Broward's News Beat- Fighting Fake News One Story At A Time: September 2011

Florida sets primary for Jan. 31, in violation of GOP rules

Florida officially announced Friday that its Republican presidential primary election would be held January 31, in violation of the Republican National Committee's guidelines. The RNC said it would punish any states (aside from the four traditional early primary states) that held a primary before March 4.

The special committee's decision, which was all but confirmed earlier this week but only made official today, could trigger punishment from the RNC and will almost certainly push the early primary and caucus states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina to move their primaries earlier. With early January primaries, campaign staffers will likely have to work through the holidays.

Florida's decision to try and harbor political influence with an early primary is not inviting any goodwill from other states hoping to hold their own primaries early in election season.

Iowa GOP chairman Matt Strawn reacted to Florida's move with an angry statement to Politico. Iowa will not announce the date of its final caucus until New Hampshire announces its primary, traditionally the first in the country.

"The arrogance shown by Florida's elected leadership is disappointing, but not surprising," Strawn said in the statement. "Equally troubling is to see this petulant behavior rewarded with our national convention. The consequences of Florida's intransigence must be swift and severe, including the refusal by the RNC to credential or seat any member of Florida's presidential primary date commission at the 2012 RNC convention in Tampa.

Thursday, South Carolina GOP Chairman Chad Connelly vowed that his state would be the first primary in the south.

Democratic Women Ready to Win Florida in 2012

Over 200 women participated in the 2011 Democratic Women’s Club of Florida 55^th annual convention September 15- 18 in Deerfield Beach. President Janet Goen said, “The convention was jammed full of exciting, challenging speakers and workshops. The attendees were treated to inspirational presentations from numerous women office holders and candidates.”

The convention Opening Ceremonies began by a presentation of colors by an all-female Color Guard who are members of the Deerfield Beach High School Marine Corps Junior ROTC. State Representative Gwyn Clarke-Reed and Broward County Commissioner Kristin Jacobs, who represent Deerfield Beach, were on hand to welcome delegates and guests to Deerfield Beach. State Representative Hazelle Rogers also brought greetings from Broward County.

From Thursday evening to midday Sunday, the women and men in attendance heard from Democratic leaders and political strategists in preparation for the 2012 election cycle.

With a steady chant of “Run, Nan, run!” Senator Nan Rich, potential 2014 gubernatorial candidate and first woman elected as Senate Democratic leader, challenged convention attendees to turn out the vote and to find more women to run for office in 2012. “Women,” said Rich, “bring a much needed, unique perspective to the governing process.”

Other Democratic women leaders urged women to reach for new leadership opportunities. Senator Gwen Margolis, the first woman ever to serve as president of any state senate in the United States, challenged the delegates to continue the fight to stand up for women’s rights. State Senator Eleanor Sobel reviewed the Republican assault against women’s rights during the 2011 Florida General Assembly and called on all women to keep a close watch on bills introduced in the 2012 session.

Attendees heard from former Representative Kelly Skidmore and Representative Lori Berman, each from Palm Beach, who told of their experiences and encouraged women to run. Workshops on how to get women registered to vote and how to get out the vote, as well as an update on redistricting in Florida. Campaign consultants discussed all aspects of campaigning, including how to use the new media.

Other highlights of the weekend included appearances by State Senator Maria Sachs, District #30; Val Demings, candidate for Congress in District #8 in theOrlando area; Lois Frankel, candidate for Congress in District #22; and Buffy Wicks, National Director of Operation Vote for Obama for America Campaign.

The theme “Democratic Women Running to Win” unified the convention’s sessions. Convention Co-Chair Maggie Davidson said, “The energy and excitement we felt this weekend has really set the stage to carry us into a winning 2012 electoral cycle.”

Rep. Wasserman Schultz Condemns Republican Investigation of Planned Parenthood

"I was deeply disturbed to learn of the burdensome and politically motivated, big-government investigation of Planned Parenthood, a trusted non-profit health care provider that provides essential health care services — including life-saving cancer screenings, birth control, and testing and treatment of STDs — to millions of Americans every year.

"I am a strong supporter of Congressional oversight, however, the scope and nature of this investigation is unprecedented, invasive, and the big-brother equivalent of a modern day denial-of-service attack.
"Republicans, having failed to strip funds for Planned Parenthood’s essential health care services through the legislative process, now appear to want to bury Planned Parenthood under a broad and unwarranted political witch hunt. The investigation ignores the fact that Planned Parenthood is already regularly audited by both the federal Department of Health and Human Services and state Medicaid programs – and that these audits have not identified any activity that would merit this type of investigation.

