The Progressive Pulse http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org Affecting NC public policy through informed, energetic and progressive conversations. Thu, 17 May 2012 21:37:17 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 At least they’re allowed to protest in the Legislative Building http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/17/at-least-theyre-allowed-to-protest-in-the-legislative-building/ http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/17/at-least-theyre-allowed-to-protest-in-the-legislative-building/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 21:17:53 +0000 Rob Schofield http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=35773 Journalist Scott Mooneyham of The Insider zinged state Senator Tom Apodaca in this afternoon’s Insider Afternoon Update:

Sen. Tom Apodaca wasn’t happy after hearing Democrats criticize a new group of bills aimed at limiting municipalities’ powers to annex territory

… Read More...
]]> http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/17/at-least-theyre-allowed-to-protest-in-the-legislative-building/feed/ 0 The documents behind N.C. lawmakers trip to Miami http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/17/miami-trip-for-n-c-lawmakers/ http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/17/miami-trip-for-n-c-lawmakers/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 20:22:14 +0000 Sarah Ovaska http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=35767 Earlier today, we published an investigation I’ve been working on that looked at a lobbying group that paid for 11 legislators to fly down to Florida.

The investigation is here, and I encourage readers to take a look at … Read More...

]]> http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/17/miami-trip-for-n-c-lawmakers/feed/ 2 New analysis on the beneficial impacts of the state Earned Income Tax Credit http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/17/new-analysis-on-the-beneficial-impacts-of-the-state-earned-income-tax-credit/ http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/17/new-analysis-on-the-beneficial-impacts-of-the-state-earned-income-tax-credit/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 19:05:03 +0000 Rob Schofield http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=35764 Today the Budget & Tax Center released a brief, “North Carolina’s Earned Income Tax Credit: A Support to Working Families with Widespread Benefits”, that presents county level data on the number of working families receiving the state Earned Income … Read More...

]]> http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/17/new-analysis-on-the-beneficial-impacts-of-the-state-earned-income-tax-credit/feed/ 0 Even the Locke Foundation thinks “raising the age” is a good idea http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/17/even-the-locke-foundation-thinks-raising-the-age-is-a-good-idea/ http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/17/even-the-locke-foundation-thinks-raising-the-age-is-a-good-idea/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 14:56:36 +0000 Rob Schofield http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=35758 It doesn’t happen very often, but every now and then some of the folks over on Right-wing Avenue do, to their credit, get something right. Happily, it seems to have happened today.

The Locke Foundation released a report this morning that … Read More...

]]> http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/17/even-the-locke-foundation-thinks-raising-the-age-is-a-good-idea/feed/ 0 Are the wheels coming off the Tillis speakership? http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/17/are-the-wheels-coming-off-the-tillis-speakership/ http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/17/are-the-wheels-coming-off-the-tillis-speakership/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 11:09:01 +0000 Rob Schofield http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=35753 Today’s story by reporter Andy Curliss in Raleigh’s News & Observer has to make a person wonder.

Tillis paid almost $20,000 in public money to two staffers after they were canned for inappropriate relationships with lobbyists? One has to wonder … Read More...

]]> http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/17/are-the-wheels-coming-off-the-tillis-speakership/feed/ 10 A flurry of bill filings on the opening day http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/16/a-flurry-of-bill-filings-on-the-opening-day/ http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/16/a-flurry-of-bill-filings-on-the-opening-day/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 00:19:55 +0000 Clayton Henkel http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=35739 NC House and Senate members wasted little time Wednesday in introducing a variety of new bills on the opening day of the short session. Lawmakers filed nearly 60 pieces of legislation -  touching on everything from annexation, to eugenics compensation, … Read More...

]]> http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/16/a-flurry-of-bill-filings-on-the-opening-day/feed/ 0 ‘Pots & Spoons’ protest loudly greet returning NC lawmakers (video) http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/16/pots-spoons-protest-loudly-greet-returning-nc-lawmakers-video/ http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/16/pots-spoons-protest-loudly-greet-returning-nc-lawmakers-video/#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 18:52:30 +0000 Clayton Henkel http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=35730 Legislators returning to Raleigh for the short-session got an earful from dozens of constituents angry about the direction the state is headed. Armed with pots and spoons, they hammered out their frustration over cuts to education and health care,  the … Read More...

]]> http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/16/pots-spoons-protest-loudly-greet-returning-nc-lawmakers-video/feed/ 5 Fast-track fracking legislation: A solution in search of a problem http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/16/fast-track-fracking-legislation-a-solution-in-search-of-a-problem/ http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/16/fast-track-fracking-legislation-a-solution-in-search-of-a-problem/#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 17:33:03 +0000 Rob Schofield http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=35723 Word has it that right-wingers in the General Assembly may use the first days of the 2012 short session to push new legislation to quickly expedite the legalization of  the controversial natural gas drilling technique known as fracking that is currently … Read More...

]]> http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/16/fast-track-fracking-legislation-a-solution-in-search-of-a-problem/feed/ 1 Pots and Spoons Protest – NC General Assembly today http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/16/pots-and-spoons-protest-nc-general-assembly-today/ http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/16/pots-and-spoons-protest-nc-general-assembly-today/#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 16:04:29 +0000 Adam Searing http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=35725 Taking eyeglasses away from poor grandmothers – among many other issues – helped inspire the “Pots and Pans” protest at the NC General Assembly this morning:… Read More...

]]> http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/16/pots-and-spoons-protest-nc-general-assembly-today/feed/ 3 Prosperity Watch: Current Job Creation Rate Lags Previous Recoveries http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/16/prosperity-watch-current-job-creation-rate-lags-previous-recoveries/ http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/05/16/prosperity-watch-current-job-creation-rate-lags-previous-recoveries/#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 10:00:17 +0000 Allan Freyer http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=35688 In the newest issue of Prosperity Watch—the Budget & Tax Center’s weekly analysis of key trends and conditions facing the state’s economy—we see how North Carolina’s job creation rates compare to the employment gains of past recoveries at identical … Read More...

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