Thursday, December 31, 2009

Counter on Facebook: Americans Against Teabags

I can't stand the hypocricy.







Americans Against Teabags

Sunday, December 20, 2009




My God, how desperate are you?









Your GOP at work.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

How to Negotiate Like a Democrat



Dems kept offering amendments to that bill:




It didn't have to be this way...

Reid could have broken the healthcare reform bill in two.

Reid could have at least threatened Reconciliation.



Give 'em Hell Harry, my ass!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Paula Dockery Is Our Joke




Monday, December 07, 2009

Seminole Democrat Endorses Paul Partyka Over Suzanne Kosmas FL-24








• Improve employer-based coverage for 463,000 residents.
• Provide coverage for 92,000 uninsured residents.



We need Paul Partyka.





Friday, November 27, 2009

Crist and Sen. LeMieux Go After Corruption..Don't Need to Look Far..

Corruption is synonymous with Miami, yet finally Crist has called for a statewide grand jury to examine political corruption. Senator and Seat Warmer George Lemieux has chimed in and decried the "culture of corruption" in South Florida.

Maybe they should clean their own house first.

Miami Herald:
In the past decade, Rothstein -- a Broward lawyer who allegedly bilked investors over bogus legal settlements -- helped steer about $2 million in campaign contributions to political causes, committees and candidates, including Gov. Charlie Crist.

Scott Rothstein seemed to have an endless supply of money, and no one bothered to ask how he got it...including the new champions of anti-corruption.

LeMieux acknowledged he ``didn't understand how he [Rothstein] made all his money.''

The article explains that Scott Rothstein is more than a fundraiser, he is a close friend of both Crist and LeMieux. Rothstein attended LeMieux's swearing-in ceremony in September. He attended Crist's wedding reception--and Crist attended his. Ironically, Crist appointed Rothstein to a judicial nominating panel in Broward. (He was removed this week.)

But all is good when the corruption is benefiting you, I suppose:

``You don't look at someone who's generous and just criticize,'' said LeMieux, who also ran Crist's governor's campaign before taking the job with Crist.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Crist Rejects $444 million In Unemployment Help--Raises Taxes On Small Business

Thanks Charlie! Governor flip-flop, who is desperately trying to show conservatives he is one of them, joined with the Republican legislature and rejected $444 million from the stimulus for unemployment help. All because Charlie appeared with Obama and was given such a hard time about it by his right-wing buddies.

Oh, it gets better.

Because he and the GOP legislature rejected that needed money, the state announced that unemployment taxes on small businesses across the state are going up as much as 983%. You read that right...983%. That is how much small businesses are forced to pay since that idiot and his friends didn't take $444 million in stimulus dollars offered.

That is the largest tax increase in our State's history--coming from a "staunchly conservative" Legislature and State Executive, and at the worst possible time. High unemployment taxes on small business are the last thing our state needs when we are trying to encourage them to create jobs. What conservative principle is this again?

Friday, November 20, 2009

8 Million Children Have NO Health Care Insurance...

So what are the opponents of Health Care Reform offering to solve this crisis?

Monday, November 16, 2009

Sorry, Obama Was Wrong to Bow. So Was Reagan.

As an Obama fan, I can say that he did "royally" screw up. American citizens should never bow to royalty. We are always expected to bend over backwards to not offend other cultures, WHICH I DON'T MIND! After all, we are American. It is who we are. It is one reason the world looks up to us.

We don't have many of our own customs...we are still a young country and very heterogeneous. But one of our very few customs stems from our founding belief that ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL.

We never bow, we never courtsey.

We don't dip Old Glory either in ceremonies, but you get the drift.

It is entirely respectful for a subject of a monarch to bow, even if the monarch is a figurehead. A British national courtsies to her Queen or a Japaneese citizen bows to his emperor. But Americans do not have, nor recognize, monarchs. That is why it is appropriate to shake hands and smile, but never bow. Other countries should realize that as Americans, we don't believe in monarchs.

Yes, Obama was wrong. But all of these conservatives yelling foul are the same idiots who dismissed Ronald Reagan NOT ONLY BOWING but also BEING KNIGHTED BY THE QUEEN. This is not only wrong, but illegal.


Be consistent, hypocrites.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Monday, November 09, 2009





Screw you.




Here was my message to her:

Subject: Your disappointing vote on healthcare reform


Contact Kosmas with your own message:

Saturday, November 07, 2009

Local Business Attacks Health Care Reform

The veternarian clinic on Broadway in Oviedo has a sign up that says "Vote NO on Healthcare".

