HB 298 will test GOP leadership

via Beaufort Observer

April 28, 2013

Depending on how this week’s action plays out, the story of HB 298 (The Affordable and Reliable Energy Act) may be the most significant thing to come out of the 2013 session. That’s a pretty far reaching statement, but consider this.

Many Republicans ran for office on a platform of putting a stop to “business as usual” wherein Big Money interests controlled what happened in the Legislature. But at this point in time, a small group of Republicans in the House have killed HB 298 by voting against it in committee. But a substantial majority of Republicans is said to favor the bill. Thus, what is set up is a real test of the Republican leadership in both the House and Senate. (continue reading…)

A Presentation for the NC General Assembly explaining why decisions on science should be based on real science.

VITTER: Endangered Species Act’s hidden costs

Respect for private property at risk

At least you have to give President Obama high marks for creativity in his latest attempt to curtail freedom and individual rights. Specifically, I’m talking about Mr. Obama’s assault on private property rights through the abuse of the Endangered Species Act.

I strongly support protecting endangered species. No one I know wants to see a species go anywhere near extinction. The far-left environmentalists in the Obama administration, however, have gone way beyond this by settling litigation with their allies in environmental groups behind closed doors. Through these secret settlements, they are advancing a much more radical, aggressive agenda than anything that is actually mandated by law.

This is a tactic called “sue-and-settle,” and it has become a central tool used to advance the radical environmental agenda. This is how it works: Far-left environmental groups sue the federal government — in this case, under the Endangered Species Act — claiming that the government is not satisfying its regulatory obligations. Then the groups and their friends in the administration draft a settlement agreement completely behind closed doors. No other stakeholder or representative of the public is provided the opportunity to shed light on how they might be impacted. The parties then get the judge to bless their agreement. That’s usually easy, since he doesn’t get to hear any opposing arguments and is often eager to get rid of what would otherwise be a complicated, time-consuming case. (continue reading…)

By Dr. Roy Cordato

Jan. 22nd, 2013

RALEIGH — Over the past several weeks, there has been a good deal of global warming news, some that focused on the year immediately passed — 2012 — and some that focused on years to come. But in all probability the only headline you have seen regarding any of this read something like this one from The Weather Channel: “2012: Warmest Year on Record for U.S.” Several weeks ago this news covered the pages of newspapers. All the networks spread the same idea.

But, as noted, over the past several weeks there have been other global warming-related stories, and the one regarding 2012 temperature in the lower 48 states of the United States was probably the least important. After all, the issue is global warming, not warming in the U.S., and on that score the news was quite different.

So here’s a headline you probably didn’t see: “2012: 9th Warmest on Record Globally Since 1979.” The reason why you didn’t see this or a similar headline in any major media outlet is because, as far as I’ve been able to tell, the story, while completely true, went unreported.

But according to the satellite temperature record, kept since 1979, 2012 was only the ninth warmest year on record. Here are the years since 1979 ranked by average global temperature — warmest to coolest. (continue reading…)

Proposed Insurance Rate Increase for 2012

The entire basis for the proposed rate increase is based on flawed data and analysis. First, the increase cites the increased cost of replacing property due to the increased risk of wind and flood damage in coastal NC due to hurricanes. In fact, wind and flood damage in NC is not limited to hurricanes on the coast as history shows that wind damage from hurricanes often takes its toll well inland, west of I-95. In addition, wind and flood damage is not limited to hurricanes, but includes other wind event such as tornadoes that often occur west of I-95. Second, to claim that wind and flood on the coast puts insurance companies at higher risks is a fallacy since most insurance companies have abandoned homeowners to the “wind pool” and flood insurance is covered by federal flood insurance. The insurance companies are at no higher risk due to these events because they no longer insure homeowners against these risks. To use the unproved claim that the coast is at higher risk to wind and flood damage and therefore the claims against insurance companies is higher is an out right untruth since the insurance companies are not responsible for damages from these events.

More disturbing, however, is the timing of this proposed rate increase. During the election for a new Insurance Commissioner, this seems to be a win-win strategy for the current Insurance Commissioner. Mr. Wayne Goodwin has already touted his undocumented savings to homeowners in numerous television ads. Now he is afforded the opportunity by the insurance companies and the insurance Rate Board to deny all or part of the proposed ridiculous homeowner insurance rate (30% for coastal NC). Mr. Goodwin can deny all or part of the proposed increase, then release new political ads on how he again saved the homeowners of NC millions of dollars in premiums. While all along, you the homeowner will be paying more for insurance that not the insurance companies are liable for but that will be paid under the Federal Flood Insurance and “Wind-Pool” Insurance programs, and by all the taxpayers in NC and the USA. In the end, it is we the people who pay, while giving Mr. Wayne Goodwin another false issue on which to campaign.

