On January 20, the Obama administration made it clear that the new HHS mandate requiring employers to provide free contraceptives, sterilization and abortifacient drugs through their insurance plans would be imposed on religious institutions.

The HHS provided a “religious exemption” so narrow that it would exclude Catholic hospitals, universities and charities, forcing these institutions to act in direct opposition to Catholic teaching through the health care plans they provide.

Institutions run by other religious organizations would be similarly affected.

Religious leaders across the country have been speaking out against the HHS Mandate, including 171 Catholic bishops, and numerous lawsuits have been filed by Catholic institutions.

And now it’s time for direct, grassroots activism!

On March 23 at Noon, concerned citizens will gather outside federal buildings in cities across the United States to rally in defense of religious freedom and stand up against the HHS Mandate.

Join the effort! Find a Rally for Religious Freedom in a city near you.

from: http://standupforreligiousfreedom.com/

Winston Salem has a group already started, like their facebook page to stay informed of the details of the event.

Has your area planned a rally? If so, please let us know so we can help spread the word! Leave a comment under this post, tweet us @NCTEAParty, Leave a post in our discussion group, or even email Wendy directly at wendy@ncteaparty.com.

If a leading candidate fails to get more than 40 percent of the vote in a North Carolina primary election race this May, when is the runoff?

It depends.

The runoff recently has been held seven weeks after the primary, which this year would be June 26. But a new state law designed to fulfill a federal mandate would delay all runoffs until July 17 should one be needed for a congressional primary.

Given some U.S. House primary races are expected to have several candidates running – at least nine Republicans have expressed interest in the 11th Congressional District nomination, for example – there’s a good chance at least one election will fail to be resolved at the May 8 primary. Only the top two vote-getters advance to the runoff.

— Bartlett said Thursday three additional weeks would be needed to comply with new federal requirements that North Carolina military personnel and other state residents living overseas are sent absentee ballots 45 days before the runoff. The General Assembly approved the primary runoff date change with little fanfare last year as part of broader legislation designed to streamline voting for these citizens.

—

The wait between the primary and the runoff had been four weeks through 2006. The Legislature passed a law that year to extend the difference in future years to seven weeks after the U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint to enforce a previous law for military and overseas voters.

A 2009 federal law required the 45-day window to send and collect these absentee ballots.

[read full article]

What kind of turnout do you believe a JULY primary runoff would produce?  The article states that in 2008 only 1.9% of democrats turned out for a primary runoff, and we know that turnout was low for the 2010 turnout. How do you believe this will affect congressional races this year?

U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) explains how big government is making it harder for Americans to find jobs and more difficult for small businesses to succeed. When big government puts too many burdens on America’s economy, it forces jobs and investment overseas instead of here at home. It also makes it harder for middle class small business owners to compete against large corporations, discouraging real competition and job growth.

Here’s a list of some of the obstacles that big government has created that make it harder to achieve success in America:

- $1.75 trillion regulatory costs
- $15 trillion national debt
- $2 to $3 trillion in state and local debt (http://bit.ly/zQwqfb)
- $100 trillion unfunded liabilities for entitlement programs
- ObamaCare taxes and regulations
- More than 75,000 pages of IRS tax rules & regulations (http://bit.ly/ejX73Z)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) introduced the Extended Unemployment Benefits Reform Act of 2012. After six months of unemployment, this bill would require individuals to complete 20 hours of public service and 20 hours of active job search per week as conditions for receipt of federal extended unemployment benefits.

“The United States economy is suffering, and we hav…e seen record levels of sustained high unemployment. Job creators are hesitant to hire new employees due to a lack of certainty and predictability in taxes and regulations, and this can be demoralizing for millions of people in need of work,” Senator Burr said.

“Engagement in volunteer service will encourage unemployed workers to maintain job skills, marketability, and a sense of self-worth while providing for the betterment of their communities. Even more, the active job search requirement will enhance the integrity of the unemployment system and its ability to identify and serve those most in need.”

source: Burr Website