#NCGA: The abortion motorcycle rides again. (Um, sort of.)
There’s a rather, um, neat trick perpetrated on Jones Street, Capitol Hill, and in legislative bodies all over the country. Find an issue that the chamber is split on, and combine it with another issue the chamber is split on. Make it all one big legislative package, and have ONE overall vote. Let’s take the “abortion motorcycle” kerfluffle from last year on Jones Street that really had the lefties and drive-bys in a wad. Vote FOR the bill, and you are PRO-LIFE and PRO-motorcycle safety. Vote AGAINST the bill, and you are PRO-ABORTION and ANTI-motorcycle safety. A predicament is created for folks who like one part, but not the other. See how it works?
We had another case recently. The General Assembly in Raleigh was considering an “economic development package” that was very important to the governor. It also included a cap on tax increases at the local level. Don’t like 
the sales tax cap, but want to help the governor get his economic development package? You’re in a bind.
Well, it happened again this week. The honorables were considering the merits of a “farm bill” — championed by many an agriculture interest in the state. But, there was one especially interesting — yet unrelated –tidbit slipped in there. A Jones Street insider fills us in:
“It was a requirement for landscapers to get licensed. Yes, that’s right. A licensing board, regulations, fees, and licenses for people who cut grass for a living. Apparently, someone heard a landscaper expressing frustration about not being able to bid on state work because a license was required. Instead of killing off all licensing requirements for landscaping, the requirements have been expanded to everybody.”
I pay my yard guy cash and carry. Why would he need a license? Licensing would cause prices to go up and it would make him pay taxes. Leave these guys alone and let them make a living without regulation. Sounds to me like the GOP wants to set up some more agencies to ride around hassling guys on lawnmowers.
Big government gets bigger in order to crack down on guys cutting your grass.
When I was growing up, neighborhood kids mowed lawns to make some extra money. Will they need to get licenses, too?
All this license crap reminds me of the medieval guild system. It is anti-free enterprise and anti-freedom. I hope Civitas rates it as a liberal vote in their rating.
This should be called the illegal alien FULL UN-EMPLOYMENT bill!!
Isn’t this the way things worked when the Democrats were in control in Raleigh? More regulation, fees, tax increases? Is a Republican tax increase and expansion of government worse than a Democrat tax increase and expansion of government? I thought we were promised something different. The Carolina Comeback seems more like The Carolina Kickback (to politicians) to me.
My sentiments exactly. In fact I just sent my Senator and Representative an article talking about the Republican legislation creating new and novel tax and fee schemes. My only statement was “is this what we voted for?” It’s not different on the national level. Each party contributes equally to expanding government at every level and devises every possible way to extort money from those rightfully earning it. Both parties pander to special interests of every kind and both are just as guilty. The only avenue left for us is to register unaffiliated and demand smaller government. Unaffiliated voters scare both parties and with the Rs losing members in 51 counties and the Ds losing members in all 100 counties, you better believe it worries them. 27% unaffiliated in NC currently with the number growing every day.
The key is getting conservative candidates. You will not get those any more in a Democrat primary. If we work hard, we MIGHT get them in a Republican primary. There are no viable independent / unaffiliated candidates for major offices. The only shot right now to get conservative small government candidates tp vote for is by working in the GOP. Registering unaffiliated is a cowards way out that accomplishes nothing UNTIL there start being some viable conservative independent / unaffiliated candidates running in November. There were numerous good targets for that this election such as Skip Stam, one of the most liberal members of the NC House, and the 2nd and 9th Congressional districts. Until there is a viable conservative organization to recruit and help independent conservative candidates, registering unaffiliated is just sabotaging the conservative cause.
Correction – Stam is one of the most liberal Republicans in the NC House. There are lots of Democrats to his left, but only one other Republican. Yet he represents a very conservative district. There is no Democrat even running in that district, so he would seem a prime target for either a GOP primary challenge or an independent conservative general election challenge.
We need to identify a simple test to apply to proposed legislation. A rule of thumb. Does it increase liberty or decrease Liberty. A simple measure to judge that one element of all proposals. other elements can then be considered as well.
I hear NBC has already started production of a new series: Law and Order – Landscaper Enforcement Division.
The series will follow a North Carolina team of landscape investigators who sneak around catching people cutting grass without a license. The series is being filmed in Raleigh and NBC has already been granted $25,000,000 in state incentives plus free passes on all toll roads.
Do we know who slipped this provision into the bill?
After reading this I called some of my friends in the GA to ask that exact question.
Who slipped this in the farm bill?
Moore County look no further than in the mirror!
Yours Truly,
Senator Tillman and Representative Boles
“Yes, that’s right. A licensing board, regulations, fees, and licenses for people who cut grass for a living.”
AND of course this means mandatory , yearly “continuing education….” requiring test makers and proctors…
HEY a Make work program!