Highly recommended you follow this link to the Miami Herald story and read all the details of this vile thing — the racist tone to the mailer, the 19-year-old they duped to be the nominal sender, the full creepiness of those who want to represent us in the US House (Rivera) and Senate (Rubio).

I’m curious whether this sort of trick would be possible if the Republicans in the US Senate hadn’t blocked the bill to require disclosure of those behind political action committees. Notice that: The Republicans are the villains in this, from the top in Congress down to our local politics here in South Florida. Here’s a link to today’s NY Times story on that Republican upright finger to the voters of the USA.

And thanks to the Miami Herald for working this story.

p.s. I’m adding Karl Rove to the roster of labels on this post in disgusted tribute to his eminence in dirty tricks.

UPDATE: Let’s not forget that Joe Garcia is closely watched nationally and in Florida as a likely winner in this race. The Buzz report shows Joe is worthy of support, and then some. Hint: here’s how to do it.

Originally posted at Miami-Dade Dems.

July 31st is going to be a great evening in Tallahassee Fl. It seems that a group of local musicians along with other sponsors are putting on a benefit concert to help those affected with the gulf crisis. I implore you that even if you cannot attend to buy tickets at MOONEVENTS.COM . Tix are only $15 a piece and all of the following are completely DONATING their time and efforts:

94-9 TNT – Tallahassee’s Best Country
KIA AUTO SPORT
THE MOON (Tallahassee’s Premiere Concert Venue)
AUTO DETAILS AND GRAPHICS
FULL PRESS APPAREL
WCTV
SHULA’S 347 GRILL
HOTEL DUVAL
BLUEWATER COOKING COMPANY
LIVE IN TALLAHASSEE
BEACHAID.ORG

Even if you can’t make it, please make a donation to the cause!

Call 850-878-6900 (Moon Box Office) for more details

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend Netroots Nation in Las Vegas this year due to the passing of my beloved cousin Drake Turrentine. You can read about him here (though even this tribute doesn’t quite do justice to his incredible life).

While I was in Washington for some family time, several Florida Kossacks were in Las Vegas enjoying the Netroots conference. I asked NN10 attendees to write about their experiences and share them on the Florida Progressives listserv. The first response came from my friend Maria Hernandez, so I decided to post it, and any other responses, on the FPC blog. Here’s what Maria had to say:

1. We had some direct action going on from the LBGT community! This: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/7/20/886035/-Choi,-McGehee-Do-It-in-Vegas!And-More. and this: fast forward to about 27:00 http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/8489433 Lt Dan Choi had received his dishonorable discharge earlier that day because of DADT, and when Sen. Reid opened his session, he acknowledged it. But that wasn’t enough. See what happens when he sits down for Q&A with Joan McCarter at the 27:00 mark. It was very powerful, we weren’t expecting it.

2. TIM WISE! This was my first exposure to him, during the session on Civil Rights in The Modern Era, fast forward to 26:22 http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/8462101 This is a 10-minute, red-hot explanation of why we can’t get any major public programs through. And to enter the room for the session we were all “inspected” at the door by people in ICE uniforms asking to see our papers. Some people were genuinely irritated, so it worked well!

3. the Texan women running for school board, and Linda Chavez-Thompson who is running for Lt Gov of Texas, were amazing at the conference. They were telling the story of the “Save History” campaign regarding the Texas school board erasing Cesar Chavez and Thurgood Marshall from textbooks and justifying McCarthyism. This is their ActBlue page, hot off the press. I hope we can help make it viral, especially among teachers groups.

https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/savehistory2010

Finally, you may want to check out the last few minutes of Sen Al Franken’s closing speech when he focuses on corporations and Net Neutrality. Fast forward to 2:21:00. http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/8492742

There were so many great moments and panels. Elizabeth Warren and Richard Trumka. Jeremy Scahill was riveting as usual on a panel about private military contractors. Spend some time browsing through the NN10 section on the ustream site, I’m sure you’ll find more.

For others who weren’t able to attend this year, I hope you’ll sign up to join Maria and me (and other Floridians!) in Minneapolis next June for Netroots Nation 2011. Registration is a very-reasonable $195 now, but will go up to around $400 by next summer. Don’t miss out on the fun!

