Andy Wells Former NC Senator

Last Friday Mark Robinson told his supporters at a rally in Raleigh: ‘Tell our enemies this nation is not yours. You did not build it. You did not defend it and you will not own it. The Christian Patriots will own and rule this nation.’

So, who exactly are Mark Robinson’s ‘Christian Patriots’?

It’s not any religion that is not Christian: Not a single Jew. No Mormons. Forget about Hindus or Buddhists. Robinson cut them all out.

It’s also not all Christians – no, it’s only those Christians that Mark Robinson authorizes as his Patriots.

Is it right to tell a combat veteran that happens to be Jewish, Unitarian, atheist, or even Christian ‘you did not defend it and you will not own it’?

Is it right for you to tell people who were born in America and grew up in America that they aren’t part of America?

That’s a radical idea. Actually, it’s beyond radical. It cuts into the very foundations of America.

And this proposal is not some odd notion being shouted by a protestor standing on a street corner waving a sign. This foundational change in our country is being shouted by North Carolina’s Lt. Governor, the highest elected Republican in our state, who wants to be the Governor of North Carolina.

Ask yourself: How much damage could be inflicted by Governor Mark Robinson?

This is a speech by a man that is both angry and clever.

Lt. Governor Mark Robinson was introduced as ‘a spiritual John the Baptist.’ Then, speaking, Robinson depicted himself as a fire-breathing Christian. Robinson said the words he speaks are not his words they’re God’s words.

When you disagree with Mark Robinson, you disagree with God.

He goes on, I’m going to protect the Constitution, preach the message of Christ and kick people in the teeth who disagree.

To those who disagree with him, he says: If you don’t like it, you can leave. You won’t be missed. This nation is not yours. You did not build it. You did not defend it. And you will not own it. We will.

When a politician tells you disagreeing with him is the same as disagreeing with God, you may want to take that with a grain of salt. It’s more likely the reason he wants to kick people in the teeth is because they criticize him.

Thomas Jefferson lived in a land filled with people who had different religious beliefs. He watched state sponsored religion under King George III, the Church of England, abuse Baptists and Presbyterians. Jefferson understood respecting other people’s belief’s, even when you disagree, was necessary to unite a divided country. Jefferson saw religious freedom as part of the foundation of our country.

As imperfect humans in a fallen world none of us is a saint. I’m a flawed Christian. I believe in Christ. And I believe God sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for Christ. I’ve also read Christ’s warningin the Sermon on the Mount, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits.”

Mark Robinson is no John the Baptist.

Inflation’s a nasty – and dangerous – word.

It means the money in your pocket is worth less today than it was yesterday. Gas prices go up. Food costs more. Your paycheck buys less.

Joe Biden says, It’s transitory…it’ll go away. Washington politicians point to long lines of ships outside harbors and shrug, It’s a glitch. It’ll straighten out.

But it’s a big mistake to bury your head in the sand. The Inflation Monster is real.

The first two Covid relief bills spent $3 trillion. The third bill spends $1.9 trillion. Trump signed the first two. Biden passed the third.

If a state spent money like that it’d have to raise taxes to pay its bills. But Washington doesn’t work that way – when Washington politicians spend trillions they simply print more money to pay for it.

And printing money feeds the Inflation Monster. Politicians printed trillions – and there’s no point mincing words: We’re going to have to pay a price.

When you walk down the aisle in a grocery store you stare at the higher prices of meats, eggs, bacon then, at the cash register, inflation bites you like a hidden tax.

Biden says, It’s transitory…

But inflation’s like Covid – when it breaks loose it wreaks havoc.

And if politicians – like Biden – go on spending like there’s no tomorrow the price we pay is going to be worse.

What’s the cure? Is there a vaccine that kills the Inflation Monster?

Stop printing money.

When enough people are immune, we’ll be free of Covid. That’s what’s called herd immunity. We’re not there yet but more people get vaccinated every day and some survive the virus and have immunity.

There’s also bad news: Many people, digging their heels in, say adamantly, I’m not getting vaccinated.

But consider this – if you refuse to get vaccinated, it doesn’t just affect you. Other people have to live with the consequences. Some don’t live.  As long as the virus has a breeding ground in human bloodstreams Covid doesn’t go away. Herd immunity remains an unreached goal.

Lt. Governor Mark Robinson, touching the fear of vaccinations, sowed a firestorm on social media…he told people any politician who urges people to get vaccinated “needs to be voted out of office.” (WRAL News)

But stop and think about that…Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Roy Cooper, Thom Tillis, Tim Moore, and Phil Berger all got vaccinated and encouraged people to get vaccinated.

Because they took the vaccine and suggested that others do the same Mark Robinson said they ought to be ‘voted out of office.’

Phil Berger’s a conservative who’s done more to cut government spending in North Carolina than anyone. Hopefully, Mark Robinson doesn’t want Phil Berger out but a desperate need for attention can drive some sticky rhetoric.

