FDP Netroots Coalition

The Netroots in Florida have an official caucus within the Florida Democratic Party and it has now launched its own website: FDP Netroots Coaltion.


So what is the organization about?

The Netroots Coalition was created to help bring together bloggers and Netroots activists who support the Democratic Party. The mission of the organization is to contribute to the growth and influence of the Democratic Party, to establish and maintain a Democratic online community, and to promote the party and all party candidates for Democratic leadership throughout the state and nation. We also seek to assist and encourage Florida Democrats, including clubs, county, and grassroots organizations to get online and establish a communication network and promote online participation among Democrats.

That's a tall order! You can help by becoming a member or simply giving a donation.

Read More...

Summary only...

Blogging Florida

So, what's up on the "internets" lately:

Amendments

I just had to include this quote from an article written by Ernie Padgett for the Ocala Star-Banner titled Tax Amendment diverts attention from real issues:

So what do our state leaders do? They draw attention away from their failures to address numerous important state issues. Homeowners insurance is just one example.

Tens of thousands of our citizens have either had their property insurance canceled or they had to drop their coverage because of sky-high premiums. The governor and Legislature should have stayed focused on the insurance crises instead of manufacturing another crises as a diversion.

We are now told that the state knows best when it comes to running city and county governments and local school districts.

Actually, the governor and Legislature are not qualified to run local governments. They are out of their league when it comes to being responsible for the day-to-day delivery of vital local services and for educating our children. Local officials elected by and working with local citizens are the best qualified for these challenges.

Here is the crux of these state-created crises: They say local governments spend too much money resulting in high property taxes. Hello? Almost without exception, each year the Florida Legislature imposes unfunded mandates on local governments and school districts. Now, they have the nerve to say these same local governments must be fiscally controlled by the state.

He captures the frustration with the current situation quite well. I mentioned the issue of unfunded mandates in an earlier posting, but sometimes its best to hear it from someone who's been there. Ernie Padgett served as a Jackson County commissioner from 1980 to 1984 and as county administrator in Jackson, Santa Rosa and Manatee counties from 1987 to 2007.

kansasr at Daily Kos writes about Florida's OTHER election on Jan 29

Florida is in a financial mess at the moment. The state is facing severe cuts because of sales tax revenues are not meeting projections because of what is truly a recession down here. Property sales are almost non-existant.

But in true Republican fashion, rather than try and come up with a bi-partisan, comprehensive long term solution, they seem to be throwing fuel on the fire, while cutting funding the the fire departments that will be needed to deal with the inferno. It's been estimated that the average savings from this initiative will be around $300 (sounds like the Bush tax rebate of a few years ago!). But the long term ramifications are far more severe. And even at $300 per household, local governments are bracing for an additional round of belt tightening, even more severe than what was required from last years mandated rate reductions.

The figure I heard was $240 per household or basically $20 a month in savings which could potentially be offset by other rate hikes. The gist of it is, you won't really save much if any money and passing the Amendment will make the existing inequities even worse.

The Florida Progressive Coalition has a couple good round-ups of articles about the Property Tax Amendment as well as the Gay-bashing Amendment: Update on the Crazy Conservative Amendments and Update on the Horrible Conservative Amendment Movement in Florida.

I wonder if their next update is going to be called "Update on the Batshit Crazy Amendments" because that's really what they are.

In other news ...

Blast Off - Bill McCollum hates the Constitution

Florida Kossacks - Nine Florida candidates among DFA's Grassroots All-Stars

Alison Morano - Statement on January 29th - Democrats Vote

Talk To Me - Time Capsuled ... a must read in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King.

Read More...

Summary only...

Democrats: Vote in the Florida Primary

Seriously, your vote matters, despite what you may have been told to the contrary. We will have an important role in choosing the Democratic Nominee for President and our delegates, ultimately, will be seated.


In a previous diary, I provided quotes from Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi, former DNC Chair Don Fowler and Senator Carl Levin all essentially saying that Florida's delegates will be seated by the Democratic Nominee at the Convention.

To add to the list of people who've said our votes matter and our delegates will be seated, I give you Senator Bill Nelson:

"By virtue that it's basically a two-person race on the Democratic side and a four-person race on the Republican side, Florida now becomes critical," Nelson said. "Florida is the first big state primary prior to Super Tuesday, a week later, when 22 states are going to vote."
...
Nelson noted Florida is a more demographically diverse test for the candidates than Iowa and New Hampshire, which should impact financial contributions and some voters' opinions going into Super Tuesday.

He also expected Clinton and Obama to storm the state in the two days before the primary, even though they and other Democratic presidential candidates were told by Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean to avoid the state until after the South Carolina primary for Democrats on Jan. 26. The Republican primary in South Carolina is Jan. 19.

