To the Editor:

Recently I saw Ralph Laughter, chairman of Macon County’s “Me Party.” We talked about his letter to the editor in several newspapers praising the work of North Carolina’s GOP legislators.

“I heard their legislation is rather draconian,” I explained to Ralph. 

“Not at all,” he replied. “The legislation will incentivize people back to work, get everyone paying taxes rather than making us pay for everything, and give our citizens the freedom bought by gun manufacturers to have guns for peacefully settling disputes.  

“We want to let the free enterprise system bypass regulations to create jobs fracking in the piedmont, drilling off the Outer Banks and privatizing schools,” he explained. 

I pulled from my pocket a list of proposed bills reported by Democracy North Carolina (They give this Legislature “F” on their report card). Here they are:

• S-4 denies Medicaid for the poor.

• H-4 cuts in half benefits for those who have lost jobs.

• H-82 removes tax breaks for our low- income neighbors. The budget proposes sales taxes on services such as haircuts, groceries and medication.

• H-101 gives estate tax breaks for the rich.

• H-589 creates voting barriers to elderly, minority and low-income citizens by requiring hard to obtain photo IDs.

• H-935 cuts the number of low-income children attending pre-K. The budget proposes cutting teachers’ aides and funding for public schools.

• H-937 permits concealed guns in bars, parks, restaurants and college campuses! Really Ralph???

• H-677 denies state employees having union dues taken out of their checks but allows chamber of commerce dues to be deducted.

• H-730 allows employers to deny women contraception health care.

• H-1011 replaces health care and environmental experts with political appointments on state boards.

• S-489 allows high interest lenders back into the state.

“North Carolina appears to be one of the Republican dominated states subjected to the neo-conservative agenda created by ALEC, the Koch brothers and Art Pope, owner of discounts department stores,” I observed. 

“The success of this legislation will demonstrate the power of our wise and wealthy 1 percent to take our state back to the good old days of 1950s,” Ralph explained. “They paid a lot of money to win the last election and know what is best,” he continued.

I thanked Ralph for clarifying things and invited him to explain to people meeting every Monday afternoon at the state capitol. It is called Moral Monday. Everyone is invited. Come share your love with Ralph!

Ron Robinson

Macon County