Take a minute to call Gov. Bev Perdue and encourage her to issue a pardon for the “Wilmington 10” who, 40 years ago, were convicted of an arson conspiracy during racially polarized conflicts over desegregating the city’s schools. No physical evidence tied the 8 youth and 2 adults to the crime; the only “eyewitness” was bribed for his testimony [...]
Here’s a thorough analysis of how “mystery money” from secretive outside groups, mixed with extreme partisan redistricting, allows a handful of elitists to manipulate voters for political and economic riches. ProPublica examines how the process works at the national and state level, with North Carolina taking center stage. The story includes more revelations about the [...]
The Center for Responsive Politics (aka Opensecrets.org) has this report on the National Rifle Association’s political intimidation machine. It has loads of links to other reports and the major players in the gun-fetish debate. Meanwhile, Chris Fitzsimon of NC Policy Watch has this review of Art Pope’s selection today as North Carolina’s next State Budget [...]
Here’s a link to a short and powerful video that documents the impact of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United (“corporations may buy elections”) decision on North Carolina politics – and what North Carolinians can do about it. The video was produced in conjunction with Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies. Speakers are available to show [...]
Scott Mooneyham, a veteran Associated Press reporter and now editor of the daily Insider report about NC politics, has written an important column about two factors that fuel overheated partisan politics – big money and gerrymandered political districts. Those factors need attention to give reasonable politicians a chance to survive polarizing posturing and wealthy narrow interests. [...]
Here’s an essay from the Center for American Progress about the need for reforming how judicial elections are financed. It features North Carolina’s public financing program and discusses ways it could be improved with a new provision that said qualifying candidates could receive supplementary public funds to match small donations they raise from voters, up [...]
Governor-elect Pat McCrory promised to end the pay-to-play culture in North Carolina. You can hope that he will not be as crazy as current Democratic transportation officials who last week named a bridge after Lanny Wilson of Wilmington. Mr. Wilson is the mega-developer/fundraiser in the middle of the 2009 Mike Easley scandal that involved illegal [...]
A column from the John Locke Foundation points out that even though Republicans received only 51% of the votes cast in NC House contests, they won 64% or 77 of the 120 seats in that chamber of the General Assembly. A similar imbalance happened in the state Senate elections this year because of the way [...]
Students at Warren Wilson College are being treated as expendable voters in a concerted effort by Republicans to gain a majority on the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners. For years, students at the renowned liberal college have been registered as living at the campus’ main address (701 Warren Wilson Road), but after the latest redistricting, [...]
The Palm Beach Post has this insider’s account of why Republicans and their surrogates want more restrictions on voting. According to the Post: A new Florida law that contributed to long voter lines and caused some to abandon voting altogether was intentionally designed by Florida GOP staff and consultants to inhibit Democratic voters, former GOP [...]