Thursday, September 24, 2020

Sen. Bernie Sanders gives speech on November election


babybrother - Ybor City


Bernie Sanders Nightmare Scenario

“We are living in an unprecedented and dangerous moment — extremely dangerous moment — in American history.” 

Bernie said he would spend the next six weeks urging the country to prepare for a “nightmare scenario” in which Trump declares himself the winner of the election and refuses to step down even if he loses.

MORE

Florida To Legalize Murdering Protesters


Marco Rubio Then & Now

Then
“I don’t think we should be moving forward with a nominee in the last year of this president’s term. I would say that even if it was a Republican president,” Rubio said in 2016.
Now
“In 2016, President Obama exercised his Constitutional duty and nominated Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, and the Senate exercised its Constitutional obligation and decided not to consent,” Rubio said in a statement released Monday. “Now, President Trump should exercise his duty to name a nominee. And the Senate should once again exercise its Constitutional obligation and decide whether or not to consent to his choice.” HERE

Ybor Live: Episode 1 - Spring Chickens


Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Tampa Environmentalist Kent Bailey RIP




















Rest in Power my friend
We will never forget you!
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"Florida lost an environmental champion and I lost a friend yesterday. Kent Bailey was an amazing advocate for this state, and he has done so much for the environmental movement, especially in Tampa. We got to stand together on so many issues and I am sorry I will not get to stand next 
to him anymore." Tim Heberlein

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"Kent Bailey, I was shocked to discover you had passed away when I returned home from work today. I wish I had touched base with you, even once, to reminisce about the good old days when we campaigned for now Commissioner Kemp. I will make it a priority in my political career to support environmentalism and protect our world. Thank you for a lifetime of service. Rest easy, friend." Asher Edelson
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"We've lost Kent Bailey, the Chair of the Sierra Club for many years and one of Hillsborough County's greatest "good trouble" makers. I really can't believe that Kent is gone from a heart attack. He was a dear friend. I never expected to lose him so soon.

He was a cherished and consistent voice on climate change, sea level rise and the environment and a kind and wonderful human being. We miss you Kent. You made this community such a richer place and you saved Cone Ranch, a treasure for generations 

to come." Pat Kemp

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"The loss of Kent Bailey is devastating to our community. Honestly, I don't think that I can find the words to adequately express the great fondness and the immense amount of respect that I have for Kent, and for the work that he did in within our community. Thank you Kent Bailey. You will be GREATLY missed." 
Jessica Vaughn 


What Stogie Had For Lunch

Mushroom Pizza
From Westshore Pizza

DeSantis targets cities that 'defund' police


Tampa DSA Keeping The Dream

POST TRUMP ERA
JOIN THEM HERE

Florida Bill Would ‘Encourage’ Drivers ‘To Mow Down BLM Protesters

A bill introduced by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis regarding the ongoing protests against racism and police violence would all but provide an incentive to inflict harm on people participating in those demonstrations. HERE

Leaving California for Florida? WATCH THIS FIRST!


Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Sarasota County Virtual Town Hall: Katherine Norman

Thursday at 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM INFO

Kelly Benjamin Tampa Folks

Tampa folks: we have an opportunity to push some of the power of the voices in the streets into public policy through the Tampa City Council and provide an avenue for the community to have a say in how they are policed through the Citizen Review Board for the Tampa Police Department. Below are instructions to comment at Thursday’s Council workshop on the Citizen Review Board changes
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Here’s what we are asking for:
1. Rather than the mayor having the majority of appointments, neither the mayor, nor any other individual, should have the power to appoint more than one third of 
the CRB’s members.
2. The CRB should have its own independent attorney that it does not share with any other city-government subdivision.
3. The CRB should have a budget for investigations and the ability to retain outside investigators or, alternatively, the CRB’s independent attorney should be able to retain outside investigators on 
the CRB’s behalf.
4. The CRB should have its own administrative staff or, alternatively, a coordinator from Community Affairs should replace the coordinator designated by the Chief of Police for purposes of setting the meeting agendas and other responsibilities other than training CRB members and providing TPD updates.
5. The CRB should have control over its own agenda (rather than have it set by TOD) and decide for itself what to investigate/review, including the ability to investigate complaints received directly from the public.
6. The CRB should have discretion to review any Internal Affairs investigation where discipline is pending.
7. If the CRB requests information/documents from TPD (outside of issuance of a subpoena), TPD should be required to provide the information/documents within 30 days or request an extension of time, which the CRB should have discretion to grant or deny. TPD should only be permitted to withhold requested information/documents from the CRB if providing same would violate a law, in which case such legal basis should be provided 
to the CRB in writing.
8. The CRB member participating in an interview panel for a prospective TPD officer should receive all documents/materials regarding the candidate at the same time as other interview panel participants (and in any event, at least seven days before any interview panel takes place).
9. A prospective CRB member with a criminal record and/or history of litigation against the City of Tampa should not be categorically disqualified from appointment. Rather, this information should be considered by City Council and/or the Mayor when making appointment decisions.
10. CRB membership should reflect the racial, gender, ethnic, national origin, religious, linguistic, sexual orientation, socioeconomic, and age composition of the 
City of Tampa population.
We need to emphasize the importance of having subpoena power and how civilian-review boards are assets to their communities, as opposed to thorns in the side of law enforcement. If you’ve felt moved to be in the streets at all this summer, this is a concrete way to direct that energy to change.
Please sign up to comment before 9AM Wednesday! Public comment sign up is closed after that. The workshop takes place 
9AM Thursday!
You got all that?!? HERE

Florida To Chill Legitimate Dissent

“This is an attempt to chill legitimate dissent and somehow equate protests against police killing Black people with criminal activity despite the clear evidence that the protests occurring in Florida are overwhelmingly peaceful,” said Kelly Benjamin, co-founder of Tampa for Justice.
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“The governor is attaching himself to Donald Trump’s propaganda and manufacturing a non-existent law and order crisis in Florida,” said Senate Democratic Leader Audrey Gibson. “It’s political fearmongering to bolster a president’s re-election bid.” HERE

A Little Stogie Fearmongering

Remember Ronda Storms
Tampa's PRIDE used to hold the distinction of the state's largest LGBT pride event. From 2005 to 2013, Hillsborough County enforced a ban on acknowledging, participating or promoting anything to do with gay pride events. The ban was spearheaded by then GOP County Commissioner Ronda Storms 


It wasn't repealed until we elected 
progressive democrat Kevin Beckner.
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Do we want to go back to that?
Progressives have been making great progress with the addition of Kemp, Smith and Overman.
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Now they have to it again!
Re-elect Pat Kemp and add Gwen Myers

Majority rules!


Meet the Latino voters backing Donald Trump


Florida Disaster Scenario 2020

For perhaps the first time in our history, ordinary Americans are worried about whether the world’s oldest democracy can actually pull off a democratic election. 

We asked a bipartisan group of five experts to unspool their own specific disaster scenarios. 

On November 19, a skirmish breaks out in Tallahassee between pro-Biden protesters and armed white-nationalist groups. Several people are killed, and multiple buildings are vandalized or burned. The next day, violence and looting continue all over Florida. Several Molotov cocktails are hurled into the state capitol.

On November 21, GOP governor Ron DeSantis mobilizes Florida National Guard troops to “restore order,” and on November 22, after some prodding from the White House, he formally requests that Trump send military personnel to help law enforcement suppress what he describes as “an insurrection.”