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.
Flip Benham aggressively gets in the faces of CMS board
On Tuesday, January 24 the Charlotte Mecklenburg school board held a hearing to expand support for LGBT students. During this hearing, Rev. Flip Benham lost control and openly objected to expanding support for LGBT students. He went so far as to get up out of his seat screaming and approaching the board members. Law enforcement…
Rewire: Amid Threats to ‘Roe,’ State Lawmakers Push to Protect Access to Abortion Care
Monday, January 22 was the 45th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the court case that decided people would have access to the abortion care they need. While there has been significant progress in much of the United States, North Carolinians have even fewer rights today than they did on January 22, 1973. In North Carolina Medicaid cannot pay…
The New York Times: The Women the Abortion War Leaves Out
Those seeking abortion care often seek abortion for a variety of issues. These issues sometimes include homelessness, violence and addiction. Often one of the largest issues women seeking abortion care face is poverty. A study of 1,200 people who seek abortion care showed 73% of them saying that money was one of their biggest reasons for seeking…
Reuters: Florida judge blocks abortion delay law, rules it unconstitutional
On Tuesday a Florida judge ruled Florida’s 24-hour abortion wait period unconstitutional. North Carolina also has a law that requires you wait at least 24 hours before receiving abortion care. Wait periods restrict abortion access for many and ultimately hurt those seeking abortion care. There is no need to make people wait for an abortion.…
Public comments show near-unanimous opposition to legislative attacks on judicial independence
Only three of the 1,000+ comments collected by the Senate committee were in favor of the plans to gerrymander court districts and eliminate judicial elections RALEIGH — It’s no wonder lawmakers took so long to respond to Progress North Carolina’s open records request for the public comments collected by the Senate Committee on Judicial Reform…
Senators refuse to release public comments, but poll shows strong disapproval of judicial attacks
As lawmakers return for special session, a wide majority of voters disapproves of legislative attempts to rig the court system for partisan gain RALEIGH — A week ago, Progress NC submitted an open records request to the Senate Committee on Judicial Reform and Redistricting for the public comments collected by the committee regarding their plan to gerrymander…
Bustle: “How To Expand Reproductive Rights In America In 2018”
In 2017 the Trump administration made it clear they intend to limit women’s reproductive rights — by attempting to roll back the ACA’s birth control mandate and trying to block access to abortion care. Despite their constant attacks on reproductive rights, 645 bills were introduced in Washington DC to protect reproductive health rights and 86…
Senate committee on judicial “reform” must let the public see public comments
Senate committee on judicial “reform” must let the public see public commentsLawmakers must release public comments on judicial gerrymandering proposal before January 10th special session RALEIGH — Progress NC released the following statement on Wednesday ahead of the 1pm meeting of the Senate Committee on Judicial Reform and Redistricting, which is weighing a number of proposals that…
Vice: When Thousands of Christian ‘Prayer Marchers’ Descend on One Abortion Clinic
On Saturday, December 2, thousands of anti-abortion protesters marched down Latrobe Drive and blocked access to North Carolina’s busiest abortion clinic, A Preferred Women’s Health Center. The clinic saw almost 50 fewer patients than they typically see on a Saturday because people did not feel comfortable driving to the clinic with so many protesters outside.…
Rewire: Thousands Circle North Carolina’s Busiest Abortion Clinic as Anti-Choice Group Marches On
Saturday, December 2, almost 1,500 anti-abortion protesters gathered in front of A Preferred Woman’s Health Center in Charlotte. This protest was planned to be the largest anti-abortion protest since the early 1990s. The clinic worked hard to prepare for the protesters by scheduling appointments earlier and doubling the number of clinic escorts outside of the…