Category Archives: Politics: North Carolina

Brad and Britt: Pre-existing Conditions

Posted on March 28, 2011 | 2 comments

I was listening to the Brad and Britt Show last week and they were discussing the proposed changes to North Carolina public employee’s health insurance payments. Currently the State pays 100% of the health care premiums for its employees.  The new proposal would require employees to contribute $11 per month this year and then $22 per month next year.

Further, premiums would be subject to individual conditions as it relates to weight and smoking habits of those employees.  For example, if an individual was over weight, they may find that their premium would be higher than their svelte co-worker.  Similar to that concept is the idea of determining the premium based upon  smoking habits.  A smoker would face a higher premium than a non-smoker.

Given the Left-leaning tendancies of our hosts, I felt for sure that they would be against such discrimination.

I was pleasantly surprised.

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Posted in Government, Health Care, Politics: North Carolina

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We ID Every One Who Is 30 Years Old Or Younger

Posted on March 16, 2011 | 7 comments

Here in North Carolina you are able to vote at a polling location if you have already registered as long as you claim that you who you say you are and live where you say you live.

No requirement to prove you are who you say you are or that you live where you say you live.

Just show up.  State your name and address.  Sign on the line.

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Posted in Government, Politics: North Carolina, Race

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Charter Schools

Posted on March 6, 2011 | 6 comments

There are a couple of topics that keep me in conflict; I admit it. I have tried over the last few years to resolve the issue but can’t really seem to come to a good conclusion.

Lemme explain.

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6 Comments

Posted in Education, Government, Liberty, Politics: North Carolina

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Right Law – Wrong Reason

Posted on March 5, 2011 | 5 comments

Maybe not the wrong wrong reason, but not the main one either.  Don’t get me wrong, I love extending the school year, but I think it should be extended for other reasons:

Raleigh, N.C. — State lawmakers are considering a bill that would give local school boards more flexibility with when to start and end the school year.

House Bill 94 would repeal a 2004 law that requires districts to begin the school year after Aug. 25 and end it no later than June 10.

Under the proposed legislation, schools operating on a traditional calendar schedule would be able to open any time after Aug. 15.  The bill does not apply to schools operating on a year-round calendar.

Supporters of changing the law point to issues like a high number of snow days, especially in the western part of the state, and the challenge in making those up to meet the 180 days of school mandated by state law.

They’re right.  Snow days have been a massive problem here.  And with Global Warming creating more and more snow days here, it’s only gonna get worse.

However, I still think that we should extend the school year because it helps kids learn and quit pandering to tourism.

The 2004 legislation was the result of a group of business owners and parents who, in part, were concerned about how extending the school calendar into the summer months could affect local tourism economies.

Businesses at North Carolina tourist destinations depend on the summer months to boost their profits, and business owners say every week of the tourism season is critical.

Teaching our kids is critical.

 

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Posted in Economy, Education, Politics: North Carolina

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North Carolina Charter Schools

Posted on February 24, 2011 | Leave a comment

There are a couple of topics that keep me in conflict; I admit it.  I have tried over the last few years to resolve the issue but can’t really seem to come to a good conclusion.

Lemme explain.

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Posted in Education, Liberty, Politics: North Carolina

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Caution Government at Work

Posted on February 16, 2011 | Leave a comment

Wanna know why the cost of Medicare is going up?

Raleigh, N.C. — If a wheelchair costs $160, why would Medicare pay eight times as much? That’s the question one local woman asked after her elderly father needed a wheelchair to get around.

As a WRAL investigation found, it’s all in the way Congress set up the spending plan.

A wheelchair seemed like a simple purchase for Jeanne Gunter’s 95-year old-father when he moved to assisted living, but she soon learned that Medicare’s payment system is not so simple.

Medicare rents to own equipment, such as wheelchairs. One wheelchair, for example, costs $104 a month for up to 13 months, which is about $1,300 total. Providers must maintain the liability to repair the chair during the 13 months of rental.

“We could’ve bought a wheelchair,” Gunter said. “I looked at a local pharmacy and looked at a wholesale club, and you could easily get one for $150 to $200 comparable to what we have.”

By all means, let’s have these people run my health insurance program.

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Posted in Economics, Government, Idiots on Parade, Politics: National, Politics: North Carolina

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State Union Shennanigans

Posted on February 15, 2011 | 2 comments

UPDATE:

A commenter noticed that I had incorrectly said that North Carolina State Employees have collective bargaining rights.

They do not.

stand corrected.

It’s the same ‘ol story;  The scorpion, needing passage across the steam, requests assistance from the frog.  The frog, justifiably suspicious of the scorpion demurs only to receive the promise from the scorpion that he will not sting him.

The rest shall we say, is history.

But the story is proving to be a fantastic parallel in North Carolina in specific and the rest of the states in general.

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Posted in Economy, Government, Politics: North Carolina

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I Don’t Think That Word Means What You Think It Means

Posted on February 8, 2011 | 2 comments

The most famous line in the world: North Carolina State Politics Edition.

With a charging Republican majority in North Carolina, the State is getting ready to make some serious budget cuts.  People are going to have to sacrifice, to be sure.  And the deeper and sooner that sacrifice occurs, the better off the financial stability of the State.

Yet, no one can accept that fact.

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Posted in Economy, Government, Politics: North Carolina

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The NAACP and WCPSS

Posted on February 3, 2011 | 4 comments

A message to the NAACP regarding the Wake County public schools:

You are making yourself look silly.

Period.

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Posted in Education, Politics: North Carolina

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WCPSS: New Boss

Posted on January 31, 2011 | Leave a comment

Mr. Tata starts his new job today as Superintendent of Wake County Public Schools.

Many folks have criticized the hiring of Tata, saying there:

…are concerns from the public, educators and some school board members that Tata might not be the right person to lead the school system because of his lack of experience in the education sector.

I, for one, find that lack of experience in the Education sector critical to his success.  He’ll be able to come into his role clear of the bias of the industry.  He won’t have preconceived buy in’s to institutional methods and means.  He’ll be fresh and he’ll be excited.

Here are the things I would like Tata to work on:

  1. Eliminate the bottom 10% lowest performing teachers.
  2. Merit based pay.
  3. Create mentor teachers.  Promote them and pay them more, lots more.  This role should span multiple schools.
  4. Settle the assignment process.
  5. Graduate more kids.

Good luck Mr. Tata, you have a tough road ahead of you.

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Posted in Education, Politics: North Carolina

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