"This action is also further proof that rather than focusing on creating jobs and improving our economy, too many Republicans spend their time attempting to cater to the extreme among their base.
"As a fellow member of the Florida Congressional delegation, I urge Chairman Stearns to consider the many thousands of Floridians who receive primary and reproductive health care from Planned Parenthood and abandon this baseless investigation – which is nothing more than an effort to undercut Planned Parenthood and undermine its ability to provide essential health care to patients. Enough of these political stunts – it’s time to return to what’s important: fixing the economy and creating jobs for American families."

Republicans urge EPA to eliminate Florida water regulations

Several members of Florida’s Republican congressional delegation penned a letter last week to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, urging her to withdraw the agency’s “job-killing” water regulations in Florida.

The “numeric nutrient criteria,” which were mandated under the Bush administration, aim to place stricter limits on phosphorus and nitrogen, which lead to algal blooms and fish kills in state waterways.

Citing a recent decision in Mississippi, the lawmakers write that the EPA needs to “immediately reconsider” its Florida standards.

“It has come to our attention that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently denied the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy’s (MCEA) petition requesting that the EPA set numeric nutrient water quality standards for the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico,” reads the letter. “As representatives of the only state in the nation subject to EPA numeric nutrient standards, we hope that EPA’s cooperative approach to the Mississippi River basin signals that EPA will immediately reconsider its unilateral actions in Florida.”

The letter is signed by Marco Rubio, Vern Buchanan, Connie Mack and a host of others.

Read the full letter:

CLICK HERE

SAVE AMERICA’S POSTAL SERVICE RALLY

SAVE AMERICA’S POSTAL SERVICE RALLY

PLEASE JOIN US TO SAVE AMERICA’S POSTAL SERVICE
FROM A CRISIS CREATED BY CONGRESS
THERE’S AN EASY FIX AND YOU CAN HELP
(Please read details below)

TUESDAY September 27, 2011
4:00 PM to 5:30 PM

AT THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OFFICES OF

ALLEN WEST

6300 NE 1st Ave

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309

Get directions

www.SaveAmericasPostalService.org

About this Event

Over the next month, Congress will be forced to make major decisions about the future of the Postal Service.

We all must do our part to ensure that the concerns of both the customers and the hardworking men and women of USPS are taken into consideration.

"Save America's Postal Service" rallies are informational events that will take place in every congressional district in the United States on Sept. 27 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (local time).

They are designed to encourage Congress to pass H.R. 1351, legislation that addresses the financial crisis facing the Postal Service.

Events will engage the public through speeches, handouts and gatherings to make our voices heard. They are not protests.

It's anticipated that a wide variety of supporters will participate in "Save America's Postal Service" rallies, including small business owners who use the mail to advertise, businesses that consistently ship products using the Postal Service, and faith leaders and progressive allies who have concerns for the plight of working men and women.

Our combined dedication and activism will contribute to returning the Postal Service to solid financial footing.

A congressional mandate is killing the U.S. Postal Service

A 2006 postal reform law requires the USPS to pre-fund 75 years’ worth of future retiree health benefits within just 10 years. That means prefunding retiree health benefits for people that have not even been born yet. All this at the behest of the Office of Personnel Management and the Government Accountability Office, and to make the law appear not to cost the government money (to be “revenue neutral), Congress included in the law that destructive pre-funding mandate.

No other federal agency or private enterprise is forced to pre-fund similar benefits like this, especially on such an aggressive schedule.

This postal-only mandate costs the USPS $5.5 Billion per year. It accounts for 100% of the Postal Service’s $20 Billion in losses over the past four years.

It also accounts for 100% of the rise in the Postal Service’s debt in recent years.

Without the mandate, the USPS would have been profitable over the past four years, and rather than having to use up its $15 Billion line of credit from the U.S. Treasury to cover the pre-funding obligation, the Postal Service would have had significant borrowing authority to ride out the bad economy it now faces.

The $47 Billion the Postal Service has deposited so far into its retiree health fund over the past four years instead could have been spent on operating costs.

The Postal Service and its employees don’t want a taxpayer bailout. We have not received any taxpayer funds in nearly 30 years.

