Sunday, January 19, 2014

Independent Republic of Florida

Revolutions come in all shapes and sizes
For a brief period in 1810, Florida was truly a country of its own
The West Florida Rebellion holds the record as the shortest. In less than one minute it was over, setting in motion a chain of events that would transform the United States into a continental and,
 eventually, world power......more>

THE REPUBLICAN RAPE AUDIT BILL

GOP On the Edge of Insanity
 22 House Republicans 
On the House Judiciary Committee actually passed an anti-choice bill that could allow
 The IRS to audit survivors of rape or incest
for using their contraceptive health care coverage. Forcing women to submit proof of their traumatic experience to government auditors.

Tampa: Truth-telling and the School-to-Prison-Pipeline

As tax-payer funded entities, Florida’s public school districts are bound by the state’s Sunshine Laws, which mandate that accurate information be gathered, recorded, and made available to the public. Yet, school districts often rely on obscuring, distorting, and sugar-coating information, resulting in misinformation, propaganda, and partial-truths.
Learn more Tuesday, January 21, 2014 at 5:30 pm
The Children’s Board
1002 E. Palm, Ybor City

What Stogie Had For Lunch

Meat Balls with Yellow Rice and Platanos
At Plato Latino in Tampa
more here, Stay Local!

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Turning The American Dong Into A Tea Party Utopia

The Sunshine State is home to the country's third-largest prison system—one whose budget the conservative Scott vowed to slash by $1 billion, which is tough to do when you
 Privatize most of that system and find that it suddenly costs more to run than when it was state-administered.
Florida's stab at thriftiness was blocked again last month when a federal judge ruled that its prisons had to offer inmates a kosher alternative to their usual meals.
"You're talking about a lot of money," the state prison chief said......more>

Washington Lobbyist David Jolly


Florida's Water And Land Legacy Amendment

It will be on the November 2014 ballot!
If you haven't already, be sure to
 "like" the campaign on Facebook and
The campaign collected more than 685,000 valid signatures from
around the state.
 This amendment to Florida's Constitution, if passed by voters in November, would ensure the allocation of a portion of our state budget to fund conservation that forever protects Florida’s remaining natural treasures. We're one big step closer to making that happen.
Thanks for all you do to move Florida forward, and ensure that the state we love is preserved for future generations of Floridians. For Florida's environment.

Bubba the Love Sponge And Mayor Bob

The Jackson House in downtown Tampa
Bubba's charity planned to buy the home, restore it, and use some of the rooms to offer free legal advice to minorities. But Bubba said Mayor Bob imposed 11th-hour deadlines and expectations for restoring the home that were impossible to meet. He claims it is a personal vendetta against him because of the mayor's close relationship with his radio rival, Todd "MJ" Schnitt. Mayor Bob said that is malarkey.  
"I don't listen to his show, I don't know the guy, I don't know anybody who's credible who listens to his show, so I don't know how he can make this out to be a personal vendetta.".......more>

Friday, January 17, 2014

Florida Marijuana Celebration

1.1 million signed petitions

 Facing considerable opposition from
GOP 
 Republican lawmakers and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Concern with high voter turnout and the loss of their jobs.
 

Grayson: GOP Has Locked Up the Stupid Vote


SCOTT SAYS RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE MAKES HIM CRINGE

The Florida Democrats'
proposal to raise the minimum wage
makes him “cringe.
 Speak up Floridians, it won't happen unless you bitch. 
Show your support for raising the minimum wage 
can you add your name.
AND VOTE HIM OUT November 4th

 

Ralph Nader's Letter To George W. Bush

At this time of the year, it is not unusual to receive various mailings from nonprofit organizations looking for crucial end-of-the-year donations. You can imagine my surprise when I received a request from a certain notorious former President of the United States asking for my financial support in his public policy center's efforts to address the "challenges facing our world." My response to this solicitation.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Liberal New High In 2013

A recent Gallup poll now showing the numbers of Americans who self-identify as “liberal” are both growing and at higher rates than they’ve been in twenty years, the party of “no” and philosophies of greed may be facing an impending curtain call, in the face of the growing inequality which is shaping up to be the defining legacy of America’s long and costly experiment with conservative pro-corporate policies.......more>

Graham for Congress

I’m so proud of all we have accomplished in 2013. We wouldn’t be where we are today without your support. Let’s keep the momentum going through victory on November 4th, 2014!