Brilliant. A Tea Party Veternarian. And apparently one stupid enough to think the best way to get his message to a representative is to advertise on a run-down sign in front of a dive.

To be perfectly clear, THOUSANDS of people here in Central Florida don't have insurance. They either don't have jobs, have crappy jobs that don't cover their expenses (although I know that can't be you, Mr. Tea Party Vet.), or have a pre-existing condition.

That means that their condition goes untreated until it gets so bad that they have to go to the emergency room and pray to get seen within 10 hours (which will afford them some time to figure out how to pay the inevitable bill).

That is, until you turn the magic age of 65. (DKos member Hunter put it best... 63 or 64? Socialism. 65? Oh, that's fine then.)

Someone who is this dispassionate about people should probably not be operating on your animal.

Monday, November 02, 2009

Seminole Democrat's Election Endorsements 2009


Longwood Commissioner District 5: No endorsement.




Remember to vote tomorrow...Nov. 3rd.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Ask One Question of a Fox News Supporter

From zenbassoon:

I've been having some discussions on FB about Fox News and the WH calling them out for what they are. They're all in a high dudgeon about the matter. I've been trying to get them to shut up about it, and I've found a strategy that, while not quite shutting them up, gets them to do some actual research.

My first approach is to tell them to put their money where their mouth is. I tell them I will give them a dollar--up to a set amount--for each POSITIVE story about President Obama they can find on Fox. And I mean positive about him PERSONALLY, such as "Obama has done this good thing" or "Obama has a success with that thing" and so on. That usually gets crickets for quite a while. I did have one friend gamely try it, but he only found stories about mainly the House or Democratic policies that were neutral at best. Not one mentioned Obama. He also asked me to find negative stories about Obama on the so-called "liberal media" I had 6 from CNN in the span of about 2 minutes.

My second approach is when they start spouting off about "taking away our freedoms", or the "socialist marxist agenda". I calmly ask them for specific freedoms that have been taken away, of talked about being taken away by Obama. Crickets. I also ask them for specifics about this "agenda". The only thing I've heard? Tha Anita Dunn joke. That's it. When they bring up the banks, or GM, I say specific socialist language and plan, please. Crickets. When they bring up health care, I bring up the VA. Well-but-yeah-our soldiers-freedom-but-no-does not compute-

But what really chafes their willies is when they start spouting the "important stories of the day covered by Fox and not covered by anyone else" bit. I calmly say that those stories are not newsworthy. I've had heads explode from that one. Although I had one just the other day who was moaning about how no one covered the 9/12 teabag fest and I gave them Rick Sanchez. THAT shut him up about that.

So in the end, my friends, although I do have a tendency to have my Lib-dar up at times and fume in righteous indignation, by calmly asking for the specifics of their attacks, by asking for the evidence, you may turn some of your wingnut friends into something less wingnutty, a wingnut with a grain of salt...

My next task? Some of these wingnut FB friends have started with anti-Muslim, "They're all Jihadists out to kill everybody" talk. THAT I'll need help with.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Difference Between GOP "Plan" and Dems Plan

DSCC has a clever ad playing off the Mac vs. PC ads:

Empty Chair Charlie Takes Off 2 1/2 Months Annually

Charlie Crist ran hard against the Democratic candidate for Florida governor, Jim Davis, just three years ago. He kept running stupid ads showing an empty chair, because Jim Davis missed some votes the year he was out campaigning. It was disingenuous, because Jim's record was stellar until that year---it's hard to campaign as a member of the state legislature and make every vote.

Given Charlie's schedule today, one wonders why he ran so hard for a job he clearly doesn't want:


A Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times review of Crist's official daily schedule is a telling indication of how he mixes governing, campaigning for U.S. Senate and taking enough personal time to, in his own words, "recharge."

On 81 regular work days, Crist had no events scheduled or took off personal time. On 129 other occasions, the schedule shows Crist worked half days - just a brief phone call sometimes - equal to at least 64.5 more days off, the Herald/Times found.

The most notable change in his schedule lately: Crist is phoning it in more often in meetings with staff. He also is spending more time away from the Capitol, holding news conferences in South Florida, Tampa Bay and Central Florida - big television markets where he has "after-hours'' fundraisers.

