Jennifer Roberts of the Carter Center’s Strengthening Democracy Project on Jimmy Carter’s legacy

NC Newsline

Click here to listen to our full interview with Roberts.

5:37

Great short Bonus Show for all our loyal podcast fans. This week a tremendous comedy team shares comedy and music...it's "Mack & Jamie" , stars of TV's "Comedy Break"; sharing loads of musical humor. Enjoy!

大约1年之前 15:45

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Last week the nation paused to honor the life and legacy of former President Jimmy Carter. Carter died December 29, 2024 at the age of 100, and while opinions vary as to how successful his one term in the White House was, there’s a widespread consensus that no president in American history enjoyed a more productive or successful post-presidency.

In an array of important areas – promoting democracy and fair elections, combating poverty and disease, championing human rights – Carter worked long, hard, successfully and with great humility to build a better world. And recently NC Newsline got a chance to discuss some of that work with someone who knows it intimately – the co-leader of the Carter Center’s Strengthening Democracy Project in North Carolina, former Charlotte mayor Jennifer Roberts.

100集单集

#News #Politics #NC Newsline #NC Policy Watch

Jennifer Roberts of the Carter Center’s Strengthening Democracy Project on Jimmy Carter’s legacy

NC Newsline

published 大约1年之前

MP3•单集首页

Click here to listen to our full interview with Roberts.

100集单集

#News #Politics #NC Newsline #NC Policy Watch

All episodes

1
Cecelia Holden, President and CEO of myFutureNC, discusses the state of educational attainment in NC 23:45

大约4小时之前23:45

23:45

In 2019, with bipartisan support in the General Assembly and a signature from then-Governor Roy Cooper, North Carolina adopted one of the nation’s most ambitious education goals–to have two-million residents aged 25-44 with a postsecondary degree or industry-valued credential by 2030. The idea was and is that boosting these numbers will foster upward mobility and greater economic prosperity while meeting business and industry’s current and future workforce needs. Since that time, the state has made some important and impressive progress in achieving the objective , but as Newsline learned in recent special extended conversation with Cecelia Holden, President and CEO of the bipartisan nonprofit My Future NC, the state still has a long way to go and must wrestle with some significant challenges if it hopes to hit its goal in the five years that remain. Click here to listen to our full interview with Cecelia Holden, the president and CEO of myFutureNC. Click here to download the 2025 State of Educational Attainment Report.…

1
Pete Smith of the Center for Responsible Lending on the troubling rise in prohibited car title loans 14:10

大约4小时之前14:10

14:10

Car title lending. Thankfully, a lot of North Carolinians have never heard of this particular business because it’s long been prohibited under state law. Unfortunately, many residents of other states are all too familiar with these frequently predatory loans in which borrowers sometimes pay interest rates of as high as 300% and face repossession of their vehicle if they miss a payment. What’s more, as a new report from senior researcher Pete Smith of the Center for Responsible Lending documents in painful detail, surveys indicate that some car title lenders pay little attention to state lines. As a result, some North Carolinians have, despite our state’s official ban, fallen prey to these loans and the debt trap that so often comes with them. Smith’s report is entitled “Under the radar: Evidence of prohibited Vehicle-Tile Loans made in 22 states and DC” and Newsline’s Rob Schofield caught up with him recently in his California office to discuss it. Click here to listen to the full interview with senior researcher Pete Smith.…

1
State Senate panders with wasteful “border protection” legislation 1:04

大约10小时之前1:04

1:04

The first time most people hear about a bill introduced by North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger entitled the “Border Protection Act,” a lot of them think: “Wait — are South Carolina or Virginia up to something?” And as silly as that sounds, it’s no sillier than the bill itself — which has nothing to do with state or national borders, but rather is the latest effort by a politician to pander to prejudice and irrational fears about immigration. Not only would the bill force state law enforcement agencies to, among other things, run down the immigration status of everyone in their custody, it would mandate costly audits of numerous public programs to make sure no unauthorized immigrant is receiving a benefit — something that’s already illegal. The bottom line: This cynically labeled bill will impose expensive and wasteful new mandates on already overworked and understaffed agencies, while sowing more alienation and stress in the lives of thousands of good and hardworking men and women who clean our public restrooms, help build our homes and put food on our tables. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

1
Trump/Musk cuts to national parks will have terrible impact in NC 1:05

3天之前1:05

1:05

The massive funding cuts and layoffs inflicted by President Trump and his billionaire sidekick Elon Musk on numerous federal government agencies and contractors in recent weeks are already producing disastrous results. All across the country, thousands of good and vitally important public servants are suddenly unemployed and many of their important functions are now falling to overworked survivors or simply being abandoned. And while some of these jobs — like, say, cancer researchers or food safety inspectors — may typically operate beyond the public’s view, other cuts will be immediately apparent. Take our national parks. This vital public resource has always been underfunded and understaffed and now the recent Trump/Musk purge in which around 1,000 employees were summarily canned will make things much worse. The bottom line: if you plan to visit a national park or monument this year like North Carolina’s Great Smokies or Cape Hatteras, get ready for lots of trash, dirty restrooms, poorly maintained trails and a big shortage of employees to keep order and serve visitors. And you can thank Trump and Musk for the mess. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