Best National Blog
The Reid Report

Best State Blog
FLA Politics

Best Local Blogs
Saint Petersblog

Best Media Blog
Politifact Florida

Best Professional Blog
Doug Tudor

Best Party Website
Democratic Veterans Caucus

Best Candidate Website
Alan Grayson

Best Local Party Site
Pinellas County

Best Interest Group Website
Hands Across the Sand

Best Writer
Dan Tilson

Netroots Candidate of the Year
Alan Grayson

Netroots Activist of the Year
Mark Ferrulo

Netroots Organization of the Year
Progressive Push

Best New Blogger
Dan Tilson

Best Online Campaign
Spill Baby Spill

Best Use of Twitter
Peter Schorsch

Best Overall Use of Social Media
Peter Schorsch

Best Post
Daniel Tilson, Florida Progressive Coalition, “Florida Republican
Party Rots From Top Down”

Best Ongoing Series
Peter Schorsch, Saint Petersblog 2.0, “Crist vs. Meek vs. Rubio,”

Best Online Radio Show
Alison Berke Morano and Susan Smith, No Days Off

FPC’s Progressive Hall of Fame
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Bob Graham
Mark Ferrulo
Steve Schale
Ray Seaman

FPC Progressive Courage Awards
Vicky Impoco

All winners will be announced at the FDP’s Jefferson Jackson Weekend at the Netroots Event.

Here are the runoff contests:

1. Best New Blogger (Last year: Vicki Impoco): This one should go to the best blogger who has been blogging about Florida politics for no more than a year and a half.

Daniel Tilson, Examiner.com, http://www.examiner.com/x-9540-Boca-Raton-Liberal-Examiner

Steve Schale, http://www.stevenschale.com/

Fernando Rendon, Opinion Matters, http://opinionmatters.flatoday.net/

2. Best Use of Twitter (Last year: Kendrick Meek): Any Floridian who uses Twitter and whose posts incorporate the following qualities: good use of the language, original reporting, a good sense of humor, creativity, a strong personal touch and an effect on the real world because of their writing.

Peter Schorsch, http://twitter.com/SaintPetersblog

Dan Gelber, http://twitter.com/DanGelber

Progess Florida, http://twitter.com/ProgressFlorida

3. Best Overall Use of Social Media (Last year: Kendrick Meek): The best use of the various social media sites (Twitter, Facebook and other similar sites) in accomplishing political goals.

Progress Florida, http://progressflorida.org/

Peter Schorsch, http://saintpetersblog.com

Organizing for America Florida, http://www.Florida.BarackObama.com

4. Best Ongoing Series (Last year: Susan Smith vs. Ray Sansom, Florida Progressive Coalition): The best regular feature that incorporates at least five posts since last year’s awards.

Peter Schorsch, Saint Petersblog 2.0, “Crist vs. Meek vs. Rubio,” http://saintpetersblog.com

Jon Bleyer, Progress Florida, “Best Of The Blogs,” http://progressflorida.org/page/community/blog/jonbleyer

Smart politics, right?

Ha!  Apparently not!

The Legislature’s decision to counter the Fair Districts Florida redistricting amendment with its own was declared misleading by Judge James Shelfer, who tossed it off the ballot.

His ruling is sure to be appealed.

How’s that for some kick-butt checks and balances goodness?

Well, that little legislative/judicial back-and-forth would be enough political news to satisfy any ”normal” state.  But, hey, this is Florida.  When it rains, baby, it pours.

The Governor is now calling that special session on oil drilling which Keith Fitzgerald and Rick Kriseman urged him to call several weeks ago.

Gov. Charlie Crist said Thursday he’s calling a special session of the Legislature in less than two weeks and will ask lawmakers to consider a proposed constitutional amendment to ban offshore oil drilling. His proclamation sets the session dates as July 20-23.

At a hastily-called news conference, Crist said the session would be devoted to one issue — “a rifle shot,” he called it — to give the voters of Florida a say on drilling. But in doing so, he violated a cardinal rule of Tallahassee politics by calling for a special session without a consensus with legislative leaders.

It’s about time.

