Rep. David Price, D-N.C., who represents North Carolina’s 4th District, filed for re-election to Congress on Monday, Feb. 13, and issued the following statement:
“Today I filed for re-election in the Fourth Congressional District
“For the last four years, it has been my great honor to stand with President Obama to take on some of the greatest challenges of our generation. Together, we have reformed the health insurance system, reined in the excesses of Wall Street, expanded access to higher education through student loan reforms and—most importantly—begun a recovery that has seen the economy create 3.2 million new jobs. These are major accomplishments, but we still have unfinished business. This election is a make-or-break moment for our middle class and those trying to reach it.
“I am running to continue the fight for what’s right: to put Americans back to work, to build a sustainable fiscal future and to make the investments necessary for renewed prosperity and expanded opportunity for all—not just the wealthy few. The federal budget must reflect both our nation’s commitment to working people and common sense. We can protect special tax treatment for millionaires and billionaires, or we can invest in renewing our middle class, but we cannot do both—and we shouldn’t. As a matter of fundamental fairness, millionaires and billionaires should not pay a lower effective tax rate than middle class Americans, or students, or seniors. These policies don’t create jobs; they exacerbate income inequality.
“That’s why expanding access to education has been one of my top priorities in Congress. Public education is the bedrock of our democracy and our economy. It is the means by which people from all walks of life are able to help their children achieve the American dream, and we must continue to invest in it. I’ve authored laws that make interest on college loan payments tax deductible, bolster the capacity of community colleges to offer 21st-century workforce training and help ensure every classroom has a trained, highly-qualified teacher. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I also fought for Recovery Act funding to prevent massive teacher layoffs in North Carolina. We must roll back the penny-wise and pound foolish cuts the Republican House has made to key education programs.
“The Tea Party Congress has not shared these priorities. In fact, Republicans in Congress don’t appear to be terribly concerned about doing what’s best for the country. If they were, why would they manufacture crises like the debt ceiling fiasco and threaten shutdowns that only further threaten our economic recovery? They’ve put party and political advantage ahead of everything else to the detriment of all. That is not what representative government is all about.
“My goal is to provide the most effective representation I can for the people of the Fourth District. That means knowing your views and concerns on the issues before Congress and working hard to address them on Capitol Hill. For the last six months, I’ve been traveling the redrawn Fourth to get to know folks in the new areas of the district—like Burlington, Lillington and Fayetteville—and to reconnect with old friends in parts of Raleigh and Chatham County that are rejoining the district. I am heartened by the warm reception I’ve gotten, and I am determined to use the coming campaign to reach out widely, exchange good ideas and chart a course that enables North Carolina and our country to realize their full potential.”
Rep. Price is seeking his 13th term in Congress. He is the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security and a member of the House Democracy Assistance Commission. A Morehead Scholar, Price graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill and then earned a bachelor’s degree in divinity and a Ph.D. in political science from Yale. He was a Senate aide, a political science and public policy professor at Yale and Duke, and Chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party before entering Congress in 1986.
See what ended up on The News of Orange County's cutting room floor.
Showing posts with label elections 2012. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elections 2012. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
Rep. Verla Insko announces re-election campaign
Representative Verla Insko announced Tuesday, Feb. 7, that she is running for re-election. Insko is currently serving her eighth term in the North Carolina House of Representatives. She will run in the new 56th district in Orange County.
“I am pleased to announce that I will file for re-election to the N.C. House on Feb. 13," she said. "Regardless of the final district boundaries, I look forward to campaigning throughout the district, meeting new residents and re-establishing relationships with people now in the new 56th House District
"In the next legislative session, the North Carolina General Assembly faces difficult decisions on improving education at all levels, implementing health care reform, providing necessary Medicaid services, protecting our environment, finalizing the last steps in mental health reform and how to fit all that and more into a budget and financing plan supported by the people.
"During my 15-plus years in the N.C. House, I have been heavily engaged in all these issues. I want to use my accumulated knowledge and expertise and my commitment to social justice to continue serving the constituents in House District 56.”
