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09/10/10 E Messenger The Electronic Newsletter of the Florida AFL-CIO http://www.flaflcio.org From the Political Desk Updates from Phyllis Garrett about how union members can get involved with our Florida state wide campaigns. To find out more email pgarrett@flaflcio.org Meek Campaign News The Florida AFL-CIO in proud to announce that TWU International has released, Jeffery Mitchell, Vice President TWU 291, as the full time released political desk to the Kendrick Meek for US Senate Campaign. All affiliate inquires for Kendrick Meek and surrogate appearances should be directed to him. His email is 291unionman@gmail.com or cell phone 786-586-7851. OIL SPILL NEWS BP report spreads blame for oil spill
The Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Oil giant BP PLC laid much of the blame for the rig explosion and the massive Gulf of Mexico spill on itself, other companies' workers and a complex series of failures in an internal report released Wednesday before a key piece of evidence has been analyzed.
BP's report on the gulf oil spill spreads blame
By Craig Pittman
St. Petersburg Times
BP, the company whose CEO accepted full responsibility for the environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, spent four months investigating the cause of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Another sign of oil spill recovery in the Gulf
By Curtis Morgan
Miami Herald
Millions of barrels of crude spewed by BP's blown-out well have reduced deep-sea oxygen levels -- but nowhere near enough to create another of the ``dead zones'' that periodically plague the Gulf of Mexico, a federal study said Tuesday.
State, feds agree to extend red snapper season because of oil spill
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
Florida has joined federal authorities in extending the length of the red snapper fishing season in the Gulf of Mexico, partially addressing a contentious issue from earlier this year. FROM THE FLORIDA INDEPENDENT Tallahassee insiders align themselves with Rick Scott
By Luke Johnson
Florida Independent
On the cusp of winning the Republican nomination for governor in Florida, Rick Scott cracked a joke on primary night alluding to powerful interests in Florida that had aligned themselves with his opponent, Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum: “In Tallahassee tonight, the deal-makers are crying in their cocktails.” More from AFL-CIO Now! From the blog at www.aflcio.org/blog. by Tula Connell, Sep 9, 2010 If you could ask AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka one question, what would it be? Now’s your chance. On the one-year anniversary of their election, the AFL-CIO’s top leadership team, Trumka, Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler and Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker, will respond to your questions in a live Web chat on Thursday, Sept. 16, at 4 p.m. EDT at www.aflcio.org. Submit your question now, in text form or by video, to www.aflcio.org/askofficers. Read and recommend other questions, get your friends to recommend yours and encourage them to submit questions, too. The AFL-CIO leadership team will discuss our union movement, America’s jobs and economic crisis, the 2010 elections, AFL-CIO leadership, legislation, corporate greed and more—whatever is on your mind. They won’t be able to answer every one of the questions, but they’ll be online for at least 45 minutes and will respond to as many as possible. Submit your question now to www.aflcio.org/askofficers. Visit www.aflcio.org/askofficers to recommend questions. And then stop back here to watch the webcast live and comment in our live chat tool: Thursday, Sept. 16, at 4 p.m. EDT. From the Huffington Post In his otherwise excellent speech in Cleveland on Wednesday, the president showed that, when it comes to the plight of the middle class, he still doesn't get it. "Not everything we've done over the last two years has worked as quickly as we had hoped," he said, "and I am keenly aware that not all our policies have been popular." From Alternet http://www.alternet.org/ Ten Things Dems Could Do Right Now to Avoid Electoral DisasterWhy the party needs to have a plan, keep it simple -- and do something for the base. http://www.alternet.org/story/148130/ten_things_dems_could_do_right_now_to_avoid_electoral_disaster/ From Paul Krugman Noble Laureate, Working Family Advocate and America’s Smartest Economist From David Sirota (one of the E Messenger’s favorite columnists) David Sirota is the bestselling author of the books “Hostile Takeover” (2006) and “The Uprising” (2008). He is a fellow at the Campaign for America's Future. Find his blog at OpenLeft.com or e-mail him at ds@davidsirota.com. The Neoliberal Bait-and-Switch
By David Sirota
Creators Syndicate, 9/10/10
In simplistic, Lexus-and-Olive-Tree terms, the neoliberal economic argument goes like this: Tariff-free trade policies are great because they increase commerce, and we can mitigate those policies' negative effects on the blue-collar job market by upgrading our education system to cultivate more science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) specialists for the white-collar sector.
