People in Politics - 8/6/11 Print
People In Politics
Friday, 05 August 2011 23:00

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North Carolina legislators will reconvene in Raleigh for a week-long session that will address proposed amendments to the state constitution. Among the likely amendments is one that would define marriage in our state as between one man and one woman. Jeff Shaw of the N.C. Justice Center and Becki Gray of the John Locke Foundation discuss the political implications of the debate and which political factions would turn out for the 2012 election to make their views known on the hotly debated issue. Shaw and Gray also discuss a potential amendment to term-limit legislative leaders, update talk about legal challenges to the new congressional and legislative boundary maps, and analyze the winners and losers in the recent debate over cutting federal spending and raising the debt limit, including Tea Party discontent with new 2nd District Congresswoman Renee Ellmers.  Then 2008 Libertarian Senate candidate Mike Beitler discusses his intent to run for N.C. Secretary of State as a Republican. Beitler explains why he changed his party registration and the issues he would address if elected. That’s followed by a discussion with Josh Ellis of SGRToday.com and Rick Martinez of the N.C. News Network, SGRToday.com and NewsRadio 680 WPTF in Raleigh about political stories swirling around state Sen. Stan Bingham, Rep. Stephen LaRoque, and a former Franklin County sheriff. Ellis and Martinez also discuss the possible legislative approval of expanded gambling options in western North Carolina.