1. Art and Diseño

January 30th, 2015
E-MESSENGER
The Electronic Newsle0er of the Florida AFL-­‐CIO
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
FRIDAY FEATURE.......................................................................CLICK HERE
AFL-­‐CIO NOW BLOG..................................................CLICK HERE
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FRIDAY FEATURE
A recent study published in the New York Times showed union workers are more happy
than their non-union counterparts. Get the details here and share the happiness by
sharing this video.
“For those who belong to a union, membership seems to bring a benefit that
perhaps surpasses better wages or generous health insurance: higher life
satisfaction.
WATCH HERE
.COM/FLORIDAAFLCIO
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Working Families Lobby Corps
The Working Families Lobby Corps has broken attendance
records the first two weeks of Interim Committee Weeks. We
have had 12 activists each week ad on January 22 we were
joined by 12 members of Teamsters local 2011, Corrections
officers who are an integral part of the Lobby Corps program.
This many people at the Capitol during Interim Committee weeks
has a positive impact on issues early in the legislative cycle, as
well as puts Legislators on notice that we are back and ready to
continue standing up for Florida most vulnerable citizens along
with our union families.
Join us this session! Schedule your week now! Sign up at
flaflcio.org; follow the Organization link for more information and
downloadable Activist Registration Forms. Or you can sign up
through Google Forms by following this link:
http://goo.gl/forms/jgwzl4Snzy.
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FIGHT FOR FLORIDA
We bet that you don’t know that one of the most important things going on
in Tallahassee during Legislative Session is the Working Family Lobby
Corps.That’s right, the WFLC.
Every year, hundreds of workers and their family members participate in
the WFLC to bring their concerns directly to their legislators. Without the
WFLC, the issues we care about would not be heard and bad legislation
would pass with little resistance. No doubt about it, the WFLC is a powerful
force in halls of the Capitol in Tallahassee.
The members of the WFLC are constituents from unions, community
organizations, friends, students and retirees who truly make a difference by
holding elected officials accountable for their votes. All too often, public
officials seem removed from the people who voted for them and fail to work
on their behalf. Unlike paid lobbyists who must register, these activists can
tell their personal stories directly to the legislator who will vote on the issue.
These advocates augment the work of paid lobbyists by being the voice
and the conscience of voters back in the district. It gives their arguments
the weight of public opinion and puts real faces on the outcome of
legislation.
READ MORE AT THE FIGHT BLOG
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AFL-­‐CIO Now
www.aflcio.org/blog.
Tell the Montgomery County Council to Pass a
Passenger and Driver Bill of Rights
Jan 30, 2015 Kenneth Quinnell | In The States
Taxi drivers in Montgomery County, Md., work long hours and make barely
above the minimum wage because the companies they work for charge
them tens of thousands of dollars in fees each month. Fed up with this
situation, these workers have proposed a Passenger and Driver Bill of
Rights that would make sure drivers are paid a living wage, that they have
basic workplace protections and are able to give their customers the best
service possible. And they are working to get the County Council to pass
the bill, which also would update the outdated dispatch system to improve
service and convenience for riders and regulate companies like Uber.
READ MORE AND COMMENT »
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7 Things to Help Millennials Survive This Economy
Jan 30, 2015 Sean Savett | Economy
This originally appeared on BuzzFeed.
As President Barack Obama said in his State of the Union, our economy is
improving and America is benefiting from 58 straight months of job growth.
But young people who are stuck on their parents’ couches are still
struggling. The youth unemployment rate is too high. Wages are stagnant.
College is increasingly expensive, and the mountain of student debt keeps
getting larger.
READ MORE AND COMMENT »
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The Case for Union Organizing—2015
Jan 29, 2015 Paul Booth | Organizing/Bargaining
The union movement is 3.5 million members smaller than 40 years ago,
and the forces that brought that about are as energetically engaged and
powerful as they have ever been.