“I am pleased to announce that I will file for re-election to the N.C. House on Feb. 13," she said. "Regardless of the final district boundaries, I look forward to campaigning throughout the district, meeting new residents and re-establishing relationships with people now in the new 56th House District
"In the next legislative session, the North Carolina General Assembly faces difficult decisions on improving education at all levels, implementing health care reform, providing necessary Medicaid services, protecting our environment, finalizing the last steps in mental health reform and how to fit all that and more into a budget and financing plan supported by the people.
"During my 15-plus years in the N.C. House, I have been heavily engaged in all these issues. I want to use my accumulated knowledge and expertise and my commitment to social justice to continue serving the constituents in House District 56.”
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Renee Price to run for county commissioner
I, Renee Price, am excited to announce my decision to run for election to the Orange County Board of County Commissioners.
I will be running for the District 2 seat to represent the people of Hillsborough, Efland and the beautiful rural areas of Orange County—from the southern part of White Cross to the northern tip of Cedar Grove.
Why do I want to spend hours and days in meetings and reading pages of agenda packets? Because I care.
The people of Orange County need a bigger voice and a bolder presence at the table when decisions are made that affect the quality of our lives. All of us have a stake in the process as we proceed to meet the challenges of the day.
Since 1990, Orange County has been my home; the people of this county have become my friends and family; and I am passionate about our community. Therefore, I am ready to push the envelope for:
n excellence in education and opportunities for a broad spectrum of students.
n small business expansion, rural economic development and living-wage jobs.
n stewardship of our natural resources and living environment.
The Republican-dominated legislature slashed our school budgets; yet we still have to maintain public school buildings and rehire our teachers and staff. The bank bailout, though it had good intentions, short-changed the 99 percent; so, this is a time to invest in ourselves, at the local level. And the Eno River is an amazing ecosystem; we have to protect these natural areas from irresponsible development and activities such as roadways and intense land uses that would threaten our water supplies.
My goal is to pursue creative ways and means to boost our local economy, reduce unemployment, combat hunger, inspire our young people, assist our senior citizens and promote energy efficiency. Tourism is one industry that has begun to make a significant impact in Orange County’s revenue stream.
The time is long overdue to use innovation in providing essential services and facilities. We need a progressive agenda while at the same time assuring that our tax revenues are spent wisely.
As we think about new agendas, I believe that we must hold fast to the concept that government is for the people and by the people. The decision-making process in our county currently needs improvement in two areas, and, when elected, I intend to promote:
n collaboration with other local governments—both within and beyond our borders.
n open government, government that is transparent and that responds to the people.
These two elements are key for effective leadership and for building community.
Orange County has much to offer and much of which to be proud—our diverse cultural heritage, a thriving arts community, working farms, value-added production, service organizations, volunteer rural fire departments, health and wellness centers, brilliant minds and talented individuals.
I look forward to working with the members of this community in guiding Orange County on a path to a sustainable future. My campaign is about fiscal accountability and about social, environmental and economic justice for the people of Orange County.
I will be running for the District 2 seat to represent the people of Hillsborough, Efland and the beautiful rural areas of Orange County—from the southern part of White Cross to the northern tip of Cedar Grove.
Why do I want to spend hours and days in meetings and reading pages of agenda packets? Because I care.
The people of Orange County need a bigger voice and a bolder presence at the table when decisions are made that affect the quality of our lives. All of us have a stake in the process as we proceed to meet the challenges of the day.
Since 1990, Orange County has been my home; the people of this county have become my friends and family; and I am passionate about our community. Therefore, I am ready to push the envelope for:
n excellence in education and opportunities for a broad spectrum of students.
n small business expansion, rural economic development and living-wage jobs.
n stewardship of our natural resources and living environment.
The Republican-dominated legislature slashed our school budgets; yet we still have to maintain public school buildings and rehire our teachers and staff. The bank bailout, though it had good intentions, short-changed the 99 percent; so, this is a time to invest in ourselves, at the local level. And the Eno River is an amazing ecosystem; we have to protect these natural areas from irresponsible development and activities such as roadways and intense land uses that would threaten our water supplies.
My goal is to pursue creative ways and means to boost our local economy, reduce unemployment, combat hunger, inspire our young people, assist our senior citizens and promote energy efficiency. Tourism is one industry that has begun to make a significant impact in Orange County’s revenue stream.