We have an unprecedented economic crisis, foreclosure crisis, and insurance crisis for which we need leadership and a governor who isn't afraid of hard work. What we have is a clearly disinterested opportunist who is desperate to leave before his term ends so nothing will hurt his pursuit for higher office.

Hopfully, we'll do better next time.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Bigot refused to marry interracial couple: My phone call to him

This has got to stop:




Wow, he lets black people use his bathroom...

This justice of the peace refused to marry a couple, one of several he has refused because they were mixed races. Never mind that the Supreme Court struck this practice down back in the 60s with Loving v. Virginia.

Of course, the MSM is not picking this story up either. As a happily married man with a gorgeous black wife, I tend to take this personally.

Several blogs posted where he could be reached, (including a reader here), so I decided to call. Now, I don't believe in calling someone to harrass, calling late, or anything like that. I just felt that someone should educate the poor man and let him know that the amount of pigmentation in the skin is not a good predictor of marriage. It's ridiculous at this day and age people still believe this...but it's disturbing it's from a Justice of the Peace. (Even if it's Louisiana).

His wife answered and I asked to speak to Keith. I could tell that she thought I was someone who knew him and tried to get him but he was unavailable. She asked if she could take a message. I told her to please let her husband know that I have been married to a beautiful black woman for almost two decades and have several well-adjusted, great children. She didn't quite know what to say, her tone changed a bit, and she said allright. I thanked her and hung up.

We were both polite, and she seemed like a nice lady. But her husband is a bigot.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

30 GOP Senators Think Rape is Okay

Not an exaggeration...Al Franken introduced a bill to ensure this never happens again. 30 Republicans voted against it. There is no reason, no excuse.

Why does no one know about this? Why aren't the Democrats running ads? Why do we have to rely on motivated progressives?

Why is the GOP still considered a legitimate party?

In 2005, Jamie Leigh Jones was an employee for a private contractor in Iraq. She was drugged and brutally raped by her co-workers.

When she reported the crime to her employer, she was imprisoned in a shipping container. Given no food, water, or medical treatment. 24 hours later, US Embassy agents rescued her.

Her employer destroyed evidence so that she could not file criminal charges. They claimed that the contract she signed with them meant that she couldn't even take them to civil court.

In 2009, the Senate voted to not fund companies which force their employees to forfeit their rights to sue for sexual assault or harassment.

Thirty Senators voted against this amendment. All of them republican.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

List of Reasons Why Obama Deserves Nobel Peace Prize

Nobel Committee: "For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world's leading spokesman"

Of course conservatives don't think he deserves the Nobel, they can't even bring themselves to admit that he's a citizen. They cheer when our nation loses an international event if it means that Obama might look good. Obama Derangement Syndrome causes fits of rage and lapse of reason.

Yes, there are plenty of things that Obama has left to do...but in 9 short months he has single-handedly repaired our reputation in the world, completely overhauled our disasterous unilateral foreign policy, has refocused our commitment to diplomacy which has started to pay off, was the first president to reach out to the Muslim world on their territory, and tackled race relations in this nation to name just a few...

A fellow blogger made a list in just 45 minutes. This list is far from complete, but gives more than enough reasons for why President Obama deserves the Nobel Peace Prize:

3/18/8 – Obama caught world-wide attention for his moving speech on race relations




1/22/9 - Appointed a Special Envoy for Middle East peace

1/22/9 – Ordered the closing of Guantanamo Bay

1/22/9 – Ordered comprehensive review of detention policies

1/22/9 – Prohibited use of torture




1/26/9 – Appointed Special Envoy for Climate Change






2/27/9 – Committed to responsibly ending the war in Iraq


4/1/9 – Enhanced U.S. – China relations

4/2/9 - Led global response to the economic crisis through the G20, obtaining commitments of $1.1 trillion to safeguard the world’s most vulnerable economies

4/4/9 - Renewed dialog with NATO and other key allies

4/5/9 – Announced new strategy to responsible address international nuclear proliferation

4/13/9 – Began easing tension with Cuba through new policy stance

4/17/9 - Secured $5 billion in aid commitments "to bolster [Pakistan's] economy and help it fight terror and Islamic radicalism"

4/22/9 - Developed the renewable energy projects on the waters of our Outer Continental Shelf that produce electricity from wind, wave, and ocean currents.

5/8/9 – Proposed International Affairs budget that included funds to create a civilian response corps -- teams of civilian experts in rule of law, policing, transitional governance, economics, engineering, and other areas critical to helping rebuild war-torn societies; Provide $40 million for a "stabilization bridge fund," which would provide rapid response funds for the State Department to help with an international crisis situation.