When it comes time to support real leaders in the legislature, I hope we remember who was out early against drilling.  Guys like Keith and Rick.  They deserve our support.

Of course, please remember A.) who called this session (and the ruthlessly self-preserving political instincts), and B.) some recent polling which shows Marco Rubio leading.  Yes, it’s a Rasmussen poll (which’s leans Republican), and yes, you should definitely read Steve Schale’s latest blog post on polling.

This is one of those weird times where I’m glad the governor has called a session, and I don’t particularly care if it’s politically driven or not.  Let’s get everyone up to Tallahassee and on the record: are they for drilling off our shores, or against it? 

I’ll bet the results surprise you.  Hang in there, everybody.  It’s almost Friday (and this one’s for Duncan).

cross-posted from The Spencerian

Yet fiscal conservatives like McCain along with other more radical republicans like Marco Rubio as part of the GOP want to raise the age of social security to 70. When NBC’s David Gregory falsely claims on national television that Social Security will “pay out more than it’s taking in” in 2010 then maybe the prospect is considerable – except in the 2008 Social Security trustees’ report, Social Security won’t exceed the income rate before 2017 and will be able to pay for benefits in full until 2041. After that the benefit rate would still be at 75-78% for the next 75 years.

2: Young peeps

PA Childcare carried over 6,000 juveniles in its quarters. It didn’t take long to figure out why there were so many incarcerated youth in so little time when Luzerne County Judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan were found to have accepted $2.6 million in payoffs to put juvenile offenders in the facility. Good thing we collectively ate those spoon-fed deregulation talking points or these kids might have actually had an extra year of “socialist” education. The GOP have been #1 on the voting record to cut the budget on education funding by billions. These cuts affect the students themselves to be inspired to question their red-tie reps – even in their own high school.

3. Women

Around 40 percent of them vote republican, particularly married women who have higher incomes – but why isn’t it astonishing that any woman supports a party that is openly afraid of “undisciplined messaging” in the new election?

Alright ladies, say you’re married and you’re a republican and you’re taking your last gulp of Sam’s coke, setting down Glenn Beck’s America’s March to Socialism for a nights rest when POW! A figure you don’t recognize has hurled something blunt at your husbands head and rapes you in his absence. Then through the dark you recognize that it’s your zombie grandfather
coming back from the dead. No pun intended.

Sarah Palin opposes abortion on the highest tier, including cases of rape and incest (or in this case your zombie grandpa who apparently played a tree in Evil Dead 2). Palin is one of the 33% of female abortion leaders who is also 100% anti-birth control and pro-abstinence-only education. Palin will be the first to tell you that if you have sex you best be damn ready to squat down and have a kid in 9 months.

4. Blue Collar Workers

Remember in the 50’s when we had labor unions – those “socialist” anti-patriots who gave us weekends, fair wages, benefits and ensured workplace safety during the “golden years?” A time when those who were grossing over $200,000 paid a top tax rate of 90%? As history.com put’s it :

“The union movement became in the 1980s a diminished economic and political force, and, in the Age of Reagan, this made for a less socially just nation.”

 

Republicans like Kentucky’s Mitch McConnell came out against the financial reform bill after meeting with Wall Street elites like hedge fund managers and other execs. Does curiosity pass us by when the GOP fights against a bill made to regulate banks from kickbacks and high rate loans, the same system we have now that led to the mortgage crisis in the first place? Why would they continue to want the banks to gamble their accounts with your money and credit default swaps that former republican Jeff Greene made his fortune with? Finally, are senate republicans going to explain to blue collar workers why they filibustered 110 billion dollars in jobs late last month?

5. Christians

In the Reagan years it was commonplace to believe that free enterprise was part of piety. Coming from the pro-capitalistic movement and Glenn Beck’s god ordained Beck University as it turns out Jesus isn’t a republican after all. Did I just hear a gunshot zip through the humid Florida sky? Didn’t Jesus say,

“go, sell what you have, and give to the poor.” And “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

 

What about,

“I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.”

 

The new republican inspired version:

” I was hungry and you gave me preservatives, I was thirsty and you gave me polluted water, I was a stranger and you built a wall in front of me, I was naked and you called it porn, I was sick and you gave me a chicken, I was in prison and you made a profit.”

