One of my fondest memories of Senator Helms was election night 1990 — when Senator Helms just defeated former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gant.

Let me set the scene…

All the major networks had just “called the race” in Helm’s favor. My wife and I, along with other Helms’ loyalists and aides, were in a hotel suite in downtown Raleigh watching the returns with the Senator and his wife “Ms. Dot.”

Helms’ supporters had gathered in the first floor ballroom along with all the NC press corps and other media from across the country and the world. As Dan Rather of CBS reluctantly “called the race” for Helms — I recall seeing a big grin coming over the Senator’s face.

By now, the time had arrived to exit the suite and head downstairs so Senator Helms could once again graciously accept another six year term and thank the people for their supported. We all crowded into the elevator.

When we disembarked and we were immediately swamped by a phalanx of reporters and cameras. I, along with several members of Helms staff, formed a cocoon around the Senator and his wife — working to get them through the crowd to the stage and the awaiting microphones. The crowd was at “fever pitch” crying Jessse, Jesseee!

Helms — who understood the art of seizing the moment” better than almost any other public figure I have been associated with — paused after getting to the stage. He waited for the crowd to quiet down. Then, at precisely the right moment, Senator Helm’s said in his Southern drawl…“I’d have been down here sooner — but I was watching the grieving face of Dan Rather as he announced my re-election to the United States Senate.”

The crowd in the ballroom went nuts.

For conservatives, Jesse Helms was the “real deal.” In this era of “big government conservatism” and “blow - dried politicians,” Jesse Helms was one man that conservatives could always count on. Helms had unwavering belief in America and he didn’t need a poll or consultant to tell him what he believed.

In the opinion of many conservatives, only President Reagan had more impact politically in the last half of twentieth century than did North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms.

After Helms was first elected to the Senate in 1972 he understood that to be effective and to make a difference — he had to learn the rules. In a News and Observer article in 2001 he said,

“If you don’t know the rules somebody can come in who knows the rules and cut you to ribbons.” He continued, “When I woke up and found out I was elected, I started studying the rules. When I got there, Robert Byrd and Jim Allen – both democratic senators – they tortured me, and meanwhile I did everything I could. Dick Russell told me, if you really want to learn the rules, preside over the Senate. So I presided over the Senate.”

Like Reagan, Jesse Helms was a staunch anti-communist who instinctively knew that communism was a politically defunct philosophy and whose worldwide influence would not long endure…and Helms understood that those in captivity would seek freedom. For Helms, every fiber of his being was repulsed by a system that imprisoned its citizens for doing what Americans do everyday – speak their minds. And this he hated most of all – for Jesse Helms was a man who had spent his life working for freedom.

To the “left’s” and Hollywood’s chagrin” Helms unequivocally let you know where he stood…whether it was Cuban dictator Fidel Castro who he referred to as “thug” or Manuel Noriega of Nicaragua who he coined a “nacre-terrorist.” His critics dubbed him “Senator No.” Helms said once that he would rather “be right” than win. Often the media elite and the “left” were cruelly unkind in their pronunciations and descriptions of Senator Helms.

That never bothered Jesse Helms.

Jesse Helms was icon among “cold warriors.” He consistently stood up against the former Soviet Union and China, even while the media elite and the left tried to discredit him as mean spirited and a hardliner. But his passion against communism was never a source of embarrassment to him. He considered the “lefts” criticisms a badge of honor.

It can also be said that politically, Ronald Reagan had no better friend then Jesse Helms. Most of the pundits had written off Ronald Reagan as presidential prospect after his efforts to unseat then President Gerald Ford resulted in a string of defeats in the 1976 Republican primaries. Senator Helms support for Reagan in NC in the 1976 primary produced 52-48 victory for Reagan’s troubled candidacy – propelling him on to the republican convention him in Kansas City where Reagan captured if not the votes the hearts and mind of the delegates with his performance and speech that year. Many would argue that “76 set the stage for Reagan’s victory in the 1980.

The “Reagan Revolution” that followed pulled America out of’ Jimmy Carter’s malaise”, and back on the road to fiscal prosperity. And with Jesse Helm’s help Ronald Reagan hastened the end of communism worldwide.

It is no secret that Helm’s was no fan of United Nations. During his tenure as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Jesse Helms challenged the United Nation’s bureaucracy by refusing to approve the payment of America’s dues. To Helms it was a matter of principal and conscience. Helm’s bottled up appropriations to pay millions of US back dues to United Nations until he got the UN to agree to make substantial reforms.

He also was instrumental in the passage of the Helms-Burton Act that tightened the embargo on Fidel Castro’s Cuba and he worked to scuttle the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1999.

