Rick Scott Includes Stump Speech In Taxpayer Funded Letters To New Attorneys?

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BEACH PEANUTS

11/20/2013

Last month Rick Scott began sending out taxpayer funded letters to those receiving new or renewed business licenses in Florida. Those letters, which at the time, numbered 425,596, echoed Rick Scott campaign talking points and stated his “goals” for Florida: Making Florida the “No. 1 place for business,” lowering the cost of living, and making sure school’s “prepare students for the career or college of their dreams.” That he would appear to be using taxpayer funded letters to campaign prompted the group Florida For All to file a Freedom Of Information Act request to ask just that question.

Now Scott is up to the same thing elsewhere.

This time he’s sending out similar taxpayer funded letters to new attorneys as they are admitted to the Florida Bar. The letters devote only a small space for the stated purpose of congratulations, while the remaining space is used to explain how awesome Rick Scott is for Florida, and he claims the state was losing jobs before he came to the rescue. Now, he doesn’t mention any names in the letter, but members of the Florida Bar are smart enough to put two and two together.

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Democrats Rein In Senate Filibusters

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Wall Street Journal
By JANET HOOK and KRISTINA PETERSON
Updated Nov. 21, 2013 10:54 p.m. ET

A bitterly divided Senate voted Thursday to eliminate filibusters for most presidential nominees, a momentous and politically risky step that limits the ability of Republicans to block President Barack Obama’s choices for executive-branch and most judicial posts.

The change gives Mr. Obama more flexibility to shape the federal judiciary and to staff his administration for the remaining years of his presidency. But it could hand more power to Republicans if the GOP should win the White House and control of the Senate.

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Mitch Ceasar on MSNBC’s The Ed Show

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VOTING RIGHTS

Fighting for Florida’s right to vote

11/18/13 06:32PM
Florida plays a key role in the majority of national elections. Charlie Crist promises to protect voters right in the swing state. Ed Schultz and panel discuss.

Broward Democratic Party Now Accepts Online Donations!

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Frankel gains clout on Everglades, port legislation

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Congresswoman Lois Frankel

By William E. Gibson
South Florida Sun Sentinel
South Florida Congresswoman Lois Frankel will get a chance to sway the final results of a major nationwide water-projects bill that includes funding for Everglades restoration and, potentially, expansion of Port Everglades.

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Congressmen Ted Deutch and Alcee Hastings Release Statements on Cuts to Food Stamps
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Duetch

Congressman Deutch

“Today, the 3.52 million Floridians and 48 million Americans nationwide who rely on SNAP to avoid going hungry will see their benefits go down as $5 billion in cuts take effect. These cuts result from the expiration of anti-hunger funding included in the Recovery Act, but we cannot forget that for these families, the economic recovery has yet to arrive, and putting food on the table remains a challenge. The fact that 87 percent of SNAP recipients live in households with children, seniors, or disabled Americans drives home how this assistance goes to those who need it most.

“As these families cope with more hardship and more hunger in the wake of this $5 billion cut, leaders in the House and Senate are beginning to negotiate the terms of a new farm bill that could include anywhere between $4 and $40 billion in additional cuts to SNAP. The best way to reduce spending under SNAP is to pass legislation that will actually create jobs and grow paychecks so that millions of Americans do not have to scrape by on SNAP benefits.

“Unfortunately, instead of passing a jobs bill, or a minimum wage increase, or immigration reform, Washington is busy debating how much less we are willing to help families who struggle with hunger in our communities on a daily basis.”

 

Congressman HastingsCongressman Hastings

“Starting today, American families struggling to make ends meet will have one more thing to worry about. The $5 billion cut to SNAP benefits will impact 1 in 7 Americans, including seniors, the disabled, children, and low-wage working Americans. For these families and individuals, the cuts will literally keep food off of the table.

“This cut will force some of the hungriest people in our country to forego up to 21 meals every single month. Yet, Republicans remain determined to cut even more from the program. Just two months ago, House Republicans pushed through legislation to cut $39 billion from SNAP, nearly 10 times the amount agreed to in the bi-partisan compromise passed in the Senate.

“SNAP benefits are critical for the 47 million people that receive them. As a Member of Congress, I will continue to oppose cuts to SNAP and support legislation that makes it easier for Americans to provide for themselves and their families.”

