When N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore called the House to order for its scheduled 8:30 a.m. session on Sept. 11, he made a fateful decision bearing not only on a host of the state’s most important policy choices but also on his own character. For weeks, the top House Republican … [Read more...] about Ambush at Override Gulch
About Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate
Path to Fairer Maps, Better Government
If politics can be described as a contact sport, it’s perhaps fitting to say that when the Republicans who control North Carolina’s General Assembly went to court to defend the extreme gerrymandering that has helped keep them in power, they suffered no less than an epic … [Read more...] about Path to Fairer Maps, Better Government
Guns, Medicaid, Gridlock
It can’t have escaped many folks’ notice – even those, bless their hearts, for whom the really big news involves the onset of football season – that our political systems these days feature a whole lot of wheel-spinning and gear-grinding in the face of epic … [Read more...] about Guns, Medicaid, Gridlock
On Gerrymandering, High Court Looks to States
You have to wonder: What would U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. tell that proud North Carolina gerrymanderer David Lewis if they ever came face to face, just the two of them? OK, we can imagine the cynical answer. He’d tell his fellow conservative, most vocal defender of … [Read more...] about On Gerrymandering, High Court Looks to States
No Medicaid Expansion? Just say no!
Not to belabor the obvious, but when North Carolina’s elected leaders craft a spending plan for state government, they take positions on many issues that have a moral dimension. And among the budget issues resonating on the level of morality, few if any resonate more loudly than … [Read more...] about No Medicaid Expansion? Just say no!
Gerrymandering Dooms Voter ID Amendment, Judge Says
Editor's note: This article has been updated to specify that the court ruling does not address the status of the law enacted in December to comply with the state constitution's voter ID requirement. As of now, the law remains on the books. Perhaps we didn’t see this coming. … [Read more...] about Gerrymandering Dooms Voter ID Amendment, Judge Says
Elections Oversight: No Place for Secrecy
Update: After this article was written, Gov. Cooper did veto House Bill 1029, as he was urged to do. He criticized the bill as potentially "devastating to the cause of fighting election fraud" because of the new layer of secrecy imposed on investigations into campaign finance … [Read more...] about Elections Oversight: No Place for Secrecy
Election Milestone on Path to Change
The first thing Gov. Roy Cooper did after he reported for work on Wednesday, Nov. 8, was to order up a generous new supply of red ink for his veto stamp. How do we know that? We don’t. Call it a fanciful guess. But here’s how the remarkable election of Nov. 6 – remarkable … [Read more...] about Election Milestone on Path to Change
When It Rains Voter Suppression
It’s a truism that weather affects elections. Yes, many of us would slosh through a downpour if that’s what it took to get to the polls. But a cold, driving rain is a disincentive. Like it or not, that’s plain old human nature. Let’s not try to forecast the weather for Nov. 6, … [Read more...] about When It Rains Voter Suppression
Pushback Path Leads to Court
A summer of hectic twists and turns has made it increasingly clear: The N.C. General Assembly’s ruling Republicans have been driven by desperation. They must be desperately worried that their lease on unbridled power is about to expire. So, while they still have the chance, … [Read more...] about Pushback Path Leads to Court
Power Struggle has them Scrambling
The drive by Republicans who control the N.C. General Assembly to enhance their already formidable power, often at the expense of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, has been relentless. Why is this a problem? Because legislative power for the past several years has been used to … [Read more...] about Power Struggle has them Scrambling
Governor Faces a Squeeze
Depending on the context, it could be called poor sportsmanship. Or bullying. Or a flouting of democratic principles. Or even tyranny. Consider a situation in which a group of people are found to have violated certain rules. But the violators are able to change the rules in … [Read more...] about Governor Faces a Squeeze
Power Push’s Troubling Twists
The current leaders of the North Carolina General Assembly – top members of the state House and Senate, all of them Republicans – rule with iron fists and aren’t squeamish about the tactics they use to hold and even magnify their power. Sadly for the rule of law and for the … [Read more...] about Power Push’s Troubling Twists
Voter ID Follows Budget Bulldozer
North Carolina’s new state budget – now on a fast track to final enactment by the Republican-controlled General Assembly over Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto – represents a miserable failure in open, accountable legislating. Apparently for the first time on record, a budget … [Read more...] about Voter ID Follows Budget Bulldozer
Marching for Schools, and for Children
They suited up in their red t-shirts, hoisted their homemade signs and coursed like a river through the heart of downtown Raleigh. Destination: The headquarters of North Carolina’s General Assembly. Message: Game on! Yes, May 16 was supposed to have been a school day. … [Read more...] about Marching for Schools, and for Children
Doing the School-money Shuffle
When the N.C. General Assembly convenes on May 16, legislators will be “welcomed” by a throng of advocates for high-quality public schools – teachers prominent among them. More power to these noble loud-mouths, and may they make headway in their against-the-tide quest for better … [Read more...] about Doing the School-money Shuffle
School Districts: Keeping It Together
Public education in North Carolina has its share of challenges, not the least of which has been the state’s ongoing failure to make sure that school systems in poorer communities receive the financial support they need. But in one major respect, the pattern by which most of … [Read more...] about School Districts: Keeping It Together
Public Schools’ Call to Quality – For All
It was perhaps the N.C. Supreme Court’s finest hour. In 1997, the high court held unanimously that North Carolina public school students are entitled under the state constitution to the “opportunity to receive a sound basic education.” In other words, it’s the state’s … [Read more...] about Public Schools’ Call to Quality – For All
On the Hot Seat, Where She Belongs
Ordinary Americans – those of us not allowed to know the secrets of high-level espionage work – at this point find it hard to judge accurately the accomplishments of Gina Haspel as she climbed through the ranks of the Central Intelligence Agency. President Trump, in nominating … [Read more...] about On the Hot Seat, Where She Belongs
Class Sizes and More: An Awkward Finale
As the General Assembly wraps up its weirdly timed and generally ill-conceived winter session, it would be nice to think that the grand dispute over class sizes in North Carolina’s public schools had been resolved in a way that met valid objections to legislators’ smaller-classes … [Read more...] about Class Sizes and More: An Awkward Finale
With Rights at Stake, Judges Stand Tall
The pattern has become familiar – and a welcome pattern it is, even if brought about by the Republican-controlled General Assembly’s relentless abuses of our democratic system. Call it, “Judges to the rescue!” Legislators have moved to make voting more difficult, to … [Read more...] about With Rights at Stake, Judges Stand Tall
Thumbs-up to Fairer Districts
Progress in rooting out North Carolina’s gerrymandered voting districts hasn’t always occurred in a straight line. But the trend – thanks to federal judges honoring their duty to uphold the Constitution – bodes well for giving all voters an equal chance to help choose their … [Read more...] about Thumbs-up to Fairer Districts
