Judge takes Florida property tax measure off ballot - July 24, 2010 - A judge Friday removed from November's ballot a proposed constitutional amendment that would have given an extra property tax break to some homeowners, saying its ballot title and summary are misleading.
Aid for the long-term jobless - July 24, 2010 - Gov. Charlie Crist issued an executive order that allows Floridians who had exhausted 79 weeks of jobless benefits to be eligible for up to 20 more weeks.
Alan Grayson on Unemployment Bill
Charlie Crist Blasts Florida Lawmakers
By the People - July 11, 2010 - A video by Carl Malamud making change to our Justice System. This is a 22 minute video that I think you should watch and support for change in our Justice System.
What Can We Do About Unemployment Benefits? - July 7, 2010 - My report on the Senate's failure to pass the latest version of the jobs/tax bill has generated more comments than I've seen in a long while. They concern one piece of the package — the extension of unemployment insurance benefits.
Listen All Y'all, It's a Republican Sabotage - July 1, 2010 - Tuesday morning on CNBC, the spazzy white guys in lower Manhattan were debating how the administration and Congress can best repair the economy, and mainly the jobless numbers. At one point, Rick Santelli, the hyperkinetic shoutcaster and instigator of the tea party movement, began to flail around, waving his arms above his head while yelling, "Stop spending! Stop spending! Stop spending!"
Ed Shultz on the Very "Bad Senate" or "Very Bad Republicans"
You're being lied to about Fair Districts - June 14, 2010 - Politics is full of lies. However, rarely is a lie so provably debunked as the one that opponents of Fair Districts are spreading
Corruprion in 2010 - May 28, 2010 - Will 2010 see a surge forward, or an easing back of corruption? There is unease about how much of the stimulus money might be corruptly misappropriated.
Moving State Funds Should be Illegal - April 22, 2010 - As I was going through the news I ran across an article from Florida Capital News called "Legislature Raids Trust Fund" Transportation money will be used to help plug budget shortfall by Jim Ash and I was thinking that Florida Republican Congress has already messed the Florida Budget up so bad that it is a wonder if anyone can figure it like it suppose be.
Keith Olbermann ripping Republican Rubio and I don't blame him. He deserved it.
Florida U.S. Senate Candidates differ on Health Care law - March 26, 2010 - The two Republican candidates for Florida's U.S. Senate seat said they dissapointed to see Health Care Bill signed into law Tuesday. The two Democrats disagreed.
Thank the Republicans for Health Care Reform and More - March 22, 2010 - If you do not like the Health Care Reform Bill the way it is then thank the Republicans. That’s right, thank each and every Republican because they decided to destroy President Obama instead of putting together a good Health Care Reform Bill like the American People wanted and needed because of greedy insurance companies.
Health Reform Myths- March 13, 2010 - Health reform is back from the dead. Many Democrats have realized that their electoral prospects will be better if they can point to a real accomplishment.
The results of the Recovery Act that the Republicans voted against and now trying to claim a victory!!!!
A New Chair, a New Chance - February 10, 010 - After a turbulent period in the direction and performance of the MDCDEC, we finally have a Chair who seems to be committed to have the party do what is necessary to fulfill the mission of the DEC.
Obama: Expand two lending programs - February
7, 2010 - President Barack Obama wants Congress to expand two lending programs to get more money in the hands of small business owners.
Questions for the President from Regular Citizens
The President Holds an Open Discussion Across the Aisle
Posted by Jesse Lee on January 29, 2010 at 05:58 PM EST
Strange? Odd? Weird? Bizarre? _ That's Florida! - December 29, 2009 - TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- You know you're living in a weird state when the governor promotes a pay-per-minute sex chat line.
Ethics watchdog needs teeth- December 29, 2009 - The Florida Ethics Commission is like a police agency with few weapons, little investigatory scope and no authority to lock up an individual.
State’s top court orders foreclosure mediation program - December 29, 2009 - MANATEE — Florida will create a state-wide “managed mediation” program designed to help more homeowners avoid foreclosure, the state’s top court said Monday.
