Opinion Roundup: 2020 census, tariffs, teacher rebellion, poverty in rural America and more

Wednesday, April 4, 2018 -- A round up of opinion, commentary and analysis on: Lawsuit to stop census citizenship question, trade war with China, reflections on Martin Luther King Jr., teacher rebellion, poverty in rural America and more.

TAFT WIREBACK: Federal appeals court backs skipping judicial primaries in N.C. (Greensboro News & Record reports) -- Federal appellate judges affirmed their earlier decision blocking a lower court’s order that would have reinstated primary elections this year for statewide judicial offices. A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a Jan. 31 order by U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles that effectively required 2018 primaries for statewide judgeships that had been waived by a new state law.

Interesting Concurring Opinion by Judge Motz in 4th Circuit Order on N.C. Change to Primary Rules (Appeals Court order) – Concurring opinion from Appeals Court Judge Diana Gribbon Motz: “In seeking a stay of the district court’s order, Senator Philip E. Berger and Representative Timothy K. Moore argued that the court had erred in finding S.L. 214 created a First Amendment burden because it relied ‘on speculation and conjecture’ and held ‘that the Democratic Party has a Constitutional right to a primary for state elections.’ This argument misrepresented the district court’s rationale. The court did not conclude that a political party has a constitutional right to a state-run primary; rather, it found just the reverse — ‘political parties cannot demand that states choose the winnowing-down method that the political parties prefer.’”

MARK JURKOWITZ: Hanig challenges Boswell in GOP primary (Outer Banks Sentinel reports) -- When it comes to civic life, Bobby Hanig has enjoyed a pretty smooth journey. At least, so far.

REBECCA DAVIS O’BRIAN: New York Joins With N.C. and Other States in Lawsuit to Stop Census’ Citizenship Question (Wall Street Journal reports) -- Nearly two dozen U.S. states and cities filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block the Trump administration’s plan to ask respondents during the 2020 census if they are U.S. citizens.

CULLEN BROWDER & TYLER DUKES: Cooper, legislature spend big on private lawyers in fight over powers (WRAL-TV reports) -- The power struggle between Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and the Republican legislature over political appointments has so far cost state taxpayers more than $1.5 million in legal fees from private lawyers.

N.C. among states, cities suing US government over census citizenship question (AP reports) -- North Carolina, 16 other states, the District of Columbia and six cities sued the U.S. government, saying the addition of a citizenship question to the census form is unconstitutional.

STEPHANIE CARSON & VERONICA CARTER: NC is Counting on Accurate 2020 Census (Public News Service reports) -- Adding a question about citizenship to the 2020 U.S. Census may sound innocuous, but immigrant advocates say it will have a far-reaching impact on all people in the country. The Trump administration is proposing adding the question, but people such as Dani Moore, director of the Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project at the N.C. Justice Center, said it may discourage an untold number of people from answering honesty, for fear of how the information will be used.

Records tied to ex-officers beating of black man subpoenaed (AP reports) -- The U.S. Attorney's Office has subpoenaed records related to former Asheville Police Officer Chris Hickman's beating of a black pedestrian.

Trade war will hit home hard in NC (Fayetteville Observer) -- For the past few weeks, all the president’s talk about trade wars has been an abstract notion for most of us — a concern for policymakers in Washington but nothing that would come home to disrupt our daily lives. But when China announced Monday that it’s slapping a 25 percent tariff on pork products in retaliation to President Trump’s tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, the global became local.

WILL MICHAELS: China's tariffs on American goods could dip into North Carolina's pork exports (WUNC-FM reports) -- China said it is imposing a 25 percent tariff on dozens of goods, including pork products. North Carolina exported about $100 million worth of pork to China last year.

TRAVIS FAIN: Charlotte's bid in for 2020 Republican convention (WRAL-TV reports) -- The Queen City makes it official: It wants the 2020 Republican National Convention.

TRAVIS FAIN & ADAM OWENS: Amazon visits Triangle to scout for HQ2 (WRAL-TV/TechWire reports) -- The super-secretive process as Amazon narrows the field for a planned second headquarters — and the estimated 50,000 jobs it would create over 15 years — touched down in the Triangle last week.

50 years later, reflect on King's deeds, not just his words (Charlotte Observer) -- Martin Luther King was assassinated 50 years ago Wednesday. His dream and his example remain vital today.

Martin Luther King -- extremist for love and justice (Wilmington Star-News) -- Today, 50 years after his profound voice was silenced by an assassin, we honor and give thanks for the prophetic life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Martyr, Dreamer and our National Conscience.

RICK HOLMES: When ending poverty was a priority (Wilmington Star-News column) -- Rural America is hurting, and Washington doesn’t care

SEAN MURPHY: Teacher rebellion puts red-state Republicans on defensive (AP reports) -- A teacher rebellion in red states from West Virginia to Arizona has put Republicans on the defensive, forcing them to walk a fine line in the months before midterm elections between placating constituents who are angry over education cuts and conservative supporters who want a smaller government and low taxes.

LIZ SCHLEMMER: MyFutureNC Commission To Write State Goals for Pre-K to College (WUNC-FM reports) -- The commission will ask specific questions about education benchmarks the state needs to hit, including: “How many does this state need to educate, and to what levels, to be economically competitive? How many people in this state need education beyond high school to earn a good job?”

State board should not approve CFCC candidate (Wilmington Star-News) -- We urge the N.C. Board of Community Colleges to vote down the appointment of a new CFCC president and to instruct the trustees to conduct a legitimate and transparent search.

ENERY DALESIO: Lawsuit blames pork giant for noxious farm smells (AP reports) -- A low-cost, high-volume livestock-rearing method pioneered in North Carolina came under fire Tuesday as jurors began hearing a lawsuit from neighbors who say the world's largest pork corporation is endangering their health and making their lives miserable.

LAURA LESLIE: Lawmakers get update on NC's nuclear capability (WRAL-TV reports) -- Because of a change in federal regulations finalized in the past few months, the Shearon Harris nuclear plant in southwest Wake County could keep operating for another 48 years, Duke Energy officials told state lawmakers.

NEEL KELLER: Board hears case for offshore drilling (Outer Banks Sentinel reports) -- The Dare Board of Commissioners listened respectfully to an April 3 presentation advocating for seismic surveys and the possibility of offshore drilling off the North Carolina coast, but remained convinced that it carried an unacceptable risk.

KIRK ROSS: Study Calls for Ferry Route Cuts, Fare Hikes (Coastal Review reports) -- Recommendations for cutting state ferry runs and increasing fares ran aground last week during a legislative committee meeting, but legislators appeared more supportive of proposed partnerships for passenger ferries.

AMANDA DOLASINSKI: Bill Murray stops in Fayetteville to check out baseball stadium (Fayetteville Observer reports) -- Baseball aficionado and comedian Bill Murray quietly slipped under the radar Monday night to check out progress on Fayetteville’s baseball stadium and eat a hamburger. And as quietly as he slipped in, he slipped out in less than two hours. A photo of the actor with staff of Third Base Restaurant and Bar has been shared dozens of times online, while the waitress who took his order is still in disbelief that he stopped by the business.

Charlotte, NC, man entered store craving coconut juice. He left with $100K (Charlotte Observer reports) -- A Charlotte, North Carolina, man entered a convenience store craving coconut juice. He left with $100,000 after deciding to buy a lottery ticket in the NC Education Lottery.