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Washington Post: GOP health-care talks center on stark question: Help vulnerable Americans or help the rich?

By Eleanore Wood / June 30, 2017 / Comments Off on Washington Post: GOP health-care talks center on stark question: Help vulnerable Americans or help the rich?

The GOP clearly does not want to prioritize vulnerable Americans over helping the rich, as their approved health care plan gave the top 0.1% huge tax breaks. Their bill, which was drafted completely in the dark, cut Medicaid funding by $772 billion and would leave 22 million Americans without health care. In response to the…

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Raleigh News & Observer: The NC legislature’s actions are discouraging teachers

By Eleanore Wood / June 29, 2017 / Comments Off on Raleigh News & Observer: The NC legislature’s actions are discouraging teachers

The General Assembly had the opportunity to change how they grade public schools on an A-F scale that typically reflects the level of poverty at the school, rather than their performance. However, the General Assembly did not change this system to reflect the actual level of the educators at the school. In 2014, the General…

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Charlotte Observer: If Thom Tillis made $40k a year, what would he think of the Republican health plan?

By Eleanore Wood / June 28, 2017 / Comments Off on Charlotte Observer: If Thom Tillis made $40k a year, what would he think of the Republican health plan?

Senators Thom Tillis and Richard Burr don’t represent the majority of Americans, they only represent the top 0.1%. The top 0.1% that they represent will receive tax breaks instead of premium hikes like most Americans relying on the ACA will face, if Trumpcare passes. The two North Carolina Senators are failing to understand anyone other than…

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Raleigh News & Observer: Senate Obamacare repeal bill would leave 22 million more without health insurance

By Eleanore Wood / June 27, 2017 / Comments Off on Raleigh News & Observer: Senate Obamacare repeal bill would leave 22 million more without health insurance

The Congressional Budget Office released a document on Monday stating that under the Senate’s Trumpcare plan 22 million Americans will lose health coverage. Trumpcare mainly targets older people and those with pre-existing conditions, increasing their premiums significantly while giving tax breaks to the top 0.1%.  From News & Observer: Like the AHCA, the Senate legislation…

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Raleigh News & Observer: The big lies about health care

By Eleanore Wood / June 26, 2017 / Comments Off on Raleigh News & Observer: The big lies about health care

The Senate’s version of Trumpcare is exactly what we expected: a bill that favors the top 0.1% and will leave millions of Americans without health coverage. Republicans claim they support health care for all Americans, but it’s clear they really prioritize tax breaks for the top 0.1%. The GOP claims they want to lower premiums,…

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North Carolina Health News: Budget Benefits Current State Retirees, But Dings Future Ones

By Eleanore Wood / June 23, 2017 / Comments Off on North Carolina Health News: Budget Benefits Current State Retirees, But Dings Future Ones

Hidden in the NC GOP’s budget is a line that will end teacher/state employee retirement health benefits for new hires after 2020. This means new teachers are going to flee to other states with better benefits and will greatly affect our middle and elementary students who will still be in school when this goes into…

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See how badly the GOP budget fails public education

By Eleanore Wood / June 22, 2017 / Comments Off on See how badly the GOP budget fails public education

Despite Republican lawmakers’ big claims about the education funding included in their budget, any North Carolina teacher will tell you our public school system has diminished under Republican rule. In fact, a comparison of education funding statistics under the current budget to the 2008-09 budget — the last budget year before the Great Recession began…

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Raleigh News & Observer: GOP budget short on vision, long on breaks for the rich

By Eleanore Wood / June 21, 2017 / Comments Off on Raleigh News & Observer: GOP budget short on vision, long on breaks for the rich

The NC GOP’s budget claims it gives a raise to teachers and state workers, but the average raise for North Carolina teachers is a measly 3.3%. And state retirees are getting a raise also….of 1%. So who is benefitting from the NC GOP’s budget? The top .01% who will receive a 5.25% personal income tax…

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Gov. Cooper Puts GOP Lawmakers on the Spot to Redraw New Districts ASAP

By Eleanore Wood / June 14, 2017 / Comments Off on Gov. Cooper Puts GOP Lawmakers on the Spot to Redraw New Districts ASAP

Republican lawmakers have the ability to draw new legislative maps quickly; they’re just flat out refusing to. This is why Gov. Cooper has called them out and reminding them that the Supreme Court of the United States, among other courts, have said the current legislative districts are unconstitutional and they’re refusing to fix the problems.…

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Federal Judges Request NC Acts Quickly on Gerrymandered Districts

By Eleanore Wood / June 12, 2017 / Comments Off on Federal Judges Request NC Acts Quickly on Gerrymandered Districts

Four days after the Supreme Court of the United States unanimously ruled 28 of North Carolina’s legislative districts unconstitutional, three federal judges released a memorandum stating they plan to act quickly. These judges have the ability to call for special 2017 elections and are requesting that the North Carolina General Assembly acts quickly in redrawing…

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