The time is long overdue to use innovation in providing essential services and facilities. We need a progressive agenda while at the same time assuring that our tax revenues are spent wisely.
As we think about new agendas, I believe that we must hold fast to the concept that government is for the people and by the people. The decision-making process in our county currently needs improvement in two areas, and, when elected, I intend to promote:
n collaboration with other local governments—both within and beyond our borders.
n open government, government that is transparent and that responds to the people.
These two elements are key for effective leadership and for building community.
Orange County has much to offer and much of which to be proud—our diverse cultural heritage, a thriving arts community, working farms, value-added production, service organizations, volunteer rural fire departments, health and wellness centers, brilliant minds and talented individuals.
I look forward to working with the members of this community in guiding Orange County on a path to a sustainable future. My campaign is about fiscal accountability and about social, environmental and economic justice for the people of Orange County.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Bernadette Pelissier to run for re-election to BOCC
I am announcing my candidacy for a second term to an at-large seat on the Orange County Board of Commissioners. In my first term, I helped build the infrastructure and framework to facilitate economic development. I helped cut the budget while preserving quality services. I strongly advocated for the increased public input and openness of government.
If re-elected, I will work tirelessly to promote economic resilience, secure the fiscal sustainability and expand the non-residential tax base by creating new jobs for Orange County residents that support our community values of social equity, environmental health and economic vitality.
I will continue to encourage a sense of common-cause community where all sectors of the county, rural and urban, cooperate towards achieving common community goals. I will support creation of the integrated, cross-county and region transit infrastructure needed for the future.
I would be honored and delighted to continue serving the residents of Orange County and work towards achieving the goals shared with many residents.
If re-elected, I will work tirelessly to promote economic resilience, secure the fiscal sustainability and expand the non-residential tax base by creating new jobs for Orange County residents that support our community values of social equity, environmental health and economic vitality.
I will continue to encourage a sense of common-cause community where all sectors of the county, rural and urban, cooperate towards achieving common community goals. I will support creation of the integrated, cross-county and region transit infrastructure needed for the future.
I would be honored and delighted to continue serving the residents of Orange County and work towards achieving the goals shared with many residents.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Column: Opening ever so slightly
By D.G. Martin
UNC-TV host
It is the kind of surprise for which every ambitious politician must be prepared: the unexpected decision by an incumbent elected official to retire.
It is, my friend Jay Rivers told me, the kind of window of opportunity that opens ever so slightly and rarely. Be ready to decide quickly and pounce on the unexpected opportunity before the window closes as a result of others’ decisive action.
John Spratt, the former South Carolina congressman, once told me about his first campaign. It started when his congressman dropped the bombshell that he would not run for reelection. Many other ambitious politicians would have loved to go to Congress, but all were surprised and unprepared to gear up a campaign. Spratt, though surprised, was ready. Sometime earlier he had made a telephone list of key people in his district. Before the day was over, he called everybody on the list.
First, he asked for their support. He tried to get them to make a solid endorsement. When seasoned political leaders make such early commitments, most try to keep them. There are exceptions, but whatever their failings, such leaders like to have a reputation for keeping their word.
Politicians, like the rest of us, have a hard time turning down a request for support from a friend. Although the people on Spratt’s list had other friends who might have wanted to run, Spratt got their commitments because he was first to ask.
Some on Spratt’s list would be more cautious, saying something like, “I am not ready to commit.” Spratt would try to get them to promise not to support anyone else until the dust settled and “we’ve had a chance to visit again.”
Others might tell Spratt that they liked him but that he would not be their first choice, saying, “I really hope Joe Blow will decide to run, and, if he does, I will have to support him.”
Then Spratt might ask, “If Joe doesn’t run, can I count on your support?”
All this early work garnered Spratt important supporters, some of whom might have gone to other candidates if he had not asked first.
Spratt’s first campaign was 30 years ago, but being first to make the calls is still critical.
Today, however, there is something even more important: Being ready, willing and able to raise or give the multimillion dollars necessary to conduct the campaign.
When today’s political candidate makes these early calls for support, the first questions from many people will be, “Where is your money going to come from? Do you have enough personal money to put in the pot? Where are you going to get the millions and millions it takes to win?”
