The posts in this category discuss our core issues.
Duke Energy is feeling heat from both sides of the political spectrum. The company wants to become the largest electric utility in the US, through a merger with Progress Energy, but conservatives want Duke CEO Jim Rogers fired. They don't like his support for regulating carbon emissions, his executive team's multiple ethical violations, and (probably [...]
Republicans in Raleigh are reviving their push for a hard-line bill that would require voters to show a government-issued photo ID each time they vote. There was a brief moment where Republicans seemed to recognize that accepting a broader range of ID documents would be fine, but the zealots’ perspective has apparently prevailed: North Carolina [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
JCSU Students Plan March 21 Rally To Voice Concerns Over Threat To Voting Rights Rally to be held on Monday, March 21st starting at 11:00 AM on the steps of Biddle Memorial Hall on the Johnson C. Smith campus. Student and community leaders, Johnson C. Smith President Dr. Ronald Carter and NC District 40 Senator [...]