Sen. Daniel Newsletter 5-13-2011

Burke MAY 13, 2011

DISTRICT 44

Caldwell MAY 13, ISSUE #2

Dear Friends,

Warren and Jima veteran, Write captions for theIwo selected photos.

Bill Henderson CONTACT INFORMATION:

Senator Warren T. Daniel Legislative Office Bldg., Room 411 300 N. Salisbury St. Raleigh, NC 27603-5925 Email: warren.daniel@ncleg.net Phone: 919-715-7823 Fax: 919-754-3265

District Office of Sen. Warren Daniel 348 Harper Avenue NW Lenoir, NC 28645 Email: senwarrendaniel@bellsouth.net Phone: 828-754-9335 Fax 828-754-9335 (Please call before faxing) www.facebook.com

Once again it has been a very busy week in the General Assembly.

Here are a few of the major issues that I believe we are all concerned about.

On Tuesday, the Senate passed SB709, the Energy Jobs Act. As you may have noticed recently, gas prices are skyrocketing towards $4 per gallon, putting tremendous pressure on your wallets and slowing our economic recovery here in North Carolina. With continued unrest in the Middle East and summer quickly approaching, it is unlikely we will experience a decrease in fuel prices any time soon. President Obama continues to refuse to tackle the real problem by failing to support efforts to utilize America’s own energy supplies. SB709 is a bipartisan bill that urges Governor Perdue to partner with our neighboring states and lobby the President to open North Carolina’s coast for natural gas exploration.

It is estimated that there are 5 trillion cubic feet of recoverable natural gas off the North Carolina coast. New exploration will slowly decrease our dependence on foreign oil, will create thousands of new jobs and bring billions of new dollars into our state’s economy.

As you know, ObamaCare has yet to be repealed and cases challenging this law will likely end up in the U. S. Supreme Court. In March, the Governor vetoed the Health Care Freedom Act that would have given North Carolina citizens the right to opt out of the unconstitutional portions of this law. Since our Attorney General has also refused to support our constitutional rights as North Carolina Citizens, yesterday, the leadership of the General Assembly (Senate President ProTem Phil Berger (R-Rockingham), Senate Majority Leader Harry Brown (ROnslow), House Speaker Thom Tillis (R-Mecklenburg) and House Majority Leader Paul Stam (R-Wake)) filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of the 26 states suing the Federal government to stop the implementation of the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.” The brief was filed with the 11th Circuit U. S. Court of Appeals in Atlanta.

** http://bit.ly/SenDaniel (For pictures, more news, resources)

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THINGS A MOM WOULD NEVER SAY “How on earth can you see the TV sitting so far back?”

“I don’t have a tissue with me – just use your sleeve.”

“Well, if Andy’s mom says it’s okay, that’s good enough for me.”

“Go ahead and keep the stray dog, honey. I will be glad to feed and walk it every day.”

“Just leave the lights on – it makes the house look more cheery.”

“Yeah, I used to skip school a lot, too.”

“Don’t bother wearing a jacket – the wind-chill is bound to improve.”

Sen. Daniel was very pleased to be able to meet with Sheriff Alan Jones (Caldwell), Sheriff John McDevitt (Burke) and Sheriff Coy Reid (Catawba) this past week!

Burke

DISTRICT 44

MAY 13, 2011

The House Majority Leader put it best, “North Carolinians are citizens.

They are not subjects of Washington, D.C. who can be ordered under threat of fines and penalties to buy things they do not want and cannot afford.” Just this week it was also reported that Governor Perdue hired Stephen Neumann, a Chicago area attorney and former Obama campaign director, to serve as her tax-payer funded, $120,000-per year senior advisor. Perhaps now we know why our Governor is not standing up for our health care freedom.

In regard to the budget, it is now time for big government groups, unions and other critics to stop their unfair attacks and criticisms of the budget process. Our state Fiscal Research Division shows that the total proposed spending cuts for this year are only about 5%, as opposed to the 15% many opponents want you to believe. Last year’s budget spent about 20.5 billion dollars; this year’s budget proposal would spend 19.3 billion.

There is still a lot of discussion and work to be done on the budget, and I believe that the final product will be favorably viewed by the majority of our taxpayers.

Caldwell Page 2 Links for Looking

Visit www.ncprays.org to subscribe to a daily prayer schedule for your legislators Go to http://goo.gl/HTniK to listen to a recent radio interview with Sen. Daniel on WPTF in Raleigh.

