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Think Again: Listen Up, Progressives: Talk Radio Matters

Monday, March 15th, 2010

Did you know that when the White House and members of the media mention “code words like ‘diversity’ and ‘equality’” what they are really proposing is “communist revolution?

The Census is here: It’s time to stand up and be counted

Friday, March 12th, 2010

The arrival of the 2010 Census has provoked a lot of misinformation – especially from some on the far right who are attempting to promote the myth that those who respond to the Census will somehow compromise their privacy. This is simply untrue. Being counted is critical to the health of your community.

Medical Malpractice Payments Continue to Fall, Public Citizen Analysis Shows

Friday, March 5th, 2010

A total of 10,772 payments were made on behalf of doctors in 2009, totaling $3.49 billion. That figure equals 0.14 of one percent of the Centers for Medicare and Medcaid Services’ estimated $2.5 trillion in overall U.S. health care spending for 2009.

Children in Immigrant Families

Monday, March 1st, 2010

All children deserve access to good health, safety, a sound education and the stability that comes with family financial security. And yet, Action for Children’s newest report finds that access to these basics has been denied to far too many of the 340,000 children in immigrant families in North Carolina.

Seclusion and Restraint: A Dangerous Education

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

Disability Rights North Carolina released an investigative report yesterday on the dangerous use of seclusion and restraint in North Carolina public schools.

Report: How Charitable are North Carolina Hospitals?

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

Hospitals serve as critical safety-net providers for people seeking medical care. In fiscal year 2008, North Carolina hospitals provided $694 million in free care.

Study: NC Voters More Independent, Urban and Non-White

Monday, January 25th, 2010

A new county-by-county analysis of North Carolina voters points to dramatic shifts in the past decade that will likely influence campaign strategy for hot elections this year for Richard Burr’s US Senate seat and for control of the General Assembly.

Ten Years after Promise, NC’s Student Achievement Gap Persists

Friday, January 15th, 2010

Ten years ago, North Carolina’s leaders promised to dramatically close or even eliminate the academic achievement gap between white students and black, Hispanic and American Indian students. However, a new report from the North Carolina Justice Center shows that, based on the results of various achievement tests, the gap is virtually unchanged from 10 years ago.

New Report Shows Senate Health Care Bill Will Expand Coverage to 988,000 North Carolinians

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Although the ongoing Senate debate over health reform may seem at times to be unrelated to everyday life in North Carolina, the bill’s passage or failure will have a profound impact on the health and well-being of many North Carolina residents. A report from Families USA, the national organization for health care consumers, found that 988,000 people in North Carolina will gain coverage by 2019 under the Senate health reform bill.

Employee Free Choice Act is a critical step to help North Carolina workers

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

North Carolina’s unionized workers earn better pay and benefits than non-union counterparts; the Employee Free Choice Act would help workers organize

North Carolina’s low unionization rate partially explains the state’s dismal standing in pay and benefits for working families, a new report says - but the federal Employee Free Choice Act is “a critical step in the right direction for North Carolina’s workers.”

Jobs-Centered Development: The Need for a New Approach

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

Over the past decade, jobs-centered development has emerged as a promising alternative to the South’s traditional strategies of economic and workforce development. Following the Second World War, southern leaders waged an aggressive campaign to transform the regional economy. To this end, officials mixed public policies with private market forces to create jobs and cultivate a more skilled workforce. In doing so, they created a distinctive model of economic growth: a model based on luring industries south by offering a low-cost business climate, subsidizing key expenses, and providing customized workforce training.

Blue Cross Anti-Reform Postcards – Strike Back

Monday, October 26th, 2009

Last Friday at the Progressive Pulse, we reported on NC Blue Cross’ statewide nasty postcard campaign aimed at Senator Hagan. The postcards are meant for people to fill out and are postage paid to go to Hagan’s office with a message against a public health care option and “government-run” health care.

State budget drops to lowest level in 13 years after accounting for inflation and population changes

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

A study of North Carolina’s General Fund reveals the deep impact of the recession on tax revenues.

North Carolina government spending per person has fallen to its lowest rate in 13 years, a report released today finds. This provides further evidence that balancing the state budget using cuts alone was simply an impossible task.

Claims that state tax increases cause job loss are unfounded, report says

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

Far from costing jobs, the tax increases passed by North Carolina’s legislature are likely to forestall job losses in both the private and public sectors, a new study by the North Carolina Budget & Tax Center finds.

Report on Health Care in North Carolina

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

A new report released by HCAN today finds the pool of people in North Carolina covered by health insurance is shrinking coupled with the huge increases in costs over the last decade. Click here for a copy of the report…