U.S. Court: Those Districts Won’t Fly
Grand constitutional questions in this country aren’t settled until the Supreme Court has its say, either by affirming or reversing the rulings of lower-court judges or simply by declining to hear challenges to those rulings. So it’s too early to conclude definitively that … [Read more...] about U.S. Court: Those Districts Won’t Fly
N.C. Judges on Trial
Well, here we go again. If the Republican-led General Assembly in 2017 focused on trying to exert its dominance over a freshly installed Democratic governor, then 2018 could bring the climax of legislative efforts to “reform” the courts. Translated, that means efforts to stack … [Read more...] about N.C. Judges on Trial
Torture Inquiry Hits Close to Home
The solid citizens of Johnston County, N.C. – in a fateful quirk of geography – for several years have faced an unusual dilemma: What to do about the local company whose airplanes and personnel helped the Central Intelligence Agency carry out an interrogation program featuring … [Read more...] about Torture Inquiry Hits Close to Home
Tax Plan Twist: Churches, Charities, Candidates
With Republicans on Capitol Hill and in the White House desperate to post a big legislative win, their push for so-called tax reform – the label being used to sugar-coat costly tax changes mostly benefiting profitable corporations and the wealthiest among us – has reached … [Read more...] about Tax Plan Twist: Churches, Charities, Candidates
GOP’s Goal: A Tilted Bench
To the Republicans who run the N.C. General Assembly, the concept of judicial independence – central to our bedrock American principle of checks and balances and to the rule of law – must seem as alien as the one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people-eater of vintage Top 40 … [Read more...] about GOP’s Goal: A Tilted Bench
Defenders of Rights; Defenders of Privilege
At many levels, Americans are confronting issues of race relations and racial justice with an intensity that echoes the climax of the civil rights movement five decades ago – as well as the violent urban protests that signaled black citizens’ impatience with the pace of … [Read more...] about Defenders of Rights; Defenders of Privilege
Post-Charlottesville: What Trump Said, and When
When President Trump stepped to a White House lectern on Monday and rebuked the instigators of the deadly violence in Charlottesville, Va., that had erupted two days before, he was essentially doing what he’s said to do often on the golf course – taking a mulligan. This time, … [Read more...] about Post-Charlottesville: What Trump Said, and When
Marching Orders for New Maps
The three federal judges could have just come right out and said it: The Republicans who rule the N.C. General Assembly have elevated foot-dragging to a fine art. Their stall tactics take the cake. Instead, the trio overseeing the legislature’s efforts to draw new voting … [Read more...] about Marching Orders for New Maps
Rights Advocacy At Risk
The optics, as they say, are terrible. But in a state whose motto is “To Be Rather Than to Seem,” it’s even more important to look at the substance. And the substance is worse. Think about it: In a Southern state where the legacy of race discrimination and its attendant … [Read more...] about Rights Advocacy At Risk
Uh-Oh – It’s the Legislature, Again
Better get used to it. The N.C. General Assembly, after an all-too-brief adjournment during July, is about to reopen for business in its marble and masonry maze on Raleigh’s Jones Street. Given this legislature’s track record so far, the big question would seem to be: How much … [Read more...] about Uh-Oh – It’s the Legislature, Again
Doomed Veto Spotlights Budget Flaws
Presented with a new state budget that, whatever its occasional virtues, is mainly about easing tax burdens on the well-off while grinding opponents of legislative Republicans into the dirt, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper had little choice but to wield his veto stamp. Those … [Read more...] about Doomed Veto Spotlights Budget Flaws
New Budget with Old Agenda Falls Short
By now the strategy is familiar – the strategy used by the N.C. General Assembly’s Republican chiefs to try to make a fundamentally flawed state budget appear, well, not that bad. Or at least tolerable. Or better than it could have been and perhaps even worth … [Read more...] about New Budget with Old Agenda Falls Short
Gerrymander Remedy: Redraw, Now
The Republicans who took control of North Carolina’s General Assembly with the elections of 2010 were, it could be said, licking their chops. They knew that when they came to Raleigh in 2011, a big prize awaited. All they had to do was seize it. And seize it they … [Read more...] about Gerrymander Remedy: Redraw, Now
UPDATE — High Court to NC: Draw Those Districts Fairly
UPDATE In separate, party-line votes on June 8, the state House and Senate rejected Gov. Cooper's attempt to convene a special session for the purpose of redrawing legislative voting districts. Leaders of the Republican majority argued that Cooper's proclamation failed to meet … [Read more...] about UPDATE — High Court to NC: Draw Those Districts Fairly
Lines of Influence: Justices Zap Voting Map
Following the elections of 2010 – tilted as they were by an intense right-wing pushback against President Barack Obama midway through his first term – Republicans in the N.C. General Assembly saw themselves as large and in charge. For the first time in the state’s modern … [Read more...] about Lines of Influence: Justices Zap Voting Map
Budget’s Big Picture: A Crumbling Core
So, the question as always comes down to one of vision. The elected chieftains who decide how much money North Carolina’s state government will spend, what it will be spent on and how it will be raised must decide not only which programs and services will thrive and which will … [Read more...] about Budget’s Big Picture: A Crumbling Core
Retiring Judge Stands Tall
As Shakespeare’s King Lear famously put it, “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child.” Top Republicans in the N.C. General Assembly now might well be muttering, “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a Republican judge who stands on … [Read more...] about Retiring Judge Stands Tall
Tax-Cut Fever Threatens Services
How many times do we have to say it? Well, it’s worth repeating – especially in the aftermath of recent income tax filing deadlines, when the subject becomes a sore point for many: None of us should have to pay more in taxes than our fair share in financing the necessary and … [Read more...] about Tax-Cut Fever Threatens Services
New Push for Broader Medicaid, Better Health
North Carolina’s failure under Republican leadership to improve low-income residents’ access to health care via the Medicaid program has been like a persistent, throbbing pain in the state’s civic and economic life. The pain can be literal, when people must do without the … [Read more...] about New Push for Broader Medicaid, Better Health
Shock Waves from High Court ‘Nuke’
Our national politics are in an ugly place, driven by an accelerating cycle of suspicion, accusation, blame, recrimination and retaliation. The circumstances by which Neil Gorsuch takes office as a justice of the Supreme Court sadly fit the mold – to the U.S. Senate’s discredit … [Read more...] about Shock Waves from High Court ‘Nuke’
Swallow Hard: H.B. 2’s Less-than-Ideal ‘Repeal’
Call it a head-on collision between politics and principle. Is anyone surprised that politics prevailed? Yet here’s the twist that perhaps makes the outcome somewhat understandable, if no less regrettable. Those of us committed to stamping out discrimination on the basis of … [Read more...] about Swallow Hard: H.B. 2’s Less-than-Ideal ‘Repeal’
GOP Mantra: Party Hearty!
They might not care for the image, but Republican members of the N.C. General Assembly act as though they were drunk with power. They have the votes not merely to set conservative policies on spending, taxes, education, health care, protection or misprotection of the … [Read more...] about GOP Mantra: Party Hearty!
