Democracy NC Democracy North Carolina is, as its slogan says, of, by and for the people. Above all, it’s for the people’s right to vote — and to cast an informed vote about who’s on their side and who isn’t. For that reason, Democracy NC is fighting efforts to curb early voting, put an end […]
Bob Geary
Posted inMusic
“The Super Bowl of Bluegrass Music” — and “the Hopscotch”
from the IBMA Denny Edwards dubbed it “the Super Bowl of Bluegrass Music.” Well, it (the World of Bluegrass) is coming to Raleigh in the fall of 2013, 2014 and 2015 — after which, maybe it’ll be permanent? Edwards is CEO of the Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau, which is busting its buttons at getting […]
Posted inNews
Bumbling Democrats, diabolical Republicans
Let’s face it. If you’re a Republican in North Carolina right now, you may not want to gloat, but could your prospects be any sweeter? Returning to Raleigh this week for the General Assembly’s short session, the GOP is in total control of the agenda with solid majorities in both chambers. And the gerrymandered redistricting […]
Posted inNews
Frank Eaton, Mary-Ann Baldwin, Don Vaughan: Next N.C. Dems chair?
Raleigh City Councilor Mary-Ann Baldwin did, indeed, announce her candidacy for state Democratic Party chair. That was yesterday, I gather, when she sent an email to Democrats and copied the N&O. Today, Frank Eaton joined the race. He’s on the Democrats’ state executive committee, so he may have a leg up with the voters that […]
Posted inNews
Charlotte’s showing Raleigh a thing (transit) or two (same-sex benefits)
Interesting story in the Charlotte Observer about the Queen City’s new budget. Check it out: Money for infrastructure investments in underdeveloped parts of Charlotte. (Is there a Southeast Raleigh analogue?) And a plan to offer insurance benefits to same-sex partners of city employees. (Raleigh, so far, has ducked this one.) Thus, in Charlotte: US DOT […]
Posted inNews
President Obama backs same-sex marriages: Let the Amendment 1 repeal campaign begin
President Obama finally declared himself: He thinks same-sex couples should be allowed to marry. He said he once favored civil unions as a way to recognize same-sex relationships without running into the “that’s not a marriage” buzz saw. But you know what, civil unions — if properly defined in a statute — are the same […]
Posted inElections
On a dark day for N.C., Amendment 1 passes
Her eyes twinkled and she didn’t give up even when it was clear that the chances of defeating Amendment 1 were slim. Leading a brigade of volunteers who shepherded several hundred folks from the pro-LGBT OutRaleigh festival on Fayetteville Street to a nearby early-voting site Saturday morning, Tracy Hollister was determined to maximize the “Vote […]
Posted inNews
(Updated x 2) Amendment 1 passes easily, and other primary results
You can follow the returns with me as they come in on the State Board of Elections website. [Update No. 2. It’s midnight, and I’ve made one final pass at the numbers. With all the votes counted, the outcomes are the same as two hours ago. So again, I’ll make a very few changes as […]
Posted inNews
Amendment 1 opponents: “Our fight for fairness is not over.”
The Coalition to Protect all NC Families, which led the unsuccessful anti-Amendment 1 campaign, just issued a statement. Here it is in full: PROTECT ALL NC FAMILIES RESPONDS TO PASSAGE OF AMENDMENT ONE“No One Wins Tonight in North Carolina,” says Campaign Manager, Jeremy Kennedy Raleigh, N.C. — Tonight the discriminatory and overreaching Amendment One passed […]
