To: The North Carolina State House
Don't Clinch Fracking in NC with Fractured Voting Rule
No political party, by using unfair voting practices, should be allowed to push through and clinch a bill to which the majority of House members and their constituents are opposed.
Correct the vote on the override of “fracking bill” S820 and change NC’s House Rules to give members sufficient time to vote and confirm their votes before results are announced.
Correct the vote on the override of “fracking bill” S820 and change NC’s House Rules to give members sufficient time to vote and confirm their votes before results are announced.
Why is this important?
Fracking was forced into NC through a crack in a fractured House vote.
Fracking is too important an issue to be rammed through the legislative process in this way. Stanford professor Mark Jacobson says we can be fossil-fuel free by 2030, with all energy needs met by wind, water and solar. Furthermore NC has strong wind and solar resources.
http://www.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/Articles/I/sad1109Jaco5p.indd.pdf
http://www.stanford.edu/group/efmh/winds/global_winds.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_sLt5gNAQs
After the "fracking bill" (S820) passed, Gov Perdue vetoed it, and the House lacked support to override it.
But by the time House Speaker Tillis opened the vote to override the veto near midnight July 2, at least one Rep had been "bought off," and then Rep. Carney pushed the wrong button. Within two minutes, S820 was set in stone, clinched by motion meant to drown out Carney‘s protests.
NC alone gives members only 10 seconds to vote and almost no chance (if any) to correct a mistaken deciding vote. When such errors occur, whether the no-change rule is suspended or the vote is clinched depends largely on whom the Speaker recognizes.
What happened in NC’s House on July 2 is flagrantly unfair and warrants a correction on S820 and a change in NC’s voting rules. Members should have an opportunity to check and confirm their votes before the machine is locked. A verification vote on close or contested results should be mandatory - no room for bias.
Most important, the House should take time to gather and study updated and unbiased information about fracking and the potential of wind, water and solar before rushing through a bill like this one.
FYI:
NOES-- Holloway (Rockingham, Stokes Counties) and McGrady (Henderson County) are the two Republicans who voted with the Democrat minority to Sustain Perdue's VETO on July 2 (the day of Carney's mistaken vote) - In other words, They voted AGAINST FRACKING
AYES ---K Alexander (Mecklenburg); Brisson (Bladen, Cumberland); Carney (Mecklenburg); S Hamilton (New Hanover); Hill (Brunswick, Columbus); R Moore (Mecklenburg) are the six Democrats who voted with a majority of Republicans to Override Perdue's VETO on July 2 (Carney saying hers was a mistake). In other words, They voted IN FAVOR of FRACKING.
View to get a brief tutorial on the hazards of fracking:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2Ozcl7lV_g&feature=related
For more details, please read & sign this petition as well - both will go to Tillis:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/707/578/933/dont-clinch-fracking-in-nc-with-fractured-house-voting-rules-allow-carneys-real-vote/
Fracking is too important an issue to be rammed through the legislative process in this way. Stanford professor Mark Jacobson says we can be fossil-fuel free by 2030, with all energy needs met by wind, water and solar. Furthermore NC has strong wind and solar resources.
http://www.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/Articles/I/sad1109Jaco5p.indd.pdf
http://www.stanford.edu/group/efmh/winds/global_winds.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_sLt5gNAQs
After the "fracking bill" (S820) passed, Gov Perdue vetoed it, and the House lacked support to override it.
But by the time House Speaker Tillis opened the vote to override the veto near midnight July 2, at least one Rep had been "bought off," and then Rep. Carney pushed the wrong button. Within two minutes, S820 was set in stone, clinched by motion meant to drown out Carney‘s protests.
NC alone gives members only 10 seconds to vote and almost no chance (if any) to correct a mistaken deciding vote. When such errors occur, whether the no-change rule is suspended or the vote is clinched depends largely on whom the Speaker recognizes.
What happened in NC’s House on July 2 is flagrantly unfair and warrants a correction on S820 and a change in NC’s voting rules. Members should have an opportunity to check and confirm their votes before the machine is locked. A verification vote on close or contested results should be mandatory - no room for bias.
Most important, the House should take time to gather and study updated and unbiased information about fracking and the potential of wind, water and solar before rushing through a bill like this one.
FYI:
NOES-- Holloway (Rockingham, Stokes Counties) and McGrady (Henderson County) are the two Republicans who voted with the Democrat minority to Sustain Perdue's VETO on July 2 (the day of Carney's mistaken vote) - In other words, They voted AGAINST FRACKING
AYES ---K Alexander (Mecklenburg); Brisson (Bladen, Cumberland); Carney (Mecklenburg); S Hamilton (New Hanover); Hill (Brunswick, Columbus); R Moore (Mecklenburg) are the six Democrats who voted with a majority of Republicans to Override Perdue's VETO on July 2 (Carney saying hers was a mistake). In other words, They voted IN FAVOR of FRACKING.
View to get a brief tutorial on the hazards of fracking:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2Ozcl7lV_g&feature=related
For more details, please read & sign this petition as well - both will go to Tillis:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/707/578/933/dont-clinch-fracking-in-nc-with-fractured-house-voting-rules-allow-carneys-real-vote/