H.B. 2 ‘Compromise’ Must Protect Rights
The fight over North Carolina’s House Bill 2 – the law that notoriously stamps the state’s seal of approval on discrimination against lesbian, gay and transgender folks – has devolved into a form of trench warfare. Republican legislators and social conservatives who support … [Read more...] about H.B. 2 ‘Compromise’ Must Protect Rights
N.C.’s Reckless ‘Party Time’
Politics, at least in a democracy, is competitive. The analogy to sports may be simplistic but it’s not too far off the mark. Participants seek to win, and to do so in accordance with rules constraining behavior that’s plainly unfair or dangerous. The rewards for winning … [Read more...] about N.C.’s Reckless ‘Party Time’
Governor Fights Power Shortage
North Carolina’s governor gets to live in a mansion whose handsome property occupies a full city block in downtown Raleigh. He or she gets to meet with assorted dignitaries, here and elsewhere, to talk up the Old North State’s virtues. He or she gets to make congratulatory … [Read more...] about Governor Fights Power Shortage
Big Stakes in High Court Pick
Compared with some of the provocatively, even outrageously unsuited people whom President Trump has chosen for high office, Neil Gorsuch barely moves the needle. But that’s not to say Americans concerned about safeguarding the institutions of democracy should be heartened to see … [Read more...] about Big Stakes in High Court Pick
Medicaid Push: Cooper’s Strong Start
For many of us, these are troubling times as Donald Trump ascends to the nation’s highest office. We can hope for the best but it’s hard not to anticipate the worst: valuable alliances trashed, environmental protections ravaged, civil rights eroded, neighbors pitted against … [Read more...] about Medicaid Push: Cooper’s Strong Start
Seeds of Change in a Momentous Year
As we watched the egregiously unqualified Donald Trump campaign for and win election to the White House, any good news on the government and politics front was likely to be obscured amid concerns about what Trump’s ascent could bode for the nation’s well-being. Concerns? … [Read more...] about Seeds of Change in a Momentous Year
Post-Election Travesty Targets the Governor
The ugly truth can’t be evaded or denied: North Carolina’s General Assembly, in the grip of an arrogant Republican majority, has plunged ahead with a shocking, shameful abuse of power and of the principles of open, accountable government. Yes, this is a matter of vital concern … [Read more...] about Post-Election Travesty Targets the Governor
The Path to McCrory’s Last Stand
He and his supporters twisted and turned, wriggled and squirmed. But 27 days after the Nov. 8 election, Gov. Pat McCrory finally bowed to the inevitable and conceded that his bid for a second term had come up short. Yes, his contest with Roy Cooper, for 16 years North … [Read more...] about The Path to McCrory’s Last Stand
Maps Again Key to Power, Rights
No one reading this post is likely to pull a brain muscle describing ways in which the recent elections could have consequences ranging from the unfortunate to the dire. Our incoming president sends signals that he may be willing to walk back a few of his more extreme campaign … [Read more...] about Maps Again Key to Power, Rights
Plots Thicken in Election’s Aftermath — UPDATED
Donald Trump’s campaign for the presidency was a waste-pit wallow through a sludge of fear and hate. That millions of Americans voted for him presumably without hating anyone says a great deal about the extent of the economic desperation he vows to address. As to how he’ll … [Read more...] about Plots Thicken in Election’s Aftermath — UPDATED
A Troubling Choice, Yet Glimmers of Hope
Those of us aligned with the Council of Churches share a political outlook whose priorities include equal rights, equal opportunity, environmental stewardship, ample investment in public services and fair allocation of that investment’s costs. We believe that the United States … [Read more...] about A Troubling Choice, Yet Glimmers of Hope
At Campaign Trail’s End, Voters Rule
As the 2016 campaign season grinds along the final stretch toward Election Day on Nov. 8 – and with thousands of North Carolinians already having cast their ballots – we may see a familiar paradox of politics once again displayed: Things had to get worse before they could get … [Read more...] about At Campaign Trail’s End, Voters Rule
Trump, Business Values and H.B. 2
Donald Trump may strike a populist, anti-big business note a la Bernie Sanders from time to time. But he also has a tendency to gloat over his own cutthroat business practices which, he claims, have made him rich. (How rich? Perhaps if he weren’t so secretive about his tax … [Read more...] about Trump, Business Values and H.B. 2
Proposed H.B. 2 Deal Falls Short
Who can blame North Carolina’s restaurant and hotel operators for wishing the whole House Bill 2 controversy would just vanish into thin air, as if it had never existed? They’d love to see the clock rolled back to that glorious time before Charlotte strengthened the city’s … [Read more...] about Proposed H.B. 2 Deal Falls Short
Bad Law vs. Big Games
When ultra-visible organizations with major economic leverage press for political change, sometimes the right thing to do is to tell them to take the proverbial long walk off a short pier. Or something more colorful. But what if the change being sought is one that advances … [Read more...] about Bad Law vs. Big Games
Early Voting Draws Support
The folks in North Carolina who want to make it harder rather than easier for people to vote – a category that features top officials of the state Republican Party – lost a big battle in the federal courts. So they’ve tried to win the war by narrowing opportunities to cast … [Read more...] about Early Voting Draws Support
Election Maps Under Scrutiny
The Republican Party developed a national strategy to seize and hold legislative power, and in North Carolina executed it with relentless precision. Six years into that process, however, the adverse legal judgments are beginning to accumulate. Rights were violated and votes … [Read more...] about Election Maps Under Scrutiny
Voting Rights, Redeemed
Even for ardent voting rights advocates, there’s little comfort to be gained from a federal appeals court’s finding that the N.C. General Assembly engaged in a multifaceted scheme to discriminate against African-American voters. Think about it: A half-century after the federal … [Read more...] about Voting Rights, Redeemed
Governor in the Glare
There was a time, back in the range of 2008, when Pat McCrory looked as though he probably would do a pretty good job if elected as North Carolina’s governor. At least, there weren’t any solid reasons to think that this moderate, business-oriented Republican who was the … [Read more...] about Governor in the Glare
Scrambled Session’s Lows and Highs
The N.C. General Assembly’s 2016 regular session, which drew to a sudden close on July 1, will be remembered as much for what didn’t happen as for what did – sometimes for the worse and occasionally for the better. Even with Republicans firmly in charge of both the House and … [Read more...] about Scrambled Session’s Lows and Highs
Tax Cap’s Enduring Mischief
Sorry for the sugar-coating, but the state Senate’s attempt to enshrine its preferred tax policies in North Carolina’s constitution is arrogant, presumptuous, wrongheaded and profoundly undemocratic. Who will be penalized if the attempt succeeds? Not the high-end earners … [Read more...] about Tax Cap’s Enduring Mischief
Immigrants as Scapegoats — Again
There wasn’t a lot to like about what occurred the other day in a state Senate committee. First, legislative rules – notoriously rubberized – were stretched to the point where principles of orderly law-making were nailed up for mockery. Second, the travesty took place in service … [Read more...] about Immigrants as Scapegoats — Again
Beyond Pulse: Vigilance, Tolerance
Let’s face it. We, that would be all of us who proudly claim the title of American, must do more to forestall the situations and grievances and opportunities that can lead to any kind of slaughter remotely resembling the Orlando tragedy of June 12, 2016. 6/12, a new code for 21st … [Read more...] about Beyond Pulse: Vigilance, Tolerance
Budgeting that Tests our Values
Let’s assume the worst, which for the moment would mean that the N.C. Senate’s version of a new state budget sails through to enactment without change or compromise. The sun, as they say, will still come up in the morning. Public school teachers will continue to report for … [Read more...] about Budgeting that Tests our Values
Sour Notes, Again, in Budget Song
Well, did anyone really expect North Carolina’s General Assembly, in finalizing a new state budget, suddenly to see the light and swerve toward more effective, fairer government? The same General Assembly that for the past five years has embraced a shrunken, warped vision of its … [Read more...] about Sour Notes, Again, in Budget Song
Tar Heel Beacon of Tolerance