6/4/9 - Gave historic address to the Muslim World in Cairo - "American is not at war with Islam" Foreign affairs experts insist that Obama's engagement with the Muslim world has been remarkable. "He has been able to dramatically change America's image in that region"

8/4/9 - Used DIPLOMACY to free 2 American journalists from a North Korea prison

9/18/9 - De-escalation of nuclear tension through repurposing of missile defense prompting Russia to withdraw its missile plan.

And from Racheal Maddow:


Her brilliant video points out not just conservative hypocrisy, but the list of past winners who fight for change who everyone thought deserved to win....even if they haven't always been successful in their pursuits.

Obama, so far, has been. It took Bush 8 years to destroy our economy, kill thoousands of our men and women and commit death and destruction based on lies, shred our constitution, alienate the majority of our own citizens by ignoring our most fundamental values, and make our nation a pariah in the world.

It has only taken Obama 9 months to reverse this. He didn't ask for or seek this award, but he deserves it.

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Insurance CEO makes $57, hour

Living the dream....

Only in America...

Saturday, October 03, 2009

The real story of yesterday's defeat...

When Bush was fucking up our country for 8 years,
when he was shredding the Constitution with illegal MASSIVE wiretaps on ordinary Americans,
when he was breaking every treaty we had with every country,
when he turned his back on our forefathers and condoned, even promoted, torture,
when he spent nearly a trillion dollars in a made-up war with Iraq, the bulk of which went to corrupt cronies or was just lost,
when he turned our glorious nation into a pariah state,

we were told by the GOP wingnuts that any dissent at all amounted to treason...

we were told we must want the terrorists to win...

we were told that we hated America.

Fast forward to yesterday, October 2, 2009. The media is trying its best to spin the story that Rio's win is Obama's embarrassment. Some, like FAUX News, are even trying to spin this as Obama's fault...even though a hundred speeches to Copenhagen wouldn't have changed the result.

The pundits are saying we should want to try to put this day behind us.

I say just the opposite.

We should use this day to beat their smug heads in. Because that is the day that the rethugs showed their true colors.

It is the first day they OPENLY cheered for America's defeat.

I have read blog posts on experiences that were similar to mine--people at a McDonald's I was at (which plays FAUXNEWS) cheered and high-fived when the announcement came that we lost. The contrast between them and the Americans in Chicago weeping on screen was priceless...I wish I had brought a camera.

America lost. Not Obama. Not Chicago. That was OUR loss. Chicago was just the city selected by the USOC. It represented us. Just as Rio's loss would have been Brazil's. It was OUR loss.

Roland Martin said it best:


Here's the real deal. Any success President Obama has will showcase how miserably Bush and the republicans goverened while they were in power for the past several years.

Screw if it hurts the country. Screw if it kills people.
If our job outlook doesn't improve--that's fantastic!

If Rush's "phony soldiers" are killed in Afghanistan...even better! It's Obama's war now!

If Americans by the millions continue to lose their health insurance and are forced to watch their loved ones die while KNOWING there are procedures out there...screw em!

A terrorist attack validating Cheney...that would be the BESTEST EVER!

America fails...HaHaHaHa (Actual quote from Erik E. from Redstate).

America failing isn't just the hope of these bastards, THEY ARE COUNTING ON IT for their survival and their return to power. Because they know if, God forbid, the Democrats actually find the spine to carry out their solutions to the past 8 years of GOP problems that are currently drowning this nation...then they will never get to return to power again.

Given the choice between America's future and their survival, they have chosen survival... at any cost.

If we had a 24-hour network like the GOP does, this would be the story--not how Chicago's loss is somehow a referendum on Obama.

But unlike the storyline we are being fed from the mainstream media, this should not bee seen as an "embarrassment" that we want to shy away from. It is a validation of who these bastards really are and what their agenda really is.

Let's make sure October 2, 2009 is a day that we won't let them forget...

Finally, Support for the GOP Health Care "Plan"

This says it all:


Thursday, October 01, 2009

Democrats Deserve To Lose

I remember those dark years of 2002-2006. The GOP got everything they wanted, and the Democrats were helpless to stop them. Giant tax cuts for the wealthy and Big Oil, revision of our bankruptcy laws WRITTEN BY THE CREDIT CARD COMPANIES that prevented you from declaring bankruptcy even if it was due to OBSCENE medical bills or costs incurred from serving your country overseas, giant spending bills that only helped crony corporations screwing us in Iraq, and so on and so forth.

