newsobserver.com projects - HB2-09 - Comments

"Where you stayin' next term?"

captainjack — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 07:47:58 -0400

I think the Governor and her entourage will be ecstatic about signing this bill. What Democrat would not relish signing a budget that raised taxes during a recession. I would think that would be the height of achievement in Democratic circles. Kicking the North Carolina family while it is down is an art form. There's plenty of meat left on the working family bones if you know where to look.

Take pride in your work. Not many have the guts to raise taxes during a recession, especially a sales tax that will hit everyone.

And that talk about cuts was a real "slight of hand." A real magic show.

Let's party! We've raised taxes again and left the whole state numb and dumb................ and ready to vote us back into office. "Where you stayin' next term?"

Re: No special pens for this bill

BitterEXdemocrat — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 04:11:49 -0400

Look for a Republican sweep in 2010 and 2012. NC folks are damn sick and tired of slave driving democrackkks ruining our once great state.

Bev's approval is now a DISMAL 30%.

Re: No special pens for this bill

bniolet — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:07:40 -0400

There's a really good breakdown of education spending prepared by the legislature's fiscal research staff here. BN

Re: No special pens for this bill

kevin_smith5 — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:39:04 -0400

We keep getting told there is a 4.8% cut to the public schools budget. The budget cuts $780 million from public education. By my math if that is a 4.8% cut to education that would mean state spending on education last year was $16 billion. Since the state has repeatedly said that public education is 38% of the state budget....that would mean the state budget last year was $42 billion. The state budget last year was $24 billion. So where do the numbers come from? Spin doctors?

Re: No special pens for this bill

JPQuick — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:32:40 -0400

No photo-op is necessary to assign blame for Bev's $1 billion tax grab.

Middle class voters will remember Bev's role in increasing taxes when they pay their state income taxes. Only a handful of state residents will fail to notice the loss of another 2% of their disposable income.

Working class voters will remember Bev's role in increasing sales taxes every time they visit the grocery store. Frustrated parents are unlikely to overlook their newfound inability to purchase bread or milk as 8% of their income is siphoned away by the state.

The unemployed will remember that just after the axe fell on their livelihood, Bev raised taxes to forestall any chance of a near-term recovery.

The Democratic Party will remember Bev's role in driving the electorate into the hands of the GOP.

Re: Hookah bar owners hope for exemption

nc4me — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 10:41:36 -0400

Less Freedom = Less Capitalism = Less Individualism.

Which Party creates an elitest party?

CitizenOpinionated — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 09:15:50 -0400

So according to Mr. Bliss - when discussing the disparity between cigar and hookah bars and their classification through the new "smoking law."

"Look at who goes to those places -- generally older, affluent white males," he said. "Besides the fact that this law is creating an elitist association between who can smoke and who can't, they're allowing government to put me out of business, and this is supposed to be a free market economy here."

So, the Democrats, since they control both Chambers of the General Assembly, have created a law to create an elitist association between who can and can't smoke and where they can smoke.

Yes Mr. Bliss - this is supposed to be a free market economy, but NOT anymore...Welcome to the socialist agenda - the government tells you, the citizen, the private business owner, exactly what you can and cannot do...

Re: Perdue signs smoking ban

PaulTerrell — Tue, 19 May 2009 14:00:06 -0400

Obama wants to tax soda next and I bet the Democrats will want to tax foods based on their fat content. NANNNNNY STATTEEEE Lives!

New use for second hand smoke

PoliticalJunkie — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:27:13 -0400

Perhaps Gov. Bev could use some of the second hand smoke that used to linger in Raleigh restaurants and bars to smoke out who stole the Easley Travel Records from the Highway Patrol.