READ MORE AND COMMENT »
www.huffingtonpost.com
Senate Approves Keystone
XL Bill; White House
Reaffirms Veto Threat
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WASHINGTON -- The Senate voted Thursday afternoon to approve a
bill authorizing construction of the Keystone XL pipeline over the
presidential approval process, capping off weeks of debate over
amendments.
Following the vote, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) praised the
passage, calling it a victory "for jobs in this country, for energy
security, for good trade relationships with our neighbor in Canada."
"For all the right reasons, it was important that we pass this legislation
in front of us here today," said Murkowski.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/29/senate-keystonexl_n_6573808.html?ncid=newsltushpmg00000003
John Boehner Knocks
Minimum Wage Hikes, But
They Don't Seem To Have
Hurt Him
Posted: 01/26/2015 2:57 pm EST Updated: 01/26/2015 3:59 pm EST
WASHINGTON -- In an interview with CBS’ "60 Minutes" on Sunday
night, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) turned to autobiography
to explain his opposition to raising the federal minimum wage.
“I've had every kinda rotten job you can imagine growin' up and gettin'
myself through school,” the speaker declared. “I wouldn't have had a
chance at half those jobs if the federal government had kept imposing
higher minimum wage.”
It's not uncommon for Boehner to reference his journey from working
at the family bar to holding the House's highest office when explaining
his governing philosophy. But it turns out those blue-collar roots don't
necessarily make the cleanest case when it comes to justifying the
speaker's opposition to a federal minimum wage hike.
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Here's How Much You Have
To Earn To Be In The 1
Percent In Each State
The Huffington Post | By Emily Cohn
What does it take to make it into the 1 percent of earners? In Arkansas,
you'd need to pull in $228,298 a year. In Connecticut, the threshold is
$677,608.
See what your state's threshold is in the map below.
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/26/1-percent-in-each-state-map_n_6548222.html?
utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
inthesetimes.com
(Ron Henry / Flickr)
FEATURES » JANUARY 30, 2015
The Super Bowl’s Violence Is
America’s Violence
Connecting the dots between football and the violence
throughout our society might tell us more than we care to
know about ourselves.
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BY THEO ANDERSON AND JOSHUA SALZMANN
It might soothe our conscience to deny the connection
between the violence of our streets and the brutality of the
NFL. But let’s at least have the courage to see our
reflection in our favorite sport.
When our unofficial national holiday, Super Bowl Sunday, comes
and goes, it will mark the end of one the most remarkable NFL
seasons in many years—a season dominated by uproars over
deflated footballs, brain injuries and graphic evidence of Ray Rice
cold cocking his fiancé and Adrian Peterson beating his son.
The focus on fair play and brutality in football has been paralleled
by broader discussions about fairness, violence and the behavior of
law enforcement in poor communities over the past few months. Yet
those discussions have rarely intersected. And for many Americans,
there is good reason for keeping the violence of the gridiron separate
from the violence of the streets: Connecting the dots might tell us
more than we care to know about ourselves.
http://inthesetimes.com/article/17585/super_bowl_violence
THURSDAY, JAN 29, 2015, 3:56 PM
A Modest Proposal for
Public Sector Union
Opponents
BY JON SHELTON
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Want to reduce the relative power of public sector unions in America? Make it easier for
private sector workers to form unions. (Mark Danielson / Flickr)
Those in and around the labor movement in the U.S. ought to pay
considerable attention to a new book out this January, Government
against Itself: Public Union Power and Its Consequences (Oxford
University Press). Written by Daniel DiSalvo, a rising star political
science professor at City College of New York who opposes paying
agency fees to his own union (in New York, public sector labor
contracts typically include fair share arrangements, which require all
employees covered by a collectively bargained contract to contribute
to representation costs) the book argues that public sector unions
should not be able to engage in collective bargaining. http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17583/
Daniel_DiSalvo_government_against_itself
www.thinkprogress.org
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State Officials Trying To Gut Obamacare Get Caught
Making False Claims To The Supreme Court
BY IAN MILLHISER POSTED ON JANUARY 29, 2015 UPDATED: JANUARY 30, 2015
Pro Tip: When you file a brief in the Supreme Court, the other side typically gets a
chance to respond.