Take heart, fair-minded North Carolinians. The state’s not-always-pristine but still vaguely operative image as a place where “the weak grow strong and the strong grow great” is in the process of being dragged through the mud by cynics who prefer to kick people while they’re … [Read more...] about Tar Heel Beacon of Tolerance
Voter Suppression Gets a Pass
A federal judge’s ruling that upholds changes in North Carolina election laws, despite their effect of making it harder for some citizens to vote, seems to rest on his conclusion that, well, there’s no reason to get all upset about a little inconvenience. Civil rights and … [Read more...] about Voter Suppression Gets a Pass
Bathroom Drama’s Many Plots
Here’s a funny thing about House Bill 2, the “bathroom bill” (now law) that’s causing North Carolina so much grief: The Charlotte ordinance that the General Assembly was in such a rush to block -- the one that supposedly threw the usual custom of sex-separated public bathrooms to … [Read more...] about Bathroom Drama’s Many Plots
Beyond Bathrooms: Jobs, Fairness
North Carolina’s House Bill 2 – rammed through the General Assembly and signed into law in less than half a day – manages to rope together a herd of provisions so misguided, harmful and unfair as to boggle the mind. Bathroom protocols for transgender people, as ridiculously … [Read more...] about Beyond Bathrooms: Jobs, Fairness
Hurtful Law Sends Signals
Yes, it was a pretty neat trick -- one bill that manages to expose many vulnerable North Carolinians to unfair, hurtful treatment, that threatens to put a dent in the state’s economy, and that subjects this state to national ridicule as a redoubt of unhinged intolerance. All … [Read more...] about Hurtful Law Sends Signals
Trump’s Campaign of Us versus Them
If Donald J. Trump successfully concludes his so-far-dominant push to become this year’s Republican presidential nominee, North Carolinians will have played a role. Some will view that role as a source of pride – others as an embarrassment. The chasm between those perspectives … [Read more...] about Trump’s Campaign of Us versus Them
District Challengers: ‘Oh, No, You Don’t!’ (Updated)
After a panel of federal judges threw out North Carolina’s congressional district map because it trampled the rights of African-American voters, the General Assembly followed orders and redrew the map. The 13 districts were dramatically realigned, with major consequences both for … [Read more...] about District Challengers: ‘Oh, No, You Don’t!’ (Updated)
Legislators’ High-Court Switcheroo
After a five-year exercise in seeking to put a lasting stamp on North Carolina government and policy, the General Assembly’s majority Republicans have provoked a parade of lawsuits challenging a number of their moves. It may be that most of those lawsuits will play out in the … [Read more...] about Legislators’ High-Court Switcheroo
District Drama Spotlights Power, Fairness
The Republicans who control North Carolina’s General Assembly are determined to draw election-district boundaries favoring their party’s candidates and promoting their conservative agenda. But when Republican voters are outnumbered by Democrats, crafting favorable districts while … [Read more...] about District Drama Spotlights Power, Fairness
Thumbs Down on Racial Gerrymanders
With an eye toward the battles over redistricting that have roiled North Carolina politics for the last quarter-century, once again push is coming to shove. This time, the advantage lies with voting rights and social justice advocates who have sought to keep the state’s … [Read more...] about Thumbs Down on Racial Gerrymanders
Election Changes’ Telltale Timing
It was just one little comment, perhaps ventured with the flicker of a wry smile. But we can doubt that Tom Farr saw the humor in being ribbed by a federal judge. Farr, attorney for the defendants in a challenge to North Carolina’s voter ID law, was wrapping up his case on … [Read more...] about Election Changes’ Telltale Timing
Voter ID on Trial
The ongoing legal challenge to North Carolina’s voter ID rule, now playing out before a federal judge in Winston-Salem, could end up reminding us that it’s not the job of the courts to decide whether a law is needed or wise. It’s their job to decide whether a law violates … [Read more...] about Voter ID on Trial
Race, Courts and Twisted Districts
Few of the decisions made by the men and women of our General Assembly are so prone to self-serving, partisan abuse as the setting of boundaries for voting districts. When legislators yield to that temptation, it’s inescapable that the rights of some voters to have a fair, equal … [Read more...] about Race, Courts and Twisted Districts
2015: Our Conservatives Weren’t Kidding
For those of us who want to see North Carolina governed with the interests of all its residents in mind – not mainly the interests of the well-off and privileged -- 2015 amounted to yet another slog down a disappointing path. It was the third full year since conservative … [Read more...] about 2015: Our Conservatives Weren’t Kidding
Trump’s Anti-Muslim Bluster
In the game of bridge, when a trump card is played to win a trick, that’s known as a ruff. In the game of politics, when Donald Trump uses tricks to try to win votes, he plays rough. Pursuing the Republican nomination for president, the bumptious Trump has been on a roll. … [Read more...] about Trump’s Anti-Muslim Bluster
Doing Right by Syria’s Refugees
Photo by I. Prickett, UNHCR Against the toxic brew of fear and political opportunism that has enveloped America’s response to the Syrian refugee crisis stand principles of compassion and common sense. The N.C. Council of Churches is proud to embrace those principles and to … [Read more...] about Doing Right by Syria’s Refugees
UNC System’s New Sheriff
The notably dapper Thom Goolsby, member of the University of North Carolina Board of Governors, made a mark of sorts with his put-down of the NAACP-led Moral Monday protest movement – the movement that called the conservative-controlled General Assembly to account for a range of … [Read more...] about UNC System’s New Sheriff
‘We stand adjourned’ – finally!
The senators and representatives who make up North Carolina’s General Assembly let their 2015 session run on far longer than it should have. Let’s be glad that the curtain has come down. There’s been enough damage. But as if our illustrious lawmakers wanted to give us the … [Read more...] about ‘We stand adjourned’ – finally!
Power Plays, Surprises at Session’s End
These closing weeks, or days, of the General Assembly’s session are sometimes known as the silly season, when weirdness is the watchword at the maze-like Legislative Building on Raleigh’s Jones Street. But all too often, the results are more scary than funny. OK, scary is a … [Read more...] about Power Plays, Surprises at Session’s End
Budget Struggle’s Bitter End
The proverbial elephant labored and, against all hopeful expectations, brought forth a mouse. The “elephants” who run the Republican-controlled General Assembly labored and now have brought forth, if not a mouse, then a state budget that is completely underwhelming as a vehicle … [Read more...] about Budget Struggle’s Bitter End
The Odor Around the Lottery
When North Carolina legislators by the narrowest of margins 10 years ago approved a state lottery, capping a long debate over the wisdom of state-sponsored gaming, they set aside warnings of a slippery slope. Supporters maintained that our lottery would be, in effect, a … [Read more...] about The Odor Around the Lottery
Rule to Harass, or Punish, the Jobless
Even while North Carolina was still in the grips of the Great Recession, with thousands of residents suffering the slings and arrows of joblessness because they were caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, Republican legislators moved to make it harder to receive … [Read more...] about Rule to Harass, or Punish, the Jobless
Tale of Two Chambers Amid Budget Conflict
North Carolina has two legislative bodies, the 120-member House of Representatives and the 50-member Senate. They’re set up to be equal in power, although it could be said that the larger House is designed to be more reflective of the public will. Senators typically have more … [Read more...] about Tale of Two Chambers Amid Budget Conflict
Protect Us from the ‘Protection Act’
With its misguided “Taxpayer Protection Act” scheme, the state Senate looks to put a crowning touch on its efforts to turn North Carolina into a veritable Promised Land for conservatives, where taxes are always low, the government is always small, and public services are always … [Read more...] about Protect Us from the ‘Protection Act’
Private School Vouchers, Lax Standards
The principle of judicial restraint is a wonderful thing. It helps keep judges – as they go about their business of determining whether laws are constitutional – from horning in on the role of legislators, whose task is to make policy choices and then to enact laws reflecting … [Read more...] about Private School Vouchers, Lax Standards
Tax Cuts, Tax Shifts, Budget Battles