What we do want is the freedom to use our own surplus pension funds to pay down the pre-funding obligation.

But this can only happen if Congress changes the current law

SAVE AMERICA’S POSTAL SERVICE RALLY

PLEASE JOIN US TO SAVE AMERICA’S POSTAL SERVICE
FROM A CRISIS CREATED BY CONGRESS
THERE’S AN EASY FIX AND YOU CAN HELP
(Please read details below)

TUESDAY September 27, 2011
4:00 PM to 5:30 PM

AT THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OFFICES OF

ALLEN WEST

6300 NE 1st Ave

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309

Get directions

If you live in any other city or state check out all events at

http://www.saveamericaspostalservice.org/map-list.html

www.SaveAmericasPostalService.org

Debbie Wasserman Schultz: All GOP candidates are ‘the same’

Whether it’s Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, or even Hermain Cain, it doesn’t matter who wins the Republican presidential nomination, according to the Democratic National Committee chair.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz appeared in a debate with RNC counterpart Reince Priebus onFace The Nation Sunday morning. And the Florida congressman expressed her thoughts of there being no stark difference in any of the GOP candidates from one another.

“It doesn’t much matter which one of the Republicans gets nominated because they’re all the same,” Schultz said. “They are all embracing and bear-hugging the Tea Party. Moving to the right, they can’t move to the right far enough.”

She added: “They all favor privatizing Social Security, which would pull the safety net out from under our seniors, and favor ending Medicare as we know it. They all are wrong on immigration reform when it comes to Hispanics in the states.”

As expected, Priebus tried to put a different spin on it, even with rumors of New Jersey governor Chris Christie possibly joining the race thanks to many in the party not impressed with their current crop of candidates.

“Look, I’m happy with the field. I think it’s a great field,” he said. “Is there a time through a nomination process technically to still get in? Sure there is.”

WATCH: Video from CBS, which appeared on September 25, 2011.

Florida Delays Picking Primary Date, Adds to 2012 Calendar Confusion

The Republican National Committee is forbidding states that aren't Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina from holding primaries and caucuses in February 2012. Obviously, multiple states plan to flagrantly violate that rule. The RNC is also requiring that states finalize their primary dates by October 1 of this year. Florida has decided to wait until the last possible minute to announce their date, which will likely lead to other states selecting or moving their dates after the RNC deadline. Organizing a primary calendar is hard, when every state wants to vote early.

The committee in charge of selecting Florida's date postponed their decision until September 30, in order to see how this mess sorts itself:

Complicating their decision is the fact that Arizona has broken the primary calendar rules set by the political parties and set its date for Feb. 28, the same day as South Carolina, which is expected to move its date up earlier. Missouri has also broken the calendar rules and set Feb. 7 as its primary. Michigan is poised to move its date into early February as well. All states must report their primary dates to the parties by Oct. 1.

Florida is determined to maintain its "fifth in the nation" status, so they're waiting for South Carolina and New Hampshire, who in turn are waiting for everyone else to pick dates.

Foretelling republican hi jinx of the Florida primary date, Florida Democrats have submitted a delegate selection plan that will be approved by the National Democratic Party, thus, preventing, the total chaos caused by the Florida Republicans in 2008

Sunshine Debate: Five Things To Watch In Tonight’s Florida GOP Debate

Rick Perry previously accused of Federal Chairman Ben Bernanke of being “almost treasonous”if he were to expand the money supply — which would potentially help the economy, and thus rebound to the benefit of President Obama’s re-election. They may not have put it as menacingly, but Congressional Republican leaders wrote a letter to Bernanke on Tuesday themselves, urging him not to do so as well, a move contrary to the usual norms under which the Fed is supposed to be insulated from politics. But the Fed ignored them and announced a new round of monetary stimulus. Will Perry reprise his tough talk against Bernanke now that the Fed has apparently shrugged off his first warning?

Rep. Wasserman Schultz Statement on the President’s United Nations Address

President Obama spoke earlier today to the UN regarding the safety and security of Israel and his commitment to peace

“Once again, President Obama stood on the world stage and shared a powerful vision of a more just and perfect world. With the international community assembled, President Obama stressed the difficult but vital efforts we must all make in our quest for peace. He spoke of the accomplishments of revolutions that have brought burgeoning democracy to the Middle East and North Africa over the past year, and the frustrated aspirations of many in the region where democracy is yet to come. In praising the new free Libya and urging the international community to join us in sanctioning Iran and Syria, the President affirmed his commitment to supporting those who wish to cast off tyranny. And in a world free from the terror of Osama bin Laden, President Obama emphasized our continued quest to end the religious, gender, and sexual persecution that prevent all people from achieving their true potential.

