CNN Politics: WNC’s U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows is key player in possible government shutdown

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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mark_meadows_2013CNN Politics reports that Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows of Western North Carolina is one of the key developers of a plan that could lead to a shut down of the federal government on Tuesday. Meadows represents the 11th Congressional District in the N.C. mountains, a district that was formerly held by Rep. Heath Shuler. The district was redrawn in the latest round of redistricting, a move that made it heavily Republican.

In the interview with CNN, Meadows makes it clear that his top priority is getting rid of ObamaCare. The story details Meadows connections to Tea Party groups, which are pushing that agenda.

From CNN:

In August, while lawmakers spent time in their districts, Meadows wrote a letter to his Republican leaders suggesting they tie the dismantling of Obamacare to the bill that funds the government for the next year.

The letter read: “James Madison wrote in Federalist No. 58 that ‘the power over the purse may, in fact, be regarded as the most complete and effectual weapon… for obtaining a redress of every grievance…'”

Meadows successfully convinced 79 of his colleagues to sign on to his letter. And he went further, leading a group of 40 lawmakers to demand that the continuing resolution, or the short-term government funding bill at issue, zeroes out funding for President Barack Obama’s signature domestic policy achievement so far.

In a lengthy interview with CNN, Meadows explained his case.

“Our intent has never been to shut down the government,” Meadows said. “It’s to stop the [health care] law.”

But there’s more to the story. Meadows works very closely with the tea party groups and he is a conduit to their agenda.
In fact, his catapult from local businessman to elected official was launched with the help of local tea party groups. He underwent a vigorous interview process with the North Carolina-aligned tea party groups that included an intense vetting and interviewing process.

Click over to read the full story. Thanks to loyal reader Thomas for the heads-up on this.

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

  • 1

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7 Comments

  1. Coz October 3, 2013

    This story was picked up by CNN: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/27/politics/house-tea-party/index.html

    Now the world knows that our state is represented by this short-sighted self-righteous ignoramus.

    But rather than be silently mad or post an angry rant online, WE have the power to do something about it. So let’s get this out of office during the next election. Write letters to his office to tell him how angry you are. Move the Moral Monday protests to wherever we ‘works’. That’s how we can make a change and feel empowered

    Reply
  2. WalliAnn Wisniewski September 30, 2013

    Just wondering if Mark Meadows will be paying our mortgage and any bills we cannot pay during this government shutdown as it will affect even the “little people”–PhD researchers who work for the Feds…

    Reply
    1. NFB September 30, 2013

      He doesn’t care. Like the rest of Congress he will still be paid during the shutdown.

      Reply
  3. NFB September 30, 2013

    Typical lapdog for the far right. During the 2012 primary Meadows campaigned advocating for a Congressional investigation into President Obama’s birth certificate while at the same time telling the editorial board of the Asheville Citizen-Times that he believed President Obama was born in the United States.

    The Republican party is the most morally and intellectually bankrupt institution in America. Meadows belongs there.

    Reply
  4. Bobja September 30, 2013

    Why do we have to be associated to such a moron?

    Reply
    1. Politics Watcher September 30, 2013

      Because either there are more of them than they are of “us,” perhaps because “we” don’t do as good as job as “we” should in explaining our views, or perhaps because these “morons” are a lot smarter than we think, since they’re achieving their goals. Te question for me is not, how can I cure their stupidity (if that’s what it is), but how can I – or my political colleagues – be smarter. So how can we be smarter?

      Reply

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