The Democrats could do nothing. They whined and cried that the GOP had such a huge majority in the House and 55 seats in the Senate. The GOP perfected their 50+1. We couldn't stop them. IF ONLY we had a slight majority.

Americans were fed up. In 2006, the Democrats retook the House. Mild reforms were passed, like the minimum wage, but the country was thrilled that we weren't being completely screwed by the GOP anymore. And America was patient with the Democrats because the Democrats whined...if only we were a little bigger, and if ONLY we didn't have BUSH in the White House to veto everything. THEN things could get done.


Americans were so fed up, that in 2008 we got everything we could want. A DEMOCRATIC president. A SUPERMAJORITY! FILLIBUSTER-PROOF 60! UNSTOPPABLE, we were told. NOW we could really get things to change...

Except, no.

No government negotiated drug prices, no timeline for Iraq, no environmental reform, no energy bill.

No public option. (Maybe in reconciliation, but I won't hold my breath).

Democrats, what the fuck.

What the hell is the point? What was that giant mandate for? WHY are you so spineless and stupid?



Start acting like a majority and pass the damn reforms you were put in office to do!

America elected you so you could put DEMOCRATIC solutions to these REPUBLICAN screw-ups! Not allow Republicans, who just want to get back in power, to stop all reforms and all bills. They haven't conceded anything, yet you have conceded everything in a futile effort to be "bi-partisan". That only works if the other side is interested in working with YOU! They are not! They are not interested in fixing any of their mess! They just want YOU to lose!!

Now I hear some Senators saying they won't vote for anything unless the GOP is on board. Well, f me.... Now we are told that we can't do anything with a supermajority and control of both the executive and legislative.

Folks, we could have 99 Senate seats and all the House seats, and we still wouldn't pass anything...because they would cower in fear of the lone GOP Senator.

Don't expect us to bust our tails or give our hard earned dollars to help next cycle. You will lose seats, but not because of GOP ideas or GOP resurgence, it will be because Democrats and Independents have just given up on you.

Take it away, Stewart....
The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Democratic Super Majority
Daily Show
Full Episodes
Political HumorRon Paul Interview

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

F*&k Polankski!!

From CNN:




The sick bastard drugged and raped a 13-year child. I don't give a damn about his so-called "talent". I hope he dies.

And by the way, no surprise Woody Allen supports him. That pervert molested his own adopted child.

These peoople are monsters. Nothing less. I have no sympathy.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Fight for Our Health Insurance Executives

The real victims of Obama's insidious plan to provide health care for all Americans:

Monday, September 21, 2009

Story About Our New Senator

The following post is by mujr:

For our newly appointed senator, George LeMieux, who replaced Mel Martinez. I believe he retired due to the stress of controversial mail from his constituents recently, and the pressure to actually work for them.

Replacement Republican senator George LeMeiux, sent his obligatory email to my mailbox, introducing himself appointed by Governor Charlie Crist, who couldn’t have made a better choice. This man is for the Republican right wing, family values, status quo, etc. His introduction in that email was bland, touching on a few talking points and had a box to “respond” to his web page.
And I wrote:

“We need a public option. I don't care about the big health care insurers.
They are for profit making and denying much needed care for the people they
service. If you cannot see what they have done thus far to innocent,
gullible and trusting subscribers, you need to get on it. Florida Blue
Cross Blue Shield has offered a catastrophic policy to me that would cost $370.00
a month, covers nothing except catastrophic illness. A huge deductible with
a list of items on your past medical history that would not be covered for 7 years,” and etc. I did use the words, “claptrap” and Republican Talking Points further along.

When I got to the “send” button, there appeared the usual “crazy” letters and numbers to be deciphered. Having tried 3 or four times without success, I went directly to his brand new web page to post my comment. I noticed that there were several welcoming letters by the teabaggers, birthers, and family values crowd. There was a “post a comment here” and so I pasted my original comment into that open feed and guess what?

It was rejected by a pop up on my screen that informed me that my email was inappropriate. Should I be surprised? How did they even know? So much for where our new Senator from the GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA stands.

Why don't the rest of us democrats, progressives and independents in Florida " Welcome " him with an email, too?