Excerpts of the President’s Address to the Nation:
Obama an effective leader - October 4, 2009 - give President Obama an A+ for his first eight months in office. I, too, would like to sit down with him over a couple of beers -- not to mend any fences, but to celebrate with him his creative and talented achievements so far as our nation's leader.
Remove the veil of corporate anonymity - October 4, 2009 - For a few years now, the news has been filled with reports of frauds, misdeeds, malfeasance and other crimes where no personal responsibility has been sought or established. What substitutes for individual responsibility and culpability is some vague, institutional guilt for which corporations almost willingly agree to pay money for restitution, which I suspect most consider merely the cost of doing business.
FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER CREDIT EXPIRING - September 23, 2009 - Time is running out to take advantage of the Federal government's offer of an $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit. To qualify, homebuyers must complete a first-time home purchase before December 1, 2009. This means the last day to close on a home and take advantage of the credit is November 30. I encourage potential homebuyers to take advantage of market prices and this tax credit.
Writer Peter Orvetti - Ain't That America- September 1, 2009 - Officer Wesley Cheeks, Jr., inadvertently revealed a sad truth during a confrontation with a peaceful demonstrator last Tuesday in Reston, Virginia. The man was one of several holding up signs outside a town hall forum on health care hosted by Rep. James Moran. Cheeks, a security officer employed by the public through the Fairfax County Public Schools, singled out this man because he did not like his sign.
So much is riding on the outcome of the health care reform debate. That's why it is essential that decisions be based on facts and on an understanding of the actual content of the bills under consideration. The following is an (edited) compilation of various responses to the most common myths and misleading claims raised by critics. The responses pertain most closely to the House version, where all committee review has been completed.
Meeting with Senator Bill Nelson - August 13, 2009 - I received this complaint and thought that you should know how elected government officials office help treat you as a citizen.
Going to see Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtenen - August 13, 2009 - I received this complaint and thought that you should know how elected government officials office help treat you as a citizen.
ImTapping your cell phone - June 29, 2009 - Imagine someone watching your every move, hearing everything you say and knowing where you are at every moment. If you have a cell phone, it could happen to you. 13 Investigates explains how your cell phone can be secretly hijacked and used against you - and how to protect yourself
DeFede: Labor Secretary Orders St. Regis Review - March 3, 2009 - investigation, Jim DeFede has been reporting for weeks about foreign workers brought in to work on a construction project instead of South Florida construction workers. Now, there are new details on how the workers were brought into the country and how the investigation has caught the attention of the Obama administration.
Obama facing tough decisions on Guantánamo - February 28, 2009 - Defenders and detractors of the detention camps at Guantánamo Bay are bringing pressure to bear on the Obama administration to make some tough decisions.
The biggest obstacle in Obama's path: Congress (who else?) - February 28, 2009 - WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's ambitious plans will face immediate political difficulty in a wary — and often parochial — Congress that's long resisted such fast, radical change.
Tax hike not an option for Florida House Republicans - February 24, 2009 - Fiercely opposed to the idea of raising taxes, Republican leaders in the Florida House urged finding other ways to combat Florida's $5 billion-plus budget deficit.
Gov. Sarah Palin to pay back taxes - February 18, 2009 - Gov. Sarah Palin must pay income taxes on thousands of dollars in expense money she received while living at her Wasilla home, under a new determination by state officials.
Analysis: Obama is tarnished by nominees' tax problems - February 4. 2009 - Instead of 'change you can believe in,' Americans could see business as usual when it comes to the problems of some of President Barack Obama's personnel choices.
Congress may soon freeze salaries - January 26, 2009 - President Barack Obama’s decision to freeze top White House staff salaries may force members of Congress to do something they never want to do — block their own automatic pay increase.
Biden: We've Inherited A Real Mess - January 26, 2009 - Face The Nation: VP Says Stimulus Plan Is Off and Running, But U.S. Faces Challenges On Pak-Afghan Front, Closing Gitmo
Obstacles await Obama's stimulus effort in Congress - January 24, 2009 - WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's economic stimulus effort faces a series of obstacles — including serious questions about its tax provisions and how quickly it might spark the economy — as Congress prepares to vote on the package.
