Democracy

Trump’s attacks on voting-by-mail and the Post Office

By Alanna Joyner / August 17, 2020 /

In a long list of false claims and furious objections to voting-by-mail, Trump admitted on Thursday that he’s willingly blocking proposed federal aid for the U.S. Postal Service in an attempt to make it harder to expand voting by mail. For years, the Postal Service has struggled to stay afloat, and with Louis DeJoy, a…

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The Hill: Senate adjourns until September without COVID-19 relief package

By Alanna Joyner / August 17, 2020 /

Last Thursday, the Senate adjourned until September 8, without reaching a deal for the next round of coronavirus relief legislation. The lack of a deal leaves millions of Americans in financial peril, as the $600 per week federal unemployment benefit, the nationwide moratorium on evictions and the window to apply for Paycheck Protection Program small…

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NPR: Census Cuts All Counting Efforts Short By A Month

By Alanna Joyner / August 12, 2020 /

Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that its ending all counting efforts, including door knocks, responses by mail, over the phone and online, for the 2020 census on Sept. 30 — a month sooner than previously announced.  The last minute change imposed by the Trump administration, could threaten the accuracy of population numbers, especially…

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WRAL: Relief packages should be about helping Americans, not just boosting Trump’s reelection

By Alanna Joyner / August 10, 2020 /

On Saturday, Trump signed three memoranda and one executive order at his exclusive New Jersey golf resort, ahead of any stimulus bill agreement between the House and Senate. In an attempt to appear to come to the nation’s rescue, Trump’s measures would provide $300 per week in federal unemployment assistance with another $100 a week…

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Port City Daily: The Covid-19 safety nets are gone. Now a flood of evictions is here.

By Alanna Joyner / August 3, 2020 /

Last week marked the end of statewide eviction moratoriums in more than 30 states, including North Carolina, that had protections for renters in the CARES Act. More than 40 million Americans may lose their homes — almost four times the amount seen during the Great Recession. In North Carolina, Gov. Cooper mandated a months-long statewide…

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The News & Observer: With weekly $600 gone, NC unemployment benefits alone are not enough, workers say

By Alanna Joyner / July 29, 2020 /

As Congress debates how to shape the next phase of coronavirus relief, the extra $600 federal unemployment benefits that were legislated through the CARES Act have now expired for millions across the country.  The last payment rolled out this past weekend, as the House and Senate are considering different economic stimulus packages.  Instead of extending…

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Millions of Americans are about to experience utility shutoffs, evictions and loss of homes

By Alanna Joyner / July 28, 2020 /

Numerous moratorium on evictions across the nation, including in North Carolina, are set to end in the coming days. According to a Census Bureau survey, almost 24 million Americans say that they don’t expect to be able to make their next monthly rent or mortgage payment, as the blockage of utility charges and the eviction…

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The New York Times: Trump Administration Strips C.D.C. of Control of Coronavirus Data

By Alanna Joyner / July 20, 2020 /

Last week, the Trump Administration stripped control of all COVID-19 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and has ordered hospitals to send the information to the Department of Health and Human Services through a private company. Since the pandemic began, the CDC has regularly published data on availability of hospital beds,…

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Progressive Pulse: As the General Assembly adjourns, it leaves money on the table while needs go unmet

By Alanna Joyner / July 14, 2020 /

The General Assembly adjourned on Saturday, with lawmakers coming back into session on Sept. 2. In its most recent legislative session, Republican lawmakers did not set aside politics on many issues, but rather ignored public health officials and sought to force the reopening of the state. During an unprecedented moment, the demands of the wealthy…

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N.C. Policy Watch: North Carolina dreamers heartened for their futures after Supreme Court ruling

By Alanna Joyner / June 22, 2020 /

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the Trump administration cannot carry out its plan to shut down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), which has allowed nearly 700,000 young people, known as Dreamers, who came to the United States as children, to live and work in the United States. In a 5-4…

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