1
Lending that combats the climate crisis is not “discrimination” 1:05

4天之前1:05

1:05

Hypocrisy from politicians of the right who claim to be champions of the free market, but only do so selectively, was on display again this week at the state legislature. The issue this time: agricultural lending. Under a bill advancing in the state House, banks and credit unions would be prohibited from considering issues like environmental sustainability and greenhouse gas pollution when extending loans and other services to farmers. Sponsors say they’re targeting discrimination. In other words, the bill, in effect, prohibits private businesses from deciding where they want to invest their own money. Mind you: this is coming from the same conservative politicians who are trying to repeal every public law and corporate policy that promotes diversity and fair treatment for groups — people of color, women, LGBTQ+ citizens — who’ve long been the target of genuine discrimination. And you really can’t make this stuff up. The bottom line: Earth to conservative lawmakers: socially and environmentally responsible corporate lending and investing is not discrimination. Indeed, it’s something that we need a lot more of, not less. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield…

1
Pilot program confirms that signature verification scheme for absentee ballots is a waste 1:05

5天之前1:05

1:05

In today’s world, voting by mail is increasingly popular and a proven tactic for increasing turnout. In some states it’s the only way to vote. Unfortunately, North Carolina lawmakers keep making it harder. Last year, the legislature required election officials to run a pilot program in 10 counties in which computer software was used to scan every voter’s mailed ballot signature to see if it matched their original registration form. This, despite the obvious problem predicted by critics that many people’s signatures — especially older and disabled voters — have changed dramatically over the years. Not surprisingly, the experiment proved to be an expensive waste of time that was plagued by technical problems and uncovered hardly any problem ballots. Even a notorious conservative election integrity crusader admitted the scheme isn’t going to work. The bottom line: North Carolina law already requires absentee voters to include a copy of their photo ID and have two individuals or a notary witness their ballot. Lawmakers should ditch the wasteful signature verification scheme. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

1
Attorney General Jackson battles Trump and Musk to protect consumers 1:05

6天之前1:05

1:05

Big corporations and predatory lenders have always hated the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ever since it was established 15 years ago. And repeatedly during that period, the bureau has proved its worth by establishing and enforcing commonsense rules that target exploitive practices and help protect average Americans when they’re making big purchases and borrowing money. A recently adopted rule would help keep medical bills from ruining people’s credit reports. Not surprisingly, in light of all this, President Trump and his billionaire sidekick Elon Musk have made crippling and/or abolishing the agency a top priority. Thankfully, attorneys general across the nation, including North Carolina’s Jeff Jackson, are fighting back. They’ve filed a federal court brief that argues the Bureau has become an essential partner to states in consumer protection efforts. The bottom line: Actions like this are one of the reasons North Carolinians elected Jackson as the state’s top lawyer. Let’s hope he and his fellow AG’s succeed in keeping this important consumer watchdog on the job. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

1
Dr. David McLennan on why NC voters have deep concerns about some of Trump’s early priorities 11:56

7天之前11:56

11:56

A narrow majority of North Carolina voters supported Donald Trump in last November’s presidential election, but just weeks into his second term in office, large majorities oppose some of his highest profile policy ideas and initiatives, according to the latest Meredith College Poll . Meredith pollsters asked likely voters for their views on an array of policy matters— both foreign and domestic — as well as a handful of North Carolina-specific issues. And while results varied somewhat depending upon the political party, race and gender of the voters surveyed, there were some clear and noteworthy takeaways about what most North Carolinians are thinking, and recently we caught up with the poll’s director, Prof. David McLennan to learn more. Click here for the full interview with Prof. David McLennan.…

1
Sen. Jay Chaudhuri on key budget challenges facing the state and the impact of Trump funding cuts 12:01

7天之前12:01

12:01

We’re now a month into the 2025 state legislative session and lawmakers have begun the process of crafting what’s always the most important legislation of the year — a new state budget. This year, thanks to the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene and growing softness in state revenue forecasts after years of regressive tax cuts, that work comes with some extra challenges. Recently, in order to get a gauge on where things stand, NC Newsline caught up with Senate Democratic Whip Jay Chaudhuri of Wake County. And as Senator Chaudhuri told us, he’s quite concerned about some of the choices the legislature is likely to face, as well as the impact of the binge of federal funding cuts emanating from the Trump administration, and a state Senate bill that could force many health insurance plans — including the State Health Plan — to limit coverage of necessary procedures. Click here to listen to the full interview with NC Senator Jay Chaudhuri.…

