NC Policy Watch Calls Out NC Senate

View
links

Submitted by James Protzman on Wed, 06/18/2008 - 3:33pm.

nc policy watch

The NC Senate will vote in its budget today to bar new children from enrolling in NC’s affordable health insurance program for working families, Health Choice. The freeze would start September 1, 2008 and extend at least seven months. (A possible amendment today may, if passed, reduce that by a month or two.) Just as many families, suffering from high gas prices, high food prices, job loss, and all the other hardships of a worsening economy need affordable health coverage the most, the NC Senate is voting to take that coverage away.

The only reason given by the Senate leadership who cooked up this idea? “Uncertainty” about federal funding for the Health Choice program. We’d hate to enroll kids and then ask them to leave later seems to be the line.

Only problem with this argument? It’s completely wrong.

Go read the whole story.

James Protzman's blog
Login or register to post comments

It's like the NC Senate

Submitted by James Protzman on Wed, 06/18/2008 - 3:35pm.

is stuck in a time warp . . . or a morality warp. I guess if it doesn't help some big business somewhere, it doesn't much matter to the NC Senate.

Mark Binker Sums Up The Process

Submitted by Robert P. on Thu, 06/19/2008 - 9:26am.

When the House debated its version of the budget, members were allowed to offer amendments during two sets of committee meetings as well as a protracted floor debate. But rank-and-file senators were given a copy of the two-volume, 337-page budget Monday afternoon and had to offer any changes for committee consideration by 10 a.m. Tuesday. Then Wednesday, leaders allowed only eight amendments to be offered on the Senate floor, with three of those dismissed by way of parliamentary rulings and motions. By contrast, the House fully debated and voted on more than 20 changes on the floor.

Marc Basnight explained/defended the process

Submitted by Betsy Muse on Thu, 06/19/2008 - 9:39am.

Senate leader Marc Basnight, D-Dare, said Republicans and Democrats both participated in creating the budget, rejecting Berger's argument that the bill was formulated behind closed doors only by Democrats, who hold 31 of the 50 seats.

He said debate was cut off because they believed Republicans were ready to offer amendments designed to embarrass Democrats or put them on the record on a hot-button topic. One GOP amendment would have dealt with abortion. Another would have involved state employee salaries.

"The purpose of those amendments are simply to create an ad that could be used against a senator," Basnight said.

I agree with Basnight that the Republicans would use this to grandstand and provide the fodder for their fall ad campaigns. My problem with his explanation is his assertion that because both Dems and Reps were in on creating the budget it means it wasn't created behind closed doors. The budget process should not only be open with advertised meeting times, but it should be taped....maybe even televised. We might not agree with every decision, but we'd have a fuller understanding of why/how it was made and what we need to do to get what we want next time.

ooops...I'm sorry

Submitted by Betsy Muse on Thu, 06/19/2008 - 9:41am.

I forgot to link to my source. I got that from the Fort Mill Times.

Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.

That's the main point. Thanks for making it.

Submitted by James Protzman on Thu, 06/19/2008 - 9:41am.

This is about transparency and process, not just outcomes.

The General Assembly web site

Submitted by Betsy Muse on Thu, 06/19/2008 - 10:17am.

lists the meeting times as Tues, Wed, Thurs. at 8:30 a.m. I would love to be able to travel to Raleigh three days a week and I'm sure that many of our readers would just love to take that time off of work. I just subscribed to email notification of meetings for this particular committee. I don't know if these meetings are taped or how available the tapes are for viewing. I didn't find them online. I also didn't find meeting transcripts. Those would be helpful, so if anyone else finds them please let me know where they are.

Here's a link to subscribe to the Appropriations/Base Budget committee meetings email list. You can use the drop down list to subscribe to the committee of your choice.

Internet Broadcasting...

Submitted by Thomas Brock on Thu, 06/19/2008 - 10:50am.

Even audio-only would go far in brightening Raleigh up a little bit...

Thomas S. Brock
www.brocknet.net
http://blogs.brocknet.net/bloviations/

What have YOU done today to elect a Democrat?

I agree...I didn't mean to leave audio only out

Submitted by Betsy Muse on Thu, 06/19/2008 - 11:18am.

when I mentioned viewing tapes.

Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.

NCPolicy Watch is on FIRE.

Submitted by Robert P. on Thu, 06/19/2008 - 2:06pm.

Excellent summary

Submitted by NCDem Amy on Thu, 06/19/2008 - 2:27pm.

Truly shameful this is happening.

Of all the things to be cut, healthcare for children should not be on the top of the list.

As Edwards pointed out during his campaign, it is wrong that Congress persons get coverage while working Americans go without. I think this applies equally here too.

Let them give up their coverage for this supposed "temporary" time in order to cover deserving children.

NCDem Amy on YouTube

I will be the first to say

Submitted by Betsy Muse on Thu, 06/19/2008 - 2:33pm.

that I can read the budget, but wouldn't know where to begin to learn the history behind why some of the decisions/items, etc are made/listed the way they are. I don't know what can be cut, altered or increased. All I know is when I look at the budget, the amount set aside for this program is a pitifully small amount. I'm having a hard time believing they couldn't come up with a way to fund it without gutting some other item in the budget.

Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.

I don't believe it either

Submitted by NCDem Amy on Thu, 06/19/2008 - 2:42pm.

One not need know all of the nitty gritty, in the weeds details to see something is terribly askew here.

North Carolina is faring pretty well, business wise. We are considered a very "business friendly" state. Massive amounts of corporate welfare are dished out while our own children are left without basic healthcare?

NCDem Amy on YouTube