http://nnpa.org/reparations-for-north-carolina-sterilization-victims-by-jazelle-hunt/
http://nnpa.org/maya-angelou-opened-her-life-to-open-our-eyes-by-jazelle-hunt/
GOP PUNISHES THE POOR
IN BUDGET PROPOSALS
By Cash Michaels
An analysis
By this
time next week, we’ll know the NC House’s budget priorities for the upcoming
fiscal year, and while there are clear indications that there will be
differences with the state Senate’s and Gov. Pat McCrory’s budget adjustment proposals,
one thing can be automatically expected – improving the quality of life for
North Carolina’s poor, disabled and elderly will not be a budget priority.
Especially
under Republican – controlled state government.
Controversy
is still simmering how the state Senate’s proposed $21.2 billion budget
adjustment would eliminate automatic Medicaid funding for 15,000 eligible poor
people, many of them elderly with disabilities.
“The Senate budget proposal is
easily the most cynical and damaging spending plan in modern history,” wrote
Chris Fitzsimon in his NC Policy Watch column last week, “…and if you think
that’s hyperbole, try to come up with one that’s worse.”
Ironically, Gov. McCrory, a
Republican, agrees with progressive Fitzsimon, telling the NC Council of State
Tuesday, “ We have some very serious concerns.”
Medicaid is a $13 billion health
insurance program for North Carolina’s poor, one-third of which is covered by
the state, the other two-thirds by the federal government. Under the
Republicans, North Carolina has refused to extend Medicaid to approximately
500,000 poor residents, despite assurances that the federal government would
pick up the entire cost initially.
Published
reports note that because of proposed budget cuts by the Senate to Medicaid, and
programs like Meals on Wheels and daily eldercare, many of the elderly and
disabled may find themselves without proper nutrition, individual training, and
even homeless.
Assisted
living facilities will now be forced to release many of the disabled and
elderly patients who are currently covered by the targeted programs that
provide vital services.
Republicans
counter that with the Medicaid population growing, the state can’t afford to
expand it, and must implement reductions in order to prevent costs overruns
from exploding out of control. Senate Republicans say they have added $2
billion to the program since 2011, paying mostly to cover costs overruns and
hiring more staff. They say those affected can apply to the federal Affordable
Care Act for assistance. The GOP noted that it added $206 million to Medicaid
despite cuts to specific needed programs.
No public
hearings were held prior to the unveiling of Senate budget.
NC House is
busy drafting its budget proposal now, expected to unveil it next week. It is
expected to further cut taxes for the state’s wealthy while also reducing
Medicaid for the poor.
For the
past two weeks, the NCNAACP-led Moral Monday movement has pressed Gov. McCrory
and Republican state lawmakers on cutting Medicaid, and how that has impacted
the state’s poor and needy.
This week,
eleven Moral Monday protesters who sat-in at Gov. McCrory’s state Capital
office Monday, demanded to speak to him about the harm being done by failing to
expand Medicaid, before they were arrested. On Wednesday, The NCNAACP conducted
a “Medicaid Lobbying Day,” visiting with lawmakers to impress upon them the
need to repeal their 2013 law which refused to accept federal funds to expand
the heath insurance program in the state.
“Around
2,800 people will die each year in this state as a result of legislative
leaders’ refusal to expand Medicaid,” NCNAACP Pres. Rev. William Barber said.
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STATE NEWS BRIEFS 6-5-14
WAKE FOREST
UNIVERSITY HOSTS ANGELOU MEMORIAL SERVICE SATURDAY
[WINSTON-SALEM]
The family of Dr. Maya Angelou has planned for a private memorial service for
this Saturday, June 7th, 10 a.m. at the chapel of Wake Forest
University, where the acclaimed scholar, poet, author and actress taught for
many years. Television personality and close friend Oprah Winfrey will speak
during the service, which will be closed to the public, but streamed online.
Dr. Angelou died last week at the age of 86.