1
NCAE president Tamika Walker Kelly on Trump’s plan to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education 12:26

7天之前12:26

12:26

Among the many deeply controversial proposals emanating from Washington these days is the Trump administration’s announced plan to abolish the U.S. Department of Education. Though details remain extremely sketchy at this point, it doesn’t take a PhD to grasp that such a plan would have devastating impacts across the country — from kindergarten through college — given the millions of students who depend on federal education funding and programming. Not surprisingly, the proposal has sparked outrage and spirited opposition from thousands of teachers, and recently we caught up with one of their leaders, North Carolina Association of Educators president Tamika Walker Kelly. And as Walker Kelly told NC Newsline’s Rob Schofield, she and her fellow teachers will be actively opposing the Trump scheme, as well as a new proposal here in North Carolina that would negatively impact already inadequate teacher incomes by raising state health plan premiums. Click here to listen to our full interview with NCAE president Tamika Walker Kelly.…

1
A dark anniversary for tyranny 1:04

7天之前1:04

1:04

Today marks a dark day in recent world history. As Scott Peoples — a North Carolinian and U.S. 82nd Airborne veteran — wrote in a powerful essay for NC Newsline, today is the third anniversary of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s criminal invasion of Ukraine. What’s more, as Peoples observes, it’s hard to know what’s worse: the horrible reality of Putin’s murderous invasion itself, or that President Donald Trump continues to betray our nation’s longstanding role as a beacon of freedom by effectively endorsing it. Last week, Trump — who’s never disguised his affection for the Russian war criminal — said quote “Russia fought for that land in Ukraine and lost a lot of soldiers doing it, so Russia should keep it.” And it’s hard to fathom that an American president would ever utter such shameful words. The bottom line: Trump’s statement surely has true patriots like Ronald Reagan, George HW Bush and John McCain turning over in their graves. One can only hope that Republicans like North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, who rightfully denounced Trump’s stance, have finally had enough. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

1
Gov. Josh Stein: Popular with voters and talking common sense 1:05

10天之前1:05

1:05

A new Meredith College poll shows North Carolina governor Josh Stein is off to solid start. Fifty-eight percent of North Carolina voters — including 54 percent of Republicans — approve of his performance thus far, while only 19% disapprove. Stein’s ratings have been boosted by his energetic and bipartisan work to promote Hurricane Helene recovery. What’s more, unlike President Trump, whose approval rating is already underwater, Stein has avoided unnecessary confrontation. Instead, he’s opted for sober, middle ground positions that reflect where most North Carolinians come down. The latest example: Stein’s call for a freeze on state tax rates. As the governor notes, with Helene costs rising, federal aid increasingly uncertain, and state revenue projections shaky, now is a good time for the state to step back, run the numbers, and see how things play out for a while before plowing ahead with new tax cuts. The bottom line: The state legislature, whose popularity with voters lags Stein’s by a mile, would do well to heed the governor’s commonsense recommendation. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

1
Recipe for curbing homelessness is not that complicated 1:05

11天之前1:05

1:05

New numbers show the U.S. has made some encouraging progress in recent years in curbing homelessness among military veterans. Since 2009, the official count of homeless vets has fallen by more than half, and the reasons behind this trend are not hard to find. Spurred on by lobbying from veterans groups like the American Legion, Congress has invested heavily in programs that aid struggling vets with affordable housing and other important services. Unfortunately, the sad flipside to this news is that homelessness for all other groups continues to spike. Here in North Carolina the overall homelessness number was up nearly 20 percent last year — 31 percent for people who were on the street. And the reasons for this are obvious. Programs to help non-veteran homeless people are much less well-funded. The bottom line: Curbing homelessness will never be easy, but it’s not rocket science. As the success with veterans shows, sustained public investments can make a big difference. Would that all homeless Americans had champions like the veterans lobby in their corner. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

1
Trump-Musk cuts already causing cruel and senseless devastation in NC 1:04

12天之前1:04

1:04

If ever there was a societal moment of desperate need for large and well-funded teams of scientists, researchers, and other experts to help guide our state and nation in this ever more complex world, it’s now. Between climate change, mass migration, artificial intelligence, the threat of new pandemics, and an ever-more competitive global economy, the need for top-flight human brain power dedicated to finding common good solutions is acute. And it’s because of this that the recent slash-and-burn firings and funding cuts imposed by President Trump and Elon Musk are, and will continue to be, so devastating. Right here in the Triangle we’re already seeing big and hugely destructive cuts at our universities, the EPA and nonprofits like RTI International. Hundreds of our best and brightest — people who’ve dedicated their careers to public service — are being summarily and wrongfully fired. The bottom line: The Trump-Musk funding cuts are causing chaos and ruinous destruction. All caring and thinking people should call on leaders in Congress and the courts to stop them. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

1
The stark and sobering contrast between our national and state HHS leaders 1:04

13天之前1:04