 

brought to you by Leaflet Descending

GREATEST EXCUSE EVER!

With Jeff “Montgomery Burns” Greene’s extended deadline to file his financial records, I went back and looked at some of the articles written about why Jeff can’t follow the same rules Kendrick, Charlie,& Marco had to. I ran across an entry by the St. Pete Times that gave the basic rundown on how he is a billionaire and crap, but then I noticed how he says “I will get it filed. I’ve sent all the papers to our attorney. Unfortunately, I have a very complicated financial picture and he hasn’t been able to get it in yet,”. However after that statement he goes into detail on how his wife is worried “”We were very concerned about privacy and security,” Greene said. “There’s a lot of crazy people out there and we don’t feel like publicizing our private information. There’s addresses, there’s all kinds of stuff my wife doesn’t want to have (public).”

The Same “Crazy” people you want to represent there Jeff?

Anybody who has been paying attention know that Jeff Greene and Co. were Republicans about 5 minutes ago and there is even more proof in the pudding! after Greene brought up his wife in the interview, TampaBay.com went and asked her if she would reconsider. Mei Sze Greene response was that of the GOP, “Hell no. He promised me,”

Well, I promise you this. Greene is covering up something and I urge you to stay on your toes about this man and the dangers he presents to this State.

Storm

For those of you that do not know me, My name is Scott R. Goodlin. I recently received an email from Jon Ausman and I am writing this in response of him declaring his support of Jeff Greene over Kendrick Meek. While this move does not surprise me from his past “Endorsements” (The Vacated Leon DEC Chair position, eventually decided under protest to Ausman’s Candidate) When it comes to the Greene Argument, Celeste Bush Chair of the FDP Campaign Committee said in an email “Jon is using his standing as a DNC member to try and influence us. I find this avenue of communication disrespectful and disruptive for the FDP and in direct violation of our adopted Code of Political Ethics. Personally, I believe his actions should elicit his removal from office per Fl Statute 103.161.” to which I couldn’t agree more.

While I understand that everybody has a right to their opinion, I believe that there is a fine line between “Evil and Dangerous”:

“Evil” is defined by Webster as 1: morally reprehensible 2: sinful, wicked 3: arising from actual or imputed bad character or conduct.

See, this is the word we would use to describe some of the acts of our conservative counterparts however the same publication defines “Dangerous” as:
1: exposing to or involving danger
2: able or likely to inflict injury or harm

This defines what Jeff Greene is.

According to TampaBay.com , they describe Greene’s “colorful profile” “Mike Tyson was best man at his 2008 wedding, ex-Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss lived in his guesthouse after prison, and he made many of his millions betting on the housing collapse that killed Florida’s economy”
Politico cites the fact that Jeff Greene couldn’t even recall who he voted for in 1980.

Now that you know what the publication says of him allow me to reprise to you what Mr. Ausman thinks of him. After watching the Debate where Jeff Greene repeatedly showed his lack of professionalism and Home training referring to Congressman Meek as “Kendrick” at every instance while Mr. Meek referred to his opponent as “Mr. Greene”. Even though Greene’s own mother, a senior citizen was seated in the audience, He continued attacking the Congressman’s Mother on a number of occasions. According to the South Florida Times, “Carrie Meek was once paid $90,000 as a consulting fee by Stackhouse, and she also received a Cadillac Escalade from Stackhouse for her trouble, according to police. Kendrick Meek also once sought federal dollars for a project for Stackhouse, but neither Congressman Meek nor his mother, who is a former congresswoman, has been charged with a crime.

“Nothing that I have done has been improper. And that’s the reason why I’m not the subject of any investigation whatsoever,” Meek said. He also said he supports the arrest of Stackhouse.

But Greene would not let go of the issue and he constantly made reference to the situation and Carrie Meek throughout the debate.” Mr. Ausman had the following to say

“After watching the debate, I am convinced that Jeff Greene is the Democrat we need representing the people of Florida in Washington,” said DNC member Jon Ausman. “Jeff Greene has the experience to create jobs and get real results.” Source Jeff Greene Website

Citizens, I implore you to research into Congressman Kendrick Meek.

Thank you for your time.