EX-CHARLOTTE MAYOR
PATRICK CANNON PLEADS GUILTY TO ONE COUNT OF CORRUPTION
[CHARLOTTE]
Former Charlotte Mayor Patrick Cannon pled guilty to one count of corruption in
federal court Tuesday, and faces up to 20 years in prison. He will be sentenced
at a later date. Cannon, who was elected to office last November, was bagged by
federal authorities after taking $48,000 in cash from undercover agents to
influence city business. But Cannon copped to taking $2,000 from a strip club
owner in January 2013. Authorities say Cannon’s guilty plea doesn’t end their
federal prosecution.
PROVISION TO CLOSE
ECSU REMOVED AFTER FIRESTORM
[RALEIGH] A
provision to close Elizabeth City State University because it had lost over 20
percent of its student enrollment in the past four years was removed from the
NC Senate budget proposal last week after the NC Legislative Black Caucus and
other advocates for the UNC System historically black university blasted
Republican senators. ECSU Chancellor Charles Becton thanked supporters, and
pledged that the school is addressing its many problems.
REPUBLICANS WANT
THREE JUDGES TO RULE ON THEIR LAWSUITS
[RALEIGH] Republicans
in the state General Assembly are not too pleased that many of the lawsuits
filed against some of their past legislation have been struck down as
unconstitutional by various judges. So in a provision included in their recent
$21 billion budget proposal, the GOP want three-judge Superior Court panels to
hear all cases involving lawsuits against their legislation, and for any
appeals to go directly to the Republican-led state Supreme Court. Democrats
counter that the provision is outrageous, and just proof that the Republicans
are sore losers when court cases don’t go their way.
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TRIANGLE NEWS BRIEFS 6-5-14
GRADUATIONS UNDERWAY
IN WAKE SCHOOL SYSTEM
The Wake County Public School System will
award diplomas to 9,472 students in 25 ceremonies through June 12. The Class of
2014 earned $95.6 million in scholarships, had 1,730 qualify for the North
Carolina Scholars program and more than 1,600 honor graduates. Ten high schools
had senior classes with 500 or more students. Enloe Magnet had 586. Panther
Creek had 576. Millbrook Magnet had 558.Holly Springs had 539. Garner Magnet
had 530. Leesville Road had 524. Apex had 522. Wakefield had 510. Cary
had 505. Green Hope had 502. The 9,472 WCPSS graduates this year compares with
9,128 last year.
WAKE TEACHERS
‘SATISFIED’ WITH WORKING CONDITIONS IN RECENT SURVEY
Wake County Public School System teachers
are generally satisfied with the working conditions in their schools, but the
level of satisfaction is slipping compared to previous years and relative to
the North Carolina average. The results of the 2014 Teacher Working Conditions
Survey were presented to WCPSS school board members Tuesday. About 89 percent
of WCPSS teachers – more than 9,000 total – participated in 2014. The survey
results show more than 80 percent of teachers are satisfied with a majority of
the working conditions included in the 85-question survey. The working
conditions that scored the lowest were related to time, resources and
professional development for teachers. In addition, the results support earlier
data showing an increase in the number of teachers who expect to leave the
profession. Wake commissioners this week voted to increase the teacher pay
supplement, but without raising taxes, and using the school system’s reserve
funds.
NC TEACHERS ENTICED BY HOUSTON SCHOOL
DISTRICT JOB FAIR
The prospect of making over $12,000
more in salary and benefits was enough to attract hundreds of teachers from
across North Carolina to come to Raleigh last Saturday to hear more at a job
fair sponsored by the Houston Independent School District of Texas. Teachers in
North Carolina are the 47th lowest paid in the nation. Many are
frustrated that the Republican-led state Senate is currently offering an 11
percent pay raise, in exchange for firing teachers’ assistants, and eliminating
teacher tenure. NC teachers currently make, on average, $30,000 annually, while
teachers in Houston make $46,000 to start. About 350 signed up for the job
fair.
