All posts by Bob Geary
Bob Geary ·
8 Mar 2010, 10:26 AM ·
1 Comment
Isn’t it amazing that the the U.S. Supreme Court decision equating free speech with corporate money, the one that allows corporations to spend unlimited sums on candidates and causes they like (or, more often, dislike), came in a case known as “Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission.”
That’s “Citizens” as in “Corporations Hiding Behind a Made-Up Name that Makes Us Look Like We’re Just Folks.”
The ramifications of this, and what we in North Carolina should do about it, will be discussed at a forum, “The Future of Campaign Financing in North Carolina,” on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Beyu Caffe in Durham.
From the Facebook listing:
Panelists:
Damon Circosta, Executive Director of N.C. Center for Voter Education.
Chase Foster, Director of NC Voters for Clean Elections
Representative Henry M. Michaux, Jr., North Carolina House of Representatives – District 31
Moderated by: Laura Leslie, WUNC’s Capitol Bureau Chief
Beyu Caffé is located at 335 W. Main St., Durham, NC 27701
In the January 21st 5-4 ruling of United v. FEC, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned restrictions against corporate spending in American elections. Corporations are no longer viewed separately from individuals and are not limited to spending through Political Action Committees. They can now directly support or not support their choice of candidates.
So what does this mean for North Carolina, cities and counties in the Triangle, and you? Will we see corporations spending more on candidates or is public financing of campaigns in our future?
Durham, North Carolina, politics Citizens United
Bob Geary ·
23 Feb 2010, 4:08 PM ·
Comment
The U.S. Department of Energy is out with an inspector general’s report today on the “progress” of the Obama Administration’s program for weatherizing low-income homes — and creating much-needed jobs in the bargain. The New York Times‘ summary: It has “borne little fruit” after a year.
So little, in fact, that the IG called it “alarming,” the Times says:
New York State, for example, had a goal of weatherizing 45,400 units over three years but by December had accomplished only 280, a completion rate of 0.62 percent, the report found. One reason was a hiring freeze in New York City.
Progress in Pennsylvania, which weatherized 1.28 percent of the houses and apartments it had intended to, was slowed by a deadlock over the state budget, the report said. Illinois wanted to hire 21 workers to oversee nearly work on 27,000 homes; it hired none because of a spending freeze, and completed only 331, or 1.23 percent of its three-year target.
Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Texas and Wyoming had not weatherized any units by Feb. 16, the report said.
But what about North Carolina, you ask? The answer is on page 3 of the report. North Carolina planned to weatherize 22,203 units. So far, it’s done 197 — or less than 1 percent.
But in North Carolina’s defense, the report continues:
Although North Carolina’s original state plan had been approved by the Department in June 2009, the State had to submit an amended plan, including budget information, through its Department of Commerce. The amended state plan was ultimately not approved by the Department of Energy until November 2009. Accordingly, North Carolina did not have access to its allocation for the Weatherization Program until that time.
***
Wasn’t this supposed to be the simplest of programs for the new Administration — a program that would pay its way both in energy savings and job skills learned by the workers — that it was cinch to be successful?
Oh, my.
North Carolina, national, news Barack Obama, jobs, weatherization
Bob Geary ·
22 Feb 2010, 11:13 AM ·
1 Comment
Obama’s health care proposal, released in advance of Thursday’s big TV show summit with the Republicans, omits the public option (which, in case you’ve forgotten, and the President hopes you have, was included in the House-passed bill). An 11-page summary of the Obamacare plan is here.