It’s time to put coronavirus behind us, and move on to a healthier place, but to do that we need herd immunity. Mark Robinson doesn’t understand that. Worse, he goes a step further to inflame fear.

Playing on fear to get attention may work politically. Just remember other people pay the price.

I opened the newspaper: Standing in the pulpit in a Baptist Church Mark Robinson called gays ‘filth.’

Democrats screamed.

Robinson screamed back, held a press conference, and said he didn’t take back the word filth. Denied he called gay people filth. Claimed that he called a pornographic book – in some school libraries – filth.

I watched the video of Robinson standing in the pulpit at Asbury Baptist Church – he said: “There’s no reason anybody, anywhere in America should be telling any child about transgenderism, homosexuality, or any of that filth.” He added defiantly: “And yes, I called it filth. And if you don’t like that I called it filth, come see me.”

It was clear: Robinson said homosexuals are filth.

I supported the marriage amendment like most North Carolinians. Marriage, unlike a civil union, is a sacrament between a man, woman, and God. I supported HB2, men shouldn’t share a restroom with women. But when Mark Robinson, standing in a pulpit, called gay people ‘filth’ he crossed a line.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ taught: Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgement you pronounce you will be judged. Christ also taught: Do unto others.

In a Fallen World, none of us are righteous. All of us are sinners. Some fall into sin, others fall into a deadly sin – pride.

Christ taught humility and kindness… even to sinners.

Mark Robinson crossed that line.

Democrats screamed. Robinson screamed. People are tired of hateful politics. We want better. How do we right the ship? Republican and Democrats don’t need to see eye to eye…but they do need to disagree with a bit of humility and kindness. Unfortunately, that’s where Lt. Governor Robinson came up short.

Two thousand years ago Jesus told us a profound truth: Build on rock not sand. That truth applies to everyday life, faith, and even politics.

We’ve just watched a political catastrophe in Afghanistan. And it sure looks like we built on sand.

For years we’ve said, America does not negotiate with terrorists. Since you can’t trust terrorists’ promises that makes sense – it was building on rock. But then, President Trump and President Biden both headed down a different road. They decided to negotiate with the Taliban, a terrorist group.

Trusting terrorists’ promises sowed the seeds of the disaster we just watched. It is disappointing that President Biden chose that path. But it wasn’t just Biden’s mistake. President Trump chose the same path. He negotiated with the Taliban and signed the agreement.

Now the Taliban’s back in power in Afghanistan. And America is less safe.

A candid acknowledgement – from either Biden of Trump – that building on sand (by trusting the Taliban) was a mistake would be refreshing. But, instead, we have Biden blaming Trump and Trump blaming Biden. Even though both made the same mistake.

That leaves a question on the table: Will our country repeat the mistake of building on sand?

That’s a good question to ask our Senate candidates, Pat McCrory, Ted Budd and Mark Walker: Is the Taliban a terrorist group? Did President Biden and Trump make a mistake by negotiating with terrorists? Will you negotiate with terrorists?

Before the election rolls around it would be good to hear their answers to that question.

Hopefully, it hasn’t happened to you. But you probably know someone who has been crushed by too much debt. Student debt weighs down an entire generation.  The housing boom leading up to 2008 created a bubble that trapped many families in a hopeless situation.

Sometimes debt is so big it’s incomprehensible; if you look at the debt per taxpayer at USDebtClock.org you see that every U.S. taxpayer owes nearly $225,000 each ($450,000 for a couple). That’s your share, and mine, of the federal government’s debt.

How did we land in the ditch? Washington politicians found a clever way to spend all they want without raising taxes: By borrowing. Politicians spend billions, buying votes from special interests or passing bills for lobbyists who make big contributions. If they had to raise taxes every time they jacked up spending the public uproar would stop them dead in their tracks. Instead, they borrow and hope nobody notices. And, so far, they’ve been right.

The Cato Institute provides detailed information  about the federal debt (including the chart below).

Even when our country was deeply divided, during our bloodiest war 150 years ago, federal debt was a fraction of what it is now. Today, we’re eyeball to eyeball with a debt level that exceeds even the World War II era, when we were fighting for our survival on two fronts in a brutal war that ended with Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Here’s an unfortunate fact: Today, in Washington, neither party says ‘no more debt.’ The debt has continued to rise for years no matter whether Democrats or Republicans held the White House or majorities in Congress.

We’ve seen this tragedy play out before in history and it never ends well. But there is one glimmer of light, one way to stop Washington politicians piling up debt: State legislators can step up and send forward a Constitutional Amendment to require Congress to balance the federal budget. The same type amendment many states – including North Carolina – already have.

Washington politicians won’t solve this problem. They’ll continue to borrow more every day. It’s time the people told them, Stop!

Two things Washington politicians love: Getting reelected. And spending money. And since they have more political power than anyone else it’s hard to see a way to stop them in Washington – but there is a glimmer of hope outside Washington.

