The Daily Haymaker Guest Editorial
Our GUY IN CHARGE - editor and publisher Brant Clifton - has marched to the beat of a different drum from very early in life. The grandson of a Democrat party machine boss, Mr. Clifton registered Republican at 18 and campaigned for Ronald Reagan and George Bush. He worked for the late U.S. Senator Jesse Helms in Washington during and right after college.
Mr. Clifton took on the liberal media as an analyst with The Media Research Center, then jumped into a lengthy career with the "drive-by media". His work has appeared in local newspapers in The Carolinas. He has done on-camera work for ABC's Good Morning America, and print work for national publications such as US News & World Report and People magazine. Mr. Clifton has also worked as a correspondent for AP, UPI, Reuters and Agence France Presse.
 |
Kay Hagan thinks businesses should be mandated to provide PAID leave to employees to deal with family concerns like childbirth or sick children.
|
Kay Hagan thinks businesses should be mandated to provide PAID leave to employees to deal with family concerns like childbirth or sick children.
 |
Heritage Action has updated their conservatism rankings for the current session of Congress.
|
Heritage Action has updated their conservatism rankings for the current session of Congress.
 |
The media hysteria over the budget debate on Jones Street is reaching a crescendo.
|
The media hysteria over the budget debate on Jones Street is reaching a crescendo.
 |
What is the do-rag rule, you ask?
|
What is the do-rag rule, you ask?
 |
For a long time, Chatham County has been an overflow containment area for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro crowd
|
For a long time, Chatham County has been an overflow containment area for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro crowd
 |
McCrory rift with Senate may stall NC budget. Ya Think ???? That was the eloquently succinct and prescient headline atop the latest missive from McClatchy-Charlotte's genial geriatric Jim Morrill.
|
McCrory rift with Senate may stall NC budget. Ya Think ???? That was the eloquently succinct and prescient headline atop the latest missive from McClatchy-Charlotte's genial geriatric Jim Morrill.
 |
It's really sad listening to the folks around the drum circle moaning about Art Pope.
|
It's really sad listening to the folks around the drum circle moaning about Art Pope.
 |
Well, the testosterone-challenged crowd in the McClatchy newsrooms have claimed the scalp of a poor, defenseless woman who made the horrific "mistake" of allowing Gov, Pat to appoint her poet laureate.
|
Well, the testosterone-challenged crowd in the McClatchy newsrooms have claimed the scalp of a poor, defenseless woman who made the horrific "mistake" of allowing Gov, Pat to appoint her poet laureate.
 |
That was an example of the kind of commentary we got during debate on traffic cameras in the North Carolina Senate.
|
That was an example of the kind of commentary we got during debate on traffic cameras in the North Carolina Senate.
 |
In Hobby Lobby, the Court ruled that the Obamacare law and its related regulations cannot compel closely held or family-owned companies from providing certain kinds of contraceptive coverage if doing so violates the owners' religious beliefs.
|
In Hobby Lobby, the Court ruled that the Obamacare law and its related regulations cannot compel closely held or family-owned companies from providing certain kinds of contraceptive coverage if doing so violates the owners' religious beliefs.
 |
In Mississippi, when incumbent US senator Thad Cochran appeared to be going down in flames to Tea Party candidate Chris McDaniel, GOP establishment types sold their souls and threw in with Democrats to fend off the conservative hordes.
|
In Mississippi, when incumbent US senator Thad Cochran appeared to be going down in flames to Tea Party candidate Chris McDaniel, GOP establishment types sold their souls and threw in with Democrats to fend off the conservative hordes.
 |
Medicaid is trying to break North Carolina's economy. It's an out-of-control mess.
|
Medicaid is trying to break North Carolina's economy. It's an out-of-control mess.
 |
We've heard from a lot of people saying they might just not vote in November - thanks to some sorry choices on the ballot for the US Senate, Congress, and other offices.
|
We've heard from a lot of people saying they might just not vote in November - thanks to some sorry choices on the ballot for the US Senate, Congress, and other offices.
 |
In budget reconciliation talks, the Senate has backed away from their insistence on dropping teacher tenure in exchange for pay raises.
|
In budget reconciliation talks, the Senate has backed away from their insistence on dropping teacher tenure in exchange for pay raises.
 |
Mr. American Idol got a rather warm welcome this morning in conservative Moore County on WEEB radio's morning show.
|
Mr. American Idol got a rather warm welcome this morning in conservative Moore County on WEEB radio's morning show.
 |
People were calling in to Rush talking about "teaching a lesson" to The Establishment. Rush had an interesting response: The establishment is not 'teachable.'
|
People were calling in to Rush talking about "teaching a lesson" to The Establishment. Rush had an interesting response: The establishment is not 'teachable.'
 |
Today, we're celebrating the birth of our nation — which began with resistance to bureaucratic tyranny and protests against excessive taxation.
|
Today, we're celebrating the birth of our nation — which began with resistance to bureaucratic tyranny and protests against excessive taxation.
