Stam Reflects On His Career, Part 2

This is family policy matter program is produced by the North Carolina family policy Council of profamily research unification organization dedicated to preserving the family and up from the studio here is John Rustin, Pres. North Carolina family policy Council going for family policy matters were honored to have representative Paul Stanback was on the program. Sam is an attorney based in Apex, North Carolina is currently serving in his eighth term in the North Carolina House of Representatives, representing the southern portion of White County including Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay Marina, Willow Springs and other communities over the years representative Sam has held a variety of leadership positions in the statehouse currently speak approach important, but he recently announced that he will not be seeking reelection to the house in 2016 and have representative Stanback with his own family policy matters to continue the discussion. We began last week about his career in the North Carolina Gen. assembly and what's next for him.

Following the conclusion of the 2016 legislative session. Sam welcome back to family policy matters. Thank you John. Let's switch gears a little bit and talk about your time in the general assembly, you were first elected to the north Carolina house in 1988 served one term at that time that I was the fetid mini came back I would get to Mitch about what I want to mention that I have lost six elections say that to encourage other people who may have lost an election or two to realize that is not the end of the world absolutely absolutely well. Persistence deftly pays off in your case it absolutely has not only did you serve a term from 1989 to 1990. But then you were elected again in 2002 and you have served seven terms in the house since the lead you initially to run for public office is somewhat embarrassing. It was an accident. I was politically active outcome. Bill Kobe's congressional campaign served several years as chair of what Kelly right to life had put out lots of yards mail for pro-life candidates of both parties, because in those days there were plenty of pro-life Democrats. Unlike male, so I was known to the political community. But I did not have any thoughts running for office closet that my death one day and state party chair called me up and asked me to file by noon so that I could be a placeholder pocket with then when they found a real candidate. Pocket withdrawal and they could put the real candidate on the ballot so I did that until my law partner was very active correctly when they are in up how to get out shortly. I went ahead and filed with about five minutes to go with a couple other minutes to go.

Someone else about the same office in Hardin County that I did know about and the rule was if you had a primary you couldn't withdrawal, so I did my withdrawn, but I sure what you lose so that that's started running for office that competitive spirit has served you well as our listeners may know you have served in the legislature as the chairman of multiple committees as the House Majority Leader and most recently as the speaker pro tem port in the house and by any measure a representative Sam you have done a tremendous amount of work in the state legislature. As you look back over your career in the general assembly. What do you feel have been your greatest accomplishment and what have you been most proud of, limited to those of particular interest to the profamily community.

There's plenty of other things about technical tax issues: attachment single sales factors that may not be of general interest, but clearly for the pro-life community. The two most important things are the woman's right to know at which now is a 72 hour waiting period. Plus a lot of required consents and also in that vein, cutting off all the tax funding for abortion and also keeping it out of the federal exchange in North Carolina.

There's no portion coverage for those policies sold under the exchange.

I know over the years as we've had meetings to discuss pro-life legislation in the policies and changes to the law improvements we can be made. You as a leader have always laid out some very specific guidelines of what we as a group need to be looking at to ensure that were spending our time most effectively and efficiently in the number one measure is business can actually save lives of unborn children heard you say that over and over and over again and I think with that wonderful focus that you have on that think something that our listeners it's important for them to understand that we can talk about public policy and often times it can seem impersonal and cold and sometimes even theoretical, but it does come down in the end to the lives of these precious unborn children and not something that you really committed much of your career both in the legal arena and in the legislative arena to do their daughter to different approaches legislation. What is utopian, that is how present the bills as I get about dictator what the law should be in those generally go nowhere. The second approach is what can I do to make things is better as I can and that can lead victories beget other victories and defeats beget other defeats so just throwing the bill up in the air they get shot down and defeated negatively impacts the ability of the folks on your side to get something passed. The next time so we always try to proposed bills that number one can pass number two will be effective in the pro-life area saving actual human lives or the school choice area getting actual kids in seats in schools where they need to be in third. That will not be struck down by the courts. Some of the federal courts are a very bizarre, so you want to try to structure things in such a way that they actually accomplish your purpose rather than just show off. I think you have been uniquely qualified based on your experience, your education, your background and in your heart to do just that.

You have really been able to balance the legal aspects and look at the judicial side of things.

The legislative side of things as well. What is it reasonable to be able to get pass through the general assembly and then work to do that and do it in a very strategic manner and also I we got the executive branch out there today with the governor and agencies that implement rules and regulations, and of all of those parts of the system are not working favorably and properly then those good walls can get run over bloodshot and we've seen that in the past, but fortunately in recent years, we seen a lot of great gains, especially as it relates to things to talk about sanctity of human life issues, school choice issues and things of that sort.