Don’t be surprised if, during the General Assembly’s closed-door negotiations to craft a new state budget, enterprising reporters manage to pry loose some of the juicy (or gory) details. Keeping tight security on a process that involves 114 legislators – fully two-thirds of … [Read more...] about Tax Cuts, Tax Shifts, Budget Battles
Courtroom March for Voting Rights
Republican legislators can hardly get around the fact that their 2013 overhaul of North Carolina election laws is likely to inconvenience some groups of voters more than others. For example: People working two jobs to make ends meet will tend to feel the impact of a shorter … [Read more...] about Courtroom March for Voting Rights
Conflicts over Policies, Power, Pride
Regarding the state of affairs within the N.C. General Assembly these days, one little set of numbers tells a big story: 112-0. That was the margin by which the House on June 23 rejected the Senate’s version of the annual budget bill. No, not exactly a cliff-hanger. House … [Read more...] about Conflicts over Policies, Power, Pride
Voting Rights Sense, in a New Light
Over and over, we heard North Carolina’s stringent voter identification law, enacted by the Republican-controlled legislature in 2013 over the protests of voting rights advocates, described as simply a “commonsense” measure to deter ballot fraud. We were supposed to ignore the … [Read more...] about Voting Rights Sense, in a New Light
Scrutiny for Gun Laws, Post-Charleston
Their timing, as it turned out, was less than impeccable. The gun-rights boosters who are pushing N.C. House Bill 562 ran up against some common-sense objections that resulted in two main elements being stripped from the bill. But more than that, later on the very evening … [Read more...] about Scrutiny for Gun Laws, Post-Charleston
Sad Signals on Tolerance, Rule of Law
Gov. Pat McCrory tried to warn his fellow Republicans who call the tunes in the General Assembly. The rule of law was at stake, McCrory said, and the state would be asking for trouble if it let public officials pick and choose which of their duties they will carry out. His veto … [Read more...] about Sad Signals on Tolerance, Rule of Law
Veto Overriders Flex Their Muscles
North Carolina’s General Assembly has muddled through many undistinguished moments since conservative Republicans took charge four years ago. Now, with an ongoing cascade of wrongheaded decisions, it’s adding to that disappointing and even destructive list. Gov. Pat McCrory, … [Read more...] about Veto Overriders Flex Their Muscles
Via Vetoes, McCrory Declares Independence
Anticipation of an unpleasant event – gallows humorists usually cite the prospect of being hanged – is said to concentrate the mind. Although 17 months will pass before North Carolina voters decide whether Gov. Pat McCrory has earned a second term, the possibility that he might … [Read more...] about Via Vetoes, McCrory Declares Independence
Bills Wink at Polluters, Abusers
For a boatload of lofty, noble and wise sentiments, look no farther than the opening fanfares of Chapter 113A, Article 1, N.C. General Statutes. The reference is to a law commonly known as SEPA, or the State Environmental Policy Act. It was enacted in 1971, during the great … [Read more...] about Bills Wink at Polluters, Abusers
Republican Budget makes Republicans Fume — Updated
Let’s admit it – we were fooled. We never realized that the N.C. House of Representatives, with Republicans firmly in charge, was a nest of liberals. At least that must be how Bob Luddy sees it. Luddy, a highly successful Wake County businessman (his company makes … [Read more...] about Republican Budget makes Republicans Fume — Updated
Revenue Boosts and Tax-cut Boasts
The rooster crowed. The sun came up. The rooster puffed his feathered chest as he beheld his magnificent handiwork. Phil Berger led the state Senate in cutting taxes. Revenues nudged up, putting the state on course to finish its budget year in the black. Berger proclaimed that … [Read more...] about Revenue Boosts and Tax-cut Boasts
When Lawmakers Itch to Execute
The last person to be put to death by the State of North Carolina – in other words, put to death on behalf of all of us who live here and choose the leaders who write our laws – was Samuel Flippen, 36, who was given a lethal injection at Central Prison in Raleigh at 2 a.m. on … [Read more...] about When Lawmakers Itch to Execute
At the Legislature, a Fateful Crossing
With its self-imposed April 30 “crossover” deadline, the General Assembly can sidetrack bills that haven’t gained enough support to make them worth fussing with during the remainder of the legislative session. A bill that makes the deadline by gaining approval in either the … [Read more...] about At the Legislature, a Fateful Crossing
High Court’s Double-Take on Districts
There’s certainly no guarantee that the U.S. Supreme Court, in sending North Carolina’s election district scheme back to the state Supreme Court for review, eventually will find that the General Assembly has engaged in unconstitutional racial gerrymandering. However, the high … [Read more...] about High Court’s Double-Take on Districts
Justice Advocates Convene for the Cause
The Council of Churches’ Legislative Seminar – its top-profile public event of the year – is meant to inform, and it’s meant to inspire. We’re not too bashful to say that this year’s version, held on April 14 at Greenwood Forest Baptist Church in Cary, succeeded on both … [Read more...] about Justice Advocates Convene for the Cause
Tax Cuts’ Costs Becoming Clear
Since taking veto-proof control of the NC General Assembly in the elections of 2012, members of the Republican majority have labored diligently to fix what they’ve regarded as a broken tax system. Of course, whether it really was broken is a point many North Carolinians have … [Read more...] about Tax Cuts’ Costs Becoming Clear
North Carolina Redistricting on High Court’s Radar
“Racial gerrymandering strikes at the heart of our democratic process, undermining the electorate’s confidence in its government as representative of a cohesive body politic in which all citizens are equal before the law.” Nicely put, Mr. Justice Scalia! Antonin Scalia is … [Read more...] about North Carolina Redistricting on High Court’s Radar
Medicaid Message Packs a Punch
Call it an exercise in futility? Well, no. There may not be a chance in the world that the General Assembly’s Republican chiefs will let the latest proposal to expand Medicaid come to a vote this year, or even receive a fair hearing in the committees they control. But by … [Read more...] about Medicaid Message Packs a Punch
Universities Take a Hit with Loss of Ross
Photo by Dan Sears, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina system’s Board of Governors, in telling system President Tom Ross in January that he could serve one more year but no more, offered no specific reason other than, well, it was time … [Read more...] about Universities Take a Hit with Loss of Ross
Council Puts Hot Topics on the Table
The mission of the NC Council of Churches extends into many areas that highlight the links between faith and public policies. And of the various events and activities sponsored by the Council, none is more closely focused on those links than the Legislative Seminar – giving it a … [Read more...] about Council Puts Hot Topics on the Table
Doomed UNC Centers Sang the Wrong Songs
It’s easy to imagine what the conservative Republicans who rule North Carolina’s legislative roost were thinking: “Here we’ve gone to all the trouble to take control of the General Assembly. We appoint the University of North Carolina system’s Board of Governors. We set the … [Read more...] about Doomed UNC Centers Sang the Wrong Songs
Time to Uphold UNC’s Anti-Poverty Mission
One can say this about UNC-Chapel Hill’s Gene Nichol without fear of contradiction: He doesn’t seem to know when to keep his mouth shut or his keyboard quiet. Good for him! Throughout his years in North Carolina, Nichol from his law professor’s perch has been a pugnacious … [Read more...] about Time to Uphold UNC’s Anti-Poverty Mission
Grading the Schools: The Poverty Link
The scheme ordered up by the conservatives who hold power in the NC General Assembly to assign a single letter grade to each of the state’s public schools – ostensibly as a quality signal so simple that even a caveman could get it – has proved, well, unhelpful. Given the way … [Read more...] about Grading the Schools: The Poverty Link
District Lines Entangle Race, Politics
The Republicans who rule North Carolina’s General Assembly start the new year riding tall in the saddle – and yes, we can imagine GOP legislators tipping their Stetsons to salute the state Supreme Court, which gave them an early Christmas present that must have made their … [Read more...] about District Lines Entangle Race, Politics
So Long, 2014: It Wasn’t all Pretty!
Of the many decisions and activities that unfold in the arena of public affairs, the ones that tend to show up on the NC Council of Churches’ radar are those affecting the quality of social justice in our state. The Council stands for policies and their associated programs … [Read more...] about So Long, 2014: It Wasn’t all Pretty!
