Please consider voting for the authentic principled conservative for our new Representative from NC Congressional District 2 -- Richard Speer.



Bill Cochrane

The last few posts (except for Buzz's) have been rather gloomy.  So, I think it's time for a lighter moment.....


Bill Cochrane

We talked about the blatant Land Grab provision in the so-called Surface Transportation Bill back on April 5.  This federal land grab has nothing to do with highways or "surface transportation".  But Congress is still throwing together huge "potpourri bills" -- they just throw in anything anybody wants to hide whether or not it's at all related to the advertised purpose of the bill.  They don't expect anyone to actually read these behemoths or to be capable of understanding the overreach involved in each hidden piece.

Well, another surprise for us is hidden in this mess.  It turns out that Section 31406 mandates all vehicle manufacturers, beginning with the 2015 model year, install "black box" tracking and recording devices in every vehicle manufactured.  These devices will store in a "secure" manner so as to prevent "unauthorized access" (this means by you, the owner) to the data which shall include gps tracking information, speed and all operational details for a "reasonable period".  The provisions allow law enforcement to access the data in the event of an accident, citation, or other emergency -- or by warrant or if given permission by the owner of the vehicle.  Surprise!  You just lost more of your privacy and liberty.

And this, too, has nothing at all to do with highway transportation funding and authorizations.  It's just something some minor tyrants in the Senate wanted to "stick into" the highway appropriations bill, hoping no one notices.  Isn't it time we demand that these bills full of potpourri and pork be simplified?  Why don't we all demand "one issue to a bill"?  Why don't we demand simple, understandable bills?  If the Senate wants to track and monitor all citizens, why don't they come right out and put that in a bill -- transparent and openly debated?

As long as we sheeple meekly allow this behavior, the petty, cowardly tyrants in Congress will continue to hide their little easter egg suprises in huge obtusely structured and worded bills trying to pull the wool over our eyes.  I'm sick and tired of this!  Aren't you?

By the way, this is the very same bill that includes another section giving power to the Internal Revenue Service to revoke U.S. Passports if they have an issue with the individual.  What's that got to do with highway appropriations?  But it has everything to do with another power grab by a growing federal bureaucracy.

The bill is now expected to pass easily in the House.  Yep!  It will, unless we sheeple wake up and demand otherwise.


Bill Cochrane

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, lunar module pilot, walks on the surface of the Moon near the leg of the Lunar Module (LM) "Eagle" during the Apollo 11 exravehicular activity (EVA).  Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, commander, took this photograph with a 70mm lunar surface camera.  While astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin descended in the Lunar Module (LM) "Eagle" to explore the Sea of Tranquility region of the Moon, astronaut Michael Collins, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Columbia" in lunar orbit.

The following is a moving account of a wonderful act of faith on the part of this heroic astronaut.  What a shame that this was kept "quiet" and hidden from the public for so very long.  What an inspiration that Communion was celebrated as one of the first acts of man's first steps on the Moon.  What an example this should set for the jaded, corrupted, apathetic, subjugated populace we have these days.

Buzz points the way to restoration and Light.


Bill Cochrane

For several weeks prior to the scheduled lift-off of Apollo 11 back in July, 1969, the pastor of our church, Dean Woodruff, and I had been struggling to find the right symbol for the first lunar landing.  We wanted to express our feeling that what man was doing in this mission transcended electronics and computers and rockets.

Dean often speaks at our church, Webster Presbyterian, just outside of Houston, about the many meanings of the communion service.

“One of the principal symbols,” Dean says, “is that God reveals Himself in the common elements of everyday life.”  Traditionally, these elements are bread and wine — common foods in Bible days and typical products of man’s labor.

One day while I was at Cape Kennedy working with the sophisticated tools of the space effort, it occurred to me that these tools were the typical elements of life today.   I wondered if it might be possible to take Communion on the moon, symbolizing the thought that God was revealing Himself there too, as man reached out into the universe. For there are many of us in the NASA program who do trust that what we are doing is part of God’s eternal plan for man.

