Archive for NC Legislature
Good Canvass Yesterday
Posted by: | CommentsHad fun yesterday. We had over a dozen canvassers show up on Saturday to knock on a bunch of doors — even after a couple of complaints about a certain congressman’s health care vote. Those who showed up know that holding the U.S. House and Senate and the fate of the next state redistricting all comes down to turnout.
Wanna see Richard Burr sent packing? Get up offa that thing and help no-nonsense Elaine Marshall. We’ll be knocking on doors every Saturday in September. Or if that doesn’t get your blood up, help Joyce Elliot defeat alleged, vote-caging Rove protege, Tim Griffin in AR-2. And there are plenty of other places your efforts are needed, if not here. Blue America has their approved picks and ActBlue has the full list.
Anyway, we ran across this OFA ad that we thought it summed up the situation pretty well:
And Blue America is looking for help in running this ad just east of here:
Or you can stay home and gripe. If you liked the Clinton impeachment, you’ll love the Obama impeachment.
Representative Keever
Posted by: | CommentsFrom an email sent by Drew Reisinger, Campaign Manager for the inimitable Patsy Keever:
The Buncombe County Democratic Party Executive Committee voted to recommend Patsy Keever to fill the North Carolina House of Representatives District 115 seat recently vacated by former Rep. Bruce Goforth. The Committee’s recommendation will be sent to Governor Perdue for her signature and official appointment of Keever to serve the remainder of the term.
Patsy in the Park on Sunday
Posted by: | CommentsFrom the most excellent Alan Escovitz:
Please join us on this Sunday, August 29th, from 1:00-3:00 PM for a Picnic in the Grove Park (338 Charlotte Street) with Patsy Keever, Democratic candidate for the State Legislature, NC House District 115. We will be serving hot dogs, chips and soft drinks for everyone and you can meet and greet Patsy, an uncommon public servant with a great deal of common sense. Campaign contributions are not expected.
Patsy offers deep local experience and practical progressive ideas. As a public school teacher for 25 years, Patsy is committed to quality public education, closing achievement gaps and ensuring our next generation is well prepared for a better future. Patsy is dedicated to nurturing our natural resources for the public good and protecting our environment, and passing state-wide rules now for steep slope development.
Healthy Kids and Sex Ed: A Guest Post from Susan Fisher
Posted by: | Comments(Scrutiny Hooligans is honored to host a post from our Democratic Representative for NC House District 114, Susan Fisher. You can learn more about Susan at her website. While you’re connecting with her, click here for her Facebook page and here for her Twitter page.
We’re grateful to have our legislators participate here at ScruHoo, and I hope you’ll drop a comment to let Susan know that you’re grateful too.)
As families across the state get ready for the 2010-2011 school year, probably one of the last things on their mind is sex education.
But if we want our children to finish school and stay healthy, we need to think about sex ed.
Parents of girls should know that pregnancy is the number one reason that girls drop out of school – 30% of all girls who drop out quit because of pregnancy or parenting. Back in 2007, I co-chaired the Joint Legislative Commission on Dropout Prevention through which I became more convinced than ever that if we are to support girls in graduating from high school, we must prevent teen pregnancies.
In terms of protecting our children’s health, it is dangerous and short-sighted not to pay attention to sex ed. A recent report from DHHS reveals shocking statistics from the first half of this year in North Carolina. The report shows that in Buncombe County alone, 433 cases of chlamydia were reported in the first six months of this year (I was shocked to learn that this number is considered low compared to Mecklenburg County’s more than 3300 cases). Across the state, a graph of sexually transmitted infections (STI) by age shows a nearly perfect bell curve with 15-19 year olds squarely in the middle.
While Buncombe County’s sex education program has been ahead of the curve in terms of providing info about STI transmission and protection, I believe the disturbing statistics that show young people bearing the burden of STI’s across the state are the result of the bare-bones, non-medically-accurate, head-in-the-sand policies that have dominated the way that sex ed is delivered to our young people in NC public schools for the past 20 years.
Enter the Healthy Youth Act taking effect this school year in public schools across North Carolina. I was proud to sponsor this legislation that for the first time in two decades mandates that students in grades 7-9 receive information about both abstinence and other medically accurate, science-based, age-appropriate ways to protect themselves from sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy.
I am grateful for all of the work of parents, students, and community members to help pass this legislation this year, giving our students a fighting chance at graduating from high school and staying healthy.
I am looking forward to checking that DHHS report this time next year – I believe that we will see numbers that are less grim and more reflective of what happens when young people are empowered with information to make safe, healthy decisions.”
It’s Called An L3C
Posted by: | CommentsThere’s a new company in town — an L3C. Okay, it’s not here yet, but as soon as Gov. Perdue signs SB 308, North Carolina will join Michigan, Vermont, Illinois, Wyoming, Utah, and (in 2011) Maine in allowing this hybrid business entity that appeared first in Vermont just two years ago. It is the kind of vehicle we could use to help put workers displaced by plant closings back to work in WNC. Wikipedia describes the L3C this way:
The L3C is a low-profit limited liability company (LLC), that functions via a business modality that is a hybrid legal structure combining the financial advantages of the limited liability company, an LLC, with the social advantages of a non-profit entity. An L3C runs like a regular business and is profitable. However, unlike a for-profit business, the primary focus of the L3C is not to make money, but to achieve socially beneficial aims, with profit making as a secondary goal. The L3C thus occupies a niche between the for-profit and charitable sectors.
