Eminent domain abuse in San Diego

A boxing gym for at-risk kids in the National City area of San Diego is fighting a bogus blight designation by the city, which wants to turn the area over to developers in hopes of increasing their tax base. But the kids and their boxing coaches are punching back. Watch the video and then read important research by the John Locke Foundation’s Daren Bakst which argues for a constitutional amendment to protect North Carolina from this kind of shameless government land grab.

Are airplanes like crack cocaine for politicians?

After watching how the fast-and-loose use of airplanes has proved hugely troublesome for two straight governors of North Carolina, and now watching a U.S. Senator also get in trouble in an aviation sense, I think airplanes have replace sex, money and drugs as the biggest temptation for politicians:

In a conference call with reporters, Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill just disclosed that she failed to pay $287,000 in property taxes related to her co-ownership of a private aircraft. This scandal comes quickly on the heels of recent revelations that McCaskill improperly billed taxpayers for use of the same private aircraft, for which McCaskill reimbursed the Treasury $88,000.

Tonight in Raleigh & Holly Springs: Town Hall Meetings w/ Rep. David Price

Rep. David Price, the Democrat who represents the 4th District in the U.S. Congress, is holding town hall meetings tonight.

5:15 pm tonight — Laurel Hills Community Center in Raleigh

7:30 pm tonight — Holly Springs Cultural Center

Federal Plastic Bag Tax Coming?

Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA) is still intent on pushing for a 5-cent tax on plastic bags. (emphasis is mine)

Last Congress, Moran introduced the “Plastic Bag Reduction Act of 2009,” which would place a 5 cent fee on “single use” bags from grocery stores and other retail outlets in order to encourage reusable bag use. The “Plastic Bag Reduction Act of 2009,” would allocate the funding generated to land and water conservation programs, to pay down the national debt, and to cover the costs for local businesses to implement the program. Rep. Moran intends to re-introduce the legislation this year.

Rep. Renee Ellmers in Pittsboro Tuesday Evening

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers, who represents the 2nd District of North Carolina, will appear Tuesday evening at an event sponsored by the Chatham County Republican Women. Here’s hoping she discusses the next moves she will support to begin addressing this country’s nearly $15 trillion in debt, as well as her thoughts on defunding the federal health insurance law.