 |
Legislators are being told one thing by McCrory's staff about the governor's policy positions, and then are hearing something totally different from the governor in media coverage.
|
Legislators are being told one thing by McCrory's staff about the governor's policy positions, and then are hearing something totally different from the governor in media coverage.
 |
The US Supreme Court is acting incredibly sensible these days. One of their latest decisions, the Hobby Lobby case, offered up some protections for employers dealing with the ObamaCare atrocity being shoved down their throats.
|
The US Supreme Court is acting incredibly sensible these days. One of their latest decisions, the Hobby Lobby case, offered up some protections for employers dealing with the ObamaCare atrocity being shoved down their throats.
 |
The North Carolina constitution requires a balanced budget. Gov. Pat and Speaker Thom got together and submitted a revised budget plan that does not balance.
|
The North Carolina constitution requires a balanced budget. Gov. Pat and Speaker Thom got together and submitted a revised budget plan that does not balance.
 |
A week back, leftist pollster PPP came out with a poll showing the state of the race as: Hagan 39, Tillis 34, Haugh 11.
|
A week back, leftist pollster PPP came out with a poll showing the state of the race as: Hagan 39, Tillis 34, Haugh 11.
 |
We've been hearing quite a bit of behind-the-scenes grumbling from GOP insiders and activists on both sides of the Raleigh beltline.
|
We've been hearing quite a bit of behind-the-scenes grumbling from GOP insiders and activists on both sides of the Raleigh beltline.
 |
In this case, we hate being right. Some time back, we posted about efforts in the NCGOP platform drafting committee to remove a lot of the issues important to Tea Party activists.
|
In this case, we hate being right. Some time back, we posted about efforts in the NCGOP platform drafting committee to remove a lot of the issues important to Tea Party activists.
 |
House Speaker Thom Tillis and Gov. Pat McCrory had a big media event yesterday. They were touting the idea of separating education from the rest of the budget and passing the education part FIRST.
|
House Speaker Thom Tillis and Gov. Pat McCrory had a big media event yesterday. They were touting the idea of separating education from the rest of the budget and passing the education part FIRST.
 |
Senator Jerry Tillman (R-Randolph), that chamber's majority whip and leading voice on education policy, has stepped up in defense of Core legislation he shepherded through the Senate.
|
Senator Jerry Tillman (R-Randolph), that chamber's majority whip and leading voice on education policy, has stepped up in defense of Core legislation he shepherded through the Senate.
 |
We've got a sloppy-fat, jheri-curled "preacher" and the Phish fan club banging pots and pans and hollering in the legislative building. We've got leftist groups bogging down McCrory administration agencies with document requests and lawsuits.
|
We've got a sloppy-fat, jheri-curled "preacher" and the Phish fan club banging pots and pans and hollering in the legislative building. We've got leftist groups bogging down McCrory administration agencies with document requests and lawsuits.
 |
Republicans took over in Raleigh promising to change the culture — No More Business As Usual. Now we have our Republican governor defending a pat worriedquestionable practice by claiming he's only doing the same thing Bev Perdue did.
|
Republicans took over in Raleigh promising to change the culture — No More Business As Usual. Now we have our Republican governor defending a pat worriedquestionable practice by claiming he's only doing the same thing Bev Perdue did.
 |
Public Policy Polling is out with some new numbers on the highly-watched US Senate race here in good ol' NC.
|
Public Policy Polling is out with some new numbers on the highly-watched US Senate race here in good ol' NC.
 |
PACs associated with House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) spent big to get Richard Hudson through the 2012 GOP primary and general elections. (Cantor, as you know, got upended last week in the Virginia primaries.)
|
PACs associated with House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) spent big to get Richard Hudson through the 2012 GOP primary and general elections. (Cantor, as you know, got upended last week in the Virginia primaries.)
 |
We've had that rotund, jheri-curled oaf Bill Barber out there for months hollering about the white Republicans on Jones Street.
|
We've had that rotund, jheri-curled oaf Bill Barber out there for months hollering about the white Republicans on Jones Street.
 |
House Majority leader Eric Cantor spent years running around the country meddling in other people's primaries.
|
House Majority leader Eric Cantor spent years running around the country meddling in other people's primaries.
 |
Wilmington-area legislators and movie industry types are pretty mad. It looks like incentives for the film industry are not going to survive the state House. These folks REALLY thought they were going to keep getting these goodies. And for good reason.
|
Wilmington-area legislators and movie industry types are pretty mad. It looks like incentives for the film industry are not going to survive the state House. These folks REALLY thought they were going to keep getting these goodies. And for good reason.
 |
A move is afoot on Jones Street to consolidate state law enforcement in the executive branch.
|
A move is afoot on Jones Street to consolidate state law enforcement in the executive branch.
 |
The seismometers were going wild around Richmond, Virginia tonight. A political earthquake appears to have catapulted the House Majority Leader into those very crowded unemployment lines.
|
The seismometers were going wild around Richmond, Virginia tonight. A political earthquake appears to have catapulted the House Majority Leader into those very crowded unemployment lines.
