Candidates Forum at the Beaufort County Community College, April 3, 2012. His primary opponent, Former Democrat-turned-Republican-Politician Jerry Evans, did not feel so disposed to meet the people, as Bill Cook has proven, without exception, to show up, and represent his true conservative message: Above.     photo by Stan Deatherage
    Let us pretend you are the Speaker of the House or the President pro Tem of the Senate or even the warden of a jail. All of these people want the same thing. They want to deliver the goods to their supporters in a quiet way, without argument and controversy. They want to stay out of the newspaper except when they want recognition. Both political leaders and wardens want their members and charges to be well fed, entertained, rested and comfortable. When they can provide comfort, without controversy, their job becomes very easy. Everyone is happy and not bickering. You cannot have your charges arguing about the constitution, liberal versus conservative idealogy, fairness, states rights, oppressive taxes, the size of government, over regulation or complaining that the person next to you snores.
NC House Candidate Mattie Lawson, the proverbial "Cheerful Warrior," has proven to be accessible, which we can not say the same about her primary opponent, Former Democrat-turned-Republican-Politician Arthur Williams: Above. photo by Stan Deatherage
    This is accomplished in North Carolina by funneling all the money you can through a central place so those candidates who have demonstrated they can do what they are told and who promise to do what they are told can get elected. Having the central place to control all of the campaign money is important. It provides the opportunity to feed money and campaign assistance to those who you like and you can deny help to those who you cannot control. Both parties do this on a Sate and National level. Party control of money is one of the things that has brought us bad government. Both political parties arranged these loop holes so they could remain in power. Did you notice that we no longer have Statesmen who can debate issues and stand on their own representing personal, public, constitutional and Christian values. That is by design. At one time Statesmen kept their respective parties honest by dragging them away from some really bad ideas. The reason we only have dissention in parties during primary elections is because the political parties have to keep their hands off the very public primary process in order to present the appearance of an open and honest government.

    The money machine for both the Republican Democrat parties works the same. Individuals can only give up to $4,000 per candidate per election. But if you are a heavy hitter and have a need for some special legislation you can get a lot of attention by giving an unlimited amount of money directly to the party headquarters in Raleigh. Make sure your donation is identified as being solicited by the House or Senate Caucus. You can be assured your special little problem will he addressed by the party whether they win or loose. All contributions from individuals, PACs, and the check off from your tax return come together to make up the campaign funds for the two year election cycle. From all sources each party raised about six million dollars for the 2010 elections. Almost all of that money went to help people in both parties who would vote the right way. Fiercely independent minded conservative and constitutional candidates got very little of that money.

    Don't let the Raleigh machine pick Republican candidates for you. I say Republican because there is so little opposition to primary candidates in the Democrat party this year. Fight back. Dole out whatever political money you have directly to candidates. Vote for Bill Cook in the Senate primary and Mattie Lawson in the House primary. They are both independent thinkers who are not a part of the political machine.