Keep the Light Shining on CIA Conduct
Perhaps you can fight fire with fire, but you can’t – or shouldn’t – attempt to fight terrorism with terror. That’s an ultimate takeaway from the U.S. Senate report detailing abusive interrogations of terror suspects by the Central Intelligence Agency. The CIA had a heavy … [Read more...] about Keep the Light Shining on CIA Conduct
Election Explanations as the Dust Settles
North Carolina’s new U.S. senator-in-waiting, state House Speaker Thom Tillis, had what appears to have been the closest scrape among winning Republican Senate candidates in last month’s election. Tillis defeated first-term Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan by 45,608 votes out of a … [Read more...] about Election Explanations as the Dust Settles
Expand Medicaid? Now’s the time
The decision last year by the conservatives who control North Carolina’s state government not to expand the state’s Medicaid program has left an estimated half-million residents out in the cold when it comes to health insurance – that’s the number cited by the N.C. Institute of … [Read more...] about Expand Medicaid? Now’s the time
Conservatives, Riding High, Can Heed Cooler Heads
There’s no getting around the fact that when North Carolinians went to the polls on Nov. 5, they gave a thumbs-up to the conservatives who’ve been in charge at the General Assembly for the last four years – doing damage that calls to mind the proverbial elephant in a china … [Read more...] about Conservatives, Riding High, Can Heed Cooler Heads
Judgeships Crowd Ballot with Bubbles
For people who enjoy voting, North Carolina’s upcoming election promises to be a real treat. Federal, state and local offices are on the ballot. There’s no more straight-ticket voting for party candidates, so voters will have to (or get to) pick their favorite in each and every … [Read more...] about Judgeships Crowd Ballot with Bubbles
Voter Suppression Highlighted From on High
When thorny constitutional issues are being hashed out in the courts, it’s a fact of life that the show isn’t necessarily over until SCOTUS sings, or declines to sing. The acronym refers of course to the Supreme Court of the United States, which on Oct. 8 had the last word as to … [Read more...] about Voter Suppression Highlighted From on High
Judges Give ‘The Full Bill’ Thumbs-Down
October 9, 2014 Update: On October 8, the US Supreme Court handed down the final word about voting for this fall’s elections in North Carolina. It upheld the District Court’s decision not to put any of our new voting laws on hold and overturned the Circuit Court’s decision … [Read more...] about Judges Give ‘The Full Bill’ Thumbs-Down
Where to Go for Voting Info
Perhaps the N.C. chapter of Americans for Prosperity was just trying to be helpful when it mailed out a bunch of “official application forms” to prospective voters. Thanks a lot, guys. The State Board of Elections tells news organizations it has been hammered with queries … [Read more...] about Where to Go for Voting Info
Judges Ponder Rules to Vote By
North Carolina’s upcoming general election – Election Day is Nov. 4 – will be the first held under a revamped set of rules making it less convenient for some citizens to vote. Or, conceivably, the old rules will apply after all. That’s because the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of … [Read more...] about Judges Ponder Rules to Vote By
An Election-Year Call to Faith Leaders
Our time to choose North Carolina’s 2014 general election will be held on Tuesday, November 4. Although this is an “off-year” election, without contests for president or governor, many important races will be decided. The state’s voters will choose one of their two U.S. … [Read more...] about An Election-Year Call to Faith Leaders
Power Surge Hits Streams, Constitution
The N.C. General Assembly during its 2014 session – a session so rife with disputes among the majority Republicans that it smoldered on and on – has left many sour tastes in many mouths. There was, of course, the updated and unpalatable state budget, short of revenue because … [Read more...] about Power Surge Hits Streams, Constitution
Revenue-starved Budget Rattles and Rolls
The debate is familiar: State government is too big. No, it’s too small. People in the too-big camp typically think government – the state agencies and institutions that North Carolinians support with their taxes -- is too expensive. That it tries to do too much in the way of … [Read more...] about Revenue-starved Budget Rattles and Rolls
Warning Signs in Budget ‘Deal’
UPDATE: After this blog was posted, the final budget was unveiled and passed by the House and Senate. The large reductions in Medicaid reimbursement rates mentioned in the blog below did not materialize. The approach of an agreement to keep North Carolina state government … [Read more...] about Warning Signs in Budget ‘Deal’
Capital Clash over Education, Health
North Carolina legislators faced with vexing conflicts over a new state budget spent a solid week pawing and snorting at each other without a lot of movement on the main sticking points. Another case of partisan gridlock? Well, one could say so – except this is a standoff … [Read more...] about Capital Clash over Education, Health
Twists, Turns on Teacher Pay
If this year’s session of the N.C. General Assembly were a work of drama for stage or screen, the plot would be coming to a head. And we in the audience would be perched on the edge of our seats as the actors resolved the mystery: Will the state’s public school teachers get a … [Read more...] about Twists, Turns on Teacher Pay
Cy King’s Noble Example
Cyrus Baldwin King, a gentle spirit with an iron resolve, was a hero of North Carolina’s peace and justice movement. The Council of Churches is honored to join in the many tributes that have come his way at his passing. Cy died on June 25 at the age of 91 – after a life of … [Read more...] about Cy King’s Noble Example
Protesters’ Last ‘Salute’ as Legislators Wrangle
With one final gathering that on June 25 drew more than 1,000 people to the heart of North Carolina’s state government, the NC NAACP and its allies say they have concluded the latest round of Moral Monday protests that focused national attention on policies of the General … [Read more...] about Protesters’ Last ‘Salute’ as Legislators Wrangle
Council Spotlights Education, Opportunity
The NC Council of Churches aims to exert a positive influence on public policies that have implications for what is commonly known as social justice. What this often boils down to is spotlighting areas of decision-making in which the interests of ordinary residents – people … [Read more...] about Council Spotlights Education, Opportunity
Choices, Conflicts Amid Budget Squeeze
First it was Gov. Pat McCrory who tried to fashion a state budget giving teachers a badly needed raise while hamstrung by large tax cuts. Then the N.C. Senate took its turn. Yes, teachers willing to give up their job security could get a pay boost. But the proposed Senate budget … [Read more...] about Choices, Conflicts Amid Budget Squeeze
Health Crunch for the Vulnerable
For most North Carolinians, the myriad choices that comprise the state budget may affect the quality of their children’s education, or whether their favorite state park is kept in good shape, or whether the DMV has enough employees to keep wait times to a minimum. Then there … [Read more...] about Health Crunch for the Vulnerable
Senate Budget, Fracking Roar Through
Say this much for the leaders of the North Carolina Senate and House: When they make up their minds on a course of action, they don’t mess around. The General Assembly was in only the second full week of its 2014 session. But already the Senate, marching quick-time to the … [Read more...] about Senate Budget, Fracking Roar Through
Fracking and “Reform”: Senate’s Shaky Start
The North Carolina Senate could have gotten its 2014 session under way with a show of resolve to repair some of the damage from last year’s debacle. Just as one friendly suggestion: Senators could have reversed course and moved at the outset to expand the state’s Medicaid … [Read more...] about Fracking and “Reform”: Senate’s Shaky Start
Tax Cuts’ Sour Notes
If a session of the NC General Assembly can be compared to an opera -- comedy, farce or tragedy yet to be determined – then the governor’s recommended budget might amount to the overture. It introduces main themes and sets a mood. But there’s no guarantee that the governor and … [Read more...] about Tax Cuts’ Sour Notes
Looming Battles Over the Schools
North Carolina legislators may think they have their hands full trying to defuse the hot political issue of the moment – the state’s woeful pay levels for its public school teachers, now averaging 46th in the nation – while also closing budget shortfalls aggravated by unwise tax … [Read more...] about Looming Battles Over the Schools
Buckle Up – Here Comes the Legislature
The motto of North Carolina’s General Assembly during the past few years could well have been something like “Never a dull moment!” That’s especially been the case as the economy has muddled through various slumps, none so damaging as the Great Recession from which the state … [Read more...] about Buckle Up – Here Comes the Legislature
Education Events on Tap
The turmoil in North Carolina’s public schools, caused by budget cuts and ill-advised policy choices, has gotten people’s attention. On Saturday, May 3, there’ll be an opportunity to take a closer look at where things stand and what the stakes are for all involved – which, when … [Read more...] about Education Events on Tap
Teachers Feel the Strain
North Carolina’s public school classrooms these days seem to be running short of happy campers where they’re most needed -- among the teachers whose noble job it is to lead the way toward learning. Teachers in this state have been put through a professional and career wringer, … [Read more...] about Teachers Feel the Strain
Lutherans Sponsor Conference to Ponder Justice and Faith
When the line to check in at a church-sponsored conference on a beautiful Saturday morning in April stretches out the door, it’s a sign that the event has generated an impressive level of buzz. For the North Carolina Lutherans, their faith partners and other friends who turned … [Read more...] about Lutherans Sponsor Conference to Ponder Justice and Faith
Deadline for Voters — April 11
There’s an election in the offing, and over the next few weeks candidates and their allies will be ramping up the rhetoric. North Carolinians settling in to watch some television might want to buckle their seat belts while they ride out the onslaught of campaign … [Read more...] about Deadline for Voters — April 11
Scrambling for the Bench
Are judges politicians? And why – even in a state such as North Carolina, where judges are elected by the public – does the concept of judges who also function as politicians seem curious, if not troubling? Beyond honesty, intellect and knowledge of the law, perhaps a … [Read more...] about Scrambling for the Bench
Out of the Ashes – Creation Care?
