"MADAME JUSTICE" SAYS SPEAKER BLACK MUST GO NOW!

"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."
George Orwell, Animal Farm.

Dear Friends and Voters,

George Orwell wrote the above lines in response to Stalin's takeover of communism. His point was that power tends to corrupt the system and that individuals, like Stalin, get the goodies, while the masses are left doing the work and getting little to show for it. How right he was. We have our own version of Animal Farm right here in North Carolina.

I have seen it in the Republican faction and it is one reason why I left the party. For those who are new to this state and do not know what is going on, I will tell you. There is no Republican Party as we know it in North Carolina. The faction now in control are the henchmen of Art Pope. He seeks to run this state like his own private fiefdom while paying vassalage to his liege lord, King George, and his merry band of neocons, set out to remake the world in accordance to the dictates of PNAC. Anyone of whom Art Pope does not approve gets subjected to the treatment that I got. Orthodoxy to party beliefs is required. If you do not believe 100% of whatever principles they believe in, you are drummed out of the party.

The other faction is that typified by Richard "Boss Hogg" Morgan. Morgan wants power for himself. He and others like him are only concerned with staying in power in this state. They are not really concerned about you and your welfare or what is good for North Carolina. It is amusing to see Mr. Morgan involved in a lawsuit with Art Pope. It is even more odd to find that the industrious Mr. Weisel is none other than Mr. Morgan's legal counsel.

For those of you who don't know, Mr. Weisel is the person that filed an election complaint against me regarding the use of a nickname. I filed on a Friday and he took time from his busy schedule to check the state elections website and put together a complaint which was delivered to the state elections board by Monday morning. He also is a former Democratic party official and Democratic candidate. Who says politics doesn't make strange bedfellows?

On the Democratic side of the equation, there are at least two factions that I have identified. There is what I have termed "the Establishment." They are personified by people like the governor or Jim Black. The left is really no different from the right in this regard. The Establishment is out for power for power's sake. Like the right, they also do not really care about you and your welfare or what is good for North Carolina, only for what is good for them and keeping them in control of power.

The remaining faction is the Progressives. They seem to be the only ones in the crowd calling for reform in government. They seem to be the only ones standing up for the violation of our civil liberties by this administration. They seem to be the only ones who are disgusted by the antics of Jim Black and want him out of the political leadership. For the good of the party and the good of the state, Jim Black must go and he must go now before he is indicted.

There are a few Progressive candidates in North Carolina. I am one of them. There are others. One indicated to me that he is battling the Establishment. Boy, do I know what that is like! I am battling it myself.

You see, the Establishment, the Morgan faction or the Pope faction are really no different, regardless of party label. They are all heads of the same hydra. The one thing they have in common is that all three love power. They all want power because they can either use it to dole out favors to their cronies or they seek to wield power to arrive at their version of utopia, like Pope. They really cannot bear to let an ounce of power escape their grasp. And that is why they will do anything to stop someone like me.

I represent a potential swing vote on the court. Someone like me cannot be controlled or counted on by wealthy bankers or real estate developers. Why, I might be so radical as to decide a case on its merits or according to the law, rather than how I'm told by those in power. That's why I have to be stopped.

Their latest is to get the NC Democratic Party not to endorse me. That way, the NC GOP can crow with glee and say "see? Even the Democrats don't want her." And the Establishment is just as guilty. They would rather vote for my opponent than allow power to be put in my hands. So those in power got the party to remove me from the website and to send out an email alerting people to support all judicial candidates except me.

The following comment was offered to explain the decision: "We're focusing right now on incumbents and candidates who will appear on the ballot in May. In addition, this email was partly designed to encourage people to contribute to those candidates who are in the public financing system. [Ms. Hunter] is not participating in the public financing program."

I have written before on the public financing system for judicial campaigns. As it is currently set up, it requires candidates to raise a certain amount of money. If individuals such as myself could raise that much money, I would have enough to run my campaign and would not need public funds.

While I understand that the requirement was put there ostensibly to keep out "kooks," in reality it serves to give money to the elite few and to keep little people such as myself out of the game. And why should I, as a taxpayer, be required to make a financial contribution to my opponents or those with whom I may disagree? In addition, judging from past behavior, candidates will spend the money foolishly on ineffective and cost-exorbitant advertising.

This demonstrates that the system we have needs some work. I know that some Progressives in our legislature are struggling to come up with a viable solution and to fund other candidates as well. I applaud such efforts.

Member of Parliament, Alistair Burt, said he can do all of his fundraising in one afternoon as members are precluded from spending more than a set amount. That is certainly one solution, but there is a problem with the British system in that it limits free speech by creating a spending limit.

How about a system which has no limits, which requires full disclosure within 72 hours and which is limited to individuals only (no PACs, no unions, no groups and no corporations)? Really want to end corruption in government and get the big money out of it? Get rid of lobbyists. These are my suggestions, but I am sure there are others. The internet, for example, is radically changing the ways that campaigns will be conducted in the future. This may serve to limit costs so that candidates will not needs hundreds of thousands of dollars which inevitably end up in the hands of high-priced political "consultants."

Clearly, we can and we ought to debate the merits of each and reach a workable solution. But the system we have does not work except to enrich the few that get the money. That is why I have not participated in the public financing system as it is now exists.

However, public financing is an excuse. An earlier email listed the longtime Democrats running for appellate court seats this year.

Notice the words "longtime Democrats." What is that? A visit to the party's website will not enlighten you. Nowhere do they indicate that one has to be a member of a party a certain requisite amount of time. Nor do they indicate how long will suffice. Is it one year? Will five years do it? How about twenty-five?

When I changed my party affiliation last year, I thought the all newcomers or converts would be welcome. Now I know that some animals are more equal than others after all.

It does not bother me. I don't care what trick the Establishment, Richard Morgan or Art Pope dreams up next. I am on the ballot and am registered as a Democrat and the Establishment, Richard Morgan or Art Pope cannot change that fact.

If I lose, so be it; I intend on moving on with my life. If I succeed, I'll get there by the grace of God and by my work and the tireless efforts of many people on my behalf. I intend to keep fighting and doing what I am doing regardless of what the Establishment, Richard Morgan or Art Pope thinks.

Best Wishes

Rachel Lea Hunter

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