DC Phone: 202-224-3041

Friday, September 18, 2009

Seminoles...Call your representative for HC reform TODAY

A representative from Suzanne Kosmas's office confirms that anti-health insurance reform zealots are flooding the Congresswoman's offices with calls.


Please take a moment to call or email Rep. Kosmas -- or whomever your Representative -- and tell him/her to support President Obama's plan that includes a public option!

Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas (202) 225-2706
Congresswoman Corrine Brown (202) 225-0123
Congressman John Mica (202) 225-4035
Congressman Alan Grayson (202) 225-2176

Senator Bill Nelson (202) 224-5274
Senator George LeMieux (202) 224-3041

White House comment line (202) 456-1111

PS: Here's a simple way to explain why America DESPERATELY needs health care reform using the back of a napkin.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

The 12 Democrats Who Voted NO on Wilson's Admonishment

It was a resolution of disapproval---the absolute WEAKEST motion you can do. IT's not even censure, it's just "disapproval" of Joe Wilson's blantant, abhorrent and racist behavior. (And it is racist...never in its 220 year history has a member of Congress heckled a president while giving an address to that body).

The resolution passed 240-179.

12 Democrats, however, voted NO. Including that little troll Kucinich, no explanation given.

12 Democrats who couldn't even vote for the weakest admonishment for Joe Wilson:

1. Arcuri
2. Delahunt
3. Giffords
4. Hinchey
5. Hodes
6. Kucinich
7. Maffei
8. Massa
9. McDermott
10. Moore
11. Taylor
12. Teague

The full list of every member is here.

Two years ago, when took out an ad in the New York Times telling the truth about the situation in Iraq, spineless Dems Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi INTRODUCED bills admonishing the group because of GOP demands.

MoveOn is a liberal, partisan organization. They had every right to take out an ad as Rush Limbaugh has to spew venem and lies... such as when he called soldiers who disagreed with him "phony".

But Joe W. is a member of Congress. Representatives are supposed to act like adults and allow a president to give his address without cat-calling. Never did a Democrat scream "Liar" to George W. even when he was spewing so much bullcrap it made me sick. He was the president and entitled to a modicum of respect. Obama can't even get certain representatives to admit he's a citizen.

For that, Wilson is very lucky that Dems are spineless. As an an acting National Guard officer and a member of the Reserve, he could have been court-martialed:


Wilson embarrassed himself and the body he represents. Yes, he apologized to Obama, but his uncivility is UNPRECEDENTED in Congress and he owes an apology on the House floor. He refused...and 12 people in my own party think that's dandy.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Support Fair Districts


From Daytona Beach News Journal:

It should be a neutral process. In five states, it is. Independent redistricting commissions draw up boundaries based on population and geography. In a few states, commissions and state legislatures collaborate. In most states, Florida among them, the process is mostly political. The party controlling the state legislature draws up the new map, and usually does so not to reapportion voter populations cohesively but to maximize its electoral advantage for the following 10 years. Gerrymandering by computer models is common. District lines that follow community, city or county contours are not. ...

In Florida, is leading the drive to put two constitutional amendments on the 2010 ballot. One would forbid the drawing of district lines to protect an incumbent or a political party. Another would require districts to follow geographic and community boundaries. Should the amendments pass, lawmakers would be compelled either to appoint a commission to follow the new rules or to follow them themselves, their gerrymandering impulse neutralized.

With almost 1.5 million petitions in hand, FairDistrictsFlorida has more than twice the necessary signatures (and the Florida Supreme Court's approval) to put the proposals on the ballot. The rest will be up to voters -- as redistricting never has been.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Obama's Health Care Speech: full text and video




But we did not come here just to clean up crises. We came to build a future. So tonight, I return to speak to all of you about an issue that is central to that future - and that is the issue of health care.



Then there's the problem of rising costs. We spend one-and-a-half times more per person on health care than any other country, but we aren't any healthier for it. This is one of the reasons that insurance premiums have gone up three times faster than wages. It's why so many employers - especially small businesses - are forcing their employees to pay more for insurance, or are dropping their coverage entirely. It's why so many aspiring entrepreneurs cannot afford to open a business in the first place, and why American businesses that compete internationally - like our automakers - are at a huge disadvantage. And it's why those of us with health insurance are also paying a hidden and growing tax for those without it - about $1000 per year that pays for somebody else's emergency room and charitable care.








