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. Incertus (Brian) – Florida economic news: “It’s bad. If you live down here, and you’re not in a bubble, then you knew that, but maybe you didn’t know just how bad it is. ‘The trend is statewide. Between February 2007 and February this year, the number of Florida households using food stamps jumped 19 percent — the largest statewide gain in the country and about three times the average national increase, according to figures released last week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.’”
2. The Hate Amendment: The Hate Amendment – Tudor Says No to Amendment 2, Son of Timatollah – Key Passage, Son of Timatollah – California, Blue Herald 2.0 – A Huge Win in California, Pensito Review – State Supreme Court Overturns California Gay Marriage Ban – But Marriage Rights Face Ballot Initiative in November, Discourse.net – It’s Long (Awaited), But Will It Be Long-Lasting?, Incertus (Brian) – Hooray, California, The Hate Amendment – Another Amendment Opponent, and The Hate Amendment – Wicker: I didn’t mean to insult blacks, I meant to insult gays.
3. Eye on Miami (gimleteye) – The defining moment for national security: the last watt and global warming…: “In the quest to reduce carbon emissions and save the planet for our species, the easiest way forward is an urgent conservation campaign based on mandates, orders, and necessity.”
4. becoming change – you’re doing it wrong…: “after a built-up rant the other day about how so many things in advertising and pure common sense of our culture piss me off, ive come to the conclusion that the best place for those rants is right here in the world of the internets–and not directed at my family and friends because they dismiss it as just another one of my conspiracy theories. so with the intro over, i am beginning a list of all the things i think are being done wrong–in my mind–in hope that maybe i can change the thinking of the readers of this blog to think a little bit before they venture out into the world–so they dont end up in this segment.”
5. Media: Eye on Miami (gimleteye) – Cuba is all about Miami, FLA Politics – Rank hubris, Eye on Miami (Genius of Despair) – Orlando Sentinel on Hometown Democracy Petition, and Incertus (Brian) – A Note to the Editors of Wired.
6. Our Congressional Delegation: Truman’s Conscience – About those Florida Blue Dogs…, Grassroots Supporters for Joe Garcia – Joe Garcia says break with the status quo of failed policy, Interstate4Jamming2 – To Hear More About Doug Tudor From The Man Himself…, Ybor City Stogie – Joe Garcia – Best Miami Politician, Miami & Beyond – Best Miami Politician, Change in Tallahassee – Change In Tallahassee Supports Ron Klein for Congressional District 22, FPC (Ray Seaman) – Florida Republicans Vote Against GI Bill, Grassroots Supporters for Joe Garcia – More Seats Going Blue, FPC (Ray Seaman) – Endangered Republicans, Ybor City Stogie – Joe Garcia’s Summer Leadership Program, Miami-Dade Dems – Thoughts on SCHIP from Annette Taddeo, and Change in Tallahassee – FBI to look into anti-Semitic incidents,
7. Our Legislature: FLA Politics (Impact Politics) – Chris Chiari: Stop Florida From Damaging Another Election, Dan Gelber – Blame the Republican Legislature (especially in November) – Part I (Education), Ybor City Stogie – Speeders In Florida Beware, and the 13th juror – The courts are open — but only if you can afford it.
8. DemCon08: Florida Progressive Coalition – On to Denver, Blast Off! – Liveblogging the Democratic National Convention, Ybor City Stogie – Gov. Howard Dean, Interstate4Jamming2 – LIVE! FROM DENVER! Blogging From The Democratic Convention!, Florida Progressive Coalition – DemCon08 — Problems with State Blogger Selection, and Pam’s House Blend – The DNCC state blog dustup continues.
9. Discourse.net – Judge Rules Florida Fee Statute Unconstitional As Applied: “All this by way of preface to an opinion by Chief Judge Lee Haworth of Manatee County, which is a must-read for anyone interested in issues of indigent defense, the 6th Amendment, the Florida Constitution, the cruelty of Republican-dominated legislatures, or even basic due process. The background goes like this: after selling the public on tax cuts, some as recently as the election a couple of months ago, and promising that there would be no cuts in anything (money grows on trees, right?), the Florida legislature is now in full panic mode. The schools are getting chopped. And so is everything else. About the first thing to go, even before the latest round of tax cuts I believe, was payments to lawyers for criminal defense work.”
