Most individuals are not aware of the extreme legislation recently passed by the Republican leaders. Please read the following information carefully; it explains in great detail how working families are suffering at the hands of the Republican leaders in the North Carolina legislature.

Many individuals who voted Republican in the 2012 election did not thoroughly understand what a Republican dominated legislature would do to our state. And unfortunately, many are still not fully aware of what happened in 2013. The Republican leaders had a message in 2012 that resonated with many voters: tax reform, cut spending, smaller government, create jobs.

This message sounded great to many voters, but what has been the result of actions taken by the legislature to implement this agenda? Tax reform has meant decreasing the taxes of wealthy individuals and large corporations, and increasing the taxes of many middle and lower income individuals and small businesses. This “reverse Robin Hood” approach can be referred to as the “McCrory Middle Income Tax Hike.” Cutting spending has resulted in cutting jobs: many teachers, teacher aids, university personnel, and other state employees have lost their jobs. Smaller government has meant reduced support for those who have come upon hard times and diminished opportunity for one to rise from lower income levels to the middle class. Job creation from legislative action has been very minimal.

It is important that we inform our neighbors, family, friends, and acquaintances of the agenda being advanced by the Republican leaders. We should use whatever media is available to get the message out: email to everyone we know, FaceBook, Twitter, YouTube videos, town hall meetings that reporters cover, letters, telephone calls, door-to-door house visits, speeches, small group gatherings, letters to newspapers, and any other means of communication available to you. WE must do more than we have done in the past if we are to replace the Republican leaders.

America is a great country; it offers three things that are very important for all Americans:

First, this country offers tremendous opportunity. In one generation, one can rise from a poverty, low-income household to the middle class. We have an educational system that allows a child from a poverty background to become a systems analyst, web developer, teacher, bank manager, newspaper reporter, television anchor, nurse, physician, attorney, engineer, marketing analyst, accountant, chemist, financial analyst, business manager, economist. With hard work and the opportunity that this country offers, one can move up the economic ladder and achieve a comfortable life style.

John Boehner, Herman Cain, Harry Reid, Marco Rubio, Elizabeth Warren, and President Barak Obama have something in common: they all started out in very humble circumstances, but through the American opportunity ladder, they all achieved remarkable success.

Secondly, this country offers a safety net, both for the poor and for those who were formerly middle income, but have fallen on hard times. These federal and state programs are designed to help those who cannot help themselves; they include food stamps, unemployment compensation, Medicaid, free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch at school, Head start, Pell grants, and a variety of others.

Thirdly, this country offers one the opportunity to mass great wealth. It can come from inheritance, athletic ability, coaching skills, musical talent, acting ability, starting successful businesses, managing large enterprises, stock market and real estate investing, writing, performing medical services, providing legal representation and advice, and many other areas.

Our capitalist, free enterprise system allows one the freedom to pursue his dreams, and some individuals, through hard work, can become very successful.

It is great that our country supports a safety net for the unfortunate, that it provides a staircase for climbing the economic ladder, and that success at the highest level is indeed possible.

Republican leaders fully support those who have made it to the top. However, their legislative actions limit the freedom of North Carolinas to move to the middle class, they reduce the opportunity of individuals to remain in the middle class, and they destroy much of the safety net. If the Republican leaders remain in power, fewer people will have the freedom to ascend the economic ladder.

Measures that the Republican leaders have taken that are hurting North Carolinians can be viewed here.
View the details page for additional information about these issues.