I spoke with Dean about the idea as soon as I returned home, and he was enthusiastic.

“I could carry the bread in a plastic packet, the way regular inflight food is wrapped. And the wine also — there will be just enough gravity on the moon for liquid to pour.  I’ll be able to drink normally from a cup.  Dean, I wonder if you could look around for a little chalice that I could take with me as coming from the church?”

The next week Dean showed me a graceful silver cup.  I hefted it and was pleased to find that it was light enough to take along. Each astronaut is allowed a few personal items on a flight; the wine chalice would be in my personal-preference kit.

Dean made special plans for two special Communion services at Webster Presbyterian Church.  One would be held just prior to my leaving Houston for Cape Kennedy, when I would join the other members in a dedication service.  The second would take place two weeks later, Sunday, July 20, when Neil Armstrong and I were scheduled to be on the surface of the moon.   On that Sunday the church back home would gather for Communion, while I joined them as close as possible to the same hour, taking Communion inside the lunar module, all of us meaning to represent in this small way not only our local church but the Church as a whole.

Right away question came up.  Was it theologically correct for a layman to serve himself Communion under these circumstances? Dean thought so, but to make sure he decided to write the stated clerk of the Presbyterian church’s General Assembly and got back a quick reply that this was permissible.

And how much should we talk about our plans?   I am naturally rather reticent, but on the other hand I was becoming increasingly convinced that having religious convictions carried with it the responsibility of witnessing to them.  Finally we decided we would say nothing about the Communion service until after the moonshot.

I had a question about which scriptural passage to use.  Which reading would best capture what this enterprise meant to us?  I thought long about this and came up at last with John 15:5.  It seemed to fit perfectly. I wrote the passage on a slip of paper to be carried aboard Eagle along with the communion elements.   Dean would read the same passage at the full congregation service held back home that same day.

So at last we were set.  And then trouble appeared.  It was Saturday, just prior to the first of the two Communion services.  The next day, Neil Armstrong, Mike Collins and I were to depart Houston for Cape Kennedy.  We were scheduled for a pre-mission press conference when the flight physician arrived and set up elaborate precautions against crew contamination.   We had to wear sterile masks and to talk to the reporters from within a special partition.  The doctor was taking no chances.   A cold germ, a flu virus, and the whole shot might have to be aborted.   I felt I had to tell him about the big church service scheduled for the next morning.  When I did, he wasn’t at all happy.

I called Dean with the news late Saturday night.  “It doesn’t look real good, Dean.”

“What about a private service?  Without the whole congregation?”

It was a possibility.  I called the doctor about the smaller service and he agreed, provided there were only a handful of people present.  So the next day, Sunday, shortly after the end of the 11 o’clock service my wife, Joan and our oldest boy Mike (the only one of our three children who is as yet a communicant), went to the church.  There we met Dean, his wife, Floy, and our close family friend Tom Manison, elder of the church and his wife.   The seven of us went in to the now-empty sanctuary.  On the Communion table were two loaves of bread, one for now, the other for two weeks from now.  Beside the two loaves were two chalices, one of them the small cup the church was giving me for the service on the moon.

We took Communion.   At the end of the service Dean tore off a corner of the second loaf of bread and handed it to me along with the tiny chalice.   Within a few hours I was on my way to Cape Kennedy.

What happened there, of course, the whole world knows.  The Saturn 5 rocket gave us a rough ride at first, but the rest of the trip was smooth.  On the day of the moon landing, we awoke at 5:30 a.m., Houston time.  Neil and I separated from Mike Collins in the command module.  Our powered descent was right on schedule, and perfect except for one unforeseeable difficulty.   The automatic guidance system would have taken Eagle to an area with huge boulders.  Neil had to steer Eagle to a more suitable terrain.  With only seconds worth of fuel left, we touched down at 3:30 p.m.