The plan I'm announcing tonight would meet three basic goals:

It will provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance. It will provide insurance to those who don't. And it will slow the growth of health care costs for our families, our businesses, and our government. It's a plan that asks everyone to take responsibility for meeting this challenge - not just government and insurance companies, but employers and individuals. And it's a plan that incorporates ideas from Senators and Congressmen; from Democrats and Republicans - and yes, from some of my opponents in both the primary and general election.


That's what Americans who have health insurance can expect from this plan - more security and stability.















Finally, let me discuss an issue that is a great concern to me, to members of this chamber, and to the public - and that is how we pay for this plan.

Here's what you need to know. First, I will not sign a plan that adds one dime to our deficits - either now or in the future. Period. And to prove that I'm serious, there will be a provision in this plan that requires us to come forward with more spending cuts if the savings we promised don't materialize. Part of the reason I faced a trillion dollar deficit when I walked in the door of the White House is because too many initiatives over the last decade were not paid for - from the Iraq War to tax breaks for the wealthy. I will not make that same mistake with health care.



The only thing this plan would eliminate is the hundreds of billions of dollars in waste and fraud, as well as unwarranted subsidies in Medicare that go to insurance companies - subsidies that do everything to pad their profits and nothing to improve your care. And we will also create an independent commission of doctors and medical experts charged with identifying more waste in the years ahead.

These steps will ensure that you - America's seniors - get the benefits you've been promised. They will ensure that Medicare is there for future generations. And we can use some of the savings to fill the gap in coverage that forces too many seniors to pay thousands of dollars a year out of their own pocket for prescription drugs. That's what this plan will do for you. So don't pay attention to those scary stories about how your benefits will be cut - especially since some of the same folks who are spreading these tall tales have fought against Medicare in the past, and just this year supported a budget that would have essentially turned Medicare into a privatized voucher program. That will never happen on my watch. I will protect Medicare.


Add it all up, and the plan I'm proposing will cost around $900 billion over ten years - less than we have spent on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and less than the tax cuts for the wealthiest few Americans that Congress passed at the beginning of the previous administration. Most of these costs will be paid for with money already being spent - but spent badly - in the existing health care system. The plan will not add to our deficit. The middle-class will realize greater security, not higher taxes. And if we are able to slow the growth of health care costs by just one-tenth of one percent each year, it will actually reduce the deficit by $4 trillion over the long term.







But those of us who knew Teddy and worked with him here - people of both parties - know that what drove him was something more. His friend, Orrin Hatch, knows that. They worked together to provide children with health insurance. His friend John McCain knows that. They worked together on a Patient's Bill of Rights. His friend Chuck Grassley knows that. They worked together to provide health care to children with disabilities.








Sunday, September 06, 2009

Jim Greer Spoke GOP Hate in Public School!



Snippet from Scott Maxwell:






But you know what? Wells didn't pitch a fit.




There's no longer any question: Greer is a hypocrite.

Digg-link for this Sentinel story:

TO sum up, in Greer-land:





Friday, September 04, 2009

Seminole’s Own Jim Greer Embarrassing Florida—AGAIN

The media has picked up the story of the Florida GOP head going nuts over President Obama’s letter to school principals about a national address on the importance of education. Here is the letter:

Dear Principal:


The rest is even more generic...stuff about how educaiton is the foundation of our economy, blah, blah, blah. You can read the rest here.

The head of the Florida GOP, from our own county of Seminole no less, was OUTRAGED that this president would dare talk to kids:



What a dumbass. Obama talking about the importance of education is liberal propoganda?

Of course, Jim Greer never complained when President W. blatantly used kids to actually push conservative propoganda. In a crowd of school children, W gave an address during an education ceremony where he injected this nugget:


By the way, W was wrong. No Child Left Behind is a disaster.

But at least that was somewhat linked to education. Conservative icon Ronald Reagan gave a lenghty speech to four area middle schools and mentioned nothing about working hard and staying in school. His purpose was to push his infamous radical tax cuts for the wealthy.

Can you get any more indoctrinating than that?

But it’s okay if kids are force-fed debunked radical right-wing propoganda. The outrage from the Florida GOp is if THIS president wants to give a motivating speech about staying in school.

Since election night 2000, the Florida GOP has not stopped embarrassing our state. I guess Jim can be expected to keep the timbers burning.

Thursday, September 03, 2009

Post this Viral Status on your Facebook Today

No one should die because they cannot afford healthcare. No one should go broke because they get sick, and no one should be tied to a job because of pre-existing condition. If you agree, please post this as your status for the rest of the day.

