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General
Gary Pearce posted on February 06, 2013 09:15
Finally the State Department of Health and Human Services is cracking down on a crisis. What’s that, you ask? Mental health? Rising Medicaid costs? Funding for adult-care homes? The uninsured?
No. The dress code.
I especially like this: “Daily grooming and bathing are required. Clothing should be clean, pressed and in good condition (i.e., no holes, frays, tears, dangling threads, etc.).”
And, I presume, no exposed nipples.
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Gary Pearce posted on February 05, 2013 12:51
Governor McCrory is learning that it’s easier to run for office than run an administration. And message discipline is easier in a campaign. Especially when the legislature is in town.
McCrory wants his message to be jobs. But he sidetracked himself last week by picking a fight over the value of college education.
Monday, the headlines were about some mysterious trouble at the Capitol Police. This morning, the headlines were about the jobless – not about getting them jobs, but about the legislature cutting unemployment benefits. And about the legislature stiff-arming McCrory on Medicaid and health care.
Today the headlines are about Senate Republicans’ political power grab to take over the Utilities Commission, Environmental Management Commission, Coastal Resources Commission, Lottery Commission and Wildlife Resources Commission and abolish the Charter School Advisory Committee, Lottery Oversight Commission, Turnpike Authority, and Board of Correction.
They even tried to add two justices to the State Supreme Court.
(They might check their history. See “Court Packing – Roosevelt, Franklin D., 1937.”)
No wonder the Governor’s communications director left a six-figure job to go back to Tennessee. And his new press aide may be yearning for the calm, peaceful days she spent on Capitol Hill.
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Carter Wrenn posted on February 05, 2013 11:48
Respect for higher education has fostered a long-time tradition of reverence for college professors. They’re honored and pampered. They get tenure and sabbaticals to study and think.
Then the other day, out of a clear blue sky, the professors’ placid world rocked – when Governor Pat McCrory announced the way he sees it state universities’ funding (which includes the professors’ salaries) ought to be based on how many students get jobs when they graduate.
McCrory’s suggestion sent the professors into such a state of frenzy that UNC President Tom Ross had to sally forth out of his ivory tower and fire a broadside at the Governor to calm them down.
I happen to have a lot of faith in a good old-fashioned Liberal Arts education. It’s a fine thing I wouldn’t want relegated to the dust bin of history along with good manners and the Book of Common Prayer. But, that said, I must confess that watching the usually staid professors in a tizzy was a bit of a wayward pleasure.
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Joe Stewart posted on February 04, 2013 13:06
Gary is taking a break from blogging. Our guest blogger is Tapster Joe Stewart.
I grew up in Raleigh, graduating from Athens Drive High School in 1982.
The athletic conference (note singular) at the time was the Cap 8 and included (what seemed like) the remote outposts of Fuquay-Varina and Smithfield Selma.
I moved away for a while, and when I returned in 1996 the place had definitely changed, and continues to both in size and diversity of the population.
Just ask state Representative Tom Murry, whose 41st State House District in Wake County contains a significant number of Indian Americans - Morrisville, the heart of Rep. Murry’s district, is home to the Hindu Society of North Carolina.
In fact, Indian Americans are a whopping 16% of the lawful American citizens eligible to cast a ballot for Rep. Murry on election day.
While most attention in recent years has focused on illegal Hispanic immigrants here in North Carolina, Rep. Murry’s district shows there’s actually far more than that one dynamic to discuss on the topic of how immigration impact local communities like his, given the dramatic growth in our State’s foreign-born population (up by 64% since 2000).
The NC Center for International Understanding (full disclosure: they are a client) is hosting a conference (not advancing a particular policy proposal, but rather providing a forum to allow discussion among all points of view – a review of the list of sponsors highlights that fact) on February 28 entitled ‘Immigration Matters’ at the Hunt Library on NCSU Centennial Campus (http://IMforum.eventbrite.com).
