Joe Biden will be at The Mount Hermon AME Church on Sunday

Souls To The Polls:
Joe Biden will be at The Mount Hermon AME Church on Sunday. He will be appearing with Governor Charlie Crist and Congressman Alcee Hastings. The program is to begin at approximately 1:00 P.M. The Church address is 401 NW 7th Terrace in Fort Lauderdale. This is your invitation.

SCARY THOUGHT It’s Halloween and there are only 4 Days left to vote….

SCARY THOUGHT…. 

     It’s Halloween and there are only 4 Days left to vote….

      It is a close race and if you don’t vote we may be left 

       with four more years of Rick Scott & Pam Bondi.

VOTING CHALLENGE:

County Question #1 to Re-Authorize Children’s Services Council:

• VOTE “YES” or 150,000 children in Broward County will loose programs and services they now have… 
• This will NOT raise your taxes
• The Challenge: 

            Find it on the BALLOT: It is BELOW Amendment #3 on the bottom right side of Pg 2 (on the back of page #1).

Vote EARLY VOTE Today until 7 pm or  Saturday or Sunday 7 am - 4 PM 

• You can vote at ANY Early Vote location attached below

Or Vote at Your Poll on Election Day, Tuesday, November 4th: 7am - 7pm

Call me if you need help with your ballot, need a ride to the poll or have any Election Questions. 

Thank You for Voting!!

Barbara

Barbara S. Effman, MPH
President, West Broward Democratic Club
(954) 846-8865 - Home/Office
(954) 439-2228 - Cell
bsedem@aol.com

Apple CEO Tim Cook Kicks Down The Closet Door

Throughout my professional life, I’ve tried to maintain a basic level of privacy. I come from humble roots, and I don’t seek to draw attention to myself. Apple is already one of the most closely watched companies in the world, and I like keeping the focus on our products and the incredible things our customers achieve with them.

At the same time, I believe deeply in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, who said: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’ ” I often challenge myself with that question, and I’ve come to realize that my desire for personal privacy has been holding me back from doing something more important. That’s what has led me to today.

For years, I’ve been open with many people about my sexual orientation. Plenty of colleagues at Apple know I’m gay, and it doesn’t seem to make a difference in the way they treat me. Of course, I’ve had the good fortune to work at a company that loves creativity and innovation and knows it can only flourish when you embrace people’s differences. Not everyone is so lucky.

While I have never denied my sexuality, I haven’t publicly acknowledged it either, until now. So let me be clear: I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.

Being gay has given me a deeper understanding of what it means to be in the minority and provided a window into the challenges that people in other minority groups deal with every day. It’s made me more empathetic, which has led to a richer life. It’s been tough and uncomfortable at times, but it has given me the confidence to be myself, to follow my own path, and to rise above adversity and bigotry. It’s also given me the skin of a rhinoceros, which comes in handy when you’re the CEO of Apple.

The world has changed so much since I was a kid. America is moving toward marriage equality, and the public figures who have bravely come out have helped change perceptions and made our culture more tolerant. Still, there are laws on the books in a majority of states that allow employers to fire people based solely on their sexual orientation. There are many places where landlords can evict tenants for being gay, or where we can be barred from visiting sick partners and sharing in their legacies. Countless people, particularly kids, face fear and abuse every day because of their sexual orientation.

I don’t consider myself an activist, but I realize how much I’ve benefited from the sacrifice of others. So if hearing that the CEO of Apple is gay can help someone struggling to come to terms with who he or she is, or bring comfort to anyone who feels alone, or inspire people to insist on their equality, then it’s worth the trade-off with my own privacy.

I’ll admit that this wasn’t an easy choice. Privacy remains important to me, and I’d like to hold on to a small amount of it. I’ve made Apple my life’s work, and I will continue to spend virtually all of my waking time focused on being the best CEO I can be. That’s what our employees deserve—and our customers, developers, shareholders, and supplier partners deserve it, too. Part of social progress is understanding that a person is not defined only by one’s sexuality, race, or gender. I’m an engineer, an uncle, a nature lover, a fitness nut, a son of the South, a sports fanatic, and many other things. I hope that people will respect my desire to focus on the things I’m best suited for and the work that brings me joy.