Kenneth Lang

NC Friends:

Below is a slightly edited announcement from the town manager of Pine Knoll Shores.

It applies to ALL NC coastal property owners. Please see if you can attend.

Please also pass this on to other NC coastal property owners you know.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As many of you have heard, coastal insurance rates are being targeted for another major increase.  The message below my signature block provides detail.

You may contact the NC Insurance Commissioner to voice your opposition (which was effective in preventing a much more substantial increase just last year).  The blue/bold text below tells you how to do this.

Next week an organization called NC-20 is holding a symposium in Morehead City that addresses a number of issues significant to coastal NC.  NC-20 is an organization that advocates for many coastal groups on legislative/policy issues such as stormwater management, sea-level rise, and the fight that occurs almost annually over insurance rate increases.

I have found NC-20 to be the best source of information for the lay-person (i.e., not in the insurance industry) to understand these complex issues.

Note that the symposium costs $35 (which includes lunch), and that other important coastal issues besides the insurance rate increase will be covered.

Brian Kramer

Town Manager

Pine Knoll Shores, NC

OCTOBER 5, 2012

Higher Property Insurance Rates Proposed

The NC Rate Bureau submitted a Homeowners Insurance Rate Filing with the NC Department of Insurance on Monday, October 1st. The filing represents an average 17.7% increase statewide in property insurance rates. (continue reading…)

By David Ranii – dranii@newsobserver.com

Tags: homeowners insurance | Wayne Goodwin

Insurers are seeking rate increases for homeowner’s insurance in North Carolina that range from a high of 30 percent in coastal counties to a low of 1.2 percent.

The hefty rate increase being sought along the coast fits a long-term pattern that has frustrated and outraged coastal communities that contend the rates homeowners pay already are unjustifiably high. (continue reading…)

Learn why wind energy is not the solution proponents say it is…

http://ptcfacts.info/

Wow!  Your grassroots pressure on NC House Republicans to fight Agenda 21 is really working!

As I told you in a previous email, the Local Food Policy Council is an advisory board funded by taxpayers operating under the authority of the NC Department of Agriculture.  The Council’s job is to provide advice to policymakers with the goal of strengthening NC farms and local food producers.

This past Wednesday, the NC House was scheduled to vote on HB 1098, a bill which would have re-inserted pro-Agenda 21 “sustainability” language into the charter of the NC Local Sustainable Food Policy Council.

Wednesday morning, Campaign for Liberty members bombarded House Republicans with phone calls and emails demanding that the House adopt Rep. Glen Bradley’s amendment to remove the progressive Agenda 21 language from the bill, or kill it completely.  As a result, House leadership backed off, and pulled the bill from last Wednesday’s agenda.  Your pressure worked!

At first, they rescheduled the bill to be voted on next Wednesday.  But now that Campaign for Liberty members have HB 1098 on their radar, NC House Republicans are trying to hide the Agenda 21 language we’re fighting in another bill, scheduled for an earlier vote.

The new bill we need to target is SB 491, and it’s scheduled for a floor vote on Monday, June 18th.

To that end, I need you to do two things:

First, contact your NC House Representative and instruct him/her to either support Rep. Glen Bradley’s amendment to remove Agenda 21 language from SB 491, or vote against the bill.  You can look up your Representative’s contact information here.

Next, contact Rep. Thom Tillis at 919-733-3451 or by email at Thom.Tillis@ncleg.net and tell him to oppose Agenda 21 in NC!

We don’t have a lot of time, but our goal is still the same.  It’s time to turn the heat all the way up, so that the politicians in Raleigh understand that it’s more controversial to ignore the progressive left’s Agenda 21 than it is to stand up for private property rights and individual liberty!

Time is of the essence, so call now!

In Liberty,

Adam Love
NC State Coordinator
Campaign for Liberty

P.S.  NC House Republicans are trying to pass pro-Agenda 21 legislation SB 491, scheduled for a vote Monday, 6/18!  Contact Speaker Thom Tillis at 919-733-3451 or by email at Thom.Tillis@ncleg.net as well as your own NC House Representative and tell them to oppose Agenda 21 in NC!