Living in harmony with the world of nature has never been all that simple for us humans. One could say that the reported misadventures of a couple of folks named Adam and Eve, who had it made until they were laid low by pride, showed as much from the get-go. Our species … [Read more...] about Out of the Ashes – Creation Care?
Crossroads for Teacher Pay
The gory details are right there, laid out in columns of cold hard data compiled by the National Education Association. Each year, the national teachers’ group provides a comprehensive, state-by-state look at the financing of public education, with a focus on funding for … [Read more...] about Crossroads for Teacher Pay
Teacher Pay: Leaping, then Looking
He hasn’t put it quite this way, but what Gov. Pat McCrory seems to be saying – and who among us hasn’t offered the same excuse? – is that it sounded like a good idea at the time. Sure it did, for those who want to see our underpaid public school teachers forced to scrabble … [Read more...] about Teacher Pay: Leaping, then Looking
Those Who Do Without – From Our Social Justice Study for Lent
In recognition of our faithful call and of this time in history, the Council’s annual Lenten guide focuses on poverty and the ways we can respond to our sisters and brothers of low-income. We hope you and your family will find cause for reflection and inspiration for action as … [Read more...] about Those Who Do Without – From Our Social Justice Study for Lent
Two Churches Talk About Race
A newcomer to Raleigh sooner or later comes up against a riddle: How can the city have two First Baptist Churches? Here’s a non-surprise: The answer is rooted in the history of a community in which, just as elsewhere throughout the South, white citizens did not mix on equal … [Read more...] about Two Churches Talk About Race
Election Law’s Racial Twist
It’s easy to imagine the response from legislative leaders to a new scholarly look at the impacts of North Carolina’s recent election law changes: “Get over it!” Those same Republican legislators would be hard-pressed to argue that the changes won’t hold down vote totals among … [Read more...] about Election Law’s Racial Twist
The Stakes with Teachers’ Pay
Whether anecdotal or empirical, the evidence is clear: North Carolina has done a poor job of furnishing its public school teachers with adequate salaries. By “adequate,” we should mean pay that’s good enough to attract competent, motivated people into the teaching profession, … [Read more...] about The Stakes with Teachers’ Pay
Seeking Smooth Elections
The election law changes approved last year by North Carolina’s General Assembly face court challenges on grounds of voter suppression and racial discrimination. However the courts rule, it’s hard not to conclude that the changes will have the biggest impact on groups tending to … [Read more...] about Seeking Smooth Elections
Boosts for Voters, Protestors
By the time last year’s edition of the NC General Assembly finished its work, it was as though the laws and policies by which this state is governed had been run through a conservative wringer. Taxes and budgeting. Health care. Unemployment benefits. Public schools. … [Read more...] about Boosts for Voters, Protestors
King’s Voice for Voters
Our country’s annual salute to the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. honors him as the foremost crusader in the grand civil rights movement of the mid-20th century – the movement that finally broke the shackles of legally imposed racial segregation. What King and his countless … [Read more...] about King’s Voice for Voters
Voting Rights and Faith
Elections in the United States must be carried out in line with rules meant to ensure honesty and accuracy, and to expose candidates to timely judgments about their merits. But those rules cannot be used to set up unreasonable barriers to the polls – barriers that serve the … [Read more...] about Voting Rights and Faith
A Year of Setbacks, Pushbacks
At the close of a momentous year for politics and public policy in North Carolina – a year that challenged many people of faith to act on their beliefs -- we again might find ourselves wondering whether things have to get worse before they can get better. That “things” got … [Read more...] about A Year of Setbacks, Pushbacks
District Lines and Lions
The “peaceable kingdom,” where lions lie down with lambs amid other unlikely combos, turns out to be not so far-fetched when it comes to one of North Carolina’s most vexing policy challenges. While there are holdouts who enjoy their status as predators – or who don’t want to risk … [Read more...] about District Lines and Lions
Mandela Led the Way
As so often happens, the occasion of a person’s death becomes a time not only for mourning the end of a life but also for celebrating a life well-lived. When the departed is counted among the greatest advocates for human rights in all of modern history, a figure who inspired … [Read more...] about Mandela Led the Way
Momentum, Maybe, on Teacher Pay
Perhaps they’re hearing footsteps – the footsteps of all those teachers who have turned out in recent months to call for better pay and more generous overall support for North Carolina’s public schools. Perhaps they’re anticipating the footsteps of thousands of teachers, … [Read more...] about Momentum, Maybe, on Teacher Pay
Costs of Election Changes
It’s ghoulish to think about, but everyone has heard of dictatorial regimes that will execute a democracy-minded dissenter and then supposedly make the martyr’s family pay for the bullets. Then there’s the N.C. General Assembly, which hires its own private lawyers to defend … [Read more...] about Costs of Election Changes
Crossroads for Food Aid
Does hunger cause people to work harder, or to make better decisions as to how to spend what little money they may have? OK, let’s say the pangs of an empty stomach – or the thought of one’s children enduring those pangs – might engender focus on doing what one needs to do. “Les … [Read more...] about Crossroads for Food Aid
Teachers Walk the Talk
Most people would agree that a young person’s success in school tilts the odds in favor of success in life. Most people would agree that students are more likely to succeed when they’re guided by skillful teachers. So how to explain the stark reality that public school teachers, … [Read more...] about Teachers Walk the Talk
Trapped in the Coverage Gap
Isn’t the federal Affordable Care Act supposed to help low-income Americans obtain the health insurance coverage that has been out of reach for millions? To be sure, that’s the idea at the heart of the law everyone now refers to as Obamacare. And despite frustrating hang-ups in … [Read more...] about Trapped in the Coverage Gap
Shutdown’s Pain Spreads
Once the budget snarl in Washington finally is untangled and the federal government is back up and running – hopefully in time to avoid a perilous default on the country’s debt – some of North Carolina’s poorest residents will be among those sighing with relief. But what happens … [Read more...] about Shutdown’s Pain Spreads
Shutdown Scenario: The Hunger Brink
The political stakes and motives are plain to see. President Obama and his Democratic allies on Capitol Hill are locked in a desperate struggle with the Republicans who control the U.S. House. Neither side wants to be painted as villains in the sorry saga of the partial federal … [Read more...] about Shutdown Scenario: The Hunger Brink
Tragic Combination: Guns and Mental Illness
Let’s hope this isn’t the case, but recent history suggests that President Obama is not done with a duty that surely is among the most difficult and heart-wrenching aspects of his job. When groups of innocent Americans are gunned down in the all-too-familiar pattern we refer … [Read more...] about Tragic Combination: Guns and Mental Illness
Health Law Navigators and Naysayers
Many Americans without health insurance coverage look forward to the coming weeks and months. Starting Oct. 1, they’ll be able to enroll for coverage under the Affordable Care Act, President Obama’s signature health care initiative. Folks who don’t make much money – strangely and … [Read more...] about Health Law Navigators and Naysayers
Capital’s End-of-Summer Fallout
Call it the year of North Carolina’s Big Right Turn. A conservative General Assembly, with a conservative governor in tow, veered away from the moderate consensus that had set the tone of Tar Heel politics for decades. Taxes were cut for high-end earners. Public schools were put … [Read more...] about Capital’s End-of-Summer Fallout
Heed the Governor on Drug Tests
When the General Assembly during its recently concluded session turned out one misguided bill after another – to hold down the racial minority vote, weaken environmental rules, cut taxes for the well-off, squeeze spending on schools – Gov. Pat McCrory went along for the ride. He … [Read more...] about Heed the Governor on Drug Tests