It’s proven to be a timely program, given recent calls for federal immigration reform from both Congressional leaders and the White House.
Consider this: the US Chamber, a business advocacy icon, will speak at this event on the need for reforms to our work visa system – it’s hurting US businesses when skilled positions for which no American worker is available go unfilled because guest workers can’t get the visa to come do the job.
And this isn’t just about high-tech, high-skill positions. It’s about all the service sector jobs there simply won’t be enough American-born workers for (think home health care, the folks needed to take care of all us aging Baby Boomers).
A UN population and workforce study released in 2000 projected that by the end of 2103, due in large part to declining birth rates in America, the labor force growth in the United States will be zero, and by 2020 will have a 17 million shortage of working age people for the jobs available.
So there’s a lot to talk about, and Immigration Matters will be a great opportunity to hear from many different voices on this subject.
By the way: when people ask me, as a ‘native,’ if these changes bother me, I always say ‘this was a great part of North Carolina then, but it’s an outstanding corner of the world now.’
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Carter Wrenn posted on February 04, 2013 11:19
Speaker John Boehner probably never meant to end up being the face and voice of the Republican Party – but he’s the man in the room facing Obama so that’s how it is.
Last month, just before the House passed the Speaker’s bill to raise the debt ceiling until May, I asked an old friend who’s a long-time pollster, “Do you reckon the House Republicans are about to help or hurt themselves with voters?”
He shrugged and said, “It doesn’t matter.”
Then he explained the House Republicans’ problem isn’t issues like ‘Debt Ceilings’ it’s that voters see them as shallow, petty Washington politicians.
Now, if the pollster’s right that’s bad news – because when character rears its head in a political fight it’s usually deadly. Ask Newt Gingrich. Or Herman Cain. Or remember Richard Nixon.
And it’s a safe bet Obama knows nailing Republican Congressmen as Washington politicians is about as good a way as any for his new Super-Nonprofit to elect a Democratic House Majority next election.
So what can Speaker Boehner do?
Well, if it’s just a plain simple fact and true that House Republicans have become died-in-the-wool Washington politicians – there’s not much he can do. Obama won’t allow him to escape the facts. And the only cure for bone-deep sinning lies beyond politics in the realms of repentance and Grace.
And even if it’s not true Boehner still faces a tough job – because serving as Speaker while proving to voters he (and fellow House Republicans) are not Washington politicians is one tall order.
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Gary Pearce posted on February 04, 2013 10:21
While I was gone, Governor McCrory came out against college education and Republican legislators came out against women’s nipples. These are two (or three?) big reasons I’m not a Republican.
In fairness, the Governor took it back. He said he was for college education after he was against it. Kind of like John Kerry.
Then his communications director departed for Tennessee. (That’s right, blame the PR guy!)
But there is no retreat on the nipple front.
I’m looking forward to catching up with the other big news. We took a cruise to the Caribbean. Sat in the sun, swam in the ocean, ate good food, drank good beer and wine, ate more good fed, slept a lot and read five books.
Years ago, a wise friend told me that the secret to surviving winter is to go someplace warm in late January or early February. He was right.
By the way, a big thank-you to the pinch-bloggers, named and unnamed, who kept Carter company.
It was good to be gone and it’s good to be back.
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Tapster posted on February 04, 2013 08:10
Gary is taking a break from blogging. Our guest blog today is from a Tapster.
Republicans won control of the NC General Assembly with a promise to create jobs and improve the state’s economy.
So, where is the proposed legislation to do that?
Of the 100 or so bills introduced in the early days of session, virtually none has anything to do with job creation or economic growth. The notable exception is HB4 dealing with the unemployment insurance mess in North Carolina, and this doesn’t really count because the state must confront this matter.
Instead, bills were filed to add new specialized license plates, outlaw naked nipples in public and allow church buses to have permanent license plates. Good gracious.
To add to the incongruity and hypocrisy, Republicans who ostensibly want less government and lower taxes filed bills to increase government oversight of tanning beds and mopeds and triple (yes,
triple) license fees for locksmiths.