Known as the bipartisan Washington Consensus, this deceptive theory projects the illusion of logic. After all, if the domestic economy's future is in STEM-driven innovation, then it stands to reason that trade policies shedding "low-tech" work and education policies promoting high-tech skills could guarantee success.
Of course, 30 years into the neoliberal experiment, the Great Recession is exposing the flaws of the Washington Consensus. But rather than admit any mistakes, neoliberals now defend themselves with yet more bait-and-switch sophistry -- this time in the form of the Great Education Myth.
To read the full newspaper column, go to:
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/09/the_neoliberal_bait-and-switch.html STATE NEWS Elections/Voting Republicans turning local and state races into a referendum on Obama
By Adam C. Smith
St. Petersburg Times
Glance at the website for Republican Attorney General candidate Pam Bondi and you might think she's running for Congress. Florida Republicans gather in show of unity
By Jim Ash
Florida Capital News
Buffeted by financial scandal and a bitterly divisive primary, Florida Republicans reach a crossroads tonight when they gather in Orlando for an annual "Statesman Dinner" turned "Victory Dinner." Bad Spin Day for RPOF
By Kenneth Quinnell
Florida Progressive Coalition
The Republican Party of Florida had three attempts today of going after Democrats by trying to spin things to make them look bad. Federal CNN/Time Poll: Heated battle for Florida Senate
By Paul Steinhauser
CNN
A new poll indicates that the three way-battle for Florida's open Senate seat, arguably the most fascinating Senate contest this year, is deadlocked at the top. Florida to play starring role in contest to win U.S. House
By Patricia Mazzei and Lesley Clark
Miami Herald
The struggle to snatch control of the House on Nov. 2 is likely to come down to some competitive races in Florida, and among the biggest battlegrounds will be the tumultuous South Florida match between Republican David Rivera and Democrat Joe Garcia. Crist Seeks to Run From the Middle
The Associated Press
Lakeland Ledger
The Democrat says Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is a Republican. Dems torn: Should they vote for Crist in hopes of defeating Rubio?
By William March
Tampa Tribune
In this year's U.S. Senate race, Florida Democrats face a dilemma – whether to back their party's loyal standard-bearer, Kendrick Meek, or switch to Gov. Charlie Crist, who many believe has a better shot at keeping Marco Rubio out of the Senate seat. Charlie Crist's Senate run may get snagged in anti-incumbent mood
By Brandon Larrabee
Florida Times-Union
It wasn't always this difficult for Charlie Crist. Are Crist's ratings really `plummeting'?
By Aaron Sharockman
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Politifact
The man who ran President Barack Obama's successful presidential campaign in Florida has crunched the numbers in the state's high-profile U.S. Senate race and come up with a bold prediction: Charlie Crist, the state's governor and a no-party candidate, will not win.
DC hub for tea party providing organizing muscle for Rubio's senate bid
By Alex Leary
St. Petersburg Times
Debbie Wilson will arrive here Sunday with tens of thousands of other conservatives for a "9/12" taxpayer march. Senate candidates turn positive in ads
The Associated Press
Bradenton Herald
After months of negative campaigning, the three major U.S. Senate candidates are focusing on positive messages instead of attacking each other. Boyd, Kosmas top the Buzz's post-primary House race rankings
By Louis Jacobson
St. Petersburg Times
For the third time this election cycle, the Buzz, the Times' political blog, is ranking the six U.S. House seats in Florida that are most vulnerable to a party switch.
