http://ncdp.org/ en Copyright 2010 2010-07-23T14:37:51+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/butterfield-urges-boost-for-wwii-merchant-mariners/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/butterfield-urges-boost-for-wwii-merchant-mariners/ Washington, D.C. – Congressman G. K. Butterfield has offered legislation to help World War II U.S. Merchant Marines receive earned veterans benefits. With fewer than 10,000 World War II Merchant Mariners still alive today, it is important to ensure they have the full opportunity to apply for benefits earned through service to our country,” Butterfield saide} 2010-07-23T13:37:51+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/holding-wall-st.-accountable/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/holding-wall-st.-accountable/ The Obama Administration has made Wall Street reform a top priority since day one, and it will now become a reality. Wall Street Reform will hold Wall Street accountable, protect and empower American consumers with the strongest consumer protections ever, increase transparency in financial dealings -- including in the derivatives market -- and end taxpayer bailouts once and for all. Here are 10 aspects of the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act you may not know about -- the online attention-deficit version. 2010-07-22T14:42:13+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/republicans-obstruct-unemployment-benefits-for-families/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/republicans-obstruct-unemployment-benefits-for-families/ Our nation has a responsibility to offer emergency aid to the many Americans who have lost their job through no fault of their own during this recession, who are struggling to make ends meet and to support their families, and who are continually looking for work. That is why it is so important that Congress pass the unemployment insurance extension that will once again come up for a vote in the Senate tomorrow. Unemployed Americans are suffering as a result of ongoing Republican obstructionism during this difficult economic time. Republicans have already prevented the unemployment insurance extension from moving forward three separate times – even though our country has a long history of supporting the unemployed under Democratic and Republican Administrations alike. In fact, during the last Administration, Republicans voted to extend emergency unemployment benefits a number of times} 2010-07-19T18:49:56+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/governor-perdue-signs-budget/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/governor-perdue-signs-budget/ Gov. Bev Perdue on Wednesday signed the budget for fiscal year 2010-11, which cuts more than $1 billion from state government while making critical investments in job creation, education and setting government straight. “I signed a budget today that does more with less, but still keeps North Carolina moving forward toward a full economic recovery,” said Gov. Perdue} 2010-07-02T14:38:04+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/gov.-perdue-elected-chair-of-southern-regional-education-board/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/gov.-perdue-elected-chair-of-southern-regional-education-board/ N.C. Gov. Bev Perdue was elected chair of the Southern Regional Education Board at its annual meeting Monday in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. The SREB has 16 member states from Texas to Delaware. The organization works to improve pre-K-12 and higher education across the region. 2010-06-28T14:48:30+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/Senator-byrd-had-north-carolina-roots/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/Senator-byrd-had-north-carolina-roots/ Sen. Robert Byrd, who died early Monday morning at age 92, was an icon of West Virginia and U.S. politics, but his roots were in the foothills of North Carolina. Byrd was born near North Wilkesboro, in Wilkes County, in 1917 and named Cornelius Calvin Sale Jr., for his father. 2010-06-28T14:39:23+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/2010-ncdp-state-convention/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/2010-ncdp-state-convention/ This year's State Convention and State Executive Committee meeting will be held on July 31st through August 1st, respectively, at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux in Fayetteville. The Sanford Hunt Frye Dinner will be held at 7 p.m. on Saturday following the State Convention. See you there! 2010-06-28T13:12:17+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/new-nc-law-puts-the-bite-on-animal-cruelty/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/new-nc-law-puts-the-bite-on-animal-cruelty/ Gov. Beverly Perdue signed Susie's Law Wednesday. Named for a pit bull puppy left badly burned last year - Susie's Law reclassifies malicious animal cruelty from a Class I to a Class H Felony and gives a judge the ability to sentence a convicted offender to up to eight months in jail. 2010-06-24T15:19:12+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/hagan-stumps-for-small-farms/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/hagan-stumps-for-small-farms/ U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan used a Kings Mountain blackberry farm Monday as a stage on which to highlight her efforts to protect family farms from burdensome regulations. Last summer, the House passed the Food Safety Modernization Act, which would give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration more authority to regulate farms and food facilities. With the health care and financial reform votes now over, Hagan expects that the food safety overhaul will be next on the Senate’s agenda} 2010-06-24T15:13:20+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/women-of-achievement-award/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/women-of-achievement-award/ Several female Democratic elected officials were recently honored by the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of North Carolina for their outstanding public service. The Women of Achievement Awards recognized: State Auditor Beth Wood, State Treasurer Janet Cowell, N.C. Rep. Tricia Cotham, Court of Appeals Judges Linda Stephens and Cheri Beasley} 2010-05-21T16:58:50+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/senate-budget-prioritizes-job-growth-economy/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/senate-budget-prioritizes-job-growth-economy/ The North Carolina State Senate this week approved a $19 billion budget plan that: provides tax breaks for small businesses, protects K-12 education, improves workforce training, expands access to health care, makes communities safer, and promotes efficient and ethical government. 