 

Publix Refusing To Support The Fair Food Program

Florida’s tomato farms supply
50% of all U.S. fresh tomatoes
but have also been called America’s ‘ground zero for slavery.’
Countless workers held against their will, threatened with violence and forced to haul hundreds of heavy tomato buckets a day for little to no pay. Thankfully, a new solution called the Fair Food Program has been proven successful. The Fair Food Program is working to enforce a policy of zero tolerance for slavery on tomato farms........more
But a major U.S. supermarket chain,
Publix Super Markets, is refusing to support the Fair Food Program.

Sink Favored to Win Special Election

More than a dozen operatives and officials from both parties interviewed by
 Politico
were almost unanimous that Democrat Alex Sink, has emerged
as the unambiguous favorite in the race. 

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Rick Scott's Florida

Ex-TPD Cop Kills Man For Texting

It started with a father sending text messages to his daughter during the previews of a movie. It ended with the 43-year-old man shot dead at a Wesley Chapel movie theater and 71-year-old Curtis Reeves a retired TPD police officer in custody.......more
 He Claims He Feared For His Life
The 71-year-old “had every right to defend himself” when hit with an unknown object, which witnesses claimed was theater popcorn. The defendant’s attorney stated in court today. It is believed he will use a “stand your ground” defense.......more 

South Florida Rally: Close Guantanamo Now!

Over 100 protesters rallied near
U.S. Southern Command
To demand an end to the torture and abuse being
carried out in Guantanamo Bay.
 The rally was organized by South Florida-based POWIR – People’s Opposition to War, Imperialism, and Racism. The anti-war group formed a coalition
with several groups to lead the protest, including
Code Pink, Students for a Democratic Society and Veterans for Peace........more>

Mr. Blue: Pick A Candidate

Governor
We Recommend Nan Rich
 
CandidateStatusPrimaryGeneral
Gibson, Kyle Chaderwick (NPA) Active   
Adeshina, Yinka Abosede (REP) Active   
Anderson, Rubin Lewis (NPA) Active   
Crist, Charlie  (DEM) Active   
Cuevas-Neunder, Elizabeth  (REP) Active   
Devine, Timothy Michael (REP) Active   
Fraleigh, James Edward (INT) Active   
Giger, Herman Lee (NPA) Active   
Griffis, Mark D. (NPA) Active   
Horwath, Jefferson L. (NPA) Active   
Khavari, Farid A (DEM) Active   
Lipner, Ryan Adam (DEM) Active   
Martelly, Marcelle  (DEM) Active   
Pribble II, Robert Leonard (REP) Active   
Rabinowitz, Jeffrey Gabriel (NPA) Active   
Reed, C. C. (NPA) Active   
Rich, Nan H. (DEM) Active   
Rolle, Leonard  (NPA) Active   
Samuel, Berthram B. (REP) Active   
Scott, Richard L. (REP)  *Incumbent Active   
Smith, Dr. Joe  (REP) Active   
Smith, John Wayne (LPF) Active   
Stewart, Jessica Lana (DEM) Active   
Tolbert, Charles Frederick (NPA) Active   
Trujillo, Lesther  (NPA) Active   
Wyllie, Adrian  (LPF) Active   
Yarrow, Atlee David (SPF) Active   

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Buccaneer Cheerleader Hottest In The NFL

#1 Tiffany
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleading team

Florida GOP Welcome Chris Christie

To benefit Gov. Rick Scott's re-election campaign
 He will be in Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando for a series of fund-raising appearances on behalf of the Republican Governors Association.....more>
"We always welcome Gov. Christie to Florida,"
Will Weatherford

