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Monday: Sense of hearing?
posted at 2007-12-17 23:18 | Last modified 2007-12-17 23:27
The US House voted 252-154 tonight to approve a spending measure (part of an omnibus package) that includes cash relief for NC farmers who lost their crops to the drought.
Eighty-five of NC’s 100 counties are already designated federal disaster areas because of the drought, so farmers there are already eligible for low-interest federal assistance loans. But 2nd District Dem. Congressman Bob Etheridge says NC farmers are already deep in debt, and they don’t need more of it – what they need is money to help pay this year’s bills and start over in ’08.
Etheridge held a press conference today to talk about the bill. He was joined by NC Farm Bureau president Larry Wooten, who said the grants could help preserve not just farms, but farmland, too. Wooten says the cash will help in the short-term, but in the long run, the only thing that’ll save NC farms is something money can’t buy – rain.
Wooten also cited a new study from the NC Agriculture Dept. which says the drought has cost NC around $573 million so far - $382 million in farm losses, plus $191M in losses to ag-related businesses. And that doesn’t even include poultry or livestock, the latter of which is in deep trouble because of a hay shortage.
Etheridge said some interesting things today about water conservation. He sees water becoming a more valuable resource than oil, because, as he put it, “You can live without oil if you really have to.” You can hear his comment here.
Etheridge gives the spending package pretty good odds in the Senate and the White House, not least because it's the replacement for a stopgap spending measure set to expire Friday. Stay tuned.
Meck mess redux
The Meck Sheriff story just keeps getting hotter. Char-O’s Gary Wright reports a Charlotte judge is threatening to hold Sheriff-elect Nick Mackey in contempt after Mackey failed to appear to represent a client at a court date last Thursday, and then showed up late to court Friday as well.
Mackey could’ve gotten out of the contempt hearing, according to Wright:
“Moore said he gave Mackey a choice: pay a $100 fine for failing to appear in court or a hearing on criminal contempt would be scheduled. Mackey, the judge said, opted for the hearing."
Of course, Mackey had plenty of other issues on his plate late last week. On Thursday, he was turned down for a required surety bond on account of his past credit problems. Friday, he announced he’d secured a equivalent bond from another agent, and urged county commissioners to move forward and approve his nomination.
Meantime, Mackey’s supporters are sticking with him. Char-O’s Sharif Durhams writes two hundred or so showed up Sunday night for a rally in Mackey’s support.
Speaking of hearings…
The "House Select Com. to Investigate Alleged Misconduct and Other Matters Included in Indictments Against Rep. Thomas Wright” (insert snappy acronym here, please) holds its inaugural public hearing Tuesday at 4pm. (Which is a great time to meet if you’re hoping to miss the news cycle. But I digress.)
Dome says the agenda is mostly housekeeping and scheduling, not material testimony. But with the committee evenly split (3 Ds, 3 Rs) it’ll be interesting to get a sense of the interparty dynamics that could come into play later in the process. (Hat Tip: Tim Boyum at News14.)
Edwards: Southern Dems’ best hope?
PPP’s new numbers show former NC Senator John Edwards picking up steam among NC voters – and bringing in more GOP votes than either Obama or Clinton, regardless of the match-up.
PPP President Dean Debnam says Edwards is the Dems’ best hope for taking NC (no Dem presidential candidate has won here since Carter in 1976). Clinton and Obama come in at statistical dead heats (at best) against Romney, Giuliani, and Huckabee. Also interesting: among general election voters, the undecided voter numbers are dwindling fast, which means folks are starting to pay attention. The full findings are here.
Today’s numbers also put GOP Sen Elizabeth Dole well ahead of would-be Dem challengers State Sen Kay Hagan, 51-39, and Jim Neal, 52-37 (MOE: 4.5%).
I’m no pollster, but it’s interesting that Dole’s numbers don’t change with her challenger, which supports my argument that Dems won’t win this race - Dole has to lose it. So far, that doesn’t look likely. Yes, you can argue (and many do) that she hasn’t done much for NC lately…but on the campaign trail, she’s as close to a rock star as you get outside of presidential politics.
Black in PA
Want to send Jim Black a Christmas card? You can find the address in today’s article by Char-O’s David Ingram on the former speaker’s adjustment to life in a federal prison.
Politics aside, it’s actually a pretty sad story. Sure, Black’s paying the price for what he did. But his wife and kids are, too -- and sorry, but I can’t help but feel for them this holiday season.
Comments? Drop me a line.
