NC NOW Legislative Update #18 – Let the Budget Negotiations Begin!

The NC House finished its budget so now is time for budget negotiations between House and Senate. Update on SCOTUS ruling on NC’s gerrymandering case and another case. See NC NOW Legislative Update #18, 6/4/17 for a more on budget negotiations and the Supreme Court ruling with regard to two cases in NC.

Here are some excerpts from the summary.

“The House passed its budget just after midnight on Thursday. The House and Senate have already agreed on setting the budget for 2017 fiscal year at $22.9 billion, which will simplify the final negotiations.” See how that works in the summary.

Tax Day Protest In Fayetteville – 4/15/17

Fayetteville NOW sponsored a silent, non-violent protest on April 15th, 2017 at the Market House in downtown Fayetteville, North Carolina.  The protest went from noon to 1:00 p.m. They did so to express their disappointment in this President’s continuous refusal to disclose his personal tax returns and to air other concerns with this administration.

People were invited to express their own objections to this administration (whether it’s the tax issue, election hacking and/or this administration’s Russian associations, health care issues, Supreme Court nominee, his environmental (EPA) positions, etc.).”

Photo Credit: Pam Wade

Why nominee Neil Gorsuch is bad for the US Supreme Court

Please join some of NC’s progressive organizations as we speak out against Trump Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch on Monday, March 20, at 11am, at 310 New Bern Ave, in front of Senator Thom Tillis’ office. See the facebook event for “Media event: Progressives speak out against Neil Gorsuch” at https://www.facebook.com/events/143022306221621/

.

NOW Urges that Senator(s) filibuster the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch and, should a filibuster fail, vote “no”.

Main issues described in NOW’s brief.

1. Republicans do not deserve control of this stolen seat.
2. Gorsuch has a history of hostility toward all kinds of regular and disadvantaged people seeking protections from the privileged and the powerful.
3. He tends to rule for billionaire donors and big corporations.
4. He has a frightening willingness to limit women’s access to health care.
5. He is extremely anti-abortion based on his writings.

Why Tillis does not know what to expect at Town Halls

In “Tillis is open to town halls, minus shouting,” 3/6/17, N&O, Senator Thom Tillis alleges that people who go to his town hall meetings shout and call names, so he doesn’t go. In fact, he has not been to a town hall meeting this year (the $25 a head Durham Chamber of Commerce meeting on March 6 does not count, nor does the March 7th phone call he offered with only an hours’ notice on social media). It is natural he does not know what to expect.

Senator Tillis, we have been to two town hall meetings held in your honor, and you’ve got it all wrong.   

First, the people there are not scary or menacing. They look like, well, people. You don’t have to take our word for it though, there are lots of pictures online.

Speakers lined up at this town hall meeting to share their concerns and fears. Respectful pictures of Senators Tillis and Burr at front of room. Photo Credit: Sarah Sydney

Another “Special Session” Ambush, 3 Actions To Take

Shocking power grab from the Republicans already in charge of both sides of the NC General Assembly, being carried out during a fourth special session they called with no emergencies to address. They are using this fourth session to further their own agendas, in this case for a massive partisan power grab of the Governor-elect’s powers and interference with historic privileges associated with that position. This session is in many ways like the one that brought us HB 2, the bathroom law, which also took away state law remedies to discrimination and interfered with existing local ordinances. Read about what is happening and three actions you can take.

Small part of citizens with signs in Senate Gallery on Dec 13, 2016. Photo credit: Gailya Paliga

NC NOW Chapter meetings this week

Asheville NOW: on Sunday, July 10, at 3pm

Another roundtable on Sunday, July 10th at 3pm, at Mother Grove Temple which is located at 70 Woodfin Place Suite 1. Going east on 240, take the Charlotte St exit. At the top of the ramp go straight across Charlotte St. The building in the first on the left. Park near the dumpsters and go to the lower level. We’ll return to the YWCA in September (they’re closed for the summer). We had a terrific discussion at the last meeting and we want your voice at the table next time! 

Next Asheville NOW meeting is Sunday, August 14 at 3PM. Location TBA. Meeting will including Asheville NOW’s Cynthia Drew’s comments on her national NOW conference experience.

Asheville NOW’s facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/180558405310992/

Charlotte NOW: Tues., July 12th: 6-8 pm

Meet at the Morrison Library (7015 Morrison Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28211).

Make sure you are ready to vote on June 7, 2016!

Too few people know about this unusual second primary election on Jun 7, 2016.  Here are some articles and excerpts on why the June 7 election is so important.

News and Observer article, “The primary election no one in NC seems to remember,” (5/17/16) – tells us that “[o]n June 7, another primary election is taking place in North Carolina, and it’s an important one. Congressional candidates from both parties will be on the ballot, and four individuals are vying for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court. The primary will narrow it down to two candidates in the nonpartisan Supreme Court election.”

And if you think you voted for Congress during the last primary (March 2016) – you are right.  But it didn’t count. So get ready to vote again!

Editorial “There’s an election on June 7 too,” (Salisbury Post, 4/25/16) says “The importance of an informed vote is compounded by the fact that there’s no possibility of a runoff. Normally, candidates need to secure at least 40 percent of the vote in order to avoid a runoff. In 2016, however, the candidate who receives the most votes advances to the November elections.”

Senators Burr and Tillis and the Politics of Obstruction

This op-ed went from the Asheville Citizen-Times on 5/27/16 to USA-Today!! The USA-Today link is here!

“North Carolina’s two Republican senators say they have no interest in considering President Barack Obama’s nomination” of Judge Merrick B. Garland to the US Supreme Court, according to Citizen-Times article, “Burr, Tillis say they won’t consider high court nominee,” 3/16/16.

In this, both NC Senators are stubbornly refusing to do their jobs. I refer to the US Senate’s job of advice and consent. Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate. The Senate’s job is to make sure the nominee is qualified, and if so, vote yes. If not, that will come out during the hearings.

Yet Burr and Tillis are refusing to allow hearings on the US Supreme Court nomination. According to “Supreme Court Vacancies in Presidential Election Years,” (2/13/16), there have been several nominations and confirmations of Justices during presidential election years. Clearly the hearings are the valid and constitutionally sanctioned place and time to find problems with nominees. Why are they blocking the process?

Back to NC. Judge Garland is not the first nominee for important federal positions that Burr and Tillis have blocked. They both voted against NC native Loretta Lynch when she was nominated for US Attorney General.

#DoYourJob Senators Burr and Tillis!

NC’s US Senators Burr and Tillis are refusing to do their job – both are blocking President Obama’s US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) nominee – Merrick Garland. And Garland is not the first nominee they have blocked. Both Burr and Tillis blocked NC native Loretta Lynch when she was nominated for US Attorney General.

US Senate’s job of advice and consent.  Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate. Their job is to make sure the nominee is qualified, and if so, vote yes. 

It is this job that Burr and Tillis are refusing to do.

Free early screening of TRAPPED in Raleigh on 5/6/16

We are screening ‘Trapped’ on Friday, May 6, at 7pm at WorkPlace Options (WPO), 2912 Highwoods Blvd, in Raleigh. Filmmaker Dawn Porter examines how abortion laws affect doctors, patients and clinics in different states.

Trapped is about TRAP laws – the Targetted Regulation of Abortion Providers. TRAP laws provide other ways to financially handicap and often close women’s clinics.