As a statesman, Helms responded to accusations of obstructionism by saying his role was to slow the wheels of diplomacy and carefully consider America’s international commitments. Helms understood that he had the power to help shape US international policy by blocking initiatives and nominees with whom he disagreed.

The senior senator from North Carolina always had time for his constituents and especially for young people. Through the years of his service, the Senate interns and pages loved him. He was one of their favorites on the Capitol Hill.

For those fortunate enough to have known and worked with him, we will remember Senator Helms as an “old school Southern gentlemen” who was principled and polite and courteous – even to those with whom he disagreed.

His Senate colleagues on the opposite side of the isle may have argued with him — but they always knew where he stood. Senator Helms went to Washington — but never became a part of Washington. He remained loyal to his old friends, steadfast in his values and beliefs, and always true in his heart to the people of North Carolina.

The institution of the United States Senate has not been quite the same without him and we in NC are proud of the role that this unique and special “Tarheel” played in the history of our country and on the world stage.

He will be profoundly missed.

MARC ROTTERMAN

Marc Rotterman worked on the national campaign of Reagan for President in 1980, served on the presidential transition team in 1980, worked in the Reagan Administration from 1981-1984, is a senior fellow at the John Locke Foundation in Raleigh, NC and a former member of the board of the American Conservative Union.

On June 7th, 1776, Richard Henry Lee, a representative of the people of the Colony of Virginia, rose in the midst of what History has defined as one of the greatest gatherings of statesmen, the First Continental Congress, and stated these very simple but ominous words: words that would change the course of mankind; “be it resolved, that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states”.

In his time, these words came as a bold and brash challenge to the power of a King: a challenge that in itself put forth the unique notion of self-government by a free people.

Weeks later, on July 4th, through the eloquent and poignant words of young and philosophical Southern Plantation owner, Thomas Jefferson, this eclectic body of men would risk their very lives by attaching their names to the instrument that would forever be enshrined in the hearts of minds of all men, the immortal Declaration of Independence.

Without hesitation and with purpose and strength in unity, they stated to the World; “we hold these truths to be self evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness…appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World for the Rectitude of our Intentions, do, in the Name, and the Authority of the good People of the Colonies, solemnly Publish and Declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be, Free and Independent States”.
During the long and hard fought war, General Washington would faithfully pray for the welfare of his troops; the purpose of their cause; and for strength and wisdom in exercising his leadership. His faith in prayer was never so evident then during the long, cold Winter at Valley Forge. I grew up in the shadow of the very chapel on those hallowed grounds that memorializes his personal devotion to prayer.

In the midst of the hardship of War, in December 1777, the Congress passed a formal Resolution asking for “general thanks to God….that our nations people “may express the grateful feelings of their hearts and consecrate themselves to the service of their divine benefactor”.

Later, when the War was won and the challenge of drafting a Constitution was caught up in contentious, and sectional debates, Benjamin Franklin, our nation’s most wise advocate, appealed to the Constitutional Convention for prayers to “that God that governs the affairs of men”.

Often, President Lincoln, caught in the midst of the greatest civil strife in the history of our Union, would speak of “the Almighty and His own purposes”. And, when the nation came together to honor those who had fallen at Gettysburg, Lincoln spoke of their sacrifices by saying; “we here highly resolve that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom”.

In the 20th Century, when our nation and that of other people’s around the world were faced with tyranny and extinction, the nations of the world came together to destroy that threat of evil. And, in their hour of peril, before they went to meet their enemy, the armies of nations knelt down to pray, lead by another Franklin: President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. And this is what he asked; “Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity. Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith”.

As Benjamin Franklin believed, so I believe “that God governs the affairs of men”…and, if history tells us nothing else, it is this: when a nation turns it’s back on its symbols of honor and God, it is not long to endure.

For more than two-hundred and thirty years, men and women have given their lives for our nation: the United States of America. And, with their sacrifice, they have consecrated that nation, its flag and its symbols with honor.

Unlike our politicians and the lobbyists who selfishly maneuver in a vacuum today in the halls of government, these patriots, these leaders, possessed a dedication of purpose to freedom and liberty; a sense of responsibility to posterity and their fellow man; an unfailing respect for the nation they created and served; and, in the end, an unshakable faith in God.

Today, some argue that public disrespect for our nations leaders; our nation’s symbols; and our nations historic reverence in a belief in God is acceptable and excusable because of our most precious freedom: the freedom of speech.

I think not.

For if we, as a people, can not find common ground in both protecting the symbols of our nation and our citizens who choose to acknowledge, as our Founding Fathers did, the Creator and the Supreme Judge of the World whom has endowed us with “certain unalienable rights of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness”, we as a nation, shall perish!

