Our take
Everyday the government makes decisions that affect our lives; from the water we drink, the food our kids eat and how much money we bring home. Being informed is one of the first steps in building our power and creating change in our communities.
Protests against immigration bills that force sheriffs to act like ICE agents
A group of immigrants and activists came together Saturday morning to rally outside of the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association against House Bill 370 and House Bill 135. They are urging Governor Roy Cooper to take a stand against two bills, which according to Members of the immigrant community makes them feel as if they are “captive in a community…
Duke Energy should pay for cleanup instead of charging ratepayers
A report out today from a coalition of 14 community and environmental justice organizations reveals that Duke Energy skewed its political campaign contributions last year in order to gain support for a highly controversial bill that would make it easier to pass cleanup costs on to customers. Last year, the North Carolina Utilities Commission authorized the giant Charlotte-based utility to charge…
Cooper vetoes bad-faith “Born Alive” bill
Gov. Roy Cooper has vetoed the latest Republican abortion bill, another attack on health care using sensationalist claims not based in science. Although the GOP no longer has super-majorities in both chambers of the General Assembly, they may still be able to scrape up the two-thirds majority necessary to overturn the veto. No matter what happens, one…
Latest abortion bill another attempt to control relationship between patients, doctors
Since the Republican supermajority was elected in 2010, North Carolina has passed some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the nation. Now Republicans are trying to threaten doctors with criminal action and shame patients over practice not based in the reality of abortion care. The latest Republican abortion bill is another attack on health care using sensationalist claims…
Here’s why the May 1 teacher walkout is so critical
The politicians in Raleigh have done almost nothing to reverse the long-term cuts to our public schools that are making it harder and harder to give our students the quality education they deserve. Instead of reinvesting in public education, lawmakers would rather give huge tax breaks to millionaires and big corporations. Educators have had enough.…
Medicaid expansion will help keep rural hospitals from closing
Every North Carolinian should be able to access the health care they need without going bankrupt. Expanding Medicaid in North Carolina would provide coverage to about 500,000 low-income people. Unfortunately, the General Assembly continues to reject federal funding to expand Medicaid, choosing politics over the health and the well-being of North Carolina families. Since the General…
WTVD – Patients and physicians call for expanded Medicaid coverage in NC
North Carolina is poised to make one of the biggest changes to state policy in a generation. Democrats have introduced a pair of bills that would make our state’s health insurance program, Medicaid, available to the very poor. And they’ll do so primarily at the expense of the federal government, who are already paying for…
WLOS: NC Democrats introduce bills to expand Medicaid
Last week almost every single one of the Democrats in the General Assembly gathered to announce two bills expanding the state’s Medicaid program. This was a huge move that could bring more than half a million people access to health care. Even better, the cost of this expansion would be almost entirely covered by the federal government.…
Democracy advocates force changes in voter ID bill
Last week, democracy advocates including Progress NC, the NC NAACP, Democracy NC, and NC Voters for Clean Elections held a day of action demanding that lawmakers not disenfranchise college students and other groups with their flawed new voter ID bill. Thankfully several of these demands were met, but the new bill still desperately misses the…
The Washington Post: Retired Justice Stevens calls Kavanaugh’s hearing performance disqualifying
Retired Justice John Paul Stevens has said he doesn’t believe that Brett Kavanaugh is the right person for the job of Supreme Court justice. And it’s not just Justice Stevens. Add to that over 2,400 law professors who think Kavanaugh is not a good fit. Yet the Republican-dominated Senate is still trying to ram his…