Scott R. Goodlin

Spawned from youtube came a video highlighting one of his worst statements during the debate (minus the one where he blatantly insults Kendrick Meek’s mother). He tells the audience he doesn’t regret the credit default swaps that fattened his pocket book on the backs of Floridians while feeding into the current recession.

Visit the blog

And now the reigning representative, in this corner from Miami Florida Kendrick “I am Proven Leadership” Meek!

For the Thousands in Attendance and the Millions watching around the World, We are………READY TO RUMBLE!

10 O’Clock AM Bell time!

Ever get something that makes you want to through your computer off of the Sears tower and hope and pray that it hits somebody who preforms an act of Ignorance and Stupidity so badly that you just want to……

HULK SMASH!!

I am suppose to be controlling my Anger due to health issues and realize that everybody has a right to their opinion however between this oil spill & other political restraints I need to rant on this for a minute so please forgive me. Or Don’t, either way I don’t care. I fully understand I am a 22 YO that may know nothing in the grand scheme of things but I have a Blog and I will use it to the best of my ability!

I am editing the following and my words are in CAPITAL LETTERS. The others are the original email

Florida Democrats should take a very serious look at the candidacy of Jeff Greene for the United States Senate. Jeff Greene UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES represents Florida Democrats best chance for picking up the open Senate seat in Florida.

This race is about sending an electable ally to Washington to work with Senator Nelson. (JEFF GREENE IS THE ONLY ONE OUT OF MEEK, CRIST OR RUBIO WHO IS NOT ONLY CURRENTLY ELECTED BUT RAN AS A REPUBLICAN IN 1982 IN CALIFORNIA’S 23RD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT AND LOST IN A PRIMARY RACE.) It is about picking up a seat in Florida which may be critical if Democrats are to be a Senate majority after the 2010 election.

THIS EMAIL HAS MANY GRAPHS AND CHARTS WELL I DON’T HAVE THOSE BUT CONSIDERING WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BATSHIT CRAZY BILLIONAIRE “I’LL TAKE THE US SENATE FOR 99 MILLION ALEC” JEFF GREENE, I AM GOING TO RALLY UP SOMETHING HERE:

THERE WE GO CITIZENS, THE CAST OF FRAGGLE ROCK, A POSTER OF THE 1915 WORLD FAIR IN CHICAGO, A FLYING SQUIRREL AND THE WU TANG CLAN.

THAT MAKES THIS JUST AS OFFICIAL AND CLASSY AS THE TYPE OF CAMPAIGN THE JEFF GREENE IS RUNNING. THERE IS NO WAY IN ANY REALITY THAT JEFF GREENE IS GOING TO LOOK OUT FOR YOU OR ME OR ANYBODY WHO MAKES LESS THAN A COOL MIL A YEAR. HE CAN’T REMEMBER IF HE VOTED FOR REGAN OR NOT, HE IS DAMN SURE GOING TO FORGET WHO VOTED HIM INTO OFFICE.

LONG STORY SHORT FLORIDIANS, JEFF GREENE IS DANGEROUS AND HE WILL SEND FLORIDA DOWN A PATH THAT WILL INEVITABLY LAUNCH US ON A ROCKET STRAIGHT DOWN A ROAD FAR WORSE THAN WE ARE ON NOW.

*SPOILER ALERT* THE FOLLOWING IS NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT!

NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BE POLITICALLY CORRECT. NOW IS THE TIME TO GET ANGRY, GETTING THE RIGHT PERSON INTO OFFICE SHOULD BE THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.

JEFF GREENE, YOU ARE HOLDING BACK PROGRESS. IF YOU CARE ABOUT THIS PARTY I IMPLORE YOU TO RESIGN THIS CATASTROPHE AND COLLABORATION OF LIES AND FILTH YOU CALL A CAMPAIGN. IF THAT DIDN’T GET THE POINT ACROSS, I THINK MY FRIEND LUDACRIS CAN MAKE IT AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE (PARENTAL ADVISORY):

I PLEAD YOU TO VOTE KENDRICK MEEK AS THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE AND THEN THE NEW FLORIDA US SENATOR.

