Harry Taylor's 2008 Campaign Against Sue Wilkins Myrick
This was Harry Taylor's 2008 campaign website in his attempt to win the U.S. House congressional seat to represent North Carolina's District 9. On November 4, 2008, Sue Wilkins Myrick handily won re-election to the United States House. She defeated Harry Taylor (D) and Andy Grum (L) in the general election. The content below is from the site's 2008 archived pages.
Although Harry Taylor put up a good campaign, the odds against his winning against the incumbent were high. Due to redistricting, North Carolina's District 9 was heavily weighted in favor of the Republicans. I grew up in this area of North Carolina and it is definitely heavily Republican. Myrick was one of the most conservative members of the House. She certainly would not have approved of the job I have now selling bulk vapor products and accessories to vape stores and clinics that sell medical marijuana. Unlike many states in the US North Carolina does not have a progressive approach towards the marijuana legislation although in 2014, North Carolina did take a very small step forward, enacting a CBD-focused law. However, the law leaves the vast majority of potential medical marijuana patients without legal protections. In 2015 Rep. Kelly Alexander introduced a comprehensive medical marijuana legislation, HB 78. The bill would have protected North Carolinians with a variety of serious medical conditions and doctors’ recommendations from arrest and prosecution for using medical marijuana. The House Judiciary Committee voted against the bill. It will be reintroduced in 2017. Nevertheless, vaporizers have been gaining popularity in the state as they have in the rest of the U.S. My company's business is booming, although NC does prohibit sales of electronic cigarettes or vaping/alternative tobacco products to minors. North Carolina passes a law in 2014 that taxes liquid nicotine at 5 cents per milliliter. In 2008 these issues were not even on the horizon. I wonder where Harry Taylor would have stood on these issues?
Circa 2008
Game On! It’s campaign season at its busiest…and we need your help!
The economy in the Ninth Congressional District is one of the worst in the nation. Staggering job losses, rising gas & food prices, skyrocketing healthcare costs, and a Congresswoman who doesn’t care about her people. Republican Sue Myrick has voted against working families and with George Bush 94% of the time. It’s time for a change, and that change is Harry Taylor!
Harry Taylor started this campaign to FIGHT FOR US and the nation, and he can’t do it alone. Please stand with him to make a difference.
Our phone banks are open day & night and we need you! Help us reach out and talk to voters so that when they cast their vote they KNOW that change is possible, and Harry Taylor is THEIR candidate!
You can join us in the Campaign Headquarters or phone bank in your slippers from the comfort of your own home! Email dfrederick@carolina.rr.com and SIGN UP TODAY to volunteer for Harry Taylor for Congress!
We also need people to staff precincts on Election Day, and Early Voting Days. Consider taking a vacation day on November 4, or spend a weekend day at an Early Voting Site, and sprint with us to the finish line. Covering every precinct possible increases our odds dramatically!
We also have over 1000 lawn signs to get out. Email m_smithson@hotmail.com to ensure you have one in your yard ASAP…and help us get them out to others who know Harry Taylor will make an EXCELLENT member of the US Congress!
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Who is Harry Taylor?
Throughout his life, Harry Taylor has given generously of his time and energy to such organizations as Big Brothers, Habitat for Humanity, Outward Bound, the Sierra Club and the Charlotte Folk Society, associations in which he has served as both leader and participant. Helping to develop hope, self-esteem and courage in disadvantaged youth has been a lifetime pursuit, as has his advocacy for a clean, safe planet for our youth to inherit.
Harry has also been a tireless political activist, working through grassroots organizations to protect and defend the principles he holds sacred. He is best known for his courageous-and courteous-confrontation of President Bush in Charlotte in April of 2006, a “shot heard ’round the world.” Harry Taylor was born and raised in northern New Jersey, earned a B.A. from Colgate University, served in the US Air Force, lived and worked in real estate and development in Colorado for many years and relocated to Charlotte in 1987. Owner of a highly regarded commercial real estate brokerage, Harry is also an enthusiastic and talented “old-time country” musician (he plays banjo, mandolin and fiddle). It is from his music life that Harry has become convinced that putting aside differences and focusing on solutions is not only possible, but essential. “After all, music is a universal language,” Harry says. “It allows people from incredibly diverse backgrounds to come together and create something that pleases all of us-something that comes a little bit from the heart of every one of us.”
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ISSUES
On the Economy
The economy exists to benefit us all. When the economy is struggling, the universally accepted approach to jump starting it is to put more money in the hands of the people who will spend it…the lower and middle income taxpayers. That’s because two thirds of our economy is driven by consumer spending.
The cornerstone of the Republican’s economic policy for seven years has been tax cuts for the rich, with the overwhelming benefit going to the wealthiest 1%! We see an endless line of “free trade” agreements that leave Americans without work, and entire communities devastated as their company’s operations are moved overseas.
