OrangePolitics blogs

OrangePolitics blogs http://www.orangepolitics.org/blog en 35.912786-79.109318http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ First Tavern Talks Draw A Younger Crowd http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/02/first-tavern-talks-draw-a-youn  <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEv<p><a href="http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/drug-use-among-veterans">read more</a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=JMJneg0pZCk:lbY8q6cwAO0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=JMJneg0pZCk:lbY8q6cwAO0:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?i=JMJneg0pZCk:lbY8q6cwAO0:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=JMJneg0pZCk:lbY8q6cwAO0:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=JMJneg0pZCk:lbY8q6cwAO0:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?i=JMJneg0pZCk:lbY8q6cwAO0:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> </div> http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/drug-use-among-veterans#comments North Carolina drug use fort bragg harm reduction military pills veteran Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:18:52 +0000 NC Harm Reduction Coalition 6243 at http://www.orangepolitics.org Brad Miller bows out of run for the 4th http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/brad-miller-bows-out-of-run-fo <p>Just received this email:</p><blockquote style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 40px; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: none; padding: 0px"><p>James, </p><p> Because your support has been so important to me, I wanted you to hear from me that I will not seek another term in Congress. </p><p> Serving in Congress has been a remarkable opportunity. Thank you. </p><p> I knew Republicans in the legislature would dismantle the district that I have represented for the last decade, and they did. The thirteenth district was split six ways. I also knew that they would create one packed Democratic district in the Triangle, so that all the surrounding districts would be Republican, and they did. I knew that both David Price and I would both reside in that district, and we do. And I knew that the district would include the neighborhoods that we have each looked to for our support, and it does. </p> <p><a href="http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/brad-miller-bows-out-of-run-fo">read more</a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=49FOQldxDeE:w2U_b6NQDW0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=49FOQldxDeE:w2U_b6NQDW0:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?i=49FOQldxDeE:w2U_b6NQDW0:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=49FOQldxDeE:w2U_b6NQDW0:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=49FOQldxDeE:w2U_b6NQDW0:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?i=49FOQldxDeE:w2U_b6NQDW0:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> </div> http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/brad-miller-bows-out-of-run-fo#comments 2012 The Triangle 4th district Brad Miller congressional redistricting David Price redistricting Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:38:42 +0000 James Barrett 6237 at http://www.orangepolitics.org Commissioners Consider Transit at First Meeting of New Year http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/commissioners-consider-transit <p>Last night marked the first meeting of the <a href="http://www.co.orange.nc.us/occlerks/bocc.asp" title="Orange County Board of Commissioners">Orange County Board of Commissioners</a> this year and hopefully the first post in a push by OrangePolitics to take a deeper look at the board and its biweekly meetings. Since the board had not met in over a month, the agenda was quite crowded, but a few items are worth delving into.</p><p><a href="http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/commissioners-consider-transit">read more</a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=L5ILpwzaPS8:GSEMr_0rAM4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=L5ILpwzaPS8:GSEMr_0rAM4:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?i=L5ILpwzaPS8:GSEMr_0rAM4:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=L5ILpwzaPS8:GSEMr_0rAM4:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=L5ILpwzaPS8:GSEMr_0rAM4:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?i=L5ILpwzaPS8:GSEMr_0rAM4:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> </div> http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/commissioners-consider-transit#comments Orange County Planning & Transportation The Triangle BRT DCHCMPO light rail LRT marriage discrimination amendment mass transit Orange County Commissioners Our Transit Future regional transit transit transit tax Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:49:16 +0000 Jeff Miles 6233 at http://www.orangepolitics.org Don't Rush the Comprehensive Plan http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/dont-rush-the-comprehensive-pl <p>The leadership team of Chapel Hill 2020 discussed the timeline issue yesterday afternoon. Apparently the conversation was quite passionate and the group is divided with strong opposition to extending from co-chairs George and Rosemary. I'm a bit surprised since they have always said they had an open mind and were committed to getting it done right. I have yet to hear a clear articulation of why this comprehensive plan should be created in less than a year. </p><p>I have heard some people raise valid concerns about sustaining people interest for a multi-year process, but I think that points to changes that may be needed in the process. For example, what if the stakeholders only met monthly rather than every 2-3 weeks? What if we let the community lead the process more and didn't lean so heavily on the staff to run things? If you would like to explore these questions rather than rushing to complete, please <a href="http://bit.ly/ch2020-letter" target="_blank">sign on to our letter asking for more time</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/dont-rush-the-comprehensive-pl">read more</a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=xzyMcvVXhHw:puUgmXEiITA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=xzyMcvVXhHw:puUgmXEiITA:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?i=xzyMcvVXhHw:puUgmXEiITA:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=xzyMcvVXhHw:puUgmXEiITA:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=xzyMcvVXhHw:puUgmXEiITA:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?i=xzyMcvVXhHw:puUgmXEiITA:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> </div> http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/dont-rush-the-comprehensive-pl#comments Democracy & Open Government Government Planning & Transportation CH2020 Chapel Hill 2020 Comprehensive Plan George Cianciolo Rosemary Waldorf Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:19:49 +0000 Ruby Sinreich 6232 at http://www.orangepolitics.org Maybe Corporate Personhood is a Good Thing ... ?? http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/maybe-corporate-personhood-is- <strong>No, no, really (he says, doing his very best, over-the-top, under-the-weather Ricky Gervais). Bear with me for a sec. If those who advocate for corporations to be persons (*cough* *hack* -- the 1%) follow through consistently with their political beliefs (granted, with Gingrich and Romney as standard-bearers, not very likely – but this is my satirical piece, so let me finish) …</strong><br /><br />Anyways, if corporations are persons (especially those megadeath Wall Street banks), then it follows (a la Tea Party Republicans in Mississippi) that they are persons from the point of their conception.