Obama restores some of the 'Freedom' to FOIA - January 24, 2009 - WASHINGTON — One curious soul on Feb. 8, 2001, filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the State Department.
Foreclosure Fightback - January 22, 2009 - "This is a crowd that won't scatter," James Steele wrote in the pages of The Nation some seventy-five years ago.
Ethics crisis in America? Church leaders say yes - January 21, 2009 - KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - From billion-dollar ponzi schemes to bad mortgages and pay-to-play dealings by public officials, some are asking: Is there a crisis of ethics in America?
Poll: Inaugural boosts American hopes - January 21, 2009 - WASHINGTON — President Obama's inauguration has given a recession-battered nation a boost.
Obama becomes 44th U.S. president - January 21, 2009 - WASHINGTON -- Barack Obama became the 44th U.S. president Tuesday, shattering American racial barriers as the first black leader of the nation he promised to free from profound economic troubles and steer away from wars in two distant lands.
Canada prepares to partner with Obama - January 20, 2009 - OTTAWA — Along with the world, Canada warmly welcomed Barack Obama's promise that America is "ready to lead once more," as on Tuesday, a euphoric wave drowned the anti-Americanism that characterized eight years of relations with the Bush administration.
In quotes: Leaders welcome Obama' - January 20, 2009 - As millions of people watch Barack Obama's swearing-in ceremony, statesmen from around the world have been giving their reaction to the historic inauguration. Here is a selection of their comments:
An Inaugural Bow to the Constitution - January 20, 2009 - Barack Obama assumed the presidency with a pledge to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
The Work Has Begun - January 20, 2009 - No sooner was I seated on the Amtrak train to Washington than I was joined by Joanna Lawrence, whose mother in the 1930's famously put Esquire on the map with her article, "Latins Are Lousy Lovers," and had been Abbie Hoffman's companion during the last years of his life (including his years on the lam.)
Tone and Challenge in the Obama Era - January 20, 2009 - "Never in our national history has there been so dramatic a coincidence as this simultaneous transfer of power and the complete collapse of a system and of a philosophy."
The Obama era starts now - January 20, 2009 - With goodwill behind him -- and crisis ahead -- it's time for the incoming president to show us what he's got.
For Obama, high hopes and a global honeymoon - January 20, 2009 - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama enters the White House on Tuesday with enough foreign goodwill to buy at least a brief global honeymoon as he wades into the crush of international crises awaiting his attention.
Cost of the Bush era: $11.5 trillion - January 20, 2009 - The outgoing administration has presided over 8 years of disasters and crises with some of the biggest price tags the nation has ever seen.
Bush's legacy is America's shame - January 18, 2009 - Although Americans would be wary of admitting it to others, we know the wreckage left behind by the outgoing administration
"Every kid gets a trophy" - January 16, 2009 - I can't believe President Bush's approval ratings have climbed as he edges to the end of his tragic term. Except I sort of understand it; I felt sorry for him tonight during his farewell address, which was utterly self-indulgent and delusional. It's hard to see someone leave the presidency so shamed.
Foreclosures up 81% in 2008 - January 14, 2009 - One in 54 homes entered foreclosure in 2008. Rising unemployment and sliding home prices have some experts expecting 2009 to be even worse.
Poll: Solid support for Obama's economic plan - January 14, 2009 - WASHINGTON - A solid plurality of the American public supports the economic stimulus plan that President-elect Barack Obama has proposed, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.
States ponder early release for some prisoners - January 10, 2009 - NEW YORK - Their budgets in crisis, governors, legislators and prison officials across the nation are making or considering policy changes that will likely remove tens of thousands of offenders from prisons and parole supervision.
20 Forgotten Bush Scandals - January 8, 2009 - In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, George H.W. Bush congratulated his son on running a “clean operation." Bush apparently wasn’t paying very close attention. Everyone remembers weapons of mass destruction, the US attorney firings. But historians will note that those are only the beginning of the Bush administration scandals…
Bush's homeland security setup faces ax - January 8, 2009 - WASHINGTON - President-elect Barack Obama is preparing to scrap the way President Bush oversaw domestic security in the White House and name a former Central Intelligence Agency official to coordinate counterterrorism, people close to the transition said Wednesday.