The marginal tax rates for the richest men in our country (Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, the hedge fund managers, the private equity investors), people who make tens, even hundreds of millions of dollars each year, is lower than that of the average flight attendant at U.S. Airways, or customer service representative at Wachovia or Bank of America. On the next dollar you earn, you pay more in taxes than they do!
Our current tax system favors wealth over work. The purchase of Rolex watches and private jet sales don’t drive our economy. It’s the purchase of bread and milk, clothes and a new couch. It is past time to target tax breaks to the engine of our economy…ordinary taxpaying citizens.
I favor tax cuts that target American workers. To pay for them, I propose we let the Bush cuts for the wealthiest expire rather than blindly extend them.
I support slow track, not fast track fair trade agreements. Fair trade can benefit us all. But we’re the largest economy in the world. We need to use our leverage to ensure the security of Americans…income security.
I support closing the loopholes and incentives that drive Fortune 500 companies in America to relocate “shell” headquarters offshore to evade U.S. income taxes. Our country, its laws, values and citizens, made them what they are today. It’s the antithesis of patriotism for them to sneak headquarters offshore and stick us with the deficits.
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On Jobs and Business
My entire career has been spent in private business, specifically commercial real estate brokerage, construction, and development. On a daily basis I work to bring people with divergent interests together, to craft transactions that benefit all parties.
I understand what it takes to be a cog in the wheel of our free enterprise system, and believe in it deeply. It is the engine that drives our world. So it is that I believe quality of life begins with a job, and that everyone who can support him or herself should do so. But critical to that concept is that if a person works at a full time job, at the very least that person should be paid enough to make ends meet. We, as a country, need to be active in protecting jobs, and supporting the health and growth of local business.
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On the Iraq War
The war in Iraq must end. There is universal agreement among our military and civilian leadership that success in Iraq requires a political, not a military solution, and that the Iraqi people must take control of their own destiny.
No amount of American lives or money will force the Iraqis to end their civil war. We must tell them that we are leaving, and then do just that within the next 12 to 18 months. Concurrently, we must shift our efforts to an intensive diplomatic mission. We must engage Iraq’s neighbors and the community of nations with a stake in regional stability to join in mediation, peacekeeping and the rebuilding of Iraqi infrastructure.
Where does Sue stand? Side by side with President Bush’s failed policies and gross mismanagement of the war. Side by side with President Bush when he recently notified Congress he has no intention of enforcing their ban on permanent bases in Iraq. Side by side handing a blank check to President Bush as he has spent $650 billion dollars on the war…and continues to do so at the rate of $2.5 billion dollars each and every week
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On Fiscal Responsibility
When the Bush Administration and the Republican controlled Congress took over in 2001, they inherited an unprecedented budget surplus. In record time they squandered the surplus, piled up $3 trillion in debt and lavished obscene tax breaks for the super-rich. They boast that deficits don’t matter. Our national debt is being financed by China, Japan and Saudi Arabia at frightening levels, threatening our security and standard of living.
Deficits do matter. I fully support the Democratic Congressional pledge for “pay-as-you-go,” requiring future tax cuts or spending initiatives to be offset by increased revenues or spending cuts in other areas.
More Background on HarryTaylorForCongress.com
The 2008 United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 4, 2008, with the presidential election. All 435 seats of the House were up for election. In North Carolina's 9th congressional district, the election saw a challenge to the incumbent Republican, Sue Wilkins Myrick, by Democrat Harry Taylor. While Myrick ultimately secured re-election, Taylor's campaign, though ultimately unsuccessful, provides a fascinating snapshot of the political landscape and key issues of the time. This article delves into the details of Harry Taylor's campaign, using information gleaned from his archived campaign website and external sources to provide a comprehensive overview.
The Political Landscape of 2008
The year 2008 was a pivotal one in American politics. The nation was grappling with the effects of the financial crisis, the ongoing war in Iraq, and a growing sense of discontent with the Bush administration. These factors created an environment ripe for change, fueling the campaigns of candidates who promised a different direction. In North Carolina, the 9th congressional district, while historically Republican-leaning, was not immune to these national trends. Redistricting had further solidified the Republican advantage, making it an uphill battle for any Democratic challenger. Despite these challenges, Harry Taylor mounted a spirited campaign, focusing on issues of economic fairness, responsible foreign policy, and fiscal responsibility.