Stark Images Capture Real Life In One Of America’s
Poorest Towns
BY SCOTT RODD - GUEST CONTRIBUTOR POSTED ON JANUARY 29, 2015 UPDATED:
JANUARY 30, 2015
How do those who live in dire poverty manage their daily lives, and can a town
struggling under the weight of such poverty ever transform itself?
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Immigration Offenses Made Up Half Of All Federal Arrests
In 2012
BY ESTHER YU-HSI LEE POSTED ON JANUARY 27, 2015 UPDATED: JANUARY 27, 2015
And more than 60 percent of all federal arrests in 2012 came from immigration
offenses committed in states along the U.S.-Mexico border.
www.salon.com
Share51
Bye-bye, Mitt! The dream is over, America
Mitt Romney 3.0 is a no-go. (For now.) Here's how he almost deluded himself into pulling the
trigger
JIM NEWELL
FRIDAY, JAN 30, 2015 11:50 AM EST
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POLITICS MITT ROMNEY, 2016 ELECTIONS
Share101
The fall of Europe: Why the European
Union is teetering on the brink
Growth is anemic at best and socio-economic inequality is on the rise. How did the European
project go so wrong?
JOHN FEFFER, TOMDISPATCH.COM
FRIDAY, JAN 30, 2015 04:30 AM EST 77
BUSINESS TOMDISPATCH.COM, EUROPEAN UNION
Share10
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Poll: Most Americans don’t want a climate
denier in the White House
The majority of Americans support candidates who support climate action, a New York Times
survey found
LINDSAY ABRAMS
FRIDAY, JAN 30, 2015 10:24 AM EST 10
SUSTAINABILITY CLIMATE CHANGE, 2016 ELECTIONS
mic.com
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Image Credit:
One Startling GIF Shows
How Much the US Spends on
Imprisoning vs. Educating
People
By Zeeshan Aleem January 28, 2015
SHARETWEET
Hardly a day goes by without a member of the media or policy
world pronouncing that America's education system is in dire
straits.
There are constant laments over how poorly the U.S. fares by
international standards, its failure to produce literate students
and its unsightly levels of racial segregation. There's a massive
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debate over how to overcome these problems, but there's no
doubt that at least one factor would help: more money. But where would the money come from? America's broken and
bloated prison system might be a good start.
Here's the Insane Amount of
Money the Koch Brothers
Plan to Spend in 2016
By Gregory Krieg January 26, 2015
SHARETWEET
Conservative billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch and
their network of private donors are planning to spend nearly
$900 million to support select Republican candidates in the 2016
election cycle. That eye-popping sum is more than double their
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outlay from 2012, a guarantee that the coming cycle will be the
most expensive and murky in American history.
The Washington Post reports that officials at Freedom Partners,
the nonprofit umbrella organization that directs Koch-managed
spending groups, told donors at a winter retreat in Palm Springs,
California, that the brothers planned to expand their influence by
becoming more deeply involved in the Republican presidential
nomination process. In the past, they had mostly withheld their
support until after the party picked its candidate.
http://mic.com/articles/109192/here-s-the-insane-amount-ofmoney-the-koch-brothers-plan-to-spend-in-2016
WWW.LABORNOTES.ORG
Women Sue Ford Over Sexual
Harassment
January 29, 2015 / Jenny Brown
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Left to right: Christie Van, Maria Price, Helen Allen, lawyer Keith Hunt, and
Charmella Leviege speak out at a press conference in December about
sexual harassment they experienced from managers and co-workers at
Chicago's Ford Assembly plant. Photo: Still from ABC News video.
Four women have filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of themselves and the
1,000 women working at Chicago’s Ford Assembly plant, saying sexual
harassment at the plant is out of control. Four thousand people work at the
plant on the Ford Taurus, Explorer, and Lincoln MKS.