5 governors unite, seek $1 trillion in federal aid - January 3, 2009 - Governor Deval Patrick and four other influential Democratic governors pleaded their case yesterday for up to $1 trillion in federal assistance over the next two years, to help alleviate budget cuts, create jobs, and avoid inflicting irreversible damage to schools during a fiscal crisis.
Congress faces historic challenges - January 3, 2009 - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats will pack greater clout when the new Congress convenes on Tuesday but they face enormous expectations from voters as they grapple with two wars, a financial crisis and record budget deficits.
What to Expect from an Intelligent President - January 3, 2009 - Brace yourself. It's going get rocky soon. We are about to have a very bright man as our president. And we've been away from that territory for a very long time.
A Trillion Dollar Recovery - December 31, 2008 - Poverty is on the rise, record numbers of people are relying on food stamps and we've seen no relief for the foreclosure crisis. There are increasing rates of child abuse and domestic violence linked to this recession. State governments don't have financial resources to cope at the exact moment when those resources are most needed. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have lowered Medicaid payments or eliminated people from eligibility. The senior economist of the International Monetary Fund recently warned of another Great Depression
Most Valuable Progressives of 2008 - December 31, 2008 - Progressives had more to celebrate in 2008 than in any year since the Supreme Court got into the business of stealing elections. The jubilant mood is dampened, of course, by the fact of a country is stuck in two military quagmires, ravaged by the most fearsome economic downturn in at least a half century and suffering from a serious case of Constitutional degeneration. Perhaps we have not yet reached an ideal champagne moment. But there is still good reason to toast the year's MVPs – Most Valuable Progressives.
Cheney's Legacy of Deception - December 30, 2008 - In the end, the shame of Vice President Dick Cheney was total: unmitigated by any notion of a graceful departure, let alone the slightest obligation of honest accounting. Although firmly ensconced, even in the popular imagination, as an example of evil incarnate--nearly a quarter of those polled in this week's CNN poll rated him the worst vice president in US history, and 41 percent as "poor"--Cheney exudes the confidence of one fully convinced that he will get away with it all.
Double dipping rises despite outrage - December 28, 2008 - TALLAHASSEE — This year some of Florida's public officials are giving a whole new meaning to the phrase "home for the holidays.''
The $1 Trillion Bill for Bush's War on Terror - December 27, 2008 - The news that President Bush's war on terrorism soon will have cost the U.S. taxpayers $1 trillion — and counting — is unlikely to spread much Christmas cheer in these tough economic times.
Stop Being Stupid - December 27, 2008 - I’ve got a new year’s resolution and a new slogan for the country.
Poll: 75% glad Bush is done - December 27, 2008 - (CNN) -- A new national poll suggests that three out of four Americans feel President Bush's departure from office is coming not a moment too soon.
Year-end Whoppers - December 27, 2008 - The bunk just keeps on coming.
3 Legislators Are In Favor Of Forgoing Their Raises - December 25, 2008 - WASHINGTON - With the economy teetering and thousands of Floridians and other Americans losing their jobs, three Florida members of Congress say they would vote to give up their automatic $4,700 pay raise next year.
Alleged misconduct in Ted Stevens trial - December 23, 2008 - An Alaska FBI agent has accused fellow agents and at least one prosecutor of misconduct and unethical behavior in the public corruption investigation in Alaska and the trial of U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens.
The Fed Makes Money - December 22, 2008 - Quantitative easing," don't you love it? It's the latest business-economics euphemism designed to mislead. I do not know who they think they're fooling: it's like doctors calling excruciating pain "discomfort."
Open and Shut Cases - December 22, 2008 - Dick Cheney's unique gift for making hard questions easy and vice versa.
Obama's Wrong Turn on Trade - December 21, 2008 - Barack Obama's decision to nominate former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk to serve as the next U.S. Trade Representative is deeply unsettling for those who hoped the president-elect would chart a new course with regard to trade policy.
