Four Republican federal lawmakers from North Carolina scored A’s on a new congressional report card from the Washington, D.C. watchdog group Council for Citizens Against Government Waste.

At the same time, two of the most liberal members of the Tar Heel State’s congressional delegation — Reps. Brad Miller of the 13th district and David Price of the 4th district — scored zero.

The ratings are based on 46 votes in the U.S. House and 62 votes in the U.S. Senate during the latter half of the 111th Congress in 2010. Due to the scant number of votes taken on legislation to lower taxes, cut spending, or increase accountability, CCAGW dubbed 2010 “the year of living expensively.”

“Unfortunately, far too many members demonstrated little regard for the consequences of failing to reduce the record of $1.3 trillion deficit and $14.7 trillion debt, and constituents should admonish them for their poor ratings,” said CCAGW president Tom Schatz.

In the North Carolina delegation, four representatives achieved “taxpayer hero” status with scores of 90 percent or better: Virginia Foxx, R-5th (98 percent); Sue Myrick, R-9th (96 percent); Patrick McHenry, R-10th (93 percent); and Howard Coble, R-6th (91 percent).

Republican Sen. Richard Burr scored 93 percent, while Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan scored 11 percent.

North Carolina’s three centrist Democrats scored below 30 percent: Reps. Mike McIntyre of the 7th district (27 percent), Heath Shuler of the 11th district (24 percent), and Larry Kissell of the 8th district (15 percent).

Nationally, Reps. Paul Broun, R-Ga.; Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.; Tom Graves, R-Ga.; Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas; Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich.; and Sam Johnson, R-Texas, were named “taxpayer super heroes” with perfect scores of 100 percent.

The number of representatives scoring zero decreased from 105 members in 2009 to 30 in 2010. The list includes House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, and Assistant Democratic Leader James Clyburn, D-S.C. Nineteen Democrats in the Senate also scored zero.

David N. Bass is an associate editor of Carolina Journal.