“In his historic speech to this global audience, President Obama once again demonstrated his stalwart support for our friend and ally, Israel. Importantly, President Obama used this opportunity at the United Nations to unambiguously state his support for direct, bilateral negotiations as the only way to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and create a Palestinian state. As the President said, “a genuine peace can only be realized between the Israelis and the Palestinians themselves… there is no short cut to the end of a conflict that has endured for decades. Peace will not come through statements and resolutions at the United Nations…it is the Israelis and the Palestinians -- not us –- who must reach agreement on the issues that divide them: on borders and on security, on refugees and Jerusalem.” President Obama made it resoundingly clear that unilateral action will never create a state, and that we must continue to support a process between two peoples that recognize both security concerns and national aspirations.

“As he has done so many times in the past, President Obama again put forth our country’s unshakeable commitment to Israel’s safety and security as a central tenet to peace. The President re-affirmed our enduring friendship to our ally, Israel, noting the very real security concerns of being surrounded by hostile neighbors. He made clear to the world that he understands the very real threats Israelis face in constant rockets and suicide bombs and coming of age “knowing that throughout the region, other children are taught to hate them.” Only when Israel feels its security concerns are met will future generations of Israelis and Palestinians live side by side in pride and in peace.

“I am so proud of President Obama’s unwavering support for Israel and his overall vision for peace that he laid out at the United Nations this morning.”

Bullying Prevention Summit

Federal partners joined together today for the second annual Bullying Prevention Summit, a two-day event hosted by the U.S. Department of Education in partnership with eight other federal agencies that make up the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention Steering Committee. The event engages representatives from federal agencies, national organizations, parents, teacher and students to discuss and share progress on anti-bullying efforts across the country.
According to recently released data by the National Center for Education Statistics, more than 70 percent of students play some role in bullying, whether as a bully, a victim or a witness, demonstrating the need for increased awareness. Other research suggests that bullying and harassment can lead to poorer educational outcomes, lower future aspirations, frequent school absenteeism, and lower grade-point averages. This year’s summit puts a spotlight on the anti-bullying efforts of governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and helps plan steps needed to sustain and advance bullying prevention efforts in the coming year.
“Bullying affects not only the child or children it targets, but the entire community that surrounds them – their parents, their classmates, even the child engaging in the bullying,” said U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. “Keeping our children safe is everyone’s responsibility, and I’m proud to come together with so many national leaders, parents, teachers and students to reaffirm our collective commitment to prevent bullying in every way possible.”

Last year, the Department held the first-ever federal summit on bullying to help inform federal practice and encourage public engagement. Since then, leaders and advocates have made significant progress in promoting bullying prevention, including extensive outreach by the U.S. Department of Education to ensure that schools, districts and states are fully aware of their responsibility to prevent bullying.

In October 2010, the Department’s Office for Civil Rights issued a “Dear Colleague” letter to elementary schools, colleges and universities, providing guidance on student bullying. The guidance made clear the extent of current laws, which include protection against harassment of members of religious groups based on shared ethnic characteristics as well as gender and sexual harassment of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals.

In December 2010, Duncan sent a technical assistance memo to all governors and chief state school officers outlining the key components of existing, comprehensive state anti-bullying laws and policies. The memo included a clear and comprehensive definition of bullying, detailed reporting, investigating and responding procedures, graduated consequences for those engaged in the behavior, and referrals to mental and physical health resources.

In June 2011, Duncan issued a “Dear Colleague” letter reaffirming the rights of students to form Gay-Straight Alliances and other student groups under the Equal Access Act, noting the important role they can play in promoting safer schools and creating more welcoming learning environments. The letter further urges administrators, faculty members, staff, students, and parents to use the guidelines within the Equal Access Act to develop or improve district policies.

Over the past year, the Department has partnered with the Office for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to host a number of webinars that have reached a nationwide audience, addressing topics such as when bullying constitutes discriminatory harassment and how to constructively intervene in bullying situations. The Department’s Safe and Supportive Technical Assistance Center has also developed training modules specifically for bus drivers after the release of surveys showing that they don’t feel prepared to handle bullying on their buses.