The company I am so fortunate to lead has long advocated for human rights and equality for all. We’ve taken a strong stand in support of a workplace equality bill before Congress, just as we stood for marriage equality in our home state of California. And we spoke up in Arizona when that state’s legislature passed a discriminatory bill targeting the gay community. We’ll continue to fight for our values, and I believe that any CEO of this incredible company, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation, would do the same. And I will personally continue to advocate for equality for all people until my toes point up.

When I arrive in my office each morning, I’m greeted by framed photos of Dr. King and Robert F. Kennedy. I don’t pretend that writing this puts me in their league. All it does is allow me to look at those pictures and know that I’m doing my part, however small, to help others. We pave the sunlit path toward justice together, brick by brick. This is my brick.

Tim Cook CEO Apple 

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-10-30/tim-cook-im-proud-to-be-gay

Impact of Affordable Care Act: Health Care Costs Down

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Not long ago, the airwaves were filled with predictions health-care reform would be a disaster for taxpayers and consumers. That hasn't happened. 

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), often referred to as "Obamacare," will cut the federal budget deficit by a $100 billion. That despite adding health coverage for about 10 million people, by federal estimates. 

Paul Van de Water, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, says the reform has been able to do this because it's had real success at one of its key goals: holding down the cost of health care.

"The growth of health-care costs has been at close to historic lows, both in the public programs, Medicare and Medicaid, as well as the private sector," says Van de Water.

Some critics still argue health-care reform will be a disaster, but that position is not getting a lot of support from the data. Other critics have simply fallen silent. Up until now Florida has opted out of billions in federal funding to extend Medicaid to another 850,000 low-income Floridians, but one million of the state's residents signed up for a health plan through the ACA.

The overall federal deficit has dropped dramatically. It's now projected to total nearly $5 trillion less by 2020 than was expected just four years ago. More importantly, Van de Water says the ACA is improving the health of the vital Medicare program, which is threatened by an influx of millions of baby boomers.

"Medicare will continue to need adjustments, but it's clear health reform has made Medicare's prospects better, not worse," he says.

Another prediction that hasn't come true yet is premiums would skyrocket. Van de Water says the huge variation in the cost of insurance makes it difficult to describe a simple pattern. But he says it looks like slowing the rise in health-care costs has helped keep the price of premiums in line, especially in the new insurance exchanges.

"Premiums in the health-insurance exchanges have turned out to be lower than what the congressional office was originally projecting," Van de Water says. "Now premiums are still going up, but it's likely they're going up by less than what would have otherwise been the case."

Something is Aflutter with Florida's Butterfly Population

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Photo: The number of monarch butterflies migrating through Florida are decreasing, according to conservationists. Photo credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Florida neighborhoods will be invaded by Halloween costumes of all sorts on Friday, including the ever-popular butterfly costume. But real-life butterflies - namely monarchs on their annual migration from the north to Mexico - arrived later than normal this year at their migration stop at St. Marks Wildlife Refuge.

"Normally, they would start showing up after the first couple of good, strong cold fronts move through the area," said Robin Will, a supervisory ranger at the refuge. "This year, for some reason, they waited until Friday to show up, which was really late."

A warming climate and a decrease in the availability of some favorite monarch food such as milkweed are believed to be some factors contributing to the shift.

Earlier this year, three conservation organizations asked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the monarch butterfly as a threatened species since its population has declined by 90 percent in the last 20 years.

Kent Wimmer, a northwest Florida representative for Defenders of Wildlife, said the Monarch butterfly is a very visual example of the impact of humans on the environment.

"In this area," he said, "it's one of those charismatic species that draw attention to both climate change and changing land uses which have affected their populations."

Will agreed that the insects are just as valuable as a reminder of how delicate nature can be as they are a visually distinctive species in the ecosystem.

"Sometimes people can't see birds," she said, "but when they see those monarch butterflies feeding on their plants and they can stand right in front of them and watch them without binoculars, that is a huge educational message."

Will said the refuge just hosted its annual Monarch Butterfly Festival, where researchers were able to tag 600 butterflies for observation, down from an average of 800 in prior years.

