Florida's Early Voters

Weeks before Iowa voters trudge through the snow for the presidential caucuses on Jan. 3, thousands of Florida voters will get the first crack at casting a ballot, thanks to Florida's early-voting laws. The Republican Party traditionally has dominated the absentee voting wars, but the Democrats will compete with them this year, said state Democratic Party spokesman Mark Bubriski. Republicans "have reached a ceiling as far as how many guaranteed early voters they've got," he said, and for Democrats, who have not, "the sky's the limit."........here

State Democrats will kick off Wednesday their "Create Change 08" campaign to recruit Democrats to sign up as "permanent absentee voters" who can vote online or by mail in every election through 2010.

Sen. Dodd Comments After the FISA Victory

Progress Energy Signs Contract For Second Waste-Wood Plant

BG&E, based in Atlanta, Ga., plans to build a power plant in north or Central Florida that will use waste wood products -- such as yard trimmings, tree bark and wood knots from paper mills -- to create electricity. It would generate about 75 megawatts, or enough electricity to power 46,000 homes........here

Federal Judge Throws Out Florida Voting Law

A federal judge ordered state election officials to stop enforcing a 2-year-old voter registration law, ruling Tuesday afternoon that there is already proof that the change put in place by the GOP-controlled Florida Legislature has resulted in actual harm to real individuals.......here
Greg Palast: “The 2008 Election Has Already Been Stolen”

Zeitgeist

BARACK, THE NEW HOWARD DEAN

Barack Obama's rise in the polls has many pundits comparing him to JFK. But maybe he's just a more charismatic Howard Dean.......here
"Democrats fall in love, Republicans fall in line."

Is Junk Media Making You Sick?

Howard Dean Looking Good In Guam

"This party is a party that includes everybody and Guam is not going to be an exception. One of the first things I did when I was elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee was make sure that territories had the same voting power as states,"............here

Tackle Sprawl Or Voters Will

With a public fuming over congestion and sprawl, state planners and legislative leaders are again seeking ways to better manage Florida's growth. But unlike years past -- when politicians and planners passed tough growth laws only to water them down afterward
they're up against a possible public uprising........here

Florida Hometown Democracy

The Shameless Self-Promoter At The Tampa Convention Center

Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Speech at Free Indoor Event, Saturday December 15, 2007

Who's up for some peaceful but spirited protest? Contact Mike Fox

tampabaydemocracy@yahoo.com

Rudy Giuliani Urban Legend

Clinton Accuses Obama Of Being Too Liberal

Using a curious tactic in a Democratic primary season dominated by liberals, Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday accused Barack Obama of being too far left to be elected president -- citing a decade-old questionnaire indicating Obama once opposed the death penalty and backed socialized medicine.......here
The Democratic Wing Of The Democratic Party.

George W Bush Mistress Scandal

Florida Officer Busted

Asher Wright, 20, a corrections officer with the Walton County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office, was arrested about 8:30 p.m. Friday during a road check at Smith Avenue and Kern Street. Asher’s two citations were among 47 issued during the Smith road check and another later Friday night at Cairo Road and the west bypass. The road checks had been planned for about two months. The events were designed to send a message to the public that Thomasville Police Department is serious about highway and vehicle occupant safety........here

They have "Road Checks" in Communist Cuba, there they are called "Point Of Control".

Gov. Crist Visits Solar Energy Building

Florida's governor was in Fort Lauderdale Monday for the ribbon cutting of a business that will run completely on solar power. Advanced Green Technologies Advanced Green Technologies at 2100 N.W. 21st Ave. has the largest solar-power roof in the Sunshine State for its 10,000-square-foot building........here

Howard Dean To Speak In Guam

One Of America's Most Influential Politicians

Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean, is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at the annual Jefferson/Jackson dinner at the Hyatt Regency Guam tomorrow evening. As part of the Democratic party's 50 State Strategy, Dean's visit further highlights Guam's emerging presence in the national consciousness. This latest success by the local Democratic Party may bode well as Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama both appear to be running strong in capturing national attention as well as fundraising dollars.......here

Jack Tanner Arrested For Jaywalking In Ft. Myers

Florida Zoo Getting 30 Puerto Rican Monkeys

Puerto Rico officials have a new plan to solve their monkey problem: export them to Central Florida. About 30 patas monkeys have been shipped to the Florida International Teaching Zoo in Sumter County as part of a larger strategy to capture, neuter, track and export packs of monkeys that have invaded the island from a defunct research facility........more

"These are animals that could become an endangered species soon in their native Africa because they are being aggressively hunted for food,"..........Mark Wilson

Florida Veterans Call Off Plan To Picket Jane Fonda

Thirty-five years after she straddled an enemy cannon in defiance of the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War, Jane Fonda has vets in a frenzy about a visit to Palm Beach for a fund-raiser next week. Some of the 7,000-plus members of the American Legion in Palm Beach, Martin and Okeechobee counties were expecting to be called to picket Tuesday's luncheon of the YWCA at The Breakers........here

Oprah And Obama in Iowa

Myakka River State Park Additions

Thursday, Dec. 13 will be the day Florida Forever, a state land conservation program, will designate its acquisition and restoration council to decide whether or not to purchase 18,743 acres of environmentally sensitive land for about $80 million.......here

The additional areas jointly connect -- and protect -- a contiguous system of conservation areas in Sarasota County

Miss You, John. 27 Years Later

I still wish I could turn back the clock to the Summer of 1980. I remember everything - sharing our morning coffee, walking in the park together on a beautiful day, and seeing your hand stretched to mine - holding it, reassuring me that I shouldn't worry about anything because our life was good.........here