2010-05-20T13:12:10+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/house-appropriations-committee-to-hold-budget-public-hearing/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/house-appropriations-committee-to-hold-budget-public-hearing/ RALEIGH, N.C. - The Appropriations Committee of the North Carolina House of Representatives will hold a public hearing on Monday, May 24, to receive comments about the state budget. The hearing will be held from 7-10 p.m. at the McKimmon Center on the campus of North Carolina State University. Three community colleges across the state will host interactive broadcasts of the hearing and it will also be streamed live on the Internet. 2010-05-19T17:26:42+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/recovery-act-funds-aid-energy-efficiency-and-promote-green-job-growth/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/recovery-act-funds-aid-energy-efficiency-and-promote-green-job-growth/ Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that an additional $5.4 million in federal Recovery Act funding for energy efficiency block grants has been awarded to help 38 public school systems and community colleges save on utility and fuel bills and create jobs. Additional grants are expected to be announced in the coming weeks as funding applications are reviewed and acted upon. 2010-05-17T14:37:03+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/wheres-the-beef/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/wheres-the-beef/ There’s a famous Wendy’s commercial with the tagline of “Where’s the Beef.” I was asking myself that very question today after the Republican leadership in the state legislature led by Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger and House Minority Leader Skip Stam held a press conference to discuss their proposed budget for the State of North Carolcode} 2010-05-13T20:07:33+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/house-democrats-release-caucus-agenda-for-2010-session/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/house-democrats-release-caucus-agenda-for-2010-session/ North Carolina House Democrats today introduced their 2010 session agenda, a plan designed to create jobs, support small business, protect education and strengthen ethic rules. The caucus’ Plan to Protect North Carolina’s Future focuses on four major priorities: JOBS: Putting North Carolinians back to work and supporting our small businesses, EDUCATION: Protecting our future by ensuring our students receive a quality education, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY: Making sure our state government lives within its means and protects its citizens, ACCOUNTABILITY: Demanding a more responsible governmene} 2010-05-13T15:00:03+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/the-president-nominates-elena-kagan-for-the-supreme-court/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/the-president-nominates-elena-kagan-for-the-supreme-court/ Widely regarded as one of the nation’s leading legal minds, Solicitor General Elena Kagan has forged a path-breaking career in the law and in government service, distinguishing herself throughout by her penetrating intellect, unwavering integrity, sound judgment and prodigious work ethic. Her family taught her the value not just of education, but of service, and instilled in her an understanding of how the law affects the lives of working Americans. She was the first woman to serve as Dean in Harvard Law School’s 186-year old history. And she was the first woman to serve as Solicitor General – the lawyer who represents the United States Government before the Supreme Court. Of the 111 justices who have served on the Supreme Court, only three have been women. Kagan would be the fourth, and this Fall, for the first time in history, three women would take their seats on our nation’s highest couode} 2010-05-10T15:25:45+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/solicitor-general-elena-kagan-facts-credentials-and-biography/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/solicitor-general-elena-kagan-facts-credentials-and-biography/ Solicitor General Kagan has demonstrated her strong commitment to public service throughout her career, having clerked for Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and working as Associate Counsel and Deputy Assistant to President Clinton— and now serving as President Obama’s Solicitor General. And as the first female Dean of the Harvard Law School, the first female Solicitor General, and now as potentially the fourth woman ever to serve on the Supreme Court, she has been a trailblazer throughout her esteemed careee} 2010-05-10T15:12:25+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/state-auditor-beth-wood-honored-by-cpa-association/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/state-auditor-beth-wood-honored-by-cpa-association/ State Auditor Beth Wood has been honored by the North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants as the Outstanding Member in Government for the past year. The award, presented at the association’s annual business meeting in Greensboro Wednesday night, recognizes a member employed by a federal, state or local government agency for distinguished service and making significant contributions to the field of governmental accounting.