This morning, North Carolina legislators in the GOP-controlled state House approved a measure that allows some court officials to refuse to perform same-sex marriage duties because of their religious beliefs. House lawmakers agreed 69-41 to override Governor Pat McCrory’s veto of the bill, which the Senate had done last week. The bill, now a law, allows magistrates and register of … Read More
The Crazy North Carolina Legislature
(1) Jerks: Lawmakers passed a bill Wednesday that would make North Carolina one of several states with 72-hour waiting periods for abortions. Gov. Pat McCrory said he planned to sign it, despite the urging of opponents who wanted him to stand by his statement during his 2012 campaign that he would not sign any further restrictions on abortion if elected. … Read More
SCOTUS Sends NC Redistricting Map Back To NC
Yesterday, the Supreme Court rejected a Republican-drawn map of congressional districts in North Carolina. The justices ordered the NC Supreme Court reconsider whether North Carolina lawmakers inappropriately redrew the electoral map to consign large populations of black voters, a Democratic constituency, to a disproportionately small number of districts, the effect of which gives Republicans a clear electoral advantage.
The Lesson From 2002
We all have felt it from time to time. The urge to simply go nuclear. It's understandable. Some backwoods jihadi moron slices off an American head, or a bunch of them band together and fly hijacked airplanes into sckyscrapers, and our natural reaction is: "Fuck you. NOW you're going to see the hand of God." The problem with that is … Read More
Fourth Circuit Overturns Virginia Same-Sex Marriage Ban
The religious right continues losing their reactionary culture war, as a federal appeals court strikes down Virginia’s ban on marriage equality. And this ruling will also affect conservative bans on same-sex marriage in West Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina, so it’s a significant defeat for the forces of atavism. “We recognize that same-sex marriage makes some people deeply uncomfortable. However, … Read More
How Much Is The NC State Legislature In The Pocket Of Big Business?
This much: North Carolina GOP Pushes Unprecedented Bill to Jail Anyone Who Discloses Fracking Chemicals As hydraulic fracturing ramps up around the country, so do concerns about its health impacts. These concerns have led 20 states to require the disclosure of industrial chemicals used in the fracking process. North Carolina isn’t on that list of states yet — and it may be … Read More
A Grim Reminder
I didn't know her, but I have friends who did. She made national news this weekend, because of the irony. But behind that, there is the obvious lesson about texting and driving: HIGH POINT, N.C., April 27 (UPI) – A 32-year-old North Carolina woman died in a car accident Thursday just moments after she used her cell phone to post on … Read More
Finally, The DOJ Steps In
Justice Department to sue North Carolina over voting law By Holly Yeager, Published: September 29 | Updated: Monday, September 30, 12:01 AM The Justice Department will sue North Carolina on Monday over the state’s new voting law, according to a person briefed on the department’s plans, the latest move by the Obama administration to counter a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that officials have said threatens the voting … Read More
More North Carolina Shennanigans
Well, the conservative legislature and governor here in NC have decided to cut back on early voting, and decided not to let students use their IDs to vote. And they've even gone one step further: an Elizabeth City State University senior wants to run for city council, but they won't let him run. The Pasquotank County Board of Elections on Tuesday … Read More
NC Is Focus of NY Time Editorial Again
And it ain't good (again): A Sharp Turn to the Right in North Carolina By ALBERT R. HUNT | BLOOMBERG VIEW WASHINGTON — North Carolina is channeling Alabama and South Carolina when it comes to the best economic, social and political model for a Southern state. For more than half a century, North Carolina has been progressive on education and public … Read More
Doubling Down on NC Voter Suppression
ust hours after Gov. Pat McCrory (R) signed a broad bill to massively restrict voting rights in North Carolina, localities moved to make it harder for students to vote. The moves come on the heels of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 June ruling gutting the Voting Rights Act and destroying the provisions that had long required North Carolina and other states with a history of … Read More
NC Is Laughing Stock
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It’s Official: NC Passes Worst Voter ID Law Ever
From The Nation: Late last night, the North Carolina legislature passed the country’s worst voter suppression law after only three days of debate. Rick Hasen of Election Law Blog called it “the most sweeping anti-voter law in at least decades” The bill mandates strict voter ID to cast a ballot (no student IDs, no public employee IDs, etc), even though 318,000 registered voters lack the narrow … Read More
House Bill 589
North Carolina is set to pass one of the most strict voting limitations bills in the country. Not only does it include a strict voter-ID law and provision shortening early voting and eliminating same-day voter registration for early voting, but it’s also a laundry list of ways to make it harder for people to vote, and which cannot plausibly be … Read More
More GOP Hanky Panky With NC Abortion Laws
Last week, while much of the country was focused on the July 4th holiday, Republicans in North Carolina's state Senate launched a legislative ambush – they took a bill related to Sharia law, of all things, amended it to include sweeping new restrictions on reproductive rights, and then rammed the bill through a day later on July 3rd. With the bill pending … Read More