Could North Carolina be a bellwether of bigger changes in the country?
Is something shifting nationwide?
In the past nine weeks, 40% of new voter registrations in North Carolina have been unaffiliated. This suggests that many voters are unhappy with the Republican Party, and a significant number may have left it.
However, these voters are not joining the Democrats either. This should be a wake-up call for both parties, as many people no longer see much difference between them.
I learn a lot every day by following people I trust. The video below sums up much of what I think is coming for our country.
Congress quietly moves to integrate US and Israeli militaries
In the first step towards shifting aid further into the shadows, the House’s 2027 NDAA would effectively fuse the two countries’ armed forces. Congress, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, a committed Christian Zionist, is moving fast to bring the US Military and Israel closer together and merge them as one. Buried in the House’s version of the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) released last week is section 224, entitled “United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative.” The provision would arguably do more to intertwine the U.S. military with the Israeli military than the more than $200 billion (inflation-adjusted) in military assistance Israel has received from the U.S. since its founding in 1948.
Colonel Larry Wilkerson covers this and data centers, surveillance, environmental issues, and how this administration is on the cusp of wrecking the US beyond recovery.
The United States appears not to have learned from its previous mistakes, like endless wars designed to make the Epstein Class and the military-industrial complex more wealthy while destroying the lives of Americans.
As a result, America has lost influence worldwide, and in this conflict with Iran, the losers often have limited leverage in negotiations.
The US lost this unconstitutional war and will now pay the price for its arrogance and terrorism against sovereign countries that were never a threat to our nation.
The United States has lost its global dominance and shown that its military is feckless in controlling the Middle East. Also, Iran now has nuclear weapons. The only thing the US has created in the Middle East is another nuclear power; folks, you just can’t make this up …
If you provoke a powerful opponent too often, you may face serious consequences. This is where Trump, the Neocons, Zionists, Christian evangelicals, and the country Trump truly serves- “Israel” have brought us.
A banner on the White House website reads, “Welcome to the Golden Age!”
But who is actually enjoying this so-called Golden Age?
This time seems especially good for President Trump, his family, and their wealthy friends, who have reportedly gained both money and political influence. The Trump family brings to mind the Borgias’ corruption, except that the Borgias supported the arts during the Renaissance period. In contrast, the Trumps come across as inauthentic and lacking in culture.
Meanwhile, working-class Americans are dealing with higher prices for food and fuel, rising energy bills, and fertilizer shortages, which are blamed on Trump’s illegal war against Iran.
On top of this, there have been major cuts to social safety net programs and new risks from unregulated artificial intelligence, including data centers and Flock cameras that monitor everyday people across the country.
According to data from the World Bank, the share of people living in poverty in the United States is now greater than the share of people living in poverty in China.
China has managed to eradicate poverty while the U.S. has stagnated its own and is increasingly sending more Americans into poverty.
If you ask an average person on the street, they might say, “It Ain’t Me. I am not one of the fortunate sons.”
Name one good thing that has ever come out of war.
John Fogerty from Creedence Clearwater Revival shares his thoughts below about writing “Fortunate Son.” The song feels even more powerful and relevant now than it did during the Vietnam War. Trump is one example of a fortunate son whose father helped him avoid the draft seven times.
“First of all, it’s a song that’s probably took the longest for me to write. And, at the same time, was also the quickest song I ever wrote. It’s also, some say, a political song. Now, for that part, we gotta go way, way back to when I was in the second grade.”
Fogerty recalls watching the inauguration of Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953. The songwriter remembered watching “a whole bunch of big, black limousines coming down the road” and remembered it feeling “suspicious.””Like many, many young men my age, I was drafted in 1966. Eventually, I ended up in an Army Reserve unit, and that was great, but at the same time, you’re seeing these stories on television where some Senator managed to get his son out of the draft or some rich tycoon millionaire was able to have your son avoid military service, and that just didn’t seem fair.”
In the summer of 1969, Fogerty returned to the idea of the “favorite son” and started writing a song by that name.
“And I’m thinking about all these things, these political things, these economic things, these unfair class things that are going on in our culture. I started putting the music together and showing my band, of course. And as we rehearse for a few weeks, we start to get pretty tight, and I realize we’re going to record pretty soon, I better actually sit down and write the words of this song.” Fogerty sat down with a legal pad in his bedroom and worked through his thoughts, “And somewhere in that process, the idea switched to ‘Fortunate Son.'”