The women allege that managers and co-workers “touch you and say
things inappropriate about sex to you whenever they want,” said Charmella
Leviege, an assembler in Ford’s body department for 14 years. “Men would
just slap you on your behind,” said Christie Van, the lead plaintiff.
“It’s come from every angle,” said Maria Price, who described being
“groped, felt on, and violated in every way” at work.
http://www.labornotes.org/2015/01/women-sue-ford-over-sexual-harassment
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NATIONAL NEWS FROM AFL-CIO
MUST READ
How a Two-Tier Economy Is Reshaping the U.S. Marketplace
The Wall Street Journal
By Nick Timiraos and Kris Hudson
January 28, 2015
The emergence of a two-tiered U.S. economy, with wealthy households
advancing while middle- and lower-income Americans struggle, is reshaping
markets for everything from housing to clothing to groceries to beer.
One chart that explains Obama’s new economic plan
Vox
By Ezra Klein
January 29, 2015
President Barack Obama's 2015 State of the Union was different than all his
other State of the Unions. Obama, for the first time, offered an economic plan
that wasn't really about unemployment.
LABOR AND THE ECONOMY
Jobless Claims in U.S. Plunge to 15-Year Low
Bloomberg Business
By Staff
January 30, 2015
Data on jobless claims Thursday confirmed what U.S. consumers have been
saying for the past three months: a strengthening job market is making
Americans more confident.
One in Five U.S. Children Depends On Food Stamps
The Wall Street Journal
By
January 28, 2015
Median wealth has basically not changed between 2010 and 2013, a sign the
middle class has been left out of the recovery, New York
University economics professor Edward Wolff points out. Median earnings
for full-time U.S. workers aged 18 to 34 have fallen nearly 10% since 2000,
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PAGE 22
after adjusting for inflation, hindering young adults’ prospects. So it’s not a
surprise that America’s children are suffering, too.
FEDERAL LEGISLATION/LITIGATION
Senate Approves Keystone XL Bill; White House Reaffirms Veto Threat
The Huffington Post
By Kate Sheppard
January 29, 2015
The Senate voted Thursday afternoon to approve a bill authorizing
construction of the Keystone XL pipeline over the presidential approval
process, capping off weeks of debate over amendments.
Does Your Member Of Congress Offer Paid Maternity And Paternity Leave?
The Huffington Post
By Dave Jamieson, Julia Craven, Jessie Rifkin and Maxwell Tani
January 29, 2015
Though it may surprise many Americans, each congressional office currently
acts as its own fiefdom when it comes to paid leave for employees. The
Family and Medical Leave Act guarantees congressional staffers 12 weeks of
unpaid leave with a new child, but the members themselves get to decide how
much paid time off their staffers receive. The generosity inevitably varies
from office to office.
Warren, Cummings Ask Wall Street for Answers on Dodd-Frank Rollback
The Wall Street Journal
By Victoria McGrane
January 29, 2015
Elizabeth Warren and her allies are keeping up the pressure on the
contentious Dodd-Frank rollback that made its way into a must-pass $1.1
trillion spending bill at the end of last year.
RIGHT TO WORK
Researchers: No Proof “Right-To-Work” Laws Help Economy
CBS Chicago
By Bernie Tafoya
January 28, 2015
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A couple University of Illinois researchers have criticized Gov. Bruce
Rauner’s push to allow communities to vote for “right-to-work zones,”
saying such a move could weaken their local economies.
NLRB
Slowing Down the NLRB 'Quickie' Election Rule
Bloomberg BNA
By Chris Opfer
January 28, 2015
It’s safe to say that Republicans and business leaders are less than happy with
many recent actions out of the National Labor Relations Board.
POLITICS
Obama urges Democrats not to be defensive
The Los Angeles Times
By Michael A. Memoli
January 29, 2015
A majority of Democrats are likely to oppose the president's request for fasttrack authority to approve trade agreements over concern that the terms of
new deals could cost American jobs. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka
addressed the caucus Wednesday night, urging them to withhold support until
they see details of prospective deals. Obama made no mention of trade in his
remarks Thursday.
