5 N.C. Congress Members Voted "No" On Health Care Bill

McHenry on health care overhaul



Here's what U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, a Cherryville Republican, had to say about the health care bill that passed the House last night. McHenry voted "no," reports Barb Barrett.

"This is an anti-jobs bill," McHenry said. "Instead of helping businesses create jobs it will increase federal spending, raise taxes and slow economic growth."

The fight goes on, McHenry added.

"This summer more than 5,000 people stood up against Obamacare at the 11 town halls I held across Western North Carolina," he said. "The battle against government-run health care is one of the most important I have ever fought and I am not about to give up now. I will work with like-minded Americans across our nation to repeal or challenge this unconstitutional government takeover."





Virginia Foxx On Health Care Overhaul



Here's what U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, a Banner Elk Republican, had to say about the health care bill that passed the House last night. Foxx voted "no," reports Barb Barrett.

"Now more than ever we need sensible health care reform," Foxx said. "That’s why it's so sad that the Democratic majority forced this overhaul through. This bill is bad medicine, plain and simple. It's chock full of government mandates, $569 billion in job-killing tax hikes and $1.2 trillion in new government spending."




Coble on health care overhaul


Here's what U.S. Rep. Howard Coble, a Greensboro Republican, had to say about the health care bill that passed the House last night. Coble voted "no," reports Barb Barrett.

"Although a small portion of my constituents support this proposal, the vast majority wants nothing to do with it," Coble said. "Clearly there are areas of our health care system that need to be improved. That being said, this bill is a complete overhaul of the system. Make no mistake about it. This bill will put the government in control of our health care. It is a train wreck waiting to occur and considering our current economic morass, we need no train wrecks."




Myrick on health care overhaul



Here's what U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick, a Charlotte Republican, had to say about the health care bill that passed the House last night. Myrick voted "no," reports Barb Barrett.

"Talk about creating jobs." Myrick said. "The majority has written a bill that requires approximately 16,500 additional IRS agents, auditors and other employees. Under this bill, these new government employees will be able to determine if you have 'acceptable' health coverage, and fine you if you don't. If you can't pay the fine, they'll now have the authority to confiscate your tax return. To top it off, $10 billion of your tax dollars will be used to pay for these gross expansions. More bureaucracy. It's just what the doctor ordered."




Kissell on health care overhaul


Here's what U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell, a Biscoe Democrat, had to say about the health care bill that passed the House last night. Kissell voted "no," Barb Barrett reports.

"I promised to protect Medicare," Kissell said. "While I believe we need health care reform and was proud to be an original co-sponsor of the bill to end the anti-trust exemption for insurance companies, I gave my word to the citizens of the 8th District that I would protect Medicare. The Senate Health Care Bill cuts Medicare by nearly half a trillion dollars over the next 10 years and those cuts were not addressed in the Reconciliation Bill. I am a man of my word, and I have kept my word to protect Medicare."


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Sources: McClatchy Newspapers, Google Maps

Virginia Foxx Needs To Step Down! Criticizes Obama But Gets Autograph

On the heels of Pres. Obama extending an Olive Branch to Republicans in hopes of building positive bi-partisan communication between GOP and Democrat Congressional members, as always Rep. Virginia Foxx finds a way to screw things up.

In fact U.S. Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC)never ceases to amaze me with her frequent foolish, snide, foot-in-mouth comments.

Why would she seek to sabotage yesterday's historic efforts for Unity by posting a negative Twitter Comment about Pres. Obama?

"Pres. Obama gave us another lecture. Our guys asked great questions. Need Independent Fact Checker for his comments. Got Autograph."

How Stupid are those statements??

What's even more bizarre is that she gets his autograph!

Now why would you want to obtain the autograph of someone whom you obviously don't respect?

Is it so you can sell it on Ebay??

Rep. Foxx's behavior consistently makes the Republican Party appear Illiterate and Stupid, thus scaring away anyone considering looking to Republicans for constructive Solutions.

This includes: Black Voters, Independent Voters, Gay Voters, etc.,

How can someone so narrow-minded represent her constituents well?

Although I'm not a Republican, I'd say its high time she stepped down.

Elected Incumbents like Rep. Foxx only help to divide Republicans and Democrats thus creating continued Capitol Hill Gridlock on issues important to the American people.

Politicians (especially Incumbents) need to frequently search within themselves and ask why they sought a role in Public Office.

If they aren't there for Voters or Constructive Progress, than GET OUT and make room for people who are!

We all understand Politicians are still Human Beings who possess their own perspectives on everyday life issues, however it wouldn't hurt to use a little tact or to hold one's tongue versus spewing out whatever comes to mind.

