roy cooper

Public Policy Polling released its latest polls on Monday and Tuesday and the news is good for most Democrats.

A while back I thought Roy Cooper was a pretty solid citizen. I contributed to his campaign and even helped drum up support in a couple of fundraising events. But that was then.

Cooper's decision last week to intervene in the debate over undocumented immigrants and higher education was just plain dumb, as has been widely discussed. But it's hard to understand why he has to get all petulant just because the mean old media won't play stenographer for him. That's flat-out embarrassing.

North Carolina's Community Colleges have just announced that they are closing their doors to undocumented students.

The Adelante Education Coalition and 83 community organizations are calling for the state of North Carolina to continue allowing the undocumented immigrants to attend our state's public universities and community colleges. A press release from the Adelante Education Coalition about this issue is below.

We're looking for allies to help us with our advocacy efforts. You can learn more about the roles you can play at the Adelante website. My organization, Blue Ribbon Mentor-Advocate, is part of the Adelante Education Coalition. I will be going to the state capitol on May 27 to talk with legislators. Let me know if you'd like to join in.

In 1795, the great state of North Carolina opened the first public institution of higher learning.

In 2008, we may become the first state to take away access to post-secondary education from an entire class of people.

Yesterday, Attorney General Roy Cooper's office issued an advisory statement that says our state's community colleges and universities should close their doors to the children of undocumented immigrants.

The AG's statement is based on the same kind of moral reasoning that southern states used to withhold public education from blacks and women. It uses a tenuous interpretation of federal law to exercise a state's rights argument, knowing full well that this state will not give undocumented immigrants the right to an education.

Dear (new) friends:

Per a request from Joyce McCloy, I am posting below a version of the diary I wrote today for Daily Kos.
Please note that in response, WVWV President Page Gardner posted her first-ever diary to provide documentation that the letter in question was faxed on Friday, April 25 (after the close of business) and the press release in question was sent via blast fax on Monday, April 28 (after the mysterious robocalls had gone out). She also issued another press release to attempt to give more details about her group's registration activities targeted at African Americans.

I believe there are still a huge number of questions to be answered with regard to all this. I maintain no doubt that a WVWV cover up is ongoing. I do not suppose that their actions are nefarious in intent, but I do believe that they have spent more time trying to cover their rear in the left blogosphere than actually rectifying the confusion they caused among voters. I also have serious doubts that the North Carolina press release was actually faxed on Monday morning, April 28. If, indeed, they thought it necessary to create a press release to explain away the confusion they were calling due to the registration deadlines, then why did they shop around a second press release to Colorado the next day? Also, why didn't they mention anything about the robocalls, which are the point of this whole controversy?

Wal-Mart has saved millions of dollars over the past few years by essentially paying rent to itself and then writing off the taxes. Fortunately for North Carolina, Attorney General Roy Cooper and Judge Clarence Horton, Jr. aren’t going to let that slide.

The judge dismissed Wal-Mart’s bid for a refund. Had the tax shelter not been deemed illegal, the corporate write-off would have effectively cost North Carolina taxpayers $33.5 million. The company is using the rent strategy in dozens of states - several have already moved to close the loophole after Wal-Mart’s actions were exposed in a February article from the Wall Street Journal. The judge’s decision on Friday could set a precedent for communities across the country. Wal-Mart Watch applauds Judge Clarence Horton, Jr. and Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper for fighting Wal-Mart and defending North Carolina taxpayers.

Amidst all the hullabaloo surrounding immigrants who are subsidizing NC citizens in our community college system, it's reassuring to know that the Gov has weighed in with a clear position on the dispute.

Easley, a Democrat, tried to distance himself from the rising controversy over the community college system's order that all 58 campuses must admit undocumented applicants who meet admissions requirements. He refused to say whether or not he supported the new policy.

..

While Easley said the community college officials misread the 1997 letter, he refused to stake out a position on the admissions mandate. Asked if the state government should do anything to change the practice, he suggested that the state's current attorney general, Roy Cooper, be asked for an opinion. Cooper's office on Wednesday refused to offer an opinion, saying community colleges had not asked for one.

I wonder, does it count if We the People ask for one? Probably not.

Apparently everyone.

I continue to be distressed that no suitable Democrat has stepped up to challenge Liddy Dole for the US Senate. I won't highlight the names right now, but it's a crying shame that so many good potential candidates have failed so far to rise to the occasion.

What I really don't understand, though, is what they're afraid of. A serial incompetent who has done nothing of note in her entire career? A cheer-leading Bushbot chickenhawk who believes in staying the disastrous course in Iraq? An old-school politician who puts party over country at every turn?

More to the point, we're now getting a few rare glimpses of the very senior Senator in person, (she is conducting a statewide dog-and-pony show to shore up her anti-immigrant credentials with the xenophobic fringe) and it ain't a pretty sight. Just look at what the woman has to say!

SALISBURY, N.C. -- Senator Elizabeth Dole's tour of the state came through Salisbury on Wednesday and she spent her time talking to local leaders about immigration reform.
Sheriffs from across the Charlotte area met with Dole at the Rowan County Sheriff's Office and told her their concerns about immigration.

The senator said she's pushing for legislation to secure our borders and enforce laws already on the books. "It's how you weed out the criminal element here. In other words, we want to enforce the law because there's no real system," she said.

This was not submitted for BlueNC WoW, but it was written by a female writer here at BlueNC and deserves wider attention.

Last summer, Roy Cooper sent an e-mail out to supporters announcing that he'd be seeking re-election as the state's top law enforcement official. The e-mail put to rest widespread speculation that Cooper would join Lt. Governor Beverly Perdue and State Treasurer Richard Moore in vying for the governor's mansion. Cooper's friends say the decision was personal, not political--that he'd rather spend time with his two daughters and that he genuinely enjoys his work with the state's Department of Justice.

"You can make a real difference," Cooper told N&O Political Reporter, Rob Christensen, in August. "Bill Clinton once said the best job he ever had was being attorney general."

Indeed he did...and yet, somehow, within a year of becoming attorney general, he had already made up his mind to run for governor.

Who will step up to the plate to defeat Liddy!!! She is beatable if the Democrats are able to mount a quality campaign.