NCAE

Progressive Pulse has the story.

Party leaders denied that the measure was politically motivated, but in a private caucus meeting that was inadvertently broadcast to the press room, House Speaker Thom Tillis said, ““The reason we’re doing it is because the NCAE has gone into all five districts with mailers hammering these Democrats. It’s just a little taste of what’s to come.”

The new Pope administration, enabled by Tillis and Berger, is well on track to set a new record for corruption and incompetence.

Via Twitter:

clarkriemer 9:46am via web Berger: Not substituting EduJobs money w/ State dollars. LEAs can use $84mil to either retain EduJobs teachers or for teacher raises. #NCGA

Berger's trying to do a couple of things with this approach. First, he's trying to classify some teachers as "Federal" teachers, so he can wash his hands of any responsibility for their fate. Second, with the "choose one" deal, he's pitting current teachers against future hires (I would have gotten a raise if we hadn't hired you). And of course there's this:

Let's face it, the middle class is loosing the power struggle with conservatives. Republicans and conservative Democrats have long been enacting policies that hurt and diminish the influence of Americas strong post war middle. North Carolinian's are told our lack of unions protects us, yet tens of thousands of our jobs have been exported to even more low wage, low regulation territories. Now the NCAE has been punished for supporting "progressive" causes. It will not be enough to return the teachers automatic dues payment. I support restoring hope to all North Carolina families by eliminating our regressive Right to Work legislation. All workers deserve an opportunity for an improved future, our new economy will not satisfy the people until this is true. Unions have done this in the past and deserve a role in returning power to the middle class.

that blocks the state from moving forward with its plan to discriminate against teachers. Damn those activist judges for defending the constitution! Found on Facebook

WRAL reports that neither Democrats nor Republicans think that Thom Tillis' Midnight Madness will be much of an issue in November. The source of the Democratic lament is none other than David Parker, who, unbelievably, blew his shot at re-setting the agenda:

State Democratic Party chairman David Parker isn't sure voters will care much about the process question, either, since it happened so fast that no one knew what was going on.

Pardon my French, but what a bunch of horseshit. The proper response to Laura Leslie's question would have been:

We're all mad about the NCGA's amazing cloak-and-dagger actions last night. So let's do something about it! From the Young Democrats of North Carolina:

When you consider midnight sessions, redistricting, attempts to change our voting laws, and many other bills proposed and passed over the past year, the real unconstitutionality becomes clear: Democrats are losing equal protection of the laws in North Carolina ... Please take action today:

• Contact Speaker Tillis and ask that he apologize for this farce of a session.

Tea Party Republicans and two cowardly Democrats last night violated the constitution and their oaths of office by illegally overriding Governor Perdue's veto, thereby placing additional burdens on teachers who are members of the NCAE, and discriminating against the organization itself.

Just after 1 a.m. today, in a secreted session critics called unconstitutional, Republican legislative leaders passed a bill aimed at weakening the state's largest teachers association. Two Democrats -- state Reps. William Brisson and Jim Crawford -- broke party ranks to join Republicans in a 69 to 45 vote to override Perdue's veto of the measure, Senate Bill 727. The 1:12 a.m. vote means teachers who belong to the N.C. Association of Educators can no longer have their NCAE dues deducted automatically from their paychecks.

What do responsible citizens do in the face of illegal actions by elected officials? Since we don't have the ability to recall the scumbags, the only alternative I see is civil disobedience.

Teachers should give North Carolina a civics lesson. A statewide strike is in order.

Updated by James to expunge the inappropriate use of "union" in the original post.

Carolinas AGC is touting all the success in the past legislative session, chief among their successes being the General Assembly's failure to cap the gasoline tax.

Argumentum ad hominem, Puppet style:

Civitas Institute, a conservative advocacy group, put out a release this morning listing the salaries of the top employees of the N.C. Association of Educators, the teachers group which is organizing the rally.

"The trend lines certainly indicate considerable growth in compensation benefits for NCAE executives, and I wonder if NCAE members are comfortable with those trends," said Civitas Institute policy analyst Bob Luebke, clearly trying to stir up trouble.

Clearly. And it's also clear their always dubious status as a "think tank" has now been demolished, and media should now refer to them as a political PR firm that represents the world's smallest union: Art Pope and a handful of his wealthy friends.