Dr.. Franklin’s fellow Pennsylvanian’s, and my forefathers, humbly and reverently stated in 1776 in the Preamble of the Constitution of their newly formed State; “let us be forever grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoke his guidance in all we do…”.

And, upon the final vote for our Nation’s Constitution, another document that forever changed the course of mankind, Dr. Franklin warned; “you now have a Republic, if you can keep it”, then immediately lead that august body in prayer. They had drafted a solemn contract between men and their government, based on some very specific freedoms….freedoms that do not preclude the acknowledgement of our faith, nor respect for our nation, our nation’s symbols, and those who died in the cause of its creation and protection.

So, I believe, as the Patriots believed, as generations of Americans have believed, that our Nation’s greatness was founded upon and forever springs from our faith in Divine guidance: Almighty God that gave we, as a people, the wisdom and strength that warm July day in Philadelphia, to proclaim to the World, that “these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states”.

And that’s my opinion.

As Chad points out, the newly passed House moratorium bill is a step in the right direction for residents who value their freedom. I wanted to assuage any doubts on whether or not this bill is an actual moratorium. If the Senate passes and the Gov. signs a bill very similar to what the House has passed, we really will have a pause in this socialistic explosion of government power. As Daren Bakst at the John Locke Foundation makes apparent, this bill, if it becomes law, is only a means to an end.

Even more important though is for the annexation committee to keep meeting and to come up with meaningful annexation reforms that the legislature will pass in 2009.

It’s also important to point out that much of the city council and especially the city manager, want the tool of annexation for increased revenue FIRST and then service expansion second. The proposed Monkey Junction plan is a dead give away to this end. It’s a booming commercial corridor. Service expansion, not needed, nor wanted. If it were, those businesses would have moved inside city limits.

The same reasoning applies for residents who chose to live outside of city limits. Where does the City Council get off usurping individual choices by forcing them to join their service cabal? A service cabal that is very slow to provide promised services, if they provide them at all.

One of the greatest small victories slowing down the march toward socialism in North Carolina occurred yesterday when the general assembly voted to place a moratorium on the process of “forced annexations” which allow cities to annex folks without the folks being annexed having a say. The taxpayer funded League of Municipalities was out in force in the halls of the legislature and were in pretty good shape until the full brunt of citizen activists really got through to the legislators. So, in the late day, citizens won a small victory and the House passed a short (9-month) moratorium on forced annexations.

What does this mean? Locally it means the Monkey Junction annexation that might hurt the pocketbooks of 1300 folks or so might be put on hold. The city council admitted early on that it was about getting more revenue and not about providing services. Services are the primary function of city government. A local angle on the Monkey Junction situation is here.

Carolyn Justice (R-Pender) and Danny McComas (R-New Hanover) voted to support freedom. Sandra Spaulding Hughes (D-New Hanover appointed to replace Thomas Wright) supported the city’s right to forcibly annex you. Wilmington City Councilman Jim Quinn supports forced annexation, “The North Carolina law has been responsible for the health of our cities for many years. Wilmington has prospered as a result of it.”

Mr. Quinn, with all due respect, North Carolina cities have prospered IN SPITE of this terrible law, not because of it. We prosper when citizens have freedom, not when they don’t.

At some point people have to wonder what the heck!!! The earlier story showed two Durham democrat officials were involved in a bit of Satanizing and torture. But wait, there’s more.. . . Yes, believe it or not, there’s more.

Police charged a third person Wednesday in connection with beatings and rape that authorities say were carried out by a satanic cult. Palmer is first vice chair of the Durham County Democratic Party. Johnson resigned her positions as third vice-chair of the Durham County Democratic Party and vice-chair of the Young Democrats following her arrest.

Huh? More Satan Worshipping Lefties (sounds like a great name for a band!)

Could it be SATAN??

The Onion is a fun parody site that often hits really, really close to home and nails the truth in a humorous way. Folks love trains and that’s a great deal of the reason mass transit has appeal to people, mainly because the little trains are sexy. The underlying truth, however, is that they are costly to build, costly to run and only service a small minority of the population while roads languish and commute times grow.

The Onion nails it with this tongue in cheek truth:

WASHINGTON, DC–A study released Monday by the American Public Transportation Association reveals that 98 percent of Americans support the use of mass transit by others.
“Expanding mass transit isn’t just a good idea, it’s a necessity,” Holland said. “My drive to work is unbelievable. I spend more than two hours stuck in 12 lanes of traffic. It’s about time somebody did something to get some of these other cars off the road.”

Read the entire story here.

Yet another week is drawing to a close and the StarNews continues pandering rather than asking tough questions on the Sen. Julia Boseman (D-New Hanover) situation. Not even a passing editorial comment. One has to wonder how long they will ignore the story before they are compelled to write something. The paper was not nearly as reticent when it came to the Thomas Wright situation (D-New Hanover) as they covered that story from beginning to end.

To what extent was there drug use while she was an elected official?

Either Bobbie Dunn (whom Boseman referred to as a reliable witness) has committed perjury or the racist comments from Boseman are true. What is the truth?

Has there been a violation of the custody agreement as alleged by the physical mother of Boseman’s child?

If there were no ethical concerns about living with a powerful lobbyist in Raleigh, then why did she move out suddenly after it was publicly disclosed?

Was holding a fund-raiser at the home of a convicted felon without disclaimers that the event was paid for by Boseman’s campaign an election violation?

There are many, many more questions, but the local mainstream paper should be addressing at least some of these questions as they are NOT partisan in nature. The silence at the StarNews is deafening.

No, wait, they aren’t in the news. But they should be.

The Star-News, which continues to run in-depth, well-researched stories (a pic of the staff hard at work), put out a story on the most dangerous intersections in the city. The story essentially recycles the Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization’s 2007 Crash Report. The real analysis in the story comes from a few paragraphs about safety improvements and road widenings. Nothing was said about the impact of the costly SafeLight program on intersection safety. SafeLight is Wilmington’s red-light camera program. Much of local leadership feels like the program is a worthwhile investment because of its effect on reducing traffic accidents at intersections. This study, of course, offers the opportunity to see just how helpful the program is.

And what do the numbers show?

Numbers from 2007 show that total collisions are down at all red-light camera intersections. But the new Crash Report shows that four of the ten intersections using SafeLight represent four of the top fifteen most dangerous intersections. Market Street and Gordon comes in at 6 with 30 total crashes in 2007; College and Oleander at 7 with 27; 3rd and Wooster at 8 with 25; and 3rd and Dawson at 14 with 20.

So what does this tell us? It appears that while red-light camera monitored intersects have reduced accidents, intersections across the board appear to be experiencing less accidents as well. Having red-light cameras may reduce accidents, but it doesn’t make the intersection that much safer comparatively. How exactly red-light cameras effect these numbers isn’t really known, but we can at least say that their effect is mitigated by lower crash rates almost across the board.

Is the program worth the cost? And what about research that shows that red-light cameras make intersections less safe? Just some issues that residents should consider, and maybe would have considered, if the Star-News had done a better job providing information to residents.

Fresh home after spending $279k in taxpayer money, Mary Easley, the state’s first lady, receives a $79k pay raise at NC State University. The story broke over at Carolina Journal, another scoop by Don Carrington.

Ms. Easley began working at NCSU three years ago with the title of executive-in-residence/senior lecturer. Until June 30 her salary was $90,300, but as of July 1 it was raised 88 percent to $170,000. Her position title remains the same, according to records.

The First Lady, Mary Easley.

Now that’s a raise in supposedly “tough economic times” for the rest of us according to Easley. The story has now appeared at WRAL and on the News&Observer’s website. Southport residents are used to seeing Mrs. Easley and many in the area are used to her co-hosting the July 4th parade on WWAY-TV3. Wonder if any curious questions will come up? Will she be spending less time in Southport? Less time on the gov’s plane? Your tax money hard at work!

It would be exceedingly rare to hear folks say the following about building anything along the coast, “We gotta have it to keep a lot of the jobs and the tourists that come to Carolina Beach.” But if you’re talking about using taxpayer money to dredge up inlets and rivers, then it’s apparently completely appropriate. Such is the case with nearly $18.5 million in the upcoming 2009 federal budget for coastal infrastructure projects in Southeastern North Carolina.

Back along Carolina Beach’s Yacht Basin, Mike Davis, the first mate of the charter boat Bird Dog II, said it wouldn’t take long for the nearby inlet to become a safety hazard if the periodic dredging by the corps, which was funded this fiscal year, is allowed to lapse. Noting that the channel was blasted open in the 1950s, Davis said the inlet is constantly in flux as it is battered by winds and waves.

The first quote was an actual quote from Bill Carlson of Cape Fear Divers and referred to underwater dredging, not development. In context:

“Everything in this harbor is dependent on it,” he said, motioning up and down the docks to the commercial, charter and diving boats tied up in the town’s Yacht Basin. “We gotta have it to keep a lot of the jobs and the tourists that come to Carolina Beach.”

Dredging all the way up the Cape Fear to keep the port of Wilmington open, creating artificial inlets open, blasting the bottom out of inlets is apparently ok at the coast, but if you try to alter the land in any way or, God forbid, any beachfront lots, the enviros will scream!