Now Neil and I were sitting inside Eagle, while Mike circled in lunar orbit unseen in the black sky above us.  In a little while after our scheduled meal period, Neil would give the signal to step down the ladder onto the powdery surface of the moon.  Now was the moment for Communion.

So I unstowed the elements in their flight packets.   I put them and the scripture reading on the little table in front of the abort guidance system computer.

Then I called back to Houston.

“Houston, this is Eagle.  This is the LM Pilot speaking. I would like to request a few moments of silence.  I would like to invite each person listening in, wherever and whomever he may be, to contemplate for a moment the events of the past few hours and to invite each person listening, wherever and whomever he may be, to contemplate for a moment the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his own individual way.”

On World Communion Sunday, October 4, 1970, many Christians through the world will unite in spirit as they — each in his own church, according to his own tradition — participate in celebrating the Lord’s Supper.  For me this meant taking Communion.   In the radio blackout I opened the little plastic packages which contained bread and wine.

I poured the wine into the chalice our church had given me.  In the one-sixth gravity of the moon the wine curled slowly and gracefully up the side of the cup.  It was interesting to think that the very first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the first food eaten there, were Communion elements.

And so, just before I partook of the elements, I read the words, which I had chosen to indicate our trust that as man probes into space we are in fact acting in Christ.

I sensed especially strongly my unity with our church back home, and with the Church everywhere.

I read:  “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me” (John 15:5).


Buzz Aldrin through Eric Metaxas

The Southern Pines Planning Board held a public hearing at the Douglass Community Center on April 19 for two applications for property development.

The first, involving construction of four multi-family units in Southern Pines, went fairly well except for some obsessing over landscaping and trees by certain Board members -- almost to the point of hilarity.

The second, involving construction of a commercial site on a lot on US-15-501, did not go well. The Board engaged in what seemed to me to be rather heavy-handed behavior, and the petitioner ultimately withdrew his petition for now. The Board Members essentially told the petitioner that he could not develop (i.e. use) his property until all of the owners of nearby properties in the same area decided what THEY want to do -- and then the Board wishes to consider all properties as an "integrated plan".

This is despotism! I do not understand how a local government can deny legitimate petitions and place a property owner in bondage to other people. The petitioner has already spent thousands of his own dollars on engineering, survey, architectural, and landscaping plan costs, on petition work with other government agencies, and with financing arrangements -- and the Board tells him to wait years until nearby property owners decide what they wish to do with their properties. Outrageous!! Tyrannical!!

I was extremely disappointed in this Planning Board and in the actions of several of its members.  In previous towns, I was usually irate because the planning and zoning boards were loaded with developers and always stepped on the people to favor any proposed development (i.e. Charlotte and Atlanta).  Here, the Planning Board is in dire need of some developers to balance the biased obsessions against developers.  I urge the Town Council to take steps in future appointments to achieve a better balance of views and goals on this appointed board.  Something must be done before more meetings like this occur.


Bill Cochrane

In 1517 Martin Luther set off the Protestant revolution against the Catholic Church that led to the spread of the then-new movement as a response to the corruption of the Church.  It took time for it to establish itself as an alternative and was greatly aided by the invention of printing and spread of literacy, but mostly because ordinary people had grown weary of the Church’s extravagance, poor governance, and resistance to change.

The selling of worthless “indulgences” as a means to wipe one’s sins clean was the final straw.

Environmentalism has become a modern religion and its “cap and trade” scheme to sell worthless permission slips for the emission of so-called “greenhouse gases” — based on United Nations Kyoto Protocol calling for a reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth’s atmosphere — is being rejected by many nations .

As it has become common knowledge that CO2 is vital to all life on Earth and plays no role in affecting the climate, ordinary people have concluded that global warming in particular and environmentalism in general is a giant fraud.