Henredon Furniture, Morganton, NC (Burke County)
N.C. Senator Jim Jacumin, a Republican who represents Burke and Caldwell Counties, introduced the Senate bill which passed in the House on Thursday without a single No vote. The N.C. Center for Nonprofits described his intentions:
N.C. Senator Jacumin envisioned L3Cs as collaborations between local nonprofits and failing furniture or textile businesses. These L3Cs would use investments (direct investments, grants, or low-interest loans) from private foundations, businesses, and individuals to purchase and upgrade factories to make them more energy efficient and less expensive to operate. The L3Cs could then lease these factories to manufacturers at competitive rates that would help keep manufacturing jobs in local communities.
The purpose of the L3C is to assist small businesses that might not be able to get off the ground if they had to pay investors a commercial rate of return. Like MOOMilk, a local organic milk company in Maine. Like small-business start-ups in struggling towns with high unemployment. Or to renovate existing factory space. Or newspapers big and small, for example. For the socially responsible investor, this is a way to do good — including put people back to work — and make a few bucks along the way. The L3C’s creator, Robert Lang, CEO of The Mary Elizabeth and Gordon B. Mannweiler Foundation, Inc., calls it “the for profit with a non profit soul.”
Rush Limbaugh calls it an idea thought up by liberal “wackos.” Rush believes “this is social engineering … designed to pervert capitalism” and “propagandize the American people in the name of the Obama administration.”
Where do I send the check?
Then again, maybe Ashevillians should just invest in more high-priced condos?
The Value of a Good Ground Game
Posted by: | CommentsA lesson in political campaigning, with a sports forward.
In December 1985, the Atlantic 10 Conference champions, the University of Rhode Island Rams, played the Southern Conference champion Furman Paladins in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. The Rams were led by Tom Ehrhardt, first team All-America in 1985. The man with the golden arm had thrown eight touchdown passes against Connecticut weeks before. URI’s “Ehr Force” passing attack had received lots of press, and a Heisman “honorable mention” for Ehrhardt from Sports Illustrated. (Furman’s quarterback was just a straight “A” student in chemistry or something.)
When URI lined up against Furman at Paladin Stadium, what struck me from the end zone was that the Rams’ offensive and defensive lines were a helmet taller than Furman’s. This did not bode well.
But then things got almost comical.
One thing about Furman — just when they seem to be outclassed they often give the other guys a schooling. They make up for their size by doing their homework and playing smarter.
Possession after possession, Tom Ehrhardt threw pass after pass after pass into tight, double coverage by Furman’s pygmy defenders who swatted down footballs like flies. The Paladins’ double coverage cut down URI’s receivers the instant they touched the ball. Ehrhardt threw a record 78 pass attempts, completing 39 for 494 yards, and still the famed “Ehr Force” never got off the ground.
Rhode Island didn’t even attempt a running play until late in the third quarter. The Rams had no ground game. At all. Furman trounced them 59-15.
Now, here’s the political lesson from this week’s House District 115 Democratic primary:
Incumbent Rep. Bruce Goforth threw four times as much money into mailings and media than his opponent and still lost 60% – 40%. Coached by Obama field campaign vet, Drew Reisinger, Patsy Keever ran a 21st century ground campaign, a good one. Goforth had none.
These days, boots on the ground can trump money in the bank.
Vote Today!
Posted by: | CommentsToday is voting day. You are a voter. This means you need to go vote. If you don’t go vote, then Scrutiny Hooligans will revoke your humanity privilege. Henceforth you will be referred to as Apathetic Nonvoter.
Those of you who vote, of course, will be celebrated like the heroes you are.
Voting Guides available here.
Voting locations available here.
Here’s Your Health Care Waiting List
Posted by: | CommentsHealth care reform notwithstanding, Knoxville-based Remote Area Medical (RAM) is still staging free medical clinics for the under-insured, working poor and unemployed. In Los Angeles this week — once again — RAM came up short on in-state dentist-volunteers in the most populous state in the country. They had to turn away hundreds:
By 11 a.m. Wednesday all appointments to a massive weeklong free health clinic were gone. Those left in line were turned away.
With more than 1,000 people waiting outside Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, organizers realized early that demand would exceed availability.
Instead of 1,200 wristbands to distribute as they originally said, volunteers were left with only 750. The lower number was the result of significant overflow on the clinic’s first day.
Despite staying open until 8 p.m., two hours later than scheduled, organizers said by day’s end they had to ask 630 people to come back later for additional services.
Stan Brock, who founded the nonprofit Remote Area Medical, which organized the clinic, said a shortage of volunteers, particularly dentists, caused the overflow. Although the clinic has 94 dental chairs, Brock said 20 were empty much of Tuesday.
Primary Voting Guides
Posted by: | Comments
Early Voting is on from now ’til May 1. You can click here to find early voting locations and hours of operation. Voting Day is Tuesday, May 4th – Patsy Keever needs you to help Get Out The Vote. Click here to volunteer your services!
If you’re trying to figure out how to cast your Democratic ballot for Senate and for Judicial races, there are a couple of guides to which you can refer.
The Mountain Xpress Guide is one you’re probably familiar with. Lots of good information from the candidates who deigned to respond.
Bruce Mulkey has his picks up at his blog.
Cecil Bothwell made his picks a little while back, but I can’t find a URL. Councilman – could you provide your picks in the comments section?
Put your own voting guide in the comments. Leave as much helpful info as you can!
Keever Garners Another Endorsement
Posted by: | CommentsOn the heels of the Sierra Club endorsement comes this news from WNC For Change:
WNC for Change has officially endorsed Patsy Keever for the Democratic nomination in the NC House District 115 race. Ms. Keever, former three-term Buncombe County Commissioner, is challenging incumbent Bruce Goforth in the Democratic primary.
