marc basnight

The non-tempest in a teapot stirred up by right-wing haters of public education has found its way to the desk of Marc Basnight, who appears unfamiliar with the fact that there are four grades in high school, not just the 11th. Dome reports that Basnight got his knickers in a knot over an uninformed story that US history in high school would start in 1877, with reconstruction. Fortunately, Superintendent Atkinson is on the scene to set the record straight.

It's hard to question anyone who's 70 years old and wants to get out the sausage factory in Raleigh. But on the heels of Tony Rand's rapid fall from grace, you'll be forgiven for wondering if something smells a little fishy around David Hoyle's recent announcement.

For all his imperial power, Marc Basnight still has a way with words, as evidenced in his letter last week to thick-headed admirals in the US Navy. The Elizabeth City Daily Advance has the story.

“The people of northeastern North Carolina do not wish to have an outlying landing field constructed in their community,” Basnight’s letter, dated Thursday, states. “The Navy can save the funding on these studies and proceed with a viable alternative, one that does not ruin the foundation of the entire region.”

His viable alternative? Follow me below the fold.

The leadership of the Senate has been working against the bill and has succeeded in weakening support for the racial justice act.

Contact your senator and ask them, Marc Basnight, Tony Rand to support the Racial Justice Act.

Sen. Marc Basnight: (919) 733-6854
Sen. Tony Rand: (919) 733-9892

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1576/t/6273/campaign.jsp?campaign_K...

State Senate leader Marc Basnight, D-Dare County, and state Rep. Bill Owens, D-Pasquotank County, have asked North Carolina’s congressional delegation to urge Navy officials to move some of the fighter squadrons based at Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia to Marine Corps Air Station at Cherry Point.

Knowledgeable people, including many here at BlueNC, have argued for this exact same course of action for nearly two years now. It's nice to see elected officials finally getting their acts together.

In addition to fighting the scourge of plastic bags that litter our coast, Sen. Marc Basnight has another battle on his hands.

Marc Basnight has secured approval for a ban on plastic bags for the three counties on the coast in his district - Dare, Currituck and Hyde.

This is a good initial step in stopping the huge buildup of plastic waste that is literally killing our oceans. See for yourself.

Dear North Carolina citizen,

If you feel as I do about maintaining our natural North Carolina beaches, please take the time to write the members of the House of Representatives, Environment & Natural Resources Committee, immediately. If Senate Bill 832 passes the House of Rep. (already passed the Senate) our beaches could soon be like the New Jersey shoreline.

You can cut and paste the committee members below.

The Dome today reports that the North Carolina Senate, Inc., is again pushing misguided legislation to allow hardening the coastline. Ignoring decades of reliable research, Senator Julia Boseman, most likely with encouragement from Marc Basnight, has determined that North Carolina should do something stupid just because other states are doing it. And of course because she wants to help her buddies at Figure Eight Island. Here are some excerpts from this contortionist piece of crap bill.

Chris Fitzsimon today points to the ugliness of the North Carolina Senate in a way that deserves full attention. Chris, I apologize for posting the whole piece, and I encourage BlueNC readers to visit your blog and thank you for your good work.

Senate President Pro Marc Basnight says the Senate will pass a budget by next weekend, but that will require Senators to actually see the plan. When they do, it will be the first time.

Press accounts of Basnight’s budget news reported that Senate Democrats were working on their own version of the budget before Governor Beverly Perdue presented her spending plan almost three weeks ago. They will unveil pieces of it as soon as Monday.

The NC state Senate committees are now up on the General Assembly's website here

Some interesting changes are Martin Nesbitt from Buncombe now heading up Judiciary I. Bob Atwater from the Chatham now heads Agriculture. Other changes are there as well.

For me, a secondary note of interest showing how Basnight's circle hasn't changed much is that the new Vice Chair of Rules is David Weinstein. Walter Dalton was Vice Chair last session. Of course, Rand stills runs the place.

Basnight also usually gives some Republicans some co-chairs, and this year is no different.

Which ones caught your eye?

Make sure you read this story from the Elizabeth City paper.

“Education will be critical to our discussions,” Basnight said. “If you dip into that area too much, you start affecting what makes this state so popular to live in.” Until the session is under way, both Owens and Basnight said it is unclear what other areas of state spending will be subject to cutbacks.

One area not likely to see spending cutbacks is the state Department of Corrections, Basnight said. (Emphasis added.)

So there you have it. We'll keep on buildin' us some more prisons and locking up kids for smoking pot, even as we cut public education. It's a right wing wet dream come true.

Senator Marc Basnight is not your ordinary public speaker. He can have a very informal, personal style even in the middle of such a formal occasion. Here, woven into the speech, he's calling out the challenges to committee chairs and key members of the team.

Senate President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight's Opening Day Speech at the Convening of the 2007-2008 General Assembly. January 24, 2007

To my Lieutenant Governor, thank you for your friendship and support. To Dick Parker, a long-time friend from Manteo who swore me in today, thank you. To all members and families, friends, and guests in the gallery, I not only welcome you but I appreciate your belief in a better government for all people by your participation today.

I have to mention, as all of you would like for me to do, Robert Holloman and his family and all that he did for his district and the people that he loved so very much. Our good God needed him for other reasons above and beyond all that we do. His effort and his belief will be forever with those of us who served with him. So I thank his wife and his children for being with us today.