STAY SANE CITIZENS,
STORM

42 years ago today Bobby Kennedy was shot and killed.Today were still fightin the same damn battles too. Just Sayin.

Storm

There is no reason to nominate a site more than once, one nomination gets it in. Don’t get your friends to nominate your blog more than once, it doesn’t help and nominations don’t count as votes and they don’t carry over to the next round. Also, keep in mind that last year’s winners can’t be nominated or win in the same category this year. You can send me your nominations via e-mail at quinnelk@hotmail.com or you can post them in the comments here.

After the nomination period is over, we will move to the first round of voting. All nominations will be included and we’ll set up the official survey voting software that will tally the votes officially. Any nominees that get 50%+ in the first round will be the winners for that category. If no nominee gets that percent of the vote, there will be a runoff with the highest vote getters. (Special rules apply to the hall of fame category, see below). The final winners in each category will be announced at the Democratic Party’s statewide Jefferson-Jackson weekend in July.

FYI: Awards 1-20 are sponsored by the FDP’s Netroots Coalition, a constituency caucus within the party. Obviously not every Democrat is a liberal or a progressive, so keep that in mind as others vote in those categories. Awards 21-22 are sponsored by the Florida Progressive Coalition and are specific to progressives.

Here are the categories with a basic description and last year’s winners:

1. Best National Blog (Last year: Blast Off!, R.I.P.): Blogs written by Floridians that covers primarily national politics.

2. Best State Blog (Last year: Progress Florida): Blogs about statewide politics in Florida.

3. Best Local Blog (Last year: Opinion Matters): Blogs about city/county/regional politics in the state of Florida.

4. Best Media Blog (Last year: The Buzz): Blogs written by professional journalists at Florida publications.

5. Best Professional Blog (Last year: Kendrick Meek): Blogs written by state or local political parties, candidates or party operatives in Florida.

6. Best Party Website (Last year: Florida Young Democrats): Best Florida-wide website associated with a political party or political party unit (such as a caucus or coalition).

7. Best Candidate Website (Last year: Kendrick Meek): Anyone running for statewide or local office in Florida can win this one.

8. Best Local Party Website (Last year: Hillsborough County GLBTA Caucus): This one is for Florida DECs, clubs or local chapters of statewide caucuses or coalitions.

9. Best Interest Group Website (Last year: Fair Districts Florida): Any Florida-based nonparty activist, charitable or grassroots group.

10. Best Writer (Last year: Dan Gelber): Anyone whose writings is published at any of the above websites is eligible for this one. Winners should have one or more of the following qualities: good grammar and presentation, provides original reporting, has a good sense of humor, shows creativity, has a strong personal touch, or has an effect on the real world because of their writing

11. Netroots Candidate of the Year (Last year: Kendrick Meek): The Florida candidate at any level who has best incorporated the Netroots into her/his campaign and done the best job of treating Netroots activists as valid constituents and not just another group of people to exploit.

12. Netroots Activist of the Year (Last year: Susan Smith): The individual who has done the most to advance the goals and activities of the progressive Netroots in the state of Florida.

13. Netroots Organization of the Year (Last year: Progress Florida): The organization that has done the most to advance the goals and activities of the progressive Netroots in the state of Florida.

14. Best New Blogger (Last year: Vicki Impoco): This one should go to the best blogger who has been blogging about Florida politics for no more than a year and a half.

15. Best Online Campaign (Last year: Fair Districts Florida): This is an award for the best use of the web and related technologies to achieve some kind of goal, such as fundraising, fighting legislation or other activism.

16. Best Use of Twitter (Last year: Kendrick Meek): Any Floridian who uses Twitter and whose posts incorporate the following qualities: good use of the language, original reporting, a good sense of humor, creativity, a strong personal touch and an effect on the real world because of their writing.

17. Best Overall Use of Social Media (Last year: Kendrick Meek): The best use of the various social media sites (Twitter, Facebook and other similar sites) in accomplishing political goals.

18. Best Post (Last year: Travis Is Getting Married, Dan Gelber): The best-written post since last year’s awards.

19. Best Ongoing Series (Last year: Susan Smith vs. Ray Sansom, Florida Progressive Coalition): The best regular feature that incorporates at least five posts since last year’s awards.

