newsobserver.com projects - Center for Responsive Politics - Comments

The Advantages of being Astroturf

GiggleBox — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:37:46 -0400

Carolinas Healthcare Systems was one of North Carolina’s biggest lobbying spenders on health care issues in the past two years, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a non-partisan group in Washington that tracks spending in politics.

And they get a lame duck closed door meeting with Burr and the last guy to push his plan, John McCain. Was George Bush not available?

Re: Did Dole pick Democratic diet plan?

Gosh — Mon, 04 May 2009 13:34:32 -0400

Miller is not only a good American brand, but made in NC. Eden, NC from which hope springs eternal. Thank you for drinking a beer that employs North Carolinians.

As for Heinz, that's still a Republican company as her husband was, but I suggest Texas Pete from Winston Salem.

See? Getting along doesn't hurt one bit. Same mission, different paths.

Re: Did Dole pick Democratic diet plan?

CitizenOpinionated — Mon, 04 May 2009 13:26:58 -0400

I agree Gosh

I personally have stopped drinking Budweiser products based on their selling out to the European company - but now I have to drink Miller Lite - which has less taste in my opinion...what is a guy to do.

Although I still boycott Heinz products in general because of my disdain for John Kerry, thus his wife's company is guilty by association - but unfortunately there not a comparable product to Heinz 57 that I have found...again what are we to do...

Re: Did Dole pick Democratic diet plan?

Gosh — Mon, 04 May 2009 12:18:01 -0400

This is funny, but only in light of the bigger picture.

Yes, even Republicans have to consort with Democrats if they want good, healthy things, just like I have to pay Exxon to get to rally against Exxon.

I wish I could say it all works out in the end, but it doesn't.

I can't buy medicine, see a Doctor, buy gas or have any kind of private insurance without funding a political imperative I abhor. If I want to start a business and join the Chamber... suddenly I'm funding ads against my own success. If I like my guns and join the NRA, I'm default against the Humane Society to boot.

The deck may be stacked, but the people are now winning because we have more cards to play.

Good luck to former Senator Dole on her new Democratic diet. May she also lose the useless, ugly 180 pounds North Carolina lost last election by sending her back to Kansas.

Re: Burr's leadership PAC gave $308k

HallStyle — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:15:44 -0400

They better get ready for a WAR. Cause this guy is in for the fight of his life. He will have to really dig deep into those pockets to hold on to his seat.

Re: Perdue not registered yet

texasamc — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:31:41 -0400

So where is the story?

The problem with so many newspaper "blogs" is that they are not blogs at all. They are orts, observations, and bits and pieces of stories that are not good enough to make it in the paper. And there's a reason for that.

There's no "there" there.

Write us back when there's news, Ryan.

Re: Hagan did well in California, Act Blue

greenswamp — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 12:48:43 -0500

Again, she was not privy to the whole proposal. My comment was not to attack Dole, but to point out the qualities of Hagan. When you start bringing out the old talking points and hot button issues of the campaign, then meaningful dialogue ends there.

Re: Hagan did well in California, Act Blue

CitizenOpinionated — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:52:36 -0500

The same due diligence she took on her position on the first bailout...wait until the vote was already cast and Chuck Schumer could call her to make sure her stance was one of political value. By the way...what campaign were you watching...Kay Hagan is the opposite of an academic that studies the issues. She voted 99% of the time with Marc Basnight...she is nothing more than a pawn. A good academic would have never traveled to Boston to accept the Godless America money, given the Dole campaign showed their cards three weeks prior. Plus...she should not be making her votes based on her opinion...rather the opinion of us North Carolinians...

Re: Hagan did well in California, Act Blue

greenswamp — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:59:04 -0500

I would think that she would want a little more time to read the entire proposal before telling a constituent where she stands. I would hope so, anyway. All they have had is a briefing on this and should never commit after only a spoonfed presentation. She strikes me as an academic who will read and study before she acts. Frankly, the lack of curiosity and due diligence on these matters is what got us into this mess to begin with.

Re: Hagan did well in California, Act Blue

CitizenOpinionated — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:37:13 -0500

On Hagan's campaign website it stated...

"Kay believes, as Justice Brandeis has said, that sunlight is the greatest disinfectant to government activity, and she will publicly disclose all of the federal project funds she requests on behalf of NC. She will also push for other members to ensure that her Senate office is open and accountable to the public."

Yet when I just called her office to ask where Kay stands on the current Obama stimulus package, the staffer told me she had no idea nor knew of any temporary website was available to the public as reported by Barb Barrett.
Already breaking campaign promises.

Re: Hagan did well in California, Act Blue

CitizenOpinionated — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 10:05:58 -0500

Hagan is now the US Senator...relax...and she claimed throughout the duration of the campaign that she was going to represent us North Carolina...let's not forget about all the money that Moveon.org and the DSCC through Chuck Schumer....and the Godless American Pac.

Re: Hagan did well in California, Act Blue

marknewman — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 02:21:31 -0500

About before you all attack Hagan for this you get all your facts including fundraising totals for Dole.

On the same website you can see that the same 2 states had more than 500K for Dole as well or the fact that 59% of Dole contributions came from out of state (that's a reverse from Hagan)

So how about next time you cover both sides than simply using the numbers to slam Hagan.

Re: Hagan did well in California, Act Blue

PhantomLord — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:28:42 -0500

Yet she will proclaim she is free from special interest conflicts.

Re: Hagan did well in California, Act Blue

Sweetsie — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:47:39 -0500

Out of state liberals have bought themselves a senator.

Re: Dole, Hayes eligible for pension

FFC1304 — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:20:35 -0500

If Mary Easely had any sense of decency she would NOT have taken such advantage of the NC taxpayers by demanding and receiving an 80%+ PAY RAISE for a JOB that NO ONE ELSE was given a chance at...

HOW does she sleep at night?