What I do read in the blog sphere and on the Internet is to the effective if we don't get our way.

Our quote, though the stand up and demand that we get our way hundred percent. They're not doing their job. That is a failure of understanding of Civics. We have divided government and there's pros and cons of divided government for the difficulties. If you cannot get everything you want done unless you have total control of all houses of all legislative bodies all governors and all courts, and that just isn't the case we don't have that.

So what we have to do is accomplish what we can when we can at every opportunity you have been a shining example of exactly how to do that in this as I've mentioned before, you have been a champion in the arenas of sanctity of human life marriage to religious liberty, school choice, parental rights, responsible government and you have felt bad policies as well like government-sponsored gambling. I know we've fought side-by-side against the lottery for years and years and also most recently, efforts to expand Indian gambling in North Carolina and video sweepstakes and those types of things and that that news item that never from the last session about how close we came to losing those fights, but it never came up because we defeated it behind the scene.

A lot of that was family policy Council and other similar groups, but they did get a lot of press because we beat a mother way right well and a lot of work in the legislature is done behind the scenes and often very quietly things that don't viscerally make it into the newspaper but are as important and and sometimes even more important than what you may read about on the front page of the news and Observer, the Charlotte Observer. Other papers across the state representative Sam. As I mentioned earlier you are finishing out the 2016 session this year. What do you hope to accomplish before your time in the general assembly comes to an end well. I have somebody in the instant criminal law, property law, regulatory reform, but on things that you're perfectly your listeners may be asked in. We need to fix funding for charter schools on school choice, the special needs scholarships are underfunded. We don't need to change the program so much, but they were underfunded in the pro-life area there to initiatives so that I will try to get done but I'm not good. Tell that on the radio because I if our spies for the abortion industry.

I'd be listening and then on the religious freedom area. We do need to address that because of this last summer we had this decision by the US Supreme Court that has to be recognized and dealt with. So the in the marriage context so that the people who take their faith seriously are not going to be prejudiced and discriminated against well and that something that we talk a lot about on this program I would be remiss representative Sam if I didn't give you the opportunity to in considering the years that you spend in public office, and the fact that were entering yet another election season to give advice to those who may be considering for who actually are running for office, particularly office in the state legislature. What advice would you give someone who is considering or he was presently running for the state legislature who may not have served before you could sit them down and say look when you take this office if you're fortunate enough to be elected. These are things that you need to be aware of and be mindful of. First, I would say that the newer members of the last few years have been progressively smarter than their seniors very serious about that of really gotten really talented people in our freshman class sophomore class, the candidates running now that's one thing.

Second, I would say that if your first layer take the lead on subjects that you know something about, though. Just take the issues that are ripped from the headlines that the entice you and say I will do some about that. Those go to people that know something about the subject.

Secondly, I would say like a mountain situation.

All the stars don't have to line up for you to run if you don't run you can't win if you don't if you don't when you can't serve and just do it and do you think is we just about to close out our Tom knowing your heart and your deep personal faith. Do you think it's important for Christians to step up and to serve in public office absolutely may be the best service but on the other hand, I would rather have a well grounded moral non-Christian who understands public policy over ignorant Christian. The Lord is nothing about being a Christian. They give you all wisdom is knowing how to vote. But the combination of being a faithful Christian plus studying the issues and understanding of public policy is the best combination well and you represent extremely well. Unfortunately without representative Sam we are out of time for family policy matters, but I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart and the bottom of the heart of the North Carolina family policy Council and our supporters across the state for taking time out of your busy schedule to be with us on family policy matters to hear about your life and your work in the general assembly, and for the commitment that you have made over years to serve the citizens of the district that you represent and wake County but also the citizens of the state as a leader in the North Carolina Gen. assembly. I speak for many when I say that we are going to miss you greatly. After you serve out the remainder of your term in the general assembly and all are just appreciative of the sacrifices that you and Dody your family have made over the years to be a public servant and a consummate public servant in North Carolina. So thank you so much like you, John." Pres. Obama. Even after I leave office in the year. I'll still have a phone and I'll still have a pin well and we expect to hear from you often and look forward to doing that. So thank you so much since family policy matters.

Information and analysis, future of the North Carolina family policy Council join us weekly for discussion on policy issues affecting the family. If you have questions or comments, please contact 919-807-0800 or visit our website and see family.org