STATE LEGISLATION AND ACTION ALERTS !

NC STATE:
January 18, 2013

On Saturday, January 5th, Pat McCrory was sworn in as our new Governor. The last time NC had a Republican governor was 24 years ago. And for the first time in 144 years, a Republican Governor will meet a Republican Legislative Majority.

NC General Assembly representatives were sworn-in on January 9th. After the ceremony, they adopted rules, elected officials, and other such housekeeping stuff. The first official day of business will begin, however, on January 30. In November, the state house picked up an additional 9 Republican seats (for a total of 77 out of 120 seats) and an additional 2 Republican Senate seats (for a record total of 33 out of 50). We have a veto-proof General Assembly, should Governor McCrory become a RINO.

1. Status of Obamacare Exchanges: - As of today, 27 states - more than half - have refused to adopt a state exchange. (We hope for at least 30. There are 30 states with Republican governors). According to the healthcare law, states are expected to set up state-run/state-financed exchanges (with some grant money from the government, of course) OR hybrid state-federal exchanges (where both parties participate). Mind you, even though the mandate is for the states to set up the exchanges, they are bound completely by the government's plan. In other words, the states would be doing the government's dirty work. However, thanks to the healthcare decision, states can opt out. If they do so, because the healthcare law at this point is still the law of the land, the burden then falls to the federal government to set up the exchanges.

Here is why states should want to default to the government:

1). The government did not plan for the states to opt out and they made are not prepared to do so.
2). The government was planning on the states to use their resources and now, it doesn't have the financial resources allocated to set up the exchanges.
3). The government will have to go to the Republican-dominated Congress (where all spending bills MUST originate) and request additional funding.

Pushback by the sovereign States is WORKING. The Obama Administration is quietly admitting defeat by scrapping the Feb. 15th deadline for states to make a final decision regarding state-run ObamaCare Exchanges. This should be all the proof Governor McCrory and the General Assembly need that ObamaCare CAN be defeated at the state level!

So, here is what you can do:

1). Pressure Governor McCrory to opt out of the exchanges
2). Tell your state representatives (house reps and senators) to vote to return all the government grant money that was given to NC to start setting up the state exchanges
3). Tell your state representatives (house reps and senators) to refuse to expand Medicare, which is another one of Obamacare's mandates and another very costly provision to our state. (Again, according to the healthcare ruling, states can opt out of the Medicare expansion provision).
4). Tell your state representatives (house reps and senators) to introduce and vote for another "Healthcare Freedom" bill and then an amendment to the state constitution which voters can vote on.

** You can send a letter /email to Governor Pat McCrory as well.
ttp://www.freedomworks.org/press-releases/governors-reject-health-care-exchanges-white-house?

2. Voter ID Bill - Tell your state house reps and senators that you want them to pass a strict photo Voter ID bill. There is a rumor going around that both House Speaker Thom Tillis or Governor McCrory will consider a "watered-down" Voter ID bill. Tell them that the bill that was introduced last term (H.B. 351) was a good bill and a constitutional bill (modeled after the one upheld by the Supreme Court).

General Assembly's Upcoming Agenda: According to Rep. Skip Stam (who unfortunately was elected to be the House Speaker Pro Tem), the 2013-2014 General Assembly agenda will include the following:

(1) A Voter ID bill
(2) Ways to deal with Obamacare - without harming North Carolina's economy (whatever that means)
(3) State Tax Reform - reduce the rate of state taxation
(4) Regulatory Reform - identify those regulations that do not make sense and eliminate them
(5) Education Reform - performance pay for teachers and increased school choice
(6) Promote Pro-Life legislation

Here is something I find troubling. Rep. Stam is actively soliciting funds for his "considerable political needs," as his emails read. He notes that last year, for example, he used the funds to help 24 new and returning members seek or retain their seats. He also used those funds to unseat candidates he felt he couldn't work with and to fund candidates who he targeted to be their replacements. And he wants to have that same kind of influence on local elections in 2014. I don't think it's the government's job to invest in their own political interests. Elections are for the people's voice, and not for career politicians to manipulate to concentrate power.

Anyone interested in meeting with Rep. Stam to discuss these agenda items, please consider attending an event he is hosting at the Halle Cultural Center, 237 N. Salem Street, Apex on January 23, 2013 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.