In Florida, Wasserman-Schultz responds to GOP attacks on health law

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By Patricia Borns, MiamiHerald.com

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a breast cancer survivor, used her personal experience Thursday to fire back at Republicans for their attacks on the Obama administration’s health reform program. Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/10/31/3723785/in-florida-wasserman-schultz-responds.html#storylink=cpy

 

 

Broward Dems Gear Up for State Conference

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Florida Democratic Party 2013 State Conference

Oct. 25-27, 2013 — Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resort

Conference begins Friday at 1pm and ends Sunday at 3pm

Join us for a weekend of special events, trainings, and keynotes with National, State, and Local Democratic leaders as we gear up for the 2014 election cycle to defeat Rick Scott!

Information on becoming a conference sponsor, purchasing meal packages, registering as a conference delegate, and booking your hotel room can be found below.

For questions please contact Ms. Lydia Claire Brooks, Deputy Political Director, at 850-222-3411 or lcbrooks@fladems.com.

Ted Yoho’s Continued War on Facts, Reality

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From the Florida Dems Blog:

Following today’s Republican Study Committee Meeting, default denier Rep. Ted Yoho told reporters that “Somebody needs to convince me why we need to raise the debt ceiling.”

Well someone should show Congressman Yoho what top business leaders and economists have said about the economic impact of failing to pay our nation’s bills:

“Top Bankers Warn on U.S. Debt Proposal”  [Wall Street Journal, 10/7/13]

“Debt Ceiling Deadline Gets Closer; Economists Warn of Dire Impacts”  [WHNT,10/7/13]

“CEOs Warn Of ‘Extremely Adverse’ Effects Of Debt Ceiling Standoff.”  [Reuters,10/2/13]

“Economists Fear Debt Ceiling Fight May Bring Recession”  [CNN Money, 10/4/13]

“As Debt-Limit Deadline Nears, Investors Show Growing Concern About A U.S. Default”  [Washington Post, 10/8/13]

“Debt Ceiling Concerns Drag On Wall Street”  [Contra Costa Times, 10/7/13]

“IMF Chief Economist: U.S. Default Would Likely Cause Recession”  [Reuters, 10/8/13]

“As U.S. Approaches Debt Ceiling, Fears Of Global Recession Increase”  [Washington Post, 10/9/13]

“World Bank President: Debt Debate Could Be Dire”  [USA Today, 10/8/13]

Obamacare in Florida: Day 1

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From the Florida Dems Blog:

Floridians are gaining access to affordable, quality health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Demand is high and projected to rise, with individuals and small business owners giving enthusiastic interviews to the press yesterday.

While the House GOP attempts to sabotage access to health care for millions of Americans by shutting down the government, Florida’s ACA marketplace has come online and is beginning to improve the lives of Floridians. Here is a quick look at day one.

 

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Tampa Bay Times

One of the first people in the office was 20-year-old Chris Dawson, a USF senior majoring in public health. He hasn’t had insurance in the two years since he aged out of a government plan for children.

While uninsured, Dawson has hurt his ankle and had bronchitis. He has gone to a student health clinic, but has never had his ankle X-rayed.

“The government is not perfect, but it is great to see a movement toward helping people,” he said.

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WFTV Orlando Channel 9

Anchor: “The government shutdown isn’t stopping today’s online enrollment for the Affordable Care Act here in Central Florida. There are four locations,in Orlando, Kissimme, Longwood, and Eustis, where you can get help finding an insurance plan that works for you. Here is some video of health care navigators helping people in downtown Orlando…Florida residents can also choose from 102 plans, that is the second highest of any state.”

Alex Taboas, Business Owner: “This navigation program is definitely helpful, I hope they get the word out to a lot of people.”

 

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Jacksonville Business Journal

“The first thing we’re noticing is that traffic to our various sales channels is up quite a bit from prior weeks, as we expected,” said Craig Thomas, senior vice president and chief strategy and marketing officer. “Calls into call centers, visitors into retail centers across the state and agents across the state — it’s been pretty heavy.”

Florida Blue has between 800,000 and 900,000 customers who buy individual insurance plans right now, and Thomas said the company expects to double that market segment in the first 12 to 15 months of the exchange.

 

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The Miami Herald

“For Florida, where an estimated 3.8 million people live without health insurance, the exchanges could make an especially big impact. The state ranks near the top of the nation in terms of plan choices, with an average of 102 health plans offered on the federally-run exchange.”

 

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FloridaToday (Gannett)

“It’s very simple, it’s easy,” said Arjoonsingh, one of 20 application advisers for BHA.

The nationwide rollout comes after months of buildup in which the marketplaces have been both praised and vilified.