Mark Meadows hates big government when it helps people with health problems, but he loves big government when it benefits his investments.
Congressman Meadows voted to take away health care from 23 million people. Yet the road widening of U.S. 64, where, according to Meadows’ 2016 financial disclosure report, he owns 50 percent of Sapphire Lakes Properties and 100 percent of real estate agency Sapphire Lakes Group, [plus] other land in the area, is costing [nearly] $10 million a mile. He also happens to be on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
If you want to know about the former Sunday school teacher Mark Meadows, read Matthew 23 in the Bible: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.”
I am supporting Phillip Price, who is running for Congress in the 11th Congressional District. He knows that everyone needs health care and supports health care for everyone. Go to price4wnc.org and donate your time, treasure and talent to repeal and replace Mark Meadows, who is using government to benefit his investments, not the people of the 11th Congressional District. Vote on May 8 for Phillip Price.
— Kathy Kyle
Hendersonville
Editor’s note: Xpress contacted Meadows’ press secretary but received no response by press time.
I’m dumbfounded how this fascist represents Asheville
In a word, gerrymandering.
In several words, he doesn’t represent Asheville. Asheville makes up no more than about 10% of his constituency. Take a day and travel around the vast geographic territory that makes up NC-11 and you will find that it is quite different.
NC-11 was gerrymandered to go from being a conservative leaning district that was receptive to electing blue dog Democrats like Heath Shuler to being an uber-conservative district receptive to electing reactionary idealogues like Mark Meadows.
Asheville only represented about 12% of Heath Shuler’s NC-11 district, Buncombe County about a third of it. But it was a relatively compact and coherent district for WNC. Meadows’ district now extends as far east as Morganton and Lenoir, while McHenry begrudgingly schleps up from Gastonia once or twice a year to Swannanoa or Black Mountain, even though his district includes more of Asheville than that of Meadows.
NC-11 has one of the top leaders in Congress as their Representative. Meadows could win higher office right now.
That says more about the qualities required to be a “top leader” among the Republicans in Congress, not about Meadows’s inherent qualities. And the idea that he’d give up his gerrymandered district to seek higher office is laughable.
Chainsaw Charlie Taylor had more actual power due to his committee assignments. Patrick McHenry has actual power as a whip, and while I don’t agree with his positions, he has matured from a bomb-throwing neophyte into a competent party manager. Meadows has only the power to grandstand and break things. As John Boehner said of him: “He’s an idiot. I can’t tell you what makes him tick.”
Recent court decisions that identify gerrymandering in North Carolina to be overly partisan could have an impact on this year’s election. Though I believe the Court of Appeals decision will likely be put on hold, pending a Supreme Court decision, if redistricting is upheld Meadows could find himself in a real race this time around. Time will tell. Meadows work has been diabolical and in the worst interest of much of his constituency. Democrats Phillip Price, Scott Donaldson, and Steve Woodsmall will all have a chance to run hard before the primary. Whichever candidate comes through, will be well positioned to mount a serious campaign. All three have the best interests of our WNC neighbors in mind.