This is our regular feature where every day I do a quick post with the top posts/stories that I think people should read from the previous day.
1. The Hate Amendment: Tiny Little Dots – It’s All Because (The Gays Are Getting Married), Deep Something – Amendment 2 Supporters Caught in a Lie, Deep Something – Florida Amendment 2-The Great Debate Part IV, Deep Something – Florida Amendment 2-The Great Debate Part III, Change in Tallahassee – Stop The Spread Of Hate, Blue Herald 2.0 – Floridians! Say No to Amendment 2, The Hate Amendment – More Opponents of the Hate Amendment, Bark Bark Woof Woof – Forearmed, and The Hate Amendment – Calderin Says No on 2.
2. Congressional Races: Seminole County Democrats – Tom Feeney’s days are numbered!, Ybor City Stogie – Joe Garcia’s Summer Leadership Program, Eye on Miami (Genius of Despair) – Mario Diaz Balart: Looking Dazed, Confused and Angry, Miami-Dade Dems – Attack Mode: Joe Garcia v. Diaz-Balart double standard, Grassroots Supporters for Joe Garcia – Diaz-Balart on his Campaign Contributions, Miami-Dade Dems – Mother’s Day: thoughts on SCHIP from Annette Taddeo, Bark Bark Woof Woof – Meet the Candidate, The Campaign Manager – 10th District Update, South Florida Daily Blog – Annette Taddeo Has Passion, Incertus (Brian) – Annette Taddeo for Congress, and Interstate4Jamming2 – ENDORSEMENT: John Russell For 5th Congressional District.
3. NWF Progressives – Newborn Progressive Girl Gets Slapped by Realism: “A legal education bout, held in swank Ritz digs at Orlando, and a sultry night celebrating Mom, all brought Prog Girl to face realities, and admit things she’d wished before not to know. While some areas of the state debate high-speed trains and desalination, NW Florida is stuck in the old days of bigotry.”
4. Eye on Miami (Gimleteye) – On the media…: “Wasserman mention an idea I’ve advocated– that newspapers should be owned by charitable organizations. There is a reason that the most adventurous reporting in the state is from the St. Pete Times, and it is not because the St. Pete Times’ reporters are brighter than the Herald’s. The St. Pete Times is owned by a non-profit, and its managers do not have to worry about how Wall Street values its earnings relative to other news organizations.
5. Wizardry: Flablog – Witchhunt!, Rook’s Ran – The Level Our Country Has Regressed, Pam’s House Blend – Florida: teacher bounced for toothpick ‘wizardry’ in class
6. Ybor City Stogie – Florida Prisons Are Booming: “Crime might not pay, but we keep paying for criminals. Especially for offenders in the never-ending War on Drugs. In a lean budget year that will put the crimp on public schools, universities and health care, the state’s prison system keeps pumping iron. The upcoming budget includes $309 million to build three prisons.”
7. Homelessness: the 13th juror – Sweeps of homeless camps ruled unconstitutional, Ybor City Stogie – More Homeless In Tampa Bay As Economy Worsens, and the 13th juror – Not guilty! (again).
8. Tampa Bay Blues – Buddy Johnson, Hillsborough County, Supervisor of Elections Unable to Describe Details of the Voter Registration Process: “Johnson complained that an NAACP lawyer treated him with condescension, and he briefly donned a football helmet before beginning the second day of testimony.”
9. Eye on Miami (Gimleteye) – Nuclear watchdog to visit Turkey Point: “The nation’s chief nuclear watchdog will tour Turkey Point on Tuesday, according to The Miami Herald. ‘A visit from the chairman is not an ordinary occurrence.’ The report, however, oddly omits reference to the planned new nuclear reactors at the facility, and a highly controversial licensing process at the start of next year.”
10. Smashed Frog – Palm Bay, Florida Brush Fires: “In my neck of the Florida woods, fierce brush fires have swept the area since Sunday. High winds are feeding the fire like a hungry baby. Stories coming out of the highly wooded areas are crazy.”
11. Blast Off! – Florida GOP Police Blotter #10: Broward County PD candidate arrested on drug charges: “It’s been a while since the Florida GOP Police Blotter has been active … but it doesn’t mean that the Republicans haven’t been engaging in criminal behavior. I think they’ve mostly been busy defending themselves from all the existing charges. Ironically, though, a candidate for public defender better come up with his own defense…”
12. The Presidential Election: Eye on Miami (Genius of Despair) – The Presidential Election, Deep Something – I’ve Decided on a Presidential Candidate, Seminole Democrat – Can Barack Win Florida?, Incertus (Brian) – Guilt by Association, Pensito Review (Buck) – Chronicling All Things Younger than John McCain, Incertus (Brian) – Pundits, beware, The Spencerian – Ellen Malcolm of EMILY’s List: Surprisingly Wrong, Florida Speaks – It’s Over, Apparently, Dan Gelber – Florida is in Play on Game Day, and Incertus (Brian) – I called it.
13. Robin ‘Roblimo’ Miller – Manatee County Commission Candidate Gabriele Boecker (video): “It’s nice — and not nearly usual enough – to have electable Democrats run for local office around here!”
14. Tallahassee Leaders Forum – Florida Young Democrats Announce New Executive Director, and FPC (Ray Seaman) – Florida Young Dems Hire Executive Director.
15. Adam4PD – Campaigning at Pride-Fest: “After a one year absence, Pride-Fest returned to Sarasota this past weekend. This celebration of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community had drawn thousands of visitors in previous years when it was held at the fairgrounds. Now considerably toned down, the festival was held inside and outside Van Wezel. A day of beautiful weather helped attract a steady crowd of interested visitors from Sarasota, Bradenton and points beyond. Mayor Lou Ann Palmer showed up to read a proclamation recognizing and celebrating the event. The event was well organized, fun and interesting. I rented a booth in order to meet voters, and a few other candidates were there as well.”
16. Here are the sites in our Candidate Watch Network that have been updated: GusWatch.
17. Also check out CG Radio and the Free World Radio Network.
18. For more, as always, go to the FLA Politics daily round-up, Political Newsclippings from The Spencerian and The Sift from South Florida Daily Blog.
19. Finally, check out our national coverage at our new blog, Florida Speaks.