No one argues that nations should not attend to the basic maintenance of clean air and water.  That view predates the environmental movement, but the stranglehold on nation’s economies and the ability to engage in any form of commerce has reached a breaking point.  The fact is, the U.S. has made great strides over the years and there are limits to how “clean” the air and water can or even should be.  The EPA wanted to regulate “dust” at one point until Congress put an end to that insanity.

The lies required to maintain environmentalism and its vast matrix of laws and regulations are being publicly rejected and a recent example is a letter sent to NASA administrator by fifty present and former astronauts, scientists, and engineers who work for NASA is a seminal moment, not unlike Martin Luther’s 95 theses nailed to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg.

The NASA employee’s letter demanded that its Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) “refrain from including unproven remarks in public releases and websites.  We believe that the claims of NASA and GISS, that man-made carbon dioxide is having a catastrophic impact on global change are not substantiated, especially when considering thousands of years of empirical data.”

It should be noted that the global warming hoax can be dated to testimony by James Hansen before Congress in 1988 and he is still the GISS administrator!  His apocalyptic predictions helped launch a U.S. response currently seen in the Environmental Protection Agency power-grab, based on the false CO2 claims, that will eliminate one fifth of the coal-fired plants providing electricity to a large swath of the nation and likely end the building of new comparable facilities.

On April 9th, Rasmussen Reports, a polling organization, release the results of a poll that found that 52% of likely voters “think there’s a conflict between economic growth and environmental protection, though 31% disagreed".  Rasmussen stated that “support for investing in fossil fuels like oil and gas is also at a new high amidst near-record gas prices and the on-going development of the Keystone XL pipeline which President Obama blocked for environmental reasons".

The following day, April 10th, Rasmussen released results of another poll that found that 44% of likely voters “believe, generally speaking, that the EPA’s regulations and actions hurt the economy. Just 17% disagree".

On February 21st, Steve Milloy of JunkScience.com, was published in The Washington Times in an opinion about EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson’s testimony before Congress writing that:  “Over the past three years, the Obama EPA has conducted a scorched earth campaign against fossil fuel producers and users, especially the coal-fired power industry, with multi-billion-dollar rules that provide no meaningful environmental or public health benefits.”

The environmental revolution — a Communist agenda — is being resisted piece by piece by scientists and others who no longer will submit to its utterly false “science” and its UN-inspired Agenda 21 plans to impose control over all aspects of life on planet Earth.  A June Rio conference will largely abandon the fear-mongering of global warming in favor of “sustainability”, a matrix of controls that will enslave the world’s population with the worst totalitarian precepts since the rise of Communism and Nazism in the last century.

Agenda 21 has been at work in America for decades at this point and few have any idea what it represents.  It is destroying property rights in America and that’s just for starters.

On Earth Day — April 22nd — the birthday of Vladimir Lenin, the dictator who imposed Communism on Russia in 1917, the various elements of the environmental movement will flood the world with propaganda.  The connection between these two events should not be ignored.

Environmentalism should be soundly rejected and the emerging movement to overthrow it should redouble its efforts.


Alan Caruba

Moore TEA Citizens held its Fourth Annual Tax Day Rally at the Southern Pines Post Office on SW Broad Street from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. A number of candidates and elected officials stopped by and some made speeches. Tea Party Patriots, Americans for Prosperity, the John Locke Foundation, and Civitas all were represented and had speakers there.

The weather was great, the crowd was enthusiastic, and a grand time was had by all.


Bill Cochrane

On April 16, 2012, the Moore County Board of Commissioners met with the Robbins Board of Commissioners to discuss planned water sources for the county and Robbins -- and specifically, the offer that the Robbins Board had made to the Moore County Board of Commissioners regarding joint use of certain facilities. This meeting opened negotiations between the two governing bodies on the so-called "Robbins option", which is one of several options that the County is considering to meet the county's water needs for the next ten to thirty years.

