Link-of-the-Day – Page 43 – Democracy North Carolina

Friday, April 1, 2011

If you're doing your taxes this weekend (or later), don't forget to check the $3 question on the NC income tax form about the NC Public Campaign Fund. Checking YES does not change your tax or refund; it just transfers $3 to the Fund from what you're paying anyway. The Fund pays for the judicial voter guide [...]

By Bob Hall| 2011-04-01T15:01:12-04:00 April 1st, 2011|Judicial Elections, Link-of-the-Day, Money in Politics, Voter-Owned Elections|0 Comments

Thursday, March 31, 2011

The problem with politics in America boils down to this: General Electric piled up $14 billion in profits last year and paid ZERO in income taxes; GE’s chief executive Jeffrey Immelt, who coordinated the massive political effort to win those tax breaks, received millions in salary and an appointment by Barack Obama to head up [...]

By Bob Hall| 2011-03-31T16:13:34-04:00 March 31st, 2011|Civic Engagement, Ethics, Link-of-the-Day, Lobbying, Money in Politics|4 Comments

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Noted constitutional law professor Richard Hazen (host of Election Law Blog) has written an essay for Slate that probes the rationale behind US Supreme Court rulings on cases involving political spending and contributions. The Court should protect the First Amendment “free speech” rights of individuals to support candidates, but it also must protect a free [...]

By Bob Hall| 2011-03-30T09:40:34-04:00 March 30th, 2011|Citizens United Case, Link-of-the-Day, Money in Politics, Voter-Owned Elections|2 Comments

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Following up Friday’s posting about the public campaign financing case in the US Supreme Court, here are stories about Monday’s arguments written by the Associated Press, Washington Post and New York Times. The same five justices who twisted common sense and judicial precedent to open the door for massive corporate spending in elections were ready [...]

By Bob Hall| 2011-03-29T10:04:51-04:00 March 29th, 2011|Link-of-the-Day|2 Comments

Friday, March 25, 2011

The US Supreme Court will hear arguments on Monday about the constitutionality of the matching (or rescue) funds provision in Arizona’s public financing program. We have a similar provision in our North Carolina programs, so the ultimate decision (expected in late summer) will affect us, too. The Brennan Center has an overview of the issues [...]

By Bob Hall| 2011-03-25T14:53:10-04:00 March 25th, 2011|FENA, Judicial Elections, Link-of-the-Day, Money in Politics, Voter-Owned Elections|0 Comments

Thursday, March 24, 2011

A significant number of legislators in Raleigh seem determined to help big political donors gut regulations and overturn state laws that protect consumers, public health and the environment. The poor state of accessible campaign finance data makes it difficult to track the pay-to-play culture, but Democracy North Carolina has highlighted the undue influence in several [...]

By Bob Hall| 2017-01-03T12:05:41-05:00 March 24th, 2011|Disclosure, Environmental Issues, Ethics, Link-of-the-Day, Money in Politics|1 Comment

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

The proposal to make NC voters show a government-issued photo ID is gaining widespread condemnation by editorial boards across the state. Read these recent editorials from the major newspapers in Asheville, Greensboro, Raleigh, and Wilmington. Smaller papers in places like Ahoskie and little Washington are also covering the issue. The head of the NC Republican [...]

By Bob Hall| 2017-01-03T12:05:41-05:00 March 22nd, 2011|Civic Engagement, Link-of-the-Day, Voting Rights, Youth Vote|6 Comments

Monday, March 21, 2011

Thanks to the leadership of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the sustained agitation of citizen activists, there are now positive signs that the New York legislature could adopt a public financing program for state elections during this legislative cycle. The program will likely follow the model used in New York City elections, where small-dollar donations raised [...]

By Bob Hall| 2011-03-21T11:08:09-04:00 March 21st, 2011|Link-of-the-Day, Money in Politics, Voter-Owned Elections|2 Comments

Friday, March 18, 2011

Here’s a weekend adventure: Explore how the State of North Carolina spends your tax dollars, who gets the big contracts or grants for doing what, and what tax revenues are lost because of loopholes or special breaks (these are called “tax expenditures”). The NC Open Book website is rated among the best in the nation [...]

By Bob Hall| 2011-03-18T10:51:21-04:00 March 18th, 2011|Disclosure, Link-of-the-Day|0 Comments

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Here’s a sobering essay from Forbes magazine (“the capitalist tool”) about a two-pronged plan by the super-rich in the U.S. to gain even more political clout and wealth at the expense of the middle and working classes. Business publications (like Business Week and Fortune) are so much more straightforward in explaining how capitalism works than [...]

By Bob Hall| 2017-01-03T12:05:41-05:00 March 17th, 2011|Citizens United Case, Link-of-the-Day, Money in Politics|2 Comments