“And man, all those thoughts just came out in a raging torrent. Twenty minutes later, after walking into the room with nothing, I walked out of that room with a completed song called ‘Fortunate Son.’ That was by far the quickest I’ve ever written a song.”
What Does “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival Mean?
Fortunate Son fiercely rejects class privilege and how wealth shields the powerful from consequences that harm ordinary people. Fogerty watches the elite wave flags and send others to die while their own children stay home.
Beneath the anger lies betrayal and disgust at a system demanding sacrifice from those who can least afford it.
“Some folks are born made to wave the flag” exposes how patriotism becomes a performance for those who never pay its price. “And when the band plays ‘Hail to the chief’ they point the cannon at you” shows how ceremonial respect masks the reality that power holders aim weapons at the powerless.
“Some folks are born silver spoon in hand” targets inherited wealth that creates untouchable privilege. “But when the taxman come to the door, Lord, the house lookin’ like a rummage sale” reveals how the wealthy dodge financial responsibility while appearing to sacrifice.
“Some folks inherit star-spangled eyes” describes those born into blind nationalism who “send you down to war” without hesitation. Kind of like Fox News and the Republican Party. When asked for sacrifice, “they only answer, ‘More, more, more, more'” while never giving anything themselves.
Fogerty refuses to be fooled by false patriotism that demands his blood while protecting the privileged. He sees through the manipulation of working-class loyalty by those who inherit power without earning it.
His repeated declaration “I ain’t no fortunate one” is both defiance and lament, rejecting a rigged system and mourning his unfair position. He wants acknowledgment that sacrifice should be shared, not dumped on those born without connections or wealth. This song was a brilliant piece, written by a man of the times then and now…
Colonel Douglas MacGregor explains the current situation in our country, discusses possible outcomes, and warns that we could run out of oil by July.
A war “you didn’t vote for” and a supply chain that snaps at Hormuz. COL. Douglas Macgregor ties fuel, fertilizer, and food prices to foreign influence in one blunt thesis. Gas up. Grocery bill up. Then ask the question nobody in Washington wants on camera:
“Who is governing this country and for whom?” Hear the argument and decide for yourself.
Below is the breakdown from Art Berman and the real facts on the oil supply-Trump and his administration are lying to Americans. Buckle up, Buttercups…
What the Republican Epstein Class did toThomas Massie has awakened the youth of America.
This one is far from over…
Did the Zionists cheat? You bet they did. When you have the popularity trends for Massie at 65%-85%, they don’t change overnight.
Did anyone question the 50,000 absentee ballots that showed up during the campaign? Notice that Trump is now trying to stop absentee ballots. Kentucky is known for its corruption, especially during elections. We need more Thomas Massies in Congress, not less. What we need less of is Trump.
Thomas Massie has already signed up for 2028. I hope he is running for President…
Another video which exposes the challenger
Throughout this century, fear has often led people to give up their freedom in exchange for what seems like government protection.
After the September 11 attacks, even strong supporters of liberty backed the PATRIOT Act and other measures that reduced civil rights. A similar trend appeared during the COVID-19 crisis, when many accepted mask and vaccine mandates. After the 2008 financial collapse, even those who usually opposed government intervention supported the bailouts, repeating President George W. Bush’s statement that he had to set aside free-market principles to save the free-market system.
Palantir, founded in 2003, has focused on helping the government collect and store information about Americans. The company took its name from the all-seeing stones in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and quickly took advantage of the surge in surveillance after 9/11. Its ties to the surveillance state go back to its early funding from In-Q-Tel, the CIA’s venture capital arm.
If you feel discouraged by the steady rise of government surveillance under President Trump, there is reason for hope. More Americans, including many Trump supporters, are starting to see that giving up freedom for the promise of safety is a false choice pushed by politicians, officials, and big companies.
This growing awareness can inspire us to stand up for liberty again -CH
County News and folks, it is a doozy…
- Madison County failed to add the amendment for Data centers and crypto mining into the Land-Use plan. Pure incompetance to those in charge of Madison County government.