If the SOE had been paid to destroy the Children Services Funding they could not do a better job

If the SOE had been paid to destroy the Children Services Funding they could not do a better job

CLICK ON THE PIC ABOVE TO ENLARGE 

Message From Debbie Wasserman Schultz

#Iwillvote     http://Iwillvote.com

Gov. Crist Visits Broward Condos

  By Carol Porter
Gubernatorial Candidate Charlie Crist was at Century Village in Deerfield Beach on Thursday, October 23, to visit with seniors and members of Democratic Clubs. Crist spoke inside the activity center and  was joined that day by a number of local elected officials, including Representative Gwyndolen Clarke-Reed, former Senate Minority Leader Steve Geller, and Broward County Democratic Party chairman Mitch Ceasar. Deerfield Beach Democratic Club president Bernie Parness introduced Crist and other speakers. On Friday, October 24, Crist visited Westside park in Deerfield Beach and on Saturday, October 25, Crist made a stop in Riviera Beach to campaign alongside elected officials, members of the Palm Beach County Democratic Party, and those speaking public office. Crist also was traveling with Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin and founder of the The Trayvon Martin Foundation.

Mayor Gary Resnick Endorsed By Equality Florida

Mayor Gary Resnick is honored and humbled to represent the residents of Wilton Manors and to have the support of our elected officials including our state senator Maria Sachs, as well as Equality Florida. for his re-election.

With early voting started, Gary asks for YOUR support and vote for his re-election.

Friday Deadline Nears: AG Bondi, Let Marriage Come to Florida!

Group asks Bondi not to oppose lifting stay in marriage decision

 
Friday, October 24 is a critical day for marriage equality in Florida. That is the deadline for Attorney General Pam Bondi to decide if she will oppose a request that a federal judge lift a stay and allow marriage licenses to be issues to same-sex couples in Florida.
 
Earlier this month the US Supreme Court paved the way for marriages for same-sex couples to commence in 13 states by refusing to hear appeals of five circuit court rulings that found state bans unconstitutional. The ACLU and lawyers for plaintiffs in a concurrent case immediately asked Judge Hinkle to lift the stay he put in place in January when he declared the ban a violation of equal protection and due process.
 
The country has changed dramatically since Judge Hinkle and four other Florida judges struck down the ban but put stays in place.
 
Before October 6, 2014, marriage was only legal in 19 states, plus the District of Columbia. Today, nearly 60% of the country lives in the 32 states where marriage is legal for gay couples. 
 
"In all of those states, the result was simple: People got married, and happy, loving couples’ relationships and families were finally respected by their states," said Nadine Smith, Equality Florida's CEO.
 
On two occasions in the past month, the United States Courts for the 9^th Circuit lifted a stay while decisions on marriage equality in Idaho and Alaska are appealed.  The U.S. Supreme Court also refused to order the court to keep the stay in place while appeals continue, despite appeals from the defense.  Both the Circuit Court and the U.S. Supreme Court stated that they will not make couples wait to marry while appeals are pending.
 
“Even if she continues to pursue an appeal, Attorney General Bondi should not hold our state and our families hostage by calling for the stay to remain in place.  Should she choose to appeal, let her follow the lead of the 9^th Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court and allow marriages to commence.  Every day that Floridians are denied access to the protections only marriage can provide, our families suffer," added Smith.
 
AG Bondi has already allowed a Florida couple's marriage to be recognized when she chose not to appeal Judge Hinkle's ruling that Arlene Goldberg be recognized as a spouse on her wife Carol Goldwasser's death certificate.  On August 21, 2014, Judge Robert Hinkle declared the ban unconstitutional.

While four other judges struck down bans in their counties, this federal ruling was the first to cover the entire state. Judge Hinkle placed an immediate stay, except to require the death certificate to be reissued with the women listed as spouses.


 

GOVERNOR SCOTT MUZZLES HEALTH OFFICIALS, PREVENTING THEM FROM ATTENDING BIPARTISAN BRIEFING ON HIV/AIDS

As Florida leads the nation in new HIV-infections, Florida Governor Rick Scott’s administration is placing politics over public health. 

On Thursday, October 23 a bipartisan delegation of 19 state legislators representing Broward County will gather for a special public hearing on the state of HIV/AIDS in Florida.  Representative Jim Waldman, who serves as Chair of the bipartisan delegation, invited the Florida Department of Health to provide the legislators with an overview of the state of HIV/AIDS in Florida, yet the State did not approve their participation.

Organized at the urging of Representative Rick Stark and Senator Eleanor Sobel, the briefing will address the alarming increase of HIV infections in Broward County.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2011 Fort Lauderdale had the highest rate of new HIV Infection cases in the nation among cities with a population of more than 500,000 people. 

Florida is heavily impacted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and the state continues to rank third in the nation in the cumulative number of AIDS cases (126,581 in 2012) and second in the nation in the cumulative number of HIV cases (49,058 in 2012).  Approximately 130,000 individuals are living with HIV disease in Florida.