Boyd endorsed by U.S. Chamber
By Bill Cotterell
Florida Capital News
U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd proudly touted a re-election endorsement by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as proof of his conservative credentials Wednesday. State-Wide Sink, Scott agree to release tax returns and to debate
By Mary Ellen Klas
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott said Wednesday he will release his income tax returns and stow away millions of his investments in a blind trust in response to a call from Democratic opponent Alex Sink to become more transparent. Renewable energy supporters back Sink for Florida governor, tussle with Scott
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
Some renewable energy supporters who are backing Democrat Alex Sink for governor said Wednesday that her Republican opponent, Rick Scott, should explain more about his support for nuclear energy. Carroll On Scott: “We Don’t Need A Gov. Who’s In That Seat For Personal Gain”
By Inkberries
Beach Peanuts
Wow. What a difference a few weeks make when a millionaire wins a primary, huh? Rick Scott’s jobs plan: fire state workers…plus he tries to be Scott Brown
By Peter Schorsch
St. Petersblog 2.0
Mr. Medicare Fraud says he wants to create 700,000 jobs in Florida somehow or other … but he’d start by creating higher unemployment by laying off state workers. Sink, Scott file paperwork for spending blitz in Fla. governor's race
By Michael C. Bender
Palm Beach Post
Republican Rick Scott and Democrat Alex Sink are sharpening their political attacks while laying the ground work for a blitz of spending for their respective gubernatorial campaigns. Legislative Constitutional Amendments Legislature's class-size ballot question challenged as misleading; judge to rule by Friday
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
A teachers union lawyer told a circuit judge Wednesday that a proposed class-size amendment should be thrown off the Nov. 2 ballot for the same reason that the state Supreme Court recently struck three other amendments — because the ballot language is misleading about its purpose.
Teachers union challenges amendment on class size
By Lee Logan
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
A proposed ballot amendment to ease Florida's class-size requirements was challenged in court Wednesday by the state's largest teachers union.
Lawmakers' initiatives deserve skeptical eye
Editorial
Tampa Tribune
If Florida voters needed another reason to be leery about constitutional amendments initiated by the Legislature, the failed Amendment 7 provides a textbook example. Amendment 4: a once in a lifetime opportunity for Florida voters on Nov 2nd
By Gimleteye
Eye on Miami
Florida voters will have only one chance in their lifetimes to change the relationship of campaign funders to zoning and local government that shapes communities.
Cyberspace the battleground in Florida's land-use amendment fight
News Service of Florida
Miami Herald
Backers of a Florida constitutional amendment that would put land-use changes before voters began airing a tough-toned Web ad that says the measure is needed because Florida leads the nation in corruption among public officials. Amendment 4 will end development madness
By Stephen L. Goldstein
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Opposing viewpoint: Amendment 4 will make Florida ungovernable
Until recently, I was genuinely perplexed about how to vote in November on constitutional Amendment 4, which would require voters to approve changes in local growth management plans. The Legislature/State Government Florida Economy/Housing South Florida's wish list for stimulus funds tops $3 billion
By Charles Rabin
Miami Herald
The wish list is enormous: From $4 million worth of fire sprinkler systems and alarm upgrades at Miami International Airport, to millions of dollars of new ramps on the Palmetto Expressway, to a new $100 million interchange on Oakland Park Boulevard west of Florida's Turnpike in Broward County.
Labor Secretary in Florida to promote job growth
The Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis is planning to be in central Florida attending various events hoping to promote job growth. Education About $28 million in federal education funds headed to First Coast
By Topher Sanders
Florida Times-Union
First Coast school districts are expecting about $28 million in federal education funds to try innovative programs starting in the 2011-12 school year. Crist names panel to study Fla. teacher quality
The Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Gov. Charlie Crist has appointed a 21-member panel to make recommendations on teacher quality issues related to Florida's $700 million federal "Race to the Top" grant. Health Care Florida's drug tracking database on hold
By Gary Fineout
Florida Tribune
Florida’s effort to launch a prescription drug database meant to help crack down on “pills mills” and “doctor shopping” may get pushed back until next year.
Advertising agency manages 17 state-funded pregnancy clinics
By Marcos Restrepo
Florida Independent
Tuesday, we examined at length a Florida taxpayer-funded network of Crisis Pregnancy Centers that we found was distributing medical information that was, in the best case, biased, and in the worst case, wrong. Insurance Growth Management/Environment Energy Rail If you have suggestions on how we may improve this online publication or have information you would like to see posted please contact our communications director at (850) 224 – 6926 or at rtemplin@flaflcio.org. SUBSCRIBE Union members may subscribe to the E Messenger by visiting our website at www.flaflcio.org. UNSUBSCRIBE If you would not like to receive future copies of this newsletter please let us know at rtemplin@flaflcio.org
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