Rahm endorsed by 15 labor unions
The Chicago Sun Times
By Michael Sneed
January 28, 2015
Emanuel, who had little union support when he ran in 2011, will announce he
has moved from labor pains to labor gains big-time!
IMMIGRATION
Barack Obama threatens to veto attacks on his immigration policy
Politico
By Lauren French
January 29, 2015
President Barack Obama vowed to House Democrats on Thursday night that
he would “happily” veto any legislation that would “compound” the
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country’s immigration problems — posing yet another challenge to
Republican efforts to pass a Homeland Security spending bill by next
month’s deadline.
MINIMUM WAGE
How to raise the minimum wage 107 percent without losing jobs or profit
PBS Newshour
By Simone Pathe
January 28, 2015
Boosting the federal minimum wage would be great news for the workers
who’d receive a higher paycheck. Not so much for those who’d be out of a
job. That anxiety sums up much of the debate around increasing the
minimum wage.
Oregon minimum wage, paid sick day advocates say poll findings support
their causes
Oregon Live
By George Rede
January 28, 2015
A coalition of Oregon community and labor groups seeking a higher
minimum wage and mandatory paid sick days for workers on Wednesday
released the results of two recent polls showing broad support for those and
other proposals.
ORGANIZING
Student role possible in adjunct talks
The Albany Times Union
By Brian Nearing
January 28, 2015
A national college-based student group that advocates for workers' rights to
unionize and other economic justice issues is considering a chapter at The
College of Saint Rose to help aid adjunct faculty members who are
negotiating a first-ever labor contract with the school administration.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING/STRIKES/LOCKOUTS
Union says no progress in U.S. refinery contract talks
Reuters
By Staff
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January 28, 2015
The United Steelworkers union (USW) said no progress was made on
Wednesday toward a new three-year agreement covering hourly workers at
63 U.S. refineries accounting for two-thirds of national capacity, according to
a text message sent to union members.
Airport caterers' labor campaign takes off
Al Jazeera
By Ned Resnikoff
January 29, 2015
Hundreds of unionized airport service workers will convene in front of the
United Airlines headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, on Thursday to demand
higher wages and announce a new campaign targeting America’s largest
airlines.
YOUNG WORKERS
7 Things To Help Millennials Survive This Economy
Buzzfeed Community
By AFL-CIO
January 29, 2015
It’s time for a new economic playbook that will revive the American Dream.
That’s why the AFL-CIO’s Young Workers Advisory Council came up with
the Youth Economic Platform, a list of policy proposals that would help
young people overcome our significant economic challenges.
INTERNATIONAL
Vice President Joe Biden urges support for Central America aid package
Politico
By Jennifer Shutt
January 29, 2015
Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday urged support for a $1 billion
economic aid package for three Central American countries whose economic
plight has been highlighted by the ongoing child-migrant crisis on America’s
southern border.
Florida News from our allies at Progress Florida
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(Some of the news stories below may require a subscription to read.)
FEATURED STORIES
Meggs won't investigate possible Sunshine Law violation in Bailey ouster
By Michael Van Sickler and Josh Solomon
Tampa Bay Times
Related: On FDLE scandal, Sen. Latvala slams "3 little monkeys" on
Cabinet
State Attorney Willie Meggs said Thursday that he will not investigate
whether the state's open meetings law was violated by Gov. Rick Scott and
the three elected Cabinet members in last month's ouster of the
commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Governor's evasions coming back to haunt him (video)
By Craig Patrick
FOX 13 Tampa
FOX 13 Political Editor Craig Patrick on the messy start to Governor Scott's
2nd term.
Chorus grows urging Gov. Scott, legislators to opt in on expanding
Medicaid
By John Pacenti
Palm Beach Post
The League of Women Voters of Florida has joined businesses in calling
for Gov. Rick Scott and state lawmakers to reverse course in the upcoming
legislative session and opt in to the Medicaid expansion under the federal
Affordable Care Act.
