DNC, GOP termed confused
about tea party movement

Despite results from the recent election, much of the Democratic National Committee and GOP leadership still fails to understand the tea party movement.

Heath Shuler

The GOP leadership in Western North Carolina’s District 11 is no exception.  Candidate Joe Miller and GOP leadership in District 11 failed to embrace tea party groups in WNC to their own detriment.

While it’s true tea party activists aren’t a homogeneous group, neither are the DNC nor the GOP.  President (Barack) Obama is currently experiencing that harsh reality.

 It’s not necessary for tea party activists to agree on the precise role of government in our daily lives to recognize that the major political parties have created ineffective and inefficient government at the local, state and federal levels.  The common force uniting tea party activists is their willingness and determination to reform government institutions.
Is it possible to return to a federal government of the people, by the people, for the people?

That’s a big question, but it won’t happen by sending politicians like Rep. (Heath) Shuler to D.C. or nominating candidates that aren’t able to exude passion for the issues currently resonating with voters.  The only real option for those who hope to rein in the federal government has made itself more evident this election cycle.  This is good news for the tea party and like-minded citizens because the way forward is clear.

Republicans gained 675 seats in state legislatures around the country. It’s been over 150 years since we have witnessed this type of turnover and it’s been over 70 years since the GOP had this many seats.  The GOP picked up 14 state House chambers and now has unified control in 26 state legislatures.

Tea party groups around the country will need to continue on this path and work to create 50 strong state governments that are willing to push back against the ever-encroaching federal government.  For those of us living in North Carolina, the path to achieving our goals in Washington, D.C., passes through Raleigh.

While this election was significant, a great deal of work still remains.  Part of that work includes holding many of the newly elected accountable, but when looking at successful tea party candidates around the country it is important to acknowledge that most had previous governing experience.

It’s true that Western North Carolina sent Rep. Shuler to Congress without any governing experience, but the tea party needs to focus on supporting local individuals who can develop experience in governing over time. In the meantime, we can call on Rep. Shuler to hold local town hall meetings on a monthly basis and focus our efforts on supporting candidates at the local and state levels that are aligned with Tea Party values.

Recently, North Carolina was ranked the 10th-worst tax state in the country by the Tax Foundation, while Texas has been responsible for nearly half of the job growth in the country during the last year.  This election cycle is cause for hope, but we need to ensure that North Carolina is headed the way of Texas and not New York or California. Again, this leads us back to Raleigh.

If we can’t change Raleigh and make it more responsive to issues important to Tea Party activists, what hope do we have of reforming Washington?

Mark W. Cates
Bookkeeper,
Asheville Tea PAC
Asheville

Apodaca or Erwin urged
to challenge Shuler in ‘12

Four years ago on Election Night, the very night Rep. Charles Taylor, R-Brevard, was defeated, I submitted an editorial to the Hendersonville Times-News calling on Tom Apodaca or George Erwin to consider running for Congress against Heath Shuler.

I suggested that Charles Taylor ran one time too many and that he lost his way. I even suggested then that work needed to start right away to network throughout the whole district. Those suggestions were disregarded and we saw what happened on Election Night 2008 and 2010.

The template to beat Shuler is now apparent. Henderson County cannot win that race alone. Jeff Miller is a great guy, but we need someone who can network much better in this region to beat Shuler in 2012. That is something both Apodaca and Erwin can clearly do, especially Tom Apodaca, considering he is in the North Carolina Senate now in a safe seat.  The big Republican win in the state legislature means congressional districts will be more sanely drawn.
So any official campaign has to await the final determination of those lines.  But any advantage for incumbents would be short-lived.

The time is right for someone like Tom Apodaca to consider running for Congress.

Dennis Justice
Fletcher

FairTax problems cited;
does it lead to a VAT?

Problems, I see with the FairTax....

The FairTax rate of 23 percent + 7.75 percent N.C. sales tax = 30.75 percent, or 31 cents out of your pocket, for each dollar you spend.