national, news Barack Obama, health care reform
Bob Geary ·
18 Feb 2010, 5:04 PM ·
4 Comments
Update 2/22: Democratic sigs on the pro-public option letter now up to 19 with Sen. Specter, D-PA. Not surprising, since Specter has a tough primary and election ahead and the public option is popular. Still no Hagan, however. (And Menendez, D-NJ, makes 20.) I sent a query to Sen. Hagan’s office Friday afternoon asking for her position and/or comment on the letter. No response as yet. Here’s Ezra Klein on “the strange politics of the public option” — i.e., people want it, the Democrats want to be the party of the people, and yet …)
All right, I’ll bite. Four senators signed a letter to Harry Reid, and then four more did, and … now it’s up to 17 with New York Sen. Chuck Schumer. But that list of 17 does not include our own Sen. Kay Hagan as yet. BlueNC is on her case, and the Progressive Pulse is copying BlueNC, and what the heck, so will I, even though it’s probably whistling in the graveyard where health care reform is concerned. Except that –
Imho, the public’s support for health care reform, and their faith in the Democrats, evaporated at the moment when the one part of the bill they understood the best — the public option — was deep-sixed in the Senate. Up to that point, people could be assured that, yes, they were going to be required to buy health insurance; and yes, the insurance products in the market are overpriced and full of loopholes; but the saving grace would be that a public product (”option”) would also be offered. And it would be at least as good as, and — unless the Blue Crosses got with it and cut their rates — significantly cheaper, than the alternatives. So maybe HCR wouldn’t be perfect, or even good. But at least it would improve on the status quo.
In other words, all that complicated stuff in the 2,000-page bill that the lobbyists wrote? Our only protection against it was the one page where it said, if all else fails, we’ll offer you an insurance option modeled on Medicare, which everybody likes.
And then Obama and the Dems ditched it to get Joe (I’m the insurance industry’s senator) Lieberman’s vote and some phantom Republicans.
Oops, no Republicans, and they managed to lose Ted Kennedy’s seat in the bargain.
So now, the only way to pass an HCR bill is with 50 Democrats plus VP Biden plus some of these. And the surest way to convince the public that the Democrats aren’t just passing a load of crap is to put the g**d%$#’d public option back in the bill. Which will also signal the world that the Cowardly Dems have visited the Wizard and found their Courage.
Kay’s Washington office:
WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE
521 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-6342
Fax: 202-228-2563
North Carolina, national, politics Kay Hagan
Bob Geary ·
17 Feb 2010, 2:00 PM ·
Comment
WRAL, which streamed the Innocence Inquiry Commission’s hearing today, has the report. A three-judge panel:
… unanimously voted in Gregory Taylor’s favor Wednesday, making him the first person in the state’s history to be exonerated because of involvement by the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission – the only state-run agency in the country that investigates post-conviction claims of innocence.
Wake County, news Gregory Taylor, N.C. Innocence Inquiry Commission
Bob Geary ·
12 Feb 2010, 4:33 PM ·
Comment
Democracy NC and N.C. Justice Center tell us so. It was going to be tomorrow (Saturday). Now, it’s reset for Saturday, Feb. 27. Reason: Bad weather’s comin’.
Uncategorized
Bob Geary ·
11 Feb 2010, 6:05 PM ·
Comment
State Rep. Rosa Gill, who replaced Dan Blue in state House District 33 (East Raleigh, part of eastern Wake) when Blue moved to the Senate to replace the late Vernon Malone, has filed to run for election in own right.
The Wake Democratic Party picked Gill, a 10-year veteran of the Wake school board, over Bernard Allen II when Blue vacated the House seat. Allen is challenging her in the primary; his father held this seat at one time.
The only other notable filing of the day: Robert “Champ” Claris, whose nickname we covet, filed to run in the Republican primary for the District 2 Wake Commissioners seat. Claris ran last year for the Raleigh City Council but didn’t scratch. He’ll go against Garner Council member Phil Matthews and Phil Jeffreys, a former county commissioner. The seat is held by Democrat Lindy Brown, who is running again but has yet to file.
Raleigh, Wake County, politics Bernard Allen II, Champ Claris, Lindy Brown, Phil Jeffreys, Phil Matthews, Rosa Gill
Bob Geary ·
11 Feb 2010, 4:22 PM ·
1 Comment
State Sen. Josh Stein, a Democrat whose 16th district covers the western portions of Raleigh and much of western Wake County, filed for a second term today. So far, he’s unopposed.