Asset & Opportunity scorecard paints bleak picture for Florida workers
By James Call
Saint Petersblog
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Florida ranks among the worst in the nation when it comes to providing
residents with stable, decent-paying jobs, according to a report by the
Corporation for Enterprise Development.
One Florida Foundation not the clean water group it claims
By Sally Swartz
Context Florida
In the world of water politics, people are not always who they seem to be.
On the Treasure Coast, One Florida Foundation Inc. (OFF) isn’t exactly the
“clean water advocacy” group it claims to be, either.
Jeb ‘Put Me Through Hell’
By Michael Kruse
Politico
Michael Schiavo knows as well as anyone what Jeb Bush can do with
executive power. He thinks you ought to know too.
BEST OF THE BLOGS
Adam Putnam, Big Sugar and the Great Destroyers
By Gimleteye
Eye On Miami
Fox News Florida branch, Sunshine State News, printed last week,
"Putnam on Water Policy: Get Priorities Right From First, Then Spend
Accordingly" (January 23, 2015).
2016 Legislative Races Preview: Part 1
By Katy Burnett
The Florida Squeeze
With the 2014 election behind us and brutal legislative session around the
corner, Democrats across Florida are looking toward 2016 with tentative
hope, as down-ballot Democratic candidates generally do better in a
presidential year and there is a desperate need for change on the horizon.
The Most Important Thing Happening In Tallahassee
By Fight For Florida
Fight For Florida
We bet that you don’t know that one of the most important things going on
in Tallahassee during Legislative Session is the Working Family Lobby
Corps.
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Scott Pledges Support for Everglades, Amendment 1 … What?
By Sandspur
SWFWMD Matters
The Palm Beach Post, in its blog yesterday placed this banner above one
of its posts: "Scott pledges support for Everglades work, Amendment 1”.
FL Senate Measure Seeks to Eliminate Onerous Taxes on the Sun
By Susan Glickman
CleanEnergy Footprints
Florida State Senator Jeff Brandes just took a big step toward removing a
major roadblock to more solar development in the Sunshine State.
FLORIDA POLITICS
Party Animal
By Betsy Woodruff
Slate
Blaise Ingoglia is a minor YouTube celebrity, a minor real estate mogul, a
motivational speaker, and a tournament poker player.
Scott off to a 'boneheaded' start
By Jeremy Wallace
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Florida Gov. Rick Scott is off to arguably the worst start to a term as
governor in Florida history.
End Cabinet monopoly, save the insurance regulator
By Sean Shaw
Context Florida
Apparently, not even the Florida Constitution can save Kevin McCarty.
Rick Scott gives Melissa Sellers the unofficial kiss of death
By Peter Schorsch
Saint Petersblog
There’s been no official announcement, but veteran Tallahassee insiders
know when Gov. Rick Scott is about to push a senior aide under the
proverbial bus.
Questions for Scott, Cabinet
Editorial:
Ocala Star-Banner
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PAGE 29
In Florida's unique government, three officials and the governor — all
elected statewide — share power on the Cabinet.
POLITICAL RACES
Exclusive: Hillary Clinton may delay campaign
By Mike Allen
Politico
Hillary Clinton, expecting no major challenge for the Democratic
nomination, is strongly considering delaying the formal launch of her
presidential campaign until July, three months later than originally planned,
top Democrats tell POLITICO.
Return of the GOP King: Jeb Bush's political team staffs up in Tallahassee
By Marc Caputo
Miami Herald
A new but old political team is setting up shop in Tallahassee: Jeb Bush’s
crew.
As Romney weighs ‘16 bid, his past donors commit to Jeb Bush
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Closing in on a decision about whether to again run for president, Mitt
Romney is finding that several past major fundraisers and donors in key
states have defected to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
New signals of Rubio weighing a 2016 bid as senator makes California
fundraising stop
By Sean Sullivan
Washington Post
Sen. Marco Rubio this week may be sending the clearest signals yet that
he intends to run for president rather than seek reelection to a second term
in 2016.
Charlie Crist in 2016?