At this time, the two parties are not close to agreement. There are other much less expensive options for the county; however, these would not benefit the Town of Robbins nor its surrounding area. A partnership between the County and Robbins would provide new potable water to Robbins in the future, helping that part of the County to prosper. However, it would come at additional expense to the ratepayers (and taxpayers) elsewhere in the County. Nevertheless, if Robbins were to agree to a partnership, the County Commission appears to believe that the additional costs can be justified to the whole county by keeping total control of the County's water supply within the County of Moore rather than depending upon other counties for our water. Also, the additional development and prosperity in the western areas would also benefit the entire county.

The Robbins Board agreed to consider the information and suggestions offered by the County Commissioners.  The first video below is of this special joint meeting.  The agenda can be read here.  A version of the Water Sources presentation can be viewed here.
____________________

The Moore County Board of Commissioners held a special meeting following their Joint Meeting with the Robbins Board of Commissioners this Monday evening. The purpose of this special meeting was to hear and act upon a bid from the County office responsible for providing counseling services for residents convicted in the courts. The office has been operating, primarily funded by a state grant which is being terminated. The State is reforming the service to be based on a funding for services delivered in a competitive bidding environment.

As the Commissioners clearly recognize, this function should be privatized. And if a private concern places a winning bid against the County office, it may still be privatized. However, the Commission voted to approve the bid in case no bids from private concerns are forthcoming.

The second video below is of this special follow-on meeting.


Bill Cochrane

Early One-Stop Voting begins on April 18 for the Primary Elections.  The actual Primary Poll Day will be May 8.  For anyone who is interested, I have decided to post my recommendations again for the best Conservative choices who will appear on the Republican Primary Ballot in Moore County.

I have come to these personal choices after reviewing the candidates' stated positions on important current issues.  Where they have a public background, I have reviewed that information.  I have heard most of them speak at events, and I have met a good many of them and spoken to them one-on-one.

Don't get me wrong on this.  I am not endorsing any candidate.  I am certainly not trying to "tell anyone how to vote"!  I am not trying to "meddle" in the Primaries.  I am not speaking for the Republican Party nor for any other organization.  The Republican Party in NC takes great pains not to make any official commentary or take any official positions during the primary elections.  This is the time when the Republican electorate of Moore County decides for themselves who is best to represent the Republican Party in the General Elections.  So, the recommendations below DO NOT come from the Republican Party.  They are my recommendations.

Regular visitors here already know that I belong to the local Tea Party organization:  Moore TEA Citizens.  These recommendations do not come from MTC.  Moore TEA Citizens does not endorse candidates nor do they officially oppose candidates.  They simply publish educational material regarding the voting records, positions, behaviors, etc. of the candidates from all political parties so that the voters can make informed decisions.  So these recommendations do not come from or represent the local Tea Party in any way.

Many folks have told me that they do not have the time to do the research and traveling that I do in my various roles.  Many have career, family, and other obligations which limit their time for political activism.  Therefore, I have been told that a number of people value the conclusions I have drawn from my work and research.  I am grateful to those who so compliment my decisions.

As long as you know that I am basing these recommendations on who I have determined to be the most Conservative, most Principled, most Dependable candidates, then these recommendations may be useful for you.  If you are truly Conservative, I assure you that a vote consistent with my recommendations will be a Conservative Vote.  If you are liberal or very "moderate", then these recommendations may tell you who NOT to vote for!

May God bless and save our Nation!

Bill Cochrane
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Presidential Primary:
In my opinion the most conservative candidate who will appear on the ballot is Santorum. The problem, of course, is that Santorum has dropped out of the race, so a vote for Santorum will not count for anything now. The same is true for Gingrich. That leaves Mitt Romney as the only rational candidate for whom to vote.

      Recommend:  Mitt Romney


U.S. House of Representatives:
The incumbent, Renee Ellmers, has not voted in a conservative manner since her election in 2010.  I can no longer support her because of her voting record and her behavior to conservative Republicans in Moore County when she appeared at events here.  Richard Speer is the one most conservatives in Moore County have decided to support for this office.  His positions on all the important issues are consistent with conservative positions, and he appears to be a principled candidate from all efforts to vet his background.