As for the national parties excluding convention delegates from Florida and Michigan, which also moved up its primary date to the displeasure of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina, Nelson expects that issue will be resolved before the weeklong events go live on TV.

"They want to win in November," Nelson said. "Can you imagine them not seating two big states?"

No, I can't! That's why many of us in the netroots have been saying over and over again that our votes matter and that our delegates will be seated.

Even the media is starting to change their tune somewhat. Ken Quinnell at the Florida Progressive Coalition wrote The Latest on the Florida Democratic Primary which provides a good round-down of articles from the Florida press illustrating the importance of our state's primary. Yes, even for us Democrats!

I've found a few more:

The Orlando Sentinel: Presidential primaries: Moment of truth waits in Florida:

Florida's primary on Jan. 29 should result in a big turnout. It will be the first primary state to have absentee ballots (with voters submitting same as early as Christmas Day), as well as early voting, which means that ballots can be cast at certain polling places beginning on Jan. 14 so as to prevent long lines on the regular voting day. Most of all, the instigator to vote early on Jan. 29 may be the fact that the state's property-tax-reform measure is on the ballot, and, for many municipalities, there are local offices to be filled.

To be sure, the national Democratic and Republican higher-ups aren't happy with Florida moving this year's primary to a date before Super Tuesday (Feb. 5) and have imposed sanctions in terms of cutting the number of convention delegates. But the truth is that any candidate getting a solid vote in Florida -- where the population mirrors the nation -- will have a leg up on Super Tuesday and the national convention.

TC Palm - State Democratic primary vote means more than ever

What makes this election even more interesting is the fact that the Democratic Party candidates agreed not to campaign in Florida prior to the primary due to Florida’s non-compliance with the bipartisan agreement on primaries. It was suggested that states such as Florida and Michigan, which violated the agreement, not be allowed to rally at the Democratic National Convention, but this is not likely to happen.

The candidate(s) will be in control of the late August convention and will want to have their delegates seated. As opposed to the delegate conventions of the 1960s, today’s conventions serve more as rallying functions than playing key roles in determining election results. To not seat Florida’s Democratic delegation would show disunity in the party and the Democratic candidates cannot afford such an episode.

News 4 Jax - 3 Weeks from Florida's Primary, Some Ask: Why Vote?

Local party officials said they are still hopeful Florida's delegates will have a voice at the conventions, and the result of this month's primary will determine how those delegates vote.

"I assure you the delegates will be seated," Duval County Democratic Chairman Travis Bridges told Channel 4's Jim Piggott. "When the nominee is selected the nominee has the choice of seating or not seating delegates. There is no nominee that is going to exclude Florida."

First Coast News - Florida's Primary: Will Everyone's Votes Count?

But during a voting machine testing session Tuesday, Duval Elections Supervisor Jerry Holland said the decisions Florida's voters make on the 29th will still carry huge unofficial weight.

"We get that question a lot: 'Will our vote count?'" Holland said. "And I tell people, I say, 'The world will know who Florida selects for their two candidates.'"

Ballots will still be cast in three weeks and results will still be published. Voters across America will still know how Florida feels, even if that big "Florida" sign is missing from the convention floor this fall.

Holland believes both parties' delegates will eventually be allowed to take part in the big conventions. Neither party wants to risk angering voters in America's fourth most populous state.

You have the opportunity to influence who will become the next Democratic nominee for President. In previous years, by the time we voted, the Democratic nominee was already known. Don't give up your voice in this election.

Tell the world who you want as the Democratic Nominee - VOTE JANUARY 29TH!

Read More...

Summary only...

Blogging Florida

Florida Primary

Florida Progressive Coalition - Like We Said, Our Votes Will Count on 1/29.

See also: The Media Still Can't Get the Story Straight. and Florida: "You're Welcome"

Florida Legislature

Progressive Florida - State House Numbers, State Senate Numbers Part I and Florida State Senate Part II

Voting Rights

Project Vote - Federal Judge Find FLa. Violated Voting Rights

Jebacy

mentelibre - Jeb's Economic Time Bomb Ready to Blow

Smashed Frog - As the Jeb-acy Turns

Tampabay Democrat - Jeb Bush and the Subprime Mortgage Crisis

Pensacola Beach Blog - Annals of Privatization - Chapter XXVIII

Education

FlaBlog - Magical design in Pinellas

Blast Off - Republicans hate education

Read More...

Summary only...

Legislative Update

If you think your wallet is feeling empty this holiday season, you should see the state of Florida's budget. If that isn't depressing enough, campaign season has already begun for people seeking office in the Florida Legislature. Don't worry though, we can still look back at this year and laugh through the tears.

