NCCLC: Breakfast

About to start is the Breakfast Session of the conference. Scheduled speakers are:

US Congressman Heath Shuler (D)
2004 Republican Candidate for NC Governor, Patrick Ballantine
2008 Candidate for NC Governor, Fred Smith

Hopefully they'll let us finish eating before they start talking (they did) so I can get some good pictures this time. Full disclosure: I really like Patrick Ballantine -- he helped me when I ran for Senate many years ago and is just a very nice person. I really don't like Heath Shuler -- and not just because he's a Democrat; or because he voted for America to surrender in Iraq; or because he's a carpetbagger who only moved to NC after living his whole life in TN to get elected to Congress. He was a QB at TN and I'm a big Gator fan.

First up is Senator Fred Smith, who is running for governor of North Carolina this year:

Fred Smith says he is a social and fiscal conservative. He says that we need to hold the current leadership in Raleigh Responsible:
Responsible for the failed education system that has a 1/3 dropout rate.
Responsible for Durham ripping up $22 million of concrete for a failed transportation system.
Responsible for the current system of bribery and corruption.

Fred Smith says that government is for the children. It's about protecting the children. In fact, he says that Education has become the civil right of our time. Government needs to realize that the student is the customer and government needs to respond and react as if that is the case.

Smith strongly supports the taxpayer protection act to protect the taxpayers from the government. He supports Jessica's Law and doesn't understand why the government won't protect our most vulnerable -- our children. He says that we must have affordable health care. He says it needs to be market-driven and affordable. He says that one big way to drive those costs down is to put in place liability reform so that doctors aren't forced to practice "Defensive medicine."

He says we must solve the immigration crisis -- and if Washington won't do it, then we're going to have to do it on the state level (this brought the loudest applause of the morning). He says that the NC government must allow it's people to vote on a Constitutional Amendment that will allow government to defend and define marriage.

He finished by saying that conservatives are going to have to put forth that extra effort -- just a little extra effort is all that's needed to start to make a difference. Conservatives have to put out that effort to change the leadership in Raleigh.

Next up is Patrick Ballantine. He ran for governor in NC in 2004 and won the Republican nomination.

Ballantine started by saying that this is a defining moment for conservatives. It's time to bring back the outrage. When Reid talks about the war being lost, where's the outrage? When Global Warming lunatics talk about using just one pieces of toilet paper, where's the outrage? When Hillary might be president, where's the outrage?

The pendulum has swung left as far as it is going to go. Conservatives are starting to stand up -- but we need leadership. We need to unite behind a truly conservative leader. When the left claims we stand for tax breaks for the rich, we need to tell them, "No, we stand for tax breaks for taxpayers." Our NC governor has raised taxes every year he's been in office.

Our values are right, but we need to tell people that. It's time to restore honesty and character in government.

Phil Kiver, author of 182 days in Iraq joined us and spoke next. He is planning on signing books after the breakfast -- and he had a few stories about his time in Iraq.

He mentioned that today Iraqi's aren't dying in Iraq, they are dying FOR Iraq. And he wants to know why, since children were fighting and dying in Iraq for their country; why the leadership in Congress couldn't.

Next up, Heath Shuler. Apparently NC Blue, a far-left political blog, has been blasting Congressman Shuler for daring to appear at this conference. According to Art Pope, his is one in the Democrat party who has the courage to claim that he is a conservative in the Democrat Party.

Heath spent a lot of time talking about family, God, and the influence his mother had on his life. He can't understand why there's not more people living like his mother did: living for those who have less; and living for those who didn't have all that she did.

Drinking and language at a meeting for a mutli-million deal greatly offended him as he attended a meeting. He was a professional football player at a meeting and the executives were drinking and swearing a lot. He decided to pray at the meal and through that leadership, no more drinks were ordered at the table; and no more foul language was used. However, he still refused the deal that was offered him because he didn't want to remain in the company of such people.

He says that there are 44 members of the "Blue Dog Democrats" in Washington. They are conservative Democrats who are fiscal conservatives; pro- business; and pro-gun. At the same time, the progressive caucus is only 22 strong. John Tanner is one of the most powerful members of Congress -- because he is a Blue Dog and the Democrats need the votes of the Blue Dogs to get legislation to pass the Congress.

Even though we may disagree on some issues, we can agree and make a difference for the children. However we fund universal health insurance -- we must first be responsible for our own personal health. We have to commit to eating better and going to the doctor on a regular basis; and have wellness programs in the communities: preventative medicine. We have to move into the area of preventative medicine. We have to allow people who cannot afford to see a doctor be able to see a doctor. [Ogre's note: So he stands for Hillary-care, it sounds like to me]

He says that he is pro-life and voted against government funding of stem-cell research using aborted babies. If you look at the votes on many recent bills, you will see that the majority of the minority agrees with the Democrat position: like raising the minimum wage. We need to work together, no matter what the press does or says.

"If we all give just a little bit, imagine where we can go."

"Don't forget what this future is for: your children and grandchildren."

[Ogre's note: Damn, I am SO sick of the "for the children" line! It's making me SICK. SHUT UP with "for the children."]

Posted by: Ogre at 11:48 AM

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