Unfortunately, in this difficult economy, with a budget deficit of close to $3 billion, and many years of irresponsible overspending by state leadership, every department in North Carolina government will have some cuts to its budget. The average citizen across the state has been making similar adjustments to their own budgets over the past three years, many of whom have been unemployed for extended periods of time. Our families determine how much income they will have and then decide how to spend it. Government decides how much they want to spend, and then they go and take it from the taxpayer. We need to reverse this trend.

Go to www.ncleg.net and look to the bottom left of the page to see links to budget information.

In regard to the one-cent sales tax, there are a number of reasons why I do not feel that it is good economic policy to extend it. Keep in mind that the state sales tax stood at 3 cents from approximately 1930 to 1994, and since that time has been raised to 5.75 cents. A one-cent sales tax increase would raise approximately 1 billion dollars in revenue. This tax increase amounts to about a 5% tax increase on our citizens. For a population of 9.5 million, this is about $105 for every man, woman and child. For a family of four, this is the equivalent of a rent or car payment, or a month or two of groceries.

The State of North Carolina is indebted to the federal government in the amount of 2.6 billion dollars for unemployment benefits?”

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“Did you know?

Burke

DISTRICT 44

MAY 13, 2011

The one-cent sales tax is also a regressive tax that disproportionately affects our low-income, unemployed, and elderly citizens by reducing jobs in the retail sector and other industries; increasing the price of food and manufactured goods; and reducing investment in the North Carolina economy. Proponents of the tax state that “it is only a penny.” But the cost of the sales tax cannot be measured solely at the point of sale. Much of the cost of this tax is already imbedded in the cost of goods and services. I believe that we need to send a message to the economic and business community that North Carolina is not going to always raise taxes whenever the budget gets tough. The Governor and the previous Democrat-controlled legislature, who have never let a “temporary” tax expire, promised two years ago that this tax would end. We’re keeping their promise.

While these tough budget times are difficult for all of our citizens, it is my hope (and the hope of many legislators), that these times will pass and that the clouds of recession will roll back into clear skies of steady economic growth. But the path to this destination is not the continued path of more taxes, more spending and more debt. We have tried this approach in North Carolina for the past 15 years, and we now have higher taxes and more debt than any time in our state's history. Winston Churchill once said that "for a country to try and tax its way to prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket trying to lift himself up by the handle." It is time to try a new approach, and to send a signal to the business world that North Carolina is open for business.

Ultimately it accomplishes nothing to have highly educated graduates who have no economic opportunities within the borders of our state.

I hope everyone has a restful weekend and I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to serve you here in the North Carolina General Assembly.

Sincerely,

3

Caldwell Page 3

United States Military Academy Bugle Notes (required memorization for all cadets)

Three Rules of Thumb: 1. Does this action attempt to deceive anyone or allow anyone to be deceived?

2. Does this action gain or allow the gain of a privilege or advantage to which I or someone else would not otherwise be entitled?

3. Would I be satisfied by the outcome if I were on the receiving end of this action?

Leadership Principles: 1. Know yourself and seek selfimprovement.

2. Be technically and tactically proficient.

3. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions.

4. Make sound and timely decisions.

5. Set the example.

6. Know your soldiers and look out for their well-being.

7. Keep your subordinates informed.

8. Develop a sense of responsibility in your subordinates.

9. Ensure that the task is understood, supervised, and accomplished.

10. Build the team.

11. Employ your unit in accordance with its capabilities.

Shortly before 2am on Feb. 19, 1945, the Navy's big guns opened up on Iwo Jima again, signaling the beginning of D-Day. After an hour of punishment, the fire was lifted, leaving Iwo smoking as if the entire island were on fire.

Both Americans aboard their transports and the Japanese in their caves looked to the skies now. One-hundred-ten bombers screamed out of the sky to drop more bombs. After the planes left, the big guns of the Navy opened up again. At 8:30am, the order, "Land the Landing Force," sent the first wave of Marines towards the deadly shores. Once ashore, the Marines were bedeviled by the loose volcanic ash. Unable to dig foxholes, they were sitting ducks for the hidden Japanese gunners. Heavy fire made it impossible to land men in an orderly manner. Confusion reigned on the beaches. The battle was unique in its setting. One hundred thousand men fighting on a tiny island one-third the size of Manhattan. For 36 days Iwo Jima was one of the most populated 7.5 miles on earth.

More US Marines earned the Medal of Honor on Iwo Jima than in any other battle in US History. In 36 days of fighting there were 25,851 US casualties (1 in 3 were killed or wounded). [At left: The first flag raising on Mt. Suribachi. The act was redone so a photo could be made.]