CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Even an all-American holiday doesn’t mean a break from political polarization. The annual Washington, D.C., party and fireworks celebration this year will also feature an exhibit of military might, with tanks, flyovers and a speech by the president. With the Republican National Committee handing out VIP tickets, is the event more campaign rally or public salute to the country? Depends on what side you’re on.
Previewing 2020 Democratic Debates
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The first debates of the 2020 presidential election are here. 20 Democrats will face off in a two-night debate Wednesday and Thursday in Miami.
Each candidate will have a minimum amount of time to make a maximum impact. The stakes may be even higher for those at the bottom of the polls, because their campaigns need attention and money to continue.
So, what should viewers look for, in addition to that memorable moment that can make or break a campaign?
Mary Curtis weighs in.
Jun262019
U.S.-Iran Conflict Escalates
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When the Trump administration withdrew from the 2015 international Iran nuclear deal and imposed strict sanctions, it was to put pressure on Iran to pull back from any plans for expansion in the Middle East. The sanctions have hurt the economy, which has also been damaged by Washington canceling waivers for countries to buy Iranian oil without a penalty.
But tensions are hotter than ever after explosions damaged two Japanese- and Norwegian-owned oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
Is America headed for more conflicts in the Middle East?
Jun192019
President Trump’s U.K. Visit
CHARLOTTE, NC — The Unites States and Britain have for generations been proud of their “special relationship,” their cultural, political and military bonds. But as President Trump traveled across the Atlantic for a state dinner and high-level meetings, there are questions about those bonds. The president and the queen exchanged strong and supportive toasts – but there was more to the story.
Jun052019
A Growing Charlotte Is Now 16th Largest City. Can We Handle It?
CHARLOTTE, NC — A Growing Charlotte Is Now 16th Largest City. Can We Handle It?
The U.S. Census Bureau has reported that Charlotte has again moved up in the rankings of the country’s largest cities, adding 13,151 residents between 2017 and 2018, for a total population of nearly 872,500. It passes Indianapolis to become the 16th largest city in the country.
And its outlying towns are growing even faster.
Only Phoenix, San Antonio, Fort Worth and Seattle added more new people. So, what does that mean, as Charlotte, though proud of the achievement, continues to struggle with challenges those growing numbers mean, from affordable housing to infrastructure demands to the wealth and education gap?
May292019
Will Changing Charlotte Neighborhoods Change Charlotte?
CHARLOTTE, NC — This week it was iconic Pike’s Soda Shop closing in South End, a neighborhood that has already seen favorites such as Phat Burrito close or move to make way for high-end shops and new developments. It’s not a new phenomenon for a growing city like Charlotte. But with growth comes new challenges, for example, how to meet the need for affordable housing when prices and rents rise and residents are displaced.
The city searches for solutions to mesh the old and the new in Charlotte.
May082019
A Deadly Shooting at UNCC, and a City in Shock
CHARLOTTE, NC — A shooting at UNCC leaves two dead and four wounded. A city that has seen a sharp rise in homicides this year is now grappling with a horrific shooting that adds Charlotte to the list of cities where a school is the setting for gun violence. A suspect is in custody, but that doesn’t provide answers to the questions of why it happened and what can be done
May012019
To Impeach or Not to Impeach
CHARLOTTE, NC — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is urging amid the divide in her own party over whether to impeach President Trump. Pelosi says the party should continue to push for the entire Mueller Report instead of the redacted version released last week.
The Mueller report said the president of the United States did not commit crimes; but it expressly refused to exonerate him on possible obstruction of justice.
Democrats and Republicans face risks and rewards as they choose what to do next. And the process is happening a year and a half before the 2020 presidential election.
Apr242019
Are Young Voters the Key to the White House in 2020?
CHARLOTTE, NC — For Democrats, will it be the past vs. the future? The old guard or fresh faces? The two older gentlemen at the top of every poll judging 2020 Democratic presidential maybes or not? And does any candidate possess the “it” factor that can beat President Trump.
A Pew research center report shows millennials will make up roughly a quarter of eligible voters in 2020. Generation Z, those born after 1996, will make up another 10%.
WCCB political contributor Mary C. Curtis takes a look at how Democrats are hoping to get the youth vote for the 2020 presidential election.
Apr172019
2020 Democratic Presidential Field
CHARLOTTE, NC — The first scheduled debate for the growing field of Democrats ready to take on President Trump in 2020 is to take place in Miami over two days in June. They will need both days to accommodate all the men and women on the growing list. Just this week, Iowa-born California congressman Eric Swalwell joined the crowd. Though it is way too early to judge, how is the field shaping up?
Apr102019