To Rep. Virginia Foxx I repeat "Its Time For You To Step Down" or....

Cease making foolish remarks which hurts your party, causes Southern Politicians to look Stupid and makes Congress appear even more dysfunctional.

North Carolina can do better. So much better.







Virginia Foxx Slams Obama, Gets Autograph


North Carolina Rep. Virginia Foxx criticized President Obama after his address to House Republicans but had no qualms about walking away with a souvenir.

"Pres gave us another lecture. Our guys asked great questions. Need independent fact checker for his comments. Got autograph," the Republican congresswoman tweeted Friday afternoon at the House Republican retreat.

A follow up tweet she sent shortly after read, "Am concerned that Pres thinks health care bill is centrist. He did not accept the scalpel and it is a great tool."

Her remarks followed a rare question-and-answer session with the president and the GOP caucus.

About 300 lawmakers, family members and aides attended the meeting, which was broadcast live. The event was for the most part civil, with a few moments of heated discussion.

Obama accused Republicans of frequently mischaracterizing his policy proposals, particularly in the health care debate. Republicans, in turn, complained that the White House and congressional Democrats had ignored their ideas, locked them out of the policy-making process, and unfairly labeled them as obstructionists.

"Both sides can take some blame for a sour climate on Capitol Hill," Obama said, adding that Democrats and Republicans "need to be careful" in choosing their rhetoric. "A tone of civility instead of slash and burn would be helpful."

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Virginia Foxx: Matthew Shepard's Murder Not a Hate Crime


Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) has done it again. Earlier this month she dropped the racially charged term "tar baby" on the House floor. Today, she said the murder of 21-year-old Matthew Shepard in 1998 was not a hate crime.

"It's really a hoax that that continues to be used as an excuse for passing [hate crimes] bills," Foxx said on the House floor during debate on the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

Foxx opposes a bill being considered that would extend federal hate crimes protections to cover crimes committed because of a person's gender, sexual orientation or disability.

She called Shepard's murder a "very unfortunate incident" but said "we know that that young man was killed in the commitment of a robbery. It wasn't because he was gay."

And guess who was in the House gallery to hear Foxx say this? Matthew Shepard's mother, Judy, according to Democratic sources.

To refresh your memory on what happened to her son> two men tied the University of Wyoming college freshman to a fence and savagely pistol whipped and beat him to death. Before doing it, one of the killers tauntingly said to Shepard, "It's Gay Awareness Week."

Ironically, Foxx is part of a GOP leadership team tasked with finding embarrassing, "You-Tube worthy moments" of vulnerable Democratic freshmen and sophomores.

Here's what gay liberal blogger John Arivosis has to say about Foxx's comments. Stay tuned: there will be plenty more outrage from the gay rights community.

UPDATE: The Human Rights Campaign, a leading Washington based gay-rights group, is furious with Congresswoman Foxx.

"Vile lies, like the one spread by Rep. Foxx today on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives about Matthew's brutal hate-fueled murder, continues to underscore how extreme anti-LGBT opponents have become," says Brad Luna, a spokesman for HRC. "It is no longer acceptable in this day and age to just come right out and say you don't like gay people. Instead, extremist opponents of equality must resort to these types of malicious and twisted lies. Rep. Foxx should be ashamed of herself."

HRC also notes the following groups have endorsed the hate-crimes bill opposed by Foxx: the National Sheriffs Association; International Association of Chiefs of Police; 26 state Attorneys General; the National District Attorneys Association; the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights; the Anti-Defamation League; the NAACP; the National Council of La Raza; the Presbyterian Church; the Episcopal Church; and the National Disability Rights Network.



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Sources: CNN, MSNBC, Washington Post, Rachel Maddow Show, Google Maps

Hate Crimes Bill Expanded To Include Landmark Civil Rights Laws Enforcement...Matthew Shepard

(More action enforced on hate crimes. A Morning Meeting panel discusses new legislation which allows courts to add charges and jail sentences against people who commit crimes which endanger a victim because of their race, religion or sexual orientation, and why some Republicans are outraged about the bill.)

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(Rep. Virginia Foxx Dishonored Matthew Shepard's Death On The House Floor.)





U.S. House extends hate crime law to cover gays

The U.S. House voted Thursday to make it a federal crime to assault people because of their sexual orientation, significantly expanding the hate crimes law enacted in the days after Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination in 1968.

With expected passage by the Senate, federal prosecutors will for the first time be able to intervene in cases of violence perpetrated against gays.