It’s hard to believe – but not surprising – that a GOP crowd who waited breathlessly for 200 years to control the legislature is already bogged down in minutiae that fixes none of the problems they vowed to fix.
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Joyce Fitzpatrick posted on February 01, 2013 16:07
Gary is taking a break from blogging. Our guest blogger is Joyce Fitzpatrick.
The war on women continues.
Cokie Roberts spoke Tuesday evening at the Kenan- Flagler School at UNC Chapel Hill about how inhospitable the Romney/Ryan ticket had been to women and immigrants. They responded in huge numbers to give President Obama his November victory. When the smoke cleared, there were 20 women in the US Senate and 80 in the House.
In North Carolina, women have endured a week when things ratcheted up as the NC General Assembly convened and almost immediately bills targeting women flew. Threats to Medicaid, unemployment benefits and education were first up.
Governor McCrory slammed gender studies, “If you want to take gender studies that’s fine, go to a private school and take it.” But, his sharp language did not stop there, as he went on to rail against “butts in seats not butts in jobs” and then to question why women make up a majority of community college students. Earth to McCrory. Do not bite the hand that feeds you. In today’s News and Observer, Rick Martinez doubles down: “Has the scholarship in (women’s studies) progressed beyond the perpetuation of victimhood?” Please.
At the Lillian’s List legislative breakfast on Wednesday morning, Rep. Deborah Ross proclaimed, “Sixty-five percent of the North Carolinians who don’t have photo IDs are female seniors. Why don’t they want Grandma to vote?” The newly elected and incumbent pro-choice women in the NC General Assembly ended the breakfast with a raucous Fired Up. Ready to Go chant. Watch out boys, you best not mess with mothers and grandmothers.
And, adding insult to injury, Rep. Rayne Brown, a Republican from Lexington and Rep. Tim Moffitt, a Republican from Asheville introduced House Bill 34 which would make it illegal for women to bare their nipples in public. Time for a topless revolt.
It is a war out there. Good thing Raleigh’s new police chief is a woman. We might need some help keeping the peace on Jones Street.
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Nation Hahn posted on January 31, 2013 10:27
Gary is taking a break from blogging. Our guest Tapster today is Nation Hahn.
It has been clear for several years that the NC Democratic Party has failed to build a deep bench of future leaders. It has become ever more clear during the Chairman race in recent weeks as people have tried to find a candidate who could rebuild our Party.
One of the points that Eric Mansfield made over and over again during his bid for Chair was that while Chair he would speak out on issues that mattered, but that we must have teachers to speak out on education, rural leaders to speak out on farming, while he spoke out as a Doctor on health issues as an example. The lack of a bench in recent years made this a salient point as we have been forced to turn to the same spokespeople regardless of issue.
The good news is that the next generation is here, if we only pay attention to them.
Andy Ball of Boone is running for 3rd Vice Chair and a talent worth noticing. He is a powerful speaker, he genuinely cares and he has a record to be proud of as a City Councilor. Zeb Smathers and Justin Conley are equally talented and remarkable. Zeb will likely make a career for himself out of building coalitions around shared values and getting things done regardless of party label.
Sam Spencer, President of the Young Democrats, Aisha Dew, and Tori Taylor are all associated with Charlotte and each bring unique skills to the table. Tori is one of the hardest working people that I know. Aisha has done a masterful job leading the Party in Mecklenburg. Sam has brought the Young Democrats back to a place of respectability.
Ryan Butler ought to be a future District Judge from Greensboro and his work as President of the LGBT Democrats has been tremendous.
In the Triangle, Zack Hawkins has been 2nd Vice Chair for one year and has a passion for public service. Matt Hughes, the young Chair of the Orange County Democrats, has built a fan club for himself over the last two years and is clearly a rising star.
