Stop the budget cuts before it's too late!

Heads up: Congress is debating a budget plan that would be devastating to Florida. Will you pass this along?

Senators Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio need to hear from all of us about it right now, before they cut a deal in the next few days.

Please spread the word about all of these proposed cuts to Florida:

• $64 million would be cut from federal funds for clean and safe water in Florida.¹
• 6,100 Florida children would be immediately cut from Head Start, which provides comprehensive early childhood development services for at-risk children ages zero to five.²
• $368 million would be cut from Pell Grants, affecting all 565,000 higher education students with those grants in Florida.³
• Job training and employment services would be effectively eliminated for 5,700 dislocated workers, 6,000 low-income adults, and 15,000 youths age 14 to 21.⁴
• $9.6 million would be cut from law enforcement assistance, taking cops off the beat.⁵

It's especially galling when the same budget protects tax breaks for corporations like GE and the very rich.

Just last night the news broke that Congress may be close to striking a deal on the budget. Now is the only time we can influence the outcome.

Can you call Sens. Nelson and Rubio and ask them to oppose these cuts in the budget? You can pick one of the cuts in this list to highlight in your call.

Senator Bill Nelson
Phone: 202-224-5274

Senator Marco Rubio
Phone: 202-224-3041

Click to report your call. Then pass this email along locally!

http://pol.moveon.org/call/index.html?cp_id=1547&tg=FSFL_1.FSFL_2&id=&t=1

The cuts that the Republicans are proposing would disproportionately hit those who can least afford it in Florida, and it's up to us to stop them.

Thanks for all you do.

-Daniel, Amy, Milan, Tate, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "House Bill Means Fewer Children in Head Start, Less Help for Students to Attend College, Less Job Training, and Less Funding for Clean Water," Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, March, 1, 2010
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3405

2. "Projected Reduction in Children Served in Head Start Based on H.R. 1—Fiscal Year 2011 Continuing Resolution," Center for Law and Social Policy
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=207278&id=26722-7252522-o9uXoix&t=3

3. "House Bill Means Fewer Children in Head Start, Less Help for Students to Attend College, Less Job Training, and Less Funding for Clean Water," Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, March, 1, 2010
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3405

4. Ibid

5. Ibid

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

Cheap-labor conservatives

• Cheap-labor conservatives don't like social spending or our "safety net". Why. Because when you're unemployed and desperate, corporations can pay you whatever they feel like – which is inevitably next to nothing. You see, they want you "over a barrel" and in a position to "work cheap or starve".
• Cheap-labor conservatives don't like the minimum wage, or other improvements in wages and working conditions. Why. These reforms undo all of their efforts to keep you "over a barrel".
• Cheap-labor conservatives like "free trade", NAFTA, GATT, etc. Why. Because there is a huge supply of desperately poor people in the third world, who are "over a barrel", and will work cheap.
• Cheap-labor conservatives oppose a woman's right to choose. Why. Unwanted children are an economic burden that put poor women "over a barrel", forcing them to work cheap.
• Cheap-labor conservatives don't like unions. Why. Because when labor "sticks together", wages go up. That's why workers unionize. Seems workers don't like being "over a barrel".
• Cheap-labor conservatives constantly bray about "morality", "virtue", "respect for authority", "hard work" and other "values". Why. So they can blame your being "over a barrel" on your own "immorality", lack of "values" and "poor choices".
• Cheap-labor conservatives encourage racism, misogyny, homophobia and other forms of bigotry. Why? Bigotry among wage earners distracts them, and keeps them from recognizing their common interests as wage earners.

The Cheap-Labor Conservative "Dirty Secret" : They Don't Really Like Prosperity

Union Busting!

What’s Disgusting? Union Busting!

The shared fate of thousands of middle class families continues to be uncertain after the House Appropriations Committee voted in favor of the Worker Gag Bill (HB 1021), sponsored by Representative Chris Dorworth (R-Heathrow). This means the full House could vote on this anti-democratic legislation as soon as THURSDAY of this week!

This legislation would deny access to dues deductions from public employees’ paychecks just because they choose to be a member of a union. In addition, HB 1021 takes away the right to participate collectively in political activities by outlawing deductions for political funds. If it becomes law, HB 1021 will restrict the political rights of thousands of Florida’s families.

This bill would not apply to the other organizations that the State of Florida offers payroll deductions, only firefighters, police, teachers, nurses and other employees who work for the State, cities, and municipalities.