20. Best Online Radio Show (Last year: Blast Off! Radio, R.I.P.): The best progressive/liberal/Democratic radio show that is aired solely online and does not air on traditional radio.

21. Florida Progressive Coalition Progressive Hall of Fame (Last year: Dave Aronberg, Mitch Kates, Dan Gelber, Kenneth Quinnell): FPC is sponsoring a virtual “Progressive Hall of Fame” that should be awarded as sort of a lifetime achievement award to a person or organization (amateur or professional) that has made a significant contribution towards making Florida a bluer, more progressive state. This award may have more than one recipient.

22. Progressive Courage Award (Last Year: Alan Grayson): Florida politician or political activist who has been a leader on a particular progressive issue in the last year, making a difference in the lives of Floridians.

2009 Winners

2008 Winners

2007 Winners

Ok, maybe he didn’t say that exactly but you get the point.

Storm

As I was traveling the state today, I was in a building in an undisclosed part of the State and ran into the Jeff Greene Campaign. I decided to investigate and come to find out BILLIONAIRE JEFF GREENE was in the building! I was told that I couldn’t talk to him because he was about to walk into a very very important campaign meeting. I got a little upset about that so I decided to try my best to get into the Campaign meeting one way or another. When the secretary walked into the back, I knew it was my chance and bolted toward the back room as soon as she turned the corner. I noticed that there were alot of people in the room so I decided to do an “All or Nothing” move and try to blend in. It was really weird because they were talking in code when referencing Kendrick Meek, but it was really easy to decipher. The following is the recording I took as I was in the meeting & hopefully it helps you in your voting decision:

Stay Safe Citizens,
Storm

The latest links to the information you need to counter right-wing spin…

New offshore drilling won’t help the problem anyway

Americans are paying their lowest rate of taxes in 60 years

Myths and falsehoods about Elena Kagan’s Supreme Court nomination

Arizona Latinos oppose the state’s new immigration law

5 Myths about Immigration

Rita and Katrina spilled oil as well

The majority of Americans disagree with the tea party movement on the issues

Fannie and Freddie did not cause the financial crisis

Gays and lesbians serving in the military doesn’t have a negative effect on morale

Rasmussen polls are biased towards Republicans

Good stuff you all should read from bloggers around the country…

Cracked: 6 Ridiculous History Myths (You Probably Think Are True)

Cracked: 6 Supposedly Ancient Traditions (That Totally Aren’t)

South Florida Daily Blog: Are Bloggers Journalists?

Chris Bowers: The persistent belief in magical field campaigns

Nate Silver: Value Over Replacement Justice

Atrios: Somebody On The Internet Is Wrong

Melissa McEwan: More

Adam Bink: How to tell if Obama is working on your issue (hint: you can’t)

Adam Bink: Why Senate Democrats don’t just hold lots of politically contrasting votes

Democratic Strategist: Tea Party: Sour Old Whine in New Bottles

This is our regular feature where every day I do a post with the top 5 Florida political blog posts about Florida-related stories. They are ranked according to quality, importance of the story and relevance to Florida and the present.

1. madfloridian – The boot camp guards and nurse who killed Martin Lee Anderson will have to live with their actions: “There will be no federal prosecution. But they will have to live with themselves and know what they did to a 14 year old boy on his first day in boot camp.”

2. Ray Seaman – Tremendous Victory, And Tremendous Consequences From The SB 6 Veto: “Gov. Crist did the right thing today and vetoed SB 6, the teacher merit-pay bill supported by Jeb Bush, conservatives in the legislature, and some in the business community. It was opposed by just about everyone else.”

3. Steve Schale – In Defense of Midnight Sessions: “But in spite of these events, many late night sessions are real moments of political theatre.”

4. The Reid Report – Jim Greer vs. the Florida Republican Party: when you oust your sugar daddy: “Jim Greer signed off, and then nearly got paid off. Can we start using the words ‘criminal conspiracy’ now?”

5. Steve Schale – Yes, Florida Is a Swing State: “The problem with most political assessments of Florida is most folks view it through one of two lenses: 2004 Kerry or recent Gubernatorials. Both are perfectly reasonable places to start, but neither tell the whole story.”