We also know the names of young legislators, or would be legislators, that ought to be mentioned for Governor or Senator or another office in 2016. Eric Mansfield, Jennifer Weiss, Cal Cunningham, Deb Butler, Josh Stein and Deborah Ross among them.
I could go on, but I think you see the point.
We must begin to invest earlier than ever in recruiting and training candidates. We must develop leadership academies that teach people the essential skills of leadership. We have to provide the resources to move people into positions to make a difference and that includes our senior leadership beginning to make room at the table for young candidates, consultants, policy advisors and more.
If we are going to develop an agenda that can win today then we must move past tired ideas and the status quo. We have to figure out an agenda that builds the public will for education in age of choice. We must offer tax reform ideas that address the problems without falling inordinately on the poor and middle class. We have to invest in advanced manufacturing and the liberal arts.
The other key is that we must develop a Party that is not absolutist. President Obama was referencing Congressional Republicans and the DC crowd when he said, “We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate.”
He could well have been speaking to all of us who are meeting in Durham on Saturday for the State Executive Committee meeting.
In order to build the next generation of leaders we must retreat from absolutism, focus on getting the work of the people done and encourage reasoned debate.
Eric Mansfield would tell folks as he traveled the state that he judged a vote by three characteristics — people, policy and politics. A vote could be good for the people that you represent, in fact it should absolutely serve your constituents needs. A vote could be sound policy, even if it is unpopular, and those stands of principle must be regarded. Or, in the purely bad column, a vote could be just about politics. A vote that is cast only for politics should rightly be criticized, but we can’t be absolutists on the first two.
If we we are to build a new generation of leadership we must focus on shared values, even though we’ll occasionally disagree. We must accomplish work for the people of North Carolina, rather than fall victim to spectacles alone, and we can have debates that do not descend to name calling.
In order to figure out a new vision, a narrative that will work in the 21st Century and a path back to our progressive tradition we are all going to have work together. That is one lesson of leadership that the older generations can offer all of us, if only we’ll pay attention.
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Joe Stewart posted on January 30, 2013 10:19
Gary is taking a break from blogging. Our guest Tapster today is Joe Stewart of JRS Strategy Group.
Part of my work as former Political Director at NC Chamber involved seeking out solid business-minded people to run for the General Assembly.
Someone I met in 2010 pursing this goal was Rick Catlin. Personal and professional considerations precluded him from running then, but he did in 2012 and got elected to represent House District 20 in New Hanover County (and has been selected by his fellow freshmen Republicans as leader of that caucus).
Catlin fit perfectly the disposition I was looking for then, and I am glad he’s joined the legislature now.
The owner of a Wilmington-based environmental engineering firm (that does work internationally, so Catlin clearly get’s ‘global’ part of North Carolina's place in a global economy), he’s a pragmatic, bottom line kinda businessperson who understands the pressures faced making a payroll every week.
But, he’s also forward-looking (he told me back in 2010 that ‘you have to think ahead if your business involves building drinking water reservoirs’) and understands the connection between infrastructure investments, economic vitality and job creation.
I caught up with him recently and ask about initial impressions of legislative service: ‘We are moving fast and with a sense of urgency, a much quicker pace than in the past as those members with longer tenure keep telling us newbies.’
In terms of the issues faced this session: ‘We must focus on finding greater efficiencies so we can keep the cost of state government down. And just like in my business, if North Carolina is to encourage economic growth and the jobs that brings, it’s about making smart investments and figuring out how to be better than any of our competitors – and we must do more to promote North Carolina all around world.’
Other thoughts: ‘Engineers, by training, work to bring solutions to the problems they find. With three others from my profession in the House (the largest number anyone can remember being in this body at any one time), I’m pretty confident there’s not much we can’t handle.’
At a time when ideological divisions and partisan divides seem to drown out reasoned discussion and debate on public policies, I think North Carolina would be well served if both political parties could encourage a few more business-minded folks like Rick Catlin (and there are others in the body now, but we could always use more) to consider serving in the General Assembly.
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