Chop House
Outdoor seating available
Monday, September 14, 2020
Hillsborough County School Board Candidate Endorsed By Failing Florida Legislator
People First - Report Card
2020 - 2019 -2018 - 2017
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Florida state legislators who voted to put people first instead of powerful special interests
Hillsborough County Corporate Welfare: $15.5 Million
The beneficiaries: the Tampa Bay Bucs, a highly profitable private company, who would be able to have more fans attend their games.
Well, we can’t have the Lightning and the Yankees (both also highly profitable private companies) feeling left out.
So early this month the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners, once again by a vote of 6 to1 (Stacy White being the only ‘no’ vote) approved a total of $4.1 million of CARES money for Amalie Arena and George M. Steinbrenner Field for safety improvements related to Corona Virus. $2.4 million will go to Amalie Arena and $1.7 million will go to Steinbrenner Field. MORE
The total of CARES money given to professional sports franchises in Tampa is now $15.5 million. One has to wonder how many small businesses in Hillsborough County, with legitimate and pressing needs, have been unable to get even a dime of this money.
Florida GOP Propaganda
“I feel sorry for the people who lost their jobs. The small businesses struggling. The Democrats are just sitting here, and these poor people getting hurt are just pawns for the election that’s happening November 3.” Rick Scott
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“And the biggest reason why is Speaker Pelosi & Senator Schumer believe Trump & the GOP will be blamed for the pain doing nothing will cause & that will help them win the White House & Senate in November.” Marco Rubio HERE
Sunday, September 13, 2020
On The Front Lines With Jessica Vaughn
May Day 2018 - Ybor City
Candy Lowe's Black Business Bus Tour 2017
Tax Scam Protest - Tampa 2017
DPCTB Puerto Rico Relief - 2017
Florida Fight For 15 Labor Day
Ybor City 2017
Andrew Gillum 2018 - Ybor City
Hanging out with some cool people in Ybor
PRIDE 2018 - Ybor City
Solidarity With Marjory Stoneman Douglas
High School in Tampa - 2018
MLK Parade 2018 - Ybor City
Our Revolution - Orlando 2020
Tampa DSA Post Trump
The ship is sinking on the starboard side. With a Biden win we can right the ship and steer it left in 2024!
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Our candidates are
wining everywhere!
Lets do it here
wining everywhere!
Lets do it here
JOIN THEM HERE
Doug Belden The Destroyer
The Florida Commission on Ethics ruled that there is probable cause to move forward, rather than dismiss an ethics complaint lodged against Hillsborough County Tax Collector Doug Belden.
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The complaint alleges Belden sent Alma Gonzalez, an attorney and state committee woman with the Hillsborough County Democratic Party messages saying he could use his "influence" to help her obtain employment with a private law firm.
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With the condition that he would not have a Democratic opponent in his upcoming re-election bid, and when she did not submit to his will, he resorted to threatening her
and her family.
and her family.
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Saying in part, "I have helped people in Tampa and I have destroyed people in Tampa." HERE
Saturday, September 12, 2020
Florida Bars Will Reopen
Florida has more than 652,000 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, one of the highest tallies in the nation, according to Johns Hopkins University. HERE
Friday, September 11, 2020
Sarasota Environmentalist Katherine Norman's Campaign Launch!
Sunday, September 13, 2020 at 9 AM
Bayfront Park, Sarasota INFO
Walk the John Ringling bridge with us to demand transparency in local government while raising awareness about environmental issues!
School Board Madness
Hello and salutations!
As I watch my former home unravel in political tension and chaos, I shake my head in disappointment. The Hillsborough County School Board is a hotbed for political disaster, terrible candidates, and occasional greatness.
Take the election in District 3 for example. There we have a bonafide progressive, Jessica Vaughn, running to fill the seat against an openly conservative gentleman by the name of Mitch Thrower. It would seem that the obvious choice in this election is Jessica; she supports public education, progressive values, and ending the school to prison pipeline. Mitch, on the other hand, does not support any of these things, and represents the mediocre status quo of the Hillsborough School Board — which, in turn, represents the pungent toxicity of Tampa Bay politics. To continue supporting the diversion of public funds to private interests and accept monies from private prison groups is a bad message.
It is a shame to see former candidates endorse this kind of message. I do not know Ms. Gilmore, though I wish I understood her rationale in supporting more of the same mediocre politics for the School Board. I support Jessica Vaughn and advise you to do the same. Granted, Jessica Vaughn (a friend of mine) has been known to not get along with certain people from the more conservative corners (not necessarily, always “conservative”) of the local Democratic Party. Knowing that, and wanting to elect Democrats (or people who at least support better ideas), why would someone who is a Democrat decide to support the right wing status quo?
I have asked myself this question as it pertains to endorsements. I, for instance, endorsed Sally Harris for the District 7 primaries, even though I no longer vote or live in Tampa Bay. While I personally get along with Sally, and will always respect her decision to oust corrupt former Superintendent Mary Ellen Elia, I am not convinced that I should endorse her again for the general election. She is a Republican, true enough, though she has been engaged with some more than questionable campaign tactics, and was too lenient with a former Superintendent. Lynn Gray has been an ally of public schools, fitness in education, and (my least favorite) has been known to be friendly with the anti-trans Melissa Snively. I am not sure if I should endorse either candidate this go around; based on what would be better for the School Board, I am not certain.
District 1 is an easy one. While I do not know as much about Nadia Combs, I do know that she represents positive change on the School Board more so than Steve Cona, an anti-public school conservative. Why would Democrats support Cona over Combs? Shady business, petty rivalry, some other reason. I am curious to know. I support Nadia Combs and advise you to do the same.
District 5 is a bit tougher. While I like and respect Shake Washington, as well as many of his surrogates, I am more keen to support Tammy Shamburger. While Tammy has a history of not getting along with certain teachers, she also has a remarkable history of getting positive results! Take school lunch as an example, wherein she passed an ordinance to ensure no child would be denied a hot meal due to their financial background. She has championed racial equity in schools, financial discipline, and getting more kids in lower income areas to graduate. She is a true fighter and has done well for the School Board; she, Karen Perez, and (to an extent) Lynn Gray are the only School Board Members who represent positive growth. While I wish Shake well, I do support Tammy Shamburger for re-election and advise you to do the same.
What a mess Tampa politics has become. It has some bright sides, make no mistake. I will post more in the near future, and I apologize for my recent absence on the Stogie. I love this blog and progressive politics, in Tampa as well as my home in Bennington, Vermont. I will have news regarding my political life up here in due time. Until next time...
Stay groovy,
Asher
Florida Dems Beware
Thursday, September 10, 2020
Ericka Leigh Changing The World
I am raising money for The Sewist Society because this is how I'm trying to change the world. Climate change, racial and gender inequalities are all issues inherent in the sewing and textile worlds.
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Our Textile Composting experiment addresses climate change by seeking alternative solutions to landfilling unwanted fabric or shipping it overseas; all while uplifting the skill of sewing, which is most often done by women and women of color.
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Our Textile Composting experiment addresses climate change by seeking alternative solutions to landfilling unwanted fabric or shipping it overseas; all while uplifting the skill of sewing, which is most often done by women and women of color.
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HELP HER HERE
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