<br /><br />Now, bearing in mind that it can take years, if not decades, for corporations to be incorporated (and, therefore, start to pay taxes), long after they have been conceived, I would say that most of America’s corporations (keep thinking, megadeath Wall Street banks) owe gazillions in back taxes. Cha ching!<br /><p><a href="http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/maybe-corporate-personhood-is-">read more</a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=W4HVO-3WFSE:e0Z0jRbnKcM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=W4HVO-3WFSE:e0Z0jRbnKcM:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?i=W4HVO-3WFSE:e0Z0jRbnKcM:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=W4HVO-3WFSE:e0Z0jRbnKcM:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=W4HVO-3WFSE:e0Z0jRbnKcM:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?i=W4HVO-3WFSE:e0Z0jRbnKcM:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> </div> http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/maybe-corporate-personhood-is-#comments Arts & Culture Civil Liberties Democracy & Open Government Racial & Economic Justice Corporate Personhood Occupy The Courts Ricky Gervais Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:00:23 +0000 Geoff Gilson 6228 at http://www.orangepolitics.org Chapel Hill 2020 is Worth Doing Right http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/chapel-hill-2020-is-worth-doin <p>This weekend, a group of people who have been involved since the very beginning of the Chapel Hill 2020 process (including the editors of OP) drafted a letter to town leaders asking them to take more time. You can see it at <a href="http://bit.ly/ch2020-letter" title="http://bit.ly/ch2020-letter">http://bit.ly/ch2020-letter</a>. Currently the entire timeline from kick-off to plan approval is less than 8 months. Last week when <a href="http://2020buzz.wordpress.com/2012/01/11/planning-for-sustaining-places/">UNC planning Professor David Godschalk gave a talk about comprehensive planning</a>, he referenced the plan done in Fort Collins, CO which took 18 months to complete. That is the fastest of any of the other examples I've heard. The City of <a href="/www.imagineaustin.net">Austin</a> is currently reviewing a draft plan after spending almost a year and a half on their visioning process alone.</p><p><a href="http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/chapel-hill-2020-is-worth-doin">read more</a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=SfktD7cOmZA:vAH9jpxmV_k:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=SfktD7cOmZA:vAH9jpxmV_k:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?i=SfktD7cOmZA:vAH9jpxmV_k:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=SfktD7cOmZA:vAH9jpxmV_k:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=SfktD7cOmZA:vAH9jpxmV_k:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?i=SfktD7cOmZA:vAH9jpxmV_k:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> </div> http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/chapel-hill-2020-is-worth-doin#comments Democracy & Open Government Government Planning & Transportation CH2020 Chapel Hill 2020 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:05:20 +0000 Ruby Sinreich 6227 at http://www.orangepolitics.org The Transit Tax could have an added Poison http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/the-transit-tax-could-have-an- <p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; line-height: 19px">Well the Transit Tax for Orange may have some added poison. I say poison as for the Proponents of the Transit Tax for the Light Rail will not want an added sales tax Governor Bev Purdue has cast into the political winds this year. Outside the overwhelming distaste for more taxes by District Two, the poison for D1 is not notion of paying more tax for their costly train, it is the added threat to fuel to the fire in the pockets of D2 Citizens who have no use for a Choo Choo in a huge election year.</p><p><a href="http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/the-transit-tax-could-have-an-">read more</a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=lNYiLuxbAwc:12pX6qUimmE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=lNYiLuxbAwc:12pX6qUimmE:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?i=lNYiLuxbAwc:12pX6qUimmE:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=lNYiLuxbAwc:12pX6qUimmE:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=lNYiLuxbAwc:12pX6qUimmE:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?i=lNYiLuxbAwc:12pX6qUimmE:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> </div> http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/the-transit-tax-could-have-an-#comments Planning & Transportation taxes TaxesTaxes as it is Not in the Issues Cat.... Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:21:12 +0000 Chris Weaver 6225 at http://www.orangepolitics.org Shortbread and Joint Development Review: critiquing the process http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/shortbread-and-joint-developme This Wednesday, the Chapel Hill Town Council will be <a href="http://chapelhillpublic.novusagenda.com/MeetingView.aspx?MeetingID=142&MinutesMeetingID=-1">holding a public hearing</a> on the proposed Shortbread development- a seven-story mixed-use building across from Breadman’s on Rosemary Street. The residential component of the building will be rental units that will cater to students- a much-needed addition to downtown that will help alleviate pressure on the adjacent Northside neighborhood.<br /><p><a href="http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/shortbread-and-joint-developme">read more</a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=go-ZBBBCBDQ:6VnD7N9iU2Y:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=go-ZBBBCBDQ:6VnD7N9iU2Y:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?i=go-ZBBBCBDQ:6VnD7N9iU2Y:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=go-ZBBBCBDQ:6VnD7N9iU2Y:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?a=go-ZBBBCBDQ:6VnD7N9iU2Y:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OPallblogs?i=go-ZBBBCBDQ:6VnD7N9iU2Y:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> </div> http://www.orangepolitics.org/2012/01/shortbread-and-joint-developme#comments Government Growth & Development advisory boards joint development review Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:17:45 +0000 Erin Crouse 6223 at http://www.orangepolitics.org