Merry Christmas

As always, I have been enjoying the Christmas season this year. Now it's time to relax and spend time with the family, which is always a pleasure. Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season.

My Parents

There is a front page story in the Greensboro News & Record today about my parents and how my Mother decorates for Christmas. The title of the article is, "She's got Christmas spirit times 54," and it is written by Mike Kernels. If you haven't seen it yet, be sure to get a copy and check it out.

Quote to Remember

"A good conscience is a continual Christmas."
- Benjamin Franklin

Happy Thanksgiving

Now is the time of year to give thanks for all of the positive aspects in life. There are many things that I am grateful for, but for now, I want to take a moment to thank all of the people who supported my efforts to win election to public office.

There is no question that I could not have won election to public office without support from many generous people. There are countless individuals who stepped forward and offered to assist my efforts. It is an honor to have received such gracious support from so many people.

Next year I will have the privilege of serving as a Representative in the NC House. This is an incredible honor, and I will take the job very seriously. I will always remember that I am there to serve my constituents.

Thank you for all that you have done to support my efforts; I truly appreciate the confidence that you have placed in me.

Best wishes for a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday.

Quote to Remember:

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."
- President John F. Kennedy

2012 Short Session Winds Down

The General Assembly's 2012 short session has come to a close. Here are some updates...

Lawmakers Override Budget Veto

Governor Perdue recently vetoed the General Assembly's 2012-13 budget, arguing that legislative leaders didn't cooperate with her ideas. The budget plan keeps government spending under control, and it does not include a tax increase, which Governor Perdue called for. It also cuts and caps the gas tax, addresses problems with Medicaid, gives state employees and teachers a 1.2 percent pay raise, and provides additional funds for public education.

Lawmakers Override Veto of Fracking Bill

Another high-profile bill that was vetoed by Governor Perdue is the Clean Energy and Economic Security Act, which would allow hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to take place in North Carolina. Lawmakers were able to override the veto, which sets the stage for fracking to move forward. Although the practice has now become legal, fracking won't begin for more than two years because permits will not be granted until October 2014. This gives the state time to plan and prepare the proper regulations for the procedure.

Education Reforms Become Law

The new 2012 budget includes certain reforms for K-12 education. These reforms include the establishment of merit-based bonuses for teachers, the implementation of a system to grade the performance of K-12 schools, and methods to improve reading proficiency for third grade students. These are sound reforms, and we will certainly consider additional methods of improving K-12 education as we move forward.

Looking Toward Next Year

There are certainly some major issues to address in the long session next year, such as tax reform. But before we get there we need to focus on supporting conservative candidates across the state. We must work to ensure that we retain our conservative majority in the General Assembly, and we need to elect Pat McCrory as our next Governor. If we do this, I am confident that we can place North Carolina on the right economic track.

Happy 4th of July!

I will be participating in two parades tomorrow to commemorate our nation's independence. First, I will be in the Greensboro Fun Fourth Parade, which begins at 9:00 AM. Later in the day I will be participating in the Kirkwood Parade, which begins at 5:00 PM. You can look for me in a bright red Ford Mustang!

Campaign Raffle

We are doing a raffle to raise funds for our campaign. There are a total of 300 tickets, which we are selling for $100 each, and the winner will receive $5,000. The raffle will be held on September 19 at Forest Oaks Country Club, and each raffle ticket is good for two dinners. Please let me know if you are interested in purchasing a ticket.

Quote to Remember

"Where liberty dwells, there is my country."
- Benjamin Franklin

Time to Repeal Obamacare

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" (also known as Obamacare) is constitutional. As you can imagine, I disagree with the majority opinion of the high court. I do not believe that the federal government has, or should have, the authority to force Americans to purchase health insurance. 

It is important for us to remember that today's ruling from the Supreme Court does not indicate that Obamacare is good legislation, nor does it indicate that Obamacare is workable. What the ruling does is to simply state that, according to a 5-4 majority of justices, the law does not violate the U.S. Constitution. 

Obamacare always has been and will continue to be bad legislation. It is an intrusive law that was written by out-of-touch bureaucrats, and it was forced upon the American people by politicians who don't understand what the law does. As you may recall, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi once proclaimed, "We must pass the bill so you can find out what is in it."

In essence, Obamacare would amount to more government bureaucracy, higher taxes, and less liberty. It would have a detrimental effect on the private sector as businesses across the nation would struggle to comply with increased regulations. It would also serve as a stepping stone to a full government takeover of health care.

The future of Obamacare is now in the hands of the American people. Now that the high court has made its ruling, we must take it upon ourselves to see that the law is repealed. We can do this by electing candidates to federal office who will work to repeal Obamacare and replace it with a conservative, free-market solution.

Some pundits may suggest that today's ruling is a victory for President Obama and a defeat for Republicans. I happen to think that it is the other way around. Conservative and independent-thinkers across the nation are now going to become energized, focused, and mobilized in an effort to ensure that Obamacare is repealed. 