I'll tell you when the line's been crossed

CutterJoe — Thu, 14 May 2009 10:36:49 -0400

When a businessman can't provide a non-essential business where his patrons are offered the opportunity to enjoy an otherwise legal activity and so he must go out of business. Infringes on rights, hurts the tax base, hurts the job market, and hurts businesses. I have supported all anti-smoking rules up until this point because I do believe non-smokers shouldn't be FORCED to inhale 2nd hand smoke. As I've said, I'm an occasional smoker and the wife a non-smoker, I DO want the right to choose when and where I'm exposed to smoke, but this law crosses that line in a big way and tells me I can't choose when and where I want to be exposed to smoke!

Gosh

CutterJoe — Thu, 14 May 2009 10:20:51 -0400

I'm not suggesting that we should smoke in Chucky Cheese. In fact, that's my point. They don't allow smoking already! The House version was better than the Senate version, but both versions were over the line. There’re no shortage of establishments that don't allow smoking and all have entirely separate areas by law. I occasionally smoke and the wife never. We never smell smoke when we go out to eat and only do so in bars because those are the bars I want to go to. She doesn't like smoke, but all of her friends smoke, so she goes to those places do. Now none of her friends will be out in those establishments, so neither will she. Where's the line drawn? As I've pointed out, I'm forced to ingest poisons I don't want just by breathing, yet I can't have a business that allows folks to smoke if they want to. If I have the right to patronize a restaurant without having to breathe smoke, don’t I also have a right to drink some sweet tea in that restaurant without having to ingest corn syrup?! That stuff is retched and as unhealthy as 2nd hand smoke. It’s not like they’ll let me bring in my own tea. Where's the line? When can I decide what goes into my body, and when do I have to submit to the whims of others?

Appreciate your enthusiasm

Gosh — Thu, 14 May 2009 08:29:34 -0400

But CutterJoe, let's not be as absolutist as the abolitionist.

The bottom line is the House version was right, the Senate version (about to be signed) is wrong.

I never wanted to smoke around kids in Chuck E Cheese. I don't understand why families want to eat in The Foxy Lady.

Corporate lobbyists killed reason. The people lost.

Did I mention the effects of fried foods?!

CutterJoe — Thu, 14 May 2009 08:21:34 -0400

Is this going to mean an end of fried foods? Have y'all ever worked in restaurants or bars full of deep fat fryers? What are the health consequences of breathing THAT oily smoke day in day out?! Not to mention the costs to our society as a result of higher medical and insurance costs, lost productivity, etc. that comes from fried foods and obesity.

More lost tax $

CutterJoe — Thu, 14 May 2009 08:09:02 -0400

I, and many folks like me, will now be doing much more of our drinking, smoking, and socializing in certain notorious private establishments not affected by this law and which serve liquor that's never taxed. If Bev continues in her stupidity and passes her tax on smokes I suspect a burgeoning black market in cigs that never see the tax man. NC has a long and storied history of responding to the government over-reaching it's authority with private, illicit entrepreneurship. It’s not like the state is going to have the revenues to crack down on such enterprises.

And..

CutterJoe — Thu, 14 May 2009 07:45:28 -0400

What about the known harmful effects of industrial farming to society and especially farm workers? Or the effects of large animal farm operations on all of us even though we don’t all choose to eat meat. And then there're the effects of the chemical/gas releases in offices, bars, restaurants, and homes from carpet, paneling, etc. Shouldn’t they at least be required to warn us of the amounts and dangers of the levels of those we are forced to breath whenever we go into a building? Where does this thinking take us? What about the effects of the consequenses of our trash disposal on communities that have no choice but to suffer them? How about the increasing amount of microwaves bombarding us every moment of every day? These are things none of us has control over as individuals, and you're whining because you think you have the RIGHT to go into EVERY bar or restaurant and not breath second hand smoke?! Hukkah bars should be illegal because you don't smoke but may want to eat there?! You'll be competing for fewer jobs against more folks (folks who smoke so were happy to work in smoking establishments) when some of these businesses begin closing. Ridiculous and fascist. And especially stupid in this economy. With decisions like this, you'll be lucky to find a job no matter how dangerous!