Currently, the Federal Partners continue their work to address challenges surrounding bullying, including efforts to develop a uniform definition of bullying led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and to analyze the effectiveness and comprehensiveness of state anti-bullying laws led by the Department. A final report detailing the content of state laws and model policies based on the December memo is expected to be released later this fall.

In addition to the Department’s efforts, there has also been an unprecedented commitment over the last year to address bullying by both the private and public sector. Back in March, when President Obama held the Conference on Bullying Prevention at the White House, nearly every education related organization, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National Parent Teacher Association, and the National School Boards Association, pledged to address bullying in some way. Both the American Federation of Teachers and National Education Association have participated in campaigns to engage and train teachers around bullying prevention. And summit participants, including representatives from ABC Family, the Ad Council, AOL, Facebook, Formspring, MIT, MTV, Sesame Street, Seventeen Magazine and TimeWarner are all raising awareness for children, parents, and youth service providers through targeted programming and dedicated anti-bullying campaigns.

In celebrating the extensive anti-bullying work, outreach and public engagement, Summit participants also acknowledged the need to resume collective efforts toward bullying prevention. In his remarks, Duncan reiterated the U.S. Department of Education’s commitment to continue working with federal partners to provide guidance, technical assistance, and frameworks to address bullying. He also called on advocates, students, parents, teachers and administrators to help inform guidance and policy.
“None of us can confront this alone,” said Duncan.“When we stand together we can address bullying and fight the hatred, bigotry and fear that divide us. Our children deserve a chance. We must support them.”

To learn more about anti-bullying efforts across federal agencies, visit www.stopbullying.gov.

Rep. Wasserman Schultz on the End of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

Rep. Wasserman Schultz on the End of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

"Today my heart rejoices not only for the gay and lesbian Americans already serving in our armed forces, but also for every young man and woman who dreams about becoming a service member dedicated to keeping America safe from harm," said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-20)). “For too long, Don't Ask, Don't Tell has forced Americans to deny who they are in order to serve their country. At long last, that will no longer be the case.

"Today, we are a more perfect union. We not only make America safer, but we do so in a way that fulfills our Constitution's sacred promise that all men and women are created equal. I commend President Obama for his steadfast commitment to ending Don't Ask, Don't Tell, as well as my House and Senate colleagues as we resolutely stood together to ensure that our service members no longer have to choose between serving their country and living an authentic life. To all of those in our armed forces who have had to hide their true identities, thank you for your service to our country. Today, we stand for you as you have stood for America - unwaveringly, and with the utmost pride and respect."

President Of Dolphin Democrats Statement On The End of "Don't Ask Don't Tell

Official Statement From Joint Chiefs Of Staff

CLICK HERE

"Today marks the end of "Don't Ask Don't Tell." The law is repealed. From this day forward, gay and lesbian soldiers may serve in our Army with the dignity and respect they deserve." - Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Ray Odierno.

Ron Mills, president of the Dolphin Democrats, Florida’s oldest and largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Democratic club, issued the following statement on the repeal of the ban on openly-gay members serving in the military:

“Our nation was founded on the concept of equality for all, and yet equality for gay and lesbian Americans is still a work in progress. Today, with the end of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, those gay and lesbian Americans who wish to serve their country without hiding their true identities finely have equality.

“As Commander in Chief, I have always been confident that our dedicated men and women in uniform would transition to a new policy in an orderly manner that preserves unit cohesion, recruitment, retention and military effectiveness,” Obama said in July. “As of September 20th, service members will no longer be forced to hide who they are in order to serve our country.“
Read The Statement http://Dolphindems.org/dadt.doc

Ron Mills- President Of Dolphin Democrats Statement On The End of "Don't Ask Don't Tell

13% Of Hollywood, Florida Voters Strip Union Workers Of Negotiated Pensions, Health Plans

Well, this is novel. It seems that Hollywood, Florida had a referendum and not very many people came, which is really too bad since it means firefighters, police, and other city employees may now have their benefits taken after 13 percent of all registered voters in Hollywood voted for deep cuts to them.