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ENTERTAINMENT [CASH IN THE APPLE UNDERNEATH]
STAR-STUDDED - The Rev. Dr. Benjamin Chavis (second from the left), is joined by Phyllis Bergman, president of the Diamond Empowerment Fund (left) singer Chaka Khan (center) and music mogul Russell Simmons during a benefit gala to raise $1.3 million in scholarships for African students in Las Vegas last weekend.
DIAMOND EMPOWERMENT FUND RAISES $1.3 MILLION FOR AFRICAN SCHOLARSHIPS
Special to The Carolinian Newspaper
Las
Vegas, Nevada, June 2, 2014 – On May 29th, 2014, on the
eve of the opening of JCK Las Vegas, the world’s largest diamond and jewelry
trade show, the Diamond Empowerment Fund (D.E.F) brought together a unique mix
of the international diamond jewelry industry, government officials from
diamond producing nations, government dignitaries and celebrities. In
D.E.F’s first U.S. based gala event, the organization raised over $1 million
dollars to benefit its global mission. D.E.F supports initiatives and programs
that help diamond communities throughout the world. (www.diamondempowerment.org).
Guests were treated to an intimate performance by
music icon Chaka Khan while mingling with celebrities including Jaime King,
Otis Williams of the Temptations, Denise Nicholas and pop music artist Mair. The
emcee for the evening was Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., civil rights leader and
D.E.F. advisor.
Phyllis Bergman,
D.E.F’s President of the Board stated, “Tonight, the monies that we raise
will be used not only to enable D.E.F to support our existing beneficiaries, to
add new ones & to insure D.E.F's growth, but to continue to be a
progressive and socially conscious organization focused on supporting the good
initiatives carried on in all the countries in the world that benefit from the
diamond and diamond jewelry business. We will bring this message to consumers
globally under our new ‘Diamonds Do Good’ platform”.
CASH IN THE APPLE –
6-5-14
By Cash Michaels
WISE UP – According to the Online Slang Dictionary, the definition
of the term “diva” is:
One
who behaves as a goddess or queen. A diva is a celebrated female singer,
similar to a “prima donna” (which literally means “first lady”). Bothe the
terms “diva” and “prima donna” are now used disparagingly for someone who acts
overly entitled.
And that’s why I personally feel
sorry for most divas. Many who haven’t earned the moniker feel that they “have
arrived,” and that their feet, if not other select body parts, should be kissed
eternally…just because they breathe.
That’s why I truly, truly hope that
the up-and-coming divas of the world begin paying close attention to the life
and work of Dr. Maya Angelou.
Now there, there was true
greatness.
Nothing phony about Queen Mother
Angelou. Every accolade she received upon her passing last week in
Winston-Salem was well earned, well documented.
Could Maya Angelou put on airs?
Heck, she was one of the best, but
the prolific award-winning poet, author, singer, dancer, actress, educator,
journalist, lecturer, scholar and civil rights activist
earned the right, something that today’s divas don’t even
think about doing.
When Maya
Angelou stepped into a room, her very presence changed the atmosphere. Why?
Because everyone knew – young and old – that this was a personage of substance.
They knew that she came from nothing, and through hard work, commitment and
vision, developed herself into one of the singular scholars of the human condition
who ever had walked the Earth.
Dr. Angelou
continuously, and consistently sought what she called, “ the human truth.”
I had the honor of interviewing her
twice during my career, the last being in the fall of 2014 during the
presidential election. I remember Dr. Angelou asking rhetorically what would
the nation be like if everyone was treated equally with respect and
opportunity. The idea of that one day happening excited her to know end. She
felt it in her blood and bones. The possibility of that happening in her
lifetime was intriguing, though there was no doubt in my mind that she knew
there were forces afoot equally committed to making sure it never happened.