- Van Duncan lied about the contract for FLOCK cameras. FLOCK was caught surveilling children during swimming pool parties
- Dirty Cop Coy Phillips is hiding out in Florida; the FBI is looking for him
Adulterer Chuck Edwards is losing and has scrubbed Trump from all his Social media
- Russell Blevins made an ass out of himself at the planning board meeting over ridge-top development, and he is delinquent on property taxes
- Taxes delinquent and more…
Madison County Commissioners have not updated the land use plan to add new language about data centers and crypto mining. It has been two years folks I checked for updates and reached out to the current Zoning Administrator, but I have not heard back. This situation is worrying and could cause our county a lot of problems.
In North Carolina, decisions by commissioners, such as zoning or land use rulings, can be challenged or overturned if they are found to be arbitrary, unreasonable, or illegal, even if the Land Use Plan is not updated. The key is that decisions must follow the law, rely on facts, and meet all required procedures.
If commissioners do not include a required plan consistency statement or hold the necessary public hearing, the amendment could be considered procedurally flawed.
John Noor was responsible for this, but there has been no progress in two years. Where was the County Clerk, Mandy Bradley? Brad Guth was removed from his position a year ago. Why didn’t the commissioners or the clerk review his work?
On May 18, 2026, Tom Herdelin, the new zoning director, replied to my email below.
Thank you for reaching out to me about the Data Center ordinance. I am loosely familiar with the passage of this legislation, but it occurred prior to my employment with the County. Unfortunately, it appears that the amendment was not added to the posted version of the Land Use Ordinance. I will be doing some work over the next week to rectify that. I am meeting with he attorney for the boards who was present for the process later this week. Once I have the approved text I will gladly share it with you as we proceed with this.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to get in touch.
Thank you,
2024 Citizen Times- Johnny Casey
Madison County instated a one-year moratorium on June 13, 2023 to allow time to include language in the county Land Use Ordinance, which made no mention of such facilities at the time.
With its moratorium set to expire next month, the county unanimously approved a resolution written by Development Services Director Brad Guth to include language amendments to the Land Use Ordinances reflecting the data processing facilities.
On March 19, the county Planning Board met to shore up its draft language in its Land Use Ordinance relating to such facilities, and approved the recommended changes it issued to the commissioners.
The Madison County Board of Commissioners in its May 14 meeting unanimously approved the Planning Board’s recommendations.
“Data processing facilities are just kind of a group of uses that a lot of folks think of as cryptomining, but any type of industrial computer servers or uses would fall under the data processing facility land use,” Guth said.
According to Guth, as with the county’s biomass facility definition, the Planning Board’s recommended regulation of data processing facilities was based on a number of criteria, including size.
A small data processing facility would constitute anything under 10,000 square feet of server space.
Small data processing facilities would be permitted in the Commercial districts, and large facilities would be permitted in the Industrial districts.
The Planning Board’s draft language listed a number of requirements related to height, use separation, submittal requirements, access, security fencing, screening, utility notification, signage and noise.
The Planning Board’s recommended Land Use Ordinance changes included a minimum of 8 feet in height. The structures themselves should not exceed 35 feet. All electric wiring is required to be located underground.
Additionally, the entire perimeter of the facility shall be screened from adjoining properties by a buffer strip.
The facilities will be subject to the Madison County noise ordinance and should not disrupt the activities of the adjacent land uses.
The resolution approved by the commissioners reads, in part, that “the development and regulation of data processing facilities are essential for supporting Madison County’s economic development and technological advancement.”
The video above brings up the behemouth data center in Utah which is proposed to be 62 square miles or 40,000 acres.
To give you kind of an idea of the magnitude, think about this: to go from Weaverville, NC, to Greenville, SC, is 59 miles. The state of Georgia jumped headfirst into implementing Data Centers; now it is catching up to them. Georgia residents are seething. They are missing 30 million gallons of water. They have to deal with the constant noise from generators running day and night, and their water pressure and property values have dropped.
Right now, Georgia Power is taking 31 properties in Coweta County through eminent domain to build high-voltage lines for a massive 829-acre data center campus. Many residents are left trying to replace homes they’ve lived in for years, but the compensation they’re being offered is reportedly far less than their properties are actually worth.