Candidates File To Run For Florida Legislature

A flood of campaign filings this week show a number of competitors
drawn to races across the state......more>
District 8
DeWayne Harvey
District 35

Farm To Table In Seminole Heights

Rooster and the Till
Our local food expert Jon Rector of SOG
With The Belle of Ballast Point and Under Dog and Sweet Polly visited a local restaurant that we are hearing good things about.
Read what he has to say here, Sweet Polly's version
Eat Local - Stay Local

Monday, January 13, 2014

Florida Blue Revolution

Tuition Equity At USF

All Bulls Are Equal
In the state of Florida, thousands of young people are denied access to higher education because they are forced to pay out of state tuition, despite meeting the requirements for in-state tuition. Ask the USF Board of Trustees and administration to change this, joining FIU and states across the country in granting tuition equity at USF.......here

Tampa Bay Bike Share

Opening day is set for some time in April, the organizers of
Tampa Bay Bike Share
are now looking for places to park their fleet of rental bikes around
Tampa’s downtown core.......more>

Umatilla Republican

Alan Hays
The epitome of Florida conservatism

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Three Amazing Florida Women

Progressive Florida
Three new amazing Democratic women 
threw their hat into the ring for countywide office around the state.
They are:
Pat Gerard for Pinellas County Commission
Daniella Levine Cava for Miami-Dade County Commission
Val Demings for Orange County Mayor

Rick Scott's Florida Suicide Epidemic

No more renting guns to kill yourself
A chain of gun-shops that has built gun ranges across
Central Florida
has announced it will no longer rent out guns in order to stop a string of suicides that occurred when customers borrowed weapons and used them
to take their own lives.....more>

The Lower Green Swamp Preserve

Citizens rallied four years ago to ensure one of Hillsborough County's largest land holdings stayed free of developers' clutches forever. This month the county will finally open a small portion of what is now dubbed the Lower Green Swamp Preserve to public exploration for the first time in decades. County officials are planning a
grand opening for the preserve at 10 a.m. Jan. 28......more>
BTW, Republican Ken Hagan had alot to do with making this happen. Great work everyone. 

City of Tampa's Free Mobile App


Bob connects you to Mayor Bob.

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Tampa Bay Homeless

Meet Jim
He is from Brooksville. He has been homeless 3 months.

Auburndale Fights For Student Safety

US Highway 92 and Old Dixie Highway 
Over 150 community members gathered at the intersection to demand Polk County Florida commissioners take action for public safety for high school students.
Tenoroc High School
was built and opened up to Auburndale students in 2008. It is located near the intersection which has no sidewalks and lighting is almost non-existent Since the opening of Tenoroc High, there have been two students who, while walking to school,
were hit and killed by vehicles.......
more>

Stogie Party: Mr. Blue

296 Days and counting
Florida Blue Revolution
11.4.14 Ybor City

Friday, January 10, 2014

Stop Alex Sink Campaign

Michael Hussey - Pushing Rope
has created a Facebook group
looking to stop former state CFO Alex Sink from running
for statewide office in the future......more
Yea we are with that, lets bring Jessica Ehrlich back!

Florida Tea Partier Trey Radel

Our partier gets 1 year of probation
After pleading guilty to possessing coke, avoiding the possible year in jail and $1000 fine such a charge can bring in the nation’s capitol......more
Presently across the US, 500,000 non-violent drug offenders are sitting in America’s prisons for equal and sometimes even lesser crimes.
Please note, we have nothing  against congressmen getting coked up once in a while. Some of us spent the late 70's and early 80's on this wonderful drug. It's the hypocrisy that bothers us. 

What Stogie Had For Lunch

Boliche
With moro and yuca
At LA Teresita Grocery in West Tampa 

Gus Bilirakis Thinks He Is Slick

 Our very own Gus Bilirakis
is introducing a bill "to address Obamacare's security risks"
that he claims "could" happen, citing
FOX news and ALEC, Koch associated think tanks
 that are pushing that idea to right-wing websites and blogs........more>