But she pressed on anyway, watching
the right-wing of this nation attempt to tear down our first black president
with hate. Dr. Maya Angelou never gave up on the power of hope and love.
Some didn’t like the fact that Dr.
Angelou appeared to hold herself out a someone special. Well BREAKING NEWS,
folks…she was! You don’t accomplish all of the great things that she has over
her lifetime, or have lived the sometimes brutal life that she had, without
realizing that GOD had put you here, and had given you a unique gift, to do His
work with.
And she was smart enough to realize
that in this world, there will be those who will seek to undermine you, and
ultimately attempt to tear you down. If you have paid your dues in life, then
you are obligated to protect GOD’s investment. So Dr. Angelou demanded respect
from those who didn’t really know her, or have worked with her.
So if she didn’t embrace you as a
close, dear friend, then it was “Dr. Angelou” to you. If you dared to address
her as “Maya” without permission, you were read the riot act, and rightfully
so.
Maya Angelou knew who she was, and
what her gifts of insight and humanity meant to the world. This was a phenomenal
woman who had nothing to prove to anyone but GOD. So the respect she demanded,
was respect well-earned.
But there was something that her
critics missed when they seize on that as solid evidence that Dr. Angelou could
be just as pretentious as any low-rent divas out here today – Maya Angelou felt
obligated to give that same great respect to whomever she held court with.
In our interview last fall by
phone, I was addressing her as “Dr. Angelou” left and right, inside and out.
But she was addressing me as “Mr. Michaels” with the same commitment of
respect. When I, because she speaks in passages with a brief pause, mistakenly
interrupted her, and apologized and asked her to please continue, Dr. Angelou
was gracious as well, and was willing to allow me to continue if I needed to.
As a colleague who had also
interviewed Dr. Angelou said to me last weekend, she was one of the few people
who made you feel better after to speaking with her.
That’s what the divas of today
don’t understand. No one cares what you think of yourself. We do care about
what you’ve done for others, what your meaningful contributions to the world
have been, continue to be, and your willingness to share that wisdom with the world.
Every time I see First Lady Michelle Obama, I see a
young woman and leader who uses the power of her office to call attention to
the needs of our nation’s children. I see someone who remembers what it was
like to grow up in Chicago amid hardworking parents, and wants struggling
families to have an equal chance to succeed in America.
I see someone who literally has a
loving hug for every human being she comes in contact with.
Michelle Obama is among the most
powerful women in the world, but she is definitely no cheap diva.
So that’s why I especially feel
sorry for the divas of the world now. You don’t have the gravitas or wisdom of
a Dr. Maya Angelou; or the love and commitment of a First Lady Michelle Obama,
or the vision of an Oprah Winfrey.
All you have is attitude, and
fear…fear that one day everyone will tell you that you impress no one, because
you haven’t done the humanitarian work of a truly great woman. If all you have,
at whatever age you have it, is borderline sex appeal, a funky attitude and
mouth, then you’re wasting our time.
And sadly, wasting yourself.
Do the work of true great women,
and the world will never tire of singing your praises.
Keep doing what your doing, and the
world will never tire of ignoring you, and the millions of others in our
community just like you.
Dr. Maya Angelou wouldn’t want
that.
Make sure you tune in
every Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m. for my talk radio show, ''Make It Happen''
on Power 750 WAUG-AM, or online at www.myWAUG.com.
And read more about my thoughts and opinions exclusively at my blog, ‘The Cash
Roc” (http://thecashroc.blogspot.com/2011/01/cash-roc-begins.html).
I promise it will be interesting.
Cash in the Apple - honored as the Best
Column Writing of 2006 by the National Newspaper Publishers Association.
Columnist Cash Michaels was also honored by the NNPA for Best Feature Story
Journalist of 2009, and was the recipient of the Raleigh-Apex NAACP’s
President’s Award for Media Excellence in Sept. 2011.
Until next week, keep a smile on your face,
GOD in your heart, and The Carolinian in your life. Bye, bye.
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