Even though 7 out of 10 Americans strongly oppose having these huge, brightly lit centers built nearby, we keep hearing that they are necessary. We’re also told every year that AI will eventually take over all jobs.
One of Trumps Epstein Members Elon Musk has even said, “In 10 or 20 years, you won’t need to save for retirement. It’ll be irrelevant.” Who will provide the stipend? What kind of controls will be in place? THINK…
No one seems to be asking these questions. Everything just keeps moving forward at full speed. Because they don’t want you to ask the questions.
Daniel Priestly, a well-known global entrepreneur, is one of the few people speaking out about this issue. On a recent podcast, he said, “There’s no financial model connected to this that makes any sense at all.”
He claims, “In 2029, 100 years after the Great Depression, we will see a massive financial meltdown based on the back of these data centers. In 3 years, the whole thing comes crashing down.”
Why is that?
He explained that whenever the US spends more than 3% of its GDP on new infrastructure, the economy briefly becomes bankrupt for about 10 years. He pointed to the bankruptcies that occurred after the railroads, power grid, and highways were built.
But in those cases, there was time for the economy to recover. The railroads lasted 100 years, highways about 50, and fiber optics and telecommunications about 30.
Data centers, on the other hand, need to be replaced in just 3 to 4 years. So we are building something with a 3- to 4-year life cycle, costing hundreds of billions, that has to be replaced every few years, and there is no financial model attached to it that justifies it at all.
I am always suspicious of those who run for office in this county. Mark Snelson is running on the Democrat ticket; you might as well call him Mark -Grift-Graft Snelson.
He used his position as a former Commissioner to feed Buddy Harwood’s regime over the years and secure a job for which he was never qualified, as well as a position on the French Broad EMC Board.
Think about it, folks—what is Snelson planning now? Do you think French Broad is pleased about the new limits on Data Centers in Madison County? They could make a lot of money from electricity and keep that revenue for themselves, just like they do with their salaries and compensation.
I think the big question is why have the Madison County Commissioners neglected the oversight with regard to data centers in our county?
On top of this, Flock cameras have started showing up in Madison County, introduced by Buddy Harwood and Van Duncan. But why does a county like Madison, with its size, need law enforcement to use surveillance that could put our civil rights at risk?
Harwood probably can’t explain why, since he is the only sheriff in Western North Carolina who doesn’t share arrest records and incident reports with the public.
Below is what was in the Citizen Times:
- Madison County residents are raising privacy concerns over the installation of Automatic License Plate Reader cameras.
- The Sheriff’s Office has a $45,000 contract with Flock Safety for 15 cameras to use as an investigative tool.
- A local group, Madison For Privacy, was formed to raise public awareness and discuss the risks of mass surveillance.
MARSHALL – Madison County residents are expressing concerns about Automatic License Plate Reader cameras popping up throughout the county, citing what they feel is a violation of their privacy.
Chief Deputy Van Duncan told The News-Record April 17 the Madison County Sheriff’s Office entered into a $45,000 contract with Flock Safety for 15 cameras. Of those, the sheriff’s office funds 10, or $30,000 worth, while the other five are funded by local organizations and residents, Duncan said.
While the organizations and residents fund the five readers, only the Sheriff’s Office has access to the technology, Duncan said.
When I read this article, I asked the county for a copy of the contract with FLOCK. They sent my request to Van Duncan, who responded below:
Van Duncan emails and follow up
We are working with Flock. We are not paying a third-party vender to monitor Flock. The Fock contract is still under negotiation, and the exact number of cameras had not been determined. Locations are not disclosed because of investigative detail. I hope we have answered your questions. Please feel free to contact me back if you have any further questions.
Thanks
Chief Deputy JV Duncan
Madison County Sheriff’s Office
828-649-1835 (O)
828-319-5721 (C)
My response
Thank you for getting back to me, Mr. Duncan. I have a lot of questions, but my main question is “why does a small county like Madison need to surveil its citizens?
Duncan
We do not feel the need to surveil them, but we do feel the need to protect them. Flock is a very necessary tool when we are working on a major crime and trying to locate a vehicle. We usually only have two or sometimes three deputies working a shift and having those cameras helping us locate vehicles is a vital tool in solving cases. There are checks and balances in how the equipment is used and it is monitored well. I am aware of the concerns about misuse and we are diligent about how the cameras are used.