There may also be some actions that we can take in the North Carolina General Assembly to protect our citizens from Obamacare. We will most certainly consider all of our legislative options as we move forward. As a member of the N.C. House, I will make it a priority to shield my constituents from abuses of government power.

America is a great nation but we must work to keep it that way. We must strive to preserve our freedom and liberty. Today's ruling by the Supreme Court is not a defeat for Americans; it is a call to action. 

NC House District 59 Update

Visit to Raleigh

Last week I spent some time at the General Assembly in Raleigh to get acclimated with the legislative process, and to meet some of my future colleagues. It was a good experience, and I enjoyed my time there. I will probably visit the General Assembly again before the current session adjourns, which will be sometime in the next few weeks. 

Big Win for Scott Walker

As you know, Governor Scott Walker had a big win in the Wisconsin recall election last week. This shows that people are ready for sound fiscal policies, and that voters appreciate public officials who stand on principle. Walker's victory also may be a precursor of what is to come in the presidential election this November. 

No Tax Increase

The Republican majority in the General Assembly has made it clear that raising taxes in a down economy is not a viable option. Governor Bev Perdue has suggested raising taxes to generate more government revenue, but I completely disagree with any notion of raising taxes, especially when our economy is in need of a recovery. 

Victory for Annexation Reform

The General Assembly recently passed annexation reform that allows citizens the ability to stop annexation by a simple majority vote. This gives our citizens a much-needed voice, and puts an end to forced annexation, which abuses government power and neglects property rights. Governor Perdue chose not to veto nor sign the legislation, which means it will become law. 

State Budget Adjustments

The House and Senate are currently working on budget proposals for the coming year. Governor Perdue has also released a budget, but it contains a tax increase, which the Republican majority will not accept. Once the final budget is formed by the General Assembly, it will be sent to Governor Perdue who may or may not exercise a veto. 

Note: Speaking of the state budget, I firmly believe that we need a constitutional limit on spending in North Carolina. If we implement a Taxpayer Bill of Rights, also known as TABOR, we will take a positive step towards keeping government spending under control. Basically, TABOR would prevent government spending from out-pacing increases in population and inflation, which would help to protect taxpayer dollars. 

Quote to Remember

"There is no dignity quite so impressive, and no one independence quite so important, as living within your own means."

- President Calvin Coolidge

As always, please feel to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns. 

Thank You For Your Support

It is an honor to have won the Republican nomination for NC House District 59. I am humbled by the support that was granted to me, and I truly appreciate each and every vote that I received. There is no way that I could have won this election without generous support from family, friends, and volunteers.

While on the campaign trail, I met many wonderful people who have sincere concerns about our state's future. As a candidate, my goal was to let the voters know who I am, explain why I'm running for office, and listen to their concerns. This expanded my understanding of the issues facing our citizens, and increased my desire to make a difference.

Serving as a Representative in the NC House will be an honor and a privilege. I will stay true to my conservative values and be accessible to my constituents. Above all, I will dedicate myself to performing my duties and serving the citizens who elected me to public office.

Thank you for placing your trust in me. I am honored by your support, and I look forward to serving in our State Capital.

Let's Close the Deal

Tomorrow is the day of the Primary Election, and it's time to close the deal. Please remind your family and friends to vote. We have worked hard to bring our message to the voters, and now it's a matter of getting people to the polls. 

This campaign has been a great experience. I have met a lot of wonderful people along the way, and I have enjoyed connecting with the voters. It has been a lot of hard work, but we are almost at the finish line.

Sincere concern about North Carolina's future is what inspired me to run for office. I truly believe that we need to limit the size of government, control spending, and reform our tax code in order to see a brighter future. It is important for us to bring a conservative, common-sense approach to the problems that are facing our citizens.

32 years ago Ronald Reagan said, "In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problems; government is the problem." Those words were true in 1980, and they are still true today. It is time for us to change our approach, and realize that bad government is a result of too much government.

It would be an honor to serve in the State House. I am asking one last time for your support. Please remember to vote, and spread the word to your friends and family. We are on track to win this election, but we have to continue working hard until the polls close at the end of the day tomorrow.

When the polls close tomorrow night, I plan on making an appearance at the Guilford County GOP headquarters, and then I will go to the Guilford County Courthouse to finish watching the returns. After that, I plan on meeting up with some of my supporters at Stumble Stilkins, which is located downtown on West Market Street, directly across from the Guilford County Courthouse. You are more than welcome to join us. 

If anything changes with my plans tomorrow night, I will issue updates on my Twitter account. You can follow me on Twitter at the following web address: www.twitter.com/jonhardister

Also, there were several letters to the Editor in support of our campaign that were published in this week's issue of the Rhino Times newspaper. You can read those letters by going to my blog: www.jonhardister.blogspot.com

Times are tough, but I know that our best days are still ahead. Let's win this election and continue working to secure a better future for North Carolina. Thank you for all of your support, and I hope to see you soon.