By Peter Schorsch
Saint Petersblog
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio is giving all indications that he will announce
sometime in spring his decision whether he will run for president.
Two challengers seek to upset Fort Lauderdale mayor's re-election plans
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By Larry Barszewski
Sun Sentinel
Homeless feeding restrictions, marriage equality and the International
Swimming Hall of Fame won't be on the city's Feb. 10 election ballot, but
opponents of Mayor Jack Seiler want voters to be thinking about them.
Group aims to engage voung voters before Jacksonvile's spring elections
By Steve Patterson
Florida Times-Union
Young activists outlined plans Thursday to engage voters under age 40 in
Jacksonville’s springtime city elections, saying younger people want to
impact local policies on issues from city design to civil rights.
BALLOT INITIATIVES
Stick to the mission
Editorial
Miami Herald
Back in November, 75 percent of Florida voters approved Amendment 1,
the statewide environmental-conservation funding measure.
Tallahassee's views on conservation at odds: Battle over Amendment 1
money brewing
Editorial
Bradenton Herald
While the Legislature grapples with composing policies to meet the
requirements set into the state constitution with November's passage of
Amendment 1, various parties are lining up to grab a piece of the huge
money pie now set aside for environmental protection and conservation.
ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
Where did missing oil go? New study says some sitting on the Gulf floor
By Kathleen Haughney
FSU.edu
After 200 million gallons of crude oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico in April
2010, the government and BP cleanup crews mysteriously had trouble
locating all of it.
Senate passes bill approving Keystone XL oil pipeline
By Dina Cappiello
Associated Press
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The Republican-controlled Senate on Thursday approved a bipartisan bill
to construct the Keystone XL oil pipeline, defying a presidential veto threat
and setting up the first of many battles with the White House over energy
and the environment.
Hunt fails to find pythons, and that's good news
By David Fleshler
Sun Sentinel
Trudging through thigh-high grass Thursday morning near the Everglades,
biologists Daryl Thomas and Delta Harris scanned the ground for Northern
African pythons.
Duke Energy ices solar farm idea for mid Pinellas County
By Tony Marrero
Tampa Bay Times
Duke Energy Florida has iced its idea to build a solar farm in mid Pinellas
County or anywhere else, at least for now.
A fight over specialty license tag money has enviro groups clashing
By James L. Rosica
Naples Daily News
The head of a Florida environmental group says a rival organization pulled
a fast one, heisting its specialty license plate – and thus all its revenue –
through legislative sleight of hand.
LGBT
Marriage Equality Without Equivocation
By Garrett Epps
The Atlantic
On September 11, 1958, Richard Butler of Little Rock, Arkansas, told a
special session of the U.S. Supreme Court that his client—the Little Rock
School Board—found itself “in a conflict of two sovereignties—the State
and Federal Governments.”
EDUCATION
Tax-credit voucher scheme diverts needed money from public schools
By Joanne McCall
Tampa Bay Times
Faced with an ever-expanding tax-credit voucher program, the Florida
Education Association, along with the Florida School Boards Association,
the Florida PTA, the Florida Association of School Administrators and other
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groups and individuals, filed a lawsuit last year seeking to declare the
program unconstitutional.
Florida superintendents talk testing with Gov. Rick Scott
By Jeffrey S. Solochek
Tampa Bay Times
Nine superintendents met with Florida Gov. Rick Scott and education
commissioner Pam Stewart on Wednesday to talk about testing.
Name change to Florida's technical centers could lead to guns on
campuses
By Jeffrey S. Solochek
Tampa Bay Times
Florida Rep. Greg Steube's legislation to extend concealed carry weapons
permits to colleges and universities could have a side effect that has school
districts on edge.
Entrepreneurs could get help to test new education ideas
By Marcia Heroux Pounds
Sun Sentinel
The next big idea in education could come out of Fort Lauderdale.
JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Gov. Rick Scott Wants To Cut More State Jobs
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
The state’s ever-shrinking workforce will get even smaller if Gov. Rick Scott
has his way.
