Saturday, February 11, 2023
Florida lawmakers vote to back expansion of DeSantis’ migrant relocation plan
Florida lawmakers on Friday approved an expansion of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ controversial program to relocate migrants, giving the Republican leader authority to transport individuals from anywhere in the country.
More HERE
DeSantis asks for millions of dollars more to fight lawsuits
Gov. Ron DeSantis is asking Florida state legislators to approve millions of dollars to help his office and other state agencies fight lawsuits stemming from new laws and executive orders.
According to his budget proposal, which was unveiled last week, DeSantis is seeking to increase the litigation spending for the Executive Office of the Governor from $1.6 million last year to $4 million next year.
A note in the budget proposal indicates the money would come from the General Fund, and it would be used "to acquire legal representation for lawsuits related to litigation expenses."
More HERE
Friday, February 10, 2023
Florida boards of medicine confirm ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth
Transgender youth in Florida seeking gender-affirming care will no longer have access to treatment — not even during clinical trials.
Puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy will be banned for minors under rules adopted Friday by the Florida Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine.
During the meeting the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine voted to eliminate an exception for research at the request of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration.
More HERE
Why I am running for Select Board
Given the powers of the Select Board, I aim to work with colleagues to expand sidewalks, as well as their upkeep, in Bennington. I want to explore tangible opportunities to responsibly house our fellow Bennington residents who experience homelessness. Furthermore, I will be steadfast in securing equity for marginalized communities.
2. So far as I have seen, Putnam Block has been successful thus far amid a pandemic, and the economic hardships thusly attributed. A flurry of fantastic, new businesses have blossomed on Main Street, and this is the sort of progress we need to build on. I am grateful that the Community Market is championing healthy food for Bennington and its most disadvantaged residents.
I fully appreciate that the Bennhi project seeks to restore a historic part of our town, and offer potentially My name is Asher Edelson, and I am running for Bennington Select Board.
I choose to move to Bennington after growing up in the South, where I never felt at home, and found home here. The small town atmosphere appealed to me, as did seasonal weather and the town’s charm. This is where I found home, community, a place to work, and a place to buy my first house. This is where I want to raise a family.
Prior to the move, I ran for the school board of the sixth largest school district in the nation (at the age of 19), and lost my race while talking about student nutrition and ending state standardized testing.
From there, I got my Bachelor’s Degree, held positions within local political structures, interned for a Congresswoman, and worked for numerous political campaigns.
Even then, I knew I was not at home. The best decision I ever made was making the move to Bennington. After the move in 2019, I got right to work. Amid full time employment, I became Chair of the Vermont State Rehabilitation Council, Town Chair of the Bennington Democratic Party, a School Board Member at Southwest Tech, and a history teacher at the Vermont School for Girls.
Each of these positions offers me an opportunity to do real good for the community. Whether that is helping to successfully lobby for mandated hearing aid insurance in Vermont, bringing a variety of statewide candidates to Bennington, successfully adding gender identity & national origin to SW Tech’s anti-discrimination policy, or helping disadvantaged students learn about the world, I am proud of what I have accomplished. And it is only the beginning.
I am running for Select Board to make an impact. I will do what I can on a variety of issues that I care about, including transit, housing, and disability accessibility. I am prepared to be a proactive listener and find a way to make positive change a reality.
I live in Bennington, with my two cats. I enjoy spending time with friends, gaming, catching up with programs or books that I enjoy, and learning about Vermont.more affordable housing to older people. The idea that this space could be used to host community events, affordable and accessible housing, small businesses, and nonprofits is attractive. Provided I am elected to the Bennington Select Board, I will be diligent in utilizing whatever resources I can to ascertain the feasibility of the Bennhi project. If it is financially appropriate, and accessible to those with disabilities, it will be a project that I support.
3. I love Bennington and I am grateful to call her my home. Bennington needs to be equitable, accessible, and productive. Let’s get down to brass tacks, our town has experienced serious problems with regard to racism. We need to work as a community to ensure our town is welcoming and safe for people of color. Painting “Black Lives Matter” in front of our Town Office is wonderful, however it is not a tangible change for ensuring our black and brown neighbors are safe, as well as truly listened to — we need to do work on that front. When a duly elected Vermont l State Representative feels the need to resign and move out of town due to racism, that’s a problem.
Furthermore, Bennington would thrive more so with a variety of public transit options. When people with disabilities have difficulty accessing damaged sidewalks, that’s a problem. When our local bus drivers need to unionize in order to make ends meet, that’s a problem. When trade jobs leave Bennington while our water gets polluted, that’s a problem. The good thing is that we can fix these problems in order to revitalize our beautiful, resilient, blossoming Bennington.