After Gov. Beverly Perdue’s announcement that she will not run this year, Lt. Governor Walter Dalton and state Rep. Bill Faison were ready. They have the advantage of being first to make the public request for support.
But as they are making calls and asking for commitments, they have to respond to the money questions. Faison has some personal wealth, but he will have to persuade prospective supporters that he has enough money and is willing to spend it. Dalton has shown he can raise funds to win a statewide race, but he will have to convince people that he can step up the fundraising to a much higher level.
Both are getting some cautious responses from people who think Erskine Bowles would be the strongest Democratic candidate or those loyal to one of the many other possible candidates.
But there is something nobody can take away from Dalton and Faison. They were ready. They are out there, making early calls. And they have a better chance to win than if they had waited until that window of opportunity started to close.
D.G. Martin hosts UNC-TV’s "North Carolina Bookwatch," which airs Sundays at 5 p.m. For more information or to view prior programs, visit the webpage at www.unctv.org/ncbookwatch.
UNC-TV host
It is the kind of surprise for which every ambitious politician must be prepared: the unexpected decision by an incumbent elected official to retire.
It is, my friend Jay Rivers told me, the kind of window of opportunity that opens ever so slightly and rarely. Be ready to decide quickly and pounce on the unexpected opportunity before the window closes as a result of others’ decisive action.
John Spratt, the former South Carolina congressman, once told me about his first campaign. It started when his congressman dropped the bombshell that he would not run for reelection. Many other ambitious politicians would have loved to go to Congress, but all were surprised and unprepared to gear up a campaign. Spratt, though surprised, was ready. Sometime earlier he had made a telephone list of key people in his district. Before the day was over, he called everybody on the list.
First, he asked for their support. He tried to get them to make a solid endorsement. When seasoned political leaders make such early commitments, most try to keep them. There are exceptions, but whatever their failings, such leaders like to have a reputation for keeping their word.
Politicians, like the rest of us, have a hard time turning down a request for support from a friend. Although the people on Spratt’s list had other friends who might have wanted to run, Spratt got their commitments because he was first to ask.
Some on Spratt’s list would be more cautious, saying something like, “I am not ready to commit.” Spratt would try to get them to promise not to support anyone else until the dust settled and “we’ve had a chance to visit again.”
Others might tell Spratt that they liked him but that he would not be their first choice, saying, “I really hope Joe Blow will decide to run, and, if he does, I will have to support him.”
Then Spratt might ask, “If Joe doesn’t run, can I count on your support?”
All this early work garnered Spratt important supporters, some of whom might have gone to other candidates if he had not asked first.
Spratt’s first campaign was 30 years ago, but being first to make the calls is still critical.
Today, however, there is something even more important: Being ready, willing and able to raise or give the multimillion dollars necessary to conduct the campaign.
When today’s political candidate makes these early calls for support, the first questions from many people will be, “Where is your money going to come from? Do you have enough personal money to put in the pot? Where are you going to get the millions and millions it takes to win?”
After Gov. Beverly Perdue’s announcement that she will not run this year, Lt. Governor Walter Dalton and state Rep. Bill Faison were ready. They have the advantage of being first to make the public request for support.
But as they are making calls and asking for commitments, they have to respond to the money questions. Faison has some personal wealth, but he will have to persuade prospective supporters that he has enough money and is willing to spend it. Dalton has shown he can raise funds to win a statewide race, but he will have to convince people that he can step up the fundraising to a much higher level.
Both are getting some cautious responses from people who think Erskine Bowles would be the strongest Democratic candidate or those loyal to one of the many other possible candidates.
But there is something nobody can take away from Dalton and Faison. They were ready. They are out there, making early calls. And they have a better chance to win than if they had waited until that window of opportunity started to close.
D.G. Martin hosts UNC-TV’s "North Carolina Bookwatch," which airs Sundays at 5 p.m. For more information or to view prior programs, visit the webpage at www.unctv.org/ncbookwatch.
Rep. Hackney announces retirement
Editor's note: The following is Rep. Joe Hackney's words on his retirement according to a press release.
I have decided that I will not be a candidate for re-election to the North Carolina House of Representatives this year.