From Me:
So why is there a camera stationed right next to Spring Creek Community Center, where neighbors gather and cast their votes? If crime is the concern, it is curious that no cameras monitor the entrance to 25-70, the heart of Newport’s drug activity?
Duncan:
I can answer these questions for you if you would like to give me a call.
I did not call him; I contacted the Spring Creek Community Center for a comment. Their answer below:
Sat, May 9, 11:00 AM
I am writing an article about the Madison County Sheriff’s Department having positioned a police surveillance camera on the perimeter of Spring Creek Community Center.
Does your organization have an official statement as to its approval or disapproval of this location?
Thank you
Good afternoon, Cindie –
The Flock surveillance camera is not on community center property. It is installed at the Spring Creek Volunteer Fire Department, which is county property. The Spring Creek Community Center does not have a statement regarding this matter.
Thank you, Peter Kennedy, Building Administrator, Spring Creek Community Center
Do people who go to the Spring Creek Community Center realize they are being surveilled? Van Duncan lied about having a contract with Flock. Duncan states we do not feel the need to surveil them but to protect them.
If the goal is to protect the county, the cameras should be placed where crime is actually happening. For example, there is a lot of crime near Buddy’s home, so that could be a good location.
Another option might be near the sheriff’s department. I also wonder where Coy is, since he and Buddy are known as the biggest drug dealers in Madison County. It makes me question if the Flock camera in Spring Creek is there to keep an eye on your competition, Van.
Monster behind Flock
Folks, these cameras are designed to listen in on conversations; they have been caught filming children in swimming pools, and many cities, after facing lawsuits, have ended their Flock contracts.
AI Startup Flock Thinks It Can Eliminate All Crime In America
In NC
LAPD Sued Over Flock License Plate Cameras
- Flock Safety employees viewed children’s gymnastics and pool cameras for sales demonstrations.
- Dunwoody council renewed surveillance contract despite three hours of resident opposition.
- Public records revealed specific dates when executives accessed kids’ spaces commercially.
It may be hard to believe, but in Dunwoody, Georgia, Flock Safety employees watched live video of children’s gymnastics classes. They did this not for security, but to show potential customers how the system works. This took place at the Marcus Jewish Community Center, where workers used cameras in kids’ areas during sales demonstrations.
A growing number of US cities are ending their contracts with Flock Safety, an Atlanta company whose AI camera systems have spread quickly nationwide. The technology was first sold as a public safety tool, but now it is at the center of a national debate over the use of artificial intelligence in law enforcement and immigration.
Flock is worth about $7.5 billion and is backed by the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. The company says its systems help police find vehicles tied to crimes by analyzing license plates and other details, such as bumper stickers. But privacy advocates and local governments are worried, especially after reports that federal immigration officials have used data from Flock’s network.
In the last six months, 38 cities have either stopped using or turned off Flock cameras. Altogether, 53 cities in 20 states have now done the same.
Since there has not been much communication, I suggest the commissioners address this issue soon to avoid problems like those we had with the Tyler Technologies reevaluation.
It seems that Van Duncan expects us to trust him and Harwood with this data.
This company, Flock, claimed to have filmed children in their bathing suits and bragged about it to sell their equipment.
Sheriff Buddy Harwood was responsible for children in his jail who were reportedly harmed while under his supervision.
Do you really trust these men with surveillance footage? These points below should be considered before any contract is signed. I have a better solution: remove the cameras and ditch the contract. You are not in Buncombe County; this is Madison…
- Prohibit Madison County from sharing the data with outside agencies unless there is a criminal proceeding or a valid court order.
- There should be a time limit on deletion of data, which should be 48 hours
- Require the Madison County Sheriff’s Department to publish an annual audit on its website and in its budget. The audit would show how many times each camera captured a license plate, how often the databases were used to check against a hot list, and how many of those matches were wrong.
Now for the planning board meeting on the Ridgetop building – Planning board sends Ridgetop building issue to Madison commissioner
In November 2023, Russell Blevins applied to remove the 50-foot setback requirement in the county’s Mountain Ridge Protection Ordinance, arguing that Madison was the only county in the state to restrict building on ridgetops 3,000 feet and higher.
