Professor Mac McCorkle provides commentary on Governor Cooper’s proposed budget plan, which includes investments in education, health care, and economic development. McCorkle notes that there are nuances to the budget proposal that could cause it to face opposition from Republican lawmakers in the legislature.
Professor Mac McCorkle comments on Gov. Cooper’s efforts to pass his own gun legislation, describing it as “very dubious.” He makes it clear Cooper’s mention of children was not an accident, noting “Cooper was trying to bend over backwards, saying, ‘Let’s focus on children and gun problems. Let’s focus on that,’” McCorkle said.
They first got interested in the topic after getting involved in a discussion on Twitter regarding politics in the Marvel universe. Carnes notes that he first got involved because “I saw this [Twitter conversation] as a brilliant group of political scientists, political theorists, communications scholars, popular culture scholars.
The article suggests that Pearson’s experiences are not unique and that Black motorists are more likely to be stopped and searched by police than white motorists. Pearson provides a personal account of the disproportionate impact of traffic stops on Black drivers in Durham and to highlight the larger issue of racial profiling by law enforcement.
Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy has decided to transition the grading system for its introductory course to a pass/fail system starting in the fall of 2023. The course, which is a requirement for public policy majors, is currently graded on a letter-grade scale. The decision to transition to a pass/fail system was made in response to student feedback, which indicated that the letter-grade system added unnecessary stress and pressure to the course.
Bruce Jentleson examines the relationship between the United States and Ukraine, particularly in light of recent events such as the Biden administration’s decision to waive sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and Ukraine’s decision to allow a Chinese company to lease land in Crimea.
Republican wins in North Carolina’s Supreme Court have resulted in a decision to revisit a previous decision to invalidate a Republican supported redistricting map. Professor Asher Hildebrand argues in Reuters that if Republicans are allowed to implement more “Partisan congressional lines” it could flip three to four Democratic seats in their favor. “The court’s decision to rehear the issue, rather than wait for lawmakers to draw new maps that would then be subject to litigation, creates the appearance that the justices were acting out of ‘raw partisanship,’” Hildebrand said.
Professor Bruce Jentleson was interviewed by CBS17 on the Chinese spy balloon spotted flying over the United States. The balloon has caused widespread alarm and confusion, especially concerning U.S. missile sites. However, Professor Jentleson believes the balloon won’t bring “any real intelligence value” in comparison to traditional satellites.
Sanford faculty member Carolyn Barnes was recently elected to the National Academy of Social Insurance for her research that explores the social and political implications of social policy on low-income populations in the areas of childcare policy, family services, and support for young children.
Rep. David Price has represented the Triangle for more than 30 years as a Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives. But after choosing not to run for re-election in the 2022 election, his term has expired.
Price spoke with Axios for our “Local Limelight” series last month before his retirement. The conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity.