This race remains one of the most closely watched and important elections in the country, as it could ultimately determine which party obtains a majority in the Senate. Things have become even more dramatic after recent scandals have come to light and negatively affected both candidates following the debate.
Read More“Even though the United States is extremely polarized, there is a “silent majority” that is not as involved as politics and loyal to one particular party. This group of people is instrumental in ensuring one candidate’s win over another. Both Joe Biden and Donald Trump seem to be targeting this part of the population, who may prove instrumental to winning the 15 electoral votes from North Carolina.”
Read More“This topic is one of the most pressing issues facing the two candidates for North Carolina Superintendent, Democrat Jen Mangum and Republican Catherine Truitt. Mangum is championing the prioritization “of funding… [for] traditional public schools to ensure that they remain the best alternative,” as she seeks to uphold the traditional standing of public schools as a trustworthy institution of the state. However, Truitt, over her career, has “come to believe that charter schools can and should exist wherever there is a desire to create one.” Furthermore, Truitt supports closing down underperforming public schools, but her same qualifiers extend to charter schools as well. Ultimately, this election for the NC superintendent’s seat will determine the future of the NC educational system, and quite possibly the future of North Carolina as a whole.”
Read More“On Monday September 21, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) announced that President Trump would include North Carolina in a Presidential Memorandum banning offshore oil and gas drilling in the Atlantic Ocean for ten years. This action follows a letter sent to the President from NC Governor Roy Cooper urging for the state’s inclusion along with South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. In the letter, Cooper stated that offshore drilling could lead to the loss of coastal tourism and jobs. Fishing, tourism, and natural resources in North Carolina’s coastal communities generate $3 billion annually and support 30,000 jobs.”
Read More“As voters who are new to mail-in voting fill out their ballots believing their vote will be counted, legal battles have arisen asking the courts to soften restrictive regulations such as deadlines, witness requirements, and signature matching, that exacerbate the difficulty of mail-in voting. During a time when in-person voting is not a possibility for every citizen, North Carolina's mail-in ballot regulations pose unnecessary hurdles for all voters which may amount to de-facto disenfranchisement - Black voters in particular.”
Read More“Republican Speaker of the House Tim Moore accused House Democrats of taking $100,000 from a group called Future Now in exchange for pledging to defund law enforcement across North Carolina. Representative Robert Reives called Moore’s accusations a blatant lie and an attempt to defeat Joe Biden in the presidential election by charging Democrats with radical policies.”
Read More“North Carolina’s Republican incumbent Senator Thom Tillis and Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham faced off last Monday in the first of three televised debates. The debate, which took place exactly 50 days before election day, gave voters the opportunity to closely examine the contrast between the two candidates and to hear their views on several contentious issues that have swept the nation in recent months.”
Read More“Some owners are convinced the government has forgotten them due to the lack of information. In order to express their concerns, many have protested outside the Governor’s mansion proclaiming ‘save our bars.’”
Read More“If Black felons themselves are a product of a wildly prejudiced criminal justice system, their subsequent disenfranchisement cannot be considered as anything more than another link in a long chain of systemic injustices.”
Read More“Cooper’s inconsistency has brought criticism from his opponent Dan Forest (R). Forest has capitalized on Cooper’s indecisiveness and has led the campaign to open the state. Forest has publicly criticized Cooper and sued him because he believes Cooper has exceeded his power and is being too slow.”
Read More“North Carolina has a sordid past with fair elections and citizens have already expressed concern about the validity of their vote by mail. In mid-August, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein joined a multi-state lawsuit against the USPS and postmaster general Louis DeJoy for the recent cuts to the USPS program.”
Read More“Mayor Lyles’ speech serves as an important acknowledgement of how generational and current racism negatively impact Charlotte’s Black community. As protests over police brutality begin to slow down and people begin to lose interest, her actions could keep the momentum going in the right direction. However, simply noticing the faults in policies and communities will not fix the problem.”
Read More“UNC faced an ethical dilemma in deciding when to open campus and they put the interest of the university over that of public health. It is no surprise that they are continuing this trend by sending potentially infected students home to their friends and family who are at much greater risk for serious health problems than the students themselves.”
Read MoreDue to the distancing mandate, many Carolina students have been suddenly uprooted and left scrambling to find alternative arrangements. As the UNC System banned on-campus gatherings of 10 or more people, in accordance with Governor Roy Cooper’s Stay at Home ordinance, all students living on-campus have been evicted from dorms and are encouraged to remain off-campus.
Read MoreSilent Sam, a statue of an armed Confederate soldier that once stood on UNC’s campus, has sparked anything but silence since August 2018, when students tore it down during a protest. Since then, the university has been indecisive on the next steps it should take regarding the statue’s remains, if it should continue to exist, and its final resting place, so to speak.
Read MoreAs of now, the race in North Carolina is looking quite competitive, making voting even more important. Polling data indicate a close three person race between Senator Bernie Sanders, former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg and former Vice President Joe Biden. For weeks, Biden held a commanding lead in the polls, but his popularity has recently dropped significantly, placing him slightly below Sanders and Bloomberg.
Read MoreIn N.C., failure to pay court fees on time may result in additional fines, increased probation periods, or the suspension of a defendant’s driver’s license. These harsh penalties cause defendants extreme hardship in securing or maintaining employment, making it nearly impossible for them to resolve their debts.
Read MoreThe Internal Revenue Code prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations from making political donations—and yet the Sons of Confederate Veterans have been doing just that for years, according to a series of articles published by the Daily Tar Heel.
Read More“Early last week, state Superior Court Judge David Lee signed a court order declaring that the state is not doing enough to ensure that North Carolina students are receiving a sound and basic education. The order directed the state to “work expeditiously and without delay to take all necessary actions” to implement changes.”
Read MoreWith the Senate trial underway, North Carolinians look to see where Senators Thom Tillis and Richard Burr stand on impeachment. The two senators, both Republicans, are expected to ultimately vote against removing the president from office, but their approaches and attitudes toward the trial have differed thus far.
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