The federal and state governments are cutting their spending. Hooray! ….while sort of. The needs and problems aren’t going away simply because the programs are being cut. They still exist and the…
Category: State & National News
Gov. Scott gives interview
Not to mainstream media–or even us–, but to the Florida Baptist Witness. Gov. Rick Scott gave Florida Baptist Witness a 20-minute interview on May 3. The governor told the Baptist newspaper that…
Scott launches publicity machine
Gov. Rick Scott will spend the next few weeks redefining the 2011 Legislative Session as success for his administration. His Facebook page–yes, Scott has a Facebook page–touts his statewide swing as his…
U.S. Foreign Aid Analysis (interactive)
Center for American Progress has an interactive map that explores where U.S. foreign aid dollars are spent and how these countries rank in terms of basic indicators such as political rights and…
What is DEP doing about climate change?
St. Pete Times reports that a gathering of 400 scientists in Copenhagen this month reached the conclusion that the arctic’s glaciers are melting faster than anyone expected due to man-made climate change….
Bondi takes stand on mortgage issue
Orlando Sentinel reports the federal government has been pushing banks such as BOA and Wells Fargo to reduce the mortgage principal for qualified borrowers in danger of foreclosure. Florida Attorney General Pam…
Scott for President 2012
I know it sounds far-fetched but Adam Smith of the St. Pete Times makes a good argument that Florida Gov. Rick Scott could make a strong run for the Republican nomination. The…
Ron Paul in 2012
Rep. Ron Paul, a Texas Republican, says “Time is right” for him to pursue the presidency for a third time. He said in an interview on “Good Morning America” that voters are…
Peace Corps volunteers talk about rape
Earlier this week I wrote about Lara Logan, the reporter who was sexually assaulted by a crowd while covering the uprising in Cairo. Now Peace Corps volunteers have stepped forward with stories…
Florida hit hard by GOP Medicaid plan
The Kaiser Foundation has analyzed the GOP Medicare plan. Projected federal spending on Medicaid for the 10-year period 2012 to 2021 would fall by $1.4 trillion, a 34 percent decline. By 2021,…
The Donald tanks in latest poll
Daily Beast: Trump has fallen to 8 percent in Public Policy Polling’s most recent survey, just a month after he led the Republican presidential field with 26 percent. Additionally, 53 percent of…
What happens when GOP can’t agree?
More than 2,000 bills were filed during the 2011 session, but less than 300 were approved at the end of the 60-day session. Bills dealing with immigration, union dues and ethics reform…
Koch brother dictates FSU hiring
Charles G. Koch has pledged $1.5 million for positions in Florida State University’s economics department. With the funds comes strings. Koch and his representatives get to screen and sign off on any…
Gov. Scott accused of intentionally lying or malfeasance
St. Pete Times reports some Republican lawmakers are upset with how Gov. Rick Scott rejected the $2 billion in federal funding for the proposed high-speed rail system. Fifteen states are getting a…
State Roundup: May 8
The state daily newspapers tackle the legislative session that just ended. State Rep. Clay Ford may win the “Invisible Man” award again. We know about Evers’ gun bills, Ingram’s fertilizer law, Broxson’s…
More autism than we thought
CNN: Researchers believe the number of children who have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is much higher than previously believed, according to a new study published Monday in the American Journal of…
Reporter talks of rape in Tahrir Square
CBS reporter Lara Logan talked on “60 Minutes” last night about what really happened to her in Cairo’s Tahrir Square as the dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak was falling on Feb 11. The…
President Obama’s speech to 101st Airborne Division
The White House has released the text of President Obama’s speech to the troops at Fort Campbell, Ky.: Hello, Fort Campbell! 101st Airborne Division–Air Assault, hello! General Colt, thank you for that…
State Legislature has political meltdown
Miami Herald reports that the Florida Legislature had a meltdown with the House and Senate rank-and-file revolting from their leadership and voting down conference bills. The power went to their heads so…
Al Qaeda confirms bin Laden is dead
While the GOP and Fox News need to see the death photos, Al Qaeda doesn’t and has confirmed Osama Bin Laden is dead, according to Reuters. Read more.
