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.
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Former state senator David Rouzer (R-Johnston) probably had the biggest smile of all on his face upon hearing of Mike McIntyre’s retirement. Rouzer lost a very close election to McIntyre in 2012 in a specially-configured majority-Republican district.
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Former state senator David Rouzer (R-Johnston) probably had the biggest smile of all on his face upon hearing of Mike McIntyre’s retirement. Rouzer lost a very close election to McIntyre in 2012 in a specially-configured majority-Republican district.
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Senator Kay Hagan appears to be longing for those good ol' pre-2009 days of taxing and spending with Marc and Tony and the gang in the North Carolina Senate.
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Senator Kay Hagan appears to be longing for those good ol' pre-2009 days of taxing and spending with Marc and Tony and the gang in the North Carolina Senate.
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I think it was Albert Einstein who once said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.
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I think it was Albert Einstein who once said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.
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In a real blow to The North Carolina Democrat Party, the last best hope for them to hold the 7th congressional district is stepping down after 18 years of service in Washington, DC.
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In a real blow to The North Carolina Democrat Party, the last best hope for them to hold the 7th congressional district is stepping down after 18 years of service in Washington, DC.
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Beaufort County has become quite the microcosm for the civil war between the GOP establishment and The Tea Party. We've written extensively about some of the controversies there previously on this site.
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Beaufort County has become quite the microcosm for the civil war between the GOP establishment and The Tea Party. We've written extensively about some of the controversies there previously on this site.
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The Round Rev and his rabble regularly showed up at The Legislative Building in Raleigh over the last year demanding that education spending and teacher pay be elevated to at least match "the national average."
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The Round Rev and his rabble regularly showed up at The Legislative Building in Raleigh over the last year demanding that education spending and teacher pay be elevated to at least match "the national average."
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We’ve been doing a lot of campaign finance report reading lately.
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We’ve been doing a lot of campaign finance report reading lately.
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If you thought this year's US Senate race was going to be fun, wait til you see how our local congressional race may be shaping up.
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If you thought this year's US Senate race was going to be fun, wait til you see how our local congressional race may be shaping up.
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Boy, how things change. One of the missions of the NAACP's founders was to protect the integrity of elections and people's right to vote.
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Boy, how things change. One of the missions of the NAACP's founders was to protect the integrity of elections and people's right to vote.
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In September, craft brewers and beer distributors were knocking heads over state regulations some viewed as favoring the interests of large beer distributors over these small brewers.
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In September, craft brewers and beer distributors were knocking heads over state regulations some viewed as favoring the interests of large beer distributors over these small brewers.
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It's too bad that we have to turn to history books detailing events of generations long ago to appreciate principled American leaders.
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It's too bad that we have to turn to history books detailing events of generations long ago to appreciate principled American leaders.
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State House speaker and Senate candidate Thom Tillis likes to talk about what the General Assembly — under his leadership — has done to improve the business climate in the Tar Heel State.
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State House speaker and Senate candidate Thom Tillis likes to talk about what the General Assembly — under his leadership — has done to improve the business climate in the Tar Heel State.
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The mainstream media and their lefty politico allies are perpetually hollering about "fairness" in the tax code.
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The mainstream media and their lefty politico allies are perpetually hollering about "fairness" in the tax code.
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We're riding out 2013′s last gasps from The Haymaker's Watauga County outpost.
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We're riding out 2013′s last gasps from The Haymaker's Watauga County outpost.
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To a lefty, tolerance means: "Approve of what I approve of, or you're a bigot and a hater." One of the places that can be found exemplified is in the ruling class' political contortions to "respect" Islam while stomping all over the Judeo-Christian beliefs that are so prevalent right here in our hom
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To a lefty, tolerance means: "Approve of what I approve of, or you're a bigot and a hater." One of the places that can be found exemplified is in the ruling class' political contortions to "respect" Islam while stomping all over the Judeo-Christian beliefs that are so prevalent right here in our hom
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We hear a lot about ObamaCare / KayCare from political activists, politicians, hacks extraordinaire.
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We hear a lot about ObamaCare / KayCare from political activists, politicians, hacks extraordinaire.
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The drama over the hit reality show "Ducky Dynasty" seems to be on the tip of everyone's tongue. (Somebody's PR flack has certainly earned their Christmas bonus this year.)
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The drama over the hit reality show "Ducky Dynasty" seems to be on the tip of everyone's tongue. (Somebody's PR flack has certainly earned their Christmas bonus this year.)
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We've got it pretty good here in Moore County. One of the lowest tax rates (and crime rates) in North Carolina. World-class golf courses. Lots of great dining and shopping.
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We've got it pretty good here in Moore County. One of the lowest tax rates (and crime rates) in North Carolina. World-class golf courses. Lots of great dining and shopping.
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I try to avoid the whole TMZ-reality show-Kardashian worship thing. But the recent crack-down on comments that "offend" certain approved victim groups has dragged me in.