Harry Taylor: The Candidate
Harry Taylor presented himself as a concerned citizen and dedicated public servant. His background, as detailed on the campaign website, reveals a multifaceted individual with a deep commitment to community involvement. He had a long history of volunteering with organizations like Big Brothers, Habitat for Humanity, and the Sierra Club. He held leadership positions and was actively involved. This established his dedication to improving the lives of others. Taylor's professional background was in commercial real estate, construction, and development. This experience gave him insight into the workings of the business world and the challenges faced by working families. He emphasized his ability to bring people with divergent interests together to craft mutually beneficial transactions. Beyond his professional and volunteer work, Taylor was also a musician, playing banjo, mandolin, and fiddle in an "old-time country" style. He believed that music could serve as a universal language. It would allow people from diverse backgrounds to find common ground and work together towards solutions.
Key Issues of the Campaign
Taylor's campaign platform addressed several key issues that were prominent in the 2008 election cycle.
- The Economy: Taylor argued that the economy should benefit everyone and advocated for policies that would put more money in the hands of lower and middle-income taxpayers, as he believed consumer spending was the primary driver of the economy. He criticized the Bush administration's tax cuts for the wealthy and supported targeted tax breaks for American workers. He also advocated for fair trade agreements and closing loopholes that allowed companies to evade U.S. income taxes.
- Jobs and Business: Taylor stressed the importance of job creation and supporting local businesses. He believed that everyone who could work should do so. However, he also emphasized that full-time workers should be paid enough to make ends meet. He advocated for policies that would protect jobs and support the health and growth of local businesses.
- The Iraq War: Taylor called for an end to the war in Iraq, arguing that a political solution was necessary and that the Iraqi people should take control of their own destiny. He proposed a withdrawal of American troops within 12 to 18 months and a shift towards intensive diplomatic efforts involving Iraq's neighbors and the international community. He contrasted his position with that of his opponent, Sue Myrick, whom he accused of supporting President Bush's failed policies on the war.
- Fiscal Responsibility: Taylor criticized the Bush administration's fiscal policies. He argued that they had squandered a budget surplus, accumulated significant debt, and provided tax breaks for the wealthy. He supported the Democratic Congressional pledge for "pay-as-you-go," requiring that future tax cuts or spending initiatives be offset by increased revenues or spending cuts in other areas.
Campaign Tactics and Volunteer Engagement
The Harry Taylor campaign actively sought to engage volunteers and build grassroots support. The campaign website included calls to action, encouraging supporters to get involved in various ways.
- Phone Banking: Volunteers were needed to make calls to voters, informing them about Taylor's platform and encouraging them to vote.
- Precinct Staffing: Volunteers were needed to staff precincts on Election Day and during early voting.
- Lawn Sign Distribution: Supporters were encouraged to display lawn signs in their yards and help distribute them to others.
These tactics reflect a traditional campaign strategy focused on direct voter contact and building a strong local presence.
Sue Myrick: The Incumbent
Sue Wilkins Myrick, Taylor's opponent, was a well-established Republican politician with a long history of public service. She had served as the Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina, from 1987 to 1991. She was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1994. Myrick was known for her conservative views and strong support for the Bush administration's policies. Myrick's voting record aligned with President Bush 94% of the time. This made her a target for Democrats seeking to challenge the Republican Party's dominance in Congress. Her stance on issues such as the Iraq War and tax cuts for the wealthy was directly challenged by Harry Taylor's campaign.
The Outcome and Its Significance
Sue Wilkins Myrick won re-election to the United States House. She defeated Harry Taylor (D) and Andy Grum (L) in the general election. While Harry Taylor's campaign was unsuccessful in its primary goal of unseating the incumbent, it still holds significance for several reasons:
- It provided a platform for discussing important issues: The campaign brought attention to issues such as economic inequality, the Iraq War, and fiscal responsibility, sparking debate and raising awareness among voters.
- It demonstrated the power of grassroots activism: The campaign mobilized volunteers and built a local support network, showcasing the potential for ordinary citizens to engage in the political process.
- It offered an alternative vision for the future: Harry Taylor presented a different approach to governance. This gave voters a clear choice and contributed to the broader political discourse.
Press and Media Coverage
Information about Harry Taylor's campaign in 2008 is available through various online news archives. These news articles provide insights into the campaign's key events, strategies, and challenges. These articles help piece together a more complete picture of the campaign beyond what is available on the archived website.
Social and Cultural Significance
While the Harry Taylor campaign did not achieve its ultimate goal of winning the election, it reflects broader trends and themes in American political history. The campaign's focus on economic fairness and social justice aligns with progressive movements that have sought to address inequality and promote opportunity for all. The campaign's emphasis on grassroots activism and community involvement echoes the spirit of civic engagement that has been a cornerstone of American democracy.
Harry Taylor's 2008 campaign against Sue Wilkins Myrick provides a valuable case study of a political challenge in a changing environment. While the odds were stacked against him due to the district's Republican lean and the power of incumbency, Taylor's campaign raised important issues, engaged volunteers, and offered an alternative vision for the future. By examining the details of his campaign, we can gain a better understanding of the political landscape of 2008 and the ongoing debates that continue to shape American society.