For the time remaining, please post this on your Facebook and Twitter if you have an account.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Michael Moore is back: Capitalism-A Love Story



I am expecting a lot from this one:

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Bumper Sticker Slogan SMACKDOWNS of Healthcare Reform Opponents!

April 13, 2010: WE DID IT!!! Healthcare Reform (well, insurance reform) was passed this year.

The following can be made into bumper stickers, T-shirts, signs for rallies or for your car or whatever. I want healthcare reform, not copyright credit.

Use any of the slogans here and feel free to make them into items at places like or cafepress or

Here are the top 10:

1. My Other Car is a Health Insurance Payment
2. My Car Has Better Insurance Than I Do
3. My Death Panel is an HMO
4. Underinsured Baby on Board
5. Hate Socialism? Repeal Medicare!!
6. Sanctity of Life should not end at Birth! Support Healthcare Reform!
7. WWJD: Who Would Jesus Deny? (Healthcare Reform Now!)
8. My single prayer is single payer
9. The Public GOPtion: Don't Get Sick
10. GOP: Rest Uninsured America

Here are the rest. By the way, feel free to contribute your own in the Comments section!!

11. Your Health Care Comes Off your Insurance Company’s Bottom Line
12. It’s OK..Congress Has GREAT Insurance
13. I’d Rather Have a Public Option Than Be Dead Right
14. GOP: We won't let your health come between your insurer & his profits!
15. Democrat: A Republican with a Pre-existing Condition

16. Before Jesus healed the leper...did He check his insurance coverage?
17. Public Option: Putting People Before Profit
18. Democrat: A Republican Who Lost His Health Insurance
19. What's Wrong With Expanding Medicare for Those UNDER 65?
ONLY Industrialized Nation without Universal Healthcare? USA
Spends More Than ANY other Nation on Healthcare? USA
21. We Can't Fix the Economy Until We Fix Health Care!
22. Healthcare Reform...Your Life Depends On It!
23. Jesus didn’t ask for a co-pay
25. GOP: Cancer Happens!
26. Coming to a Hospital Near You: Attack of the Wingnuts Socialized Health Scare
27. Put health back in healthcare
28. Life is a pre-existing condition
29. What value does the insurance company add?
30. Doctors prescribe healthcare, insurance companies proscribe healthcare.

31. USA: Third World Country. No Universal Healthcare.
32. Health Insurance Profits Up 400%
33. Kill Healthcare! 30,000 Lobbyists Can’t Be Wrong!
34. Universal Health Care Is a Family Value
35. GOP: Defending Your Right to Higher Dedutibles
36. America’s Healthcare Is Like Shopping for an Ambulance
37. Government run military = #1 Private Health Care = #37
38. Support the Health Care Bill - Or We'll Focus on Passing Strict Gun Control"
39. "Pass Healthcare - Or the Terrorists Win"
40. Public option not public optional.
POTUS+60 Senators+80seat House majority
42. 1.4 Million Bucks A Day - Keeps Healthcare Away
43. "Letting Americans Die For Profit?"
44. "For Profit Healthcare Makes Me Sick"
45. Health Insurance Premiums: its where 7 of your last 10 raises went

46. Take My High Premiums From My Cold, Dead Hands
47. Have You Teabagged For Your Insurance Agent Today
48. You Die, They Profit, and GOP gets Paid. Reform Healthcare Now!
49. One Nation, Underinsured.
50. Republican Healthcare Reform: Be Rich or Die
51. My Boss Bussed Me to the Town Hall, and I Didn't Even Get on You Tube
52. Health care should be a right...not a privilege
53. Single Payer Is Pro-Life
54. Guns Don't Kill People. Spreadsheets Do. Support Healthcare Reform.
55. Take My High Premiums from my Cold Dead Hands.
56. Healthcare is for people, not for profit!
57. When you get healthcare, there is an insurance executive who gets a smaller bonus.
58. There's always the Emergency Room... and Bankruptcy
59. Healthcare from Womb to Tomb!
60. Private health insurance isn't the solution, it's the problem

61. Teacher says every time a claim is denied an adjuster gets his wings
62. Back Off! I have swine flu and can't get meds!
63. Insurance is the problem, not the solution.
64. Insurance + Illness = Bankruptcy: What's wrong with this picture? FIX HEALTHCARE NOW!!
65. There is something that can make you better, but I can't afford it