At this meeting, Russell Blevins acted inappropriately by saying if he didn’t get what he wanted, he would go to the Yancey County side of his property and cut down all the trees.
Arguing that Madison County is the only county with this restriction does not seem reasonable. Blevins did not raise concerns about this issue when he served on the planning board. It is unclear why he did not apply for a variance through the county board of adjustment rather than seek to remove the setback requirement from the ordinance. This makes me think his recent partnership with a developer may be influencing his actions. Remember, he said: “he wanted no restrictions.”
I think instead of giving these developers more freedom to maul the Ridgetops in Madison County, we should demand that they pay their delinquent taxes first. Russell Blevins owes $5,961.71 in delinquent taxes, according to the tax records below.
Which brings me to Madison County delinquencies and foreclosures.
I want to thank April Plemmons for providing me with these public records. This department needs financial support and additional staff. I am grateful that the county has hired outside help to do these agriculture welfare audits. I personally believe 75% of these need to be kicked out of this program.
I am going to keep studying these delinquencies because I have noticed that many developers are listed on them.
- The Marshall Housing Authority in Marshall, NC manages public housing for Madison County. It handles low-income housing, helps with applications and eligibility, and provides information about available resources. Residents can receive housing subsidies, join public housing programs, and learn about other support options. There is an outstanding balance of $8637.90
- The Madison County Board of Education has an outstanding balance of $2,255.80. The new superintendent needs to make sure this is paid
- Several churches in Madison have unpaid dump fees on their accounts. They pay virtually no taxes; why can’t they pay their dump fees?
- Eden Rock Enterprises is the largest, with 27 accounts totaling $26,531.79. These are linked to a Mars Hill developer. It raises the question of whether the town of Mars Hill should reconsider permitting more of these developments.
- Russell Blevins owes $5961.71 in unpaid taxes.
- Thunder QOZB has an outstanding balance of $10,566.30. This company is subject to federal oversight, which might be a means of collecting on it.
I believe Madison County should not review Russell Blevins’ application or any other permit until he pays his overdue taxes. The Supreme Court decision below supports this. We could be the first county in North Carolina to put this into practice, just as we were the first to have ridge restrictions.
Legality of Withholding Building Permits for Tax Delinquencies
In the United States, local governments generally have the authority to withhold building permits for properties with unpaid taxes, fees, or liens, provided the policy is authorized by law and applied consistently.
Legal basis and precedent
Local permitting agencies operate under the legitimate police power to regulate land use and ensure compliance with laws, including tax obligations. Courts have upheld that governments may impose conditions or withhold permits when those conditions are tied to legitimate public interests, such as collecting overdue taxes Cozen O’Connor. The U.S. Supreme Court’s Nollan/Dolan test applies to individualized permit conditions, but generally applicable conditions—like withholding permits for unpaid taxes—are not subject to the same strict proportionality or nexus requirements Cozen O’Connor.
Example of legal practice
Philadelphia’s Department of Licenses and Inspections began enforcing a policy on July 1, 2026 that withholds building and zoning permits for any property with unpaid real estate taxes, fees, or liens. This applies to a wide range of permits, including zoning permits for development, variances, and building permits for new construction or additions Realtor.com. The policy is codified in the city’s Administrative Code, meaning it is a lawful, enforceable rule.
Key considerations
- Statutory authority: The city or county must have a written ordinance or administrative code provision authorizing such withholding.
- Consistency: The policy should apply equally to all affected properties to avoid claims of arbitrary or discriminatory enforcement.
- Notice and remedy: Property owners should be informed of the tax debt and given a clear path to clear it before permits are issued.
- Scope: The policy can apply to both property owners and, in some cases, contractors (if the contractor’s license is tied to the project) Realtor.com.
Bottom line
Withholding building permits for tax delinquencies is legally permissible in many jurisdictions when done under a clear, lawful, and consistently applied policy. Philadelphia’s example shows that such measures are already in use and enforceable, provided they are rooted in local law and applied without discrimination.
Thank you to Jaimie Lunsford for supplying me with the County emails
More on the County’s budget coming no new taxes…