Fern Shubert

Fern Shubert is a CPA, a writer, a former town manager, state Representative and state Senator, and was a candidate for Governor in 2004. She was warning then of the corruption in the Easley administration that is only now being exposed. (The web site from that race is archived at www.4fern.com)

Fern currently serves as NC State Director of The National Right to Read Foundation (www.nrrf.org ), a group that works to promote literacy by encouraging the use of proven methods of reading instruction. As co-chair of the Education Committee, Fern helped craft and obtain passage of the Excellent Schools Act. She was instrumental in the passage of the legislation that permitted charter schools. Her work was recognized by Union Academy when they permitted her to draw the names of the first students admitted to the newly formed school.

Fern graduated from Duke University (Phi Beta Kappa, Magna cum Laude) and passed the CPA exam before even graduating. Because of her profession, she has been exposed to all types and sizes of businesses, non-profits and governmental agencies. Her experience and training give her a unique ability to understand and positively affect the many issues and major budget matters that come before the legislature.

In addition to securing passage of the landowner protection act in her first term in the legislature, her work in that term also resulted in her receiving the 1996 NCEITA 21 Award for Government Service from the NC Electronics & Information Technology Association. 1996 was the first year this award was given and she is one of the very few Representatives ever to receive it.

The following year she won the Accountant Advocate of the Year Award from the US Small Business Administration at the State, Regional & National levels, recognizing her as the Accountant who did the most for small business in the whole country. And of course she has also won the Guardian of Small Business Award from the National Federation of Independent Businesses (The highest honor NFIB bestows on a state legislator . . .).

Fern served three terms in the house (95-96, 97-98, 01-02) before being elected to the Senate. Her fellow Republican Senators elected her Senate Republican Whip as a freshman Senator in recognition of her many accomplishments in the House.

She hates being called a politician, claiming the phrase comes from “poly” meaning “many” and “tick” meaning “bloodsuckers.” She believes in solving problems rather than throwing money at them. She realizes that before government can spend money it must take it from someone and she agrees with Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson that “He governs best who governs least.” She particularly opposes the misuse of government to enrich the few at the expense of the many.

Not surprisingly, her outspoken opposition to various abuses of power has earned her the enmity of those who profit from bad government. Beware of those who claim her refusal to befriend the powerful individuals mismanaging our state is a bad thing. It may be bad for the personal bank accounts of those who seek to defame her, but why would the public want to elect a representative who gets along with those misspending their money?