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I try to avoid the whole TMZ-reality show-Kardashian worship thing. But the recent crack-down on comments that "offend" certain approved victim groups has dragged me in.
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The legislative giant who told us John Boehner is her "boss" and that "you can't just take a law away because you want it to go away," is really out-doing herself this time.
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The legislative giant who told us John Boehner is her "boss" and that "you can't just take a law away because you want it to go away," is really out-doing herself this time.
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US Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC) - affectionately known in many parts as Chuck Schumer's sock puppet™ - has filed a bill seeking an extension of federal unemployment benefits. Imagine that. Right in front of a tough reelection fight.
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US Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC) - affectionately known in many parts as Chuck Schumer's sock puppet™ - has filed a bill seeking an extension of federal unemployment benefits. Imagine that. Right in front of a tough reelection fight.
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McClatchy and other mainstream media outlets blew the doors off of The NC Rural Center earlier this year - exposing all kinds of cronyism and corruption to public view.
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McClatchy and other mainstream media outlets blew the doors off of The NC Rural Center earlier this year - exposing all kinds of cronyism and corruption to public view.
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Elections have consequences. In 1980, we put out Jimmy Carter, elected Ronald Reagan, and got tax cuts and unprecedented economic growth.
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Elections have consequences. In 1980, we put out Jimmy Carter, elected Ronald Reagan, and got tax cuts and unprecedented economic growth.
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State House Speaker - and US Senate candidate - Thom Tillis has been quite talkative lately via email. He's tackled taxes and immigration, and has now moved on to the topic of Richard Morgan & Jim Black.
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State House Speaker - and US Senate candidate - Thom Tillis has been quite talkative lately via email. He's tackled taxes and immigration, and has now moved on to the topic of Richard Morgan & Jim Black.
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John Boehner, Eric Cantor, Paul Ryan and the rest of the House GOP leadership have pretty much stomped out the last vestiges of the GOP's claim to being the party of smaller government.
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John Boehner, Eric Cantor, Paul Ryan and the rest of the House GOP leadership have pretty much stomped out the last vestiges of the GOP's claim to being the party of smaller government.
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The elites in government, media and academia are finally coming around to what we've known about ObamaCare for years now.
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The elites in government, media and academia are finally coming around to what we've known about ObamaCare for years now.
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We've got 535 voting members of Congress. Yet. this "bi-partisan", "disaster-averting" budget deal announced yesterday got hammered out in private talks between Senate Budget Committee chairman Patty Murray and House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan.
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We've got 535 voting members of Congress. Yet. this "bi-partisan", "disaster-averting" budget deal announced yesterday got hammered out in private talks between Senate Budget Committee chairman Patty Murray and House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan.
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Cary physician Greg Brannon, Tea Party favorite and one of the leading contenders for the GOP nomination for US Senate, told a Moore County audience last night about one of his pet peeves.
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Cary physician Greg Brannon, Tea Party favorite and one of the leading contenders for the GOP nomination for US Senate, told a Moore County audience last night about one of his pet peeves.
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Rob Christensen - a/k/a "Mr Politics" or simply "McClatchy Rob" - offered his readers this weekend a history lesson that would move ANY common core-loving educrat to tears of joy
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Rob Christensen - a/k/a "Mr Politics" or simply "McClatchy Rob" - offered his readers this weekend a history lesson that would move ANY common core-loving educrat to tears of joy
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The left does a great job of spinning their agenda as one of freedom. The freedom to love whoever you want to love.
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The left does a great job of spinning their agenda as one of freedom. The freedom to love whoever you want to love.
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When you've spent 40 years inside the state bureaucracy, it's understandable that your world-view might be a little disjointed.
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When you've spent 40 years inside the state bureaucracy, it's understandable that your world-view might be a little disjointed.
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Moore County's Richard Morgan set the standard for hard-nosed vindictive political tactics during his tenure in the NC House. If a legislator dared to "cross" him, Morgan would personally seek out a primary challenger for said legislator.
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Moore County's Richard Morgan set the standard for hard-nosed vindictive political tactics during his tenure in the NC House. If a legislator dared to "cross" him, Morgan would personally seek out a primary challenger for said legislator.
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The mainstream media has been dutifully regurgitating the lefty press releases demanding that the minimum wage be doubled immediately.
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The mainstream media has been dutifully regurgitating the lefty press releases demanding that the minimum wage be doubled immediately.
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Until now, it's been easy to draw comparisons between the 2014 US Senate GOP primary in North Carolina and the 2010 Kentucky GOP Senate primary, featuring a doctor - and political novice - and a seasoned, well-funded state government official.
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Until now, it's been easy to draw comparisons between the 2014 US Senate GOP primary in North Carolina and the 2010 Kentucky GOP Senate primary, featuring a doctor - and political novice - and a seasoned, well-funded state government official.
