Florida

In Historic Move, Florida Reverses Ban on Voting Rights for People With Past Felony Convictions

In a “huge and hard fought victory” that writer and activist Shaun King called “one of the most important of our lifetime,” Florida on Tuesday overwhelming approved Amendment 4, which restores voting rights for 1.4 million state residents with past felony convictions who were barred from participating in elections even after completing their sentences.

Now, What Actually DID Happen In Florida?

Donna! Donna! Donna!Democratic performance was up... but not by enough. There was a little good news. In Miami-Dade, two red seats flipped blue, although both are fairly strong blue districts. FL-27, where Ileana Ros Lehtinen retired, has a PVI of D+5. Hillary beat Trump there by TWENTY points-- 58.5% to 38.9%, so you wouldn't think it would take a wave.

Enabling Trump-- That's What Congressional Republicans Continue To Do

Trump by Joel Peter WitkinIn 1790, the first president of the United States, wrote a letter to the congregants of the Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, which said, in part, that "the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support...

Who Dares Imagine Good Election Day News From Florida?

One of my friends is a total worry-wart. He spends his days before elections calling voters for progressive candidates and trying to persuade them to get out and vote. Today he e-mailed me: "I’ve been making calls for Andrew Gillum. Did 75 mins last night. Afraid he’ll lose. Especially with trump going to rally in Fort Myers next week (It’s not official yet, but there are reports from CNN).

DeSantis' Fear Mongering Isn't Working In Florida-- Andrew Routed Him Last Night

Just hours before last night's first Florida gubernatorial debate, Andrew Gillum, the front runner, was interviewed by Adam Smith for the Tampa Bay Times and got right into DeSantis' head. Gillum, wrote Smith, "said he feels like he has a sense of DeSantis already from the Republican gubernatorial nominee's campaign. 'They have a uniquely unlikeable candidate. He's easily dislikable,' said Gillum.

Another Sign A Wave Is About To Sweep Away Lots And Lots Of Trumpists-- Newspaper Endorsements

Newspaper editorial endorsements don't move elections-- but they can be a signal that a wave is coming. Yesterday we saw how conservative newspapers in Maine, Texas and Iowa had endorsed progressive Democrats, Jared Golden, Dayna Steele and J.D. Scholten, not despite their progressive policies, but because of them.

10 percent of American F-22 fighter jets damaged by Hurricane Michael

Note to the wise: When a hurricane comes, move your planes out of the way. Especially your really expensive F-22 fighter planes. After all, those babies are $339 mil apiece. Got the message?
Apparently the US Air Force didn’t get this message. Or, did they find themselves unable to follow the message?
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It's Like The End Of The World-- Though Not For Florida's GOP Climate Change Deniers Like Neal Dunn

It's hard hearing the cracking voices of our countrymen and women from the Florida Panhandle whose lives have been turned inside out by Hurricane Michael. Some of lost their homes or businesses; some lost both. There were 17 American deaths, 8 in Florida, attributed to the strongest hurricane to strike the Panhandle in recorded history, the third strongest to ever hit the U.S. mainland. It made landfall near Mexico Beach as a Category 4 storm. Insured damage is estimated to be $8 billion so far.