At the end of this term, I look forward to a more predictable schedule for my family, my law practice, my family farm and for the recreational activities I've been missing.
I will serve out the remainder of my term with enthusiasm. As Minority Leader, I will work actively this year for a Democratic majority and a new Democratic Speaker for the NC House in 2013; I will continue to assist our candidates' campaigns and will actively raise money for them, as I have in the past.
I am very grateful to the voters of Chatham, Orange, (and more recently a small part of Moore) who gave me the high privilege of representing them in matters of public policy for 32 years; to the members of the House who elected me Speaker Pro Tem, Majority Leader, Speaker and Minority Leader; and to the legislators across America who elected me as President of the National Conference of State Legislatures. I enjoyed all of it immensely, and gave it my all. I think I made a contribution.
I have been fortunate to have the assistance of able and dedicated legislative staff throughout this time, and I do not have words sufficient to express how appreciative I am for their dedication to our State.
Betsy, Dan and Will have been unfailingly supportive, as have my law partners, and my brother Jack at the farm, and I thank them for their sacrifices.
I have decided that I will not be a candidate for re-election to the North Carolina House of Representatives this year.
At the end of this term, I look forward to a more predictable schedule for my family, my law practice, my family farm and for the recreational activities I've been missing.
I will serve out the remainder of my term with enthusiasm. As Minority Leader, I will work actively this year for a Democratic majority and a new Democratic Speaker for the NC House in 2013; I will continue to assist our candidates' campaigns and will actively raise money for them, as I have in the past.
I am very grateful to the voters of Chatham, Orange, (and more recently a small part of Moore) who gave me the high privilege of representing them in matters of public policy for 32 years; to the members of the House who elected me Speaker Pro Tem, Majority Leader, Speaker and Minority Leader; and to the legislators across America who elected me as President of the National Conference of State Legislatures. I enjoyed all of it immensely, and gave it my all. I think I made a contribution.
I have been fortunate to have the assistance of able and dedicated legislative staff throughout this time, and I do not have words sufficient to express how appreciative I am for their dedication to our State.
Betsy, Dan and Will have been unfailingly supportive, as have my law partners, and my brother Jack at the farm, and I thank them for their sacrifices.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Column: Does time heal all wounds?
By D.G. Martin
UNC-TV host
Will John Edwards someday be the new Newt Gingrich?
Where did this crazy question come from? To get the answer, read on.
First, we should wrestle with the questions political experts have been stuttering over since Gingrich’s stunning upset of Mitt Romney in the South Carolina Republican presidential primary last weekend.
How can a candidate like Gingrich get over the deathblows his campaign suffered in Iowa and New Hampshire?
How can he sidestep the disgrace from the damning condemnation of his colleagues in the House of Representatives who censured him for misconduct 15 years ago?
How can he get around the moral consequences of his conduct in the breakup of two earlier marriages?
How does he get around the lack of support from people who worked with him when he was House speaker?
How does he get around the panic shown by so-called establishment Republicans who believe his nomination for president would lead to a disaster for their party in the fall?
How can these questions be answered? It would be easy to say, simply, that South Carolina voters are different. From John C. Calhoun to Strom Thurmond, South Carolinians have shown a fondness for brilliant, confrontational, no-holds-barred, attack- dog politicians. Newt fit their bill. But what about other states?
Both Calhoun and Thurmond had fans in other states. How about Gingrich? We will begin to find out next week in Florida.
Whatever the results in Florida and elsewhere, Gingrich has shown that time really can heal old wounds in politics. Even the most conservative religious voters in South Carolina showed that they were willing to forgive the sins of a seemingly penitent person.
The South Carolina results show us that, after the passage of time, voters are not bound by earlier judgments about a politician’s sins.
John Edwards may be trying to take advantage of this lesson.
The health problem that was the basis for the delay in his trial is a real one. An irregular heartbeat has bothered Edwards for many years. Still, delay may be part of his trial team’s strategy.
Every delay puts the management of the trial further away from the influence of the zealous investigation and prosecution led by former U.S. Attorney George Holding. He is running for Congress rather than continuing to lead the determined effort to put Edwards in jail.