Back to School Amid Tight Times
Of the many public policies North Carolina has followed across the decades, none has brought greater dividends than the state’s commitment to invest in education at all levels. No other policy has done more to support the state’s economy by attracting and nurturing businesses … [Read more...] about Back to School Amid Tight Times
Court Tests for New Election Law
North Carolina’s new voter ID law also cuts the period for early voting and makes other changes in election rules. Does the law discriminate against some voters on the basis of their race? Or is it targeted at Democrats, with any downside for African-Americans simply reflecting … [Read more...] about Court Tests for New Election Law
Elections bill: Return to senders
Gov. Pat McCrory has said he’ll soon dispose of the 30 or so bills remaining on his desk following the General Assembly’s July 26 adjournment. He can either sign them into law, let them become law without his signature or veto them. Will the Republican governor take a hint from … [Read more...] about Elections bill: Return to senders
Three for the Governor’s ‘No’
If Gov. Pat McCrory goes along with the General Assembly’s partial “disassembly” of state environmental rules – and if North Carolina loses significant ground in the battle against pollution, as likely would be the case – he won’t be able to say he wasn’t warned. Fourteen of … [Read more...] about Three for the Governor’s ‘No’
Short Rations for Schools
The teachers were upset. And with North Carolina now embarked on a program of aggressive backsliding in its commitment to public education, who could blame them? Teachers, many of them wearing distinctive red t-shirts, helped swell the crowd of several thousand at the July 29 … [Read more...] about Short Rations for Schools
More Damage as Session Ends
The General Assembly has adjourned its 2013 session after a final cascade of disappointing and disturbing bills that now await review by Gov. Pat McCrory. Among the bills approved are ones that will make it less convenient for many citizens to vote and that weaken regulatory … [Read more...] about More Damage as Session Ends
Voter ID: We Get the Picture
Democracy can become a farce if the rules by which votes are cast are skewed so that the voices of some citizens are muffled. That is the troubling prospect facing North Carolina as legislators move to require would-be voters to show photo identification and to trim the period … [Read more...] about Voter ID: We Get the Picture
Squeeze on Education Spending
A budget to carry North Carolina state government through the next two years is poised for approval in the General Assembly. It represents a triumph of diminished expectations. That is not because less money would be spent than if appropriations continued at currently … [Read more...] about Squeeze on Education Spending
Voter ID Showdown Looms
With the end of the 2013 legislative session in sight, Republicans in the General Assembly are making a final push to adopt photo identification as a requirement for voting. The Senate Rules Committee is expected early next week to consider a revised and in some respects … [Read more...] about Voter ID Showdown Looms
Tax Cuts Take Shape
It could be said that the elephant – symbol of the Republicans who control North Carolina’s General Assembly and governor’s office -- has labored and brought forth a mouse. But this is a mouse with sharp teeth. After weeks of effort, the legislature’s Republican majorities and … [Read more...] about Tax Cuts Take Shape
Lines in the Wind
North Carolina Republican legislators seem to be a little conflicted when it comes to their opinion of the federal Voting Rights Act. How many of them would disagree with the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority and allow the Act to continue to be enforced as Congress … [Read more...] about Lines in the Wind
Tax Cards on the Table
The saga that North Carolina legislative leaders like to describe as tax reform could be at the beginning of the end. Or is it the end of the beginning? After weeks of jockeying with the House, and with Gov. Pat McCrory sending signals of his own, the Senate now has approved a … [Read more...] about Tax Cards on the Table
Let ‘Environment’ Bills Wither
It was a sure bet that the Republican majorities in both houses of the General Assembly, working in tandem with a new Republican governor, would seek this year to cut taxes and reduce government spending. After all, that’s what they campaigned on. Those misguided efforts would … [Read more...] about Let ‘Environment’ Bills Wither
Closer to Voter ID
North Carolina Republican leaders who were waiting for a signal from the U.S. Supreme Court to forge ahead with a photo ID law for voters have gotten their wish. Sadly, the upshot is likely to be that the pool of low-income, elderly and minority voters will shrink. In partisan … [Read more...] about Closer to Voter ID
Punishing the Jobless
Upwards of 70,000 jobless North Carolinians are about to see their finances go from bad to worse as they lose their unemployment benefits. Those are the benefits that can help families rocked by the Great Recession muddle through, paying the mortgage or the rent, keeping a car in … [Read more...] about Punishing the Jobless
State’s Priorities in Play
North Carolina’s state government leaders will make some heavy-duty decisions over the next few days. A new state budget is supposed to be in place by July 1, and the Republicans who control both chambers of the General Assembly and the governor’s office take pride in meeting … [Read more...] about State’s Priorities in Play
Judges and Campaign Cash
The law setting up the North Carolina Public Campaign Fund is clear about its goals. Chapter 163, Article 22D of the General Statutes aims “to ensure the fairness of democratic elections in North Carolina and to protect the constitutional rights of voters and candidates from the … [Read more...] about Judges and Campaign Cash
Tax Reform: Not So Simple
A funny thing happened to House Bill 998, the Tax Simplification and Reduction Act, on its way through the state Senate. It got simplified. House Republicans had approved the bill in an effort to make good on their party’s pledges to cut taxes and shrink government. With … [Read more...] about Tax Reform: Not So Simple
Tax Cuts’ Painful Costs
“Moral Monday” demonstrators at the General Assembly bring a wide range of grievances. They charge the legislature’s Republican majorities with failing to uphold the interests of North Carolinians who count on robust public education programs as paths out of poverty and doorways … [Read more...] about Tax Cuts’ Painful Costs
Racial Justice Revisited
The death penalty is troubling on many levels. Among them: The public must bear the extraordinary costs associated with death penalty trials and appeals. The penalty’s effectiveness in deterring other murders is ambiguous at best. There is no margin for the kind of errors that … [Read more...] about Racial Justice Revisited
Jailhouse Justice
For all the Christian emphasis on forgiveness and redemption, many if not most churchgoers likely are comfortable with the old maxim, “Do the crime, do the time.” Law-breaking has its consequences in a just society, as it must. Still, the maxim can be dreadfully simplistic. How … [Read more...] about Jailhouse Justice
Senators Choose to Cut
The North Carolina General Assembly has no more critical task than enacting budgets that set state government’s scope and mission – programs to serve the public that must be financed with money from taxpayers. How much to spend, and where? Who pays? As they answer those … [Read more...] about Senators Choose to Cut
Talking on Water
We can’t go about our business as a society without messing up the environment to some degree. The challenge is to keep that damage to a minimum, ideally through steps that limit it at the outset. North Carolina’s Environmental Management Commission has had the task of … [Read more...] about Talking on Water
Voting Rights NC: Legislative Seminar Workshop
[powerpress] The Council’s 2013 Legislative Seminar on April 11 featured a workshop about voting rights. It was provided by Bob Hall, executive director of Democracy North Carolina, a group that advocates for voting rights and for proper safeguards against the … [Read more...] about Voting Rights NC: Legislative Seminar Workshop
Tax Reform Cookies
There's no telling how the tax cookies will crumble by the time the 2013 General Assembly closes shop. But chief bakers in both the House and Senate seem intent on some manner of "reform." In sync with Gov. Pat McCrory, they’ve signaled their desire to cut income tax rates, and … [Read more...] about Tax Reform Cookies