} 2010-05-10T12:56:22+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/democratic-candidates-for-november-2010/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/democratic-candidates-for-november-2010/ Thank you to all the candidates who ran hard-fought campaigns in the Primary election. We appreciate everyone who took an interest to run for office, and look forward to a continued successful election year. Below is a list of every democratic candidate who will be running for judicial and congressional office in the November 2010 election. 2010-05-04T13:15:51+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/richard-burr-r-wall-street/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/richard-burr-r-wall-street/ RALEIGH, NC – The day before North Carolina voters head to the polls to choose a replacement for Sen. Richard Burr, the North Carolina Democratic Party is releasing a new web ad tying Burr to Wall Street special interests. The web ad, which is available for viewing here, features footage of Burr walking into a closed-door fundraiser with Wall Street lobbyists, just days before the U.S. Senate voted on financial reform. The ad also mentions that Goldman Sachs, the Wall Street firm that has been accused of misleading investors and profiting from the housing collapse, has now maxed out to Burr’s reelection campaigne} 2010-05-03T13:58:51+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/onap-to-hold-community-meeting-and-conference-call-on-the-national-hiv/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/onap-to-hold-community-meeting-and-conference-call-on-the-national-hiv/ On Friday, May 14, 2010, the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) will hold a community meeting to provide an update and gain additional recommendations for the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS). For those who cannot attend the meeting in person, ONAP will hold a conference call shortly after the meeting to discuss the strategy. We know the strategy’s success will rely on the participation of our community partners across the country. That’s why we hosted 14 community discussions across the country, and conducted an online call to action to solicit recommendations via our website. In February, we co-hosted with the Department of Health and Human Services, a community meeting to update the public on our progress and introduce the Federal HIV Interagency Working Group. Earlier this month, we released a report summarizing community recommendations we received for the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. During the May 14 meeting and the conference call, ONAP will provide a brief overview of key priorities and identify issues where additional feedback would be helpful. Participants will be able to offer suggestions for the strategy, and we encourage public input on the following topics:e} 2010-04-26T18:44:33+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/jj-tickets-going-fast-dont-miss-out/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/jj-tickets-going-fast-dont-miss-out/ With the NCDP's annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner just over a week away tickets are going fast! Purchase your tickets before they are sold out! As you know our keynote speaker this year will be Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois. He is the Senate's #2 ranking Democrat and also sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will play an important role in filling the vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court created by the retirement of Justice John Paul Stevens. 2010-04-19T18:11:24+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/health-reform-benefits-that-begin-this-year/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/health-reform-benefits-that-begin-this-year/ By 2014, health reform will eliminate all discrimination for pre-existing conditions, expand health insurance for 32 million additional Americans, and provide the largest middle class tax cut for health care in history. 2010-04-05T17:41:06+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/Repeal/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/Repeal/ Days after President Obama signed into law historic health care reforms which will close the donut hole for seniors, allow children up to age 26 to stay on their parent’s insurance, end appalling insurance practices, lower the deficit, and increase access to health insurance for many North Carolina residents, Senator Richard Burr continues to call for these reforms to be repealed and taken away from North Carolinians} 2010-03-25T20:07:53+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/we-did-it/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/we-did-it/ "Last night's historic vote to reform our nation's health care system is a tremendous victory for the American people and for the millions of North Carolinians who will finally have access to quality, affordable health care. As President Obama said: 'this is what change looks like.' Not since President Lyndon Johnson created Medicare nearly half a century ago has our nation taken such an important step towards protecting the health and financial security of all Americans. 2010-03-22T15:03:10+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/americans-for-prosperity-liar-liar-pants-on-fire/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/americans-for-prosperity-liar-liar-pants-on-fire/ The North Carolina Democratic Party renewed its criticism of the conservative group Americans for Prosperity and called on them to pull the anti-health care TV ad from the airwaves in light of recent analysis by Politifact.com, a Pulitzer Prize winning fact checker, which called the ad “absurd” and said was packed full of “misinformation” and “distorncode} 2010-03-18T14:16:31+00:00 http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/Perdue-Announces-2010-North-Carolina-Teacher-Working-Conditions-Survey/ http://ncdp.org/blog/entry/Perdue-Announces-2010-North-Carolina-Teacher-Working-Conditions-Survey/ Gov. Bev Perdue recently announced that the 2010 North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey is now available online at www.ncteachingconditions.org. Educators have until April 16, 2010 to complete the survey. 2010-03-15T14:22:50+00:00