The Orlando Weekly Charged With Promoting Prostitution

For years, the back pages of The Orlando Weekly were filled with ads for naughty nurses, sultry coeds and girls with come-hither names like "Rush" and "Roxie." But the saucy escort-service advertising came to a halt this fall. Vice squad officers arrested three of the paper's advertising sales reps in a sting operation and secured an extraordinary racketeering indictment against the Weekly, accusing it of knowingly profiting from prostitution.......here

Florida Teen Is Documenting The 2008 Elections

Tenth grader Noah Gray quietly pulled out his iPhone in English class and saw the e-mail he’d been waiting for. You’re in!” He smiled and hid his phone. The 15-year-old hadn’t gotten in to a party or a sports event. The e-mail was from a spokeswoman for Univision, the Spanish television station. The news: He’d have a press pass for Sunday’s Republican presidential debate in Florida......more

Mexican Iguanas Invade Gasparilla Island

Florida's idyllic Gasparilla island has taken up arms against aggressive foreign intruders, but the Mexican spiny-tailed iguanas are putting up a tough fight, devouring landscaped gardens, munching on electrical cables and gobbling up turtle eggs.........more

The Reluctant Chelsea Clinton

Democratic presidential candidate frontrunners are pulling out the big guns this week to woo voters in Iowa. While Barack Obama leans on Oprah Winfrey's star power to pull in crowds, Hillary turns to support from daughter Chelsea Clinton and mother Dorothy Rodham to lend her campaign a softer 'family' feel..........here

Liberals And Ron Paul

Florida Progressive Coalition And Samm Simpson

I've taken Samm Simpson off the progressive blogroll and I couldn't possibly support her in her run for Congress at this point.......Kenneth Quinnell

I know your heart is in the right place and you and I are both deeply concerned about this nation...............Samm Simpson

Dean: Can't Trust Republicans With Your Money

"Republicans continue to prove that you just can't trust them with your money. The Bush Republicans in Congress can't claim to be fiscal conservatives one day and then block Democratic efforts to responsibly manage our country's finances the next. Democrats are absolutely committed to stopping a tax hike on millions of unsuspecting middle class Americans but Republicans are blocking efforts to do so responsibly. With our national debt rising by $1.4 billion a day and foreign governments controlling our debt, what will it take for Republicans to act responsibly?"

I Am A Muslim!

Why Not Drink Local?

In a triumph of marketing over reasoning, the bottled water industry has turned us into conspicuously silly consumers.Controlled by a handful of global conglomerates (such as Coca Cola and Nestle), the water industry has created the fantasy that if it's in a bottle, it's purer than what comes out of the tap. But wait – the EPA stringently regulates the public water systems, requiring tests several times a day for bacteria and other contaminants, and these test results are public information. The corporate bottlers, on the other hand, are overseen by the more lackadaisical FDA, which requires them to test their water sources only once a week – and the results are kept secret by the corporations......here

Heckuva Job DHS! 5 Years Of Corporate Cronyism

Kucinich First, Edwards Second In PDA Straw Poll

Not surprisingly in a field of eight contenders, no candidate came close to gaining a majority of the total vote in PDA's recently completed presidential straw poll. But two candidates--Dennis Kucinich (41%) and John Edwards (26%)--combined for more than 2/3 of the total vote.......here

Residents Of Cassadaga Florida Converse With The Dead

The scent of incense hangs in the air as one passes between the columns saying "Welcome Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp." So does a musty odor. The smells come from the small houses that line the narrow streets, the porches decorated with chimes and ornaments. The paint peels from many homes and some of the yards are unkempt and cluttered. The spooky atmosphere is appropriate — the Spiritualists who live here say they converse with the dead.......here

Justin Troller Elected To Lakeland City Commission

Justin Troller, a Lakeland High School teacher and tireless campaigner, easily defeated Brian Dockery in Tuesday's runoff election for a seat on the Lakeland City Commission. Troller won the nonpartisan race with 61 percent of the vote in an aggressive campaign that in its final days pitted unions vs. business leaders and Republicans vs. Democrats........here

Ron Paul Talks Abortion On The View

Manatees To Stay On Florida's Endangered Species List

Commissioners from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission unanimously voted to postpone a decision to downlist manatees from “endangered” to “threatened” Wednesday. Commissioners also approved the first ever management plan for manatees, which will not only develop better ways to count them but also beef up protections for the sea cow........here

“We got some very good news today,”..........Pat Rose, Director Of The Save The Manatee Club

Evolution Battling Intelligent Design In Florida Schools

The next intelligent design showdown will take place in Florida, where opposition is mounting to state -mandated emphasis on the importance of evolution to science education. The controversy comes on the heels of a Texas education official's firing for forwarding an email critical of intelligent design, which holds that some phenomena are too complex to be explained except by Godly manufacture.......more

Howard Dean One, Bill Nelson Zero

A federal judge ruled Wednesday that the Democratic National Committee has every right to strip Florida of its 210 delegates as punishment for moving its primary date to Jan. 29. U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle dismissed a lawsuit against the national party by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, ruling from the bench that ``Florida has to comply by the same rules as everybody else and does not get to insist on its own way.''........here

If They’ve Got The Guns, We’ve Got The Numbers

Liberal Hawk Says Iraq No Longer Matters

Iraq is now a “Non- Story” and quickly becoming irrelevant to the presidential campaign. So says liberal pundit Peter Beinart. If there’s anything more dangerous than a neoconservative hawk, it’s a liberal hawk. Among Democrats, virtually all the elite figures have endorsed the Bush administration’s plan to pursue the “Korea model,” with those 50,000 or U.S. troops “enduring” (the new code word for permanently) on those U.S. bases in Iraq. Only Bill Richardson has publicly called for all U.S. troops to leave Iraq. (Kucinich fans may be glad to hear that Dennis doesn’t count as part of the elite.).......more