Civil rights groups and their Democratic allies have been trying for more than a decade to broaden the reach of hate crimes law. This time it appears they will succeed. The measure is attached to a must-pass $680 billion defense policy bill and President Barack Obama — unlike President George W. Bush — is a strong supporter. The U.S. House passed the defense bill 281-146, with 15 Democrats and 131 Republicans in opposition.

"It's a very exciting day for us here in the Capitol," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., saying hate crimes legislation was on her agenda when she first entered Congress 22 years ago.

She said it's been 11 years since the gay Wyoming college student Matthew Shepard, whose name was attached to the legislation, was murdered.

The late Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., was a longtime advocate of the legislation.

Thought crimes legislation

Many Republicans, normally stalwart supporters of defense bills, voted against it because of the addition of what they referred to as "thought crimes" legislation.

"This is radical social policy that is being put on the defense authorization bill, on the backs of our soldiers, because they probably can't pass it on its own," House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio said.

GOP opponents were not assuaged by late changes in the bill to strengthen protections for religious speech and association — critics argued that pastors expressing beliefs about homosexuality could be prosecuted if their sermons were connected to later acts of violence against gays.

Supporters countered that prosecutions could occur only when bodily injury is involved, and no minister or protester could be targeted for expressing opposition to homosexuality.

The bill also creates a new federal crime to penalize attacks against U.S. service members on account of their service.

Covering sexual orientation

Hate crimes legislation enacted after King's assassination defined hate crimes as those carried out on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin. It also limits the scope of activities that would trigger federal involvement.

The proposed expansion would include crimes based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. It eases restrictions on federally protected activities.

Some 45 states have hate crimes statutes, and the bill would not change the current situation where investigations and prosecutions are carried out by state and local officials.

But it would provide federal grants to help with the prosecuting of hate crimes and funds programs to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles.

The federal government can step in after the Justice Department certifies that a state is unwilling or unable to follow through on a purported hate crime.

While Republicans voted against the defense bill because of the hate crimes addition, openly gay Democrat Jared Polis of Colorado said he would vote for it despite his opposition to U.S. military presence in Iraq. The reason hate crimes are so odious, he said, "is that they are not just crimes against individuals, they are crimes against entire communities and create environments of fear in entire communities."

Tom McClusky, vice president of the conservative Family Research Council's legislative arm said the next step likely would be contesting the legislation in court. "The religious protections are pretty flimsy," he said. He contended that Democrats were trying to move their "homosexual agenda" this year because it would prove unpopular with voters next year.

The FBI says there are some 8,000 hate crimes reported around the country in a year. More than half of those are motivated by racial bias. Next most frequent are crimes based on religious bias at around 18 percent and sexual orientation at 16 percent.



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Sources: MSNBC, Huffington Post, Media Matters, Youtube, Google Maps

Its Time For Eric Holder's Candid Conversation About Race...Racism's Out, Unity Is In

MSNBC----


AG on Race: America is a "nation of cowards".

(Watch Attorney General Eric Holder's speech at a US Department of Justice Black History Month program.)

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(Former Pres. Jimmy Carter derides Racist tone against Pres. Obama.)

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(Congresswoman Virgina Foxx (R-NC) brings race into a speech she recently delivered on the Congressional floor.)

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(The Daily Kos’ Markos Moulitsas talks with Keith Olbermann about the role of racism evident in the character of opposition to President Barack Obama.)

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Holder: U.S. "a nation of cowards" on race

Eric Holder, the nation’s first black attorney general, said Wednesday the United States was “a nation of cowards” on matters of race, with most Americans avoiding candid discussions of racial issues.

In a speech to Justice Department employees marking Black History Month, Holder said the workplace is largely integrated but Americans still self-segregate on the weekends and in their private lives.

“Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial we have always been and I believe continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards,” Holder said.

Race issues continue to be a topic of political discussion, but “we, as average Americans, simply do not talk enough with each other about race.”

Holder’s speech echoed President Barack Obama’s landmark address last year on race relations during the hotly contested Democratic primaries, when the then-candidate urged the nation to break “a racial stalemate we’ve been stuck in for years” and bemoaned the “chasm of misunderstanding that exists between the races.” Obama delivered the speech to try to distance himself from the angry rhetoric of his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

A call for honest discussion

Holder cited that speech by Obama as part of the motivation for his words Wednesday, saying Americans need to overcome an ingrained inhibition against talking about race.

“If we’re going to ever make progress, we’re going to have to have the guts, we have to have the determination, to be honest with each other. It also means we have to be able to accept criticism where that is justified,” Holder told reporters after the speech.

In the speech, Holder urged people of all races to use Black History Month as a chance for honest discussion of racial matters, including issues of health care, education and economic disparities.