Greater and greater distance from Holding increases the possibility that less-driven prosecutors will see the benefits of making a deal with Edwards that would free them to concentrate their efforts on getting other criminals off the streets.
Every delay works to distance the minds of potential jurors from the heavy and negative publicity that accompanied Edwards’s downfall. With the passing of time, jurors may be less likely to punish Edwards simply for being the bad person the news stories made him out to be.
Every delay lessens public interest in the case and the strength of any public demand that he be held accountable.
Every delay puts the public’s memory further away from his relevance as a public figure whose extraordinary gifts almost made him a vice president, almost a president.
Thus every delay could increase the chances that Edwards will win an acquittal if the case ultimately goes to trial or, even more likely, that there will be an acceptable plea bargain offer from prosecutors.
Back to our opening question: If Edwards does walk away from his legal troubles, could he, with the passage of time—say 10 years from now—bring his gifts of persuasion and charisma back into the political arena and have some of those who have written him off today declare him to be the new Newt Gingrich?
D.G. Martin hosts UNC-TV’s "North Carolina Bookwatch," which airs Sundays at 5 p.m. For more information or to view prior programs, visit the webpage at www.unctv.org/ncbookwatch.
UNC-TV host
Will John Edwards someday be the new Newt Gingrich?
Where did this crazy question come from? To get the answer, read on.
First, we should wrestle with the questions political experts have been stuttering over since Gingrich’s stunning upset of Mitt Romney in the South Carolina Republican presidential primary last weekend.
How can a candidate like Gingrich get over the deathblows his campaign suffered in Iowa and New Hampshire?
How can he sidestep the disgrace from the damning condemnation of his colleagues in the House of Representatives who censured him for misconduct 15 years ago?
How can he get around the moral consequences of his conduct in the breakup of two earlier marriages?
How does he get around the lack of support from people who worked with him when he was House speaker?
How does he get around the panic shown by so-called establishment Republicans who believe his nomination for president would lead to a disaster for their party in the fall?
How can these questions be answered? It would be easy to say, simply, that South Carolina voters are different. From John C. Calhoun to Strom Thurmond, South Carolinians have shown a fondness for brilliant, confrontational, no-holds-barred, attack- dog politicians. Newt fit their bill. But what about other states?
Both Calhoun and Thurmond had fans in other states. How about Gingrich? We will begin to find out next week in Florida.
Whatever the results in Florida and elsewhere, Gingrich has shown that time really can heal old wounds in politics. Even the most conservative religious voters in South Carolina showed that they were willing to forgive the sins of a seemingly penitent person.
The South Carolina results show us that, after the passage of time, voters are not bound by earlier judgments about a politician’s sins.
John Edwards may be trying to take advantage of this lesson.
The health problem that was the basis for the delay in his trial is a real one. An irregular heartbeat has bothered Edwards for many years. Still, delay may be part of his trial team’s strategy.
Every delay puts the management of the trial further away from the influence of the zealous investigation and prosecution led by former U.S. Attorney George Holding. He is running for Congress rather than continuing to lead the determined effort to put Edwards in jail.
Greater and greater distance from Holding increases the possibility that less-driven prosecutors will see the benefits of making a deal with Edwards that would free them to concentrate their efforts on getting other criminals off the streets.
Every delay works to distance the minds of potential jurors from the heavy and negative publicity that accompanied Edwards’s downfall. With the passing of time, jurors may be less likely to punish Edwards simply for being the bad person the news stories made him out to be.
Every delay lessens public interest in the case and the strength of any public demand that he be held accountable.
Every delay puts the public’s memory further away from his relevance as a public figure whose extraordinary gifts almost made him a vice president, almost a president.
Thus every delay could increase the chances that Edwards will win an acquittal if the case ultimately goes to trial or, even more likely, that there will be an acceptable plea bargain offer from prosecutors.
Back to our opening question: If Edwards does walk away from his legal troubles, could he, with the passage of time—say 10 years from now—bring his gifts of persuasion and charisma back into the political arena and have some of those who have written him off today declare him to be the new Newt Gingrich?
D.G. Martin hosts UNC-TV’s "North Carolina Bookwatch," which airs Sundays at 5 p.m. For more information or to view prior programs, visit the webpage at www.unctv.org/ncbookwatch.
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