Representative Stark and Senator Sobel became alarmed after meeting with people living with HIV and service providers who expressed concerns with harmful changes in the Florida AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) and AIDS Insurance Continuation Program (AICP).  The Florida Department of Health is working to adopt new administrative rules that will restrict access to these critical programs designed ro be safety net programs for uninsured and underinsured people living with HIV/AIDS.:safety net programs for uninsured and underinsured people living with HIV/AIDS.


Contact 
Michael Emanuel Rajner, (954) 899-0877 / MERAJNER@gmail.com

Mayor Gary Resnick is honored and humbled

Mayor Gary Resnick is honored and humbled to represent the residents of Wilton Manors and to have the support of our members of Congress including our Congresswoman Lois Frankel, as well as our Professional Firefighters for his re-election.

With early voting starting, Gary asks for YOUR support and vote for his re-election.

Visit http://GaryResnick.com

Joe Biden came to campaign for gubernatorial hopeful and past Governor Charlie Crist on Monday

  By Carol Porter
Vice President Joe Biden came to campaign for gubernatorial hopeful and past Governor Charlie Crist on Monday, October 13, at Temple Beth Shalom in Century Village in Boca Raton. The Vice President was introduced by Congressman Ted Deutch and Senator Joe Abruzzo and organizers with the Crist campaign in Palm Beach County. Also in attendance were legislators from Palm Beach County and several who were running for office. The Vice President spoke about how the erosion of the dreams and hopes for the middle class during the current economic times and about how the middle class needed to be “dealt back in,” and be included in the future of the American dream and the country. Biden also spoke about the extreme partisanship of the Republican party in the environment in D.C. and on the state level. Biden also spoke about the need for Democrats in the State of Florida to vote for Crist and all those on the ticket with him. After the speeches on stage, Biden and Crist spent a huge amount of time shaking hands with attendees as well as letting people have their pictures taken with them.

FOR ALL THE PICS CLICK HERE

Mickel Field Redevelopment Begins!

The groundbreaking ceremony held at Mickel Field on Monday evening, October 6, 2014, marked the beginning of the city's project to redevelop the park. The City Commission, members of the community and City staff came out to the event to celebrate this new beginning. "The investment in repurposing our park system has countless residual benefits, which we have already begun to experience such as strengthening and uniting our communities, improving health, happiness, recreation opportunities, connectivity, cultural venues and so much more," said Mayor Gary Resnick. "It was a gem when I first moved into this city and it can be again. This is going to benefit the whole city."

The City of Wilton Manors Applauds Milestone Supreme Court Decision

Supreme Court refusal to hear appeals cases regarding same sex marriage, stemming from lower courts, means that same sex couples in 11 states will now have the right to get married. Because of the refusal to hear the cases, the lower court rulings stand.

The states are: Utah, Oklahoma, Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Indiana and Wisconsin. The high court's decision also strengthens the chances that Florida's same sex couples will soon have the right to say "I do" and receive all the legal rights and responsibilities that come with that promise.

"Many couples in Wilton Manors, and throughout Florida, including me and my partner, Eric, who have been together for many years, see this decision by the Supreme Court as a beacon of light at the end of the tunnel for Florida," said Gary Resnick, Mayor of Wilton Manors. "Marriage equality is such an important issue for so many people in our community.  It' is only a matter of time before Florida

recognizes the rights of same sex couples and joins the other 30 states and Washington DC."

Four courts in Florida, including a federal district court, have struck down Florida's ban.  In August, a state appeals court refused a request by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to hold off on deciding the constitutionality of Florida's gay marriage ban until after the issue was decided by the Supreme Court.

Kevin Cathcart, Executive Director of Lambda Legal, which fought in favor of same sex couples in Indiana and Virginia, wrote that the ruling was exciting and unexpected.

"Lambda Legal and our co-counsel are thrilled that we won the freedom to marry for couples in Virginia and Indiana, and also to have marriage recognized for couples in those states who got legally married in other states. This is so important for couples like Amy Sandlerand Niki Quasney from Indiana. Niki is battling Stage IV ovarian cancer, and the family needs the dignity, comfort, and protections of marriage as they fight to be together."

Continued Cathcart, "Same-sex couples and their families can't wait any longer for the freedom and dignity of marriage, and the U.S. Supreme Court has let the freedom to marry stand in all the cases before them."