New report shows Hillsborough blocked 52 percent of abortion petitions for minors
Overall, Florida judges denied one in eight petitions across Florida in 2021. In a county-by-county breakdown, Hillsborough had the highest percentage of denials at 52%. Out of 21 petitions, Hillsborough denied 11.
Pinellas cleared all 11 of the petitions it received; other counties that didn’t deny a single petition include Lee, Miami-Dade, and Orange.
More HERE
From the Devil's Own Mouth
Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan still thinks it's 50/50 that the Rays end up in Tampa
Ken Hagan says that he was not surprised by the Rays redevelopment deal, and that this is a good thing for the team and the area. Pat (iHeart Radio's Pat and Aaron Show) asks him if this makes Tampa more aggressive, and Ken Hagan says he doesn't blame him and others for thinking that Tampa isn't being aggressive. He says that the Tampa Bay Rays know that they need to be in Tampa, and that they are waiting for all the info from the Pinellas side to come through. He says they won't be able to go into a bidding war with St. Petersburg, and that Major League Baseball and the Tampa Bay Rays know that. He goes on to say that it would be a huge black eye on the area if they were to lose the team.
Listen to the Ken Hagan interview HERE
In this interview, Ken Hagan unabashedly states that Pinellas County would be able to invest more in a new stadium than Hillsborugh County because they collect more in their "bed tax" than Hillsborough County does. This is a clear indication that Hillsborough County would use public funds to help pay for the new stadium.
Thursday, February 9, 2023
Rick Scott isn’t helping his case on Social Security and Medicare
When Sen. Rick Scott unveiled his far-right policy blueprint about a year ago, many members of his party weren’t altogether pleased with the Florida Republican. Indeed, Democrats spent much of 2022 treating Scott’s plan like a piñata, and some operatives in both parties believe the Floridian contributed to the GOP’s underwhelming showing in the 2022 midterms.
And yet, Scott keeps digging deeper. The Washington Post reported:
"Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) doubled down Wednesday on a plan that would require all legislation — including that relating to popular programs, such as Social Security and Medicare — to be passed every five years to stay on the books. Scott’s comments, made in a tweet, followed a reference by President Biden on Tuesday night to Scott’s plan, which Democrats used as fodder to attack Republicans in advance of the midterm elections last year."
It was against this backdrop that Scott turned to Twitter this morning, standing by his plan to sunset “all federal legislation” after five years. “If a law is worth keeping,” the Floridian wrote, “Congress can pass it again.”
Scott added this morning, however, that this doesn’t mean he wants to “cut” Social Security and Medicare. Perhaps not, but that’s beside the point: The senator’s plan was (and is) controversial for a variety of reasons, including the fact that it would sunset the popular social insurance programs, not “cut” them. That’s what Biden said in his address, and it remains accurate.
More HERE
Abortion-rights activist who was body-shamed by Matt Gaetz confronted him at SOTU address
An abortion-rights activist who was body-shamed by Rep. Matt Gaetz said she confronted the congressman at Tuesday's State of the Union address and thanked him for helping her fundraise millions of dollars.
Olivia Julianna, a 20-year-old Houston-based activist for Gen Z for Change, was invited to the address by Democratic Rep. Nanette D. Barragán of California.
While in the US Capitol building, Julianna said she confronted Gaetz, the Republican lawmaker she credits with helping her raise millions for abortion funds, after he targeted her online.
"Just want everyone to know I just shook @mattgaetz hand and thanked him for helping me raise 2 million dollars," Julianna wrote on Twitter. "His response was to say 'heard you had trouble spending it.' And to quickly walk away in the opposite direction. What a loser lol," she added.
Julianna later said in a follow-up tweet that Gaetz had a "weak handshake."
Last July, Gaetz mocked abortion-rights activists in a speech at the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit in Tampa, Florida. Gaetz made body-shaming jibes about activists who are "5-foot-2 and 350 pounds," adding: "Nobody wants to impregnate you if you look like a thumb."
More HERE
DeSantis edges closer to 2024 decision
Several Republicans familiar with the deliberations say that DeSantis is almost certain to seek the GOP’s presidential nomination. His advisers have begun reaching out to and interviewing potential hires for a campaign and are gaming out the best time to announce his intentions.
A formal campaign launch is still months away, they say, and won’t likely come until after the state legislature wraps up its regular session in May. Two sources familiar with the plans said that the Florida governor could announce his presidential bid as early as late May or early June.
“I think his mind is pretty much made up at this point,” one Republican operative said. “My read on it is: Let’s get through session, get some stuff done and see where things stand. But unless something changes drastically between now and then, I’d say he’s a go.”
More HERE
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