Unbelievable anti-voting bill filed at the last minute

An unbelievable anti-voting bill was unveiled in the NC General Assembly yesterday at the last minute and it contains just about every wish list to block opponent voters you'll find on the Tea Party and far right agendas. It upends our election system in so many ways that Rep. Mickey Michaux (D-Durham) called it “worse than an abomination.” The far right is now trying to ram it through without public debate.

Giving the insurance companies control over healthcare reform implementation:

To no one's surprise on Blue NC, they're not even trying to hide the buying of policy anymore. The NC House Insurance Committee has taken up a controversial bill (H-115) that gives insurance companies a large role in overseeing how consumers will be able to buy "affordable" insurance coverage through a state-level “health benefits exchange” to be created under the new national health reform law.

Most blatant anti-voting bill yet:

There's been yet another attempt to suppress voter turnout in North Carolina, including limiting civic participation from our youth. Senate Bill 657 is sponsored by three freshmen GOP Senators from Western NC (Sen. Warren Daniel, Sen. Jim Davis, and Sen. Ralph Hise). This bill would:

** Ban Sunday or “Souls to the Polls” voting in North Carolina

** Eliminate early voter registration for 16-17 year olds.

** Limit the early voting period to 7-9 days.

** Limit the available day time and hours of early voting locations.

Here’s a link to the full text of the bill:

http://ncleg.net/gascripts/members/memberList.pl?sChamber=Senate

This is the most blatant attempt yet to suppress the vote of non-far right voters in NC. I'll be interested in hearing their justification as to why it is on our state's best interests to block young voters from fulfilling their civic duty or to make it harder for working people to vote.

Protest tomorrow at the General Assembly: Voter Photo ID

Rally To Protest Voter Photo ID Bill Planned
April 13th ● 11:15 AM ● General Assembly Bldg in Raleigh

A coalition of groups opposing a bill that would require voters to show a government-issued photo ID each time they vote will hold a rally at 11:15 AM on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 in front of the NC General Assembly Building at 16 W. Jones St. in Raleigh. We are protesting the bill because it is an expensive and ineffectual bill that disenfranchises honest citizens while doing little to address voter fraud. You are all invited to join us.

Guybo & Jenks on the Voter Photo ID Bill:

BlueNCers, we are continuing to work hard to oppose a Voter Photo ID bill for many reasons you can download here, and we've taken it to the streets to gather people's stories. One of them is near and dear to my heart: my dad, Guy Munger, and his assisted living roommate, Jenks, who were kind enough to tell it like it is in this video. The end of the video contains a call to action to help head off this bill. I'd appreciate it if you could share it and spread the word. Thanks!

Prosecutor clears Perdue in indictment related to her campaign:

From the Dem NC Link of the Day:

March with the Puppermaster on Saturday!

Well, BlueNCers,

You have no doubt heard about the HKonJ march this coming Saturday. I am happy to report weather forecasts are calling for a beautiful day. I am also happy to report that a morning of sewing, cutting and pasting has whipped our 9-foot tall puppetmaster (courtesy of Paperhand Puppet Intervention) into shape and he will be leading the Democracy NC contingent at the march. This is, of course, a total homage to James, who rightfully holds the banner when it comes to all Puppermaster communiques.

I would love it if some of you joined us.

The circus in Raleigh gets even more dangerous

In a few weeks the new GOP majority over in Raleigh is hoping to ram through a bill that would spend millions and millions of dollars on a problem that does not exist -- but that does help them block people they don't want voting from going to the polls. Please help us spread the truth about so-called Voter ID Fraud in NC. Free flyer to download after the jump.

I may have to rethink my opposition to closing NC's borders:

The Heritage Foundation is setting up shop in North Carolina and looking to expand:

http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/01/11/912355/heritage-foundation-sinks-its.html

Why? While they can pour millions into our state from outside forces, the one thing the far right has NOT been able to do in North Carolina is build a grassroots base that compares with the progressive grassroots base.

Voter I.D. Is a Smokescreen: Their Real Motives

Why would the GOP in North Carolina make instituting a Voter ID requirement a priority when we are facing so many other critical problems and there were less than two dozen cases of voter fraud out of the 4.3 million ballots cast in NC in 2008? Because it's all part of a national campaign to erect barriers to voting for citizens who do not support their party or their platform. Read this report and be sure to check out the links for some pretty horrifying facts. Whatever you do: don't let this issue fly under the radar. It is about so much more than Voter I.D. It is an old-fashioned power grab based on an attempted end run around democracy. Please help us spread this message to as many people as possible by sending the short report that follows to people in your organization.

BlueNC

KatyMunger's blog