As a result of the 2010 US Census, the City of Wilton Manors was named the "Second gayest City" in the United States. With a large percentage of the population identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, Wilton Manors has been recognized nationally and internationally as one of the most progressive places to live, work and play for many years.

National Parkinson Foundation "Moving Day"

National Parkinson Foundation "Moving Day"

 

 By Bina Fink

An estimated one million people in the U.S. are a living with PD, with 60,000 new cases diagnosed each year. PD is a chronic and progressive movement disorder, meaning that symptoms continue and worsen over time. The cause is unknown, and although there is presently no cure, there are treatment options such as medication and surgery to manage its symptoms.

Exercise along with physical therapy help improve mobility, balance and daily activities for those with PD:  

• In fact, researchers now believe that exercise may actually help slow the progression of the disease.
• Exercise also alleviates symptoms associated with PD such as tremor, issues with balance and gait, flexibility and motor coordination

We want to thank the 1,500+ participants and amazing supporters of Moving Day® Miami who have helped raise over $500,000 to beat Pd with us at Bayfront Park. The money you helped to raise will have a profound impact on the lives of people with Parkinson's, and we are excited to continue in our efforts for improving the lives of everyone in our community. Thank you for showing us how “People Who Move Change The World®” 

Moving Day® Miami raised $567,995 (100% of the goal, which was $500,000)

Broward Legislative Delegation Public Meeting, October 23,2014 5-7pm

Please distribute to your databases and communities, we would like this as widespread as possible for maximum attendance and exposure.   Thank you.

Victoria A. Nowlan

Executive Director, Broward Legislative Delegation

115 South Andrews Avenue, Suite 429

Fort Lauderdale, FL  33301

Office:  954-357-6555 – Cell;  954-260-8894

www.broward.org/legislative

VOTE YES BROWARD COUNTY – QUESTION 1

BROWARD COUNTY – QUESTION 1

REAUTHORIZATION OF THE CHILDREN’S SERVICES COUNCIL

Shall the Children’s Services Council of Broward County, which provides early learning and reading skills, after school programs, developmental, health, preventive and other children’s support services in

Broward County, be reauthorized to continue in existence as a district with voter-approved taxing authority, with independent oversight and accountability as required by law, and shall not subsequently be subject to reauthorization by referendum, unless and until it is dissolved as provided by law?

OUR NOVEMBER 4TH 2014 RECOMMENDATIONS

OUR NOVEMBER 4TH 2014 RECOMMENDATIONS
U.S. House

District 18: Patrick Murphy

District 19: April Freeman
District 20: Alcee Hastings

District 21: Ted Deutch

District 22: Lois Frankel

District 23: Debbie Wasserman Schultz

District 24: Frederica Wilson

District 26: Joe Garcia

Governor- Charlie Crist
Attorney General- George Sheldon 

CFO William Rankin

 Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Thaddeus "Thad" Hamilton 

District Court of Appeal

Forst, Alan O.  RETAIN              

Klingensmith, Mark W. RETAIN             

Stevenson, W. Matthew RETAIN                       

Warner, Martha C. RETAIN

House, District 86- Mark Pafford House, District 89- Bill Hager House, District 93- Scott Herman  House, District 96- Kristin Jacobs House, District 100- Joe Geller House, District 112- Jose Javier Rodriguez House, District 114- Daisy Baez House, District 117- Kionne McGhee Senate, District 34- Maria Sachs Senate, District 36- Oscar Braynon Circuit Judge, District 17 Group 16  Dennis Bailey Broward County Judge Group 27  Claudia Robinson Broward County Commission, Dist. 4- Ken Keechl Margate, City Commission, Dist. 3- Lesa "Lee" Peerman North Miami, Mayor- Kevin Burns  Oakland Park, City Commission- John Adornato   Oakland Park, City Commission- Sheri McCartney   Tamarac Mayor Mike Gelin Tamarac City Commission District 2 Stewart Jackson Webster Wilton Manors Mayor- Gary Resnick Wilton Manors City Commission- Sal Torre Wilton Manors City Commission- Scott Newton Amendment 1 Provides funding for the Land Acquisition Trust Fund YES Amendment 2 Grants the right to use marijuana for the treatment of certain ailments when recommended by a physician      YES Amendment 3 Allows the governor to fill judicial vacancies by appointing a justice or judge from a slate of nominees  NO

Broward Ballot Measures

School Board Bond YES

Children Services Funding YES