Scott touts plan to cut taxes on phone, cable, satellite TV
By Jerome R. Stockfisch
Tampa Tribune
Gov. Rick Scott brought his budget road show to Tampa on Thursday,
touting a 3.6 percent cut on communications services that will save the
average customer about $43 a year.
Fla. House Not Deterred By Senate’s Lack Of Enthusiasm For State
Pension Overhaul
By Sascha Cordner
WFSU Tallahassee
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PAGE 33
While the Senate doesn’t look like it will consider an overhaul of the Florida
Retirement System, the House is not giving up hope it can convince the
other chamber.
Scott looks to woo jobless energy workers to Florida
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
With falling oil prices spawning layoffs in some states, Gov. Rick Scott is
trying to woo out-of-work energy industry workers to Florida — touting this
state’s economic rebound.
Obama calls for spending surge, buoyed by rising economy
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
President Barack Obama will ask Congress to boost government spending
by roughly 7 percent above current limits, the White House said Thursday,
setting up a certain clash with Republicans who insist that federal spending
must be held in check.
HEALTH AND SENIORS
Florida League of Women Voters pushes for Medicaid expansion
By Chabeli Herrera
Miami Herald
A drive for Medicaid expansion grew Thursday with the nonpartisan League
of Women Voters of Florida — one of the state's oldest political groups —
calling on legislators to find a "unique and flexible Florida solution" to cover
an estimated 750,000 uninsured people this year.
Despite FL Budget Surplus, No Medicaid Expansion
By Phil Latzman
Public News Service Florida
The state of Florida finds itself in an enviable position. It's expecting a $1
billion surplus in the upcoming fiscal-year budget. Gov. Rick Scott's
proposed budget includes increasing public-school spending - but it does
not include expanding Florida's Medicaid program.
Rick Scott builds health care budget built with $2 billion in federal money
that may not be there
By Christine Jordan Sexton
Saint Petersblog
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PAGE 34
Florida Gov. Rick Scott released his $77 billion proposed budget for fiscal
year 2015-16 on Wednesday and it’s built in part on the assumption that
Florida will receive $2 billion in federal health-care dollars to help treat the
poor and underinsured, mostly at Florida hospitals.
Free Clinics Beat Insurance, for Some
By Carol Gentry
Health News Florida
With open enrollment for health insurance ending in just two weeks, the
push is on to get everyone who qualifies signed up.
State Wants 3 New Nursing Homes for Aging Veteran Population
By Bobbie O'Brien
Health News Florida
The governor wants to build three new, state-run nursing homes just for
veterans.
IMMIGRATION, CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL ISSUES
Carlos Curbelo backs immigration reform but could support House
immigration lawsuit against Obama
By Patricia Mazzei
Miami Herald
House Speaker John Boehner's move toward suing President Obama over
his executive immigration action could put Miami Republican members of
Congress in a tough spot.
U.S. has no idea how many fugitives Cuba's harboring
By Megan O'Matz and Sally Kestin
Sun Sentinel
The United States does not know how many fugitives are in Cuba.
Senate Prez Gardiner Keeping An 'Eye' On Body Cameras Bill, Has Some
Concerns
By Sascha Cordner
WFSU Tallahassee
Some top legislative leaders say they’re keeping an eye on a current bill
mandating law enforcement agencies across the state wear body cameras.
JUSTICE AND THE COURTS
Florida Prison Budget
By Matt Galka
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PAGE 35
Capitol News Service
Cleaning up Florida’s prison system will be a top priority for legislators this
year, and as Matt Galka tells us, after the Governor unveiled his budget
plans for prisons.
Attorney General Nominee Loretta Lynch Excels At Confirmation Hearing
Despite Conservative Sideshow
By CAP Action War Room
Think Progress
Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee completed its two-day hearing on
Loretta Lynch, the nominee for attorney general. Lynch, the U.S. Attorney
for the Eastern District of New York, comes highly regarded from legal and
law enforcement experts, as well as pundits on both sides of the aisle.
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