To see a full list of the 364 organizations that the State of Florida offers payroll deductions for click here.

We need everyone to call their local representatives and tell them to vote against this anti-middle class, anti-democratic legislation. Tell them: "Stop the attacks on my rights. It is my choice to join my union and I do not want politicians in Tallahassee taking away my rights."

YOU MAY ALSO BE AUTOMATICALLY CONNECTED TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVE BY DIALING

1-877-274-0951

You will need to enter your zip code to be connected to the correct representative.

You can also find the contact information for the Florida House by clicking here and then clicking on "Find Your Representative" (the upper left tab) to pull down the search screen. You will need to know your address, city and zip code in order to find the correct Representative for your area.

Again give your representative a call and tell them: "Stop the attacks on my rights. It is my choice to join my union and I do not want politicians in Tallahassee taking away my rights."

2010 Census population counts for Florida.

View 2010 census counts for Florida

The Senate Committee on Reapportionment, announced receipt of detailed 2010 Census population counts for Florida. The tables attached to this release show 2010 population and deviation figures for each senatorial, state representative, and congressional district in the state. The attached maps show where overpopulated and underpopulated districts lie in relation to one another.

The detailed 2010 population counts for Florida are also accessible using the U.S. Census Bureau’s American FactFinder web application (see, http://factfinder2.census.gov/main.html). The complete data set delivered to the Florida Legislature will be availableonline at http://www2.census.gov/census_2010/01-Redistricting_File--PL_94-171/Florida/.

More information about preparations for redistricting is available on the House and Senate websites:

• Senate: http://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/RE/
• House: http://www.floridaredistricting.org/

View 2010 census counts for Florida

The Hypocrisy of St. Patrick’s Day

Malachy McCourt

Author and Actor

In the US, they don’t let gays march, whereas in Ireland, gay people get prizes for being the most colorful group.

Bullied – Broward County Sheriff’s Office Anti-Bullying Initiative

Bullied is a documentary film that chronicles one student’s ordeal at the hands of anti-gay bullies and offers an inspiring message of hope to those fighting harassment today.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.

Cinema Paradiso

503 SE 6th Street • Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Cocktail reception prior to the film at the Courtyard of Cinema at 6:00PM

Broward County Sheriff Al Lamberti will discuss the office’s Anti-Bullying initiative. Commander Richard Wierzbicki, of the Sheriff’s Hate Crimes and Anti-Bias Task Force, and Paul Hyman, Executive Director of the Pride Center at Equality Park, will also be in attendance.

www.sheriff.org/safety/bullying.cfm

Sponsored by Sheriff Al Lamberti and the Broward County Sheriffs Office, The Pride Center at Equality Park, Vision 2015 and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

For admission please use Pay Pal link below. Admission is a $100 donation which include film and cocktail reception.

Stop Light synchronization of the east-west corridors in Broward County is complete

Broward County Traffic Division reported today that synchronization of the east-west corridors in Broward County is complete. 20 corridors altogether..from Flamingo to A1A. A total of 480 signals have been re-timed.

It's believed that $14.4 million will be saved in fuel. 300,000 metric tons/year reduction in GHG.

People are encouraged to comment at traffic@broward.org or call 954-847-2600. Tom Hutka is our public works director. Scott Brunner is the Asst. Director for Traffic Engineering. Tom Hutka can be reached at 954-357-6410

North/South corridors will be done by end of 2011.

Former Mayor Larry Gierer received the endorsement of Florida State Senator Chris Smith

Former Mayor Larry Gierer received the endorsement of Florida State Senator Chris Smith. Gierer said " I am so honored to have the support of a great servant of our state for over a decade" The Oakland Park Commission Election election is on March 8th , 2011.
Larry Gierer is running in seat 3

Larry Has also been endorsed by: Mayor Allegra Webb Murphy, Fort Lauderdale Former Vice Mayor Dean Trantalis and Broward Property Appriaser Lori Parrish

For more information visit: http://LarryGierer.com

Broward County School Board Adds Gender Identity to Non-discrimination Policy

The Broward County School Board added “gender identity and expression” to the district’s non-discrimination policy Tuesday. The vote means that all district employees will be protected from any form of gender-based discrimination.

Broward becomes the largest school district in Florida to add "gender identity and expression" to its non-discrimination protections.

According to Equality Florida Broward County was one of the first school districts in the state to add gender identity and expression to its anti-bullying policy. Since then Broward's anti-bullying policy has served as the sample policy for districts across the state when the anti-bullying law passed in 2008.