Will make customers think twice about a purchase when they see the 31 cents added on to the cost. It is a 31 percent increase in the cost of an item.

Most likely it will reduce sales. Less sales, less jobs, less merchandise sold, and around and around we go. FairTax states why punish the producer? Well it does, with less sales there are less items to be produced. Less items produced the less jobs, etc.

Why the prebate check? The prebate makes the FairTax more complicated then is needed.. Lower the tax rate. Delete the prebate. Plus, where’s the government getting the money to pay the prebate, if it is mailed before they collect tax? What about the cost of figuring, processing and mailing of the prebate checks?

Something to think about if, the FairTax applies to new houses, new cars and other high ticket items: Purchase a new house and then 26.8 percent (23 percent plus the new 3.8 percent Federal Home Tax) really hits you. Say you purchase a house for $250,000 the tax added on to the cost would be at least $57.500 with just the 23 percent tax.

Then add the 3.8 percent if, for example, Then the Fed’s jump in with their 3.8 percent sales tax and you add $9,500 making the total $317,000. That’s $67,000 more. Then add the cost of financing over a 30 year period. Sounds like a great buy doesn’t? Will the banks finance the $67,000 in taxes along with the house loan? I don’t think so. Now, figure the FairTax on a new car with the state tax figured in - think, you may think twice before you buy?

The FairTax would hurt sales of new homes because of the size of the tax. Which in turn would hunt contractors, painters, cement companies, lumber companies, etc.. Plus, it could cause people to purchase used homes, driving the availability down and the cost up. The same problem with vehicles and other high priced items.

Because of the problems, caused with homes new and used, stated above, more people may rent. Causing a shortage problem and higher rental prices of apartments.

Is this the first “Small” step toward a VAT tax? Is that the “REAL PLAN”? What’s to stop the government from changing the FairTax into a VAT tax by charging the 23 percent tax at the manufacturing and distributor level? Note: a VAT tax is not a value added tax as claimed. It’s a CAT, a cost added tax. Tax does not add value.

Most (99 percent) of the people in business I ask how they feel about the FairTax, state they don’t like it, mostly for the above reasons. The number one reason is they feel it would drive sales down and hunt the economy. And keep it down.

Does not abolish the IRS, as the IRS or United States Department of Revenue, or whatever they will call it, will be needed to collect the taxes collected by the States. The States will also need to be audited. The States will need to audit the merchants who collect the FairTax from their customers. See processing of prebate checks above, as the IRS will be needed to process the prebate checks.

Been introduced each year in Congress for the last 10 years. And still no go. Why?

My conclusion the FairTax is an economy-killer.

Fremont V. Brown III
Asheville

Critics urged to help
in transforming BCGOP

Chad Nesbitt

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following letter refers to a statement by Chad Nesbitt, chairman of the Buncombe County Republican Party, in which he defends the efforts by him and the BCGOP and asks critics to volunteer their efforts to effect change rather than just voicing negativity.
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This is going to a lot of people and those in the counties that are loaded one-sided for a party needs to understand that checks and balance is necessary if our system is to work.  You need to support you local party and if they are rinos and not supporting the principles, then you are at fault.  Join them and support them or stop complaining. It is that simple.

I am studying Zeb Vance and he ran as a conservative because he wanted to conserve the union and he felt that would let him keep slavery longer.  He also ran on the do-nothing party. Why did the Democrats adopt him and he did have some good traits and one was loyalty to North Carolina citizens and getting things the citizens needed.  Mmm, does that sound like getting people on the government dole or good politics.  You must decide.  

In all honesty we want the bacon and negative ads and in all honesty WE must decide are we going to stand on principle or just change our ways to win votes.  The decision is ours.  Do we want a party or do we want a social club?

Thanks to Chad Nesbitt and I hope the people that read this understand what they are doing when they whisper behind your back.  If you want principle based politics, you better step forward now.

Don Yelton
Founder, Citizens Speak
Weaverville