Obama moves toward unity politics - December 20, 2008 - Democrats have complained for years about bitter partisan politics under George Bush. They blame it on Bush even though, logically, it takes two sides to produce a standoff. Now some Dems are irked at Barack Obama for giving his administration a big-tent look with moderates in the cabinet and elsewhere.
With economy in shambles, Congress gets a raise - December 18, 2008 - A crumbling economy, more than 2 million constituents who have lost their jobs this year, and congressional demands of CEOs to work for free did not convince lawmakers to freeze their own pay.
Will War Crimes Be Outed? - December 17, 2008 - As the officials of the Bush administration pack up in Washington and move into their posh suburban homes around the country, will they be able to rest easy, or will they be haunted by the fear that they will be held accountable for war crimes?
Bernard Madoff, The Trust Buster - December 17, 2008 - The news of Bernard Madoff's $50 billion fraud has hit the investor/401(k) class as nothing else--not the fall of Lehman Brothers, not the death of Bear Stearns, nor the string of insolvency announcements of one household name after another. Madoff is the blow that did it.
Obam's Dream Team - Decemebr 16, 2008 - Leading environmentalists in Washington are ecstatic about most of President-elect Barack Obama's newly announced cabinet choices, though a closer look suggests that greens may soon be unhappy with the Obama administration's positions on greenhouse gas emission cuts, nuclear power, so-called "clean coal" and other key issues.
States’ Funds for Jobless Are Drying Up - December 14, 2008 - With unemployment claims reaching their highest levels in decades, states are running out of money to pay benefits, and some are turning to the federal government for loans or increasing taxes on businesses to make the payment
Our Disinformed Electorate - December 13, 2008 - We saw more aggressive fact-checking by journalists in this election than ever before. Unfortunately, as a post-election Annenberg Public Policy Center poll confirms, millions of voters were bamboozled anyway.
Ron Paul: Bailouts Will 'Destroy the Dollar' - December 11, 2008 - U.S. Representative and former presidential candidate Ron Paul tells Newsmax that bailouts of U.S. corporations are “bad morally” — and says current federal economic policies “will literally destroy the dollar.”
Fast Start for Economic Recovery Program (ERP) (Lessons Learned) - December 4, 2008 - The President Obama Economic Recovery Program (ERP) will generate a windfall for those who are part of the early planning and execution during the program start up. It was such for the organizations involved in the NASA and SDIO technology and system programs for those newly created agencies. The ERP will dwarf both NASA and SDIO in that hundreds instead of tens of billion will be spent.
State high court decision clears way for redevelopment projects - November 20, 2008 - Redevelopment projects across the county were released from legal limbo Wednesday after the state Supreme Court refused to rehear a case questioning whether voter approval is needed for local redevelopment bond sales.
The Bailout - More on the Bailout or Rescue Plan as Congress fails to provide an adequate plan to resolve the financial crisis.
The Rescue Plan: What It Means to You - October 3, 2008 - What do you get out of the financial rescue package that promises to inject up to $700 billion in an effort to get bad investments off the books for financial institutions? The bill was passed in the House of Representatives today, 263-171, and by the Senate Oct. 1, 74-25.
Senator Martinez's Solution to Energy Crisis - August 5, 2008 - Republican Senator Mel Martinez met with Mayor John Peyton and officials at CSX in Jacksonvile Tuesday to discuss the need for solutions to the energy crisis.
Miami Complaints Blog is a good place to start if you have something to say about the way the government is run.
Landlord/Tenant Laws
Check out my Blog about Landlord/Tenant issues. Learn about how the law is written and exactly how the laws works.
Things to Think About
Things to Think About are some videos that I think everyone should know and think about so you can make your own conclusion. Go here for the things that the American should not forget and let your representitives know what you think about their policies.
Here are Some More Important Websites
Here is where you can go for more organizations that will help inform you about what is going on in the State of Florida. You can also find some help here from different organizations throughout Florida.
Quote of the Year
The word 'politics' is derived from the word 'poly', meaning 'many', and the word 'ticks', meaning 'blood sucking parasites'.