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Carolina Public Press: NC legislature lurches toward an ending — for now

By Eleanore Wood / November 1, 2019 / Comments Off on Carolina Public Press: NC legislature lurches toward an ending — for now

State lawmakers are leaving Raleigh on Halloween — 123 days into the not-so-new budget year — without passing a full state budget. Yesterday, Republicans held teacher pay raises hostage to try to get Democrats to override the Governor’s veto of the budget. Completely ignoring the public’s clear mandate to expand affordable health care Republicans tried…

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Statement on NC Senate’s failure (again) to hold budget vote

By Logan Smith / October 29, 2019 / Comments Off on Statement on NC Senate’s failure (again) to hold budget vote

Lacking the votes to override Cooper’s veto, Republicans continue to play games instead of governing RALEIGH — Progress NC Action released the following statement on Tuesday in response to Senate leader Phil Berger’s failure — once again — to hold a vote on Gov. Cooper’s veto of the Republican budget proposal: “How long are Republican…

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Gerrymandered NC congressional maps struck down — AGAIN

By Logan Smith / October 29, 2019 / Comments Off on Gerrymandered NC congressional maps struck down — AGAIN

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before — a three-judge panel has struck down North Carolina’s gerrymandered congressional maps, throwing the upcoming election into turmoil. Didn’t we just leave this party? North Carolina voters have had enough. Anyone who thinks Republican leaders are remotely capable of drawing electoral maps that aren’t gerrymandered to benefit the GOP simply hasn’t…

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Statement on NC Senate’s failure (again) to hold budget vote

By Logan Smith / October 29, 2019 / Comments Off on Statement on NC Senate’s failure (again) to hold budget vote

Lacking the votes to override Cooper’s veto, Republicans continue to play games instead of governing RALEIGH — Progress NC Action released the following statement on Tuesday in response to Senate leader Phil Berger’s failure — once again — to hold a vote on Gov. Cooper’s veto of the Republican budget proposal: “How long are Republican…

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GOP in Senate does not have the votes, so budget veto override vote moved to Tuesday… or Weds… or when?

By Logan Smith / October 28, 2019 / Comments Off on GOP in Senate does not have the votes, so budget veto override vote moved to Tuesday… or Weds… or when?

Well, folks, it’s time to hurry up and wait… again. After announcing that the Senate would vote on Monday whether or not to override Gov. Cooper’s veto of the GOP budget Senate Republicans decided, once again, not to vote because all the Democrats showed up. How long are Republican leaders going to keep playing games with the…

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Former North Carolina U.S. Senator Kay Hagan dies at 66.

By Eleanore Wood / October 28, 2019 / Comments Off on Former North Carolina U.S. Senator Kay Hagan dies at 66.

Today we deeply mourn the loss of Kay Hagan. She served in the NCGA for 10 years and in the US senate for 6. She was a key vote in the passing of the Affordable Care Act and always represented our state with courage and grace. From Politico: Kay Hagan, a former bank executive who…

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FDA must fast track insulin for the millions of Americans living with diabetes

By Eleanore Wood / October 24, 2019 / Comments Off on FDA must fast track insulin for the millions of Americans living with diabetes

Did You Know? Three Canadian researchers discovered insulin almost a century ago and sold the patent for $1 so the world could access this life-saving medicine for diabetics. Today just three big Pharma companies control the U.S. market for insulin. Result? The price of insulin has gone up 900% in the last 18 years Op…

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While teachers go without a raise, lawmakers try to pass yet another corporate tax cut

By Logan Smith / October 24, 2019 / Comments Off on While teachers go without a raise, lawmakers try to pass yet another corporate tax cut

NC Senate: “Sorry teachers, we can’t afford to give you a decent raise.”Also NC Senate: “$1 billion in corporate tax cuts? No problem!” RALEIGH — While North Carolina public school educators continue to work without the raises they were promised for the 2019-20 school year, Republican lawmakers are trying to ram through another $1 billion in…

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House Minority Leader challenges GOP leaders to lie detector test over budget ambush

By Logan Smith / October 23, 2019 / Comments Off on House Minority Leader challenges GOP leaders to lie detector test over budget ambush

This morning, House Minority Leader Darren Jackson challenged Republican leaders to take a lie detector test in order to settle competing claims over the budget ambush vote orchestrated by Speaker Tim Moore earlier this month. Republican leaders claim they merely took dishonest advantage of a miscommunication to House Democrats as if that wouldn’t be bad enough. Jackson…

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Will lawmakers leave town for the year before resolving budget standoff?

By Logan Smith / October 22, 2019 / Comments Off on Will lawmakers leave town for the year before resolving budget standoff?

The budget standoff has dragged past its 100th day, and although lawmakers are back in session this week, don’t expect a resolution before the state Senate adjourns for the year at the end of the month. On the other hand, don’t put it past Phil Berger to try to sneak a budget veto override through…

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