We just witnessed an example in the State House.

U.S. Term Limits is asking state legislators to call a limited constitutional convention that would do one and only one thing: Pass a Term Limits Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

And the Compact for a Balanced Budget is asking state legislators to call another constitutional convention to do just one thing: Pass a Balanced Budget Amendment.

Two conventions. Each limited to just one vote. On one issue. And that’s it.

A few days ago North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore sponsored legislation to call a constitutional convention to pass Term Limits. His bill passed.  It’s no surprise every Democrat on the House floor that day voted against Term Limits. It is a bit of a surprise six Republicans did.

One Republican explained most people “have somebody who they’d keep voting for until Jesus comes” – and he didn’t want to stop them. That’s straightforward. But does voting for a Congressman until Jesus comes matter more than curbing Washington politicians’ spending?

Another Republican said he was worried a limited convention could stray onto other issues – but under Speaker Moore’s bill North Carolina’s delegates would be bound by state law to only vote on one thing: Term Limits.

In addition, at a constitutional convention, each state has one vote. Wyoming has one vote, New York has one vote, North Carolina has one vote. Republicans now control state legislatures in 31 states, Democrats 19.

Last year a poll showed 73% of North Carolina’s voters support Term Limits: 79% of the Republicans, 71% of the Independents, 68% of the Democrats. And every Democrat on the State House floor – the day Speaker Moore introduced his bill – is now on record voting against Term Limits.

Sometimes you can see a storm coming long before the raindrops start hitting your face. For example, when President Trump released his guidelines to end the coronavirus shutdown Governor Cooper didn’t knock anybody down racing to re-open our economy.

Why is the Governor hesitating? Maps may provide an answer. Like most Democrats, Governor Cooper’s political world rests on foundation blocks in cities and suburbs – in ‘blue counties’ where the virus is not looking like it’s under control. By contrast, ‘red counties,’ outside the major counties and suburbs, are faring better. So who – the red counties or the blue counties – decides when we end the shutdown?

We could have that fight – on top of fighting coronavirus – but it really doesn’t make any sense. Besides, we have a better choice than ‘open everyone or open no one.’ The counties and cities across the state long ago formed 16 regional alliances – called North Carolina Regional Councils – to address each region’s shared interests when it comes to economic development and transportation.

Those  NC Regional Councils are staffed by professionals who work on data acquisition and analysis. The councils also have a long history of collaboration with the local governments in their regions. And they exist in their current configurations because that’s what the local residents, not politicians in Raleigh, wanted.

Let’s use them. They can get the data and merge it with all their counties data before releasing it, which will eliminate hospitals worrying about disclosing proprietary data about patients and violating HIPAA laws. To obtain the data we need to find a route out of a medical and economic crisis, there’s no better choice with an equivalent skill set.

We can then use nationally established criteria, one of the few offerings by President Trump that has not been widely attacked, to implement a policy that rightfully sets stages for economic recovery based on data about coronavirus in each county. The regions that show the most progress or have been hit less by coronavirus may go ahead and re-open, and stay open, while those regions hit hardest, which need more time to curtail coronavirus, can take steps to do what’s best for them.

North Carolina is one state made up of many communities – doesn’t it make common sense to allow the different communities to decide when to end their shutdown and begin the recovery from coronavirus?

Last year, we were in another, but smaller, crisis. The Democrats were mad-as-hell about McCrae Dowless ‘harvesting’ ballots for Mark Harris in the 9^th Congressional District. Once the smoke cleared and the facts were on the table almost everyone agreed, a new election was called, and laws were passed to make sure that type of fraud didn’t happen again.

Now due to coronavirus, the Governor’s appointees on the Board of Elections want to dramatically expand ‘Mail-in’ voting – the same type of voting McCrae Dowless abused. Now there’s no doubt coronavirus has, and will, cause some hard changes in behavior but let’s step back a moment and think about this one.

First, why the urgency?  Hopefully, soon, we won’t be sheltered in place and the virus will be waning. Wouldn’t waiting, say, to summer lead to a wiser decision?

Second, aren’t there questions the Election Board needs to answer about its plan?

Last year, only a fraction of the voters used mail-in (absentee) ballots in Bladen County during the 9^thCongressional District Race. What’s the potential for fraud if a million people vote by mail in November?

Is the Cooper administration ready to implement such a major change in November? Dragging out unemployment checks has been bad enough, bungling an election would be another major train wreck.

When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight, was never the slogan of the Post Office. Can it handle the increased workload?

Third, if it turns out we do have to make changes in how we vote in November, is there a more practical and less susceptible to fraud solution than telling millions of people, ‘Hey. Go online and order your ballot.’

I’m afraid the Democratic Board of Elections may have handed us a political fix for something that ain’t broke. And we’ve all seen how political solutions tend to backfire in unexpected ways.

We have enough messes on our hands right now. Let’s take a deep breath – and wait until summer – to be sure we get this one right.