Race, Holder said, “is an issue we have never been at ease with and, given our nation’s history, this is in some ways understandable... If we are to make progress in this area, we must feel comfortable enough with one another and tolerant enough of each other to have frank conversations about the racial matters that continue to divide us.”

In a country founded by slave owners, race has bedeviled the nation throughout its history, with blacks denied the right to vote just a few decades ago. Obama’s triumph last November as well as the nomination of Holder stand as historic achievements of two black Americans.

"Race-protected cocoons"

Holder told hundreds of Justice Department employees gathered for the event that they have a special responsibility to advance racial understanding.

Even when people mix at the workplace or afterwork social events, Holder argued, many Americans in their free time are still segregated inside what he called “race-protected cocoons.”

“Saturdays and Sundays, America in the year 2009 does not in some ways differ significantly from the country that existed almost 50 years ago. This is truly sad,” said Holder.

Matt Miller, a spokesman for Holder, said later the attorney general used “provocative words to be clear that Americans of all races should stop avoiding the difficult issues of race.”

Andrew Grant-Thomas, Deputy Director of the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity at Ohio State University, praised Holder’s general message but said the wording of the speech may alienate some.

“He’s right on the substance, but that’s probably not the most politic way of saying it. I’m certain there are people who will hear him and say, ’That’s obnoxious,”’ he said, adding that what was missing from Holder’s speech were specific examples of what painful subjects need to be addressed.

Hilary Shelton, vice president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, called the speech “constructively provocative.”

“Nobody wants to be considered a coward. We’ve learned to get along by exclusion and silence. We need to talk about it. People need to feel comfortable saying the wrong things,” said Shelton.

Holder is headed to Guantanamo Bay early next week to inspect the terrorist detention facility there. Obama has assigned Holder to lead a special task force aimed at closing the site within a year.

Holder’s Justice Department will have to decide which suspects to bring to U.S. courts for trial, which to prosecute through the military justice system, and which to send back to their home countries.



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Sources: MSNBC, Huffington Post, Politico, Daily Kos, US Dept of Justice, Washington Post, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, AP, Google Maps

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) Offers Written Apology To Matthew Shepard's Mother

U.S. House Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) has offered an apology to Matthew Shepard's mother Judy, for her insensitive comments made last week regarding his death.

While speaking on the house floor during debates regarding passage of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act, Rep. unintentionally mentioned the word "Hoax" to describe public reaction surrounding his true cause of death.

Foxx later stated that her use of the word "Hoax" was a mistake.

She also blamed the media for her ignorance on the issue.

In 1998 on the night of October 7 while visiting a bar, Matthew (21) a student at the University of Wyoming, was viciously attacked by two men who targeted him because of his Sexual Orientation.

After being beaten, tortured and robbed, he was later tied to a fence in freezing Wyoming weather.

He was discovered by a passing motorist who initially thought he was a scarecrow.

Matthew's injuries were so severe he later died at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado on October 12.

Suspects Russell Arthur Henderson and Aaron James McKinney were both found guilty and convicted of Matthew's murder. During their trial while under oath, they admitted he was targeted because of his Sexual Orientation.

According to the Winston-Salem Journal, Foxx's letter to Mrs. Shepard contained these statements, "If I said anything that offended her, I certainly apologize for it and know that she's hurting, and I would never do anything to add to that."

Both Matthew's mother and staff from the Matthew Shepard Foundation confirm to have received Rep. Foxx's letter, however chose not to discuss it any further.

The Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act passed in the House 249-175.

Whether Rep. Foxx agreed with Matthew's lifestyle or not wasn't the issue, because as an adult his lifestyle was no one's business.

Instead the issue lies in that if Rep. Foxx wanted to use his name and cause of death in her debate, then as a United States Congresswoman she should have been better prepared to discuss such a controversial subject.

Rep. Virginia Foxx's famous last words.




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Sources: MSNBC, Open Congress, Winston-Salem Journal, Huffington Post, Matthew Shepard Foundation, NY Times, Wikipedia, Youtube, Google Maps

Move Over Rush....Rep. Virginia Foxx Crowned G.O.P.'s New Speaker!

"I also would like to point out that there was a bill -- the hate crimes bill that's called the Matthew Shepard bill is named after a very unfortunate incident that happened where a young man was killed, but we know that that young man was killed in the commitment of a robbery. It wasn't because he was gay. This -- the bill was named for him, hate crimes bill was named for him, but it's really a hoax that continues to be used as an excuse for passing these bills."




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Sources: Huffington Post, TIME, C-Span, Flickr, Youtube, Google Maps