State Budget

Tallahassee Democrat - House, Senate face $2.4B budget shortage

Choice quotes from the article:

"The cupboard is not just bare," Rep. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, said Wednesday. "The cupboard is gone."
---
Sen. Burt Saunders, R-Naples, said he is telling constituents in Lee and Collier counties that "the odds are very, very slim that we'll have any money at all for local projects.

"It's pretty clear that we have extremely limited funds," said Saunders. "This is probably one of the worst budget years ever."
---
"When the gavels go down, there are hundreds of millions of dollars to spend," [Senator Al]Lawson [D-Tallahassee] said. "I never get too excited about them telling me this, but what I'm concerned about is that they'll take care of the Republicans because there's an election year coming up."
---
"If I can't ask for it with a straight face, I've got no business putting in for it," [Representative Dave] Murzin [R-Pensacola] said. "There will be community budget requests submitted with the understanding that there is no money to fund them, but politically it is better to at least ask for them."

Orlando Sentinel - The ins and outs from Tallahassee

More choice quotes:

"I've sent out two letters in the last few weeks to the organizations we've tried to help in the past," said Sen. Lee Constantine, R-Altamonte Springs. "I'm telling them, the money is not there. Unless you can convince a state agency to put your request in their budget, you're probably not going to get funded."
---
Budget chiefs Sen. Lisa Carlton, R-Osprey, and Rep. Ray Sansom, R-Destin, are already playing the Grinch role. Setting a Jan. 4 deadline for accepting hometown requests, the pair recently sent a memo to lawmakers warning that lumps of coal were more likely this year than shiny new bikes.

Citing slumping tax receipts because of the stalled housing market, they wrote, "Given this reality, we advise that you not expect to receive any general revenue funding, either recurring or non-recurring, for community budget issue requests this coming session."

Legislative Races

Sun-Herald - State House District 72 race is heating up

It seems an aide for Representative Paige Kreegal's office was instructed to contact the employer of Keith Richter, a republican challenging Kreegal for office.

After university officials were tipped off that Richter's master’s degree was from an unaccredited diploma mill, he was demoted to teaching assistant. That tip came from Kreegel's office, specifically from his chief aide Barry Millman. Lehigh activist and Richter supporter Robert Anderson, president of the civic group Lehigh Acres Watchdog, was suspicious, and asked Kreegel's office for any e-mail communication with the university. Millman denied there was any. Twice.

“We have no records responsive to your request,” Millman responded, then “There is no further response forthcoming.”

Anderson wouldn't take no for an answer, however, and made the same request of House Speaker Marco Rubio. Rubio's office provided the e-mails, in which Millman questioned Richter's credentials. House counsel and investigators looked into the incident. A report issued in November says Millman points the finger at Kreegel.

“Millman stated he was told to do these things by Rep. Kreegel,” the report says.

House District 72 includes Desoto, most of Charlotte and part of Lee County. The republican primary for this seat is August 26, 2008.

The Democrat in the race is Judy Juliano - learn more about her via her website at: http://www.julianoforstaterep.org/

Tallahassee Democrat - Term limits could be a problem for Big Bend

House Districts 8, 9 and 10 are all up for grabs due to term limits.

Democrat Curtis Richardson who will be vacating district 8 has five Democrats vying for his spot: Anthony Viegbesie, Alan Williams, Sean Shaw and Hubert Brown and Rodney Moore.

Democrat Loranne Ausley will be vacating district 9 has three Democrats and one Republican vying for her spot: Fred Varn, Michelle Vasilinda, Willie George Johnson and republican challenger Peter Boulware.

Republican Will Kendrick (formerly a Democrat) will vacate district 10 with two Democrats and one Republican vying for his spot: Julie Conley, A.J. Smith and republican challenger Don Curtis.

Also, Senate District 3 will have a rematch between Republican Charlie Dean and his Democratic challenger Suzan Franks.

Just for fun

St. Petersburg Times - Luckily, no media frenzy erupted.

Columnist Howard Troxler has some fun with a round-up of (mostly fake) news from 2007 and here's a few quotes from his humorous reflections on what transpired this past year:

Jan. 29: Legislature votes to ask insurance companies "pretty please with sugar on top" to cut rates.
---
Feb. 17:Rare fossils discovered by Pinellas student. School Board declares them to be 5,700 years old.
---
March 21: Hillsborough Elections Supervisor Buddy Johnson announces new citizen-participation game, "Precinct Hide-and-Seek."
---
May 4:Florida Legislature votes to hold 2012 presidential primary in 2008.

Don't forget, December 31st is the last day to register to vote in the January 29th primary.

Read More...

Summary only...