10. Blast Off! – Flag removal leads to threats, and Interstate4Jamming2 – Some Very Un-Christian Behaviour Toward DeLand Pastor.
11. Incertus (S.O.S.) – English only?: “I woke up this morning and found this story on the local newspaper’s website: ‘Tabitha and Alberto Hernandez were lying down in their bedroom on Monday after they moved into the Kings Mobile Home Park when they say someone knocked on the door looking for someone who spoke English. Tabitha Hernandez, 30, said she got up and was greeted by a woman who said she was a park manager sent to deliver a message from the owner of the park in Okeechobee County. ‘She said whoever didn’t speak English had to get out,’ Hernandez said. ‘I couldn’t believe it.’”
12. Presidential Election: Ybor City Stogie – Sun-Sentinel Washington Bureau Chief William E. Gibson, Dan Gelber – A Nigerian businessman wants to make you money, Obama’s Israel “problem,” and other Internet viruses, litbrit – These Feminists Don’t Speak For This Feminist, Howdy, nenasadije – creepy politics, Betty Cracker – Clinton dead-enders, Truman’s Conscience – Sen. Obama draws 75,000 in Portland, OR. Yes, that’s 75,000!, Interstate4Jamming2 – Florida’s Back In The Race, Truman’s Conscience – Broward County cashes in on the other part of the Florida story, Betty Cracker – Woohooo! I’m going to an Obama rally next week, DAS Blog – Who’da Thunk This Would Be So Controversial?, Incertus (Brian) – It’s not that simple, Blast Off! – Seeing Florida through blue-colored glasses, and Pensito Review – Ask Dr. Democrat: Who Decides What Happens with the Michigan and Florida Delegates?
13. FPC (Eddie S.) – Action Alert: Make sure your SoE, DEC knows 16 year-olds can pre-register: “Last year the state legislature passed, and Governor Crist signed, legislation that allows 16 year-olds with valid Florida driver’s licenses to pre-register to vote (previously only 17 year-olds could pre-register). The new law went into effect January 1st of this year. Unfortunately, it has come to my attention that the Brevard Supervisor of Elections was not aware of this until a matter of days ago, more than five months after the lower-age for pre-registration was enacted. I have anecdotal evidence to suggest that organizations registering voters in this county were not aware of the change—and therefore potentially many 16 year-olds have been denied the chance to pre-register even though they are qualified to do so.”
14. Eye on Miami (gimleteye) – “Sugar Babies”, the Fanjuls, Miami International Film Festival, and the Knight Foundation …: “The controversial film documentary, Sugar Babies, will never play at Casa de Campo– the resort in the Dominican Republic built by the Fanjuls, Florida’s sugar barons. The subject of the documentary is the miserable working conditions and hopelessness of farm workers on Fanjul plantations in the DR.”
15. Interstate4Jamming2 – Dear Charlie: What Dream Were You Thinking About?: “Maybe it’s good that I don’t have cable and can’t pick up Tampa’s CBS affiliate, WTSP-TV 10. After reading a couple of quotes that Governor Charlie Crist made during his appearance on Face the Nation, I possibly would have thrown a large object through the screen or been induced into a fit of hysterical laughter.”
16. Gimmie the Scoop (Emily Ferreira) – 8 Steps toward a Greener Office Environment: “The Go Green movement is in full force and marketing efforts clearly expose this push towards creating a Green Environment. Food products, household appliances, and even kitchen cleaners are now available in green. But, what can we do to create a greener workplace (without having to sacrifice toilet paper usage!) in order to produce a healthier and safer environment for us all?”
17. Blast Off! – A job that pays $136K and you only show up once every 44 days? Only in Florida: “Pasco County Clerk of Court Jed Pittman has been in office for over 30 years now. Of course, these days he’s not quite as, um, dedicated to his job as he once was. He ‘earns’ over $136,000 a year and comes in to work, well, when he feels like it.”
18. Interstate4Jamming2 – For Some, It’s Not Too Early To Get The Campaign Signs Out: “It’s three months until the party primaries, and less than six months until the General Election, so it’s not too early for a few of the candidates who will be on the ballot to get their names before the electorate. While I mostly travel around the north part of Lakeland, I’ve already noticed at least a couple of campaigners putting up signs around town.”
19. Also check out CG Radio and the Free World Radio Network.
20. 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.
21. Finally, check out our national coverage at our new blog, Florida Speaks.
