Crossed from RTB @ Under The Dome

A legislative office created to examine the benefit of public programs was ready to give its report Thursday on the state's mental health services. Anyone could tell from the title "Compromised controls and lack of focus hampered implementation of enhanced mental health services" it wasn't full of compliments.

A chairman of the committee, Sen. Fletcher Hartsell of Concord, said the report was taken off the agenda because the committee didn't have time to talk about it.

Former Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards on Friday declined to make an endorsement in the Democratic presidential battle, but said Barack Obama could unite the party and win in November.

The AP is reporting that the universal health care plan put forward by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Robert Bennett (R-UT) could be operational by 2012 and be budget-neutral by 2014. A budget-neutral item brings in as much revenue as it costs. The kicker to this plan and one of the reasons it has a host of Republicans as co-sponsors is this:

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., one of the plan's co-sponsors, said the report showed it is possible to provide health care coverage for all Americans — including the estimated 47 million people who are uninsured — without a large tax increase. "We can get everyone in America health care coverage without breaking the bank," he said.

Universal Health Care without tax increases? How is it possible and where is the catch?

So what is a name worth? Well, for me it was worth the 130 votes I didn't get Tuesday night. If you look in the Person County phone book you will find that a certain eight to ten last names run for several columns. Mine is not one of them. Name recognition is a key in voter decision making, and I just didn't have enough of it. The other gentlemen running for county commissioner have deep, multigenerational roots in the county, and a little more than two months just isn't enough time to introduce yourself to nearly 13,000 democratic voters.

Thank you so much -- to this entire community -- for your interest in the U.S. Senate race, and your commitment to making BlueNC a place for dialogue on the issues and the importance of this election.

I am obviously so happy to have emerged from the strong field of candidates as the nominee, but I'd be remiss if I didn't thank Jim, Duskin, Howard and Marcus as well. Throughout this process I’ve become a better campaigner and, I believe, more prepared to take on Elizabeth Dole.

The primary is over and it is time to move on to the next phase. We have to get our Democrats elected. This means raising money. Russ Feingold started his Progressive Patriot Fund during the 2006 cycle. Larry Kissell was in the running, but other Democrats in much larger districts were able to garner more internet votes. Let's change that this cycle.

I received a personal email from one of the fund's organizers. She contacted me through the BlueNC contact form, so this wasn't a form letter. If they are going to great length to make sure we know that Larry is on the list, we can at least vote for Larry to be Russ Feingold's next Progressive Patriot.

Firstly, I want to again congratulate Senator Hagan on her nomination as the candidate to beat US Senator Dole in the 2008 senatorial race. I have told Kay that she has my full support and encourage you to work hard on her behalf.

To the staff, volunteers and bloggers who made our campaign so vibrant I thank you. We were a lean organization running a 21st century grass roots campaign. We took almost 20% (about 250,000) of the votes cast despite our lack of resources and the fact that nobody in NC had a clue who Jim Neal was 7 months ago. I am very proud of each and every person who volunteered their time and contributed to our campaign.

Chris Fitzsimon at NC Policy watch has a concise preview of the upcoming legislative session and the fuzzy fuzzy budget picture.

It adds up to a challenging session for lawmakers, who will be meeting with one eye focused on their own re-election campaigns and in the shadow of a gubernatorial race that is almost certain to include misleading and simplistic rhetoric about budgets and taxes.

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.

What a wonderful day when I found you all!! You became my friends, my cheering section, my shoulder to lean on and my closest confidants.

Thank you all. From the bottom of my heart, thank you all.

James; I will always be your friend.