Via the Miami-Herald:

Democracy in Action: 13% Of Hollywood, Florida Voters Strip Union Workers Of Negotiated Pensions, Health Plans

Chip LaMarca, Broward County Commissioner, is endorsing Gov. Rick Perry

According to Sun Sentinel Chip LaMarca, Broward County Commissioner, is endorsing Gov. Rick Perry

It’s a journey across the Republican political spectrum. LaMarca, a former chairman of the Broward Republican Party, supported former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani for the 2008 nomination.

Perry, the governor of Texas, is about as conservative as they come on social issues; Giuliani is about as liberal as Republicans are these days on social issues.

LaMarca said that wasn’t decisive for him, citing “three reasons” for supporting Perry: “Jobs, jobs, jobs.”

“The long, hard look was between [former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt] Romney and Perry. I liked a lot of what [former Utah Gov. Jon] Huntsman had to say.”

He said he settled on Perry because, in his view, the Texas governor has done well using the levers of public policy to help job creation. Romeny’s job creation experience, he said, is in the private sector, and LaMarca said that’s not the kid of expertise the country needs right now.

“I’m putting my support behind somebody who has a proven track record,” LaMarca said.

A new approach is essential after President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush weren’t able, in LaMarca’s view, to fix the economy.

“Social issues, as we saw in the [Monday night] debate are kind of what’s going to divide the Republican Party,” LaMarca said. But to him, “the economy is the main issue.

LaMarca is in his first term representing a mostly coastal County Commission district, where Democrats slightly outnumber Republicans. He said his support for Perry won’t have any effect on how he does his job on issues affecting Broward.

“Who I choose to support personally with regard to a leader of the United States I know it won’t affect the issues that we deal with here in Broward County,” he said.

Read More....

Florida’s Anti-Gay Leader Endorses Rick Perry

John Stemberger, Florida’s leading anti-gay activist who also serves as president of the Florida Family Policy Council (FFPC),endorsed Rick Perry for president today, dismissing Michele Bachmann as unelectable and Mitt Romney as untrustworthy:

“This is a two man race between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry. And there’s a growing consensus among evangelical leaders and, to some degree, among those in the tea party and pro-life Catholics that Rick Perry is the most trustworthy candidate on our issues,” Stemberger said.
“There are too many trust issues with Mitt Romney,” he continued. “The issue not that he is a Mormon. The issue is that he wasn’t Mormon enough. If he had been consistent with traditional Mormon values his whole career, that would make me feel a lot more comfortable about where he’s coming from. Perry is a lot more solid on our issues.”

The FFPC is Florida’s affiliate of the anti-gay hate group, the Family Research Council. The group raises hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to oppose abortion rights, “the gay agenda,” and Islam. In 2008, it successfully led the charge to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions in Florida’s state constitution, relying on a “protect children” strategy to scare voters into voting for the ban. “Failing to ban gay marriage in the state constitution could result in theindoctrination of schoolchildren into a gay lifestyle,” Stemberger warned. “Florida schools might have to teach that gay weddings are the same as traditional unions if the proposal fails at the polls.”

Update From Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz

What the American Jobs Act Means for You
On Monday, President Obama sent the American Jobs Act he to Congress. This bold agenda would immediately improve our economy and create jobs without adding acent to the deficit. I began this year by joining my Democratic colleagues in measuring every proposal by whether it creates jobs, strengthens the middle class, and reduces the deficit – and I am eager to work with my colleagues across the aisle to achieve those goals. The American Jobs Act measures up to those standards and Members of Congress from both parties need to come together and pass this legislation as soon as possible.READ MORE
Senior Town Halls

Thank you to all of you who came out for my town halls in August in Sunrise and Plantation focusing on Medicare, Social Security and the Affordable Health Care Act. It was great to talk with you about improvements seniors are already seeing in Medicare with the addition of free wellness visits and free preventive screenings. Preserving Social Security and Medicare is of the utmost importance and I will continue to work on your behalf to protect these programs for seniors and future generations of Americans. READ MORE
If you missed these town halls, your're not out of luck, C-Span covered my Plantation town hall and you can watch the video by clicking here and then clicking on the link on the right under "video playlist."
I am proud to be an advocate for the people of South Florida, and my office is always open to you. You can reach us in Pembroke Pines at 954-437-3936, in Aventura at 305-936-5724 and in Washington, DC at202-225-7931. I’m also available online at http://wassermanschultz.house.gov where you can sign up for my e-newsletter, on Facebook, and Comcast-on-demand customers can stay up to date with my work for you on channel 890.