     Recommend:  Richard Speer


N.C. Governor:
The clear front-runner based on popularity is Pat McCrory, former multi-term mayor of Charlotte. McCrory is talking very conservative these days, but he has a clear record of Big Government positions and deep involvement in Agenda 21 programs.  In my opinion, the best conservative choice for NC Governor is Paul Wright.   His positions and record are strongly conservative in all issues.  He has good name recognition across the state and has a chance at winning the Republican primary; however, he is a "dark horse" candidate against Pat McCrory.

     Recommend:  Paul Wright


Lt. Governor:
The two front-runners in this race are both pretty equally impressive conservatives.  NC won't go wrong with either one. Dan Forest is my pick, although Dale Folwell is a good pick, too.   I like Forest because of his stronger stand on the "social issues".  Tony Gurley from Wake County would be third choice.

     Recommend:  Dan Forest


NC Auditor:
There are only two real conservative choices in this race:  Fern Shubert and Debra Goldman.  On an evaluation of issues, Fern Shubert comes out first choice, Debra would be second choice for conservative values and principles.

     Recommend:  Fern Shubert


NC Commissioner of Agriculture:
For true conservatives, there is only one choice in this race:  Bill McManus.  The other Republican doesn't even come close.

    Recommend:  Bill McManus


NC Commissioner of Insurance:
Again, for conservatives, there are two clear choices.  The best choice, in my opinion, is Mike Causey.  Second choice would be Richard Morgan, I suppose, but I am troubled by some of his positions and something in his attitude when I've heard him speak.  He sounds a bit too "populist" and "anti-business", in my view.   A little "arrogant", perhaps....  Just something there that I do not like and doesn't seem consistent with his stated positions.

    Recommend:  Mike Causey


NC Secretary of State:
Two clear choices for conservatives in this race, too.  My favorite is Mike Beitler because of his affinity and support of the Tea Party movement.  However, from an issues standpoint, Ed Goodwin sounds good, too.  A strong third would be Kenn Gardner, but I can't get that far with two much better choices available.

     Recommend:  Mike Beitler


NC Superintendent of Public Instruction:
Again, two clear leading choices for conservatives.  My first pick is John Tedesco based on speeches he has made at events I've attended.  My second pick, about even on an issues evaluation, but again, based on speeches I've heard at events is Richard Alexander.  John Tedesco is an energetic reformer who served on the Wake County Board of Education that straightened out a lot of the corruption and mess in the public schools of Wake County.   Richard Alexander is a more staid, traditional, "steady" conservative who would be less bold and less willing to shake things up in Raleigh.

     Recommend:  John Tedesco


NC Treasurer:
I'm not enamored of any of the candidates for this office, really.   But after evaluation, there is only one of them I can recommend or vote for:

    Recommend:  Frank Roche


NC Senate 29th District:
There is only one real choice here, too.   It's the incumbent, Sen. Jerry Tillman.   Look, he's not perfect, but the others are far more flawed.   Sen. Tillman has been there a long time, and I wish there were an energetic young conservative reformer who we could send in 2012 to help turn things around.  But there isn't.   And Jerry Tillman is, by any measure, a good conservative.   He's available and open to the people for input.   He will answer questions and accept criticisms graciously, even when he does not agree with the criticism offered.  He goes the extra mile to attend events and meet his constituents.

    Recommend:  Jerry Tillman

The Moore Republican Mens Club held their April meeting on the 12th at the Country Club of NC main dining room. The guest speaker at this meeting was Representative Renee Ellmers, who is running for re-election in the new Congressional District 2 of NC.

She was not enthusiastically received. And reports are out that her meeting with local Republican and Tea Party leaders did not go well for her.

The Moore Republican Mens Club is the largest in NC and very active in Republican support and politics. It is a fine organization chaired by John Rowerdink, President - MRMC.

Bill Cochrane