His statement:
“I hope to continue serving my constituents in Wake County,” said Stein. “In this economy, job creation must be our top priority. We must also lay the groundwork for long-term economic growth by supporting our public K-12 schools, community colleges, and universities.”
In his first term as Senator, Stein received awards and recognition for his efforts on a variety of issues. For his efforts to create clean energy jobs and to extend the renewable energy tax credit, the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association named Stein its 2009 Legislator of the Year.
The AARP selected Stein its Legislator of the Year for his steadfast work as a consumer advocate, particularly on behalf of senior citizens, with his legislation to strengthen the state’s identity theft law and to establish a financial literacy council. Stein also received awards from the Metro Mayors’ Association for his work on transit and transportation issues and WakeUp Wake County for his legislation to clean Falls Lake.
Stein serves as vice-chairman of the Judiciary I committee and serves on the Commerce and Finance Committees, among other committee and commission assignments. He had the 3rd highest percentage of public bills enacted into law among all 50 Senators from across the state.
“It is an honor to serve as State Senator. I look forward to working with legislative colleagues to make the critical investments needed to get our economy moving forward again,” Stein said.
Raleigh, Wake County, politics Josh Stein
Bob Geary ·
2 Oct 2009, 3:30 PM ·
Comment
We just received this note from Jon Parker, a close friend of Rhonda Robinson’s in the Durham for Obama organization and her ally in the battle for health care reform. Jon is the producer of “A Call for Healthcare Reform,” a short video that features Rhonda’s case.
Greetings –
Just to report that Rhonda suffered a grand mal seizure last evening as she was leaving church. She was rushed to the hospital by ambulance and had two additional seizures through the course of the night. She is home now and resting.
Rhonda was taking her prescribed medication at the time of the seizure’s onset; She meets with a neurologist on Monday to review and hopefully improve her medication and treatment.
She asked me to let folks know what happened.
You can email her at Rhonda@durhamforobama.org or [to her cell phone].
Rhonda met Wendell Potter in Raleigh on Tuesday [Potter, the ex-Cigna executive turned health insurance reformer, spoke to an N.C. Policy Watch audience] and marched afterwards with supporters of healthcare reform to Senator Hagan’s office. She and other activists met with Tony Caravano, Deputy State Director for Senator Hagan, and presented more than 5000 petitions and a video calling for meaningful Healthcare Reform.
Rhonda also indicated that she recently received notice (by mail) that she will now qualify for medicaid for a one year period.
Please keep Rhonda in your heart and in your prayers. She asks that we continue to fight for a robust public option as part of healthcare reform.
Sincerely,
- Jon Parker
Durham, politics Jon Parker, Rhonda Robinson
Bob Geary ·
21 Sep 2009, 4:49 PM ·
Comment
Durham County Superior Court Judge A. Leon Stanback is retiring, and Gov. Bev Perdue is giving his post to Jim Hardin, already serving as a “special” Superior Court judge. Hardin will always be remembered as the district attorney in the Michael Peterson murder case. (And as the one who’d left office by the time the Duke lacrosse case came along.)
From Perdue’s press office:
Gov. Bev Perdue today appointed Special Superior Court Judge James (Jim) E. Hardin Jr. as a Resident Superior Court Judge for the 14B Judicial District covering Durham County. Hardin will fill the unexpired term created by the resignation of Judge A. Leon Stanback on Sept. 1, 2009 after serving 20 years on the bench.
“Jim Hardin’s nearly two decades as a prosecutor and two terms as a Special Superior Court Judge has prepared him to accept the responsibilities of a Resident Superior Court Judge,” Perdue said. “I am confident that he will serve the citizens of Durham County well.”
Hardin has worked in various capacities in the Office of the District Attorney for the 14th Prosecutorial District for almost 20 years, including 11 years as District Attorney. He currently serves in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, as Commander of the 12th Legal Support Organization of the United States Army Reserve, holding the rank of colonel. He is active in numerous civic organizations in his community.
Hardin received his undergraduate degree from Duke University in 1979 and his law degree from Mercer University in 1983.
Durham, news Bev Perdue, Jim Hardin