Share on Twitter

Share on Facebook

Share on Digg

Take my Web site to go:
Download the DWS App

E-MAIL UPDATES
Yes, please periodically send me e-mail updates.*

Click Here

*By subscribing to my
e-mail updates, you are authorizing me to send regular e-mail updates from my office to your e-mail account.

CONTACT INFORMATION

WASHINGTON D.C. OFFICE
118 Cannon H.O.B
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-7931
Fax: 202-226-2052

AVENTURA OFFICE
19200 West Country Club Drive, 3rd Floor
Aventura, FL 33180
Phone: 305-936-5724
Fax: 305-932-9664

PEMBROKE PINES OFFICE
10100 Pines Blvd.
Pembroke Pines, FL 33026
Phone: 954-437-3936
Fax: 954-437-4776

Former Mayor Scott Brook Drops State House Race

His departure leaves Parkland Commissioner Jared Moskowitz as the only candidate for the northwest Broward open House District 96 seat.

Brook said he would support Moskowitz. Both are Democrats.

“I have some exciting news. Although it was not an easy decision, I have decided to conclude my run for the House in 2012 and focus on my family and law firm…Thank you to all for your support!…I need more time with my gang, my grandson and my 82 year old Dad ,” Brook wrote on his personal Facebook page.

Brook told Browardbeat.com that his father was recently ill with severe swelling in the legs and is now in a rehab center.

He said because his mother died suddenly, he didn’t get to spend enough time with her. “I’m not going to miss” spending “every minute I can” with dad, he said.

A specialist in family law and workers’ compensation, the former mayor is married to Brenda Brook and has five children. He was a Coral Springs commissioner 2002-2006 and then elected mayor from 2006-2010.

How one GOP Senate candidate’s ‘good friend’ is fighting ‘Stealth Jihad’ in Florida | Florida Independent

In his campaign for the GOP nomination in the race to unseat Sen. Bill Nelson, Adam Hasner has been positioning himself as a tea party favorite on a slew of issues, but none seem as close to his heart as his long-time crusade against the supposed threat of Sharia in the U.S.

Short Survey: The American Jobs Act

As Congress evaluates President Obama’s jobs plan, I am interested in learning what you think. In summary, the American Jobs Act:

Cuts taxes for every business that hires a new employee and for companies that hire the long-term unemployed

Cuts taxes for companies that hire the long-term unemployed

Prevents thousands of additional layoffs of teachers, cops, caregivers, and firefighters through emergency aid to states

Creates jobs modernizing 35,000 public schools across America

Puts the construction sector back to work by investing in road, railway, and airport projects

Establishes an independent bank to attract private capital for infrastructure projects and to reduce the burden on taxpayers

Do you think this plan will boost our economy? Should Congress pass the American Jobs Act?
Let Congressman Ted Deutch know by filling out this quick survey: http://bit.ly/jobsactsurvey

Kind regards,

Congressman Ted Deutch

Twitter campaign calls on Obama to end AIDS Drug Assistance Program waiting lists

A Twitter campaign launched by the ADAP Advocacy Association is calling on President Obama to end the AIDS Drug Assistance Program waiting lists.

Brandon Macsata, CEO of the ADAP Advocacy Association, tells The Florida Independent that his organization “asked people to start at 7 a.m. today and continue through 7 p.m. tonight and to target the campaign toward President Obama and ask him to step up and begin to lead on this crisis.”

“We feel that to this point he’s been pretty quiet,” Macsata says, “and when we’re approaching 10,000 people on the waiting list for the medication we know will keep them healthy productive members of their communities, it’s just unacceptable.”

The AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (known as ADAP) provide medications for the treatment of HIV and AIDS for people who cannot afford to pay because they are unemployed, uninsured or underinsured. It has been in a funding crisis since last year.

Florida’s Bureau of HIV/AIDS data shows that as of Sept. 9 at least 4,100 people (.pdf) were on the Sunshine State’s Drug Assistance Program waiting list. Miami-Dade County had 1,055 people on the waiting list; Broward County had 673 people. Hillsborough, Orange and Palm Beach counties each had over 300 citizens waiting.

The National Alliance of States and Territorial AIDS Directors’ latest ADAP Watch (.pdf) indicates that as of last week at least 9,000 people in 11 states were on a waiting list

Pages